Comments on: Looking at Your Action Plans http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/30/looking-at-your-action-plans/ America's Mad Professor of Fiction Writing Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:59:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Daan Van der Merwe http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/30/looking-at-your-action-plans/#comment-2928 Daan Van der Merwe Wed, 31 Oct 2007 06:20:09 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/30/looking-at-your-action-plans/#comment-2928 Thank you very much Randy! Thank you very much Randy!

]]> By: Gerhi Janse van Vuuren http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/30/looking-at-your-action-plans/#comment-2930 Gerhi Janse van Vuuren Wed, 31 Oct 2007 08:58:01 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/30/looking-at-your-action-plans/#comment-2930 Randy, I wish I had your insights and plan twenty years ago. Because I had no idea how to approach being and becoming a writer I was either haphazardly thrashing about or wasting my time on dead end stuff. Your basic insights, on your blog, your newsletter archive and your site showed me enough to change my mind completely. I now not only know that it is possible to become a writer, but also how it is possible. My first step is also in taking part in Nanowrimo 2007. In thirty days time with a Nanowrimo draft under my belt I will also reckon myself as a pre-published writer. Randy,

I wish I had your insights and plan twenty years ago. Because I had no idea how to approach being and becoming a writer I was either haphazardly thrashing about or wasting my time on dead end stuff.

Your basic insights, on your blog, your newsletter archive and your site showed me enough to change my mind completely.
I now not only know that it is possible to become a writer, but also how it is possible.

My first step is also in taking part in Nanowrimo 2007. In thirty days time with a Nanowrimo draft under my belt I will also reckon myself as a pre-published writer.

]]> By: Debra Ratcliffe http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/30/looking-at-your-action-plans/#comment-2933 Debra Ratcliffe Wed, 31 Oct 2007 10:35:17 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/30/looking-at-your-action-plans/#comment-2933 Thank-you Randy. That does help. I probably should have mentioned that I am from Australia where we must have an ABN number before we even begin. Many publishers, I'm told, won't accept anything unless the writer has an ABN number. ABN, as I'm sure you've guessed is Australian Business Number. Anyone earning $75,000 and over from self-employment must also register their business for GST - Goods and Services Tax. I don't think I will need to do that for a while but who knows. I do realise from the course, though, that I must be more organised and I'm planning to follow through a suggestion of a paperless office since I have everything at home and I couldn't see myself writing anywhere else. Being clutter free is sure to help my writing and just plain practice, practice and more practice. I would need to keep my journals. There is something in the act of writing with paper and pen that surpasses typing on a computer. I am also looking at back-ups and where to keep them. I downloaded one of your teleseminars but I had to save it on disc when the computer was about to crash and I am still trying to find the disc. That's what I mean by having to get organised. I look forward to watching your career. It's great to see someone succeeding and very encouraging for me and I'm sure the rest of us. Thank-you Randy. That does help. I probably should have mentioned that I am from Australia where we must have an ABN number before we even begin. Many publishers, I’m told, won’t accept anything unless the writer has an ABN number. ABN, as I’m sure you’ve guessed is Australian Business Number. Anyone earning $75,000 and over from self-employment must also register their business for GST - Goods and Services Tax. I don’t think I will need to do that for a while but who knows.

I do realise from the course, though, that I must be more organised and I’m planning to follow through a suggestion of a paperless office since I have everything at home and I couldn’t see myself writing anywhere else. Being clutter free is sure to help my writing and just plain practice, practice and more practice. I would need to keep my journals. There is something in the act of writing with paper and pen that surpasses typing on a computer.

I am also looking at back-ups and where to keep them.

I downloaded one of your teleseminars but I had to save it on disc when the computer was about to crash and I am still trying to find the disc. That’s what I mean by having to get organised. I look forward to watching your career. It’s great to see someone succeeding and very encouraging for me and I’m sure the rest of us.

]]> By: Ron Erkert http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/30/looking-at-your-action-plans/#comment-2935 Ron Erkert Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:21:29 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/30/looking-at-your-action-plans/#comment-2935 On the business end of things, the way I understand it is that here in the U.S., expenses for writing, such as computer, printer, office supplies, contest submission fees, etc. can be written off on taxes (Form 1040 Schedule C) so long as your intent is to make money from your writing (but you don't actually have to show that you are making money) and you don't have to have a business license. (Randy can probably confirm/correct this) I'm not sure at what point you actually have to form as a business...if ever. Sole proprietorships, partnerships, and LLCs have "pass through" taxation (altho' LLCs can opt to be taxed as corporations if it's advantageous to do so--most times not). My partner and I are forming a home-based business, so I'm in learning mode. He didn't realize how much is involved in the actual running of a business. Meanwhile... Business license, business plan, fictious name registration, health inspection, FEC numbers, UGH!!!!! My brain's exploding! On the business end of things, the way I understand it is that here in the U.S., expenses for writing, such as computer, printer, office supplies, contest submission fees, etc. can be written off on taxes (Form 1040 Schedule C) so long as your intent is to make money from your writing (but you don’t actually have to show that you are making money) and you don’t have to have a business license. (Randy can probably confirm/correct this)

I’m not sure at what point you actually have to form as a business…if ever.

