Reading, Writing & A Winter Day in Wyoming

I follow quite a few writers on various social media platforms. Most of the time I enjoy what they have to say. Why only most of the time? I like authors who post about their work, works in progress, what they are reading, or how to write articles.

Posting Off Subject - When writers post political stuff, I don’t mind some, but if it becomes the norm, I usually quit on them. I have my own political views, which I keep to myself, except for one post which I still regret. It’s not that I don’t enjoy a good political conversation or read, I do, but for that, I keep to political bloggers. As far as politics, I follow people on both sides, liberal, and conservative, and sometimes enjoy what they have to say.

Off subject photo of Bison in Winter

Sites I Read - Like most everyone who writes, I follow/read many writing sites. Some are fun, some helpful, and some simply have so many followers I figure something must be going on. Here are five, in no particular order, that I look at several times a week, and often find good stuff, usable stuff, or inspiration to keep on working.

https://www.thecreativepenn.com/resources/

http://annerallen.com/

http://www.advicetowriters.com/

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/

https://writetodone.com/

On a Windy and Cold Day

I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent he would be wise to develop a thick hide. — Harper Lee

I love that quote, and how true it is. No matter how hard we try, those of us who write are still going to be hurt, at times, by what others think about our hard work. I am still hoping for a five-star review to cover the single one-star I got for my novel, The Ghost Dance, on Amazon. 

Winter Sunset

It’s a good story and still sells pretty well, but the one-star review keeps it from being as popular as some of my other books. Why the one-star? I let my spell checker replace Marshal with Marshall, and sole instead of soul, (I might have done that one myself). Not grievous, most never noticed, but still wrong. The words were long ago replaced, but the one-star, sadly the books only review, lives on. Someday a kind reader, or two, will leave some four or five-star reviews and the book will sell better, and I will feel better. Meanwhile, I try to remember Harper Lee’s words about developing a thick hide.

 

Talking About My Book on the Civilian Conservation Corps 

What I am Reading Now – Elmer Kelton’s, Ranger’s Trail

Geese Flying Over in the Heavy Snow This Morning

Have a great week and keep on reading and writing

 

Coming Soon - Sring & Summer

Selling Books

Not sure why, but this month is shaping up as my best ever sales month. KDP pages are up by nearly four times the norm, and my e-Book sales have been brisk. I have also sold some soft cover books online and wholesaled another 15 of my CCC book to a local museum. Wish every month would be like this.

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Here is the Amazon link to all of my books - thanks for looking.

Meanwhile, I am back to work on another collection of short stories and am well into my fourth children's chapter book, about 1/3 finished and have finished the introductory material and first chapter of the third in the series of Blade Holmes novels.

Still taking quite a few summer day trips and enjoying it!

Books, Selling, Writing & Publishing

We try to take off for a few days each month. Today we are off to see brothers and sisters in Nebraska. It is about a ten-hour drive, so as always, we have a book to listen to on the way. Sometimes I talk on and on, and we don’t listen much to the book, other times we listen more and I talk less.

CCC built Water Station at Guernsey State Park

In other news, I am following, as are most who have used Create Space, what is happening at Kindle Direct Publishing. I have six books and a short story (wow – it won an award), on KDP. Now KDP is in the print book business also. It looks like, down the road, the two will be merged into one, Kindle Direct Publishing. Right now, they do not offer author proof copies, or a chance for writers to buy books closer to cost so they can resell to booksellers. Unlike many writers that have published independently, I sell quite a few hard copy books. I have books in several bookstores and libraries, because of this I need to be able to purchase books at a good author price. Guess I will wait and see what happens.

Evening in Wyoming

Every few months I look at publishing something in a traditional market. Because these chances have always come from small and medium-sized publishers, I have passed. Now, it looks like I may go the traditional route with my next nonfiction book, not sure why, but there are a few advantages.

This week’s weather has been incredible. I have spent some time playing golf, hiking and taking photos. Hope it keeps up, and lets me get some yard work completed next week, not that I want too.

Oh – one last thing, I am still getting in some writing and editing, it is just more difficult when the temperature is 70, and the sun is shining, and it's still February.

Mule Deer Doe checking out the guy with the camera

Keep on writing and keep on reading. Have a great weekend.

Photos are from my outings this week.

Sunset splashed Red Cloud Shelter, built by the CCC at Guernsey State Park

Guernsey State Park - Marsh Mt. Trail

Last week the weather gave us a chance for two nice hikes in the park.

Now more snow and it looks like we need a few more days of melt before we will be back on the trail.

Spring is not that far away with the famous Groundhog Day Holiday coming up.

No Prarie Dogs in the park, this photo was taken west of town

How I Write

Seems like there is software for everything now. I have read a few recent blog posts about the newest in writing software. I know that many modern writers use Scrivener, which helps writers manage their work from outline to formatting. I have thought about giving this one a try, then decided, you know the, “hard to teach an old dog new tricks,” adage. So I passed.

Still pitch my books the old fashioned way also - here talking to the Goshen Co. Historical Society
Civilian Conservation Corps book

Now I read promotions for writers of software that plots or helps a writer to plot, gives a writer story ideas, keeps the bad guys separated from the good guys and does just about everything but wash the pots and pans in the river. Although I have never tried any of these, it seems that the story lines would seem a bit mechanical and contrived. Not sure any software can replace imagination and an author's imagination is what makes a writer stand out.

