[From the Archive] When the Publishing World Doesn’t Hand Me Articles
From early 2010… one of the first “blathering” posts…sadly, not the last.
————–
When the publishing world doesn’t hand me my articles on a silver platter (like it has for the last couple of weeks), I sometimes struggle to come up with something interesting. So I fall back on the day-to-day struggle of writing and dealing with the real world. This is one of those posts.
Last Fall I pledged to consistently write 300-500 words of new fiction five days a week. And I did pretty well, even through the holidays. But lately, I have to admit, I’ve not been as consistent as I would like or as I have pledged. I haven’t lived up to my goal. The “Real World” has gotten in the way – again. Pesky thing that — the Real World.
During the kerfuffle between Macmillan and Amazon and the upswing in e-piracy as topics looming large, I’ve mentioned that most writers who are “working” writers also have Day Jobs. In fact, MOST writers you read have some source of “outside” income – whether it’s freelancing or a “real” job – in order to afford to entertain you (hence the uproars and kerfuffles about writers actually getting paid a living wage). I’m one of them. I’ve temped, freelanced, substitute taught, and had “real” jobs. I’m currently in a position that I really do love, which is weird, but necessary. It’s also eating into my writing time because of a very hard and fast deadline which means crazy hours. This interferes with word counts. It happens.
So, what have I done? I haven’t given up. Even if I only get a couple dozen words in, I still give it an effort – to keep the habit alive. To keep the muscle memory active, so on the days that I have more time – more breaks, or lunch, I can get my 300-500 words in. I do what I have to do to keep the momentum going. I also give myself permission to write crap, because I know – on the really busy days that’s all that’s getting written. I’ve also given myself permission to jump in narrative. I’ve seen scenes stall and spin out of control, and you know what? It’s okay to say, “I’m done with this bit. I need to do this other bit over here for a while”. Smoothing out the rough spots is why we edit and rewrite.
The point is to keep going even when you’re tired and busy – but within reason. Unless you’re under a contracted deadline, there’s no reason to endanger your health by pushing yourself too hard. I know some writers who’ve had to do just that, but those are the exception not the rule. Know yourself and your limits. Right now, I have to pace myself to get through the next month, and if that means some days I only write 30 words instead of 300, so be it, knowing it’s temporary and that when I come out the other side, getting back up to where I need to be won’t be as much of a struggle as if I’d let the “habit” go and started over. So, know that even (especially) working writers find life overwhelming and struggle to keep up – if you’re new, you’re not alone. This isn’t something only you deal with – we all deal with it on a daily basis. Just keep writing – even if just a little bit – and stay accountable some way to getting it done, and somehow it will all get done.
[Writer Post] Welcome to 2012
It’s a new year now. Hello, 2012. Pull up a chair. Stay a while. These first posts of the year are generally seen as “what I intend to do” posts. My sum up on that? More of “getting things done, darn it”. That’s always my goal – along with consistent writing (both in skill and amount).
The first quick and dirty thing I’ve managed to accomplish is a clean-up read of my collection When the Party’s Over. Not quite 2 years into the first run, we’re about to do a second printing. We have less than 20 copies of the first print run and a convention season starting. I’m pretty pleased with that, since I’ve “hand sold” each and every copy.
“Hand sold” for those who don’t know means copies are sold at conventions/appearances/family events on an individual basis and not through a store/distribution route. Most self-published (print) and small press books are sold this way – and through a website (occasionally Amazon if it’s a small press). And even if you do have distribution through a major publisher – you’ll still end up “hand selling” most of your books. It’s still one of the best marketing tools for writers…word of mouth.
I am currently rewriting my first novel – which I wrote in the early 1990s. Yeah, there was no revision, just rewriting. I’m basically reading a bit and then redoing it. Expanding word count, fixing the stuff that’s no longer acceptable, cutting a character…that kind of thing. It will (hopefully) be a much better book when it’s done. I want it out into submission processes by the end of the year.
