Saturday, December 31, 2011
A coffee to remember
So outside of what I normally post I wanted to take a moment to talk about…COFFEE!
I’m currently sitting here in Adamo’s. I have to say it’s the best coffee shop that I have found in…ever! But if you aren’t here, then I’m sorry to say that you missed it! Today is their last day and I came to hang out till they closed. It’s a sad day, and I only found out about this place about three months ago. I used this place as my writing hangout for November and then I found out as December started that they would be closing at the end of the year.
My friend Jason and I got into a long conversation about how most true coffee houses are going away and the only thing left really is the corporate places that, while they may look the part, it’s only surface deep. I didn’t really think about it before Jason pointed it out to me and now that I found one that I like, it’s gone.
I once gave up coffee but in the drive to get myself through another manuscript I fell back into its loving embrace.
OH HOW I MISSED YOU COFFEE!
But when this store closes I think that I’ll part with coffee once again….for now. I’m sure that I’ll come back to it again later. Oh you are a wicked mistress.
Added by Del in a guest appearance:
I know plenty of good places, but does he ever listen to me? Noooooo. I guess he’ll just have to give it up again even though he doesn’t have to… his loss….
Cafe Adamo you will be missed.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Another year gone. But well used.
It’s almost time for the New Year and I thought that we should look over everything that I did in 2011. I’m doing this partly because I’m shocked and partly I want to point out. You can have a full time job and you can put a book out there for the world to read.
We all have the dream of becoming an author but we also have bills, rent, and the pesky need to eat food. So in comes the job that puts food on the table and the roof over your head. But we have our dreams, still and you shouldn’t let your dreams become that "someday" thing. I promise you, you’ll never see those gold metal winners stand before their interviewer and say. “Well I knew if I sat back and waited it would just come to me one day!”
No I’ve never seen that interview, but if someone has, please post me a YouTube link, I love a good laugh.
Over this last year I worked 70+ hours a week, got a promotion. Played three different sports, got a championship in two. Wrote a manuscript for a squeal to the first book that I rewrote and (with the help of people that know grammar) self-published on amazon. I also had time to publish a patent for some software that I wrote.
I’m not saying that I’ll be able to repeat this performance again next dyear, but I did want to show you that I had a very full year and with a little patients from my wife and family I was able to do it all.
What I’m getting at and it’s not really a secret, it’s called drive and commitment.
When it’s 2AM and the bed is calling your name, you say, “3AM isn’t all that much different!” (Well maybe you don’t yell it, everyone’s asleep) and you get some done. Every word, ever letter you write is another small step in the desert of completion. If you just put one foot in front of the other again and again you can get to the other side and find water.
The best way I can put it is you need to be stubborn; you need to make sure you put in the little bit of time every week, if not every day. Don’t say things like, “I have to work tomorrow” or “I can’t do that because I’ve got to bake these cookies.”
Excuses are the difference between professional athletes and recreational players.
The more that you do it, the more writing is a part of your life and isn’t that what you wanted?
Rob
We all have the dream of becoming an author but we also have bills, rent, and the pesky need to eat food. So in comes the job that puts food on the table and the roof over your head. But we have our dreams, still and you shouldn’t let your dreams become that "someday" thing. I promise you, you’ll never see those gold metal winners stand before their interviewer and say. “Well I knew if I sat back and waited it would just come to me one day!”
No I’ve never seen that interview, but if someone has, please post me a YouTube link, I love a good laugh.
Over this last year I worked 70+ hours a week, got a promotion. Played three different sports, got a championship in two. Wrote a manuscript for a squeal to the first book that I rewrote and (with the help of people that know grammar) self-published on amazon. I also had time to publish a patent for some software that I wrote.
I’m not saying that I’ll be able to repeat this performance again next dyear, but I did want to show you that I had a very full year and with a little patients from my wife and family I was able to do it all.
What I’m getting at and it’s not really a secret, it’s called drive and commitment.
When it’s 2AM and the bed is calling your name, you say, “3AM isn’t all that much different!” (Well maybe you don’t yell it, everyone’s asleep) and you get some done. Every word, ever letter you write is another small step in the desert of completion. If you just put one foot in front of the other again and again you can get to the other side and find water.
The best way I can put it is you need to be stubborn; you need to make sure you put in the little bit of time every week, if not every day. Don’t say things like, “I have to work tomorrow” or “I can’t do that because I’ve got to bake these cookies.”
