BLOG
News, Fiction Updates & General MusingsDead Days Season Three Now Available!
Hi everyone,
Great news for Dead Days fans — Season Three is now available to purchase!
Just head through one of the links below to get started with the gripping new chapter in Riley and co’s journey.
Kindle – http://smarturl.it/DeadDaysS3Kindle
Nook – http://bit.ly/1sG8YTc
iBooks – http://bit.ly/1kGtuAo
Google Play – http://bit.ly/1ox77OT
Kobo – http://bit.ly/VzlN3b
Smashwords – http://bit.ly/VmKGPJ
What can you expect from Season Three? The most intense, disorienting and harrowing season of Dead Days yet. Lots of twists. Lots of action. Lots of character development. Oh, and a killer of a final page. It’ll have you demanding Season Four right away.
How’s that sound?
Just a head’s up: Dead Days Season Three has been on sale a day and already it’s an Amazon UK genre bestseller. All thanks to the power of my mailing list subscribers. If you want to be a part of the early release in future, check out the following link by clicking here.
Here’s a closer look at the Dead Days Season Three cover. My designer and I felt like it was time for something refreshing on the cover. To capture the scale of the different stories in Season Three, we opted for a creepy image of Chloë making her way through a woods. Or maybe it’s a creature… who knows?
Happy reading, and thanks again for your unwavering support. If you enjoy Season Three, please leave a review at your preferred retailer.
Cheers,
Ryan.
Two Years In Publishing
I woke up this morning like I do every morning — groggy, thirsty, and wishing I could stay in bed a little longer.
Then I realised it is my second anniversary in publishing and I felt less groggy for a few seconds before rolling over and going back to sleep.
In all honesty though, today is a pretty cool day to reflect. Not to blow my own trumpet, but I can’t believe how far I’ve come in two very short years since the publication of my debut short story, Something in the Cellar. In fact, the brief version of this post goes something like this: Despite being inherently lazy, I’ve published seven novels, a best-selling episodic serial, novellas, short stories in the last two years. Oh, and I’m making a living doing what I love, there’s that, too.
I don’t like to get bogged down in reflection too much. I’m all about looking forward, working on the next project, publishing, working on the next project. But I must say, it stuns and amazes me that the guy who struggled to finish a 1,000 word short story just over two years ago regularly triples that in a single day now. I’m proud of who I’ve become: one of the most prolific writers on the planet.
Okay, maybe a tad hyperbolic, but there’s no getting away from how proud of myself I am. So well done, me! You’ve had a good two years. Onwards and upwards!
Highlights of the last two years? Hitting the top of the Amazon charts with What We Saw was pretty cool. The slow-build success of Dead Days has been cool. Hitting “Publish” every time I finish labouring on a project is also very cool.
But the real highlight? It’s you. You, the readers. You’re the highlight.
Whether you read my advice blogs or whether you enjoy my fiction, whether I know you in real life or whether you’re the other side of the planet, I wouldn’t be where I am without you today. So thanks, readers.
Two years ago, I vividly remember feeling like I had to make an excuse for being a writer, and more specifically, for independently publishing.
Now? I’m proud to be a writer. I’m the hardest working person I know, even if I do work from the comfort of my home. As for independent publishing? I like control over my work. I like nice royalties. I like being able to publish what I want, when I want. Why should I make an excuse for that?
Over the last two years, I’ve learned how much I love writing. Like, I knew I loved it before I got into it as a career, but now? I honestly couldn’t live without it. I am addicted to it. If I were a cliché machine, which I so am but let’s keep it quiet, I’d say writing is my drug. But it is. It really is. If I go longer than a day without writing, I go crazy. I can’t watch a film or read a book without thinking about how I could take what I’ve learned and incorporate it into my own works. Writing has changed my frame of mind, for the better.
Just remember: I haven’t always been like this. I haven’t always been able to write lots every day. If lazy-bastard me can do it, then so can you.
It’s also worth noting that over the last two years, lots has changed in publishing. We’ve had Kobo-gate, Amazon Affiliate terms changes, the rise and whatever of KDP Select, Amazon vs. Hachette, the erotica cull, Kindle Unlimited. And it’s easy to get bogged down by these developments. But I always find it helps me to just get my head down and write. Ride the waves of change (see, another cliché).
Because for all the business changes in the world, without words, we can’t publish a thing.
