Hey, Readerland. Back once again. Are you ready for December? I know I am. Well, other than the fact that it's supposed to be a high of 23 and snowing tomorrow. But that's not what I'm here to talk about. I'm here to talk about...fanfare please...The Ogre/Chuck Challenge!
Okay, okay. I haven't gotten any sort of official endorsement from Chuck Wendig, but I'm sure, if he knew about it, he would demand a cut of the profits. But the joke's on him, because there are none! HA! Take that, Mr. Penmonkey!
Anyway, let's get down to business. What is the Ogre/Chuck Challenge, you ask? Well, as I stated in my last blog post (December Plans), I will post a new writing challenge every day in December and my goal is to post new content every day right here on this blog. Your goal, if you choose to accept it, is to do the same and post your content or a link to your blog/webpage/content/brain squeezings here as a comment and together, we make it through December as writers.
"But wait!" you're probably yelling. "Why would I put myself through that?" WRONG QUESTION!
The question you SHOULD be asking is "What are the RULES for this awesomeicity?!?!?!"
Thanks for asking. Here's Chuck Wendig with the rules: "take fifteen minutes out of your day. That's all. A brief stint, a hard sprint. Pick an exercise from the following and do it up. The rules are like a bendy-straw, of course: you can write for five minutes or five hours, I'm not in your house with a gun to your head. But fifteen minutes makes sure that your writing session is short, but potent -- and it
assures that it doesn't consume all the hours of your writing time."
What I am going to do is I have taken slips of paper numbered 1 to 25 (because there are 25 writing exercises in '500 Ways to Be a Better Writer.' Seriously. Buy it already.) and with the help of my lovely assistance, one of those slips will be drawn and I will post that particular writing exercise for the next day. For example, I already have tomorrow's picked out. I'll get to that shortly.
You take 15 minutes tomorrow and write on the topic that I give you and then post. That easy, right? Well, mostly. A couple of the exercises are things like "Find a random image on Flickr and write about it" or "Get five random words from a word generator and write about that." After talking it over with my lovely assistant, if/when those come up, you will be responsible for finding your own picture or random words. I'll give the links I have to those generators, but feel free to find your own way of getting those things. Kinda like it's a creative process, huh?
So, this whole shindig starts tomorrow. I'm psyched and I hope you are too. Tomorrow's exercise is:
#16: Find a random picture on Flickr. Then write about it. The Flickr random image generator is here: Flickr Random Image Generator If you want, you can put a link in your response so we can see the picture. If you don't use the generator, find your own picture. Maybe it's your favorite or one your took. Either way, let's see some detail!
P.S. Because this is my challenge, I'm also adding in the category of music. If you see or read something that makes you want to throw down some jams, feel free to include those as well. I love music, so I'd love to hear what you have to play.
Okay, that's the whole shebang (No Johnny Gargano). Hopefully you'll all join me for the next month. I look forward to seeing what kind of responses we get.
That's it until tomorrow. Until then, get to writing and be awesome to each other.
#WWWYKI
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
December Plans
Hey, Readerland. Back once again, so let's get this started.
So, you probably noticed by my last post that my focus now is on writing. I think making my goal of sending this particular story to a publisher is a good place for me to be. I'm working on editing still and my writing group is planning on having two meeting in December instead of one, so that we all can get our stuff ready to send in.
For those that participated in National Novel Writing Month, which I did not do this year, congratulations. Your month is almost up. Then comes December, which I think is called National Edit Your NaNoWriMo Story Month or National Throw That Crap in a Drawer Somewhere and Forget About It Month. Either way, you're almost done! Don't forget that I'm still leaving open my offer to edit stories and whatnot. Email me at SkredlitheOgre@gmail.com and let me know what you have and we'll work something out.
So. The title of this entry is 'December Plans' and I haven't talked about my December plans. Yeah, I'm funny that way. Since it's the primary idea of the entry, I should get to that. Here goes.