While updating the book, I did come across a nifty tool…Time and Date.com. I had to bring the book forward to “now” and then 100+ years into the future. I did mention a day and date, so I needed to do some checking. It’s much easier NOW to come up with a future calendar than it was in 1991. Time and Date.com lets you create calendars for any year you need – at least through the 23rd century, because I created one for 2201, but I might back it off by quite a bit.
If you’re working with specific dates for something, please make use of this tool. Fans are notorious for calling “bull” on things that are – NOW – easily verified on line. Some things I could’ve gotten away with in the 1990s because there wasn’t such a thing as Google…not so much now.
And now, I need to get back to it. Convention season is upon us, which is the season of Time Management. Welcome to 2012.
[Pen/Pencil Review] The Editing Pen Side-by-Side Comparison
What’s new for the 2012 pen review blog? Well, I’m going to try to put a more objective grading system in place so maybe a more consistent way of awarding the Bronze Pencils evolves. That way there can actually be some kind of plan to this blog. Not sure how that’s all going to work out, but that’s the idea.
This week, however, I’m attempting the side-by-side comparison of the three “editing” pens I’ve discovered over the last month or so. I’ll be looking at the Uniball Signo bit 0.18 mm, the Pentel Slicci 0.25mm, and the Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.25mm – all using red ink. For this I am using a “ranking” system of 1-3. 1 being the pen I liked most on a feature, and 3 being the one I cared for least.
Price point. I’ll start here. When it comes to price, these three are a dead heat. On JetPens.com all three pens sell for $3.30. The differences may come with refills in deciding value. JetPens carries the Hi-Tec-C refills, but you’d have to look elsewhere for the Uniball and Pentel Slicci. All things are equal here.
So let’s move on to more defining factors.
How the pen writes. All three are needle point, ultra-fine gel pens, so this is looking at how the ink looks, feels, etc.
1. Pentel Slicci hands down has the darkest, richest looking ink. It flows smoothly from the point with little skipping or scratching. In many ways it reminds me of other pens 0.4mm lines in depth and darkness.
2. Uniball Signo Bit edged out the Hi-Tec-C by a fraction. In a lot of ways they’re equal. The Uni is scratchy and has some skipping. It’s also the finest point I’ve ever used. The ink is still clear and readable.
3. Pilot Hi-Tec-C is only last because it has all the same features of scratchy and occasionally skipping that the Signo has…and looks darned identical in the writing sample, but it’s a 0.25 rather than a 0.18.
Grip
1. Uniball Signo Bit has a bit more cushion with rubber accents to the plastic ribbing. Adds a touch of padding.
2. Pilot Hi-Tec-C has less ribbing on the grip and a smooth run up the barrel so there’s nothing to dig in. It’s a decent diameter for my fingers.
3. Pentel Slicci has a ridge behind the ribbing on the grip that can dig in. It’s also a slightly narrower diameter than the Hi-Tec-C which makes me grip it harder to keep hold.
Materials
1. Pilot Hi-Tec-C feels the most solid in my hand. They’re all plastic, but this one is the most balanced to me. The stainless steel hardware seems in good proportion and solid to me. The footing for the point is thick and solid going into the tip. I don’t feel like I’m going to break anything .
2. Pentel Slicci is lighter and shorter than the Hi-Tec-C. The point seems to come out farther from the stainless steel tip and throws it just slightly off balance to me.
3. Uniball Signo Bit feels the most cheaply made. The point comes out of a plastic tip molded into the grip. The only metal is the needlepoint. It’s also the shortest and lightest, giving it a less solid feel.
Overall, even though these pens run fairly even on all things, for consistency and solidity, I’ll probably pick up the Pilot Hi-Tec-C more than the Pentel Slicci – even though the ink it is darker. It’s the one that fits my hand the best. The decision was CLOSE, let me tell you. The Slicci and the Uniball Signo Bit are ones I might travel with because if something happened to them, I wouldn’t cry over them, but the Pilot is the one I see myself grabbing for long-term editing.
Though…if I could put the Slicci ink in the Hi-Tec-C barrel, THAT would be the perfect pen. But alas…not possible.
