I'm Freelancing Again

Several years ago, I made my first attempt at earning money as a freelance writer. Ultimately, I ran into complications and I moved away from that and created my publishing company as a side gig and ended up working another job which has now become my main source of monthly income. In between, I've slowly built the publishing company up but haven't yet reached a point where I could subsist solely on that income. 

My life circumstances have changed over the last few years and I've thought about changing the shape of my life into one that better fits my new focus and plays to the strengths and skills I've gained. I've been employed in the same job for almost six years now and as time has gone on, I've become less and less satisfied with the work. It has pulled me away, again and again, from my focus as a publisher and a writer, and given its physical demands, I've just come to the end of it and it is time to move on.

So, I've decided to become a freelancer again, with an emphasis on writing, editing, and proofreading. These are all related to what I am doing elsewhere, especially in Founders House. Honestly, I will be doing a little bit of freelance book design and eBook formatting, as well as ghostwriting. 

These days, there is a lot to be said for the so-called gig economy. Larger numbers of people are jumping into it at different points using different providers. I've started that process myself, and have stepped into Upwork and Fiverr, but I've also decided to ply my skills locally too. Lots of self-promotion and client searching lie before me. 

I'm hoping to find work sooner rather than later as my desire to get away from my current job grows. I'm ready to be creative again and ready to help others with their writing, including giving feedback as an editor by offering beta reading services.

With luck, I'll find a way to step fully into this work.

A Writer Stumbles

Well, yesterday's post said already, but I'll say it again. I didn't write fiction so I have to restart the streak I was forming this month. Of course, I did manage to post something on the blog, so that little streak remains un broken, at least for now.

I will tell you one thing ahead of time. I just finished writing more on the book. I just went over my minimum and decided to stop since it was the end of a chapter. I had a total of 1,036 words today. What helped me hit it today was that I did almost half before I headed out to the night job.  I wasn't coming home late with all four pages or so waiting to be done.

This makes me recognize the necessity of doing my writing earlier in the day if at all possible. The longer I wait the great the chances will be that I won't write a word. That seems to be the case during a normal work week. 

I don't pretend that all of this musing on the process of writing is interesting to everyone who might be reading these pages, but I've decided to write about this, to blog about what I do. It's a dialogue with myself as much as it is something I'm share with all of you. 

I'm trying to feed the creative part of myself plus I'm getting much needed practice for a  skill that no doubt needs improvements. So, onward I go!

Unexpected Obstacles

This won't be a long post, but I just wanted to jot a few words down about obstacles. There are always going to things that get in the way of accomplishing goals. Sometimes, they're unexpected like the problem I had with water leaking into place last night when I was struggling to get words down.

I still managed to hit my word count in fiction and do a blog post. I am happy for that win but I say it now as a counterpoint to the failure I'm facing now. It's 1:00 a.m. and I've not written fiction to day. My return to the night job was something I should have reworked my writing schedule for since I'd been writing late--at a time I would have normally been working out of the house.

Well,  I was out and the writing didn't get started and now it's too late. I'm just here to maintain my blogging streak and to reflect on failure.

We writers, like everybody else, will face it from time to time. The main point I see is that I can't let this instance cause me to abandon the goal of establishing a daily writing habit.

That's still the goal.

I just have to get back on the horse again.

Another Step...

This writing every day is an uphill climb and after so much time away. It takes a lot more effort to take another step. It's true of this blog and it's definitely true of fiction. I suppose it's just the nature of forming habits. I've heard a lot of writers talk about the power of writing daily and it all comes down to building and strengthening those particular habits that get you coming back to the page. That's the important part. That's how you get somewhere.

I came back to the page last night and ended up adding 1,116 words to the novel. I took another step. That's the way of writing something like a novel. It's not something you can pour out, whole and complete all at once. Like any big task, it has to be broken down. For me, right now, that adds up to about four pages a day. I could try for a lot more, but I still have to spend more time here, working at this pace. I know writers who write less and I know writers who write much more than 1,000 words a day. I used to do that from time to time, but I was never that consistent at the practice. 

I'm trying to do things differently now. I'm aiming for a different approach to my own fiction writing and to writing in general. There's a process here. I have to push through the resistance and working out mental muscles. It's just plain not easy at first. Building discipline plays a part here.

Fiction has its own set of challenges. Honestly, I think writing these blogs every day will be the tougher course. I've never been one to share that much, especially not so often. A daily blog isn't easy either. I've found myself spinning my wheels for some time trying to figure out what to say to fill this page in with more than a couple of paragraphs. Only in the last five minutes have the words started flowing. That's certainly something. You see, I had to push through a tight spot in my own mind. I had to make myself stay here until the words began to flow again.

I'd say that's how it is with most writers. I've heard it said that if you make it a daily habit the resistance eases up over time. Not sure if I believe them, but I guess I haven't tried it either. So, that's what I'm doing here.

