The Coffee Shop - OCTOBER

The writing process, writing advice, and updates on your work in progress
Sommer Leigh
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The Coffee Shop - OCTOBER

Post by Sommer Leigh » October 1st, 2012, 8:21 am

Many writers have found participating in the All Things Writing thread to be very motivational, but it is also very difficult to give encouragement, tips, and advice easily, or just to chat, gossip, or unload our frustrations when it doesn't fit in with any given topic. This is a companion thread where anyone needing a pick-me-up or wanting to offer some words of encouragement to a friend, can.

Consider this an "open writing chat" sort of thread. Tell us about your current work in progress, your fears, goals, hopes, irritations. Share your silly writing mistakes or your awesome one liners. Whatever helps keep you from going crazy.

If you have a specific writing question, however, it should probably have its own thread. Use your best judgment.

Good luck, writers.
p.s. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
May the word counts be ever in your favor. http://www.sommerleigh.com
Be nice, or I get out the Tesla cannon.

ladymarella
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Re: The Coffee Shop - OCTOBER

Post by ladymarella » October 2nd, 2012, 7:33 am

My goal for this month is to finish the typed up draft of my first novel :D (the handwritten drafts were completed a few months ago) I am currently sitting at 130,000wds, which both excites me and terrifies me, and there is probably another 5,000-10,000 left to type up. I also need to find the four scenes that are hiding somewhere around my room :?
i have a window of time, the three weeks between my last essay being handed in on the 18th, and end of semester exams for uni. my plan is to finish it by the end of exam time ?(mid November), then lay it aside until January to be edited, well the first read through at least. i know things are supposed to be laid aside for much longer, but my uni schedule gives me a lovely three and a half months off over the summer, and I want to make the most of it for my writing!!!
Currently composing a sprawling family saga set in 19th century England
The world may be divided into people that read, people that write, people that think, and fox-hunters.'- William Shenstone,

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Re: The Coffee Shop - OCTOBER

Post by Claudie » October 3rd, 2012, 9:27 pm

I'm calling this month the Month of Organizing my Life. I'm putting all kind of things in order (paperwork, habits, etc.) in order to create time and space for NaNoWriMo. Which I also have to organize, ah! I feel like I spent the last month running around like a headless chicken, so this is a much needed change for my sanity.
"I do not think there is any thrill [...] like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success... Such emotions make a man forget food, sleep, friends, love, everything." -- Nikola Tesla

Margo
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Re: The Coffee Shop - OCTOBER

Post by Margo » October 4th, 2012, 8:07 pm

My first year self-publishing under my pen name is almost over.

Last year:
400,000 words
roughly 60,000 copies sold (I lost some data when my thumbdrive broke and don't have time to go through my records right now)
ummm...more than twice the average family income for my area. Let's put it that way. Or more than 6 times the average income of a traditionally published author (J.K. Rowling notwithstanding).

Next year's goals:
over 1 million words
150,000+ copies sold
lots of money. :) I have a number in mind, but it sounds outrageous.
Time to write under my own name again.
Urban fantasy, epic fantasy, and hot Norse elves. http://margolerwill.blogspot.com/

Sommer Leigh
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Re: The Coffee Shop - OCTOBER

Post by Sommer Leigh » October 5th, 2012, 12:39 pm

Margo wrote:My first year self-publishing under my pen name is almost over.

Last year:
400,000 words
roughly 60,000 copies sold (I lost some data when my thumbdrive broke and don't have time to go through my records right now)
ummm...more than twice the average family income for my area. Let's put it that way. Or more than 6 times the average income of a traditionally published author (J.K. Rowling notwithstanding).

Next year's goals:
over 1 million words
150,000+ copies sold
lots of money. :) I have a number in mind, but it sounds outrageous.
Time to write under my own name again.
I am so freaking proud of you!!!
May the word counts be ever in your favor. http://www.sommerleigh.com
Be nice, or I get out the Tesla cannon.

Margo
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Re: The Coffee Shop - OCTOBER

Post by Margo » October 5th, 2012, 9:29 pm

Sommer Leigh wrote:I am so freaking proud of you!!!
*warm fuzzies, YUM!*

On a totally unrelated side note, my ex-hubby took up writing last year. I helped him edit his very first short story for submission. It's going to be published in an anthology shortly, and I can't decide whether I want to put out a hit on him or kill him myself, with a rusty spoon.
Urban fantasy, epic fantasy, and hot Norse elves. http://margolerwill.blogspot.com/

Aimée
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Re: The Coffee Shop - OCTOBER

Post by Aimée » October 5th, 2012, 10:12 pm

Wow Margo! That's fantastic!