I’ve learned so much over these two years of publishing. I’ve learned that I’m still awful at getting into a routine. I’ve learned that nobody in the general population actually thinks there’s such thing as a ‘writer who makes money’. But through these teachings, I’ve kept on writing. Kept on learning. Kept on enjoying myself, entertaining my readers.
Because that’s what I am, and what all writers are. We’re entertainers. Sure, the landscape around us might change from time to time. Our circus might have to relocate.
But we’ll keep on entertaining whatever happens, wherever we go.
What next? Well, I don’t want to treat this as a milestone going forward. That’s the topic of a whole new post. I just want it to act as a reminder to myself and whoever’s reading that dreams really can be achieved (cliché alert) if we get our heads down, work hard, and be willing to learn. Maybe this time next year I won’t be making a living writing. Maybe this time next month, I won’t be.
But now’s good. Now’s all that matters. And I’ll still be writing away, no matter what.
As a thank you for your support, and a commemoration of this two year anniversary, I’m offering my third novel, Dying Eyes, absolutely free for three days only. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it back in the cold winter of 2012.
Cold winter isn’t a cliché. It’s just a fact. Right?
Ebook Pricing for 2014/15: A Simple Guide
Ah, yes. That time of year again.
It goes without saying that ebook pricing is one of the most contested, debated, and downright despised topics by the majority of writer-publishers today. Do I price low to attract readers to my series? Price high to maximise income? Price somewhere in between? The questions never end, and in truth, I find myself asking them each day.
The real truth is this: there is no right or wrong ebook pricing method. Methods are all dependent on your own personal goals. Want to draw readers into your series at the expense of income? Sure–go 99c if you want to! Want to focus on selling a few copies of a huge backlist every month and make some steady cash? Go $9.99! Like I said, there really is no right or wrong answer.
Naturally, this would be a pretty boring and unhelpful post if I ended there, though.
Pricing is pretty easy for me nowadays. In fact, it’s been pretty easy since I established exactly what kind of a writer-publisher I want to be. I want to publish quality in quantity. By that, I mean I’m confident in putting out multiple titles a year, steadily building a backlist, and promoting selected titles from that backlist to keep things going.
You might have different goals to me. You might not like my approach. But if you have in mind a similar writing career as mine–putting out high-quality work on a regular basis–then this method should work for you too.
Here’s how I do it. I’ll explain my reasoning later, so don’t shout just yet.
Standalone Books
- 0.99c — less than 3,000 words
- $1.49 — 3,000 to 7,500 words
- $2.99 — 7,500 to 20,000 words
- $3.99 — 20,000 to 30,000 words
- $4.99 — 30,000 to 60,000 words
- $5.99 — 60,000+ words
PLEASE BEAR WITH ME. Some important distinctions coming up. I know those prices are a tad high but… bear with me.
Series Books
- 0.99c — less than 5,000 words
- $1.49 — 5,000 to 12,000 words
- $2.99 — 12,000 to 30,000 words
- $3.99 — 30,000 to 60,000 words
- $4.99 — 60,000+ words
Again, bear with me here. All questions answered very soon.
Box Sets/Collections
- $6.99 — Serial Box Sets
- $9.99 — Series Novel trilogy box sets
Okay, so now we’ve got all the preliminaries out of the way, it’s time to make some important distinctions.
First of all, let’s start really basic. A standalone book is exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a book that starts, and then it ends. And that’s it. No more books in that universe whatsoever, none planned in that universe in the future. Gone Girl is a standalone. Fight Club is a standalone. You get the picture.
A series book is a book that either directly leads on to a sequel/sequels, or has other books in the universe. So Harry Potter is a set of series books with continuing plot lines/arcs. But J.A. Konrath’s Jack Daniels series are also series books, as are Lee Child’s Jack Reacher, even though the books stand alone.
A standalone book is one book with no other books in the universe, all plot threads tied up. What We Saw and Killing Freedom are two of my standalone books.
A series book is a book that either has sequels/prequels, or stories set in the same universe/featuring the same character. The McDone series are series books of mine.
You’ll probably have noticed (and probably barfed) at my standalone prices above. I can hear it already — $5.99 for a 60,000+ word novel?!?! Are you insane, Ryan?
Well, I don’t believe I am, no. And this is why.
A STANDALONE BOOK IS A SELF-CONTAINED STORY. THERE IS NOWHERE TO GO BUT ANOTHER STANDALONE BOOK, OR A SERIES, AFTER READING.
