Last night I taught my first creative writing class. I think it went pretty good. I talked for two hours straight, only taking breaks when people asked questions, and every single topic was something we could have talked about more. Everyone seemed to enjoy it.

There are 84 people enrolled. We filled the biggest classroom they had at this location, and they still had to turn people away. Right now we’re doing it in the same building as the police academy (I requested that because it was closest to the freeway, so I thought it would be the easiest for people coming from Salt Lake City) but if I end up doing this again we’ll have to move it to the Ogden campus where they’ve got bigger classrooms available.

With this class I’m trying to focus on the professional, making a living aspect, rather than the artsy literati side of creative writing. I’m trying to keep it nuts and bolts, practical, pragmatic, get it done and get paid.

This is from the handout. It is more of a checklist of things I want to talk about, than an official schedule. Like last night we spent the first hour on how to write better, and the second half on how to sell your stuff.  I think I touched briefly on everything in the business section, but only scratched the surface on a few things. Now I’ve got a list of comments and questions from the online streaming students to incorporate into next week’s lesson.

Creative Writing Class Outline

The two steps to becoming a successful professional author.

1. Get good enough people will give you money for your stuff.
2. Find the people who will give you money for your stuff.

Part 1: Getting good enough.

On the “rules” of writing.

1. Does your audience like it? Leave it in.
2. Does your audience hate it? Take it out.

The spark and where ideas come from/contagious enthusiasm

Outlining vs. Discovery Writing

Plotting

1^st vs. 3^rd Person

Creating characters

Pacing and intensity

Dialog, and why it is different than talking

The pros and cons of “writing what you know”

Accuracy and research

Time management for writers and the evil myth of Writer’s Block

Message/the author works for the reader, not the other way around

Editing, if it sucks, fix it

Alpha Readers, or your mom might not be your target audience

Pros and cons of Writing Groups

Finished? Now write the next one.

Part 2: Getting Paid

Ugly Fact Time: Author pay scale and failure rate

How traditional publishing works

• Small press vs. Large press
• What are literary agents and do you need one?

How self-publishing works

Novels vs. short fiction markets

Contracts and what to watch out for

Advances and earning out

Structuring your business and paying taxes

Other rights (foreign translations, audiobook, movie options)

Networking, marketing, and finding your target audience

When to quit your day job

Michael Z. Williamson’s new book, A Long Time Until Now is now available. Today a bunch of us are helping spread the word.

I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but I really enjoy Mad Mike’s stuff. Normally when a Book Bomb is coming up I try to notify people in advance to mark their calender, but I messed up and forgot. I know I just did a BB last week and I only try to push one of these a month, but Mike is a talented author, and a friend, and I’d really encourage everyone to check this out.

My best friend is EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal). It is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. He sent me the following charity information. Please check them out.

The annual EOD Memorial is tomorrow, May 2nd. Every year, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians from all branches gather to honor the fallen. There’s a memorial wall at Eglin AFB, Florida (colocated with NAVSCOLEOD).

The EOD Warrior Foundation raises money for the families of the fallen and maintains the memorial wall. I’m a cake-eating civilian now, but I haven’t forgotten where I came from, and this is pretty important to me.

Four years ago this month, Chris Solesbee from the Hill AFB EOD flight was killed in Afghanistan. Also killed was his teammate, Joseph Hamski, from the Spangdahlem Air Base flight. I spent some time at Spang and they were like family to me. 

Both men were assigned to what we called Bravo Flight in Afghanistan. It was the unit I served with there, and my flight was the one to replace the one that lost those two. My rotation was very fortunate; we had no KIA. Three friends of mine were blown up and injured, though. Several Army techs died while I was there, and a Navy tech was severely wounded. 

Before I left Afghanistan, in January 2012, the Air Force lost an entire team in Helmand Province. 

So, if you would be kind enough to post a link to the EODWF on your blog, with an explanation, I would very much appreciate it. It might raise some awareness and possibly raise a little bit of money. 

 

Many regulars may remember Social Justice Warrior and Salon author Arthur Chu as the dipshit who declared Brad Torgersen’s 20 year interracial marriage and his biracial children as “shields” to hide Brad’s racism. He is one of the morons who blamed the Sad Puppies’ success on GamerGate.

Well, after a day of futile harassment, his team of idiots couldn’t even call in a bomb threat correctly.

Here is a detailed report: http://www.breitbart.com/london/2015/05/03/dc-gamergate-meetup-disrupted-by-feminist-bomb-threat/

And here is Nero’s version, which is hilarious, because when SJWs try to destroy something it turns into a giant party.  http://www.breitbart.com/london/2015/05/04/how-gamergate-hater-and-social-justice-clown-arthur-chu-got-me-laid/

 

A quick plug.

Writers of the Future is a great contest that has launched a whole lot of careers. Their next anthology is coming out in a few days.

Kary English is a talented author, and she’s giving away partial eARCs of the winning stories here: http://karyenglish.com/2015/04/free-mini-earc-for-wotf31-who-wants-one/