Weekly Goals - December 28, 2010

Hope everyone had a great Christmas! I know I did (aside from one particularly nasty episode at Best Buy which is another post for another time), what with both my new novella Seeker and my 10-story collection Dead or Alive now available (and DoA is coming soon in print and Kindle). I hesitate to be as lax as I have this week for the next, so it's time to get some momentum into the new year.

Results for this week:

1. Enjoyed

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Complete my new Kasey Reynolds story "The Monster Within"
2. Submit The Cure to 5 agents

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Deadly Decisions" (Submitted December 14)
"Double Trouble" (Since September 25)
"Turnabout" (Since December 1)
"Generations" (Since December 1)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Seeker

Just a quick note to let everyone know that my latest Aston tale Seeker is now available in various formats, as well as for the Kindle on Amazon. Enjoy!



Space pirate Aston West has faced the law before, but never quite like this. Now they have a secret weapon, a mind-reader who could expose every crime he's ever committed. It could mean the end to his freedom, or his very life.

Weekly Goals - December 21, 2010

Hope everyone is having a good holiday season! Currently on vacation, which I would have thought would lead to more work accomplished. Not so much...and with Christmas coming up this week, the goals will be a bit lax.

Results for this week:

1. Not completed
2. 15 agents compiled

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Enjoy the Christmas holiday

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Deadly Decisions" (Submitted December 14)
"Double Trouble" (Since September 25)
"Turnabout" (Since December 1)
"Generations" (Since December 1)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

The Collection Has Come!

Exciting news that just showed up in my inbox this morning (I love Google Alerts!)...my 10-story Aston West collection DEAD OR ALIVE is now available via ResAliens Press for the iPhone and iPad. Not to worry, a separate version is on its way if you don't own one of those. ;-)

Needless to say, I'm a bit excited! Merry Christmas!!!

Weekly Goals - December 14, 2010

Definitely a good week, even though it seems like the last several days have been a complete waste. Wondering how the vacation weeks coming up will fare...

Results for this week:

1. Finished the first draft of "Helpless"
2. Read and edited "Seeker" (now waiting on one final beta reader)
3. Submitted "Deadly Decisions" just a few minutes ago

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1000 words on a new short story
2. Determine 15 agents to submit THE CURE to

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Deadly Decisions" (Submitted December 14)
"Double Trouble" (Since September 25)
"Entrapment" (Rejected)
"Turnabout" (Since December 1)
"Generations" (Since December 1)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - December 7, 2010

Long week...but not long enough, I'm afraid. Without going into details, things were going well until Thursday last week, and then life ended up getting in the way (as it tends to do). Hopefully this coming week will be better.

Results for this week:

1. Submitted "Turnabout" December 1
2. Submitted "Generations" December 1
3. Completed 1000 words on "Helpless"

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Finish the first draft of "Helpless"
2. Conduct read-through of my novella "Seeker"
3. Submit "Deadly Decisions"

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Deadly Decisions" (Need to submit)
"Double Trouble" (Since September 25)
"Entrapment" (Reprint - since September 23)
"Turnabout" (Submitted December 1)
"Generations" (Submitted December 1)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - November 30, 2010

Well, as far as I'm concerned, I enjoyed the Thanksgiving weekend...but then, I did finish up a short story (from start to finish) last Saturday as well. Now I'm off to go put a submission or two in over at Ray Gun Revival.

Results for this week:

1. Done

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Submit "Turnabout"
2. Submit "Generations"
3. Finish a first draft of another short story

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Deadly Decisions" (Need to submit)
"Double Trouble" (Since September 25)
"Entrapment" (Reprint - since September 23)
"Turnabout" (Need to submit)
"Generations" (Need to submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - November 23, 2010

Well, as I'd hoped, all of my edits have been completed on The Cure and a week earlier than planned. At the moment, I don't plan to do much besides take some time off for the Thanksgiving weekend. However, I do want to finish a short story for submission by the time Ray Gun Revival opens back up December 1, so who knows?

Results for this week:

1. Completed

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Enjoy the Thanksgiving weekend.

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Deadly Decisions" (Need to submit)
"Double Trouble" (Since September 25)
"Entrapment" (Reprint - since September 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - November 16, 2010

A terrific week, and have the end of edits (this round at least) in sight. Still thinking I'll be able to complete all of my edits on The Cure by November 30, since I only plan on doing one last read-through after this round.

Results for this week:

1. Edited 20K / 15K words

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Complete this round of edits on The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Deadly Decisions" (Need to submit)
"Double Trouble" (Since September 25)
"Entrapment" (Reprint - since September 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - November 9, 2010

Finally gained a bit of traction, and now it's full speed ahead on my way to complete all of my edits on The Cure by November 30. Things are really picking up in the book, so it should go fairly well, I hope.

Results for this week:

1. Edited 16K / 10K words

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Edit 15K words on The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Deadly Decisions" (Need to submit)
"Double Trouble" (Since September 25)
"Entrapment" (Reprint - since September 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - November 2, 2010

Spinning the wheels a bit, not sure why...my overall goal is still to have the whole thing completed by November 30. Time to buckle down and get it done.

Results for this week:

1. Edited 6K / 10K words

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Edit 10K words on The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Deadly Decisions" (Need to submit)
"Double Trouble" (Since September 25)
"Entrapment" (Reprint - since September 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

FIDTrailer2.wmv

Weekly Goals - October 26, 2010

On a roll with The Cure. Hoping to have the whole thing done by the end of November.

Results for this week:

1. Edited 10K / 10K words

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Edit 10K words on The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Deadly Decisions" (Need to submit)
"Double Trouble" (Since September 25)
"Entrapment" (Reprint - since September 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - October 19, 2010

Things are improving, and finally getting in the swing of edits on The Cure.

Results for this week:

1. Not started
2. Edited a little over 8000 words.

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Edit 10K words on The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Deadly Decisions" (Need to submit)
"Double Trouble" (Since September 25)
"Entrapment" (Reprint - since September 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - October 12, 2010

Sadly, things did not go well this week...at least I ended up starting on some edits (Tuesday night). Hopefully I can ride that momentum into this next week.

Results for this week:

1. Not started
2. Edited approximately 1500 words.

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Edit 10K words on The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Deadly Decisions" (Need to submit)
"Double Trouble" (Since September 25)
"Entrapment" (Reprint - since September 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - October 5, 2010

Well, things have begun to pick up, though moving slow due to external influences. At least I met my goal this week...but now I'll be starting in on edits for The Cure. Fun!

Results for this week:

1. Around 1800 words completed

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1500 words on "Sisterhood"
2. Edit 10K words on The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Deadly Decisions" (Need to submit)
"Double Trouble" (Since September 25)
"Entrapment" (Reprint - since September 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - September 28, 2010

I tend to have this issue, shortly after achieving a massive goal, of completely sinking into a hole. This time was no different...

