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All posts for the month February, 2014

Superstars Writing Seminar.

Posted by dougdandridge on February 11, 2014
Posted in: Agents, Comics, Conferences, Dragons, eBooks, Fantasy, Far Future, Future Prediciton, Golden Age, History, Kindle, Past, Plotting, Proofreading, Titles, Tropes, Typos, Websites, Writing. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

I spent this last weekend in Colorado Springs at the Superstars Writing Seminar, put on by Kevin J Anderson and his lovely wife, Rebecca Moesta.  I met the pair at Dragon*Con in Atlanta, where I was involved in a writing workshop prior to the regular convention programs.  During their presentation they pitched the seminar, intended for people who already know how to write, but in need of some training in the business aspects of being a writer.  At the time I really had no intention of attending this year.  In correspondence Kevin again suggested the seminar, and I decided to take a chance and fly out to Colorado (after having not been on a commercial airplane for over 22 years).  It was one of the best choices I could have made in my third year as a self-published author.

Most people have heard of Kevin J Anderson, maybe the most prolific science fiction and fantasy writer of modern times.  He and his wife, both writers, editors and publishers, live in the area, and have made the seminar, which used to be a traveling road show, into a home based operation.  They do a wonderful job of paying it forward to starting writers.  The program of the seminar was set over three eight hour days, and covered many aspects of the business of writing, from productivity to pricing to motivation.  There were bestselling authors, editors, an agent, and the marketing director of Kobo.  I sat on one panel, dealing with Indie authors, my first ever.  Let me just say I ate it up, and can’t wait to sit on more.

One of the highlights of the seminar was the Drawing Out the Dragons presentation by Author/Artist James Owen, in which he told the story of his trials and tribulations in becoming a success in the business, as well as driving forth the message that we make our own choices.  Kevin gave a presentation of increasing productivity, while Eric Flint taught us the ins and outs of publishing contracts.  At other times I was able to talk with many of the faculty.  Lunch with Rebecca and Scott Boone, a trip to the Garden of the Gods with Kevin (almost my undoing), speaking with David Farland at the mixer, an hour in a chair after the first day talking with James Owen, the Friday night dinner sitting with Eric Flint (more on that in a future blog), and several conversations with Mark Lefebre of Kobo.  There were many opportunities for networking and friend building despite the busy schedule.  Author Brandon Sanderson also attended on Saturday, but was not really there long enough for me to get any personal time.  I found, just as I had at Dragon*Con, that most of these famous authors were first and foremost very good people, willing to take the time to give advice to the newby.

There was a lot of information.  Not overwhelming, but a great deal to digest.  I know it will help me in my endeavors to keep building a fan base and a career.  But to me the best part of the seminar was networking.  Talking with Kevin, James and Mark.  Lunch with Rebecca and Scott Boone, the attorney who presented on Copyright and Trademark.  Dinner with Eric Flint, during which I learned a great deal about Baen Books as a company to work for.  But to this writer, the best part was talking with other writers who had the same dream.  Presenting the synopsis of one of my books, then listening to their really cool idea in return.  People who got it.  I made a lot of new friends, and am looking forward to seeing them gain success in the future.

I enjoyed the seminar so much I signed up for next year’s event on Saturday night.  It may have some of the same presentations, but, with the rapid changes ongoing in publishing, there are sure to be new gems.  And it will be a chance again to network, to reacquaint with friends while making new ones.  Is this seminar for everyone?  Not really.  I wouldn’t recommend it for someone who is just dabbling around with a story here or there, with no real commitment to becoming a professional.  For the person with the desire to go to the next level, I can’t think of a better investment.  If you’re serious about your career, maybe I’ll see you there.

Superstars of Writing Conference

Posted by dougdandridge on February 2, 2014
Posted in: Antimatter, Armor, Conferences, Dragons, eBooks, Fantasy, Far Future, Fusion, Future Prediciton, Future Warfare, Genetic Engineering, Genetics, History, Interdimensional Travel, Kindle, Military, Multiverse, Nanotechnology, Near Future, Nuclear Weapons, Plotting, Quantum Physics, science Fiction, self publishing, Space Industry, Space Navy, Space Program, steampunk, Titles, Tropes, Websites, Writing. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments

Already a great year as far as sales, with 6,000+ ebooks going out the door for January.  Last year I went to my first scifi convention, Dragon*con, and attended a writer’s workshop.  I met Kevin J Anderson, who was a guest speaker at the workshop, and talked with him after a couple of panels at the con.  He suggested attending this annual event he puts on in Colorado Springs.  Being a recent dirt poor state worker until March of last year, I thought, maybe sometime, but probably not soon.   I got to thinking about it in October when the income looked very good for the year, and the Superstar’s early bird price break deadline was coming up, and then thought, why not.  Dragon*con turned out to be a great networking experience, and Superstars looked to have the makings of another.  So Tuesday I will be getting on an airplane for the first time in twenty-four years and winging it to Colorado.  Colorado, in February, for a Florida native?  I know, sounds kind of crazy to me too.  But it looks like a great conference, and I get to appear on my first panel (I have possibly another coming up later in the year).  I will post about the conference when I return.  Have also made plans for Liberty*con (hotel and registration), Dragon*con (same) and the Venice Book Fair in April.  Venice Book Fair you say.  I grew up there, and kind of wanted to appear as an author, not that I plan to make a lot of money at that venue.

Exodus 6 and Book 3 of The Deep Dark Well trilogy will be coming in Spring.  After that I will drop TDDW series for the time being, even though I have the first draft of the first book of a second trilogy already on the hard drive (and backed up in about twenty places).   I also plan to put out the fourth book of the Refuge series sometime this year.   Book five, next year, may see the suspension of that series for awhile, though I always want to come back to the genre bending world of fantasy.  Exodus will probably take up most of my time for the next couple of years.  I have a lot of ideas for that Universe and the characters that populate it.

And after that?  I would eventually like to try my hand at alternate history.  I have a love for military history, especially the history of the second world war.  Several years ago I started to develop a pair of series at WW2.  One would involve Hitler being deposed in 1939, and Stalin launching an attack on Europe in 1943.  The other would be more of a scifi idea, with people from the future, with knowledge of history and technology, sending their personalities back in time to take over the brains of several leaders of the Third Reich.  Others would do the same with the allies, but there are some twists to that part of the plot which I won’t reveal at this time.  Again, that will be years in the future, which give me plenty of time for development.