Category Archives: don’t give up

Return from the Land of Writers

I’m back from another excellent/exhausting/exhilarating week in Lincoln City, or as I like to think of it, the Land of Writers. I took an eight-day-long class on the business of writing, which, as it turns out, is a lot more … Continue reading

Posted in 2014, authors, Best Sellers, business, butt in chair, Dean Wesley Smith, don't give up, fiction, Fiction River, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, learning the craft, Lincoln City, living the dream, mentors, opportunity, Oregon, Sharon Joss, write every day; writers write, writers, writers workshop, writing business | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Writing: It’s a Good Gig

I’m not pointing a finger; I’ve done my own share of whining as well. And while I’ve said that writing is the best job I’ve ever had, like any occupation, it isn’t always fun and games. It’s a gig like … Continue reading

Posted in 2014, bad hair days, business, butt in chair, celebrate the small stuff, don't give up, frustrations, motivation, persevere, persistence, publishers, reading, rejection, schedule, Sharon Joss, slog, writers write, writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Wow Factor: Dreams & Goals for the Long Haul

A writer I much admire, Dean Wesley Smith, wrote an inspirational blog recently about dreams and goals (you can read it here), and it got me thinking. He just finished a year of writing (and publishing as part of his … Continue reading

Posted in 2014, belief systems, books, business, Dean Wesley Smith, don't give up, Dreams, fun with writing, goals, great fiction, indie publishing, learning the craft, production schedule, published, resolution, Sharon Joss, the writing speaks for itself, write, write every day, write every day; writers write, writer | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Feed the Muse

Every once in a while (and thankfully, it doesn’t happen often), I start feeling a little like a hamster in a cage– running forward as fast as I can, but not going anywhere. The last few weeks, I’ve been in … Continue reading

Posted in 2014, bad hair days, books, dogs, don't give up, emotions, inspiration, learning the craft, mentors, muse, Ray Bradbury, Sharon Joss | Tagged | Leave a comment

On Accomplishment

Winter seemed to drag on a bit this year; we (Portland) broke a record for the most rainfall in March that had stood for more than 50 years: almost 8 inches of rain. But yesterday, the rain stopped, and today … Continue reading

Posted in don't give up, done, Finished draft, joy, lawns, Livin' La Vida 'Loha, manuscript, Sharon Joss, World Horror Con | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Cold Shoulders

The big chill is on. For this past week, we’ve been in the throes of a deep freeze here in Oregon. Today is a bit too nippy even to walk  the dogs.  I lived in Rochester, New York for seven … Continue reading

Posted in 2013, author, Brothers of the Fang, don't give up, fantasy, fiction, joy, La Vida 'Loha, Livin' La Vida 'Loha, manuscript, marketplace, novel, Perseverance, publishers, query, rejection, shape-shifter, Sharon Joss, submission, Uncategorized, vampire, werewolf, write, writers write, writing business | Leave a comment

The Joy of Having Written

I finished editing the final six chapters on AURUM today.  I’m done.  Finished, Finito. This is my fourth completed novel.  The joy and lightness of spirit that comes with having written is a high I’ve now experienced four times, but … Continue reading

Posted in 2013, ambition, author, award-winning author, best seller, Best Sellers, butt in chair, celebrate, don't give up, editing, Favorite New Author, Joseph Campell, Larry Brooks, learning the craft, manuscript, more problems than the average bear, novel, novels, opening scene, prosperity, published, query, Research, revising, revisions, Robert McKee, Save the Cat, scene, science fiction, Sharon Joss, short story, speculative fiction, story structure, story worthy problem, write, write every day, writer, writers write, writing business | Leave a comment