So, I have the story I'm working on for possible publication and I'm sure I'll be helping out a couple of people with editing and whatnot (Mary, I'm looking at you). But the thing is that writing doesn't stop when editing starts. Usually, at least with writers that I know, they have multiple stories that they're working on at one time. I know that's the case with me. I still have to work on time travel, Jack the Ripper and mind-controlling aliens. And that's just one story.
Anyway, in order to keep myself writing while I'm trying to focus on getting this steampunk story edited and rewritten, my goal for December is, starting December 1st, to partake in writing exercises (most of them will be from Chuck Wendig's '500 Ways to be a Better Writer' which is hilarious. I recommend picking it up at Chuck's blog, terribleminds.com) and I'm going to do this for all 31 days and I'm going to post them here on my blog, which means they'll also go to my Twitter (@WillMyers2) and my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1138257563 Friend me! I don't bite!) so you'll have three ways to keep track of what I'm up to.
So, that's my goal. Doable? Yes. Will I make it? I certainly hope so. I'ma give it my best shot.
What does this mean for YOU, Readerland? Well, I am inviting you to join me on this quest. I'll post my writing exercise (and anything more that comes from one of these exercises), including which exercise I'm doing and where I got it, and what my content is. All you have to do is post your content, whether it be from the same exercise or some other that you find, in a comment on my blog or a link to your own blog or some way for other people to see your content. It can be a story, a novel, an article for a journal, song lyrics...whatever. Just send it in!
That's the deal. I post my content, you post yours. I'm going for 31 days and you're welcome to join me. So, big steps coming up. Let's enjoy the ride.
That's all I've got for now. Until next time, thanks for reading and be awesome to each other.
#WWWYKI
So, you probably noticed by my last post that my focus now is on writing. I think making my goal of sending this particular story to a publisher is a good place for me to be. I'm working on editing still and my writing group is planning on having two meeting in December instead of one, so that we all can get our stuff ready to send in.
For those that participated in National Novel Writing Month, which I did not do this year, congratulations. Your month is almost up. Then comes December, which I think is called National Edit Your NaNoWriMo Story Month or National Throw That Crap in a Drawer Somewhere and Forget About It Month. Either way, you're almost done! Don't forget that I'm still leaving open my offer to edit stories and whatnot. Email me at SkredlitheOgre@gmail.com and let me know what you have and we'll work something out.
So. The title of this entry is 'December Plans' and I haven't talked about my December plans. Yeah, I'm funny that way. Since it's the primary idea of the entry, I should get to that. Here goes.
So, I have the story I'm working on for possible publication and I'm sure I'll be helping out a couple of people with editing and whatnot (Mary, I'm looking at you). But the thing is that writing doesn't stop when editing starts. Usually, at least with writers that I know, they have multiple stories that they're working on at one time. I know that's the case with me. I still have to work on time travel, Jack the Ripper and mind-controlling aliens. And that's just one story.
Anyway, in order to keep myself writing while I'm trying to focus on getting this steampunk story edited and rewritten, my goal for December is, starting December 1st, to partake in writing exercises (most of them will be from Chuck Wendig's '500 Ways to be a Better Writer' which is hilarious. I recommend picking it up at Chuck's blog, terribleminds.com) and I'm going to do this for all 31 days and I'm going to post them here on my blog, which means they'll also go to my Twitter (@WillMyers2) and my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1138257563 Friend me! I don't bite!) so you'll have three ways to keep track of what I'm up to.
So, that's my goal. Doable? Yes. Will I make it? I certainly hope so. I'ma give it my best shot.
What does this mean for YOU, Readerland? Well, I am inviting you to join me on this quest. I'll post my writing exercise (and anything more that comes from one of these exercises), including which exercise I'm doing and where I got it, and what my content is. All you have to do is post your content, whether it be from the same exercise or some other that you find, in a comment on my blog or a link to your own blog or some way for other people to see your content. It can be a story, a novel, an article for a journal, song lyrics...whatever. Just send it in!
That's the deal. I post my content, you post yours. I'm going for 31 days and you're welcome to join me. So, big steps coming up. Let's enjoy the ride.
That's all I've got for now. Until next time, thanks for reading and be awesome to each other.
