I have never been very good at expressing my emotions verbally. I don’t have that problem when writing. Which is lucky, because good writing must be emotionally honest to resonate with the reader. Even when it is fiction, it must be honest. Writers can’t afford to pull punches or hedge their bets…not if they want to really reach their readers and establish that all important connection…the one that makes reading so magical. This can create some interesting problems. Continue reading “Too Close for Comfort”
Author: JD Mader
JD Mader is an award winning short story writer and novelist. 'Joe Café' and 'The Biker' are out now, as well as 'Please, no eyes'. and the collaborative 'Bad Book'. Mader has been writing for half his life and has no plans on stopping any time soon. Learn more about JD Mader at his blog and his Amazon author page.
I am Sisyphus…
Question of the day: are you insane to think your writing means anything? The question of whether you are a nut-job or not is rather easily answered. It all depends on your expectations. And your motivation. And what ‘meaning’ means to you. Do you write because you love to write or because you see it as your ticket to fame? Do you publish because you are proud of your work and hope that maybe a handful of people will enjoy it or because you expect a royalty check that will buy you a Ferrari? If you write because you love it, you’re all good. If you publish because you want to share your work, great. If you expect to be recognized for your efforts…or to profit from them…you are in for a rude awakening.
Jealousy
Jealousy is a terrible thing. And I was guilty of it for a long, long time. Of course, I still have my moments, but not like before. I have never been jealous with women. I have never wanted someone else’s car, motorcycle, or fishing rod. My problem was being jealous of other people’s successes. I’m not proud to admit it. I’ve had friends get raises, and I really wanted to be happy for them. I’ve watched bands I played with become international superstars…I really, really wanted to just feel glad. Too often, I didn’t. I could care less if someone drives a better car than I do, but when someone succeeds in a professional/creative field I take pride in…man, that ugly green-eyed bastard just shows up. I used to open my New Yorker with trepidation because I knew if anyone I knew got published, I would have to kill myself. The green bastard was in control. Or he used to be. I changed things up on him.
How to promote your work…
I wrote this as a post on Linkedin a few weeks back. I keep getting emails about it from indie writers (indie writers disguised as people who want to sell me viagra). I thought that I would share it here. Plus, I am sick as a dog’s butt and don’t want to write anything new. Anyway, if you want to sell tons of books, talk to someone else. If you want to sell as many as I do, listen to me! Continue reading “How to promote your work…”