Mur Lafferty's Blog, page 97

and at some point, the brain just stops

Seriously, I’m not used to these long writing sessions. Yesterday I hit 6K words - 5K on the “OH MY GOD DO THIS NOW” project, and 1K on my Suicide Girls column. Once the kid was in bed, I had more time to write, but my brain said, “No. Uh uh. You’re done.”

I fiddled with a chapter. I sent some email. I looked around in confusion. I went to bed early.

I guess sometimes you do run out of words.

Project is due today for better or for worse. I’m going to hit it, there is no doubt about that, but I’ll b

Call me Dead. Brain Dead.

Sekrit project- 12K words so far. Two columns at 1000 words apiece, done as well. I am running out of words, so can’t blog much. Must write more…

So I feature the archives of perhaps the first great agent blog. Miss Snark was anonymous, and therefore allowed to say whatever she liked on her blog. While she was loved and #queryfail was reviled, I’ll never know. (Although I’m sure many didn’t love her honesty, but it sure answered a lot of questions for me.)

Miss Snark no longer blogs, but that does

Defining goals

So I have the super insane project going on now. And, just cause the Universe loves me that much, I also have both columns (Knights of the Dinner Table and Suicide Girls) due this week. So yesterday I said I was going to write 4500 words. 500 to finish the KODT column, 4000 on the new project.

And I hit that goal. And still managed to screw up. My goals weren’t well defined.

Not only does this project have a wordcount, but it also has a chapter count. I wrote the right number of words, but the wro

Things you have to do

Was thinking last night about our mindsets, and how our minds decide what we’re capable of. For example- when driving with my husband, I can do about 3 hours before I get tired and want to switch drivers. But I drove up to Balticon last weekend with no problems, and that’s a 5 hour drive. See, I didn’t have a choice. There was no one else there to take the wheel. I simply had to do it. So I did it.

I hear this with parents of multiple kids. I’m here, exhausted from taking care of my one six-year-

Welcome to June and a shinier ISBW blog!

I’ve been wanting to do more with this blog for a long time, so I decided to make ISBW your stop for news, query/writing advice, and writing prompts. I’m going to start updating the blogroll with excellent agent/editor blogs, twitter feeds, and other information. When I’m stuck for content, I’ll just feature a blog you really should be reading.

Writing prompt for June 1: Your character has one birthday in the past s/he won’t talk about. Why? How does that affect your story’s present day?

Best Writ

ISBW Video #9 - Book Trailers Revisited

Book trailers. Well. They’re hard. That’s about it.

In this video, we have two versions of my WAR trailer, and lots of help and love from fans. I asked for content, and got well over TWENTY comments, videos and audio clips. Deluge of love! I couldn’t use them all, but I do plan on putting each comment either on the site or in an audio promo, so don’t think you did a bunch of work for nothing.

And as usual, I forget someone in the credits- ARGH. Natalie Metzger did some graphic design doctoring on

ISBW Video Podcast #8 - JC Hutchins Interview, LIVE from Balticon

I got to get an exclusive sneak peek at the awesomeness that is Personal Effects: Dark Art this past weekend at Balticon! I talk to author JC Hutchins about his ground-breaking book, and we try not to get distracted by passers-by.

Camera work by John Cmar, Additional Direction by David Moldawer

ISBW Video #008 - JC Hutchins Interview, LIVE from Balticon

I got to get an exclusive sneak peek at the awesomeness that is Personal Effects: Dark Art this past weekend at Balticon! I talk to JC Hutchins about his ground-breaking book, and we try not to get distracted by passers-by.

The links, the news, the travel

First, I’m off to Balticon tomorrow, where I’ll be teaching an ISBW workshop (now full, sorry — and also, eep!) with David Moldawer and Matt Wallace, talking on a couple of panels and doing a reading. If you’re there, I hope you will say hi!

Second, I have some plans for this blog come June 1. Yeah, that’s when WAR launches, call me crazy. ISBW the blog will be changing a bit then, too. I encourage you to subscribe via RSS or email so you don’t miss anything. And yes it’s a secret, I have to TANT

ISBW Video Podcast #7 - Submission Survival Kit

In this podcast me and my camerawoman head to Staples to talk about the best tools for your submission kit. Her camera work isn’t the best, and I mispronounce “Pyr Books“, but we had a good time.

The kit:

Pens

Self-adhesive #10 envelopes for small queries and SASEs

Self-adhesive large envelopes for larger queries/partials

Tracking system for queries

Stamps (USA just raised postage to $0.44)

Adhesive address labels

And a chair.

Sponsored by Personal Effects, Dark Art.