Where Personal and Professional Life Collide...

So, this is very cool, simply for what it is.  But it's also neat to look at the difference stance-choices, and what they say about each interpretation of the same character, both from a timeframe perspective, and the actor himself.

Personally, the only one I 'believe' is shooting, rather than posing, is Craig.  His stance, and the leashed violence in his movement, sells it for me. How about you? And what does the choice of movement tell you?


(and yes, as was pointed out on Tumblr, Roger Moore is the only Bond whose gun does not actually fire)


image source: http://jtammanyhall.tumblr.com/post/35805505134/all-the-bonds

The revisions to FIXED are off for one last read before going back to Madame Micki. The production matter for MILES TO GO is ready and waiting only for cover art.  All of my editorial client files are up to date (one response still waiting to be sent), and the one last bit of freelance writing I need to do is underway. One might think that everything was totally under control...

Still in queue:

• looking over a possible collaborative project file, to see if it gels.
• revision notes for PROMISES TO KEEP
• revision notes from M. Agent on two different projects
• sample pages to go with a new project
• sample pages to go with another project
• the "outtake" stories for the Kickstarter readers
• oh yeah right start writing G&T #3!
• get the pending short stories off the hard drive an into the marketplace mix
• getting website 3.0 up and running (also: the new dymk site)

Still waiting to hear back on:

• the artwork for MILES TO GO
• a possible new project that could shift my schedule AGAIN
• my travel schedule for the rest of the year

Meanwhile, after years of that side being very quiet, I've been headhunted not once but twice this month.  We Shall See.... 

So yeah, when I said that February was shaping up to be considerably busier than January?  Also, March. Maybe all of 2013.

At the end of last year, I made a very difficult, painful decision, and ended my association* with my agency of a decade+.

I'm pleased today to say that I will now be represented by Joe Monti, of the Barry Goldblatt Literary Agency. And yes, both he and Barry are fully aware of what they're getting into, and seem to be looking forward to it. :-D

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I know that it's popular now for writers to decide to go sans agent, and handle their affairs on their own, or with a lawyer's assist (especially if they've been burned in the past). I'd never say "don't do that" because for many people that is the right decision. But not for me. 

Ironic, perhaps, since my previous career as an editor gave me the skills to go solo (I have no fear of negotiations, contracts or paperwork). But gaining those skills also made me aware of how much time and energy they eat up, especially when things drag out, or details (and people) need to be tracked down and brought back to order.  Over the long haul, that time and energy adds up, and leeches away from the writing.  Having a business partner who handles all that, promptly and professionally and with an eye toward my best interests, so I don't have stress over it?  Makes financial and emotional sense to me.

Plus, I really appreciate someone acting as a pro-level sounding board for projects, gently poking at the holes and commenting on the elements that could be stronger, while thinking not only of the story but potential markets/editors for that story.  AND that person talks me down off the occasional writerly ledge?

For me, a good agent** is worth 15% of my income For you, for whatever reasons, it may not.

So when you hear people saying "you need an agent" or "you're better off without an agent," don't think about what THEY say.  Think about what YOU want, and need.



* she's a wonderful person/agent, we just weren't a good fit any more
**a bad agent - by which I mean one that is fraudulent, not giving good advice, or simply isn' listenin to you, is NOT worth it.  At any percentage.

The Year-End Project has been...not exactly put to rest, but it's on a back burner, 40,000 words prepped and waiting for Discussions.

So, what's up, what's on deck?

Right now, the main priority is getting "Miles to Go" into final shipping shape for the Kickstarter backers. They're also due a few stories (I haven't forgotten, guys!). Plus, working with the good folk at PlusOne to get the second novella done, etc etc. That's January/February.

I also owe some other folk stories in the next six weeks. That's front-burner for January. Also, revisions to the books I handed in to my editors in, respectively, October and December. And there's February/March, sorted.

After that? I don't know. A lot of possibles. If the reaction was good, more Sylvan Investigations. The short story e-collection. Possibly another Gin & Tonic mystery or two. Hopefully, another fantasy or three. Waiting on callbacks.

Also, A Project I Can't Talk About Yet, but that has me really excited.

I do know that in the second half of this year I have three novels coming out - the next Gin & Tonic mystery, FIXED, and the Portals fantasy duology, HEART OF BRIAR and SOUL OF FIRE. So it's going to be a busy 2013 no matter what....

And that's how I like it. :-)

Placing this here to remind myself, & others: "Stubbornness plus (reasonable) ego plus a clear goal equals perseverance." Perseverance does not guarantee success - but you won't get it any other way, either.

Sometimes my stubborn determination not to accept limitations in what I can do is a blessing. Sometimes it's just damnfool stubbornness. I can accept failure - I tried and it didn't work - but not "I can't."

OK, no, be honest: "I tried and it didn't work" still fills me with extreme irritation and a sense of utter frustration. But "I can't because X?" It's a classic goad. Thankfully for my own sanity, it only works when I apply the goad, not someone else.

see: balancing a checkbook, learning how to speak a second language, reading a map, learning how to knit. All things that my brain makes very difficult, and god knows my life would be simpler and less stressful if I simply shrugged and said "I can't..."

But I can't. :-)

And so with that...to work.

and it has looked back at me.

Based on the state of all projects, and the immediacy of their deadlines, I am hereby declaring Operation Not A Workaholic in abeyance until December 1st.

Summer, it's been lovely to relax with you. Let the caffeine abuse and 12 hour days recommence!

I felt odd posting this, but was encouraged to do so by friends who thought that maybe I could be An Object Lesson for others. And so.

(EtA: and I suspect my agent may already have this on speed dial, so to speak....)
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This isn't a new or sudden thought. It's one that's been coming on me for about a year now, encouraged by both my agent and my family. And that is:

I gotta slow down.

Yes, I'm hyperactive by nature, and the world's second-laziest perfectionist, and I thrive on deadlines.... but the past ten years have been taking that to an extreme. I mean - my first original novel came out in 2004. My 21st novel comes out in 2013. Plus short stories, novellas, and the editing gig...plus volunteer work, BookView Cafe, and trying to, y'know, Have A Life....

It used to be fun, that crazy-hectic pace, and I could bounce back from utter exhaustion with just a weekend to collapse. Now? Not so much fun. Not so much with the quick recovery. What took me two days now eats up a week.

I still have stories to tell. Oh, do I have stories to tell. But I need to slow down the torrent, consider the costs. And make sure I don't take too much on, simply because I'm on a writing-adrenaline high. Make sure I don't work past my breaking point, simply because there's so much to be done (there will always be so much to be done).

Mind, I'm not going to throw the brakes entirely. Going cold turkey isn't going to work (that's how I quit smoking, but writing isn't an addiction, it's a lifeblood). I just need to ease myself into a better, healthier, more sustainable pace, one that will keep me working, but not damage my ability to keep working.

So I'm giving myself Five Steps to start.

1. Six hours of sleep, every night. It shouldn't be so much to ask, right? But where I used to wake up at 5 or 5:30 and think "oh what the hell, let's get the day started," now I'm telling myself to stay in bed another 30 minutes or an hour. Even if I can't fall back asleep, I don't need to be GO that early. And if I can (convince the cats to let me) sleep until 7? Perfect.

2. I already eat well - a lot of home-cooked, healthy meals - so there isn't much I can do to increase that. And I'm pretty good about staying hydrated. But I can cut back on the alcohol. No, I'm not going to give up drinking - I'm just going to get even more particular about how MUCH I drink, and of what. In fact, I've already been doing that over the past five years; giving up most mixed drinks and cocktails, and limiting myself to wine, Scotch and the occasional G&T. When I was in my 20's and 30's, getting drunk was a stress-release. I find I don't need that particular release any more.

3. Don't start work before 8 am. This one's harder for me - I work well in the early morning. But it ties in with #1 - if I'm up at 6, and starting work at 6:30, I'm not giving myself time to ease into the day. Read email, check the social networks, fine. But no brain-heavy working. EtA: and no guilt for not being at my desk by 7am, either!

4. Exercise. I've always needed to move (see: hyperactive), but I'm trying to channel it into more structured forms now. Baby-level yoga, and I've taken up running again (ok, slow jogging). Stretches in-between writing breaks. Things that slow me down and loosen me up as much as kick up my heart rate.

5. Don't work past 7pm. This one's hard. If you look at your evening, and all that's on the schedule is digesting dinner and maybe watching some tv (and I don't have cable) the thought creeps in - hey, why not try for another 1k words? Or even 500? Or... No. Evening needs to be a time I interact with other people, or spend time with the cats, or read something someone else wrote, for pleasure. Or, yes, watch television without feeling like I'm somehow "wasting" time.

These seem like easy steps. They're not. I'm my sole support, and this career has a crap retirement plan. The urge to do more, earn more, get more work out of the day... it's intense, and you think "well, if I just pull a few 12 hour days this week, I can catch up."

But I'm going to be 45 next August. I'd like to still be writing when I'm 65. And that's not going to happen if I burn myself from the inside-out.


Odds are, most of you won't see a significant difference. But maybe you will. Hopefully, they'll be positive differences. Hopefully, we'll still be discussing it, twenty years from now.

from CE Murphy's blog:

"I have accepted desperance /Chaz's challenge, and will be writing a novel in five weeks.

Chaz is already ahead; he has 15K of an 80K novel written, and I have, um. Five or ten hand-written pages of a 60K novel written. More alarmingly, I have a Walker Papers proposal and a short story to do, both of which really need to be done before the novel. BUT I SHALL NOT DESPAIR."

And because a) the write-a-thon taught me nothing and b) I can't see a challenge go by without thinking "sounds like fun" I said "hey, can I play, too?"

Apparently, I can. We start Monday.

*headdesks, makes more coffee*

I also have 15k words written, of a 70k novel. I s'pose I'm technically in the lead, when we start. This situation will not hold, I know those two. Plus, they're six hours ahead of me. I'll wake up and already be behind...

Um. Zoom?

ETA:  An Update on Who and How  Short version: 60k in 5 weeks), and many of us are insane.


Originally published at Practical Meerkat: A Blog

The Current Project (Unsold) has just taken an Interesting Research-Driven Turn. This is a good thing. Ignore the swearing and muttering coming from behind the curtain...