Life of Joy

Beyond "Shut up and write"...and why that doesn't work:

http://newfacultysuccess.blogspot.com/2010/06/shut-up-write.html?m=1

This woman is brilliant!

"While it should go without saying, it’s OK to have needs. In fact, if you wait until you are perfectly motivated, flawlessly self-disciplined, free from anxiety, utterly fearless, intellectually energized, and emotionally resolved before you start writing this summer, you may never begin! Instead, I want to encourage you to release yourself from the idea that having needs means there’s something wrong with you. It’s OK if you need support and accountability. It’s OK if you’re not productive in isolation. It’s OK if you need community, feedback, a safe space to take risks, and a group of people who genuinely celebrate your accomplishments. It’s OK because meeting your needs for community, support and accountability will not only increase your productivity, but also your enjoyment of summer writing."

The hilarious and brilliant Sarah Avery (also known as dr_pretentious) added this to her blog today:

http://dr-pretentious.livejournal.com/179611.html?view=1644955#t1644955

"I'm rooting for oneminutemonkey's anthology, Scheherazade's Facade, and its Kickstarter campaign. He's been in editorial limbo much the way thunderpigeon and I have with our Trafficking in Magic, Magicking in Traffic anthology--he started the project under the auspices of a respected small press that put out beautiful books, and then the press couldn't bring it to market. These are hard times for small presses. It's an amazing anthology, not least because it has David Sklar's amazing story "Lady Marmalade's Special Place in Hell" in its table of contents.

"Lady Marmalade" alone is worth the price of admission. It's both hilarious and heartfelt, with a take on Hell that deeply understands Dante and all the authors who've felt compelled to follow Dante's footsteps into that particular underworld--especially the ones who climbed back up with dissenting maps. Despite the fact that my two children were climbing bodily all over me while I read it, I literally could not put this manuscript down. And I mean literally literally.

Michael M. Jones's book was already in Limbo when our Trafficking in Magic/Magicking in Traffic anthology was consigned there. He has been good company here at the outermost threshhold of Hell. It looks possible that the Trafficking/Magicking anthology may escape to something better. I'd love to see Scheherazade make it out, too."

Want to read more about "Lady Marmalade's Special Place in Hell"? Go here:

http://thunderpigeon.livejournal.com/

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Sci-fi and clever writing fans, you can check out the Scheherazade Kickstarter page here (I threw in my $15):

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/198473311/scheherazades-facade-fantasy-anthology