I like to have a theme with the books I read. At the start of October, I was determined to consume every weird fiction book centered around a city (there are a surprising number of them) to inspire me for my own collection. This started out all right, but a vacation to Palm Springs and … Continue reading What I Read – October/November 2022
Maintaining Momentum (Writing Update)
I am notorious for starting projects and not finishing them. There are half a dozen unfinished novels on my computer and about 30 short stories that never survived past the first draft. But I feel my current WIP is different. I’m 3 months into it and I’m even more enthusiastic about it than when I … Continue reading Maintaining Momentum (Writing Update)
An Elegy for Twitter?
I avoid talking about current events and divisive topics on this blog, but there are some things I want to share about the state of Twitter and what the site means/meant to me. For the unfamiliar: Elon Musk’s recent acquisition of Twitter is causing a ruckus. His big plans for the micro-blogging site are not … Continue reading An Elegy for Twitter?
Living to Write (Update)
Create. Submit. Create. Submit. This process was daunting for the longest time. Now it has become something I live for. For the first time in my life, I feel like a real writer. I found my rhythm this month. I checked off all the boxes of what I wanted to accomplish and had some pleasant … Continue reading Living to Write (Update)
Building a World
There is a certain god-like satisfaction in creating a world. With ink and paper, you can breathe life into a setting that would otherwise exist only in your mind. This past week I’ve been doing just that. Worldbuilding has been a favorite hobby of mine for as long as I can remember. I was around … Continue reading Building a World
What I Read – August/September 2022
Quantitatively, I didn’t read that much these past two months—so I've combined the books into one post. I lost a week and a half of reading time after I came down with COVID, and for much of the past month, I’ve been making my way through the gargantuan novel It. Still, I managed to read … Continue reading What I Read – August/September 2022
New Project! (Writing Update)
Once in a while, I’ll have an idea that captivates me. It’s all that I can think about between waking up and going to sleep. My mind constantly spins, refining and adding to that idea. It’s been years since I felt like this. So, when that idea hit, I was beyond elated. I’m speaking of … Continue reading New Project! (Writing Update)
Short Story Marathon (Writing Update)
I said I wouldn’t push myself too hard, but that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. My New Year’s resolution was to submit at least three stories for publication. So, I’ve found three anthologies that are right up my alley. Unfortunately, I should not have started this resolution two-thirds of the way through the year. With … Continue reading Short Story Marathon (Writing Update)
What I Read – July 2022
This was Brian Keene month. After reading The Occurrence at Crazy Bear Valley, I remembered how much I enjoyed his work. There were a number of his classics that I hadn’t read (he’s written over 50 books), and I decided to rectify that. Despite my supposed moratorium on buying books, I just had to pick … Continue reading What I Read – July 2022
Training for a Novel (Writing Update)
Recently, I've been putting in 5 to 7 hours of reading and writing a day. I’m in training. Like any athlete, I need to condition, to push myself, to master the skills of the game. This may seem excessive, but Stephen King recommends at least 4 to 6 hours daily and Dean Koontz is known … Continue reading Training for a Novel (Writing Update)
Zé Burns | Blog 