[From the Archive] Ebooks, Piracy, and the Writer’s Life
This was from early 2010 — but are still issues today…
—-
I had a whole post written up about the “glamorous” life of being a writer, and then I read – with interest – a long, ongoing discussion on ebooks, piracy, and copyright on one of my mailing lists. They all seemed to tie together, and now I’m revamping the column. And it all stems from both a sense of entitlement and this idea that writers are swimming in money and shouldn’t care about getting paid for their work.
Many of my colleagues and friends spend valuable writing time surfing download sites, eBay, and other sites that pop up discovering places their work is available for free – and seriously ILLEGAL – downloads or have been scanned and are available for sale on an unauthorized cd. And when confronted almost invariably the person responsible says they’re “helping” the authors by getting their work out in front of more readers.
Unfortunately, what they’re doing is stealing the work of hard working writers and making it harder for those authors to write more books. There’s a vicious cycle out there. Where these illegal download sites and auctions may, as one article try to show, get an author a handful of readers, they’re “invisible” sales. In a way, so are used book stores which are a different argument and topic. The publishers don’t see those sales, and those aren’t considered when they look to see the bottom line numbers when offering (and retracting) new contracts.
The whole Amazon vs. Macmillan brought a bigger focus to ebooks and new technology. The publishing industry is still working to see what the future holds and advocates on both sides of the issue are making passionate arguments. Unfortunately, no one is in a position to see the future.
Just remember, when you look at free downloads – know where they’re coming from. If you get them FROM the author or legitimate publisher grab and enjoy. If you get them from any other kind of site, please reconsider. Many of us who are struggling to be working, producing writers have a second “day job”. Writing to entertain you is not as lucrative as the Stephen Kings, JK Rowlings, and Richard Castles of the world make it out to be. Most of us struggle from day to day. Paycheck to paycheck. Those conventions we come to are paid for out of our own pockets – just like the fans.
Respect the work. Respect the writer. When you’re enjoying a book, realize that most writers have given up time with family and friends to work a second job to write that book for you. We’ve provided it as cheaply as the economy will bear, and we don’t get paid enough to do it full time. The authors are not the greedy, money grubbing jerks the press and entitled-thinking pirates make us out to be. We’re struggling – like most readers. Please don’t make it harder.
[Writer Post] 2011 in the Rear View
Well, it’s that time of the year. The “year end review” posts are starting. It’s the last week of 2011, so it seems right to look back on the year’s accomplishments as we also look forward to 2012. (Which for the record, I’m thinking the Mayans just went for coffee and never got back to finishing their calendar – or were bored by it or something. There’s enough gloom and doom in the world without adding ANOTHER apocalypse to it.)
This was my year of “finishing stuff darn it”, and it was moderately successful. I didn’t get all I wanted to accomplish done, but I’ve got stories out in submission. I have a novel out making the rounds. There’s editing, rewriting, and revising happening. The new Redheads is scheduled for next year. We’re still working on some electronic conversions, but even writer support personnel are subject to procrastination. I’ve written a couple of new stories that (hopefully) will be out and about in 2012. I’m plugging along…I just need to plug more efficiently.
I do want to apologize to John DeNardo at SF Signal. We have fallen off the art interview wagon. We promise to get back on it in 2012. Really. Feel free to poke and prod. September and October get overwhelming and it’s easy to fall behind and then not pick up. We never intended to do two and disappear. I am very sorry for that. We will be better, especially with the run up to the Spectrum Live! Event in Kansas City.
The discovery of a whole new Pen Community continues to amaze me. What I started out doing as a fun and different thing has turned into a new niche that I never knew existed at levels of intensity that would rival anything in SF Fandom. And I have pens all around me. It’s easier to remember to do a pen review…I don’t have artists hanging around my house waiting to be interviewed (and no, that’s not necessarily an invitation…)
It’s all about opportunity and scheduling. GIVE ME A DEADLINE and you’ll get your story/interview/article. Leave me to my own devices…yeah… I’m breaking in a new comic book show in a couple of weeks to see if I can make some inroads in a new readership base. It’s a mile from my house, so it’s not that huge of a gamble. It could be fun.
Is there a whole lot of “coulda/shoulda/woulda”? Of course there is. I always could’ve done more, shoulda…, woulda… but I’m not unhappy with my year. There are several things I wish had gone differently, but I truly believe in the “God has a Greater Plan for me”. I’m looking forward to the new challenges ahead.
[Pen/Pencil Review] The Uni-ball Signo Bit 0.18mm – The Last Red Holiday Editing Pen
The last red editing pen…for the holidays… The UNI-BALL Signo bit 0.18 mm. This is the smallest point I’ve ever written with. Granted, I just got it this weekend for Christmas and haven’t had a whole lot of time with it. This is will be mainly major impressions. Purchased from JetPens.com.
Next week or so, I’m planning a “side by side” of the three red editing pen sizes I’ve been using to see which measures up…
But for today… The Uniball Signo Bit 0.18 is a solid pen, but it’s short for me. It’s a touch over 5.25″ capped and not quite 5.5″ with the cap posted. That makes it just on the short side of comfortable for me. I like a longer barrel on pens – as well as pencils.
The design is okay. It’s a tapered pen. The tail is much narrower than the grip, which is fine by me. The cap posts securely. The nib size is easy to read on the cap, and there’s plenty of color coordination between ink and barrel so you’ll never be confused by what color the pen is.
The grip is part ribbed, part soft rubber so it feels different, but comfortable. The needle point is solid metal, there’s no sense of bending with it if you tend to write hard, like I do. The ink is rich for being thin, but being so fine a point, there is more skipping and retracing I’ve had to do on mark outs than with the 0.25mm pens.
Overall it’s an Okay pen…it’s not bad. It’s not earth-shattering. If you’re working in a tiny space – like editing single-spaced stuff, this is good. If you have smaller hands than me, or don’t mind the barrel not going far past thumb webbing, you’ll like this pen. I’m going to be giving it some further tests in the next week or so, see if it grows on me more.
But for what it is, it’s a solid pen. I give it 3 of 5 bronze pencils.
[Christmas Bonus!] Reindeer Games by Rhonda Eudaly
I originally published this 200 word short story with Apex Digest. It’s no longer available there. So, Merry Christmas. It’s kinda dark. Kinda quirky. You can read it below or download it in a .ZIP file (which contains both PDF and EPUB) by clinking Reindeer Games.
Feel free to do both. If you wish to share the file with friends, please share the LINK not the actual file. It’ll make my Christmas merrier that way.
For those wanting instant gratification…I give you…
Reindeer Games by Rhonda Eudaly
Everyone’s heard of the nine major reindeer. They’re the stuff of song and legend, especially the red-nosed one. But here’s the story you haven’t heard… Rudolph wasn’t the altruistic savior everyone made him out to be. I know the truth. He was a tool.
You see, it all started in R&D – because let’s face it, the Elves, not just in it for the toys and cookies. Genetic engineering is huge at the North Pole – no Oversight Committees. Besides, come on, flying reindeer? Those aren’t natural. And Rudolph wasn’t an “accident of birth”, either. The Meteorology Department knew that foggy night was coming, and they were preparing for years. Not all the experiments were successful. Some of those reindeer went… wrong. That’s the Christmas story you don’t hear.
What did happen to all those “mistakes”? Well, the Reindeer Games? Well, too many don’t come back from them. And some of us? Well, Santa has to have something for the Naughty Kids to have nightmares about and nothing and no one is wasted at the North Pole.
So, be good for goodness sake. Sometimes those jingling hooves on your roof on Christmas Eve aren’t bringing Christmas Joy.
[Writing Post] More on Amazon and Merry Christmas
Ah, yes, Wednesday. The day in which I try to come up with something pithy (or at the VERY, Very least coherent) about writing, the publishing industry, or some other aspect of this business. And… yeah. Coherent is about as good as I’m going to get today. It’s been a busy week.
Amazon is still making the rounds for being the new Big Bad. Seriously, folks, I know we all have to play nice. I have no problems with my books being for sale on Amazon. When I finally get all my stuff converted to electronic form, they will (I hope) be available on Kindle/Amazon. I WILL NOT , however, give Amazon (or any retailer for that matter) EXCLUSIVITY to my books. Publishers Weekly had a blog article on that very topic on Dec. 16.
