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Water, Water Everywhere, and Not a Pen That Writes

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Okay, forgive the title. I’ve bastardized an axiom, I’m afraid.

The other day, I had to fill out some forms for my Indonesian publisher. I looked around and found:

  • mechanical pencils
  • colored pencils
  • highlighters in every color known to man
  • fountain pens out to wazzoo, but a few of them had to be cleaned (Don’t let anyone kid you, fountain pens require constant maintenance.)
  • a few ballpoints with no ink
  • a few rollerballs with no ink
  • disposable fountain pens (love those things) in colors like pink or red. I really wanted to look professional, so those were out.

Good grief. I’m a writer. You’d think I’d have a pen around here.

So, in disgust, I finally used a stuttering ball point, and had to keep writing over my answers. The result wasn’t what I wanted.

After the form was finished, I ordered six new ballpoint pens from Amazon. Oh, and I threw away all the dead pens, and put the funky ones in the Salvation Army box.

How about you? Do you end up with nothing to write with, too?

(I suspect it happens to everyone – I asked my son, and he didn’t have any pens that worked either.)

 

 

The Fab Four – Oops Five – Books, That Is

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At last count, I’ve read 63 books about writing, the publishing industry, and self-publishing since January, 2011. Of all those books, only these five were memorable and/or helpful. The others were a mishmash of books that either wanted to take advantage of the self-publishing revolution and had a cute title but little of substance, or were books that touted: I can do it and so can you!  – but just didn’t provide much value.

Please understand that this isn’t my first rodeo (don’t you just love that expression?). I’ve been reading about writing and writing professionally for twenty plus years. Other books might be valuable to people at different stages in their careers.

Also, I self-published my backlist in early 2009, so I learned by on the job training. Lots of stuff that’s new to other people isn’t new to me.

Your mileage, as they say, will vary.

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Dean Wesley Smith

Think Like a Publisher

Great book if you’re thinking of going into self-publishing.

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Jessica Page Morrell

Thanks, But This Isn’t For Us

One of the best books I’ve ever read about the craft of writing.

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Katherine Kristine Rusch

The Freelancer’s Survival Guide

I think Rusch is brilliant in her understanding of the publishing industry. Subscribe to her blog, especially on Thursdays when she does Business Rusch. So far, I’ve agreed with everything she’s said.

http://kriswrites.com/2012/02/23/the-business-rusch-competition/

~~~~~

Bob Mayer

Write it Forward – From Writer to Successful Author

I really enjoy Bob’s blog, too.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/

I’m currently reading his The Shelfless Book, so I don’t have an opinion on it. I do think, however, that some people try to make the formatting and conversion process of an ebook much harder than it really is.

~~~~~

David Gaughran

Let’s Get Digital: How to Self-Publish, And Why You should

Lots of common sense advice that you could figure out on your own about self-publishing, but David does the heavy lifting.