Guest Post: The Hobby-Writer’s Tale by Basil Mahon
I took up book writing after retiring from regular work. It’s a wonderful hobby, but a harsh one. Being able to write well is not enough. To gain even the most modest success you need passion for your subject, great perseverance, and a measure of luck. I am one of the lucky ones, having had three books published which together have sold about 50,000 copies and been translated into five languages. This hasn’t made me rich but I have the tremendous satisfaction of knowing that every day someone, somewhere in the world, is getting enjoyment from reading my words. Perhaps something of what I’ve learned on the way may be useful to someone setting out on a similar path. I hope so. There’s something paradoxical about writing a book. It’s a solitary activity—there’s no escaping the sense of isolation when one faces the first blank page. Yet, to me, the joy of writing lies in the fellowship with readers, in the sharing of enjoyment.
My Superpower: Betsy Dornbusch
My Superpower is a regular guest column on the Skiffy and Fanty blog where authors and creators tell us about one weird skill, neat trick, highly specialized cybernetic upgrade, or other superpower they have, and how it helped (or hindered!) their creative process as they built their project. Today we welcome Betsy Dornbusch to talk about how Writing In Bits helped make her turn in a story for Neverland’s Library… I keep resisting thinking of any aspect of writing as a superpower. After all, there’s a bunch of us writer types around and a lot of what we do is the same: ass in chair, fingers on keyboard, words on page. I don’t think of it as glamorous or magical at all. It’s my job and a hell of a lot of time it’s a slog and I feel like a hack. But I realize other people (readers and maybe other writers) do think there is magic involved. Maybe there is. I got to thinking about life and writing and I
Business Time – Mike’s 10 Rules for Getting the Most Out of a Convention as a Writer
Attending a convention as a writer can be a ton of fun, but it’s also work. You’re putting on your public face, asserting yourself as a working professional, and forging connections that could become an incredible asset in the short, medium, and/or long-term.
Here are some general pieces of advice for professional development and self-care at conventions:
