February of this year is when I finally embraced making writing a major part of my day to day existence. I had been writing my whole life as a fun hobby and for it’s therapeutic implications but it was time to work, to be better, and to change the world. I told all of my friends, “I’m getting serious about this thing.” I accepted I was a baby, a student, a beginner and wore that badge proudly. I needed to learn from the masters, harness the craft, deal with personal anxiety, figure out what my philosophy toward this new monster would be, and most of all, I needed to always try to be better. My behavior changed in that I started writing and recording ALL the time. That was six months ago. Now I get asked the same question constantly, “How is the writing going?”
The short answer – “Great! Fun! I’m grateful to have reassurance that this is indeed what I am most passionate about. Things are forever changing. I’m learning so much, exploring everything freely, and dissolving all limitation. I’m doing it.”
The long answer –
Things are going fantastic!
At first my intention was to sit in the wings and observe. I’d watch the blogs of J.C. Hutchins, Scott Sigler, Mur Lafferty and all the other influential authors in the podcast novel space. All the while I’d work on my masterpiece and blow them all out of the water when it was ready. After a very short while I figured out this was not going to work. I was sitting in my hobbit hole scribbling but no one was reading it and I wasn’t learning anything about the craft like I wanted. So I started searching for low-risk ways of exposure. This is where the 100 word stories podcast came in and GreatHites. Weekly contests where people voted for fun on the stories and your story was syndicated in a podcast. It was simple: if people didn’t like your story they didn’t vote for you, done. No one screamed at you and no one told you it sucked, it was bliss but also not enough to move forward.
I did that for a while and I started to educate myself more about the writing industry. I subscribed to Writer’s Digest and every podcast I could find about getting better at this writing thing.
So that is where it started and things evolved way faster than I thought from there.
So, where are we now?
I think an itemized list will be more effective than a long hunk of wordy prose.
I think that covers all the bases for now but things are forever changing in this world so who knows what the next day, week, or month will bring.
Thank you all for your constant supportive words and encouragement. That stuff really means a lot, truly.
That is how the writing thing is going. 🙂 – Danny
Danny Machal July 30th, 2009
Posted In: Personal, zEverything
Tags: danny updates, pop, writing
7 Aug 2015
A sinister cosmic force wanted to end our species. 5000 years ago Asteroid 376GH was gently nudged toward planet Earth’s orbit. A slow death. We would know it. We could see it coming. If only 376GH had the courtesy to hit directly and not at an angle we would have […]
24 Jul 2015
The best and coldest spectacle comes into town once a year. The event is called the Snow Circus. Lions, bears and tigers all on parade gliding gracefully with their handlers. Slick frozen surfaces sparkling under massive spotlights cause big crowds to pour in from the surrounding countryside to see a […]
17 Jul 2015
Jacques stared defeated at his dropped steaming kielbasa. There it lay, gathering gravel and dirt. “I’ll kill you Maurice.” A jar of mustard thrown shattered on the ground staining the meat an off yellow. “My Dijon will live forever Auguste!” A second jar of mustard thrown broke upon the cobblestone […]
20 Sep 2015
“Wake up everyone! She is finally blooming,” the old Rose bush shouted. The Lilacs leaned over to examine the bud they had all watched for so long. It was a new species and one they had never seen before. “I tell you it is just a weed. Blew in off […]
2 Sep 2015
“Leave a glass of red wine for the Fire Elementals,” my Mother would say. I’d always ask, “Where?” just so she would tell me one of her stories. Mom was an accomplished leader of a local coven of Witches. They mostly got together in the back yard on Saturday Nights. […]
12 Aug 2015
The music was loud and thumped through every rivet of the hull. A party at sea meant you could make as much noise as you wanted. “Where are we?” the young party goer shouted as she leaned into the Captain’s ear. Her body bopped and swayed with the music. “About […]
4 Sep 2015
The cemetery spread along the area known as Devils Abode. The Devil’s Abode was special cemetery where only those who were particularly nasty while living could be buried. I know what you are thinking. It isn’t just criminals that inhabit this hallowed ground. Some criminals can be down right pleasant […]
12 Aug 2015
“Where did they go?” “I’m not sure Sheriff,” Al said looking at the bowed head of his wife Lenora. The three of them stood outside some old crumbling ruins in the red rock high desert. This was a popular destination for people staying at their bed and breakfast. Lenora warned […]
5 Aug 2015
“The team employed the use of Nightshade to get the information they wanted from their captive.” “Wow. Old school -all natural,” Tanya jerked at the heavy chains threaded through cemented u-bolts in the floor. The voice spoke again, “Going somewhere?” She didn’t respond letting her arms settle at her sides. […]