-
How Do I Deal With Distractions?
There is a difference between casually wanting something and desperately needing it. In this article, I will attempt to shed some light on the disparity. Welcome back, readers! As always, I appreciate the fact that you have joined me on my literary journey. Let’s get into it. When we want something, we dream about it, but we do little to make the dream a reality. When we desperately need something, we fight for it with conviction. Perhaps you feel the need to have your voice heard or perhaps you need the life-altering boost of a book deal to improve your financial situation. Either way, it isn’t going to happen if…
-
What Should I Do When I Finish A Novel?
Just because you’ve completed a manuscript doesn’t mean that your work is done, but it does mean that you should take the time to reward yourself for the accomplishment. In today’s post, I’ll share my thoughts on what you should do after making your final revisions. Welcome back, readers, and thanks for following my blog. Without further ado, let’s get right into it. There is nothing quite like the feeling you get when making the final revision to your manuscript. If I were pressed to relate it to another life experience, I would equate it to the feeling you get when bringing a child into the world. In essence, you…
-
Some Succeed While Others Fail
Hello, readers. In tonight’s post, I want to address a paradox – why do some succeed while others fail when their approaches, talent, and commitment are the same? Is it luck, fate, or destiny, or is there something we’re not seeing? Hang tight as we delve deeper. While I don’t purport to put myself on the same level as more accomplished authors, I often wonder how they became so successful after such meager beginnings, that, in reality, aren’t much different than my own. How on Earth does a debut novel become a bestseller? How does an author who has only written two books secure a movie deal? Those questions boggle…
-
This Has Been Done Before!
Hello, readers. Today I want to critique a particularly annoying review that every author will eventually encounter. Regardless of content, genre, or originality, you will undoubtedly come across a review that claims that your book is derivative or that your story has already been told. Let me start this article by putting that assessment into perspective: Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But since no one was listening, everything must be said again. In case you don’t recognize it, that is a quote by Andre Gide, a French author who passed away in 1951 after making one of the most profound statements of all time. To…
-
Happy New Year!
Well, friends, it’s almost eight o’clock and I’ve been writing all day. I’m spent and ready for a break. The good news is that I’m seven chapters from finishing the revisions on my new novel. The bad news is that I’ll still have to make more edits after my editors review the latest version of my manuscript. Before vegging out with a bit of television, I thought I would check in with you. Can you believe it is 2023? Time flies. Please share some of your new year’s resolutions as comments so I know I’m not wasting my time with this blog. To be fair, I’ll share mine. This year,…
-
With Each Step…
I would be lying if I told you that writing a novel is easy. Unless you’ve done it, it is more complicated and time-consuming than you can imagine. In this article, I want to share my personal experience with you. My intention isn’t to dissuade you from pursuing your dreams but simply to enlighten you about the reality of the process. It’s half past three in Vietnam and I’ve been writing since seven o’clock this morning. Currently, I’m making revisions to my new novel. Only taking a short break for lunch, I am completely exhausted, but my work for the day is not over. Quite literally, the only thing keeping…
-
Where In The World is David Maxwell?
Contrary to popular opinion, I’m still alive and kicking. I realize it has been a while since my last post and I apologize for the delay. In this brief post, I want to give you an update on my status to put an end to the rumors. I hope you are all well and I wish you a very happy New Year. Some think that my absence is a result of giving up on my blog and my writing efforts. Their assessment couldn’t be further from the truth. As it turns out, writing is about all that I have been doing. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, I doubled…
-
Where Is David Maxwell?
I assure you that I am alive and well. I’ve missed you guys. The last few months have been trying to say the least. I don’t even know where to begin. I had to move from my home of 5 years to a remote location in Vietnam. Long story, but I found a place that suits me well. My finances have been haywire due to recent developments, which hasn’t helped. To top it off, my health is rapidly declining. Making matters worse, as if they could be, my laptop stopped working. It took me several months to figure out that my hard drive was not correctly seeded. At least it…
-
Request for Support
I need your help. It is not easy asking for help or admitting that you’re in need of help, but you won’t receive it if you don’t ask. So, here I am… asking. If you follow my blog, then you know my posts typically address tools, techniques, tips, and concepts to help others with their creative efforts. This is not a typical post. While I am usually trying to support the creative community, this time I am asking for your support. Tunnels are curious. There are two good things about tunnels. One, they provide a method for you to get through an obstacle. Two, there is always light at the…
-
The Wonderous Allure of a Good Short Story
Who doesn’t love a good short story? We started out with them as kids and still enjoy them as adults. In this article, I will discuss the unique appeal of reading short stories over the more lengthy option of novels. Time is the most valuable currency in the world and most of us have little to spare. While it may take you days to finish reading a novel, you can read a short story in a matter of minutes or hours. In my mind, this is the biggest draw, but there is another. Short stories leave a tremendous amount of details to the readers’ imaginations. With short stories, we see…
