C h a z z W r i t e s . c o m

We are the publishing revolution

12/31/2010 • 3:46 PM 0

Writers: The Edge of 2011 Happy New Year Top 10

Image by Heavybm via Flickr

Hey Cool People of the Planet! I woke in a sweat very early this morning tormented with thoughts about the annual holiday VISA bill slopped over an undercurrent of vague worries about what would happen if I forgot all my passwords at once. Let’s be honest. Worldwide, this past decade sucked. However, things are looking up in some ways. Time to focus on the positive.

My mind tends to go to the dark side, but let’s focus on today, here, now.

Top 10 reasons today is a great day:

1. After the arid desert that is Christmas music, suddenly the radio doesn’t suck here at the oasis. For the next two days I’m listening to a marathon of hits from the last decade and rocking out hard.

2. I’m riding high from a marathon of Big Bang Theory (Season One). Despite that neurotic touch of insomnia, I then slept until 1 PM. I win!

3. I’m a columnist for Massage & Bodywork Magazine and I love working with them. My relationship with my editor can best be described as a mutual admiration society of two and this morning a Fed Ex package arrived with all sorts of goodies (corn bread, chili, soup mixes.) It was from the magazine, just to say thanks. That’s rare and wonderful.

4. I just confirmed I have a new editing gig. I’m editing an e-book for a client. I’ve edited books I’m not so interested in but I’m really looking forward to reading this book. Plus, the author is super nice.

5. My own manuscript is awaiting revision. Someone asked me how my book was. “Coming,” I said. “Does that mean you’re still writing it?” ”Nope. It’s written. Now I’m editing.” It feels great to say that. I’m focussed.

6. I’ve lost 40 pounds so far and in the next few months will achieve my goal. The holidays were tough, but I’m energized about getting to sexy. At my college reunion, I expect to be the guy no one knows.

7. Just now I found out my article on what I learned from Joe Rogan about book marketing was picked up b Literary Agents & Publishers News. Nice. I’m feeling appreciated today!

8. Tomorrow I’m hanging out with friends and relaxing. The blog’s already prepared and I’m feeling loose in the shoulders. There’s so much to look forward to this year. I’m planning to attend two publishing conferences and I’ll take my manuscript to market.

9. This is a pregnant moment. There is potential energy coiling in our resolutions as we set out to correct our courses and get our lives on the track we want. It can be done. We know that because it has been done. (Ten Lessons Received from an Evening with Kevin Smith.)

10. I’m happy to be here. I’m happy you’re here. Got any doubts we’ll make it big? Just watch me. Follow me or run beside me. We’re going to make it huge, sweetheart. Bet on it.

Book Marketing: What I learned from Joe Rogan (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
2010: The Year Self-Publishing Lost Its Stigma (pbs.org)
The Big Bang Theory’s geekiest guest stars (canada.com)
How to Upload Your Digital Book to Kindle, by Nancy May (artistmarketingsalon.wordpress.com)
Endings, Beginnings, & Transitions (trishussey.com)

Filed under: getting it done, My fiction, publishing, Rant, Top Ten, What about Chazz?, Writers, 2011, An Evening with Kevin Smith, book, editing, happy new year, Joe Rogan, Kevin Smith, Literary agent, resolutions

11/15/2010 • 11:04 AM 2

#@ThatKevinSmith : Feelgood Story of the Day (Week, Year…)

Image by Clintus McGintus via Flickr

Writing matters.

What you put out into the world matters.

And you never know how what you do will affect others (all the more reason to be careful.)

Last night, I got this reaction to my post on An Evening with Kevin Smith.

And the blessings and inspirations just keep on flowing.

When the good energy comes your way, run with it.

Find my original post on what I learned from Kevin Smith here.

Kevin Smith surprises me by having something more to say (onegoodminute.wordpress.com)
Which SModcast is the best kind of SModcast? Does @ThatKevinSmith agree? (onegoodminute.wordpress.com)
Kevin Smith Launches Podcast For Red State (cinemablend.com)

Filed under: getting it done, links, web reviews, Writers, An Evening with Kevin Smith, inspiration, Kevin Smith, Scott Mosier, SModcast, writing inspiration

11/05/2010 • 9:47 AM 2

Kevin Smith loved the blog post! The aftermath…

Image via Wikipedia

Good morning! First off, big thanks to Kevin Smith for the bump love and encouragement. He liked yesterday’s post, twittered it to his followers and within 20 minutes my blog got 500 hits. A couple of hours later? Seven-hundred and climbing. Kevin has a huge following and every morning he must wake up, blaze up and say, “It’s good to be the king.” Because it is and he’s earned it.

Thanks, too, to all the kind tweeple who sent me such nice feedback on the blog post and shared their feelings about the event. I wasn’t the only one so impressed with the experience. I received several tweets from people from Kitchener and area who were equally effected. We went for the laughs. We got much more than we expected. I know he must inspire tons of people because, of all the feedback I got, people were kind and there wasn’t even a hater in the bunch.

I’m earnest about earning my piece, too. An Evening with Kevin Smith really was an eye-opener and course correction for me and I’m already working away on that. (I hope some of you stick around or swing by once in a while to see my progress.) I have books to write and books to edit and I’m going into overdrive to get them edited, out the door and into the marketplace.

Great people make you feel like you can be great, too. Someone famous said something like that. Kevin exemplifies it. Thanks again, sir!

Okay, a little later today, I’ve got a story about American Psycho and me wrestling with censors…who, strangely, didn’t think they were censors.

Also, some ace writing and publishing links will be posted this afternoon.

Finally, a National Novel Writing Month update will be posted this evening.

Are you making progress? That’s what it’s all about.