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

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03/30/2011 • 5:30 AM 0

Writers: Chazz Law versus Masnick’s Law

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Thanks for all the nice feedback and e-mails about Monday’s blog post on Amanda Hocking. There was so much, in fact, that I need to do a follow-up about the mistakes we make when we compare our potential for success with another’s. Some people see another author’s success as a door slamming shut on their own noses. These are people who believe Masnick’s Law (which comes from the music industry.) The idea is that only a certain band at a certain time had certain advantages that can’t be replicated. They came along at the right time or had just the right choice of sound, or the moon was in alignment with the stars etc.,….

In other words, if they make it, you won’t.

Wussies.

You might make it in a different way (Elvis ≠The Beatles) but if you have a great book, success can be yours. Amanda Hocking isn’t stopping you from succeeding. Not writing your book is keeping you from succeeding. (Not revising or hiring an editor, too.) Hocking took a machete and cut a path into the jungle. JA Konrath, Barry Eisler and many other authors who went the self-published way are forging ahead. When you see others succeed, take it as inspiration. Masnick’s Law isn’t a law. It’s a self-defeating fallacy.

CHAZZ LAW:

Art inspires more art.

Read it.

Rock it.

Roll it out.

(And don’t be a wuss.)

Writers: Do you have time to get published? And can we dump the “self” from publishing? (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Barry Eisler turns down $500,000 advance to self-publish, as Amanda Hocking negotiates with major publishers (teleread.com)
Should self-publishing writers learn to take no for an answer? (teleread.com)
The Big Authors Begin To Bolt (andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com)
Published Author Goes Self-Published, As Self-Published Author Considers Big Publishing Deal (musicbusinessheretic.wordpress.com)

Filed under: authors, Books, DIY, ebooks, Editing, Editors, getting it done, links, publishing, Rant, Rejection, self-publishing, Writers, writing tips, Amanda Hocking, Art, Arts, Author, Barry Eisler, Elvis, inspiration, JA Konrath, Publish, self-publishing, Writers Resources, writing success

03/07/2011 • 6:09 AM 3

Stephen King: On Writing Under the Dome

It helps to be a fast typist. It helps to write fast and edit fast.

The reason is, you have to keep it all in your head. Maybe you’ve written out a plan or maybe you’re writing a day at a time without knowing how the story will twist to its end. Even if you don’t feel you have to know everything ahead of you, you still have to keep the details clear in what’s happening behind you. It’s a lot to track.

If you’re writing your first book, aim for the low end of the acceptable word count. If your first attempt is a vast sprawl of a trilogy, there’s an excellent chance it will suck. Finishing a book at all is an amazing accomplishment. Don’t try to write too long too quickly.

JK Rowling wrote a sprawling series with Harry Potter, but the first book is relatively short compared to the big bricks that came later.

Editing Tips Part 1: Story bible (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Writer Links: Stephen King, evil editors and plugging plot holes (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Editing Part II: Writerly idiosyncrasies (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Releasing Expectations (parkinglotconfessional.com)
Three Tips on Writing From Stephen King and Anne Lamott (gauravonomics.com)
Word Count Per Day (thewanderersden.wordpress.com)

Filed under: Author profiles, authors, getting it done, publishing, Writers, writing tips, edit, Stephen King, Word count, writer, Writers Resources, writing

02/25/2011 • 7:49 AM 3

Writers: How to find an editor & should you be a joiner?

There isn’t much of a trick to finding an editor to help you prepare your book for marketing or publication. Ask around. Ask your friends and acquaintances and colleagues. The way to find a good editor is the same way you find a good plumber or chiropractor.

Ask your friends who they use. Then ask why they like them.

It may be a good fit or it may not, but when you ask, you have a place to start. Some editors belong to associations. That can lend credibility, but it’s not the only criterion. The editor you choose should also have experience with your type of project and you should get some sense of how they work so the relationship can work. For instance I use free edit samples so both author and editor get a sense of what needs to be done and how much it may cost.

Personally, I was a member of EAC (the Editor’s Association of Canada) way back when it was FEAC (the Freelance Editors Association of Canada.) I’m not currently a member. I don’t have anything against them, but I don’t feel they are active enough in my city to justify the membership fee. I had a lovely experience and I’m very proud of representing FEAC to the joint Freedom of Expression Committee. If I still lived in Toronto, I would definitely still be a member of EAC.

Here’s the thing about playing with others: I’ve been a member on the executive or on committees in various capacities in a couple of associations over the years. They say membership has its privileges. I’ve found that the more responsibility I took on, the less privileged I felt.

What I felt was the weight of obligation, time pressure and ultimately harangued by members. (For instance, as a chapter exec for the Ontario Massage Therapist Association, it was like trying to herd cats. When a few members were rude to me (after I did a lot of work on their behalf for free) that did it for me. As a volunteer, I wasn’t even being paid for the hassles that accrued. So I opted out.

I haven’t been much of a joiner ever since. So, the point of today’s post is, there are all kinds of associations for writers and editors out there. They are often run by a small board of volunteers who are a harried, unappreciated bunch. If you want to join, great. If you want to help, fantastic. But make sure you’re getting benefits and not just giving.

If you join a critique group, a writers’ union, an authors’ union, are you getting good information and useful connections and most important, is participation cutting into your writing time?

Book Information Centre Blues (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Opportunity knocks? Self-published writers could unionize (plus association links for writers) (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Here’s a good one on editors, authors & the dance we do (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)

Filed under: authors, Books, Editing, Editors, publishing, Writers, writing tips, Arts, Editors Association of Canada, Publish, writers, writers associations, Writers Resources

02/23/2011 • 4:26 AM 3

Writerly link roundup: word counts by genre (& send in the cavalry!)

I’m in the editing basilica today but I wanted to take a moment to lay out three little info-gifts for you, and then, something special.

Three interesting links:

An Author’s Perspective on Scribd versus Bookbuzzr

What word count fits your manuscript’s genre?

A writer and her hate mail

And finally, an author decides to give away his e-book. What makes this special? No gimmicks, no forms, no following, no email subscriptions, zero ordeal.

JS Chancellor’s book got pirated but he’s turning things around. It will be interesting to see how his strategy works to promote the book.

So let’s help. Pump up his blog. Pump up the volume. Go see if you like his writing and maybe a great experience and reader-writer relationship will begin.

He calls it “a shameless plea for help.” I say we help out because, hey, we’re writers! We can help out other writers! More important, we’re readers! And helping out feels good.

And the dude’s giving you a book! What’s to think about? If you like it, spread his word. Go there, bookmark it and pick it up March 1.

Check here for details:

Free Copy of Son of Ereubus

[process] On Word Count (jlake.com)
Success in a New Genre (robinespana.blogspot.com)
Counting Text On The Fly (lockergnome.com)
Word Count by Genre (worddreams.wordpress.com)
Why It’s Called The Slush Pile (terrywhalin.blogspot.com)
The New Site Figment Asks Users to “Write Yourself In” (blogher.com)
Count words in documents in bulk with Total Assistant (techattitude.com)

Filed under: authors, Books, ebooks, links, publishing, Useful writing links, writing tips, Arts, fiction, JS Chancellor, Sons of Ereubus, Word count, word count by genre, wordcount, writer, Writers Resources

02/18/2011 • 12:23 PM 6

Heresy for Writers: Choose The Not Writing Day

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There is a way to be miserable. It’s guaranteed. If you really want to ruin your day, promise yourself you’ll write something today, just not now. As the day stumbles forward, keep thinking any minute now you could start, but just now doesn’t feel right.

Now start feeling guilty. Is your head hot yet? Does it feel like a sword hanging by a very thin wire is above you? No?

