Sunday, January 2, 2011

The "No Excuses" Campaign...



Ok, so not so much a campaign as me just telling you that there is no absolutely no excuse IN THE WORLD that you can't write, edit, and publish your own book this year.

NONE!

If you want to go the traditional route, no worries, let me rephrase. "There is absolutely no excuse IN THE WORLD that you can't write and edit a book and submit it to every appropriate agent/editor and if you don't get picked up, publish your own book this year.

I don't care if you don' have a word written yet. I don't care if you haven't even outlined it. Doesn't matter, you can do it.

And for all those frustrated NanoWriMos out there.... yes you can either take that hot mess you created in November and edit a book out of it or simply use the skill set you developed in November to write a whole new book.

Got a manuscript you abandoned to your drawer 5 years ago? Cool, let's work on that.

The whole entire point of this "campaign" is simply to get us ALL in the head space that there is nothing scary, difficult, or daunting about writing a book and getting it out into the world. NOTHING.

Is there editing? Sure.
Is there crying into our hands that we can't write as well as Stephen King (I refer, of course, to the early years)? You betcha.
Is there staring down our inner critic and firing their ass? Um... definitely.

But the question simply becomes, do you want to write a book or not?

If the answer is yes, please leave the ennui at the door and come on in.

Now I can hear the outrage, the pounding of fists, and general clamor.

I'm too busy! My kids have soccer! My boss is a taskmaster!

Perfect. You have just described in one way or another just about all of us. We are ALL busy. We all have time constraints. We all wish we had a three month vacation with free beverages alongside a sandy beach to write at a leisurely pace.

Um... we don't. So now is a perfect time to figure out how you are going to work in writing (then editing, then marketing) into your schedule.

We find the time to brush our teeth (ok, most of us), we can find time for this.

I am probably going to write 2-4 books this year. I know I am going to. Because, you know, I have done it before.

But did I know that the first time I sat down to write a book? Nope. I had to take it on faith.

So here's to the "Absolutely No Excuse" Campaign!

Leave your commitment in the comments below!!!!

I will be checking in at least one a month to keep everyone on track!

Oh, and if you need more help than that I am getting together on-line writing classes. Actually more like coaching. No lectures per se but evaluating work and giving advice/critique/techniques to take your writing to the next level :-)

If you want more info on the classes just @ or DM me on Twitter @writingnodrama or email me at writingnodrama (at) aol (dot) com. I offer group/semi private/private classes!

Also don't forget that I have a BlogTalkRadio show every Saturday at 2pm PST where we talk craft, craft, and more craft! Tune in and listen LIVE or better yet call in and ask your questions live. If you aren't available on Saturdays at 2pm PST, no worries, you can subscribe via iTunes and listen to the archive! Listen right now!

Have a great (writing) week! :-)

5 comments:

  1. Great pep talk. Maybe I should print this out to read when I start making excuses :).

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  2. Great post; thanks for the motivation!

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  3. Hey this is what I needed to hear! I'm sooooo close to finishing, I am determined to send out to prospective agents this month (and turn a blind eye to the daunting feeling!).

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  4. Go to Duotrope.com and start researching the publications. Great post and great advice. Audacity, audacity ... always audacity.

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  5. I'm on board! I'm finalizing a novel and simultaneously working out a plan of action to get that novel in front of just the right agent. We'll see where I'm at in a month. I'm realistic yet determined.

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