That Geek Podcast Episode 5: The 2012 National Novel Writing Month Special

Stephanie, Sylvie and Randy talk about NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). We explain what it is, what it's like to write 50,000 words in a month, and, since all three of us are veterans of the event, we impart some helpful advice.

For a basic tour of NaNoWrimo, the events, where to go to sign up, and a few interesting insights into a writer's brain, this is a great episode.

So far, Sylvie is behind in her word count, and Randy is joining the "Oh Shit Brigade" off with a bang by joining NaNoWriMo on the 15th of November, half way in to the event. That's a promise to write 50,000 words in the second half of the month. We'll get an update on his  and everyone else's progress next episode!

Links from this episode:

National Novel Writing Month Website

Write Or Die

Scrivener

Cabin Pressure

The War Of Art

 Thank you for listening!

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Books by Randolph Lalonde: Editing Complete!

From the very first science fiction book I started writing on January 1, 2008 to the most recent one all six of the novellas and novels have been carefully reviewed and edited.

In retrospect I'm proud of the stories I've told, how my writing craft has grown, and I have to say that I am truly proud of what I've done with both the First Light Chronicles and the Spinward Fringe Series.

As many of you already know, the First Light Chronicles are over, but the Spinward Fringe Series goes on.

The first book I'll be releasing in 2009 is Spinward Fringe Fronline and I can't wait to dive back in after taking a couple of days off for the holidays! This book is already half finished, so you could imagine I've been chomping at the bit to continue working on it.

I'm happy I'm not taking this journey alone. My editor, a couple of proof readers and hundreds of people have been reading everything as it comes and once again I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

There is so much more to come just in the Spinward Fringe series, but as ussual, I can't go into details yet. We don't want to spoil anything, now do we?

NEXT: Details about the Spinward Fringe Triton final edit.

RL

Final Edits and Other Strangeness

While I was wrapping up a day of editing, a thought occurred to me; my readers might not understand or like the idea of me editing work that they've already purchased.

I also realized that I completely understood where people of that opinion were coming from. The best I can do to ease that frustration is to explain why these edits are even happening, why they might be necessary.

At the beginning of the year I started writing science fiction, and to be honest I was a little rusty as a writer and I was doing some research as I went. I also didn't have the editor I do now, who has been good enough to go back and do a pass over all my work this year. Even after that was finished, I still wanted to go back and smooth out some rough edges, make sure all the science in my fiction was as spot on as this sort of speculative writing can be, and that there was very little (if any), flat dialog.

As a result, the First Light Chronicles are much improved, and the first two Spinward Fringe books are in much better shape. It's all much more enjoyable to read now that those rough edges have been buffed down.

Until recently I've been lucky and most of my readers aren't ordering print versions of the books, so when a new version comes out they can update their files for free. That softens the blow a great deal. In early 2009 I'll be offering all my books through Amazon.com in print, however. That changes things.

This editing process that I'm wrapping up this weekend will help me determine the best way to move ahead, to make sure that in the future anything I put out there will be the final, no more edits required version. For those of you who don't know, I'm independent and when you're doing this stuff with very few people to work with it takes time to determine the best process for pretty much anything. Thankfully, after a year and this extra edit, I feel that that process is finally down pat.

It may take a couple extra weeks to get each book out there, but at least this way you can be absolutely certain that each release is the final release. You'll see a much higher initial quality each time and that'll just make everything you read with my name on it that much more enjoyable.

As a side note, this edit from the First Light Chronicles Freeground all the way to Spinward Fringe Triton has given me ideas for the future, renewed my enthusiasm for the stories that have not yet been told, and strengthened my feel and tie to each character. In short, I feel a lot better going forward.

Thank you again for following my characters on their journey, to date Spinward Fringe Triton has sold 101 copies. Those sales (which may seem modest to most of you, but in truth are quite decent for an independent Ebook), and your emails tell me that you've enjoyed the journey so far and want more.

In early 2009 I'll provide in grand fashion with Spinward Fringe Frontline. After that I plan on producing more books in the Spinward Fringe series, since there are so many stories waiting to be told.

RL

See you in a day or two when I announce the end of this editing business and some other news.

Night by Night: Finally, an explanation on the name of this blog.

There was a time, a very long time, when all my best work was done after dark. Creative work has always come naturally to me after the sun is down and the lights are dimmed.

I like taking my chosen challenges on when everyone else is asleep, whether I'm writing, working or playing hard online with friends. I miss working creatively at night, to be honest. It's one of the reasons why I left World of Warcraft, dropped a call center job last year, but we don't always get to work on our own projects when we'd like.

These days I work at night, the money is better and frankly, it's not as busy. The challenges I face at night are totally different. I've been doing customer care for over ten years, backing many different companies selling and supporting many different products and services. Going back to that in order to pay the bills is nothing more than an economic venture, so showing up for every shift and doing my best is a massive challenge. I can say for an absolute certainty that I wouldn't be there if I didn't need the money, and frankly, money is a low motivator for me.

This article and this site aren't here so I can complain about where I am and what I'm doing, however. Millions of people dislike their jobs, and millions of people show up every day for decades until they retire, IF they get the opportunity to retire. If I were truly unhappy I would be looking for other work or maybe trying harder to market the books I'm self publishing.

In short, Night by Night is a fitting name for my own blog because throughout my adult life my greatest challenges are undertaken during that time. Just as important is the fact that my job, my writing and other creative pursuits are all tests of endurance. Nothing is completed in just one night for me, no objective is won based on one evening's effort.


I take it one night at a time, whether it's just showing up for work regardless of how I feel about being there, taking pleasure in working on a new book or spending time with friends.

Hope that answers your question, Mr Anonymous.

RL

And BAM! I'm Back In Business!

You know, there's this little monster that threatens to crush the hopes and dreams of every writer. It's name is writer's block. I haven't had it for more than a couple minutes at a time for as long as I could remember. Sure, I've written myself into corners, where the characters and story have no where interesting or worthwhile to do or go from where they are, that's not writer's block, that's just a major screw up. Normally it involves cutting about 20 pages and being forced to re-imagine that segment of story. That doesn't happen much either, but it does happen.

What happened to me the other day was what felt like the onset of full on writer's block. I was suddenly over come with whatdoIdo? wheredoIgo? Ican'tdothis! WhodoIthinkIam? JossWhedonorsomething? As I was fighting the panic, I said to myself; thaaaat's right! I'm Joss Whedon! What do I, Joss Whedon, do? I call creative partners, talk to my family, and speak with friends. I Go out into the world a little if I have to. So I called the people I always do when I look for guidance and comfort, my parents! I didn't talk to them about writing, just everything else, and like some kind of mamma's boy fanboy kismet when I hung up that phone my mp3 playlist had rolled on over to the Serenity soundtrack and there it was. The next three books in the First Light series had suddenly popped into my head, and I could see the last big damn scene running through the mad movie house that is my brain.

Thanks for the assist Mom, Dad, and Joss Whedon. No wonder he's a big damn star. I think I'll go buy another copy of Serenity but first, I'll finish the second draft of First Light Act 2 and maybe even come up with a permanent name for it.

R