Having done eight mysteries, two books on leadership, and two fantasy mynovels, I tried hand at conyemporary urban fantasy. I also decided to give Barnes and Noble’s new Nook program a try. “Wallace in Underland” for the Nook is at
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/wallace-in-underland
Nook software is also available for use on PC or Mac for those who’d rather read on their computer, and the book will be available on Amazon.com in paperback by the end of the month.
I truly don’t know where you find the time to write. I’m so inspired.
Stephanie: It’s easy to find writing time when you don’t sleep much. I go to bed around midnight or half past and get up at 6 am, which gives me two to three hours per day to write, do social networking, catch up on emails, etc.
Every day has 24 hours: Work plus commute 10 hours, sleep 6-8 hours. Now, if you sleep 8 hours that still leaves six hours which allows time with family, exercise and writing or whatever. That’s how I look at it; been doing it that way for nearly 50 years.
Wow!, Charles, I’m blown away. Here I am retired and still struggling with time to do a simple re-write. My hat is off to you! I’ll check out your books…
Ed: It’s really simple – just sleep less. Let me know what you think of them.
Kudos to you, Charles! I’m so impressed and encouraged. Thanks for posting this!
It is all about time isn’t it. I am still not hooked on the Nook idea, something about holding a book in my hand, feeling the paper, hearing the page turn. Bit romantic yes, but I am mourning the demise of book store – especially the mom & pop store tucked out of the way of every day traffic. There is magic in old book stores, creaky, uneven floors, dusty and a little musty filled with books that never made it to the NYC best sellers list and hence not to Barnes & Noble or Borders.
I am working on a book too, fiction. I currently have around 150 pages of unedited and uncut writing – maybe in 2012 I’ll finally finish it now that the kids are out of college and I am retired from the Army Reserves.
Did you get away somewhere to write? I know that’s the secret for a lot of authors.
Also, have you joined Ed’s Ancient Media Group? https://www.govloop.com/group/ancientmediabooks
Another one – “Writers”: https://www.govloop.com/group/writers
Congratulations! I am still working on my first. The irony of my writing life is that I have several friends who have published and I am the one that went to school to be a writer! Time marches on … :O)
Paul, I know what you mean, I also love to hold books in my hand and flip pages, but electronic publishing is here to stay and to survive a write has to adapt. Andrew, I write everywhere, but I also have a place that is mine and mine alone where I work on the real hard stuff like the final rewrite and final reading – also where I do my research. The key to writing, though, is to write at every opportunity. During my army days, I moonlighted as a newspaper reporter and magazine article writer, and having to write against deadlines helped discipline me to write, write, WRITE!
I was fortunate to be retired when I started to write my book and even then time was tight because retirees find plenty to do. Since my book, Confessions of a Government Man, was primarily comical memoirs it didn’t have to be written in any particular linear order, a big advantage. I sorted it all out at the end. When I started the project the word Nook or Kindle was not part of the dictionary. When I finished, e-books were just starting and this was not long ago. Today ebooks are essential. If you are going the SP(self publish) route you must do an ebook. It’s not very difficult, there is minimal cost and the profit margin can equal or exceed paperback.
Ray,
Congratulations! I wrote and published my first novel a few years back and will write a second novel once I retire from the Feds. Keep on writing! There are many talented people who work for the feds and they apply those skills on the job every day. I wish you continued success.
Charles,
Pardon me, I mixed up you first and last name. Have a good day!
Bob: It’s happened so much in my life, I no longer notice. 🙂
I took my government job (after the military) as a “roof” job, while I wrote “the great American” science fiction novel, which still sits at home, closer to final edit than ever before, but I will retire this year before it is finished. Ironic, writing novels is always what I wanted to do–just never found the time between family and work. Found a rewarding job that lasted longer than my two-year plan, and when that became less than rewarding, focused on outside writing. Still kind of going through the traditional versus e-book debate.
That you have done all you have, Charles, is amazing. I find I am writing a lot, but blogs mostly and theatre reviews, instead of leaving time for that novel. This year is it though. I am inspired.
I know two novelists who team up crank out their books on Post-It notes between phone calls or customer service calls. One scribbles scraps of dialogue or scene setters and the other compiles the notes in a draft manuscript. Slow but gets fleeting thoughts down.
I recommend NaNoWriMo.org