Give it some more time. Wait until conditions are just right. What’s in the fridge? Can you really bring yourself to write knowing the bathtub hasn’t been cleaned yet? When was the last time you washed the sheets? There’s another chore in the way. Now you’ll need to reward yourself for that hard work. Oh, there’s that delicious book from the library. You know you shouldn’t read it now, but it is due next week. It’s The Book of Dead Philosophers by Simon Critchley! Who could resist that?

Then we’ve stepped on the procrastination treadmill: same thought running constantly, “I should start, I’ll start soon…”

Going nowhere.

I wonder what’s on TV at 10? 11? Noon. Well, now it’s lunch. Something’s missing… Oh, look at that! I’ve seen this movie three times and I get sucked in every time. Well, now it’s 3 pm. I feel a nap coming on…

4 pm. Need a coffee to boost my energy. Hm…should clean up the kitchen before everyone comes home…

5 pm Dinner’s started but I’ll definitely will get to writing a chapter before 7. Oh, the dishes.

And the kids want help with their homework…

9 pm. Got the kids to bed. I should start. I’ve been meaning to start all day and now…yawn. Fuzzy. Ooh, The Big Bang Theory rerun!

11 pm. I’ve got the Daily Show taping in the middle of the night so I won’t waste time…but I really want to know what Jon thinks of what’s going on in Egypt tonight.

Somehow, it’s midnight. It’s kind of late to start now. Shit.

Or

Schedule a time and stick to it like you would any other appointment. You don’t miss appointments with your dentist or an important business meeting.

Your writing time is an important business meeting.

Or

(here comes the heresy)

Take the day off!

From the beginning, say this is not a writing day.

Enjoy it.

That’s right. I’m the Devil and I love idle, non-typing, hands. The day I just described is a reasonably happy (though not remarkable) lazy day. What made it miserable was the guilt.You’re going to have recharge days. Don’t spoil them with guilt.You are not a machine. Enjoy not being a machine sometimes.

Enjoy your choices by making them

instead of letting them happen to you.

“The Big Bang Theory Review: “The Bus Pants Utilization”” and related posts (tvfanatic.com)
Writing habits of the the best writers (psychologytoday.com)
unclutterer: Ways to make life easy: inspiration required 🙂 (unclutterer.com)
Much “To-Do” About Nothing (theaberrantpen.wordpress.com)

Filed under: authors, Books, Media, Writers, writing tips, Big Bang Theory, Book of Dead Philosophers, heresy for writers, Simon Critchley, the non-writing day, writer's day off, writers goofing off, Writers Resources, writing advice

02/18/2011 • 5:00 AM 2

Top 13: My Favorite Writing Things (via Conjuring My Muse)

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I love my AlphaSmart Neo! Here are a few other things for writers to love, thanks to Conjuring My Muse. Enjoy her list. I did.

If you think ballplayers and crazed sports fans, with their amulets and gestures and habits all meant to bring about a win, are the only superstitious people in the world, think again. Writers can be just as quirky when engaging in their sport. And so I present a baker’s dozen of my favorite writing things, in no particular order. 1. Men’s cashmere sweater This is my go-to, get-in-the-mood wear when it’s time to write and the season is autumn, w … Read More

via Conjuring My Muse

Filed under: book reviews, Books, links, publishing, Writers, writing tips, AlphaSmart, Arts, things writers love, Writers Resources

02/16/2011 • 11:45 AM 1

Writers’ Union of Canada VIDEO (plus a cool NEW word! Yay!)

Yesterday I blogged about The Writers’ Union of Canada and that particular post wasn’t altogether complimentary. In fact, I proposed that if they didn’t open up their membership criteria to self-published authors, an indie union could be formed.

I hope that isn’t necessary since it could duplicate effort across platforms and dilute the voice of the writing profession. (However, if the self-published aren’t represented at all…hm. I won’t get sucked into a rehash. If you missed it, read, cogitate, plot and plan.)

But I’m all about the balance. For instance, I complained in a long ago post that TWUC’s judging of one year’s short story competition…well, it sucked. I’ve also been very complimentary with regard to their most recent symposium in Toronto (that also went on tour across Canada.)