When I think about the very idea of writing here in this space every day, it becomes uncomfortable. I mean, what am I going to write about? The novel has a path built into, a story to tell. This blog is open-ended. I think it needs something more to fill it out. I can only give so much thought and time to it in a given day with other demands pressing for my time, but still, its something I want to do.

I'll probably look around for things to write about, and maybe some of them will have to do with writing, storytelling, and all of the sort of things I deal with while I build my own writing career while I also seek ways to better my other business--publishing. 

Who knows?

I Made Progress

While I did have other things going, my Saturday was more open than a weekday would be and I still managed to do a fair share of procrastination. I spent a few hours working on tasks related to my publishing company, I was out and about doing a few errands and I took my mom out for lunch, but at some point I got back to the house and I was alone with some time that could be used to put words to the page.

I ended up watching a movie. So it goes. Then I was invited for pizza so I dashed off to my brother's house.

Afterwards, and much later, I got to the computer and wrote last night's blog post. Then I decided I wanted to add a progress meter for my projects to the website so I poked around and found one and put it up to share what I've done on the novel. You'll find it in the sidebar. Check it out.

Later still, I opened up the book file and started writing...very...very slowly. The words were not coming easier and it was getting very late. I wanted to stop well short of the daily target, but kept pushing through, adding a few words, a few words there. One page led to the next. After a while I stopped paying attention to the number of words I was doing and focused more on the story itself. I realized I wanted to get to the end of a chapter and felt I was getting closer.

So I kept writing and I finished a chapter. And had just over 1,300 words.

I felt pretty good about that. Now I just have to do it again, and again, and so on. Just keep writing. Every day. So, I'm leaving this for now and heading back into fantasy land. Good night.

Get Back on that Writing Horse

Okay. I fell off the writing horse. I didn't write a single word of fiction yesterday. So much for that streak, right? I'll have to climb back on that particular horse and try again. But guess what? I'm here writing another post, so perhaps I'll make writing here a streak too. Now I just have to climb back on that horse and start riding again. Being a writer means you have to be about the writing, you know. It's the kind of craft that surely benefits from daily practice.

But you know what? Making a daily writing habit and sticking to isn't always easy. I've read a lot about making fiction writing something you do every day, and the different ways other writers go about forming the habit. There are tons of articles and even some books about the subject. Some offer steps to help you. Other articles offer some deeper insights or observations or just want to convince you of the value of writing daily.

Now, what exactly they mean by 'writing every day' will vary if you look at them. Sometimes, it could be just journaling or writing whatever pops into your mind. That may be good for some, but that's not what I mean.

For me, fiction is the primary goal and so any writing I'm doing on a given day should at the very least include some progress on a short story or some longer piece (such as the novel I'm currently working on). Yes, I've heard of some people suggesting warm up exercises, stream of consciousness, or whatever, but if the aim is more targeted and whatever daily practice that results is focused practice, hopefully the enjoyment of accomplishing something creative—something that might be shared with others—is there.

Then again, I suppose we, all of us writers, find our own approaches over time, if we really want to keep writing stories. But all of us need some sort of structures to help make forming that fiction writing habit go a little smoother. Plus, we have to make the time in each day. We have to carve it out of other areas, out of the spread of hours we have during a given day.

It's good to have measurements too to give us some focus. Daily word count quotas are always a good one--or you could think in terms of pages completed. Or even projects done. Set deadlines. Do whatever will help you get in your writing time. That's what I have to do too.

Writing In 2015 - Don't Look Back

This year's about up now and I'm not going to look backwards now when it's far more important to look forward. Half-finished projects will either be completed or shelved as I strive for momentum in my writing life as the new year dawns. I'm wearied with making pronouncements that don't pan out, but I still want to challenge myself. I could do that in a number of ways.

I set out to write twenty short stories this year, but only managed a fraction of that number. I'm not going to beat myself up about not hitting the goal. I did get some stories written. I didn't completely fail.  I could set another challenge like that. I could also set one for writing books too. In the end, it doesn't matter what shape the challenges take but only that I attempt them. The attempt matters.

There's a lot to learn from failures -- provided that it leads to successes rather than paralysis.

I have hopes for 2015. It's good to be hopeful about one's prospects rather than caught up in a cycle of disappointment, doubt, and frustration. Like most writers, I've been dealt with those sorts of issues. I've been too critical and being critical has sapped my creativity. It kept me from the page more times than I'd like to admit.

Though I'm still thoughtful about how these patterns might play out in the new year, I'm more interested in how I can bolster my personal creativity and let that voice out to play again. Fiction writing should be a fun activity and not a reason to get stressed out. At least that's the philosophy I prefer.

There is promise in a new year, but it takes work to make that promise bear any sort of fruit. This blog will remain a place where I share something of that writerly journey with those who read. I'll tell you when I have new work coming out and update you on the progress of any challenges I set. I'll probably note interesting articles and blogs about writing and publishing as I cross them.

