Issue 018, Archived
Hello, Welcome to The Newb Files, Issue 018, archived. My first newsletter of 2022. I hope everyone has had a good start to the year. This is a long time to go between reminding everyone you've subscribed to my newsletter. In the future I may add a "fourth" newsletter at the beginning of the year, in January.
NewsAs well as changing the issue dates for my newsletter, I have changed to the standard number format. Zombies, a Novel is making fantastic progress: ALL the remaining scenes are laid out, and ready to write. The word count has gone from 19337 words Before Office Renovation (BOR) to 29151, After Office Renovation (AOR) as of April 14, 2022. Scream and Leapt is waiting in the wings for the last bit of research, and final editing passes. Website: I have updated my author website, and the archive now includes all of my newsletters up to, and including, December 14, 2021. A Reminder: I will issue The Newb Files three times a year until further notice. Starting in 2022, I will issue The Newb Files on:
This will preserve the August 14th date that commemorates writing (beginning) my first short story, Scream and Leapt.
New Office (again)Yes, there are STILL four bookcases, and two desks in an 11'x8' space. My super power: I'm a draftsman. My apparent Kryptonite: Installation of floating floors. After emptying my new office and fixing the floor, I have loaded everything back in, and setup my new office. Again. Yes, it was worth it. I have also modified and installed the fourth bookcase inside the closet. It worked out great, even if it was a huge amount of work. Refer to the photo below.
OpinionFoibles
Why is it so much self-published writing is full of errors? I think it's an almost conscious decision on our part to not check our work as thoroughly as we should. Often caused by deadlines. ... more often perhaps, by our own foibles. Of course, a large part is because of how our minds work. As in: I know what I'm saying here, so much so, that if it says something different, it's overlooked. A previous newsletter (issue XVII) had error(s) in it. I can remember being stressed about it being late. Again. Being stressed about the state of my to-do list. Again. I remember making the couple of minor changes suggested by my wife. ... and, deciding no, I don't need to read the markup through again. No, I don't need to read the whole thing again in ConvertKit before I send it, just send it. So, I did. The next day, working on the HTML version for uploading to my web site, I found a couple of mistakes. So annoying. Such a helpless feeling. So kiddies, whether the deadline is real or self-inflicted, stop, and read that sucker yet again. Until there are abso-fucking-lutely no mistakes.
Monthly Newb MomentEpiphanies' EverywhereAfter roughly two and a half years of writing, I'm still a newb. Hardly surprising. If nothing else, my natural (continued) ignorance of everything you are supposed to know and understand as an adult guarantees that. Epiphanies in random order:
Monthly Newb Moment IIMac Newb Part IVI recently watched a video {FIVE TIPS TO BECOMING A MORE WELL-ROUNDED WRITER: From typing to book content} by Megan Aldridge about improving your writing. Number one was the debate regarding the use of two spaces. As in don't. Only use one space. If you learned to use two spaces in ancient history (as in the 1990s) well, unlearn it. Young pups, jeesh. Unlearn it she said, OR use a Mac. Use a Mac? What's that about? Well, two spaces input into a Mac are converted to a period, and one space. Cool. This is a handy trick, although I will probably get into the habit of putting two spaces in, and messing up anything I type into my PC computer. ... All the videos I watched in the past seven months about using Macs, and not one of them mentioned that? Jeesh part II. Personally, I don't have a problem using one space, as using two spaces was done to solve a problem that doesn't exist anymore. Still, it's one more reason to like my Mac mini.
BooksTelling Lies for Fun & Profitby Lawrence BlockThis book, while having many writing tips, is also about the writing life. Unlike other similar books, I found this book to be useful and entertaining. He is a good writer, although his normal fiction genres (crime, mystery) are not what I usually read. Topics cover a wide range of subjects, but rather than listing everything, I will use one particular subject as an example. JUDGING DISTANCES (CHAPTER 32)"The distance between a reader and a character is to a large extent a question of identification." How, as a writer, to do this? Well, Mr. Block explains how several factors contribute to this. How do you refer to your character? Do you call them by their first or last name? How often do you refer to them by name? He also points out that writers almost always get on a first name basis with their female characters. He admits it is undoubtably patronizing, rooted in sexism. Yet, it is so prevalent that it can confuse readers if you stray from this norm regarding female characters. This is a brief summary of this chapter. He also explains that overthinking it is not the way to proceed. That this information he is providing may, without you even being aware of it, improve your choices in the future, improve your writing. As well as more pointers along this line, he also tells stories of the writing life. Like the time he was of a mind to "knock over the head, and lock a writer friend in the closet", until he had a chance to steal the idea, and write the book himself. To paraphrase. Highly recommended. In particular, if you're past the basics, such as, this is how to plot, structure, create characters, etc. type of writing self-help books, this could be just what you need.
F.A.Q.Future newsletters may have Frequently Asked Questions. Send your question(s) to: Eric.
That's all for now! Thanks, Eric C Bailey, April 14, 2022
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