This video on Canada’s proposed copyright law is an example of one of the good things unions can do to deal with The Man. The education provision does appear too broad and is a detriment to writers who are, as the legislation is written, voluntold to give up recompense for their work.

Voluntold

Chazz Definition: To have your services, product and/or time volunteered by someone other than you who has no business telling you what to do with your services, product and/or time.

(e.g. “I can’t order you on a suicide mission but I need five volunteers to storm that machine gun nest. You, you, you, you and you, go! You’ve been voluntold. A grateful nation honors your blah, blah, blah…”)

Opportunity knocks? Self-published writers could unionize (plus association links for writers) (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Writers: Are you skeptical about self-publishing? (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Writers: Dump your preconceptions (and your word processor) (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)

Filed under: authors, Books, Cool Word of the Day, publishing, Rant, self-publishing, Writers, Writing Conferences, Arts, authors, Copyright, Publish, self-publish, Writers Resources, Writers' Union of Canada

02/14/2011 • 7:02 AM 12

Writers: Four simple mistakes that ruin your reader’s trust (by Guest blogger Roz Morris)

Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, a mistake-free manuscript looks professional. It gives the reader confidence that they are in good hands. This is so important that publishers employ people specifically to worm out embarrassing errors so that the reader trusts what is on the page. I used to be one of them. But as we increasingly do it all ourselves, some howlers are getting through.

And not just typos. In self-published books, on blog posts, newsletters – and indeed query letters – there are four mistakes I see often that can seriously undermine the writer’s credibility:

Names are misspelt

The other day I came across a post on a blog I respect that referred to the heroine of the Tomb Raider game as ‘Lora Croft’. In editing circles, it’s a golden rule that if you use a name, you check it is spelled correctly. Then you check that when you typed it your fingers did what your brain wanted. ‘Lora Croft’ may have been an innocent typo but it makes the writer look like a twit.

Its and it’s are confused

Its means ‘belonging to it’.

It’s is short for ‘it is’.

If you’re still confused, ask yourself if you mean ‘it is’. If you don’t, it’s probably the other one. See how easy it’s?

There and their

If what you mean is ‘where’, the word you want is ‘there’. You may also use it without any meaning of its own in a sentence such as ‘if I see this mistake again there will be blood’. If you mean ‘belonging to them’, you need ‘their’. So there.

Reigns and reins

A horse has reins. A monarch reigns. You can have a reign of terror, but daily I see: ‘so-and-so took over the reigns of power’. This is wrong. They are speaking figuratively of leather straps that steer – and so the correct word is ‘reins’. I also see ‘we had to reign in our spending’. That refers to an act of braking – which is done with a rein. Nay, nay, nay.

These mistakes aren’t just irritating, like typos; they undermine your authority. Don’t lose readers by making them distrust what you write.

Roz Morris

Roz Morris is an editor, book doctor, bestselling ghostwriter. Now she’s coming out from under the sheet with novels of her own. She blogs, slightly less bossily, at http://www.nailyournovel.com, tweets as @dirtywhitecandy and is the author of Nail Your Novel – Why Writers Abandon Books and How You Can Draft, Fix and Finish With Confidence.

Find her book on Amazon.com http://ht.ly/3MWBC, outside the US from Lulu http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/nail-your-novel/5301103 and on the Kindle http://www.amazon.com/Nail-Your-Novel-Confidence-ebook/dp/B004LROOEQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&m=A7B2F8DUJ88VZ&s=books&qid=1296691437&sr=1-2

Writers: How I edit (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Writers: Why self-publishing sucks (and what you can do about it) (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Writers: How to tell when your manuscript is ready (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)

Filed under: authors, Editing, Editors, getting it done, Writers, writing tips, Nail Your Novel, Publish, Roz morris, Typographical error, writer, Writers Resources

02/08/2011 • 11:03 PM 3

Writers: The short form is roaring back

Image by gharness via Flickr

I met The Fab Rebecca Senese (I think of her as TFRS at all times) at the Writers’ Union symposium. We went to Tims and went through that excited decompression phase. You know the one. It’s where you are packed with new information to mesh and meld with your old data and you talk fast to get it all out and solidify new, useful neuropathways.