Sole proprietorships, partnerships, and LLCs have “pass through” taxation (altho’ LLCs can opt to be taxed as corporations if it’s advantageous to do so–most times not).

My partner and I are forming a home-based business, so I’m in learning mode. He didn’t realize how much is involved in the actual running of a business. Meanwhile… Business license, business plan, fictious name registration, health inspection, FEC numbers, UGH!!!!! My brain’s exploding!

]]> By: Karla Akins http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/30/looking-at-your-action-plans/#comment-2936 Karla Akins Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:43:25 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/30/looking-at-your-action-plans/#comment-2936 Getting my word count in for NaNoWriMo has not been that difficult for me. Now, getting a decent NOVEL at the end is a different story! But it does give me a rough idea of where the story is going to go and a framework to work with later when I have more time to work on editing. I ponder all year long what I'm going to write about during NaNoWriMo month and jot those ideas down. I carry a little notebook in my purse and take it with me everywhere. I also call myself on my cell phone and leave myself a message if an idea hits me and I'm driving and can't write it down. Having a laptop helps the word count, too. I take my kids to a lot of doctors so I use that time in the waiting room to get some words on paper. During NaNoWriMo month every spare minute is devoted to THE NOVEL. That means if I'm sitting still -- my hands are typing. Period. I have learned from this that I don't have to have a perfect environment in order to create. It taught me that I can use very strange places and times to come up with some pretty good stuff! If that's all that NaNoWriMo taught me -- that would be enough. But it's not and I'm really tickled to be a part of it. I do have one sad story about it -- I have lost one complete NaNoWriMo manuscript and I have no idea how I lost it or where it went. So, back up your stuff people! That's why I use google documents now as a backup for myself as well as my external hard drive. Oh but this is RANDY'S blog not mine, so I will shut up now! :-) Happy Pumpkin Day! Getting my word count in for NaNoWriMo has not been that difficult for me. Now, getting a decent NOVEL at the end is a different story! But it does give me a rough idea of where the story is going to go and a framework to work with later when I have more time to work on editing. I ponder all year long what I’m going to write about during NaNoWriMo month and jot those ideas down. I carry a little notebook in my purse and take it with me everywhere. I also call myself on my cell phone and leave myself a message if an idea hits me and I’m driving and can’t write it down.

Having a laptop helps the word count, too. I take my kids to a lot of doctors so I use that time in the waiting room to get some words on paper. During NaNoWriMo month every spare minute is devoted to THE NOVEL. That means if I’m sitting still — my hands are typing. Period. I have learned from this that I don’t have to have a perfect environment in order to create. It taught me that I can use very strange places and times to come up with some pretty good stuff! If that’s all that NaNoWriMo taught me — that would be enough. But it’s not and I’m really tickled to be a part of it.

I do have one sad story about it — I have lost one complete NaNoWriMo manuscript and I have no idea how I lost it or where it went. So, back up your stuff people! That’s why I use google documents now as a backup for myself as well as my external hard drive.

Oh but this is RANDY’S blog not mine, so I will shut up now! :-)

Happy Pumpkin Day!

]]> By: Mary Burch http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/30/looking-at-your-action-plans/#comment-2938 Mary Burch Wed, 31 Oct 2007 21:27:01 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2007/10/30/looking-at-your-action-plans/#comment-2938 I. too, am doing nanowrimo this year-- my third year in a row. I do it every year so I have a new work to turn to. As a novel writer, I've learned it is good to have several projects on hand so I have something to work on when I have to put something away for a month before revising, or while waiting for a publisher, or when I just need a break from the current work. Nano is a good way to get something new going. This year I am writing a sequel to last years nano novel. I got bogged down at about 77,00 words and hit a major writing block. I discovered I was trying to write two books at once. Once I saw where to divide, no more writer's block. My biggest organization challenge is my health. So many days I plan to write and I am physically unable to. But I write every day I am healthy enough. It takes me longer than a healthy person, but I persevere. That is why I have been writing 8 years, but only have 6 books written, and only one children's story (7,000 words) published). My nano name is mindwing15 Mary I. too, am doing nanowrimo this year– my third year in a row. I do it every year so I have a new work to turn to. As a novel writer, I’ve learned it is good to have several projects on hand so I have something to work on when I have to put something away for a month before revising, or while waiting for a publisher, or when I just need a break from the current work. Nano is a good way to get something new going.

This year I am writing a sequel to last years nano novel. I got bogged down at about 77,00 words and hit a major writing block. I discovered I was trying to write two books at once. Once I saw where to divide, no more writer’s block.

My biggest organization challenge is my health. So many days I plan to write and I am physically unable to. But I write every day I am healthy enough. It takes me longer than a healthy person, but I persevere. That is why I have been writing 8 years, but only have 6 books written, and only one children’s story (7,000 words) published).

My nano name is mindwing15

Mary

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