#WWWYKI
Thursday, November 17, 2011
The Ogre's Den: MileHiCon: Just what I needed
The Ogre's Den: MileHiCon: Just what I needed: Hey, Readerland. The Ogre is back and feeling better than ever. I'm inspired and determined to reach that goal I've been striving for for ...
MileHiCon: Just what I needed
Hey, Readerland. The Ogre is back and feeling better than ever. I'm inspired and determined to reach that goal I've been striving for for a while: going from struggling writer to becoming a published author. This is probably going to be kind of a long entry, so let's get started.
First off, let me start off by making a distinction between 'writer' and 'author' for me. A 'writer' is someone who is working and working hard on getting published by hasn't quite reached that point yet. An 'author' is someone who has actually gotten published. I am a writer. Stephen King is an author. That's the difference for me, so if I use one term or the other, you'll know what I mean.
Secondly, I'm going to use the phrase 'my author' a number of times throughout this entry. What I mean by that is the author that runs the writing group I'm a part of. I don't want to use their name without permission.
So, I went to my first MileHi Con, which is a writing convention, at the beginning of October. I've been writing, off and on, for about 20 years. And I've been horrible. In the last year, give or take, I've joined a writing group, headed by a published author. I've gotten better. It's good to have honest, critical feedback when you're an artist of any stripe. If you're a writer and you don't have a writing group, find one. If you can't find one, I'll go ahead and put myself out there and say get a hold of me and I'm willing to look over whatever you have so I can help you the way I've been helped. I can't promise that my help will turn you into the next James Patterson, but hey...I'm willing to help. If you want to send me something, email me at SkredlitheOgre@gmail.com and let me know that you want to send me something. I check that email multiple times a day, so I'll get back to you.
Back to Mile Hi Con. Instead of going to a session on my anthologies are important, I went to an author meet and greet. I wasn't expecting much, but boy, was I wrong. It was set up like speed dating, where you get so much time with each author. They weren't too strict on this, which is good. Within a minute of entering the room, my author introduced me to a publisher who prints anthologies, which is perfect for someone like me who writes short stories. So, I've already met a business contact at this point, not counting the editor/publisher who is friends with my author and came in for the con. This editor/publisher is now a friend/business contact of mine.
The highlight of Mile Hi Con, for me, was meeting Glen Cook. He's one of my favorite authors of all time. He's written The Garrett Files (my personal favorite), The Black Company, Instrumentalities of Night, Dread Empires, and numerous standalone novels. I got to shake his hand and got a personalized autograph from him. It was a total fanboy moment for me. I basked in it for as long as I could.
So, the big thing I took from Mile Hi Con, other than meeting Glen Cook, was this sense of inspiration. The publisher I was introduced to at the Meet and Greet publishes anthologies and her company is getting ready to do a steampunk anthology with a submission deadline of January 1st. I kind of shook my head because I couldn't get anything written and edited and REwritten and RE-edited (etc., etc.) by then. I just couldn't.
And then I realized: Every time someone ELSE tells me I can't do something I try my hardest to do exactly that, so why should me telling my SELF that I can't do something be any different? I decided it isn't. So now, I'm on my fourth draft of my steampunk story. We're having an extra writer's group meeting this coming Sunday and then another two weeks from then. That's two more chances that I have to make this story the best I can, with face-to-face input from my group.
So now, I am determined to have this story rewritten and re-edited as many times as I can between now and the end of December, because I'm taking that big step: I'm going to submit it for publication.
Before now, I would never have submitted anything because of the usual reasons:
1) it's not good enough.
2) Everyone else's story will be better than mine.
3) It's not the right fit for the publisher.
And so on and so on. Every excuse that's out there, I've probably used.
You know what? I don't care for excuses anymore.
Whether you're a writer, a musician, a painter, a sculptor, or whatever kind of art you personally practice, there comes a time when you have to take that next step. You have to make yourself vulnerable to criticism and rejection and maybe, just maybe, acceptance.
So, for the past three weeks, I've been writing my little behind off, trying to get this story as polished as I can, while also trying to rewrite a story that I wrote five years ago, because it can be made better. Maybe I'll submit that one too, if I can find the right place.