Here's to a great 2015!

NaNoWriMo 2014

Yep, I'm putting my hat in the ring again and jumping into the the annual novel writing challenge next month. I've tried to do National Novel Writing Month more than once and have yet to finish it. Will this year be different? I like to think so. I would like to say that I wrote a book in a month. I'd also like to say I can do it more than once.

Productivity still matters to me though I can say very certainly that I've not had the most productive 2014. It's been kind of lousy, honestly. Still, I can finish the year on a stronger note. Part of that is just writing those 50,000 words in 30 days. That will make me feel a heck of a lot better.

Getting back on more solid footing as a creative writer does matter to me. I've done a lot to distract myself from that goal and I'm doing my best to stop procrastinating. (Yep, still dealing with that little beast.)

So yeah, I'm jumping in and joining thousands who participate. Let me know if you're one of them. Send me a comment. Say hello.

Changed My Site's Look Again Or Killing Time While I Figure Out What To Write

Yep, it's come to procrastinating, friends. I'm having a moment where I don't know what the heck I'm going to write next. Part of me thinks I've just needed a break to allow for reassessment going forward. I did that all last week. Not a single word of fiction at all. I've been contemplating a nonfiction book of essays on a particular topic of interest to me (yes, being vague on purpose).

I've also been thinking about writing a novel again. (No, I haven't forgotten the short story challenge. I will finish at least the twenty stories I promised. Just might work them in over time while other projects arise. Additionally, it's possible I have another book project on the horizon--one that pays a little something, I hope. That means I'll have to strike a tougher balance in order to fit time for fiction and nonfiction. That is all ahead of me.

As the title states, I've changed the look of my blog again. The fact is that I didn't like how it looked. It was wrong. I was going for a look that leaned more towards my fantasy fiction writing, but then remembered that I'm more than a fantasy writer. I went with a more simplistic look. I guess I just like to mix things up some.

So yeah, trying to get a grip on the writing at the moment. Probably the most important thing is to get in the habit of writing everyday again. Then work on things like word count goals or project goals afterwards.

I guess that's it for now. I'll have some new releases coming up here soon, including Other Realms: Volume One, so stay tuned, folks.

Coming Soon: The Darkness Of The Deep and Other Realms, Volume One

With this year nearing its close, I wanted to come back here and give you some previews of what is coming in 2014. I've been trying to establish a bit of a plan for how I would work on different books and coordinate those projects with a publication schedule through my publishing company. When you try to balance the tightrope that is writing and publishing, you learn that not having a plan can lead to difficulties over the long-term.

I'm hoping to change that. I have two books coming out in the near future with a couple more on the way. At this time, I thought it would be nice to give you a taste of what's to come by showing you the covers to The Darkness Of The Deep, my first published fantasy novel since A Kingdom Of Shadows back in 2012.

In the same way, I have a collection of short stories, the first volume in what I'm planning as an ongoing series of collections titled Other Realms. This inaugural issue, Volume One, contains ten original, never-before-published short stories by me. Doing short stories helps keep me balanced between writing novels and novellas so I hope to keep up that work throughout 2014.

Another point I'd like to mention is that a few of my books currently available as ebooks will also make their way into print. (Finally!) I'm excited about those developments too and I will, of course, post about those updates as soon as possible.

2013 was a strange year and a difficult one in many ways. I was able to produce works of fiction despite the changes that were wrought and I'm glad for that. I hope that I'm getting better at this fiction writing thing. Only time will tell. I'm still having fun with all of this. Maybe I'll be able to make a living too.

Catch you later. I'll be updating about publication dates and other information as soon as those are available to me. Happy New Year. Make it a good one.

Update: Feast Or Famine

To be honest, the last several months have seemed more like a famine than a feast. I've had a number of setbacks that when coupled with less than stellar sales of my current books have left me wondering what the next step will be for me as a professional writer.

I've said in other places that the most desirable direction for me as a writer is to focus strictly on writing books. I don't care if I have to add in ghostwritten ones that clients pay me to do as long as I can walk away in better financial shape and be able to write the stories that I want to write.

With such a prolonged famine cycle, I think I'm at the point when I have to start my writing career over at least from the standpoint of finding new sources of clients. In a related matter, I've thought about using my developing skills as a book designer to get work that way. All I need is the clientele.

These are all observations that I've made to myself numerous times. I hadn't said anything or done anything of note in this space for a few weeks, so I thought I'd drop a few lines for those who might be visiting this website.

I'd like to take this moment to place an open call to anybody who either needs help writing their story or who might like to have an ebook cover designed or even a print book designed. I can help you do that. I'd love to help my fellow writers who are dipping their toes in to indie publishing. I'd like to help people tell their stories and produce attractive books as well.

Let me know if I can help.