Excuses are the difference between professional athletes and recreational players.
The more that you do it, the more writing is a part of your life and isn’t that what you wanted?
Rob
Sunday, March 7, 2010
I'm prepping for my first review.
I completed my first chapter rewrite and sent it off to my writing friends and support group. This will be the first feedback that I have gotten from people that are not my wife. I used to think that she was cruel in her feedback of what I have written, but as I spent a little more time writing and leaning about the space of writing. I came to find out that she wasn’t cruel at all. It comes down to the fact that we have different writing styles and interests this can make it hard for her to give feedback.
On the other hand I’ve always been a little jealous of her; I feel that she’s always been a better writer than myself (Because she is). This is something that I’m sure you too will find in your writing, it’s just like everything else in life. There is always someone out there that is better than you, this is no reason to give up. In many cases this is because they have been doing it longer than you (And sometimes yes they are just that naturally talented, grr!) Let me let you in on the biggest secret to writing that no one seems to know.
WRITING TAKES PRACTICE!
That right! You need to write something and then write some more and when you have a free moment write!
You don’t always have to be writing novels. Sometimes you just write a few lines that come to mind you. Hell you can start a blog perhaps? Why do you think that I’m doing this? If you enjoy writing, then you’ll have no problems taking the time to practice!
Here is what you are going to do, go buy a small notebook and keep it on you. Moleskin makes the best little books ever! You can find them at Borders, it’s where I get all mine anyway. But really anything will do. Even a few pieces of paper folded in half if good enough.
Next time you get an idea write it down! Take some basic notes on the idea. This doesn’t have to be a whole novel idea, just something small will do. Then I want you to out a character from any story you have into it. In my experience the more out of place the character is the better! Put a space alien in a car repair shop, he has to make enough money to buy the parts for his space craft to get it flight worthy. (Oooo Crap where is my notebook!)
On the other hand I’ve always been a little jealous of her; I feel that she’s always been a better writer than myself (Because she is). This is something that I’m sure you too will find in your writing, it’s just like everything else in life. There is always someone out there that is better than you, this is no reason to give up. In many cases this is because they have been doing it longer than you (And sometimes yes they are just that naturally talented, grr!) Let me let you in on the biggest secret to writing that no one seems to know.
WRITING TAKES PRACTICE!
That right! You need to write something and then write some more and when you have a free moment write!
You don’t always have to be writing novels. Sometimes you just write a few lines that come to mind you. Hell you can start a blog perhaps? Why do you think that I’m doing this? If you enjoy writing, then you’ll have no problems taking the time to practice!
Here is what you are going to do, go buy a small notebook and keep it on you. Moleskin makes the best little books ever! You can find them at Borders, it’s where I get all mine anyway. But really anything will do. Even a few pieces of paper folded in half if good enough.
Next time you get an idea write it down! Take some basic notes on the idea. This doesn’t have to be a whole novel idea, just something small will do. Then I want you to out a character from any story you have into it. In my experience the more out of place the character is the better! Put a space alien in a car repair shop, he has to make enough money to buy the parts for his space craft to get it flight worthy. (Oooo Crap where is my notebook!)
Friday, March 5, 2010
Sure lets start
This is something that I have wanted to start for a…long time now. I’ve wanted to put together a space where I can talk about thinking through and writing out stories. In short, I’m looking to talk through my adventures in trying to become an author.
While my dreams of writing started years ago, I’d have to say that over the last two years I’ve gotten focus around this idea and now I’m pushing even harder to get myself into “The Game” you could say.
After taking a class I’ve focused myself into making two rather rough drafted manuscripts both just over 50,000 words. Both of these books were done through the http://www.nanowrimo.org/ project and I have used that as a wonderful catalyst of writing evil.
This is where our blog will start with the editing of my current two stories, as I go along I’m sure that I will fill in the “Spark” as I’m already thinking through thoughts for my third manuscript.
While my dreams of writing started years ago, I’d have to say that over the last two years I’ve gotten focus around this idea and now I’m pushing even harder to get myself into “The Game” you could say.
After taking a class I’ve focused myself into making two rather rough drafted manuscripts both just over 50,000 words. Both of these books were done through the http://www.nanowrimo.org/ project and I have used that as a wonderful catalyst of writing evil.
This is where our blog will start with the editing of my current two stories, as I go along I’m sure that I will fill in the “Spark” as I’m already thinking through thoughts for my third manuscript.
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