Go and Read

Even though science fiction is not usually my first choice of reading material, science fiction writers are incredibly inventive, prolific and, it turns out, business savvy. I would be remiss if I did not pass on these amazing author sites. I only discovered them a month or two ago, but they are the reason that I felt I could take on nanowrimo. For these writers, the important part of writing is getting the story down onto the page rather than cripple themselves and lose time over trying to create a sentence of lasting beauty, which will come later with experience and editing. They also delve into the business of writing and publishing, which is a foreign country to me. I've learned much in the short time I've been reading them.

1. I'm linking directly to the Business Rusch page of Kristine Kathryn Rusch's website. She really breaks it down for you. For instance, did you ever consider what happens to your copyrights after you die, or what about your notebooks that you scribble your notes, letters or first drafts in? This is just some of the practical business advice she gives. I'm not quite ready to delve that far into it yet since I haven't yet published anything, but I recently enjoyed her three-part series on why writers disappear:

Why writers disappear Part I, Why writers disappear Part II, Why writers disappear Part III

2. Rusch's husband, Dean Wesley Smith is also a working writer and offers a series of in-person and online workshops. I hope to take one next year because they look amazing. This man also knows his business inside and out. Read it.

3. The third is Sarah Hoyt who writes fantasy--which I read even less of than science fiction--and writes often about raising children and her experiences growing up in Portugal and how that influences her today. Not really writing advice, but still interesting. She also sometimes writes about the business issues she runs into and takes a hard line against political correctness.

I hope these people inspire you as much as they have inspired me.