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Neil Ostroff's Blog – June 2013 Archive (11)

No promises

          Nobody said it would be easy. Nobody said it was always going to be fun. Nobody promised me that after spending twenty-plus years holed up in my office writing novels that anyone would ever read them. Nobody promised me anything would ever come of my writing, and yet I still do it.

 …

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Added by Neil Ostroff on June 26, 2013 at 1:24pm — No Comments

The magic of imagination

          I’m often asked by media and friends how do I create my characters? At last count I have somewhere in the neighborhood of seventy-five to eighty spread over my nine published and three unpublished books. These characters have histories and vivid personalities. Some are absolutely terrifying, some are adventurous, and some are tragic, yet beautiful. All of my characters have…

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Added by Neil Ostroff on June 23, 2013 at 11:18am — No Comments

Writer’s zone

          When I start to really get into writing a story I go into what I call a ‘writer’s zone’ where all distractions are muted. Time slips away and my surroundings blur into the images in my mind. This is creating something from nothing at its finest.

          There is no television show or video game that can…

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Added by Neil Ostroff on June 20, 2013 at 1:00pm — No Comments

Writers are transport machines

          It’s raining. Fat drops meander down the glass windowpane in my office like so many overfed translucent snails. Water puddles in the street forming miniature estuaries where worms tunnel up from drowning liquid seeking refuge across the sidewalk only to die between the smooth beaks of a snacking warbles.…

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Added by Neil Ostroff on June 18, 2013 at 7:00pm — No Comments

Why even write?

I’ve been doing the internet interview thing again and recently I was asked something that I hadn’t been asked before. The questioned posed was; “What do you hope to achieve with your writing?”

I had to think about that one for a moment before I could offer a reasonable response. I’m actually not looking to achieve anything with my writing except to provide people with entertainment (an imaginary retreat from the real world). I’m not looking to win…

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Added by Neil Ostroff on June 13, 2013 at 2:00pm — No Comments

Strange writer!

I used to think I was a really strange person. While everyone else I knew was out socializing and going to concerts, movies, and having meals out, I would stay at home, sit in my room, and write stories.

 

I thought I was even odder when I got…

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Added by Neil Ostroff on June 11, 2013 at 1:39pm — No Comments

Give me patience!

The secret to making it as a successful indie writer is this: PATIENCE. Authors are experiencing first hand a new era in book selling where a writer can instantly connect with a publisher and then sell directly to a reader. This offers millions of new voices to be heard, which can be both a good thing and a bad thing for readers. Good, if the story is well-written, and bad for all the novice books taking up virtual shelf space and attention. It used to be that authors received a quarterly…

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Added by Neil Ostroff on June 7, 2013 at 11:47am — 1 Comment

Fame and Riches

I’ve been pondering the notion of my books one day going viral and selling millions of copies. I’ve been pondering how my life would change and what I would do with my time if I didn’t have to work at a conventional job anymore. Of course, I would still write books, that’s a given, but what else would I do with my time? It depends on the amount of sales.

 

A million copies sold would allow me to live…

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Added by Neil Ostroff on June 6, 2013 at 12:48pm — No Comments

Not all glory and riches

          It used to be that to become a published author (besides just writing a really good book) you also had to spend countless hours writing and addressing query letters, waiting patiently for agent’s responses (months), and then miracle upon miracles, you got signed to a LEGITIMATE agency. That was…

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Added by Neil Ostroff on June 5, 2013 at 1:36pm — No Comments

A writer’s warning!

Technology now allows us writers to offer our books and stories to the world. Through Amazon, Smashwords, and such, indie writers can now sell their stuff to virtually anyone with access to a computer, ereader, or smart phone. As artists, we willingly check the accept box to whatever agreement these epublishers throw out there without really understanding the implications of the contract.

Case in point, I was recently banned from my Google + account…

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Added by Neil Ostroff on June 3, 2013 at 1:00pm — 2 Comments

Drop Out

What would you do you if you knew you had a limited amount of life left? Would you freak out? Would you waste it in self-pity and resentment and denial? Or would you go do everything you’ve ever wanted to do?

DROP OUT is a beautiful tapestry of life, love, and acceptance that is powerful, romantic, and real.…

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Added by Neil Ostroff on June 1, 2013 at 2:00pm — No Comments

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