I feel like I am going to have slightly more time in October to write than I did in September, but then again in September I thought I'd have time, and it turned out I didn't... I'm not expecting much in way of word count in October and November, so that means no NaNo for me. Work full time and school full time and essentially a second job part time, leaving me very little time to write, much to my dismay. But when I have a spare minute, you bet I'll be using it to write! My word count goal for October is a wimpy 5K, probably same for November, but when the semester is over mid-December, I'll be cranking out words like a... like a... like a writer! Wahey.

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Re: The Coffee Shop - OCTOBER

Post by Claudie » October 5th, 2012, 10:36 pm

Margo that is outstanding! More than that. I can't think of a word for how awesome this is! So, here, have a mountain of cookies! Also:
Margo wrote:Time to write under my own name again.
This? Makes me ridiculously happy. I'm selfish like that. ;)
"I do not think there is any thrill [...] like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success... Such emotions make a man forget food, sleep, friends, love, everything." -- Nikola Tesla

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wilderness
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Re: The Coffee Shop - OCTOBER

Post by wilderness » October 10th, 2012, 10:22 pm

So...I am querying the novel I wrote and revised over the summer. (Thanks Sommer for those word count goals!)

And I proof-read my pitch like crazy, had several people look it over, etc.

And then I go and write in the personalization section of my third query: "I enjoying reading your blog"

*Double facepalm*

PS: Margo, you rock!

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Re: The Coffee Shop - OCTOBER

Post by Sommer Leigh » October 11th, 2012, 10:59 am

wilderness wrote: And then I go and write in the personalization section of my third query: "I enjoying reading your blog"

*Double facepalm*
NO!!! This never, ever, ever fails to happen. Right fater the first time I posted my first 500 words for an agent critique thing I noticed I'd left out the word "the" in a sentence. I can't even tell you how many times I read through that page or how many times other people had. I just sat there thinking, "Wow, you are so dumb."
May the word counts be ever in your favor. http://www.sommerleigh.com
Be nice, or I get out the Tesla cannon.

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Re: The Coffee Shop - OCTOBER

Post by Margo » October 11th, 2012, 1:18 pm

Sommer Leigh wrote:
wilderness wrote: And then I go and write in the personalization section of my third query: "I enjoying reading your blog"

*Double facepalm*
NO!!! This never, ever, ever fails to happen. Right fater the first time I posted my first 500 words for an agent critique thing I noticed I'd left out the word "the" in a sentence. I can't even tell you how many times I read through that page or how many times other people had. I just sat there thinking, "Wow, you are so dumb."
I can TOTALLY make you guys feel better in comparison. I once missed a typo...in my resume for a proofreading job. I. Kid. You. Not.
Urban fantasy, epic fantasy, and hot Norse elves. http://margolerwill.blogspot.com/

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wilderness
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Re: The Coffee Shop - OCTOBER

Post by wilderness » October 11th, 2012, 5:59 pm

Thanks, you guys. I'm glad I'm in good company, though the thought of it still makes me wince.

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Sanderling
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Re: The Coffee Shop - OCTOBER

Post by Sanderling » October 15th, 2012, 9:44 pm

Margo wrote:My first year self-publishing under my pen name is almost over.

Last year:
400,000 words
roughly 60,000 copies sold (I lost some data when my thumbdrive broke and don't have time to go through my records right now)
ummm...more than twice the average family income for my area. Let's put it that way. Or more than 6 times the average income of a traditionally published author (J.K. Rowling notwithstanding).
This is amazing, Margo! Especially because, if I'm interpreting your wording right, you've accomplished that in a single year beginning from scratch under a pen name. How many titles does that 400k work out to? I'd be super curious to see a graph/chart of sales over time.
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"Because if you have at least a modicum of talent and if you live by these six rules, you will make it."
--Robert J. Sawyer, speaking here of Heinlein's Rules.

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Re: The Coffee Shop - OCTOBER

Post by MHPHILLIPS » October 15th, 2012, 11:37 pm

Hi Margo,

Congrats as well...I'd be curious as to how you marketed your writing endeavors with specific concentration on all things internet. Hope you get another 60,000 and beyond...

Matthew

Sommer Leigh
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Re: The Coffee Shop - OCTOBER

Post by Sommer Leigh » October 16th, 2012, 8:49 am

MHPHILLIPS wrote:Hi Margo,

Congrats as well...I'd be curious as to how you marketed your writing endeavors with specific concentration on all things internet. Hope you get another 60,000 and beyond...

Matthew
Matthew-

I know one of the things she talks about in other posts is that she does not do any marketing. She puts out a lot of stories of very high quality on a regular basis. This has allowed her to build a fan base primarily by word of mouth. I know she utilizes SEO, but that's about it I think. She's always been very vocal that online marketing doesn't work. Quality and quantity have been her greatest allies. She has a very, very strong grasp of craft too, which makes all her writing really top notch. We've all learned a lot from her!
May the word counts be ever in your favor. http://www.sommerleigh.com
Be nice, or I get out the Tesla cannon.

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