"Look. If you had one shot, one opportunity, to seize everything you ever wanted in one moment, would you capture it? Or just let it slip?"
Time to stop letting it slip.
Until next, be awesome to each other. #WWWYKI
First off, let me start off by making a distinction between 'writer' and 'author' for me. A 'writer' is someone who is working and working hard on getting published by hasn't quite reached that point yet. An 'author' is someone who has actually gotten published. I am a writer. Stephen King is an author. That's the difference for me, so if I use one term or the other, you'll know what I mean.
Secondly, I'm going to use the phrase 'my author' a number of times throughout this entry. What I mean by that is the author that runs the writing group I'm a part of. I don't want to use their name without permission.
So, I went to my first MileHi Con, which is a writing convention, at the beginning of October. I've been writing, off and on, for about 20 years. And I've been horrible. In the last year, give or take, I've joined a writing group, headed by a published author. I've gotten better. It's good to have honest, critical feedback when you're an artist of any stripe. If you're a writer and you don't have a writing group, find one. If you can't find one, I'll go ahead and put myself out there and say get a hold of me and I'm willing to look over whatever you have so I can help you the way I've been helped. I can't promise that my help will turn you into the next James Patterson, but hey...I'm willing to help. If you want to send me something, email me at SkredlitheOgre@gmail.com and let me know that you want to send me something. I check that email multiple times a day, so I'll get back to you.
Back to Mile Hi Con. Instead of going to a session on my anthologies are important, I went to an author meet and greet. I wasn't expecting much, but boy, was I wrong. It was set up like speed dating, where you get so much time with each author. They weren't too strict on this, which is good. Within a minute of entering the room, my author introduced me to a publisher who prints anthologies, which is perfect for someone like me who writes short stories. So, I've already met a business contact at this point, not counting the editor/publisher who is friends with my author and came in for the con. This editor/publisher is now a friend/business contact of mine.
The highlight of Mile Hi Con, for me, was meeting Glen Cook. He's one of my favorite authors of all time. He's written The Garrett Files (my personal favorite), The Black Company, Instrumentalities of Night, Dread Empires, and numerous standalone novels. I got to shake his hand and got a personalized autograph from him. It was a total fanboy moment for me. I basked in it for as long as I could.
So, the big thing I took from Mile Hi Con, other than meeting Glen Cook, was this sense of inspiration. The publisher I was introduced to at the Meet and Greet publishes anthologies and her company is getting ready to do a steampunk anthology with a submission deadline of January 1st. I kind of shook my head because I couldn't get anything written and edited and REwritten and RE-edited (etc., etc.) by then. I just couldn't.
And then I realized: Every time someone ELSE tells me I can't do something I try my hardest to do exactly that, so why should me telling my SELF that I can't do something be any different? I decided it isn't. So now, I'm on my fourth draft of my steampunk story. We're having an extra writer's group meeting this coming Sunday and then another two weeks from then. That's two more chances that I have to make this story the best I can, with face-to-face input from my group.
So now, I am determined to have this story rewritten and re-edited as many times as I can between now and the end of December, because I'm taking that big step: I'm going to submit it for publication.
Before now, I would never have submitted anything because of the usual reasons:
1) it's not good enough.
2) Everyone else's story will be better than mine.
3) It's not the right fit for the publisher.
And so on and so on. Every excuse that's out there, I've probably used.
You know what? I don't care for excuses anymore.
Whether you're a writer, a musician, a painter, a sculptor, or whatever kind of art you personally practice, there comes a time when you have to take that next step. You have to make yourself vulnerable to criticism and rejection and maybe, just maybe, acceptance.
So, for the past three weeks, I've been writing my little behind off, trying to get this story as polished as I can, while also trying to rewrite a story that I wrote five years ago, because it can be made better. Maybe I'll submit that one too, if I can find the right place.
"Look. If you had one shot, one opportunity, to seize everything you ever wanted in one moment, would you capture it? Or just let it slip?"
Time to stop letting it slip.
Until next, be awesome to each other. #WWWYKI
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