Results for this week:

1. Not even started...though I did finish up four plots this week.
2. Submitted "Double Trouble" as well as "Entrapment" (the latter being a reprint)

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1500 words on a new short story

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Deadly Decisions" (Need to submit)
"Double Trouble" (Submitted September 25)
"Entrapment" (Reprinted - Submitted September 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - September 21, 2010

And as you saw in my last post, the first draft of my latest Aston novel was finished this past week. Unfortunately, as I've found after sprinting at the end of marathon writing sessions in the past (NaNo, for example), the post-finish glow fades fast, and then it's rough trying to get back into the swing of things.

Results for this week:

1. 6000 / 3000 words (and finished first draft) on Death Brings the Victory
2. Submitted "Double Trouble" to beta readers and waiting on feedback

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1500 words on a new short story
2. Submit "Double Trouble" to a magazine

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Deadly Decisions" (Need to submit)
"Double Trouble" (Need to submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

We Have Come to The End

No, not this blog...even if very few might notice.

But even better, I just put the final touches (read: The End) on the first draft of my third (and no, not the end of the series, either) novel in the Aston West universe, currently entitled Death Brings the Victory. An exciting time, to be sure. And since I usually get asked these questions from people, I might as well determine my answers now.

How long did it take to finish?

I always hate this question, by the way, because I'm not a sequential writer. I may write on this novel for a few months, then move to something else for a few more. When looking at my files, it looks like I began plotting this novel out back in 2006. The first chapter was started in August of 2008, so in pure calendar time, it took me just over 2 years to finish the first draft. However, a quick scan through my files also shows that my first spurt of writing was over a seven-month period, a second over five months (though some of this was going back through the first portion and reminding myself of what I'd written, since I took a seven-month hiatus for other projects), and this final run only required two months (after only four months off)...each one spanning about a third of the book or so. So, in total time spent, it was only about 14 months to finish (compared to 24 in total calendar time).

How long is the book?

Currently in first draft form, Death Brings the Victory is around 105K words. This is a first for me, writing a novel over 100K words. If history is any indicator, my first few edits will actually increase that word count, since my first drafts usually run rather lean on what I consider extraneous details. I liken it to creating a person from scratch. You start with the bones, then add the muscles, organs and various systems, then finish it up with the skin.

When do you think it'll be published?

I'm hoping to begin edits in a couple of months, after taking some time off to both relax, as well as edit a pair of other projects that have been waiting in the wings while I finished. I'm hoping to get edits done in the first half of 2011, followed by the submission period after. Between agents, publishers and the rest of the entertainment involved, it's hard to say when it might be available. I wouldn't count on it before 2012, but one never knows.

Will I have to read your first two books before this one?

I try to write all of my books as standalone, meaning you can read any of them (or any of my short stories, for that matter) in any order you like. Death Brings the Victory is going to be a bit tricky, since it makes references to circumstances taking place in the first two books, but I'm planning to make it easy for first-time readers to pick up the jist, while long-time readers will just have that much more enjoyment with that insight.

But with over two years to wait, you can always read my first two books. Check them out over at AstonWest.com in the meantime.

How many more books will there be in the series?

As many as possible, I hope. As mentioned, each book will be standalone, so we'll always have a conclusion (note that I don't always have happily ever after endings) with each book. But every new book will bring a new adventure...and hopefully Aston will be with us for a good long time.

So, anyway, I figured I'd let everyone know that I finished...and tonight, we celebrate!

Weekly Goals - September 14, 2010

Still on track to finish the first draft of my latest Aston novel by the end of the month...definitely getting close to the end. Can hardly wait to finish it, then get it through edits so all of you can see it as well.

Results for this week:

1. 4300 / 2500 words on Death Brings the Victory
2. Didn't even think about it.

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 3000 words on Death Brings the Victory
2. Submit one short story

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (ACCEPTED)
"Deadly Decisions" (Need to submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - September 7, 2010

So far, so good in September (after an awesome August)...well on track to meet my goal of finishing the first draft of my latest Aston novel by the end of the month.

Results for this week:

1. 4600 / 2500 words on Death Brings the Victory
2. Submitted (and subsequently rejected)

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 2500 words on Death Brings the Victory
2. Submit one short story

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Deadly Decisions" (submitted and rejected)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - August 31, 2010

August has been a very good month for me. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up this pace for the next couple of months and finish up Death Brings the Victory. Also, be watching my various haunts for some announcements (hopefully) this next month...

Results for this week:

1. 3000 / 2500 words on Death Brings the Victory
2. Polished up the project in question

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 2500 words on Death Brings the Victory
2. Submit one short story

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Deadly Decisions" (need to re-submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - August 24, 2010

August has been a very good month for me. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up this pace for the next couple of months and finish up Death Brings the Victory. Also, be watching my various haunts for some announcements (hopefully) this next month...

Results for this week:

1. 3500 / 2000 words on Death Brings the Victory
2. Completed a first draft on my new story "Borders" [added]

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 2500 words on Death Brings the Victory
2. Polish up a secret project for submission...

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Deadly Decisions" (need to re-submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - August 17, 2010

So far, so good...keeping things moving on all fronts.

Results for this week:

1. 3200 / 1500 words on Death Brings the Victory
2. Edits completed on my story "Turnabout"
3. 880 words on another new story [added]

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 2000 words on Death Brings the Victory

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Deadly Decisions" (need to re-submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - August 10, 2010

27 days straight of meeting my daily word count requirement. Hope that keeps up...

Results for this week:

1. 2500 / 1500 words on Death Brings the Victory
2. Over 2100 words on the new story, and a completed first draft.

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1500 words on Death Brings the Victory
2. Complete edits on the new story

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Deadly Decisions" (need to re-submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - August 3, 2010

The streak continues on getting the daily word count requirement written...and now I also need to get a short story written for another project I have going (details as I'm able to share).

Results for this week:

1. 3000 / 3000 words on Death Brings the Victory

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1500 words on Death Brings the Victory
2. 1000 words on a new short story

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Deadly Decisions" (need to re-submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Practice What You Preach

And just a quick comment to let everyone know that I'm running a promotion this week over at Blog Bites. Read the interview and the excerpt, post a comment and get yourself a chance at winning a copy of my latest, Friends in Deed. Can't wait to see you!

Promoting Yourself (or Whoring for Grins and Giggles)

So, you’ve gone through the process of writing your book and getting it published. Time to focus on your next book, right?

Wrong.

Obviously, you still need to work on your next book, but if you don’t go through the process of promoting your book already published, it won’t sell enough to even get anyone interested in taking that second one you’re working on. If there’s one thing that causes a writer’s heart to stop in panic and fear, though, it’s the idea that they have to actually sell readers on the idea of buying their book.

