Winter Writing Report and Update

Wowzers! I can't believe it's been nearly a month since I last blogged. I'm sorry. You have every right when I do that to get on my case and ask for something. LOL

I have been writing after all, it being NaNoWriMo, you know. And I did finish the book I was working on; not a novel though. Not just that either. I wrote a piece for the winter edition of Washington Coast Magazine and wrote an article for today's The Daily World (that ended up on the front page). Plus my annual Christmas letter.

Then there's been all the Christmas stuff--shopping, wrapping, decorating. And running Harbor House.

I'll be editing this month and next as well as working on cover designs and layout towards the February release of Beyond Insanity and Another Load of Chicken Poop in April (fingers crossed, send in your short stories about farm life and country living).

In the meantime, I'll try to find some interesting things to blog about, but if I don't get to it, have a Merry Christmas. LOL

Finding My Insanity and Other News

Cover mock-up, the titled has changed to "Beyond Insanity"

I'm well on track for NaNoWriMo. In fact I should be finished with the draft by Thanksgiving. 

I'm not doing a novel, nor 50,000 words though. I'm doing about 20,000 for another anthology of short stories (see left). It should be released on Valentine's Day 2017 if all goes as planned.

Meanwhile, I'm working on a small audio project that has nothing to do with writing (it's a surprise).

And I'm working at the writing center (Harbor House). I'll be teaching a class, "What Publishing Path is Right for You?" on Nov. 19 (see the Harbor House website for more info on the class and other offerings for NaNoWriMo and more).

So, NaNoWriMo No Mo, Y'kno

I did about 30K even though my ambitious goal was 80K. LOL I hope you did better, and I hope you y'all hit at least the 50K mark. I did get my entire story roughed out narratively. 

I'll be adding to it and fleshing out some more dialogue, adding a few scenes, etc. as December progresses. I will be happy if the final manuscript rounds out at 50-60K.

Here's the premise in a nutshell: A burned out pastor thinks he's living hell until he actually goes there. A visit to Heaven reminds him what he's living for.

At the right is a rough mock-up of the proposed cover art. A few tweaks are in order, but the general concept and layout are there. >

Final editing will take place in January and the book should be out in time for Valentine's Day.

I hope your Thanksgiving was fantastic and that your Christmas season will be a joyful blessing to you and yours.

NaNoWriMo Nuts Noodle New Novels in November

Put everything else aside. Write right now! LOL

Wrimonites: I'd love to hear your NaNoWriMo progress. We all work at different paces. To some it comes easy to others with great pains. that's all okay.

This isn't a bragging thing; it's an encouragement thing. We're all in this together and we need the support to press on.

And DO press on. Don't stop. And if you miss a day, pick it back up the next. Do NOT be discouraged.

My goal is higher than 50K, so at 14K, I'm behind on my goal, but I'll keep crackin'.

Are You a Crazed and Frustrated NaNoWriMo Writer?

Writing can be maddening. 

As much as you love it, it can drive you crazy! One moment you 'pen' what seems to be the most brilliant thing ever written; in the next moment you doubt your ability to put two compatible words together.

Then there's writer's block. When under a deadline. You stare blankly at the screen, fingers poised over the keys, but the brain doesn't command words to flow. It's infuriating!

NaNoWriMo is a lot of pressure, too.

There's thirty days to produce 50,000 words. Fifty-thousand!!! In thirty stinkin' days! HA! It's a real challenge and if you do it you can pat yourself on the back and take your bad self out to dinner.

So keep at it. Keep writing. Keep staring at the screen...until you bleed.

Books by Gregory E. Zschomler:

NaNoWriMo and Mo' Bits and Pieces (an aggregation)

I've been trying to blog once a week, but I think that might fall by the wayside for much of this month. There's just not much on the docket for the rest of the month except NaNoWriMo writing. And that's taking up much of my time.

I'm working on my first full-length adult novel (most of my fiction works have been novellas for youth and young adults). It's an exciting sci-fi tale based on a true story encased in speculative science and spiritual quandaries. It should be out by next spring (2016).

For those joining me in the NaNoWriMo challenge, I wish you well.

As for other news:

• This weekend is Wordstock in Portland, but I'll not be going. If you go please buy an indie book and fill out a survey asking for more representation by indie authors at the event. Wordstock has typically sided with the publishing industry and panned indies.
• Speaking of indies, many authors I know (especially through NIWA) have new books out and they would love your support. These are good authors with some very intriguing new titles. You can look at the NIWA titles here.
• And, of course, there's my new book, Plays and Sketches for Schools & Churches, for those into theater. I'd appreciate you sharing with school and church theater people you might know.
• I had planned to have a new cookbook (Tex-Mex and Southwest BBQ) in time for Christmas, but I'm behind on the project. Hopefully we'll see that in time for the summer grilling season.
• Finally, my wife and I are still collecting humorous (yet poignant) short stories for an anthology we're editing called Chicken Poop on My Sole (Funny Fodder from the Farm). So if you got 'em, write 'em and send them in.

Today, November 1, is National Author's Day...Celebrate

How do you celebrate National Author's Day? It seems the reasonable thing to do would be to buy a book (or at least check one out of the library). And read it. It's why we write books, so people will read them. Support your local author and help keep us writing.

