NaNoWriMo update!

Alright NaNoWriMo is quite the challenge! The best tip I have heard so far is to only stop writing once you know what will happen next... that way when you start back up, you wont be stuck there wondering what to write. Simple, but brilliant!

I am a little under 10k words in... checking out this program called Scrivener... I've heard great things about it, do any of you know how good it is? Recommend it? Avoid it? Let me know!

Hope you are all doing well both in writing and in life... I am feeling motivational today so here is something I always remembered from my health teacher way back in high school:

"Do the best with what you have, and where you are."

So keep at it guys! Share the blog, leave your comments, if you want to write a guest post then sweet! Let me know! Find me on Twitter (I promise I follow back) @MattTaylor1776

-Matt

NaNoWriMo Day 3!

Alright, so we are three days into NaNo... everyone still breathing? Check your pulses. Stretch your legs. Brace yourself for more... MoMoWriMo (More More Write More?)

Anyway, I fell a bit behind due to Halloween. Derek needs more pressure into starting, I think he is scared, so tweet him words of encouragement! @derekdyer_WF

Comment below and let me know how your WriMo is going!

-Matt

Short Stories!

Short stories are a growing trend among all authors, new and published alike. While old publishing methods arguably did not favor production of short stories, new publishing practices with the advent of the eBook market (Here's lookin' at you Kindle/Amazon) are enabling all writers to produce and distribute short works to a massive audience. Here are some benefits of short stories:

Earning Potential: With the ability to put out multiple short stories within a short length of time, and sell them at a price that most full length novels are being sold for. Shorts offer a great way to make quick income. Per word, a short story can make more money than a novel. Shorts also offer multiple selling options. You could sell: Short 1, Short 2, Short 3. Three options right? Well consider a 4th option which won't cost you anything but a few extra minutes, sell a collection of the first three shorts as a value bundle. More often than not a reader will pick up the first short, and if they like it purchase the collection instead of individually buying the other two -which works out great for you, if you stop to consider what is actually taking place.

Bridge Between Novels: Alright, so you wrote Novel 1, and are getting to work on Novel 2. Meanwhile your loyal fans and ravenous readers are chomping at the bit to get at more of your work. To see other aspects of your world, and to be taken on more adventures. You can use short stories to sate the hunger of your followers while you type away at Novel 2, whether its to include short side stories or introduce other characters.

Networking: Short stories offer a great way for you to network with other writers and readers. You can use it to hook new readers onto your work, or to develop writing skills. Plenty of websites like Figment, and Wattpad service thousands upon thousands of new writers and offer readers looking for the next big thing a source to scour. (Shameless plug: My buddy and I who also run the blog "Wordsmiths Foundry" have made an account on Wattpad where we will be sharing shorts/flashfiction randomly. http://www.wattpad.com/user/WordsmithsFoundry)

Writing habits.

Alright, so I was just thinking about the habits I have when I go and write... specifically, I feel like I can only get good quality writing in either at night, or at the local coffee shop. Also, it seems to help if I have a nice drink such as some milk, tea, whatever.

I'm curious, do any of you have any writing habits you maintain? Do you find you only write well at X time of day? Or time of week? "I only do my best writing on Tuesdays... if I start at 12:05 pm." That's absurd but, hey, someone may have a habit like that... Its all mental... right?

Comment, share, and let me know what your favorite writing habits are!

-Matt

Got my second edit back!

I received the second edit of "Heedless" back from the editor at CreateSpace. Unfortunately due to some cosmic mistake (or just an error on my own) I had resent the firsts draft of the story. So I essentially have just gotten my original story revised two different times.

I probably should have vouched to keep the same editor. Maybe she would have caught the mistake. Either way, I got the service I paid for! At least I can compare both now and see what each editor picked out.

Do any of you have interested editing/editor stories?

Comment below! Like and share!

-Matt

Interesting Folklore

Alright, so I was stuck trying to come up with some new ideas for future writings... and started looking into different bits of folklore! My buddy clued me in on this recent comic called Manifest Destiny (https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/manifest-destiny). Pretty sweet concept, just ordered the first trade paperback off of The Amazinz. (Amazon...) Manifest Destiny is pretty much Lewis and Clarks expeditions here in America, but with fantasy elements such as minotaurs and other creatures of the fay.

I will give it a read when it arrives and post my thoughts! In other news, Kim Jong Un is missing... for the past month... do you think that has anything to do with James Franco and Seth Rogen?! Thats a reference to their upcoming movie The Interview.

What folklore have you used to help inspire your writings? Anything you would like to share? Comment below! Share the blog! Grow our community!