The trouble is, if you’ve already gotten to the point of publication (and didn’t pay someone to do so), then you’ve already sold someone. Your publisher, agent and/or editor were all out there with no knowledge of your book before they took it on. So, in essence, what you need to do is carry that same focus into the reader realm. So, along that line, here are some tips and tricks for promoting yourself to readers (I won’t be going into specific promotion techniques, since those have been hashed ad nauseum elsewhere on the internet):

• Remember that the book is what’s being sold and not you (regardless of the whoring comment in the title). You are ultimately the expert on the book you’ve written, and so have intimate knowledge of the specifics that would appeal to readers (after all, they appealed to those who already accepted your book).
• On a related note, remember that rejection of your book is not rejection of its author (in most cases). People are as varied as anything in this world, and there will always be some people who have no interest in your work, no matter how hard you try.
• Never turn down an opportunity to promote your book (just as you wouldn’t have turned down a partial request because you didn’t think it would lead anywhere). You never know when an avenue will pan out for you. Take for example an event I did a few years ago. The event wasn’t all too successful, but the contacts I made through that event may end up panning out even bigger than I hoped (details as soon as it comes to fruition, and I can share).
• Interact and become friends with as many authors as you can. Authors are rabid readers, for one, and most are friendly enough to pass along additional promotional opportunities to their friends (don’t forget to do the same for them as well). Writing is a lonely, depressing business as it is without adding to the misery by alienating yourself.
• People love authors who are generous. Giveaways are a great way to gain fans, some of whom will be rabid in promoting you to others they know. It doesn’t always have to be books (though that always helps), but it needs to be something of value. Contests are also great fun, since competition always gets people excited. Be stingy at your own risk.
• Finally, don’t forget to have fun. As I mentioned, writing is a lonely, depressing business, but attitude is everything when promoting. Just as people like those who are generous, they also gravitate toward happy, energetic authors. So, put on a happy face and bring some joy to your potential readers.

So there you have it. Hopefully these have helped you generate some confidence, enough to get out there and promote yourself to the fullest.

***

T. M. Hunter has always had a fascination with interstellar travel, spacecraft (and aircraft) and beings from other worlds. Twice a top ten finisher in the P&E Readers Poll for his short stories (2007, 2009), his book HEROES DIE YOUNG earned Champagne Books’ Best-Selling Book of 2008 award. FRIENDS IN DEED is his latest novel. For more information, including links to his published short stories and novels, please visit AstonWest.com. You can also find T. M. Hunter on Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace as well.

Weekly Goals - July 27, 2010

Still in the flow...and besides the weekly goals here, I've also been over 11 days straight in getting my daily word count requirement written. And if you're interested in winning a free copy of Friends in Deed, head on over and comment on my latest interview.

Results for this week:

1. 3000 / 3000 words on Death Brings the Victory
2. Complete

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 3000 words on Death Brings the Victory

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Deadly Decisions" (need to re-submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Interview with Robert Collins

Greetings everyone! My guest today is fellow sci-fi writer (and writer of non-fiction too) Robert Collins. So, I'm never one to beat around the bush, so let's get things started:

TM Hunter: Tell us a little bit about yourself. What makes you tick?

Robert Collins: Well, I like to write, and I like my writing to tell a story. It’s why I do what I do even though I’m not rich or famous (yet).

TMH: I notice that you write both fiction and non-fiction. Which do you prefer to write, and why?

RC: I don’t have a preference. I started out wanting to be a science fiction & fantasy author. To some degree nonfiction came about through a few gaming pieces I wrote for Steve Jackson Games. Later I started a series of travel books, which led to writing railroad books, which has now led me to write about Kansas history. I would say that fiction is my passion, but I like ‘em both!

TMH: So tell us about Lisa’s Way. What’s it about? Did anything inspire it?

RC: Lisa’s Way is my second novel. It started back in high school with my friends at the time. We thought it would be cool to be characters in a novel we wrote. Since I was the only one who really wanted to be a writer, I ended up writing most of it. It turned into fiction quite soon.

Here’s the blurb:

Teenager Lisa Herbert lives in the small town of Mountain View on the planet Fairfield. The “Savage Rain” decades earlier shut down the hyperspace gate and isolated her world. A casual remark from her sister gets Lisa to ask a simple question: “If life was better before the ‘Savage Rain,’ why couldn’t it be better again?” That question starts Lisa on a journey.

TMH: How long did it take you to write Lisa’s Way?

RC: It took about twenty years of off-and-on work to get the novel into its present form. At first it was post-apocalypse and the adventures fit together too loosely. In researching the Santa Fe Trail for my travel books, I decided Lisa would restore order through trade. Later I chose to set it in space on colony worlds connected by “hyperspace gates.” And that’s where we are now.

TMH: Is Lisa’s Way your favorite book you’ve ever written? If not, what is (and why)?

RC: I don’t play favorites with my books. It feels like playing favorites with your kids. But as characters go, Lisa is the one I feel proudest to have created. I like her. I want to tell her story. It will end one day, but until then I intend to keep working on her, no matter what.

TMH: If you could, describe your writing in a word or short phrase. Why should a reader want to desperately read your work?

RC: Story-telling. I will tell you the best story I can. I will try to make you laugh, cry, to inspire you, or to make you think, all while telling you whatever the story is.

TMH: When reading, sometimes secondary characters end up being as interesting or more so than the main characters. Were there any characters in Lisa’s Way which begged to have more attention than they were originally planned for?

RC: Yes. I start one chapter with Lisa meeting some young bandits along a road. She talks them into joining her. The scene was just supposed to show how clever she was, and how she tried to avoid fighting.

I realized at some point that these guys had to prove their worth, otherwise the scene was unnecessary. I found a way for them to do so, and their leader started to come forward. He came out of nowhere, and now he’s much more important to Lisa’s effort.

TMH: If Lisa’s Way was made into a movie, who’d star in the cast?

RC: I’ve never thought of a movie, except to ponder who might play Lisa. Felicia Day would have been great about a decade ago. I don’t see any young red-haired actresses right now that make me think, “I would love to see her as Lisa.” Maybe someday...

TMH: What’s next for Robert Collins? Do you have any more novels or non-fiction books in the works? Publications coming up on the horizon?

RC: My third novel, Monitor, has just come out as an e-book. It might be the end of the year before it comes into print. When it does, I’m sure we can chat about it then. I haven’t sold many short stories lately, though I have written some. Last year I put out a collection of short fantasy stories called The Sagas of Surgard. I’m thinking that I might put out another late this year or early next.

As to nonfiction, the project that has dominated my life these past few years is a book on Kansas county-seat conflicts. The manuscript is creeping towards completion. I have high hopes for it, if I can get it published.

TMH: How can a reader find you on the web?

RC: This is my site; I also have a FaceBook page, and I’m part of Book Town.

Saturday Special?

Well, technically, I won't be having a special today...but check back on Monday, when I'll be conducting an interview of fellow sci-fi writer (and writer of non-fiction) Robert Collins.

Weekly Goals - July 20, 2010

Getting back in the swing of things, but not on what I'd originally intended...

