Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Thank you and Happy New Year to those who have spent time with me on this blog, on Facebook, or Twitter. Only active since October, I hope I entertained, provided a laugh or two, or brought a memory long gone to mind with the posts.

I began the year toying with a novel I had been writing since early 2014. I finished the draft of Saving Delisanna in March. It was over 100,000 words written by a pantser (me). I wrote two endings, one suitable for a standalone novel and one suitable to leave an opening for a follow-on work. However, Saving Delisanna needed a lot of work. I enjoined experts for assistance by reading their writing blogs and craft novels. Among these experts were James Scott Bell, Marcy Kennedy, and others noted in my blog  http://dwaneknott.com/2016/12/christmas-gifts-writers/.

How do you create a brand?

writers need a brand

What fun is having a novel if it is not read? Readers have to be cultivated. Kristen Lamb wrote a premier work called Rise of the Machines, Human Authors in a Digital World.  She espoused one needs a brand.  Facebook, Twitter, and blog are three of elements that can contribute to exposing one’s brand to the world. I had the Facebook and Twitter accounts where I began to be more active. In October, I posted my first blog to this site.   (Kristen writes on noteworthy topics. One of her latest includes advice on succeeding in 2017.)

writing

W.A.N.A Tribe for writers

Writing is a solitary business but writing alone is a lonely business (pun intended). Kristen’s book introduced me to W.A.N.A. (We Are Not Alone) Tribe. This is a site she operates for serious writers. I found the serious writers there willing to share their experience with those who ask. It is also a place for writers to socialize and to write. Kristen hosts ‘sprinting’ on weekday mornings and sometimes in the evening. Sprinting is a timed writing window after which participants can brag about how much they have written. It is easier to write if someone is supporting.

I have several favorite blog writers. Among them is K.M. Weiland’s https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/. Her blog series How to Outline for NaNoWriMo inspired me to join the NaNoWriMo challenge. I finished November with a winner icon and Kiliane’s Rage, my second draft novel.

December has been busy. Besides the blog, Facebook, and Twitter, I have joined a critique group to provide reviews of Kiliane’s Rage revised chapters. I am providing reviews for other writers. Writing critiques seems to help my writing. Seeing ways to improve others’ works gives me insight into ways to improve mine. My road is long but I am on it.

The last half of this year was hectic. I hope the coming year to be less so since the ‘getting going’ work is done. The past few months were interesting and fun. I interacted with some amazing writers and personable people and have learned much from them.

May you have a Safe and Happy New Year

new year 2017

A special thank you to everyone who has visited this site. I hope that you will visit again and leave me a comment. Let me know you came.

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4 Comments

  1. 2017 has been a busy year, hasn’t it?

    I wrote 2 novels, am editing one of them trying to make it publication ready, and I dealt with a whole lotta personal stuff.

    Doesn’t sound like much when laid out that way, but it was a busy, busy year.

    • Dwane

      That is quite an accomplishment – writing two novels. I hope you will let me know when you publish.
      Just an observation, the busy never shows itself when one is asked what is going on. Your blog has hinted at the many challenges of this year.
      May 2017 be kind to you.

  2. It seems that I met you when you were dabbling in the novel you were writing, and I watched you start the process of building a brand, of taking a long, hard look at your novel and I watched you write over 50K words in November. You’ve come a long way in 2016. I can’t wait to see what 2017 has in store for you.

    I discovered a lot of opportunities in 2016, and I discovered that I needed a fundamental change in my life in order to be able to pursue those opportunities. So, I put the possibilities on hold for a couple of months while I focussed on making the necessary changes.

    Now 2017. Time to make those dreams into reality. Time to get back into the creative flow. Time to make it happen.

    Thank you, Dwane, for being a part of all of this.

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