I have just been notified by Amazon.com that prices for my e-books
will be going up for customers in the EU countries on January 1, 2015.
The new prices will include VAT. VAT varies by country, so the prices
will also vary by country. Additionally, Amazon will be setting a new
minimum price based on size (in megabytes) of the book. If you're in the
EU and were considering buying the books, buy before December 31, 2014,
to get the best price!
Safety Net in the Amazon.de store: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B00B8U421O
Extra Points in the Amazon.de store: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B00IOE8YAC
In
January, I'll do a reality check on the prices that Amazon sets.
Because of minimum price based on size, I may not have a lot of
flexibility.
The next book (when I can get the darn thing finished!) will be priced with this in mind.
01 December 2014
03 November 2014
On writing habits
I'm fascinated to hear my friends discuss their writing habits because no two people have the same ones. I will try new methods I hear about but ultimately fall back to my old, ingrained ways.
I don't outline much. I'll have sketchy road maps in my mind and occasionally jotted down, but between the landmarks is a lot of open space. I usually don't know how the story will end when I begin writing it, and this is undoubtedly a weakness and not a method I would recommend. Writing definitely gets easier once I can see what the ending will be.
That being said, I love being surprised when I write. In the last 6000 words I wrote for my next project, my protagonist met several characters I didn't know existed and did things I never saw coming. Even if these 6000 words change or disappear in the final version, the surprise gave me an energy that will drive the story forward. That's exciting.
I envy writers who can design a strict writing schedule and timetable and stick with it. For me, it tends to be feast or famine: a lot of writing all at once or a lot of procrastination and no discernible progress.
One tip I got from a friend has helped a lot: spend at least one hour a week on the story. Even if I only open the file and read it or do minor tweaks, it's spending time with it. It's easy to underestimate the importance of just spending time with what you're writing and to beat yourself up for not getting more words written down. But the more time you spend with what you're writing, the more familiar and comfortable you are with it. It establishes a place in your mind and claims some territory your imagination will keep wandering into until you're thinking about it then writing it.
I make lots of short, cryptic notes. Many of them are on paper because if something comes to mind while I'm away from home, I need to write it down. I learned the hard way that if I didn't, the next time I opened the file, I wouldn't remember that great idea I had.
Lots of times I open the file, look at the notes, and the ideas aren't great anymore. That's fine. The note serves its purpose, though: it reminds me of what I was thinking about. I have to review it. Was it a problem I thought I had solved? Was it a solution to a problem I didn't have? Was it an upcoming scene I've changed my mind about? Was it a revision to an existing scene that I should consider?
A lot of the notes are ideas for character names. Names are difficult, no matter the genre. I need to like a character's name if I'm going to be writing about that character a lot.
What I said earlier about procrastination? As in, updating the blog...
I don't outline much. I'll have sketchy road maps in my mind and occasionally jotted down, but between the landmarks is a lot of open space. I usually don't know how the story will end when I begin writing it, and this is undoubtedly a weakness and not a method I would recommend. Writing definitely gets easier once I can see what the ending will be.
That being said, I love being surprised when I write. In the last 6000 words I wrote for my next project, my protagonist met several characters I didn't know existed and did things I never saw coming. Even if these 6000 words change or disappear in the final version, the surprise gave me an energy that will drive the story forward. That's exciting.
I envy writers who can design a strict writing schedule and timetable and stick with it. For me, it tends to be feast or famine: a lot of writing all at once or a lot of procrastination and no discernible progress.
One tip I got from a friend has helped a lot: spend at least one hour a week on the story. Even if I only open the file and read it or do minor tweaks, it's spending time with it. It's easy to underestimate the importance of just spending time with what you're writing and to beat yourself up for not getting more words written down. But the more time you spend with what you're writing, the more familiar and comfortable you are with it. It establishes a place in your mind and claims some territory your imagination will keep wandering into until you're thinking about it then writing it.
I make lots of short, cryptic notes. Many of them are on paper because if something comes to mind while I'm away from home, I need to write it down. I learned the hard way that if I didn't, the next time I opened the file, I wouldn't remember that great idea I had.
Lots of times I open the file, look at the notes, and the ideas aren't great anymore. That's fine. The note serves its purpose, though: it reminds me of what I was thinking about. I have to review it. Was it a problem I thought I had solved? Was it a solution to a problem I didn't have? Was it an upcoming scene I've changed my mind about? Was it a revision to an existing scene that I should consider?
A lot of the notes are ideas for character names. Names are difficult, no matter the genre. I need to like a character's name if I'm going to be writing about that character a lot.
What I said earlier about procrastination? As in, updating the blog...
18 June 2014
Book rec
Breaking the Line: The Season in Black College Football That Transformed the Sport and Changed the Course of Civil Rights
by Samuel G. Freedman
by Samuel G. Freedman
18 May 2014
08 March 2014
Newly published: Extra Points
Extra Points is now available from Amazon.com (Kindle format) and from Smashwords (a variety of formats including ePub). Extra Points contains two short stories about the characters from Safety Net. If you enjoyed Safety Net and wondered what the future held for Lowell and Erick or were curious about Erick's past, Extra Points tells all! (Okay, maybe not all.)
And I'm writing (slowly) something new, unrelated to football (gasp!). Can't promise any ETA, but I feel good about this one.
And I'm writing (slowly) something new, unrelated to football (gasp!). Can't promise any ETA, but I feel good about this one.
09 February 2014
Links: young men who will make a difference
Even if the difference isn't immediate. Attitudes can change. Tolerance can happen.
College football player Conner Mertens comes out publicly.
NFL draft prospect Michael Sam of Missouri Tigers comes out.
College football player Conner Mertens comes out publicly.
NFL draft prospect Michael Sam of Missouri Tigers comes out.
03 January 2014
Links: NFL and difference
Some interesting links to articles on difference and (in)tolerance in the NFL:
Nicholas Dawidoff: Miami's Offensive Line: What a Year Inside the N.F.L. Taught me about Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin (The New Yorker)
Chris Kluwe: I Was an NFL Player Until I Was Fired by Two Bigots and a Coward (Deadspin)
Ian Crouch: Did the Vikings Cut Chris Kluwe for his Gay-Rights Activism? (The New Yorker)
Nicholas Dawidoff: Miami's Offensive Line: What a Year Inside the N.F.L. Taught me about Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin (The New Yorker)
Chris Kluwe: I Was an NFL Player Until I Was Fired by Two Bigots and a Coward (Deadspin)
Ian Crouch: Did the Vikings Cut Chris Kluwe for his Gay-Rights Activism? (The New Yorker)
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