This is one of the many things I love about you - over and over you push past the exhausting and the bruising, because you have faith in your own beautiful writing and you love the difficult craft of it. Is that why?, maybe not but I love that you put your head down, turn your shoulder into it and keep pushing. I can't wait to read the collection!
Thank you so much for this, Kate. I certainly do put my head down over and over again and keep pushing, which feels admirable at times and foolhardy in other moments. Why do I do it? That's the question, isn't it? Sheer stubbornness, but, yes, also I hope some faith in myself and love for the act of it. Sometimes when the words are flowing it's transcendent. Magic. Yeah, for that.
I am so pleased you took the step of putting the short stories together. I have found such pleasure in my shorter form works, (on minor characters from my series). As individual stories I can also publish them as inexpensive ebooks which makes it easy for people to give my work a try and see if they like my voice, and then go on and get the full-length novels. I am also experimenting with putting a novella up, chapter by chapter for free on my substack, then publishing. Did that with one of my historical mysteries (Dandy and the Dognappers) I had been worried it would undermine its sales potential, but and it has now sold at an even better clip than normal! So I am doing the same with a novella I wrote with my daughter in my science fiction world. And as a reader, in my busy life, short stories is what I read most often now in my limited time. I think this is true for a lot of people who do reading on their devices, on the go, etc.
It helps to unclutter the mind to do these tasks too - if you can see the work in hard copy, it’s sometimes easier to focus on revising or finding the energy to submit work to lit mags. Brava!
It does always feel like a good and important step to see a printed copy. Years ago I read Roxane Gay talking about someone giving her the advice to invest in a good, fast, in my case, double-sided, printer. It's an essential tool as a writer and I did. Printing out a long manuscript always feels like such a lovely milestone.
I made a similar investment about five years ago and very glad that I did - and it wasn't expensive (the toner cartridges, however...I know that's how some (all?) of these companies make their real money).
Thank you so much for introducing me to Hoopla! Libraries are wondrous. I'm so happy for you that you pulled your stories together and are enjoying them. When they are published, I also will enjoy them! Re keeping lists of ideas, I've done that for a very long time, and have acted on so many of them over the years. It isn't that you'll ever run out of ideas, but maybe you'll have the time and inclination to do them as time goes by.
Ah, the printed pages! By far my favorite part of the novel writing process. I take my little zip drive loaded up with my complete book and head to Staples to print it out. There's a cost, but for me it's always worth it to hold onto my book and to curl up with and read it to myself. Such a joy. I haven't done this with my short stories, but you've inspired me to consider it. 🙂
Yes, there's something about the ritual-ness of it, however you do it. My writer friend, Leesa Cross-Smith, gets a binder for each novel she works on and puts the printed version in the binder, with decorations on the cover. I love that idea, too.
It sounds like you've got a short story cycle on your hands! That's exciting. Steinbeck wrote a wonderful one and I can not for the life of me remember the name of it! I know you will make yours wonderful.
I agree with you 100% on the miracle of libraries - particularly ours here in Jefferson County. Thanks for serving on the board. One day I will get around to figuring out Hoopla!
Following in the footsteps of Steinbeck can't be bad. I stayed in the Steinbeck-themed room one year at the Sylvia Beach Hotel, where each room is themed around an author. That's where I found his Journal of a Novel, his collected notes to himself and his editor while he wrote East of Eden. Fascinating insight into a writer's mind.
This is one of the many things I love about you - over and over you push past the exhausting and the bruising, because you have faith in your own beautiful writing and you love the difficult craft of it. Is that why?, maybe not but I love that you put your head down, turn your shoulder into it and keep pushing. I can't wait to read the collection!
Thank you so much for this, Kate. I certainly do put my head down over and over again and keep pushing, which feels admirable at times and foolhardy in other moments. Why do I do it? That's the question, isn't it? Sheer stubbornness, but, yes, also I hope some faith in myself and love for the act of it. Sometimes when the words are flowing it's transcendent. Magic. Yeah, for that.
I am so pleased you took the step of putting the short stories together. I have found such pleasure in my shorter form works, (on minor characters from my series). As individual stories I can also publish them as inexpensive ebooks which makes it easy for people to give my work a try and see if they like my voice, and then go on and get the full-length novels. I am also experimenting with putting a novella up, chapter by chapter for free on my substack, then publishing. Did that with one of my historical mysteries (Dandy and the Dognappers) I had been worried it would undermine its sales potential, but and it has now sold at an even better clip than normal! So I am doing the same with a novella I wrote with my daughter in my science fiction world. And as a reader, in my busy life, short stories is what I read most often now in my limited time. I think this is true for a lot of people who do reading on their devices, on the go, etc.
Thanks, Louisa. That's something to think about. Maybe short stories are becoming more popular and digestible in their brevity.
I am fairly passionate about this, and I actually wrote a substack post on it recently. https://marylouisalocke.substack.com/p/my-indie-author-journey-novellas
Really interesting to read and thanks for sharing.
It helps to unclutter the mind to do these tasks too - if you can see the work in hard copy, it’s sometimes easier to focus on revising or finding the energy to submit work to lit mags. Brava!
It does always feel like a good and important step to see a printed copy. Years ago I read Roxane Gay talking about someone giving her the advice to invest in a good, fast, in my case, double-sided, printer. It's an essential tool as a writer and I did. Printing out a long manuscript always feels like such a lovely milestone.
I made a similar investment about five years ago and very glad that I did - and it wasn't expensive (the toner cartridges, however...I know that's how some (all?) of these companies make their real money).
Oh, yes, the toner cartridges are insane. And always demand to be replaced when they're still perfectly serviceable.
You are a joy to read.
Thanks, Sandy.
Thank you so much for introducing me to Hoopla! Libraries are wondrous. I'm so happy for you that you pulled your stories together and are enjoying them. When they are published, I also will enjoy them! Re keeping lists of ideas, I've done that for a very long time, and have acted on so many of them over the years. It isn't that you'll ever run out of ideas, but maybe you'll have the time and inclination to do them as time goes by.
Libraries are wondrous! Glad I led you to Hoopla.
It is satisfying just to have the list of ideas, even if nothing ever happens with any of them.
Ah, the printed pages! By far my favorite part of the novel writing process. I take my little zip drive loaded up with my complete book and head to Staples to print it out. There's a cost, but for me it's always worth it to hold onto my book and to curl up with and read it to myself. Such a joy. I haven't done this with my short stories, but you've inspired me to consider it. 🙂
Yes, there's something about the ritual-ness of it, however you do it. My writer friend, Leesa Cross-Smith, gets a binder for each novel she works on and puts the printed version in the binder, with decorations on the cover. I love that idea, too.
It sounds like you've got a short story cycle on your hands! That's exciting. Steinbeck wrote a wonderful one and I can not for the life of me remember the name of it! I know you will make yours wonderful.
I agree with you 100% on the miracle of libraries - particularly ours here in Jefferson County. Thanks for serving on the board. One day I will get around to figuring out Hoopla!
Following in the footsteps of Steinbeck can't be bad. I stayed in the Steinbeck-themed room one year at the Sylvia Beach Hotel, where each room is themed around an author. That's where I found his Journal of a Novel, his collected notes to himself and his editor while he wrote East of Eden. Fascinating insight into a writer's mind.
Related to this, as a fellow writer...thanks for sharing
You're so welcome! Glad it resonated with you.