Episode Four: Doing the Work
I.Planning the Story
a.Inspiration vs. Perspiration
i. Take a look at what Gene had to say on The Authorized Version
b. Prep: Research, Character Profiles, etc.
c.Never Stop Learning
II. What Are You Waiting For? Write!!
a. All the planning in the world won’t get that first page written
b. Don’t let your editor brain stifle your writer brain
c. One you start – don’t stop!
III. Writing the story just isn’t enough.
a.Crafting a story takes time
b.Ask yourself the tough questions
c. Read your work aloud between each and every revision – and recruit your friends
Remember: Writing isn’t just a passion. It’s a craft. Like any craft, it must be studied, practiced, and respected. Ultimately your writing will be better for it.
J. Patrick Lemarr @ April 25, 2008
I’ve been out of commission for a while due to a bad case of pneumonia that left me stranded in the hospital for 4 days and kept me miserable for the better part of 3 weeks. This, of course, resulted in delays and complications in nearly every area of my life. It also gave me time to think (awww, who needs to think?) and reevaluate some things. When I first made the decision to self-publish my novel Worlds Apart, I had counted on having plenty of time to market it. My wife and I spent several days discussing different marketing plans, putting to use all of her experience in the advertising game. Then, if you recall, I decided to try a hail mary pass - a one time shot at getting the attention of a literary agent.
Now that my wife and I are expecting a baby, I realize that the time I had planned to spend self-marketing will likely be nonexistent. Therefore, I’ve made the decision to spend a bit more time with my manuscript and work the traditional route to publication. I know, I know. There are no guarantees. Rejections are plentiful. The thing is, I really want to learn. I really want the experience. I’ve also decided to go back to such short stories and try to get them in good enough shape to pitch to magazines. Writing credits are never a bad thing, and it would be yet another experience under my belt. So wish me luck. I’ll need it, I’m sure. But it never hurts to try. If it doesn’t lead to publication, I can always self-publish later. For now, I choose to chase the dream.
J.
J. Patrick Lemarr @ April 8, 2008