[Announcement] Dork Tower Central and Invisible Me

Dork Tower 15 Year AnniversaryFriday, I popped in at Dork Tower to shed my proverbial cloak of invisibility with this blog post.

Occasionally, you’re going to get some updates from people that aren’t John – LIKE ME, MONICA! – about what he’s up to or his work, because I’ve locked him in his studio he’s busy drawing at his table. So, without further adieu, I shed my cloak of invisibility to drop some hints about what’s coming up. — SOURCE: And Now, A Note from Monica at DorkTower.com

I started working with John behind-the-scenes a few hours a week and wanted to share this with you because you may see the occasional fan girl squee update here. While I’m not at liberty to talk about the details of what I’m doing, I can tell you that I couldn’t be happier the direction my life is taking.

Well, time to put back on my cloak of invisibility. What’s this rabbit hole doing here? Now you see me? Now you – AHHHHHHHHHH!

July 17, 2011
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[My New Column] Dice Castle: From Commoner to Freelancer…

I am pleased to announce that my first column has been published at Geek’s Dream Girl. Since the site already had articles written about the topic, I decided to take a different approach and turn a commoner into a freelancer. For once-a-month we’ll be headed to Dice Castle.

This first column talks about character creation.

Before we head out on our quest to Dice Castle, there are a couple of things we need to figure out. First? We’re going to take a look at your character sheet to see what’s already there. Oh, and for those of you who decide to min/max this process? There will be some opportunities for that, too. You’re a Commoner at the moment, but with any luck you’ll be a Freelancer in no time. So sayeth the GM, so shall it be done. — SOURCE: Calling All Freelancers! Adventure to Dice Castle at Geek’s Dream Girl

Then, I go on to provide some tips and insight into the industry to help a budding freelancer dispel some of the myths and figure out what they want to do.

Things like:

  • Penning fiction is not the same thing like writing flavor text.

    • I think this series will be good for people who need something a little more hands-on when they’re thinking about freelancing. By turning it into a workshop, I hope I’ll be able to reach a few writers and help them plan for their future.

    Check it out!

    July 13, 2011
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    [Call for Quotes] How Did You Get Published?

    Hi folks,

    Based on the popularity of my article yesterday for SFWA.org entitled Message to New Writers: It’s Okay to Focus on Your Craft, I would like to follow up in July with a new article that highlights how published authors got their start.

      If you are a published author who has gotten paid for your fiction, please consider telling us about the first story you ever published and where it was featured.

      You may contact me directly or provide a quote in the comments below along with your website.

    I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: no two paths within this industry are alike. You and I may have opinions about the approach an author has, but at the end of the day those thoughts mean diddly. What matters, is focusing on your own work. What you are comfortable doing. What you are happy with.

    I hope by exploring other people’s stories, in addition to my own, that we’ll not only shed some insight on these diverse paths, but we’ll also provide new authors with some much-needed encouragement.

    June 17, 2011
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    [My Guest Post] A Message to New Writers at SFWA.org

    This month, I decided to write a column geared for new writers at SFWA.org. This month, I talk about how it’s okay to ditch all the writing advice and focus on your craft. Then, I offer several resources where you can turn to sharpen up your plots and trim your prose.

    The mentality that you have to “get your first stories published or else” is incredibly foreign to me. I opted for an undergrad degree that allowed me to simply learn and write. Due to the flexibility of my Creative Writing program, I developed my own course requirements to focus on multiple forms of writing. While there are benefits and drawbacks to any academic program, I have no regrets: the environment allowed me to concentrate on the words I wrote as opposed to selling them. — SOURCE: Message to New Writers: It’s Okay to Focus on Your Craft

    I hope you’ll give Message to New Writers: It’s Okay to Focus on Your Craft a read. I recommended Nascence as one of the resources and author Tobias Buckell was kind enough to provide me with a quote.

    I feel that this issue is worth exploring, especially given the glut of writing advice and popularity of different topics. No, this article may not be relevant to you, but it’s definitely something to think about when you’re fresh out of the gate.

    June 16, 2011
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    Sign Up for My Newsletter for Free Fiction

    Based on the feedback I’ve received over the past couple of months, my monthly newsletter is going to take on a more personal tone. Each month, newsletter subscribers will receive free fiction in their In Box.

    To read free fiction, all you have to do is sign up for my monthly newsletter. I use a third party provider called “MailChimp.” They have a great privacy policy and whitelisting service built into their interface.

    I hope you’ll consider being a part of my growing community of readers, colleagues and friends. Thanks so much for supporting my work!

    – Monica

    June 13, 2011
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