At times, I feel like I should be still writing out stories or story ideas on my old legal pad – oh, never mind, I do still do that. But I do not use a typewriter. I write on my laptop and occasionally when I am out of the area on my tablet, but the word program seems to be a bit more cumbersome on my tablet so I usually try to take along my laptop if I think I will have time to write.

My office - where I write when I am under a deadline

For the most part, I sit in my easy chair in the family room or at my desk in my office and write.

My blogging, reading and game watching - Command Center - in the family room

Occasionally, when the weather is perfect, I write outside on the deck.

As for story ideas, I have too many to write in my lifetime. How do I keep track of characters, plot lines and other elements of the story? In a notebook, with pen and pencil, old fashioned but it works for me. My fifth book, Under Western Skies, 12 Tales of  Christmas, will be out in a couple of weeks. If all goes as planned, my sixth and my second nonfiction, should be out by the middle of May.

My go-to  home library

Still Working and Enjoying the Fantastic Fall Weather

Spoke at a very nice Rotary Club luncheon today in Cheyenne. Gave me a chance to talk about my Civilian Conservation Corps book and tell a few stories about Guernsey State Park. Great crowd and I sold a few books too.

In other news, I have finished the re-write of my historical western, Commitment.

Is available now as an Ebook and should go live as a book Friday. Pretty excited as this was a long project, glad to see it over and the book, well the book, is a really good read, even if I am a bit prejudiced.

I still plan to have my western shorts  collection of Christmas stories out by the first week in November, and I have a title - Under Western Skies - 12 Tales of Christmas.

Also hard at work on the third of my Mike and Moose and Me chapter book,

and researching my next non-fiction. Life is good when you keep working, but not too much. I accompany my wife for a nice hike in the park several times a week. Walking in the park is great exercise and most therapeutic.

Taking a break hiking a CCC trail in Guernsey State park a few days ago

Self-Editing, What I Have Learned

I have always believed that editing is hard work, for me harder than writing. For many, to self-edit is almost impossible, but I think it can be done. I recently had my eyes opened by a simple fact – if you are self-editing, order a proof of the book and edit from it. Editing from my computer screen is the most difficult for me. Printing a hard copy and editing from that is a bit better but still not as good as looking at the book.

Talking about my CCC book

Which brings me to publishing eBooks, not sure that I could self-edit and publish eBooks without an editor. I have my readers, and I self-edit, but most of what I find are in the book proof.

 So what have I learned from this? Read the work in another form to finish the self-edit. This helps in finding, too long paragraphs, and too long sentences and misused words. I also read my novels and nonfiction works out of order, random chapters, last chapter first, and then skip around and read, and I read the chapters slowly. Some suggest reading the entire work backwards, this works, and for many works well, but not for me.

One of my chapter books for kids - fun read

From my self-editing experience, I have found two tips to be the best. First, know when to stop, sometimes I put in a comma or hyphenate a word then re-edit and take them out – Stop already!

Second, read aloud, hear yourself. And now I have a third, look over a proof of the book.

 If I were to put a fourth here it would be, now you are finished, send it off to an editor.

This is the proof of my western, still finishing final self-edit

I am not like writers that believe all works must be professionally edited. There are so many editors selling services it is important and hard to find a good one, and one who charges a fee that is affordable.  It takes quite a few sales to make back a thousand or more dollars in editing costs. Everyone that writes expects or hopes to have a best seller, but if you believe that the book will sell only a hundred or fewer copies stick with a good self-edit and get on to your next book.

So far my best selling book - several hundred copies

Civilian Conservation Corps at Guernsey State Park Book

I have had a busy past few weeks. Most of my writing time has been spent trying to get my Civilian Conservation Corps book on Guernsey State Park finished. When I started the project I expected it to take about five months.  Now 21 months later it is complete and, at last, for sale. Availabel as both a print and Ebook.

Click book covers for links.

This makes three as the first two of my, Mike and Moose and Me Growing up Novels are also available. These are written for kids in the 7-12 age range but seem to have found a market with adults who grew up in the 50s and 60s. They make great bedtime stories for kids or a quick read for adults who want to relive a bit of their childhood. Three more books are coming in this series.

 

And the second book in the series.

Writing Break and the Great Crain Migration

So where have I been the last week? Well, I have been on vacation. We went to Grand Island, Nebraska to see the Sandhill Crain migration.

Crains & Cows

Spectacular there were more than 200,000 birds, I would guess we saw three or four thousand.

Dancing for the Ladies

We also went to the south-east corner of Nebraska to see family. I got to spend some time with brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-laws and various others and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. Now I am back home writing and editing.

Always Great Nebraska Barns to Photograph and Edit

I am also excited about being part of a documentary for the Wyoming State Parks, Historical Sites and Cultural Resources. I have finished my book, still with a reader/editor, on the Civilian Conservation Corps and this is the subject of the new documentary. The CCC not my book.

The CCC Worker Statue and the Museum - also the cover of my new book

And, by the way, 85 degrees here in my part of Wyoming today.

Nonfiction Book Finished

Well, I have another one finished. This one is a nonfiction work on the Civilian Conservation Corps and their building of the state park in Guernsey, Wyoming. I still have photo work and footnote work left to finish but the text is completed and one proofing also is complete.

This one I will self-publish, because it is for a small local market, but it has been both educational and fun. I wanted to hold it to 140-160 pages (both text and photos) looks like I will be close, still fitting photos to size I need. The text will run about 26,000 words and 80 photos will make the book and the work of the CCC understandable.

The entire process has taken only about six weeks. Soon it will be weather for the garden, golf and hiking in the park, then my writing will slow down. Oh, and some fishing and lots of photography.