tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529725084811715233.post2732485462329351655..comments2024-03-26T16:31:13.865-07:00Comments on Mark Lawrence: All of it is never enough.Mark Lawrencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16877925828353073272noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529725084811715233.post-7715483206320333432018-09-07T14:21:51.324-07:002018-09-07T14:21:51.324-07:00Looking forward to the Science Fiction trilogy but...Looking forward to the Science Fiction trilogy but I already believe you’d be good at applying your imagination to other genres apart from fantasy. I hope you’re sketching out some ideas in horror or maybe even a dark variant of crime fiction. So I think you’ve plenty of options to avoid peak book in one genre. But what do I know, it’s easy to commentate on the sidelines?!Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15221915685622182857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529725084811715233.post-57966093568008594372018-09-07T13:06:08.010-07:002018-09-07T13:06:08.010-07:00This is excellent advice. This has been the best y...This is excellent advice. This has been the best year ever for me in terms of writing; but I’m so close to complete burnout, I’ve decided to get away from my desk as soon as I publish the novel I’m currently working on. This past year, I wrote and published two novels and a novella, am almost finished writing another novel, wrote short stories that have been accepted into anthologies, made the USA Today Bestseller List and had my Science Fiction novel added to the Nebula Awards reading list. For the first time ever, I’m seeing daily sales. Before I start writing my fourth novel for the year, however, I’ve decided to take a break to go hiking or something. (I hear the sun is still shining. I haven’t been out there to check lately.) I’ve decided to balance my life before I end up hating writing, something I’ve loved since I was a teenager. I love social media and the writers’ community, but I’ve come to realize that I have to decide what’s right for me as a writer and a person, not force myself to follow someone else’s path. I want to return to seeing life as a journey, rather than a daily struggle to achieve greater word counts in my writing.Marilyn Peakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14666982212688085328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529725084811715233.post-55533059333445562922018-06-12T15:25:07.850-07:002018-06-12T15:25:07.850-07:00A Buddhist monk fighting for nothing in your next ...A Buddhist monk fighting for nothing in your next work? George Carlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02516487714662826929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529725084811715233.post-22751405976560156072018-06-05T08:01:02.326-07:002018-06-05T08:01:02.326-07:00Great article, Mark. Four books in one year though...Great article, Mark. Four books in one year though, and then three the next! My goodness! You're down right prolific. I don't remember you being so dang productive!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15867334623518874216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529725084811715233.post-74314913834917233992018-05-30T16:54:17.858-07:002018-05-30T16:54:17.858-07:00Great post.
'All of it is never enough.' ...Great post.<br /><br />'All of it is never enough.' is something I struggle with daily, especially with my writing.<br /><br />At the beginning of this year, I thought I wanted to make a career of writing. I went down to two days a week at my programming job and threw myself into writing. I was cranking out 15-20k words a week. All I cared about was the destination. If you can believe it, I was gunning for you, Mark. I wanted to match or surpass your success.<br /><br />Turns out, I hated it. I worked non-stop, never taking a day or weekend off. And at the end of all this work, the first draft of my next book was a shell of a thing. It lacked the inspiration and careful attention to detail of my previous efforts. I was pretty devastated. I had to decide if I was going to give up on writing altogether, or accept that I had to adopt a different approach.<br /><br />I did the latter, and for the last two months have been writing at my own pace. I enjoy writing again, because I'm focused on the craft and the journey. Financial success or rave reviews are no longer my goal.<br /><br />I've re-written my next book three times now, and I desperately hope to have it ready in time for SPFBO, but if I don't, I'll keep on writing.<br /><br />Sorry to ramble. I guess what I'm trying to say is that your post was both comforting and encouraging given my struggles of the last six months.Sandell Wallhttps://sandellwall.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529725084811715233.post-64896513850701794212018-05-29T15:32:59.911-07:002018-05-29T15:32:59.911-07:00It's true, the grass is always greener is a si...It's true, the grass is always greener is a similar one. I had a phase in life where it was always upwards, until I realised the top of the hill wasn't that great and there were more important things in life. But now I amble erratically up the mountain of writing and can see millions of people further up than me...Clive Anthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15122193115400398014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529725084811715233.post-30007545174631225422018-05-28T01:00:03.033-07:002018-05-28T01:00:03.033-07:00Thanks for this.
I am one of the lucky ones that e...Thanks for this.<br />I am one of the lucky ones that enjoys what she has and takes pleasure in the journey, but even so I need to remember that, once in a while.<br /><br />And you don't need to justify yourself about the books you write. Yes, some will like this trilogy better, others that other one, and yet others, who haven't picked up one of your books ever, will be won by the next books. They all sell/will sell, so you'll be fine - just keep yourself happy, challenge yourself as much as you want.<br />You deserve it :)ScarletBea / Beatriznoreply@blogger.com