In arts terms, a standalone book has just as much value as a series book. Every book is created equal, after all.
That said, standalone books don’t have as much sales value to a reader or a writer. Think of it this way: a standalone book is like a ticket for a movie at a cinema. It might be a damned good movie, and a premium one at that, but once you’ve finished the movie, it’s over (forget the idea of series/standalone in movies for this analogy). You either go watch another movie, go home and buy a DVD, or you start a TV show on Netflix.
Series books are like TV shows on Netflix. Once you finish one, you can go on to the next, and then on to the next. And there’s nothing stopping you going to the cinema and watching that standalone movie if you want to — that’s still an option, of course.
The point is, standalone novels have nowhere to go once the reader has finished other than other books by the author.
Series books have a direct place to go: the next book in the series.
So now, does my pricing make a little more sense? Although, again, there’s no more value in a series than a standalone, there is more monetary value. There’s a very, very likely chance that when a reader finishes a standalone book, they move on to another standalone book by a completely different author. Compare that to a series book, where the reader will more likely finish the series, thus investing more… you get the idea.
So I believe standalone novels should be released at a slightly higher price than their series counterparts. Note the emphasis on the released — I do believe in lowering the price of a standalone after a year or so to the lower price tier, or if sales just flat aren’t there. So be flexible.
*exhale*
Okay, I think that’s standalones covered. The truth is, I don’t write many standalones, so the higher priced stuff are the outliers. I write loads of series novels, loads of shared universe stuff. Too many, in fact. I don’t do that because I prefer the financial side of series — I do it because I just enjoy writing them more. And although I’ve turned a couple of series of my own into standalones due to other commitments, I’m always very series inclined when I write.
So now I want to talk about that series pricing. $4.99 for a 60,000 word novel. Reasonable, right?
But what about loss leaders? Prices to draw the reader in, all that?
I think personally, you should experiment here. I like to release my first books in a series at the flat $4.99 rate, lowering them a tier when I grow that series, and then running occasional promotions/discounts on that first book. So Dying Eyes, for example, launched at $4.99. It’s now $3.99 and I do occasional 99c promos on it when new releases come out, but the later books are always $4.99. Maybe I’ll change this in the future, maybe I won’t — we’ll see.
I know a lot of writers shy away from prices like $4.99, believing $2.99 and $3.99 to be better. If you want the honest truth, I’ve seen no loss in income between all these prices, and I’ve tried them all. I haven’t even seen a dip in sales, so essentially I make more money at $4.99 than I do at $2.99. If your book has a good cover, description, and opens well, I don’t think readers mind whether it’s $2.99 or $4.99. And if they really do, they can always keep eagle-eyed for a discount along the line.
A word on box sets and collections. The $6.99 serial collections I reference are my Dead Days books. I launch six 20,000 words episodes in a season, and price that season at $6.99 (with the individuals at $2.99 each, so a huge saving). I’ve currently got Season One of Dead Days at $5.99, and I might put Season Two there when I release Season Three. Serials are a different game to novels completely, but there are two ways of going about it that I’ve seen done successfully: price the individuals at 99c and do a box set at $5.99, or price the individuals higher and push readers towards the box set. I prefer the latter. It’s really your call. Experiment.
As for novel trilogy box sets, I like to put them together at $9.99, saving readers $3-4 on the price of all three. So $9.99 might look high, but you’re effectively getting a book free if you go that route, or books 2-3 the same price if you’ve already bought book one.
Oh, and a word on free/perma-free. I like perma-free for serials. Love it, in fact. It kick stared my Dead Days series and helps me make a living from this writing thing. For full lengths, though, I prefer limited, short-term discounts/promos. Just a personal preference. You do whatever you’re comfortable with.
Right! I hope this post clears things up a little for you. Key principles of ebook pricing are as follows:
1.) Price standalones slightly higher than series books, as the reader has no natural continuation.
2.) Price series books reasonably, reduce the first book when you put a new book out in the series.
3.) Don’t be afraid to run discounts/promos when you have a few books in a series.
And that’s about it. Questions in the comments. Hopefully I won’t have to revisit this topic for another year or so… 🙂
Ryan.
How To Plan A Novel: A Pantser’s Guide
Yes, I’m back.
After several months away from non-fiction blogging, it had to take something really special to bring me back. And while there’s a whole host of things I could say about the current Amazon/Hachette war occurring, instead I’m going to focus on something more lasting: the craft of writing. Or more specifically, the act of planning for pantsers.
Full disclosure: up until 2011, before I got to work on my first novel, I was a pantser. As in, I never planned ahead. I loved the act of creation, seeing where characters took me, even though I didn’t really understand the process myself. Around 2012, I started reading a few books on novel writing. And it seemed to me the overwhelming majority of these writers recommended detailed planning. Like, every scene, every beat — the lot.
Now that method is fine, IF IT WORKS FOR YOU. I tried to write some books that way, believe me I did, but having a detailed plan actually felt like writing in a prison. My character was on a rollercoaster, stuck in a cart, every peak and valley ahead for them to see. And they couldn’t just get off the rollercoaster, even if they really wanted to. So they just had to ride with it.
That’s how detailed planning feels to me.
That said, I do think SOME planning can help a novel. It’s all easy to go off on a subconscious journey, but every novel needs a STORY. Otherwise writing can be like running in a woods in the middle of the night. So my pantser self has come up with a good way to plan. For pantsers. Yes, it is possible. Bear with me.
I call this method the torch in the woods method. As you’ll know if you’ve ever been through a woods in the middle of the night, a torch doesn’t reveal the whole way. It just reveals the important things. The things immediately in front of you. The safe left steps, right steps, alternate routes.
Every step you take leaves footsteps in this woods. And those footsteps form a path. And eventually, you know these woods come to an end. You might have an idea where one exit is, but there are other exits too. Ever seen a woods?! There are exits all over the place.
Now let’s apply this to writing. The woods is your writing. The torch, limited in its view, is your plan. The path beneath you is the trail of story, and the exit to the woods is your ending(s).
Plotters would know exactly where they’re going in this woods. They stick to a path already laid down before, ending up at their known ending. Pantsers, on the other hand, would ditch the torch and have a nice stroll in the dark, seeing where it takes them (and trying not to bust their nose on trees).
The torch in the woods method, however, only reveals the immediate path.
In other words, when I sit down to write a new story, once I have an idea in mind, I start by writing a scene. A scene exploring a character, exploring their world, their problem, and the rest.
And then after that scene, I close my eyes and imagine where my next scene might go.
And then I write the next scene.
Maybe the scene will end up completely different to how I originally imagined. That’s fine. I just close my eyes again, imagine the next scene, sometimes imagine the next two or three or eight scenes, all in my mind.
I shine the torch ahead and get walking.
Now I will say I usually have an idea of my ending beforehand. Just like you’d have an idea of your exit when walking through the woods. And I think knowing an ending is good. It means you immediately know what drives your character, and propels the rest of your story. But that ending can be reached an infinite number of ways.
Or it can even be changed. The choice is yours.
The key to planning for pantsers is knowing your character. Knowing their motivations, their desires, their wants and hates. That way, your mind automatically knows what bad things it can throw at them along the journey.
Planning a few key beats/turning points along the way is handy for pantsers too. Knowing you’re going to come across a rickety old fence in the woods at some point, you’ll know then where you are at and feel more confident moving forward.
So if you’re a pantser and struggling to keep a story under control, or a plotter tired of the constraints, spend some time planning your characters. Spend some time even just thinking about them. Think about where they might be at the end of your story, and whether they’re going to get there.
When you have a clear image of them and a clear idea of a few landmarks along the way, give them a torch and send them off into the woods.
You’ll be amazed at what they find along the way.
Image of woods courtesy of Vinoth Chandar at Flickr.
Dead Days Season 3: Exclusive Preview Q&A
Note: mild spoilers to follow for people who have not read Season Two.
Dead Days is returning this August, and Season 3 promises to ramp up the tension for each of the survivors. The groups are split up, stuck in horrible situations, and emotionally damaged from the events of the Season 2 finale. Add on the fact that a new threat is lurking, and Season 3 promises to be the scariest yet. Ryan Casey (me, who’s doing as good a job as possible to speak in third person right now) gives us some perspective on Season 3 and what to expect going forward…
Imaginary Interviewer: Season 2 left our survivors in a pretty precarious position, to say the least. How does Season 3 pick up from that?
Ryan Casey: Season 3 picks up right from that. Dead Days Season 2 had a little time jump from the Season 1 finale just due to the nature of the way it ended, but there’s absolute no way I could’ve got away with that this time. Those revelations at the end of Season 2, they need elaborating on. Like, now. So I’m going to do what I can to pick things up in the most tense, dramatic way possible.
II: Season 2 constantly teased us with the prospect of reunion only to snatch it away in the cruellest way possible. How does Dead Days move forward from here? It seems like Riley has been the main protagonist from the beginning, but are we going to see more of the other survivors in Season 3?
RC: There is going to be a lot more of the other survivors, yes. When I talk about Season 2, I always refer to the plot as a “big shrink” kind of plot, in terms of the universe. We had the huge explosion at the start of the season which scattered everyone into little fragments. Those characters spent the whole season trying to get together, getting closer and closer… only to completely explode again, casting them wider apart than ever. So yes, we’re going to see a lot more of the other characters. Riley is still very much our focal point, our “hero”, but the sheer scale of the Dead Days world is going to grow with Season 3.
II: Can you tell us anything about those separate stories?
RC: Not a lot, no. (grin) I can say that each set of characters have huge, massive challenges to overcome. Actual, physical challenges, of course, but also emotional ones too. These characters are out of their comfort zone for one reason or another, every one of them. And sometimes the readers are going to find themselves out of their comfort zones reading Season 3, too. I’d say it’s the most unpredictable season of the books so far, absolutely.
II: Uh oh. Unpredictable doesn’t sound good, not in the Dead Days universe…
RC: No-one is safe, of course. But no, that’s something else I’m trying to do this season — avoid formula. We’ve had two pretty momentous episode fives with big, shocking deaths. I’m not saying whether that’ll happen again or not, or whether the big shocks will come earlier or later this season. Just to expect the unexpected, whatever the unexpected may be.
II: That was such a non-answer.
RC: Good.
II: Season 2 ended with a few of the characters heading in a particular direction. A weirdly hopeful direction, despite all the surrounding grimness. Are these directions going to be explored in Season 3?
RC: Oh of course. Those seeds were planted for a reason. But whether they get to their destinations, well. It’s a big wide world, with a lot of dangerous people out there. And hungry creatures, of course. So best of luck to the characters — fingers crossed for them.
II: Season 2 actually teased a potential ending for the entire book series. Do you have a clear ending in mind? And how long can Dead Days last for?
RC: I have had a clear ending in mind since I wrote the prologue of the first episode. But the journey itself, how we get to that ending, that’s always changing. I can safely say that Season 3 is not the final Dead Days season, if that’s what you’re asking. We’re still in the early days of the apocalypse. There’s a lot more story to tell.
II: Have you considered doing any Dead Days spin-off novels? There’s a few popular characters out there, like Jordanna from Episode 1, Rodrigo, Mike, Ivan, who all have potentially interesting backstories. Anything worth exploring?
RC: I’ve thought about spin-off books, yeah, but they would have to be about the right characters and at the right point. I still feel I’ve got a lot of developing of the current cast to do, and I’m still having fun with them. When I’m not, I’ll take a break and explore another part of the zombie world.
II: You’ve talked a few times about a “new threat” in Season 3. As if the survivors need another. What could this be?
RC: Vampires. Haha. No, really, it’s a subtle but very dangerous threat. The zombies are always the main antagonists, as are the nasty humans, but there’s a few more complications to deal with this season. I liked how The Walking Dead brought in the sickness storyline, but that’s been done by TWD, so I’m not going that route. It’s something else. Something subtle, understated, but absolutely terrifying.
II: I’m scared already. Finally, who’s your favourite character in Season 3? And is there any episode in particular we should all look out for?
RC: EVERY ONE OF THEM. Haha. But in all seriousness, Episode 2. There’s some pretty amazing stuff in that episode. Same with Episode 3. And Episode 6 is pretty special too. Okay, okay… all of them. As for my favourite character, Chloë. 100% Chloë.
Dead Days: Season 3 will launch in August 2014. To be notified as soon as Season 3 is available to buy, click here. To purchase the earlier seasons and download the first episode for free, head over here.
Friday Fiction Update: The First One
Hi all,
Last week, I told you I’d be starting a new regular feature on the blog called Friday Fiction Update (if you missed the post, here you go). I wasn’t totally sure what form it was going to take when I set off with it, only that it would cover a week in my writing life in some form.
Well, I have to say that logging my diaries for a full week was actually rather fun, and something I’m looking forward to doing more regularly in future.
Why am I doing this?
Because many people, whether readers or fellow writers, ask me what my process is. They wonder where I find the time, where I get my ideas, how I balance my writing and editing. Well, here you go. All of those questions, and more, answered starting below.