Results for this week:

1. Not started
2. Ditto
3. [added] Over 3000 words on Death Brings the Victory

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 3000 words on Death Brings the Victory
2. Develop a new short story plot

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Deadly Decisions" (need to re-submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Motivation

Being as how I've been overwhelmed with a complete lack of motivation since finishing edits on my most recent novella, I'll pose a question out to the rest of you for my Saturday Special blog: How do you overcome a lack of motivation?

Weekly Goals - July 13, 2010

Even more accomplished this week, plus another new story "Lifeline" out in the latest issue of Ray Gun Revival.

Results for this week:

1. Over 14,000 words edited on "Seeker" and completed this round of edits

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 2000 words on a new short story
2. Develop a new short story plot

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Deadly Decisions" (need to re-submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Grabbing the Reader's Attention

What causes a reader to pick up a book and not want to put it down?

The best way for a writer to know the answer to any writing question is to ask it of themselves, as a reader. This situation is no different. So, what makes a book so riveting that you don’t want to stop reading?

Personally, I’m a fan of any book which keeps the action moving, and I’d venture to guess this is the case for most readers. As soon as things begin slowing down, I start losing interest. If things drag on very long, I put the book down, and in some cases will put it aside for weeks or months at a time. So, if we assume most readers want action to keep moving, how do we (now back to being writers) do so and keep the reader’s attention on turning those pages.

1. Start off on the right foot (or maybe the left) – In every footrace, there’s a starting gun. In your writing, you have to capture your reader’s attention immediately if you expect to keep it for the rest of the piece. There are multiple ways to do this, but some things NOT to do would be to describe every unnecessary detail of the scene, give every piece of back story you developed the story with, or have your main character wax nostalgic about their personal struggles. Action helps, but if you toss the reader right into an action scene without some setup, they’re likely going to be confused or worse, unwilling to buy your book (many readers will check out the first few paragraphs of a book before buying).
   
   
2. Keep things moving (downhill doesn’t count) – The death bell for any novel is when the story stalls out. Interesting characters and situations have to stay interesting. Conflict helps. Anytime your characters look like they’ll reach their goals, put an obstacle in the way. Continue this pattern, making the stakes higher and the obstacles harder to overcome throughout the story, and you’ll have your reader’s attention. Life (and fiction) is more exciting when there’s more at risk and everything to gain.
   
   
3. Don’t distract the reader (ooooh, shiny!) – Side plots can be interesting, but if they distract the reader, your pages might as well be a flashing neon sign, hard to look at and something to pass by completely. Readers read to relax, to get away from their every day lives. As such, keep things simple and uncomplicated (note: do not “dumb down” your writing). Plots should NOT have ever-overlapping threads which a reader has to stop and diagram out on a white board to comprehend. The same holds true for the number of characters a writer puts in a story. If the reader has to constantly stop and look back through material they’ve already read to remember a character (out of the twenty in the story), they’ll get frustrated and will most likely set your book down. If they do happen to pick it back up later, they’ll need to refresh their memory on your characters and will probably put the book away again during the attempt.
   
   
4. Start funneling the reader toward the end (clean out the motor oil first) – Readers like to relax, as mentioned. They also like to believe they’re going to reach the end of a book eventually (they have their own lives after all). An author needs to be able to give readers the sense that closure is coming if they just read a little farther. Granted, some books (usually based on genre) can pull this off easier than others. A mystery can’t make it obvious who the killer is too soon, for example. But overall, the closer the reader gets to the end, the more the action should pick up in anticipation of the climax of the story.
   
   
5. A satisfying ending (try not to read too much into this following “the climax”) – Notice I didn’t say “a happy ending.” Not all stories need to have a happy ending (a few of mine don’t), because life isn’t predictable. There will obviously be those who disagree with this, based on the fact that readers want to escape their own lives (real life doesn’t always have happy endings either). But regardless of whether your have a happy ending or not, the reader must feel like the main character achieved their main goal. Otherwise, the reader is going to feel cheated. Although they’ve made it all the way through the book (which was our main goal through all of this), they’re likely not going to bother reading your next one. People like closure, and a satisfying ending is the best way in which to give one to your reader.
   

So, as you can see, it takes a lot of work to keep a reader’s attention throughout the entire novel. But through time and practice, it will become second nature to you as a writer. Hopefully these suggestions for grabbing a reader’s attention are helpful to you.

***

T. M. Hunter has always had a fascination with interstellar travel, spacecraft (and aircraft) and beings from other worlds. Twice a top ten finisher in the P&E Readers Poll for his short stories (2007, 2009), his book HEROES DIE YOUNG earned Champagne Books’ Best-Selling Book of 2008 award. FRIENDS IN DEED is his latest novel. For more information, including links to his published short stories and novels, please visit AstonWest.com. You can also find T. M. Hunter on Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace as well.

Weekly Goals - July 6, 2010

Some great work this past week, plus if you haven't seen it, head on over and read my latest story "Conventional Wisdom" which came out in the latest issue of Residential Aliens.

Results for this week:

1. Finished The Cure edits and submitted to beta readers
2. Around 7900 words edited on "Seeker"

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 10000 words edited on "Seeker"

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Deadly Decisions" (need to re-submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Absenteeism

Well, folks, no new post today, as I was rushing to get another guest blog written for this coming week and trying to get The Cure out to my beta readers. So, until next week, check out this most excellent blog post. If you aren't an absolute die-hard cat fan, and you aren't laughing hysterically by the end, then you might want to check that pulse.

Weekly Goals - June 29, 2010

Things have been on a huge boost this week...getting into the heavy action scenes of my latest novel, and have gotten quite a bit done. Definitely thinking I could finish this round of edits this coming week...

Results for this week:

1. 19100 /5000 words completed

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Finish The Cure edits
2. 5000 words edited on "Seeker"
(had to add another since I finished goal #1 Wed night)

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Deadly Decisions" (rejected, need to re-submit)
"Shell Games" (ACCEPTED)
"Trespass" (ACCEPTED)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Picking Your Projects

There are those who start a project, then finish the first draft, then go back and edit it a few times, and finally submit it off while they start their next project and work it in the same order.

And then there are people like me…

At the present time, I currently have two full-length novels in work. One is in final edits (and should be complete in the next month or so) before I send it off to the beta readers. The other is in the middle of a first draft.

Add on top of that my short stories, of which I have several in the submission queue (two of which I just finished the final drafts on), one that I finished the first draft on and need to get back into, one that’s still in the first draft mode, and just under a handful that are simply plotlines waiting to be molded.

So, how do I choose which project to work at any given time?

A number of factors go into my decision. Sometimes it’s whatever I feel like working on at any given moment, subject to change on a whim. As an example, I had a great idea a few weeks ago for a short story. I plotted it out and immediately started drafting. A week went by and I got bored with the story so I put it aside. I’ll likely come back to it sometime, but nothing good comes from a writer who sits and stares at the screen for hours, wondering where the story should go (and this, with a plot at the ready).

