New Writer Podcast

This week I’d like to talk a little about my new project, the big picture concept, where I’m at on it, and some of the tools I’ve used to get there, but first, the weekly update.

This week I had 34 downloads for Choices as well as 7 total sales of other books on Amazon, netting me a grand total $12.67 for the week on Amazon and nothing on any of the other platforms. This isn’t exactly surprising considering I’ve made a grand total of about $20 on all of the other platforms combined since I started publishing in March of last year.

I’ve been doing quite a bit of writing this week, including once again experimenting with Dragon Naturally Speaking. I’ve managed to write over 15,000 words this week and I attribute that to getting back into the habit of using 750words.com

If you’re not familiar, 750words.com is a website with a similar concept as the morning pages. The idea is to write 3 pages, or 750 words, of free writing every day just to form the habit of writing and clear your mind from the clutter. What kicked me back into using it with dedication was signing up for a monthly challenge, which is a non-binding contract to write every day. When you join the challenge to set two terms, one reward you’ll give yourself if you achieve the goal of writing at least 750 words every day for a month and one if you fail.

For me, if I manage to write every day in July, I get to go see Antman, assuming, of course, it’s still in theaters two weeks after its release date. If I fail, I will donate $25 to 750words.com. The service is free and donations keep the doors open. As of recording this episode on the 10th of July, I haven’t missed a day yet and don’t intend to.

I also have been experimenting with Dragon Naturally Speaking again, which is a really weird way of writing. It takes a lot to get used to dictation, especially when you have to speak your punctuation, but I think it might be worth it. When I did my 750 words using dictation software yesterday, I was able to do it in 4 minutes. It came out to something like 183 words per minute, which is almost double my standard typing rate. If I was able to maintain that speed for an hour, it’d be 10,980 words per hour, which is just stupid insane.

So naturally, I have a new goal.

One of the things I have been doing in my 10-minute dictation word sprints is ignoring punctuation. Speaking punctuation really ruins my flow, and I’m already having a hard enough time working on fiction with my voice. It is a pretty big goal on my list, though, so I am planning to keep working at it.

Which brings me to my new project.

Since Seven Keys 5 is currently being proofread, and my outlined romance novel is possibly developing into a collaboration, I needed something completely different to work on. I decided to try my hand at another genre I love to read: Space Opera.

Now, if you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you might have seen my word count screenshots from Scrivener calling this the Space Opera Serial, and there’s a reason for that.

I’m not planning on releasing the story in individual episodes, but I am writing it somewhat along those lines for a specific reason. I really want to do an audiobook, and I think I’d like to do it as a podiobook style, so I’m developing this story into sections based on how long the audio version of the story would be.

Right now, I’m operating under the assumed narration speed of about 125-150 words per minute, so I’m dividing the story up into 10 7,000 word episodes which should come out to roughly 50-55 minutes of audio. I also want each episode to have a set beginning, middle, and end while still filling into an overall plot for the entire set.

I haven’t decided if I will release each episode as a separate ebook, but I’m leaning against it pretty heavily. Part of the reason for that is the multiplication of the work involved. Ten individual episodes is ten individual covers,

This week I’d like to talk to you about some of the books I recommend on writing and plotting. All of the books on this list are available for the Kindle. Links can be found in the show notes at http://www.newwriterpodcast.com/24 For the purpose of pure disclosure, links to Amazon on the show notes or mentioned in the show are affiliate links. I like money, and I don’t apologize for it.

Before we get into my book picks, I owe you a weekly update. There isn’t much to report, but if I don’t report it, I’m a sham and you have every obligation to publicly humiliate me.

Writing-wise I’ve been doing okay. I’ve written just shy of 10,000 words for the week. Mos of that writing has been done for my day job, but I’m currently outlining my next book and doing some free-writing character voice exercises to get ready for it. It has been awhile since I wrote anything not related to the Seven Keys Saga, so I need to find a new rhythm for the new project. I’ll have more details on that as it gets closer to being done, but it is a huge departure from what I’ve been doing.

Sales have been down still, too. I did sell three books this week for a whopping $4.27. I’m still making money and Choices is still getting free downloads so I am on the right track.

I did hit a new milestone in a different way this week when someone joined my mailing list long enough to get Fallout for free and then unsubscribed. It’s weird that this is the first time I’ve ever had anyone unsubscribe to my list. I must be going places. Anyway, that’s this week in my writing journey.

Let’s talk about Reading about Writing!

I read a lot of books. I actually started reading my 100th book for the year this morning (Brothers in Valor by H. Paul Honsinger). One of my personal rules is a minimum of 1 out of 3 of every book I read has to be non-fiction. This is an old rule I have and I’m pretty sure I picked it up from Chuck Wendig. The basic idea is to feed your mind with new ideas. It’s just a rule I follow, okay? Anyway, at the beginning of this year, I decided to get serious about improving my craft and story telling abilities. I figured, if I’m going to read at least 50 non-fiction books this year, they might as well be about writing? Right? Right.

Well, I took that to heart because of the 99 books I’ve read so far this year, 41 have been slotted into my writing shelf on Goodreads. I don’t want to say anything disparaging about any of the books I’ve read this year, I believe you can find the hidden gems in any piece of crap, but some are definitely better than others. For the most part, all writing craft books have repeated themes. There are only so many different ways you can say, “Get your ass in the chair and write” before it becomes a cliche. There were a few that stood out to me as either being the best version of the same advice or truly unique and important information.

So, without further ado, here are my Writer’s Must Read books for 2015:

Number 5: Making Tracks: A Writer’s Guide to Audibooks by J. Daniel Sawyer

I’ve mentioned my love of audiobooks on the show before. I even announced a little while back that I wanted to get into recording them on my own. One of the reasons I have put that on the backburner (besides the astute observation of a listener that I might be using it as an excuse to not write) was due to this book. I’ve been doing this podcast for about a year now (I know, I’ve obviously missed a few months of episodes) and I did another podcast a few years ago. I had this strange assumption in my head that because I thought I knew how to put a podcast together, I would be able to put together an audio book.

I was definitely wrong.

Making Tracks is the second book I’ve read on Audiobook creation, the other being

This week I pontificate on why sales aren’t as important as you think, looking at the journey as an education, and growing with the little steps you can take.

 

 

This week I’ve been on vacation from my day job, and apparently my writing. Book 5 is getting close to completion and I’ve started a new project all about Live Action Role Playing games.

Marshall lives in his 120 year-old house in Kansas City with a stinky dog, furtive cat, smiling wife and screen-centric kiddo.  Marshall has always loved hearing and telling stories.  You can learn more about Marshall, his fiction, and his life at MarshallEdwards.Net

Check out Prairie City Response on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/9151441/prairie-city-response-issue-2

 

Marshall asked during the interview for a picture of PCR1 hanging in its frame, so I obliged this morning.

Perry and I discuss a little bit of everything from writing to moving and teaching in Japan. You can find out more about Perry’s books at http://www.percivalconstantine.com/ or pick up the first book of the MythHunter Series for free or get the first book in his Vanguard series.

It’s been six weeks since the last episode. I apologize for that, but the only thing I can do is get myself back in the game.

This week’s episode is an update on where I’m at with my writing and sales as well as an announcement for my new writing plan, entitled the “&?@#!#% IT” guide to writing. I’m just going to write what’s fund and screw everything else.

If you’ve missed the show and are especially glad I’m back, you can thank Patrick Stemp (host of the To Be Read Podcast) for reminding me that some people enjoy my sexy voice.

Anyway. Enjoy today’s episode and I’ll see you next week.

 

Books mentioned in this Episode:

Find the Magic

She Sat, He Stood

Writer’s Doubt

Indie Poet Rock Star

 

For Matt’s fiction and blog, go to MABrotherton.Com

Matt’s weekly update for April 4, 2015. He talks about word count, writer’s block, and International Fake Journal Month. He also mentions a little about his Fussy Librarian promo and his goals as a reader.

Chad’s Blog: http://www.newwriterpodcast.com/Chad 

 

Today, I mentioned Michael La Ronn’s Blog: http://www.michaellaron.com, and his book Indie Poet Rock Star, available from most ebook platforms. (Amazon Link: http://www.newwriterpodcast.com/IndiePoetRockStar)

I also mentioned Techniques of the Selling Writer (http://www.newwriterpodcast.com/Techniques)