Plus, it’ll be a good chance to share a bit of my life with you. We’ll see how it goes, anyway!
I won’t ramble on too much to start off, but basically, every day, I jotted down everything (of note) I did into a little app. I’ve left out the boring bits that won’t be too relevant, but done my best to capture a week in writing for me. I’ve not edited these posts too much because it’ll be good to share the raw thoughts as they came out, but obviously I’ve tidied things up. Not quite as meticulously as I tidy up novels and stories, but tidied nonetheless.
Here we go…
Saturday 10th May:
Got up late, lazed around and read some of JA Konrath’s “Trapped” book. Watched Football Focus. Went to a friend’s to go to the football but he wasn’t ready so made a trip back. So what did me, the crazy “I don’t write at weekends!” writer go and do? I got 1,500 words done in the hour I had free before going to the footy, battling through a part of the story I thought I was stuck with.
Moral of the story? Carve out whatever writing time you can. Because of my words today, I got myself through something that could potentially be a “block” in my current novel-length project, and instead of what? Lazing around and waiting to be picked up? I didn’t miss out on anything. So, yes!
I didn’t make any more notes on Saturday so I’m just going to assume I was having too much fun hanging out with friends to pull my phone out of my pocket. Good day though, and a nice writing break. Which included 1,500 words. 🙂
Sunday 11th May:
No writing. Family day, always is. Although I woke early and read some more of Konrath’s “Trapped”. Really gripping book. I finished the book later, actually, powering to the end because I was so hooked.
A few people ask me how, as a writer, I learn from other writers. This is what I do: I read a book for pleasure. I don’t read it by deconstructing or anything like that, I just read and lose myself in the prose. If I put a book down and think, “wow, that was a really, really good read” (which Trapped was), I’ll ask myself why I enjoyed it. That’s when the critical, deconstructing side comes in.
Nothing good on telly so I jotted down a few notes on why Trapped worked for me as a reader. Great cliffhangers, gripping openings to each and every chapter, characters with problems from the off, and really well paced scenes. So I analyse a few of those examples, read over them a few times, and trust my subconscious to absorb the learning. I don’t go into writing trying to implement these tricks, I just trust that the book will have made enough of an impression on me to work itself into my writing. I don’t know whether it does–readers are the judges of that!
Oh, here’s a picture of my dad’s new puppy, Grace, playing with Milo. She’s the boss already!
And this is one of Grace taking a nap on Milo shortly after.
Monday 12th May:
Up a little late as I was tired. Got a scene done after breakfast. Planned on writing some more but went to try and set up an advertisement at a Kindle site in my writing break and had stupid iPad issues so took a break til lunch.
I had lunch, did another really fun scene and ramped up the pace of my book. At 35kish, I have my ending in sight, which I knew from the start but didn’t know the journey there. That’s just how I work — I have a rough outline, I’m not afraid to stray off the path, but I usually know my ending. It works for me, but it’s taken me time and work to find it out to be my preferred method.
Anyway, in this post-lunch session, I hit on two key story beats at once, which is also very fun and makes for good drama. Watched this week’s amazing Game of Thrones then did another 1k-ish scene. Story well on track now. I did have to go and research something though, but there’s a trick around research called character perspective. Would my character actually know this? If so, why would they know it? Remember this. Good way to avoid unnecessary detail dumps.
After I’d finished, I read my business blogs for the day over at Passive Voice and a few other sites. We’re writers so we should study our business and stay aware of what’s going on.
Good day. Lots of new words written. Mondays are usually a pretty average (but respectable) day for me, so I’m right on track here.
Tuesday 13th May:
Up at 9-ish. Feeling good to go. Wrote 2k from 10-12 with a short break and then another long scene from 12-1ish. Had an idea where to go towards the end… which worried me so I tossed that idea out, tossed the second idea out, and tossed the third idea out, following the fourth. It’s a good way to keep readers on their toes and a great example of deviating from an outline while charging towards the same end goal (I talked about this yesterday).
Took lunch at 1 with a brilliant morning of fiction behind me. It’s a beautiful day, too, so went for a long walk from 2-3. I love walking. It’s a great way for a writer to get creative rest and get out in the world. I love sunshine too so I just had to make the most of it. Anyway, beautiful walk around the countryside. Here’s a picture from the final stretch down my road.