Celebrating NaNoWriMo: Author's Insanity Month

So it begins. National Novel Writing Month. Average goal 50,000 (50K) words. That's a mere 1,500 words a day. And it doesn't have to be a polished masterpiece. Just write.

Author Shannon Hale said: “I'm writing a first draft and reminding myself that I'm simply shoveling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.”

Sure it takes dedication. Sure it takes discipline. Sure it's a lot of work. And, sure it takes some measure of insanity. And it's hard. But anyone can do it who wants to.

This is actually how I work. LOL

It's said that over 300,000 people will attempt the challenge this year. That would be a lot of books if all succeeded. Most won't see the light of day. But some do. Like Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants.

I'm drafting a novel to be titled Through HELL and Back. (That could be appropo. lol) I will begin today. I will write every day except over Thanksgiving weekend. I will write at least six hours per day on this one work (remember my goal is 100K and I've been doing this for while).

I'll be revising and editing in December and polishing in January. The finished work should be about 80K. I have the story idea and intro knocked out. (I know, I've cheated a little.)

http://gregoryezschomler.blogspot.com/p/books.html

My NaNoWriMo Plan

I will draft the fourth Bayou Boys Adventure, titled ALIEN AMBUSH.

I'm planning to write every day except Sundays and a three day Thanksgiving holiday off . I will write 1,600 words a day.

Thus, Nov.1: 1,600 words; Nov. 3: 3,200 words; Nov. 4: 4,800; 5:6,400; 6: 8,000... etc. By

November 30: 36,000 words total*.

The longest BBA (Playhouse Phantom) to date is 30,000 (also drafted in a month). The Amish vs. The Zombies is 40,000 (a month to draft).

*the finished product could be longer or shorter, depending upon editing, redraft and the needs of the story.

I could use some prayer for perseverance, discipline, and sanity.

NaNoWriMo Isn't a Thick-skinned, One-horned Creature from the Planet Ork

Pam Dawber (Mindy) with Robin Williams as Mork.

...though that may describe a writer you know.

Okay, I explain: "nanu nanu" was the catch phrase greeting of Mork, an Orkan (from the planet Ork), played by Robin Williams in his breakthrough TV role, from the 1978-1982 show Mork and Mindy. [A spin off from Happy Days, no less.]

So what is NaNoWriMo? Na = National, No = Novel, Wri = Writing, and Mo = Month.

The idea is to get some words down each day for the thirty days of November. They don't have to be good. They don't have to be edited. You just write. 

I set a goal of 1,500 words per day. That can only take a couple hours. Sure, I have to carve them out. Truth is, sometimes I get in the groove and that closes in on 3K. Other times I squeak in 500, but mostly I make my goal and by November 30 I have 40,000 words. 

Brock D. Eastman is a busy man. He works F/T at a "regular" job and has a family, too, plus volunteer activities, etc. Yet he finds (makes) the time to write. He's the author of Howl Sage and the Quest for Truth Series (newest title is Unleash). 

Another great YA writer is a Wayne Thomas Batson. He's a school teacher which means he brings home papers to grade at night. He, too, has a family. He is also a prolific writer. His works include pirate tales and Curse of the Spider King as well as a couple of fantastic series.

Time Will Tell

"One does not simply find time to write..."

One does not simply find time to write lying around in some extra time bin. Writers make time. They set it aside and use it to their advantage.

You see, writer's have to write, and they will do it because where there is a will there is a way. There is no life pause button for us and we work at writing more than play--though there is a certain joy in it.

The itch might be inside you, but you have resisted for practical reasons, telling yourself it's a pipe dream. Do you feel that little tingle? 

Then take the NaNoWriMo challenge! Make up your mind to do it and you may very well find your true center that brings you the joy you've been missing. 

Just write.

Any nimnul can do that, if they try. And if you don't make your goal you can always say "shazbots!"

http://nanowrimo.org/

Catching Up With What I'm Up To

After a couple of redrafts and proofs PLAYHOUSE PHANTOM is now in the hands of my able-bodied editor. After she goes through it I will do one more revision and then proceed to formatting. After that I'll work on the cover art. It should be ready for the printer well in advance of the deadline to make the October release date.

I have also begun writing ALIEN AMBUSH and begun to formulate the story, but probably won't actively write more until next year. In the meantime I have begun another novel--a sci-fi, adult novel (not a Bayou Boys Adventure) called TO HELL, HEAVEN AND BACK AGAIN--which I plan to fully tackle for NaNoWriMo (in November) though I am writing on it somewhat now.

I am also revising and updating my 2005 text LIGHTS, CAMERA, WORSHIP! for re-release later this year. The book continues to be used as a college text at Mid-America Christian University and I'd like to see it used more widely--in schools and churches. But it needed an overhaul.

I'm also doing some slight revisions to MARSH MONSTER for its next printing. And, finally, I am waiting to hear back from three publishers about my novel THE AMISH vs. THE ZOMBIES (so far, out of five submissions, I have two rejections).

Meanwhile, I have an author appearance at the Battle Ground Library tomorrow, another on the 4th of August and another on August 18th.