Sometimes, there’s a more pragmatic method behind the madness. Finishing a project is a great boost, and so a project that’s languishing might need to come to the forefront and be the primary focus until it’s finished. As another example, the novel I’m currently editing was actually taking a back seat to the first draft (of my third Aston novel, which I was working in order to bring out for the fans). At some point, I realized it would be quicker to get this novel completely edited and sent off. Frankly, I think this one might be a really good chance for me to obtain representation (versus the Aston novels, which no agent out there wants to touch), so naturally I’m a bit stoked about finishing it because I think it has real potential in the marketplace. They claim you should never write for what you think will sell, but write what you’re most passionate about. Maybe I’m just passionate about selling lots of books?

Sometimes, things have to happen a certain way to keep the flow moving. As my various short stories get picked up for publication, the number I have in the submission pipeline is reduced. To keep stories out there in queue, I have to generate them in a timely fashion. So, I might take a few weeks here and there to generate three or four more stories for submission.

And then, ultimately, the people paying the bills (editors, magazines and publishers) ultimately have a huge say in what I’m working on. For example, an editor I’m familiar with recently presented me with an opportunity I really wanted in on. Unfortunately, two of my stories that would be involved in working this were just in draft mode. So, I dropped my other projects and went off to edit and polish those two stories. Once all of that was completed, I returned my focus back on completing my edits on this novel.

So, ultimately, there are any number of ways to decide what to work on and when. There’s nothing wrong with working one project at a time, but for the rest of us, variety is the spice of life. Hopefully these suggestions have been helpful, and if you have ways that work well for you that aren’t listed above, feel free to chime in.

***

T. M. Hunter has always had a fascination with interstellar travel, spacecraft (and aircraft) and beings from other worlds. Twice a top ten finisher in the P&E Readers Poll for his short stories (2007, 2009), his book HEROES DIE YOUNG earned Champagne Books’ Best-Selling Book of 2008 award. FRIENDS IN DEED is his latest novel. For more information, including links to his published short stories and novels, please visit AstonWest.com. You can also find T. M. Hunter (under the Aston West moniker) on Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace as well.

Weekly Goals - June 22, 2010

A few more words this week on the short story (along with editing), but got sidetracked with some other projects that I hope to be able to announce in a short amount of time. Given the project, I'll still count it as a good week...

Results for this week:

1. 6100 /5000 words completed
2. 400/1000 words on "Tangled Love"

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Edit 5000 words on The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Deadly Decisions" (since June 8)
"Shell Games" (submitted June 19)
"Trespass" (submitted June 19)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Friends in Deed (Paperback) Now on Amazon

Just wanted to let everyone know that my latest book, Friends in Deed, is now available as a paperback over on Amazon. Enjoy!

And if you haven't heard about Friends in Deed:


Aston West was condemned to life on the prison planet Lycus IV for spitting in a man’s face. Being forced to reside with the likes of murderers and thieves, he owes his freedom to Lars and Elijah Cassus, who orchestrated an escape. Now the twin brothers call in the favor and force him to return with their team to Lycus IV to rescue crewmate Leah Jordan.

Aston discovers Leah’s desire to leave the twins forever, but Lars and Elijah use fear and intimidation to control their group and no one leaves alive. It’s a case of kill or be killed and Aston will need to become more like the brothers than he ever wanted.

Find out more, including an excerpt of the first chapter, over at my site.

Weekly Goals - June 15, 2010

Almost got there, but nothing happened on the new story. In other news, received an acceptance on a different story, so the week wasn't a total loss.

Results for this week:

1. 5800 /5000 words completed
2. Nothing

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Edit 5000 words on The Cure
2. 1000 words on "Tangled Love"

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Conventional Wisdom" (ACCEPTED)
"Deadly Decisions" (since June 8)
"Shell Games" (in beta edits)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Saturday Special - Interview with T. K. Toppin

Greetings everyone! Today, we're going to have a special treat for the Saturday feature. My first interview (that I myself have given)! So, sit back and enjoy the question and answer session. And if you have any additional questions, feel free to leave a comment and T. K. Toppin should be by in a while to answer.

Me: Tell us a little bit about yourself. What makes you tick?

T.K. Toppin: I was born and raised in Barbados and this is where is still live with my husband, two geriatric dogs, and a humanoid cat. I’ve been (still am) a graphic artist for over twenty years now. I’ve always done creative things, whether it’s drawing, writing, making things…I’m just a general doodler/tinkerer. What makes me tick? I’m not sure. I like being on the sidelines, watching and observing and then reacting – or not. Coming from a Japanese background, living in a Caribbean setting, I’ve been observed and watched all my life. I sort of stood out. So, I just like to return the favour. People who know me will say that I am not in the least bit quiet or reserved, which, on first impression, they think. But I am. Really, I am. So stepping out onto the writing platform was a big deal for me. If you’ve ever read my blogs, I’ve written about my obvious aversion to public nudity – and writing is like exposing your inner self for all the world to see. Eek!

Me: Were there any authors (or anyone else for that matter) who inspired you along the way?

TKT: Are there any authors out there you just have to read when they have a new book out?
I’d say yes to that. I like to read this “In Death” series, done by J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts). Every time she puts out a new one in the series, I grab it and read it. It’s different to her other books she writes under her real name. I don’t really like those. I’ve got two sitting on my ‘to read’ shelf right now. Dean Koontz is another, especially his “Odd” series. I like his quirky way of writing. Frank Herbert’s “Dune” series is one of my favourites, that was my induction into the futuristic world of science fiction. He knew how to create worlds! Other’s I enjoy are Jonathan Stroud (Bartimaeus Trilogy), Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl series), of course JK Rowling, Diana Gabaldon. I like J.R.R. Tolkein as well, but it’s a hard read. Well written and detailed, but hard stuff! Its like reading history books sometimes. I recently read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larson, and its sequel The Girl Who Played With Fire. I await the third, The Girl Who Kicked A Hornets Nest, to be translated and published in English – unfortunately that will be it since he’s passed away. But I loved the detailed way he wrote, keeping you thoroughly engrossed in what was happening.

Me: It’s been said that promoting one’s book is more difficult than actually writing it. Do you find this to be the case? How do you handle it?

TKT: I’d reply with a proper invective to agree – but I’ll keep this reader-friendly. But, most emphatically, yes!! Promoting the book has been the hardest, and possibly the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But, I do enjoy it since it’s a new area to explore. I’ve had to re-learn all my years in advertising and then learn about the literary world and how that rotates. Since my book is an e-book, I’ve also had to learn about the electronic and virtual world. I’ve never felt so thinly spread and exposed in my life. I mean, hello? I can be Googled now!! How cool is that!

Me: So tell us about The Lancaster Rule. What’s it about? Did anything inspire it?

TKT: Basically, it’s about a young woman who enters into a stasis pod, one that her scientist father constructed as a prototype. She ends up sleeping for 300 years and awakes into a greatly changed future. She now has to learn how to survive in this future but, of course, encounters all sorts of problems. She soon discovers that her past, and her future are so intricately linked (which is why it’s a trilogy). She finds love (gotta have romance, right?), she finds happiness, and she finds her true self.

The only thing that inspired this story was because I love to read books, or watch movies that are ‘epic’ in nature. You know, the ones that move you into that whole new universe. Where you go: wow! Where you fall in love with the characters, the places, the happenings. I wanted to create that feeling you get – full of adventure and intrigue, excitement and lots of wow-ness! I hope I got it. But judging by how some people have already reacted to it, I’d say it’s a close: yes!

Me: I notice The Lancaster Rule is listed as both Science Fiction and Fantasy. Is it more one than the other? Do you enjoy one more than the other (either reading or writing)?

TKT: Um…it’s a little of both. I mean time travel (fantasy) and technology (sci-fi) are borderline almost. They sort of go hand-in-hand. If I wanted to right pure fantasy, I would have done away with all the techie stuff, but then, I would’ve been a whole different story. As regards to reading it, yes. But I’d have to say, I prefer to read fantasy because you can make up anything and it’ll be real, in that world. For sci-fi books to grab my attention, something in it has to be based on something half-realistic or believable. Like I’d want to know the technicalities behind it. I like Star Trek, but I’d want to know how you can ‘energize’ people from one place to the next without losing bits of them. Well, I hear it’s been known to happen, but you know what I mean. I tried, with my book, to keep it as realistic as possible, with an open window for unreal. Like stasis technology is realistic, it can happen. If you sleep, rather than if you’re frozen. Cause to me, frozen means pretty much dead.

Me: If you could, describe your writing in a word or short phrase. Why should a reader want to desperately read your work?

TKT: Oh my god! Bleep-bleep, there goes another invective out my mouth…haha. I would have to say, that I HOPE they would desperately want to read my work. That I hope I’ve managed to create a new world that takes your imagination into an exciting and unforgettable ride. I hope you find the characters engaging and interesting – and funny, because that’s what I hoped they’d be…I basically wanted to write a character-driven story.

Me: When reading, sometimes secondary characters end up being as interesting or more so than the main characters. Were there any characters in The Lancaster Rule which begged to have more attention than they were originally planned for? Are there any you plan on giving their own story later?

TKT: Yes! There’s at least three characters, while I wrote about them, I decided along the way, that they were quite interesting and that I’d have to incorporate them more, or would have to incorporate them, into the sequel books. Some I’d planned on having back in the next books, but one character was just too interesting in LR to be ignored. His part was small, but it was like a wild card surprise when I decided that he would be the right momentum to carry book two. I developed his character more and added a nice little twist for the second book.

Me: If your book was made into a movie, who’d star in the cast?

TKT: Ha! Good question. I’ve answered this before, and since then, I’ve had time to think about it. For the heroine, Josie, I’m still not sure. It’s a toss up from strong female actresses like Kate Beckinsale (she just kicks ass!) to Keira Knightley (she’s got the softer, quirky side). For the hero, John, he’d have to have an equally strong presence, like my first choice, would be someone like Karl Urban. He’s got that silent, brooding look he mastered in Chronicles of Riddick. But physique-wise, I’d go for a Brandon Routh type from the new Superman…although, he’s a bit youngish for my hero. It’s hard since I’ve already formed an image in my head of all the characters, that to see a different face portray them is a little disorienting.

Me: What’s next for T. K. Toppin? Do you have any more novels in work? Publications coming up on the horizon?

TKT: I’ve completed the second in the series, The Master Key. It’s still not ready to be handed in for publishing. I’ve got some more polishing to do with it, get the kinks out. The third, The Eternal Knot, is so very close to being complete, but it needs to tie in smoothly with the second book in order for it to make some sense. After that, I’ve two more books, completely unrelated to the Lancaster series, that I’d like to write. Very contemporary in theme and nothing to do with sci-fi.

Me: How can a reader find you on the web?

TKT: You can find me spread out across the universe. Eek! First of all, you’ll find me listed at my publisher’s site. There’s Twitter if you feel like following me (I’m really not that interesting), or a Facebook page called The Lancaster Rule you might want to join that will keep you up-to-date on LR happenings, my blog page or my website (still under construction but in working order) with all the links if you wanted to buy the book. Or, ha-ha! Just Google me.

Me: Thanks for stopping by, T. K.! And now, for all those readers out there, here's a short blurb from The Lancaster Rule:

The world loathes Josie Bettencourt's kind – pod-survivors from the past. When death is certain, an ex-military and friend to the pod-hunters, saves her life. Unfortunately, she is soon arrested and taken straight to the Citadel, the heart of the Lancaster regime where they have ruled tyrannically for over fifty years. Now, young John is in power, hoping to make a change, to erase the wars, famines and unimaginable terror. When Josie meets the frighteningly powerful John Lancaster, she has to ask, is he really the so-called tyrants' spawn? She soon discovers who the true tyrants are by unraveling a deadly plot to take over the world. And she realizes that her life in this new future are indelibly linked to the one she left behind.

The Lancaster Rule, the first of a three-part saga, takes you on an exciting rollercoaster ride, 300 years into the future!

Weekly Goals - June 8, 2010

On a roll...hoping to keep it up.

Results for this week:

1. 8800 /5000 words completed
2. Submitted two short stories to magazines
3. 2000 words on a new story "Tangled Love"

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Edit 5000 words on The Cure
2. 1000 words on "Tangled Love"

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Conventional Wisdom" (since June 6)
"Deadly Decisions" (since June 8)
"Shell Games" (with beta readers)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

A Pair of Plugs (and Giveaways)

Been quite a busy summer so far, and it's only going to get busier...

Check out my latest interview over at The Lancaster Rule Blog, comment (or ask additional questions) and get yourself entered for a free copy of Friends in Deed. Winners will be picked from anyone who posts before tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11:59 PM.

And if that wasn't enough, I'm also Author of the Week over at Candice Gilmer's blog, Inside an Author's Mind. Check out the blog, and be sure to stop on by throughout the week when we'll be doing various giveaways. Especially get over there Wednesday, when we'll be experiencing the return of Useless Movie Knowledge (and a free giveaway of Friends in Deed)!

Enjoy!!!

Know Your Weakness

As a new writer, one of the biggest traps we fall into is to continue writing exactly as we did the time before. Perhaps if you were published with world-wide distribution the first (and every subsequent) time you submitted your manuscript, this is a real possibility. For the rest of us mere mortals, it’s important to work on our writing, to continuously develop it until we begin getting more acceptances than rejections.

So, how do we accomplish this?

First, we need to figure out what exactly it is that may be driving our rejection rate up. In that, we have to take a hard look at what our weaknesses might be. Dialogue stiff and stale? Characters uninteresting and one-dimensional? Plots not moving anywhere? No growth in the characters?