I did my homework for a writing workshop I’m taking at the moment from about 4-5ish. Workshops from professional writers are a great learning tool. A writer never stops learning!
Wednesday 14th May:
Got up a bit later than usual. Nackered for some reason, probably my recent lack of exercise catching up with me.
Tried to get started on the writing for an hour but getting nowhere so decided to go for another walk in the sun to get myself in gear. Went a different route (you’ve probably guessed I don’t like repetition) and clocked 4000 steps exactly in 40 minutes. 100 steps a minute. Is that good? Bad? Nice walk anyway, so back about 12ish feeling energised and ready to go.
Oh, because I figured I’ll be having a late lunch, I had an egg. And because I’m a creative, I’m a sucker for presentation too. Tell me this isn’t the prettiest egg you’ve ever seen?!
Got a scene written between 12.30 and 1.30. Egg didn’t do much at curing my hunger so lunch time! Listened to the new Swans album over lunch. Long album so I’ll have a bigger listen later.
Now it’s 2.15 and I’m starting writing again. Another shorter scene in about 45 mins. Into the final quarter so the story is coming together fast. Written a couple of scenes that might need cutting later, but that’s fine. Sometimes you’ve got to write the rubbish to get to the good. Part of being a writer.
Messed around formatting the Dead Days Season Two paperback but the software I use started freezing on me so cba. Instead, I did some editing for a project from 4-5.30. I won’t go too much into my process–I’ve documented it in the past.
Went for a shorter walk later on in the day with the neighbour’s dog, Pebbles. Here she is…
Beautiful day. Not much writing done but plenty of time left in the day still. It’s only 7pm, after all.
I wanted to finish another scene today but I prefer to keep my evenings free for non-writing stuff. Here’s a plan: tea’s cooking, get some words down.
30 mins and half a scene later… wow. Funny what happens when you stop moaning about how little time you have to write and actually just write. 🙂
Had a great tea then went back to finish up the STILL unfinished scene that was nagging at me after finding Masterchef is only on at 9.
Speaking of Masterchef, it’s into finals week an I’m totally hooked. Loads of people giving up well paid jobs to pursue something creative. Why, I wonder? Well, because they lost touch with their passion (cooking) at some stage and are now rediscovering it.
There’s some great tips for becoming a pro in Masterchef, too–tips on being original, putting in the hard work to reap the rewards, learning from mistakes. Often the winners of this show aren’t the ones who come storming out of the gates with the fanciest food, but the ones who start okay, consistently take on board criticism and improve themselves to a level where they’re better than the initial ‘wow’ chefs. It’ll be interesting to see if this final goes that way–it usually does. One chef last series looked nailed-on favourite, but he stopped growing and developing as the show went on, not really learning from the criticism he was getting. Another contestant, who started off just a face in the crowd and with loads of errors, kept on steadily improving as the series progressed. Guess who won?
Anyway, after watching, I spoke to a few friends and caught up, did a bit of layout work, then set up a blog post for that 30% off Kobo promotion going live on Thursday (info here for those interested). Some great writers at discount prices, so check it out. Time for bed. Crazily productive day. Yet remember where it started? Me feeling groggy. Just goes to show…
Thursday 15th May:
Awake earlier than yesterday but up late again. Sorting out posts for this Kobo promotion and emailing cover designer about Sinkers, a new novel I’ll have out soon. Great cover designed, just both working on a few tweaks. Keep your eyes peeled for more on that one soon…
About 12ish, I walked to the bus stop and got ready to go into town to the library. I work there once or twice a week. Helps with the writing and avoiding cabin fever. Although bus prices have gone up 20p. Damn it. Writing this post while waiting in the rain. Gloomier day today, but warm and muggy. Well, 16 degrees. That’s warm for a Brit.
Anyway, got the bus, sat down in the library for 12.45 and ready to go!
Got a quick scene done in about an hour aided by a mocha. I sometimes spend two hours in here but kind of want lunch (food often gets in the way of writing like that…). So I’ll head back, have lunch then get more writing done.
Had lunch then just lazed around browsing social media til about half 2. Yet I’m going to have a good writing day today. You just watch!
After lazing and getting my arse in gear, I wrote a really suspense filled scene that I’ve been looking forward to for a while. Damn, today seems to have flown, half three already. Warm but cloudy day, which is frustrating because I’m a sun worshiper.