She made an observation that really got my attention:

Amid the hubbub, TFRS said that e-books were a sure opportunity for the short form to make a strong comeback. Got a short flight or need a distraction over lunch? Read a short story or two. If you just want to gulp down a tale but don’t have time for a whole book, enjoy a novella after work.

Makes sense to me. I love short fiction. For instance, it’s a mystery to me why people say they love Ernest Hemingway‘s books, but I do like some of his short stories very much.

Short stories have been relegated to the back of the bus (read: unread literary journals.)

Until recently people have been buying books by weight, so publishers laughed at their puniness and demanded big doorstops they could sell. Length is an issue with paper, constrained as it is by the strictures of the printing press and bookstore manager’s expectations.

Novellas are ignored by many professional critics who often don’t take it seriously because they think the short punch packs less heft behind it. As if we all feel that way all the time.

A good short story takes talent to write and in some ways is a different skill set from the novel. (These critics must be those same twits who scoff at Twitter just because they can’t put together one clever coherent thought in less than 140 characters.)

Now with e-books, the answers to those objections are: Who needs publishers for that? What’s a professional critic and what is this “newspaper” thing you’re babbling about? And lit journals? What’s that? Is all this stuff available online?

Click this link to see Rebecca Senese’s short fiction.

Please do take a look.

Death of a Short Story (writeanything.wordpress.com)
The Art of A Short Story (writeanything.wordpress.com)
The Story Problem: 10 Thoughts on Academia’s Novel Crisis (themillions.com)
The Danger of Writing Flash Fiction (writinghood.com)
Writers: Are you skeptical about self-publishing? (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)

Filed under: authors, blogs & blogging, Books, ebooks, self-publishing, short stories, Twitter, Writers, Arts, book, E-book, Ernest Hemingway, fiction, Literature, Online Writing, Rebecca Senese, self-publishing, short stories, short story, Twitter, writer, Writers Resources

02/06/2011 • 9:44 PM 9

Writers: Dump your preconceptions (and your word processor)

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Image via CrunchBase

Just a quick note to say I’m back from The Writers’ Union of Canada Toronto symposium on the state of publishing. I’ll be going through my notes and giving out reviews and information a bit at a time in coming days as I unpack my notes and cogitate. The conference was packed with information to act upon. Sorry for the tease, but I’m busy setting up a new browser (Opera) and a new file management system (Dropbox) tonight. (Both are free and come highly recommended by a guy you should bookmark, get to know, subscribe to and read assiduously: Ross Laird. More on that in a moment.)

I met some nice potential clients and made a couple of new friends. Since last year’s experience at two writers’ conferences I realize I’ve been impatient for people to catch up with my worldview. At one conference a publisher displayed a pathological resistance to e-book reality. At the next conference I met my first e-reader power user who pledged never to buy a p-book again. I’ve been harping on the change from vanity publishing to self-publishing and all that entails ever since. So it was that I became cynical about this weekend’s symposium. I was so used to the sound of my own voice saying “the future is now” — voice in the wilderness that I am — that I didn’t think anyone was catching up. In most ways, the Writers’ Union certainly has caught up and is forging ahead with the new publishing reality. (I’ll address how they haven’t changed in another post soon.)

The Nugget You Need Tonight

Tech guru Ross Laird opened his first lecture with this:

SELF-PUBLISHING IS MAINSTREAM.

Note that he didn’t say it will be some day.

His message was strong: stop looking backward because the future of reading is on devices. Choosing self-publishing is to embrace a startling degree of freedom, fun, adventure, work and independence. Scary cool, huh? It was relief to hear someone articulate what I’ve been saying (although he’s more tech-oriented, glib and has slides.)

There is much to chew over from the symposium, but for tonight I’ll start you off with this link: