The Lackadaisical Writer

Back from vacation, yay! After a few quick updates on Zenbi Press and Aisuru, it's time to talk about National Novel Writing Month, AKA NaNoWriMo AKA NaNo, including the general premise, a brief history, and starting off my NaNo prep series by talking about the initial steps for making the commitment to do NaNo!

Progress Report: 22-23 polished, 24-25, and 27 written and polished, 26 skipped/debating

Monthly Goals: Finish Aisuru; prep work for Duality (working title of NaNo 2014 Novel)

Today it's a quick episode covering few personal updates, noting the next $5 penalty for being late with Aisuru's final revision, the launch of my Zenbi Press label, and giving a fuller update on Aisuru in terms of progress and story changes. I also talk about some of my planned upcoming episodes. Reminder, there will be no episode next weekend!

Progress Report: finished and polished 19-21, 22-23 done just need polishing

Holy cow, I went two weeks between episodes and came out with a behemoth of one - an it is mostly on topic! First I talk about my deadline failure and the video for the first $5 budget reduction, then had to give a quick shout out to my bud Petey's new football podcast, First and Ten (https://www.facebook.com/1standten).

Progress Report: In the last 2+ weeks, I finished and polished chapters 13-18, and have 19 & 20 done waiting for a final polish; almost 2/3rds of the way there!

Monthly Goals: Finish, that is my goal for now - already lost $5; also to get back on schedule, didn't even realize I let over 2 weeks go by between eps!

For today's episode, I'm talking voice - "authorial" AKA the writer's voice and character voices. What is "voice", how is it reflected, and how the heck do you "learn" how to do it?

Progress Report: Finished polishing 8-12, started 13

I'm back! Kind of a hodge podge episode today, so join me as I share various news, including my Camp NaNo results, then wade into the Amazon vs Hachette debate again. I also talk about the idea of doing a crowdfunding campaign for Aisuru, and the frustrations with the lack of info on what readers think about them and how to really calculate funds needed.

Monthly Goals: Finish Aisuru - the only goal, with a new incentive. Every week past August 31st I'm late will cost me $5 in my fun money for six months (I budget $50 a month)

Since I'm way behind and trying to focus primarily on Aisuru this month, for today's episode I'm reading you the second chapter of Aisuru, "Kazuki's Reality"! Hope you enjoy and back to regular episodes in August!

Progress Report: Finished Chapter 6/30 and started 7 and 8; at about 28,000 words

It's getting hotter, but my garden is in bloom! After answering the question of "how to show support" for the show and my writing, I delve into today's very special episode: a reading of the new first chapter of Aisuru!!

Progress Report: Finished chapter 2 and 1/3 through chapter 3

Monthly Goals: Finish Aisuru revision (Camp NaNo), update website to be even more mobile friendly

Continuing on with some common questions I've seen in writing forums, I talk about whether or not writers should blog, choosing a TLD for your domain name (i.e. .com, .net, etc), the benefits and differences of NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNoWriMo, and I get a little personal as I talk favorite alcohol!

Progress Report: Finished scene 2 of chapter 2

After a slightly lengthy intro of life updates, including home office changes and my viewing of Shrek: The Musical, I answer a couple of common questions seen in writing forums regular. In particular, whether it is "okay" to use of real persons and existing fictional characters in your own writing, mentioning businesses and brand names in writing, and break down some of the differences between flash fiction, vignettes, short stories, novellas, and novels.

Progress Report: Started second scene of chapter 2, started prepping for getting back to the novel adaptation, started read Writer Dad by Sean Platt

Randomness: Writer Dad by Sean Platt (autobiography; http://writerdad.com)

Music Clip: Taitoru again :-)

In this episode, I share a bit on some of the various topics about Japan that I've researched while working on Aisuru, including the process of filing a will, various forms and use of personal seals, the intricacies of gift giving, what a butsudan is, and the basics of the omiai or matchmaking meeting.

Progress Report: New chapter 1 of Aisuru done and chapter 2 part way done at 1,000 words

Music Clip: Taitoru by me! :)