Writer Mick: Blog

Hi All

My professional career took a turn about 15 months ago. I was fired from my job and I walked away, not liking where the profession was going.

I started doing a mindless job, driving a courier truck. I was delivering lab specimens to hospitals, both human and animal. I delivered human blood for the Red Cross and that was how I injured my left knee (sprained MCL and torn meniscus). I delivered all kinds of stuff. There was a lot of windshield time and a lot of time to think.

A month ago something happened that made me want to get back into my former world. I looked around with the knowledge that if I didn't find a job that fit my mindset, that I could keep driving.

I found that job, and made contact with them. Over the course of the next few weeks, we talked, they flew me in for an interview. I met a lot of people and answered a lot of questions and before I knew it I was hired.

Now at this point I could go off on the bogus moving company that cost me $600 or the stress of packing or discarding 5 years of your life, but I won't do that.

Instead, I'll give you a Thanksgiving gift.

I have had this ongoing battle with myself. Should I go to Patreon and monetize my writing or stay here on SOL and put my work out there for free. I've chosen to stay here on SOL only. The pressure of having to write would have taken a lot of the enjoyment out of this hobby.

So, on Thanksgiving morning I'll post the first chapter of "Friends and Family". It is being edited by DaveT and proofread by Oldgrump. Eventually all 26 chapters will be posted, but I wanted to give you a hint of what was coming as a thank you for your readership.

"Friends and Family" was supposed to be my breakout on Patreon. I am very happy with the story, even more so after the hard work of the editors. I've been rewriting the story as DaveT has been teaching me how to be better. He teaches and I go back and write the next chapter all over before sending it to him for his opinion.

The effect on my other projects has been amazing, something for which I am truly thankful for. So, thank you to DaveT, Oldgrump, and of course Askepot for his work on "The Strawberry Patch"

I am moving this week and that could upset my posting schedule a bit. I'll try to get everything to remain on the normal timeline, but moving can make that timeline go all wonky.

So! God bless all of you. Happy Thanksgiving. And thank you again for your readership and to those who have cared enough to write with comments, corrections, observations, and opinions. I appreciate and am thankful for all of you.

Mick

Hi All

This having an editor stuff is wonderful! At first I felt like a flipping moron because I would get a chapter of a story back and it would have at least one correction on every stinking page.

After I got through the initial shock and embarrassment of how poorly I was writing, I went back and rewrote several of my older short stories using the new skills I learned. I liked the way they read after the edits.

So, I said all that so I could say this.

I have a story in the works called "Friends and Family" and I really put all of my new skills into it. It is still a typical WriterMick story with some laughs and tears and some 'I can't believe he did that'. Now when I send a chapter to my editor, I get complements! I'm still making mistakes, mostly with those pesky comma's and a few fat finger spelling errors.

Now the big question is when to begin posting it. There are 26 chapters and 9 have been edited. I want to post a chapter a week like I do with "The Strawberry Patch" so what do you think? Should I start it now? Wait until it is all edited? Keep it hidden until "The Strawberry Patch: Book 3" is done?

Let me know what you think and I'll see if the editor can live with the pressure of it!

Mick

Hi All!

In an effort to improve my writing, I have actually begun to listen to my editor!

I've set myself the task of going back over my shorter stories and fixing the grammatical and spelling errors.

I've just posted the fixed version of "I Know You Do" and on Monday morning I'll post the final chapter of "You Are Going To Really Enjoy Swinging Again".

I hope that you'll enjoy both efforts.

I'll continue to rewrite and fix my previous, unedited, and very amateurish works.

Thanks again for your readership and for the constructive criticisms.

Mick

Hi All

I started "You Are Really Going to Enjoy Swinging Again" as a short flash story. Then my muse dropped a bomb on it and it exploded into two chapters and she was after me to finish it. So, I did.

Again, unedited, except by myself using the new skills I'm learning, the first two chapters are corrected and will be posted ASAP. The 3rd chapter will post Sunday morning and the f=4th and final chapter will post on Tuesday morning.

Also, work is progressing on another new story and, of course, The Strawberry Patch continues.

OH! One more little thing. Thanks to all of you who wrote me and gave me bits of info on Buffalo. I used some of the comments to investigate further and the results are that it would appear that I will not take the offered job in Buffalo.

It would fit my wants, needs, and skill set to a T, but I would end up paying 38% of my earnings in taxes. At my age, I would rather put that money into retirement.

Looks like I will soon be an Okie! Or maybe, I'll just stay here in Boise. Time will tell.

Here's hoping all will work out.

Hi All

The Lovin' Spoonful had a song with this title way back when I was a kid.

Now I find myself in this situation. I've been retired from my profession (burned out) for a year and the other day I saw a video that fired me up again. Now I find myself with two opportunities.

One has all the advantages, but the other needs my specific skill set. The one pulling on my heart is in Buffalo, NY. I mean the Peoples Fucking Republic of New Fucking York!?!?!?

I don't know what to do. I need to make the choice very soon as both positions would like me in place by mid-November.

Anyone having any psychic vibes, please let me know.

Oh! And I have been blessed with a wonderful pair of editors. One of them has made The Strawberry Patch so much better, and the other is making my next long story into something I never dreamed I could do. As soon as the 26th chapter is edited and the story finished, I'll begin posting it.

It is called 'Friends and Family' and it was supposed to be my breakout into Patreon, but I decided that I didn't want to get into a situation where I felt I HAD to write. I think my muse would have gone on strike for higher wages!

Mick