One of my own is a lack of description, for both the characters or the surrounding scenery. I suffer from being a writer of minimalist proportions. In other words, if I don’t see a point to giving a description of something, I leave it out. For example, if it really doesn’t matter whether someone has blue eyes or brown, I don’t think to include the information. Even if that character is a main player in the particular story, it still gets dropped.

Needless to say, this is likely why my novels end up being so short, and probably why I still get a sizeable number of rejections.

So, now that we’ve determined what our weaknesses are (and I’ve limited my discussion just to this one, even if I have several others), we need to work on eliminating them. Make time in your writing schedule to work on exercises which will serve to strengthen those writing muscles. In my own example, I’ve made it a goal to write several stories in which I’ve gone out of my way to develop more description of things I’ve never thought were important before.

Now this isn’t to say that this overdone description will eventually make it into the final product. Part of the remaining process will be in determining what should stay and what should go. Getting it out on paper and developing our writing technique to overcome our weakness is only the first step. As with any development, it will take time, but the end result should be well worth the effort.

So, figure out what needs work in your own writing. Once you know your weaknesses, develop your writing to overcome them.

***

T. M. Hunter has always had a fascination with interstellar travel, spacecraft and beings from other worlds. Twice a top ten finisher in the P&E Readers Poll for his short stories (2007, 2009), his book HEROES DIE YOUNG earned several accolades, including Champagne Books’ Best-Selling Book of 2008 award. FRIENDS IN DEED is his latest novel. For more information, including links to his published short stories and novels, please visit AstonWest.com. You can also find T. M. Hunter on Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace.

Weekly Goals - June 1, 2010

For better or worse, even though I was at a convention this past weekend, I still got quite a bit accomplished.

Results for this week:

1. 5200 /5000 words completed
2. Completed the first draft of my untitled story

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Edit 5000 words on The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Conventional Wisdom" (need to re-submit)
"Deadly Decisions" (rejected, need to re-submit)
"Shell Games" (with beta readers)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Another Contest!

Get on over to read my latest article, and post a comment today to enter for a chance at one of my two books.

Those following me on Twitter can follow the instructions I'll be posting throughout the day for a separate chance to win (i.e. a second copy being given away).

ConQuest 41: Day Three

Well, it was a terrific end to the con, although things always seem to get very dead in the dealer room over the last few hours. All in all, an enjoyable time, and I hope to return next year. Hopefully then, I'll be able to get a reading slot...

Until then, hope everyone else had a great time as well!

ConQuest 41: Day Two

Another fun-filled day at ConQuest. Today was filled with all manner of costumes and toys, and for those who are fans of the Friends in Deed page over on Facebook, pictures will be posted in the next few days. The rest of you? Why aren't you fans yet?

The saga of the busted door continued for the second day, and it still has issues, but we've not bothered continuing to ask about it. Between two or three reprogramming attempts on the door, and even more new sets of keys (you'd think they wouldn't need to see a photo ID anymore), we're just happy that half the time the door opens without a manager escort.

Picked up a few new books from the Yard Dog Press booth to add to my stack-o-stuff to read. Should be interesting to see when I eventually get to sit down and enjoy them.

And now, as the hours wane in this final evening of the convention (before another fun day tomorrow), it's time to say so long and farewell.

ConQuest 41: Day One

The newly-formed Saturday special feature is on hiatus this week, as I'm up here at ConQuest 41 in Kansas City this weekend. Be not afraid, as I'll be back next week with an extra special feature.

So, in its place, here's a short blurb on the first day.

First off, the hotel (Hyatt Regency Crown Center) is pretty amazing. Big open lobby (with some history for those with long memories or mad Google skillz) with connections to various shopping and restaurants (sadly, nothing cheap).

Unfortunately, they charge for parking, even for guests. That's a real downer. Also on the wish list is free wi-fi in the rooms (they only have it for free in the lobby, you have to pay for it in the room). Heck, even Motel 6 in Wichita has that much.

And then, we've been having a heck of a time getting them to fix our door latch/lock. That's another story entirely.

The con itself: Not sure what attendance has been in the past on the first day (Friday), but it seemed fairly decent from other cons I've been to recently. Maybe the economy is truly back on the way up.

My spot in the dealer room ended up getting moved after I'd set up my stuff. Just glad they got it mostly close to what I'd set up, since I was up in the room trying to nap off a massive headache (which didn't go away until much later that night). Across the massive aisle from me is Yard Dog Press, which has always impressed me with their ability to promote their press and their authors.

Unfortunately, despite the seemingly good attendance, it looked and sounded (from other vendors I spoke with) like everyone was being very cautious about making any purchases. Not a big departure from other Fridays on the con circuit, but still a bit disappointing. But, hey, today is Saturday, and we should get some excitement.

Weekly Goals - May 25, 2010

Unfortunately, couldn't get the editing done that I'd wanted. On the flip side, finished edits on a short story that had been languishing over a month. I'd call that a wash.

Results for this week:

1. 5100 /7500 words completed
2. Edited "Shell Games" and submitted to beta readers

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Edit 5000 words on The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Conventional Wisdom" (need to re-submit)
"Deadly Decisions" (since April 12)
"Shell Games" (with beta readers)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Time Management

The trick of starting new features is to remember that you have them...fortunately, it's still Saturday (barely). So, enjoy this latest post on time management.

As an author, the end result is always the same...to write. Whether we write for our own enjoyment, for others to enjoy, or for purposes of information transfer, that's always the same.

But for most of us, that means balancing our writing time with all of the other drains on our time, such as work, family, relaxation (whatever that is), and the like.

So, here are five tips for how to improve your time management skills, and to hopefully increase your writing output in the process...because only by writing more in the time you have will you increase your chances of success in your writing endeavors.

1. Set the goals you want to achieve and the time frame you want to achieve them in.

Those who've followed my posts for long enough know that I can never stress the importance of goal-setting enough. If you don't know where you want to go, you'll never get there...and if you leave it open as to how long you want to take to get there, you'll end up with the same results (or lack thereof, as the case may be). If you know you want to write a 80,000-word novel in a year, that breaks down to around 220 words/day, give or take. If you know you're only going to be able to write 3 days a week, that jumps you up to around 513 words each day you write. If you only have an hour free on each of those days, then you'd better not waste it surfing the internet or shuffling through your MP3 player.

2. Schedule your writing time and stick to it.

Going right along with setting goals is setting a schedule. The first thing to do here will be to figure out all the time you spend already, and what you spend it on. Work, meals, sleep, extra-curricular activities. It all takes time, time you can't spend writing. Set up a schedule of what time you have free, and set up a regular schedule for your writing. Obviously, sometimes things will come up which you have no control over, and that prevent you from writing. Those will happen. When they do, just get back on your schedule at the next available opportunity (just like when you miss a dose of medicine, only you hope it tastes better). Once you get into a schedule, things will get easier...much like when you set goals.

