Puff puff pant pant.
You can probably hear me a block away as I chase after my story for the month of April. I’ve been posting around 3,000 words a day for my Sausage Grinder patrons on Volume 3 of Bob’s Memoir: 4,000 Years as a Free Demon. This story (Volume 1 chapter 16 posted on SOL today) hasn’t been as popular as many—certainly not like Team Manager—but I have a soft spot for the demon and I want to finish telling his story. I’ll get it finished yet this week.
Then I’m on to my next project, Full Frame. I’ll tell you about that in a bit (this is a long blog post). First, let’s talk about why I punish myself with self-imposed deadlines, occasional writer’s block, inane comments on the stories that have nothing to do with the story, and carpal tunnel syndrome. In other words: Why do I write?
I buy a lot of stock photography for covers, illustrations, and web content. I license most of this content from Shutterstock, and they send me tips and tricks and promotions in my email. This week they sent a note that was so inspirational, I want to share it with everyone.
Today I heard an unusual term applied to content: the gift economy. The idea was to try thinking of whatever you’re making not as operating in service of the commodity economy, but rather as a gift extended to the world without expectation. I love that concept because it requires an immediate mindset of generosity, and a conviction that we live in a world of creative abundance. This is not to say that art should be free; of course, creators need to make money, and I would never devalue the energy, skill, and talent that goes into making something. Rather, I see the gift economy as it relates to content as a recognition of value beyond simple exchange, reaching into what makes something special—worth beyond measure, as it were. My favorite marketing concept is that a rising tide lifts all boats, which to me is the opposite of a zero-sum situation; more makes more. By putting our creative output into the world in a spirit of generosity, we lift the boat for everyone.
—Jennifer Braunschweiger, Senior Director of Content Marketing, Shutterstock
Seldom has a vendor so closely matched my philosophy in life and writing. I have often told people I don’t write for a living; I write to live.
Some years ago, I became aware that I would soon be a person living on a fixed income who still enjoys reading and loves books and stories. But the budget for acquiring those books and stories was going to be significantly reduced. I couldn’t buy everything I wanted to read. And that realization brought with it the understanding that my books were in that category for many many people.
So, I decided I would make all my books and stories available for free online reading, through both StoriesOnline and my own websites. Currently, over fifty books from my two pen names are now available and I’m happy they are being viewed and read by thousands of people. I still sell my books through several channels, including Bookapy, and since launching the free reading sites for my books, I’m happy to say my book sales have also increased. This effort to provide free reading material is supported by the generous contributions of my patrons. Through their gifts and subscriptions, I am able to maintain the websites and provide my books for free online reading.
My top tier patrons get to read the raw and unedited content that I produce each week—complete with typos, homonyms, incomplete sentences, and content that will get cut during rewrites. During special times of the year, I focus on a single story and post a section a day (November and April) as part of NaNoWriMo. But I’m constantly writing and getting new and fresh ideas out every week.
Beginning on May 1, my top tier patrons will have access to my newest creative project, Full Frame.
Let me know if you’d like a sneak peek at what’s coming in the fall. I'll send you an excerpt link.
Nate Hart, class of 1968, has just been uprooted from his lifelong home in Chicago by his mother’s new career: Methodist minister. Moving to a small town in Northwestern Illinois just before his junior year in high school, is going to mean starting over in life. But Nate has a passion for photography and that passion will lead him to others as he becomes his new school’s official photographer. What he sees in the full frame of his photographs, however, will change the town.
This story will have a slow burn. As a junior in high school, Nate won’t get much opportunity to part the legs of his cute classmates, but as a photographer, there will be lots of opportunities to see them through the camera lens. Chapters will be 6,000-7,000 words in length and will post twice a week when they start here on SOL in the fall. (After Team Manager is finished.) Before then, only my top tier patrons will have access to the new work as it is written.
My alpha reader, Les, had this to say about what I’ve managed to get written on Full Frame between chapters of Bob’s Memoir.
I can see why you’re excited about this one. Based on the first few chapters, this has Team Manager already beat, hands down!!!
Why do I write? How could I not tell these stories when they are overflowing my creative cup? I love these characters and need to tell their stories.
Enjoy!