I mean come on. It’s a no brainer really. No one puts all eggs in one basket if you can help it. It’s basic economics. The wider the supply stream, the wider the potential audience, right? You get books onto Nook, Kindle, iBooks, etc – you have many options for monetary compensation and increased readership. In a more traditional sense, you don’t (or didn’t) have print books in just ONE bookstore or available from just ONE dealer at a convention. You have multiple streams (in case someone sells out). It’s just good sense.
Granted the Exclusivity Clause is – right now – only if authors choose to be part of the Prime Lending Library for 90 days, but there are caveats and provisions that favor Amazon keeping most of the money that you might be entitled to, and so many hoops to jump through to stay eligible for the POSSIBILITY of payment (NOT guarantee of payment).
I know I have to do all my own marketing and promoting in this business. I don’t want to have my efforts come back to bite me as “competition” or some other tiny thing that gives my retailer an excuse to not pay me. I get that enough in an industry that’s struggling to survive as it is (see my collection of short stories that have killed publishers).
So, whether you’re a writer or a reader – keep up with what’s going on in the industry, it impacts you. It’s easy to see the gloom and doom. Heck, I did. Occasionally I still do, but I have to write. I’ve tried NOT writing for a while. I was miserable. This is in my blood. I have to do this even if it means struggling with an every changing industry. Because when I do see my work published, it still makes me happy. Knowing someone might read what I write and enjoy it? That makes me really happy — struggle or no.
And on that cheery note, have a very Merry Christmas. Stay safe if you’re traveling (and if you’re not). Be wise with your “holiday cheer” – designated drivers if it’s of the “adult” variety. And in the spirit of the season, I wish you all health, happiness, story sales, and joy, love, and laughter wherever you might find it.
[Pen/Pencil Review] Another Editing Pen for the Holidays – the Pentel Slicci 0.25mm in Red
I told you there would be a slight Christmas theme this month – the color red. Normally, I’m a green person (color not eco-nazi – though I do like to recycle and take care of the planet), but this year… Christmas 2011 is the Year O’ Red. Don’t know why. So today I give you…The Pentel Slicci 0.25mm in Red.
I picked the Slicci up from JetPens.com to try as an editing pen after the Pilot Hi-Tec-C gave me a good result. I’m still working out my comparison of the two but want to wait until I try one more really fine point pen to do that posting.
The Pentel Slicci – first off, they consider it an “art” pen, so you won’t find it in your typical box office supply store. I’d check art supply stores if you want to try to pick one up at a retailer. It’s 5.5″ long capped, and 5.75″ long posted. That’s a comfortable length for me, though I do like them a bit longer. Pentel does not sell refills, so they’re disposable, and the ink is in a color-coordinated sheath along with the cap clip so you know which pen you’re using at a glance.
The needle point is solid metal going into a metal cap, so there’s a good, solid feel to the pen point. I don’t feel like I’m going to bend or break the point when I write with it, which is always a fear with needle point pens and points this fine.
The ink pigment is solid and bright. The line comes out consistently, without skips or clumps. It actually seemed to come out as dark as a 0.4mm line, which is a good thing. I did like that about this pen. It’s a good hearty ink that’s easy to read – and yet, with it being a 0.25mm, I could still get a lot of notes into my double spaced manuscript.
The one drawback I have to the Slicci is the width of the barrel. It’s a good solid, plastic barrel, but it’s narrow. It seems like it’s designed for someone with more delicate fingers than me. I felt like I was clutching pretty hard on it just to keep it in my grasp, and it’s very light weight. These points for most people wouldn’t be a problem, but it’s just enough to maybe make me hesitate to use it on a daily basis. I’m not quite sure yet – we’ll see when I do the side-by-sides in the next few weeks.
But still, it’s a very functional pen. It does run about $3.00, so it’s not the cheapest pen on the market, but still affordable. I give it a 3.5 out of 5 bronze pencils.