3. Don't let distractions knock you off-course.

This is one of the big issues most writers face. If you only have an hour to spare, you want to do other things. You want to check your e-mail, eat some snacks, shuffle through your MP3 player. But all of those things aren't writing, and only keep you from reaching the goal. If it continues to be a problem (and it often will, for even the best of us), set up another schedule for those things and stick to it the same as you're trying to do for the writing schedule.

4. Be sure to schedule time for yourself.

This is an issue even more serious than the one listed above. Burnout is a serious issue, especially if you try to write every day amidst the workweek and time with family and friends. You may feel that the only way to get anything done is to use every spare moment you can to write. But even writers need down time, time to relax and let the rejuvenation take place. Treat your free time as one of those distractions listed earlier, and set up a schedule for your own personal time...then stick to it. A happy writer is a productive writer.

5. Keep your eyes on the prize.

There are those who read all of this and will scoff at the idea of time management. You can't schedule creativity, they will claim. I beg to differ, and believe that if you set your mind to do something, you will do it. As I've mentioned several times, it's a matter of setting a schedule and sticking to it. Just like goals, that takes practice. And any type of practice is only as good as the effort you put into it.

Despair may set in when things don't turn out the way you'd hoped immediately. What happens if you don't get 40,000 words in the first six months? Will you give up? The trick is to keep your eyes on the prize, whatever it may be in your own writing hopes and dreams. You CAN do it, if only you keep running toward the finish line, and the victory you achieve will be even sweeter than you can imagine.

See you at the finish line!

***

T. M. Hunter has always had a fascination with interstellar travel, earning a B. S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Kansas. Twice a top ten finisher in the P&E Readers Poll for his short stories (2007, 2009), his book HEROES DIE YOUNG earned Champagne Books’ Best-Selling Book of 2008 award. FRIENDS IN DEED is his latest novel. For more information, including links to his published short stories and novels, please visit AstonWest.com. You can also find T. M. Hunter on Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace as well.

Weekly Goals - May 18, 2010

It's become a bit obvious that I'm not able to get any new material worked while editing, so adjusting the goals to account for this...

Results for this week:

1. 5000 /5000 words completed
2. 0/1000 words completed

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Edit 7500 words on The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since April 1)
"Conventional Wisdom" (need to re-submit)
"Deadly Decisions" (since April 12)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Ten Tips for Setting Goals

Greetings everyone! I'm starting a new feature to the blog, and hope you'll come to enjoy my new Saturday Specials. For the next few weeks, I'll be reintroducing a few articles that some may have seen on other blogs, while I put together fresh articles. So, in the meantime, sit back and enjoy this tidbit on goal-setting...

Does it ever seem like you can never get anything done when it comes to your writing? Weeks or months go by with nothing to show for it? Ever wonder why you never seem to have the time to write?

Perhaps it would help to set goals.

Those who've visited my regular blog already know that I'm a strong proponent of setting goals, and post sets of weekly goals every Tuesday along with a recap of where I ended up on last week's goals. I check my blog daily, so I have a constant reminder each day of what it is I'm supposed to be working toward.

I also post a set of monthly goals at several writers' sites I frequent, and post updates on those periodically (usually every week or so).

The reason is simple: constant reminders of where I'm at and where I need to be serve as motivation, and give direction on what I should be working on. If one of my goals for the week is already finished, I can move on to another.

So, if you haven't been setting goals (or even if you have), here are ten tips:

1. Break your major goals down to the lowest level possible.

What is your major writing goal? Finish your novel? Get an agent? Publish a story in a major magazine?

Break each of those down. For example, to finish your novel is going to require finishing a first draft, editing it, and polishing it. Start with the first draft and you'll need to generate around 80-120K words (or more, if you edit things down significantly). To do that, you'll have to generate so many words a day. I set goals based on chapters per week, but that's just me.

2. Set timeframes for your goals.

So, with your goals broken down, decide how quickly you want to get it done. Finish your novel in a year? 120K words? That breaks down to 10K words a month, which ends up being 2000-2500 words a week (and for you hard-core goal-setters, that's anywhere from 400-500 words a day, assuming you take the weekend off).

3. Make your goals achievable without being too simplistic.

Often, this will take some time to learn. If you've never set goals for yourself, start off small and see what happens. If you're hitting your goals every week/month with ease, set additional ones (or increase the amount you need to complete to reach your goal) to the point where it's actually an accomplishment.

If you're not able to hit your goals at all, then obviously you need to roll them back a bit. Maybe you aren't going to be able to hit 10K words in a month at first (even if you desperately want or need to). Try 5K. One of the tricks about goal-setting is, once you start rolling along, it becomes easier to hit your original goals, and that's when you start piling things on.

4. Post your goals where you'll see them daily.

Create a document and copy it to your desktop. Use it as your background image. Tape a printout (or hand-written copy) to the side of your monitor. Whatever you decide, make sure to put it where you'll see it and be reminded of what you've promised of yourself.

5. Check things off your list when you've finished.

Not only does this provide you with a sense of accomplishment on your journey, you'll also be giving yourself a visual indication of what you should be working on for the rest of the timeframe you've set up for yourself.

6. Celebrate your successes.

Finished your goals for the week? Take some time for yourself. Watch a movie. Read a book (which wouldn't work for me, because I put those on my goals from time to time). Go out to dinner with your significant other or your close friends.

7. Get together with other goal-setters and motivate each other.

This is one of the benefits of posting your goals on writers' sites. There's the double-benefit of being motivated by your fellow writers (by encouraging each other and congratulating your successes).

8. Don't get discouraged.

Sometimes you won't reach your goals. It happens. Just remember that even if you don't reach your end goals for the week or month, any amount of progress is going to get you farther than you were when you started. If you only get 6000 words each month (but desperately wanted 10K), that's still 72K words at the end of the year. And 72K words is a huge chunk of most novels.

9. Adjust your goals as necessary.

If you constantly miss your goals, lower the expectations (just as you should increase them if you hit them with ease all the time). There's no shame in it, and if it results in you being able to hit your goals in the future, you'll feel motivated and encouraged. As I mentioned before, goal-setting is a process. Once you get into the groove, things will become easier to accomplish.

10. Have fun.

Even though goals may seem all structured and calculated, have fun with them. Put other goals on there, such as reading a book or watching a movie. The most important part of setting goals is to motivate yourself on to achieve what YOU want. If you're not having fun, you won't want to do it.

***

T. M. Hunter has always had a fascination with interstellar travel, earning a B. S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Kansas. Twice a top ten finisher in the P&E Readers Poll for his short stories (2007, 2009), his book HEROES DIE YOUNG earned Champagne Books’ Best-Selling Book of 2008 award. FRIENDS IN DEED (January 2010) is his latest novel. For more information, including links to his published short stories and novels, please visit AstonWest.com. You can also find T. M. Hunter on Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace as well.