Started to feel a bit groggy and realised exactly why — it’s 4pm and I haven’t had a single glass of water today. Bad Ryan! Water, good diet, good sleep and exercise are key to feeling good and being productive too. So off for a couple of pints of the alcohol-free delight I go…
Spent 15 mins trying to save a trapped wasp. I’m terrified of them, so it’s quite a task for me. Managed to lure the angry bugger into a glass with some raspberry jam and throw it out into the garden in the end. One life spared…
16:50: received some comments from a first reader on a work in progress so worked on the second draft of that for an hour or so. Rewriting and editing are too big a topic to go into in this blog, as I’ve mentioned before. I’ve posted enough about it in the past.
Didn’t do a whole lot later but this is because I’m backing away from writing the next scene. It’s a big turning point in the book, and my mind is trying to fool me by saying “start when you’re fresh tomorrow!” even though I’ll feel even more daunted by it the more time passes. So I’m going to have a shot at it soon and see where it goes. Yes, I realise that goes against what a lot of writing advice blogs might tell you. But check their credentials before following their counter-productive advice like that. How many books have they published? How many of those books are selling? Comments like “don’t write when you don’t feel up to it!” or “if you don’t feel fresh, you’ll write crappy fiction!” are usually a defensive reaction; a justification for not writing, the procrastination demon eating away inside that person giving the “advice”.
Or they’re just the words of someone who gets frustrated when they see somebody else producing more words than them.
Bear that in mind and read all information with your bullshit detector on. Even this.
If you’ve noticed these entries getting longer, I dunno if that’s a pattern. I’m enjoying them! Anyway, I enjoyed writing while waiting for tea last night so I’m going to tackle this tough scene. It’d be easy to say I don’t have time or I’m giving up, or I don’t feel fresh, eh?
Okay so I DID give up. My bad. That’s the brutal honesty of this blog — sometimes I procrastinate too. Yes, I’m human, believe it or not.
So instead of writing just now, I had tea, chilled and watched Masterchef. Such a great episode where the amateurs go to Spain to cook for Ferran Adrià and the former El Bulli pros. Constantly, these masters of cooking go on about how they were criticised for being original… yet now they’re going down in the history books. Remember that in fiction: if you’re plain and like everyone else, nobody will remember you. If you dare to follow your own creative impulses, the rewards will follow.
Oh, and one chef says his one goal in cooking is to “have fun”. A lesson we could all learn from.
And what a quote this is: “Technique is an instrument only. There is no end result without flavour.”
This so applies to fiction, just swap “flavour” with “story”. See, I’m not just salivating over food–I’m learning, too!
Anyway, excuse the extremely long entry. I did go upstairs at ten-ish and write a short scene, bringing my total around 3k for the day. Long day, not loads of words, but again, progress.
Friday 16th May:
Deserved lie-in. Always do get up later on a Friday.
Ate breakfast in the sun. What a nice week. Convened with my excellent designer some more. Sinkers is a tricky one because it’s a cross genre hybrid so we’re trying to get a good balance of sci fi with a subtle hint of horror. Yoly’s a great designer, though, so she’ll do it justice.
Anyway, spent a long time sitting in the sun and just soaking it up. We don’t get much sun in Britain so it’s a good idea to make the most. Here was my view at breakfast:
The room I work in is absolutely boiling as it’s the side the sun rises on. So I checked how the Kobo promotion was going — they sent out their email blast today so I’ve had a few sales since. And their Canada (main market) promo goes live Tuesday. Brilliant that they’re helping indies like this. Wonderful.
Anyway, got started and did a scene that was tricky in the heat. Not going to be a great day for words I don’t think, but we’ll see.
Right, got myself in gear. Aiming for 3k today so another session should do it. But I want to enjoy this sunshine! Wrote some more words but only short so decided to join scenes together.
Had a quick lunch then went for a walk at 3ish. Another 4k step walk, another route. Boiling day, bit muggy though. Don’t usually think about writing when out but approaching final act of book so ideas flying. Here’s a shot of the hills where Buried Slaughter’s main crime happened (in my imagination, of course):
And here’s a selfie after a very daunting walk down a no speed limit country lane:
Big spoonfuls of peanut butter upon return. I’m a skinny runt so I can’t afford the lost calories :P.
Did another scene til 5 then wrapped for the day. Now time to find out what’s happening this weekend and chill. Week 1 done!
Hope you enjoyed it. If not, here’s a picture of Grace to cheer you up.
Have a relaxing/exciting/drunk weekend!
Ryan.