With the holidays approaching, I hope you’ll consider buying either Mystical Greenwood (remember, the second One with Nature novel is being edited!) or one of the anthologies that features my work, such as the Christmas anthology I mentioned that features one of my short stories, “The Red House.”
It’s on Goodreads too! This was a short story written during my high school years that I’d thought lost, along with “Crossing the Estuary” in Fae Dreams. But I rediscovered both, thankfully, and here they are.
I’m continuing to edit the sequel to Mystical Greenwood. Remember, the holidays will be coming, and books make great gifts! Be sure to browse my publications. Happy reading!
Many thanks to Craig and Roland of The Hidden Gems Author Podcast for featuring me in their 89th episode! I discuss with them the challenges I’ve had to face as an author due to my Asperger syndrome.
You can also listen to the episode on Podbean! If you’re an author with a writing-related subject you want to discuss, be sure to check them out!
And many thanks also to Sally Cronin for featuring an excerpt from Mystical Greenwood on her blog! Maybe that’ll entice you buy it! If you’re an author looking for more promotional opportunities, be sure to check out Sally’s site!
Plus, I have more great news! A few weeks ago, after so much time, I finally completed a draft for the next book in the One with Nature series! Not only that, but Fae Corps is also aiming to publish it next August!
If you’re planning to attend the Maryland Writers’ Conference, I hope to see you there. I am also giving a presentation on manuscript and book formatting later this month. You can attend in person or via Zoom. You can promote it on Facebook too!
Greetings, everyone. This month I’ve got some recent appearances as well as some upcoming ones to share.
First, here’s a sermon I gave at Nichols-Bethel United Methodist Church in which I discuss my journey, personally and in writing, with social media, as I have mentioned gradually in past posts, as well as with physical clutter, with references to The Social Dilemma and The Minimalists. Even if you aren’t Christian or religious, I hope you’ll be inspired to consider placing more value on the people in your lives than in your physical possessions and digital presence. If you have trouble with the volume, there is closed captioning.
Be sure to check out Minimalism, and, if you have Netflix, The Social Dilemma and Less Is Now.
I am scheduled to appear on a new episode of the Hidden Gems Author Podcast. Stay tuned. I will be sure to share a link.
Also, I will also be giving a presentation at the Annapolis chapter of the Maryland Writers’ Association next month on manuscript formatting. You can promote it on Facebook too. You can attend either in person or via Zoom. Hope to see you there!
Last week, on Independence Day, I appeared on the podcast The Chapter Goddess Chat, hosted by author and editor Madilynn Dale. If you didn’t get to watch it, here it is:
You can also listen to it on Spotify and read an interview I did with Madilynn on her blog. I had a wonderful time, and if you are a writer looking for a podcast to appear on, I highly recommend you check out this one!
And yes, like I said on the podcast, I’m no longer on Twitter and Tumblr, and I’ve chosen not to feature links to my LinkedIn profile on this site anymore.
It’s a question that all writers get asked at least once, including me. Some writers plan everything out in advance. Others make it up as they go, writing off the seat of their pants. It’s one of those things where writers seem to fall into one of two camps, it seems, similar to print vs. digital books when reading.
There are pros and cons for each method. With plotting, writers know exactly where they are going and able to consistently progress with their outlines, and so the likelihood of writer’s block is much smaller. I imagine that with some genres with plotlines or formulas already laid out, like the hero’s journey, historical fiction, or cozy mysteries, plotting might be easier for some. On the other hand, if the situation should arise where the writer doesn’t like where the story is progressing or even a specific element, starting over is even more difficult. I’ve encountered this feeling whenever I’ve grown dissatisfied with character names and wanted to rename them or other details, and often it feels like the only way I can move forward is to start over.
Being a pantser, in contrast, offers more freedom and flexibility. A story can develop more fluidly and build upon itself like a voyage of discovery. Opportunities for creativity are greater, but, as one would expect, so is the possibility of running into writer’s block. Most people I’ve met have expressed their surprise when they learn I’m not a full-blown plotter, because, as someone on the autism spectrum, I do prefer to plan ahead with many things, and have a preference for patterns and routines, in my life as a means to avoid anxiety. But life doesn’t always work out like that, and I get anxious anyway, so I have tried to not always have patterns, and some have been given up, I’m happy to say, because I’ve learned I don’t always need to have them.
Nevertheless, I’m also aware that even careful planning doesn’t always lead to things working as hoped for. But does that mean I’m a pantser? No, not entirely. Every writer has their preferences. Some see the first draft as their plotting, or seek a middle path, what is called a plantser. So perhaps this is like planting seeds and then watch them grow.
I don’t know if I even fall into that category. It could always change in the future. But I think that just like with print vs. digital books, we shouldn’t simply fall into camps because of what we prefer. Everyone has their preference and should be respected for it. I just write, and I am constantly seeking my own way, which is always evolving.
P.S. Check out the Moonstone Arts Center’s 2023 haiku anthology. It features five of mine! I also changed the site’s theme a few days ago. I hope you like it!
Yes. Even more stuff has happened since last month. First off, the online magazine Words of the Lamb has published not only my micro memoir / testimony but also three of my poems:
During the last week of April, I chose to take a hiatus from most of my social media sites. Despite all my efforts to cut back on how many times I logged in, I was still feeling anxious and stressed about them. I feel now that it was because it wasn’t only time I should’ve been focusing on, but my actual activities/habits on them as well.
I’ve watched a lot of TED talks lately, including on social media, and some of the speakers discussed something known as FOMO, or the fear of missing out. Some of my shares/posts/tweets online were kind of like that; they had become more of a compulsive obligation. That is something I will need to change.
So, I’m once again examining and reconsidering my social media habits and how I can make them feel more productive and positive. For the time being, I do not think I will be as active as I was before. It’s also in the back of my mind that I might eventually quit a couple of social media sites, but that hasn’t been decided yet.
A few things have been happening over the past month. To start, many thanks to author and blogger Sally Cronin for featuring a blog post I did last year in her archive series:
The holiday anthology featuring my short story isn’t out yet. However, my sonnet “Knights in Shining Armor” was featured by Southern Arizona Press in their new poetry anthology Castles and Courtyards.
I hope you’ll read and review it, along with my other published work! If you’re a poet looking to get your poems featured, be sure to check out SAP’s current submissions!
Additionally, I recently learned that a micro memoir piece that I wrote has been accepted by an online religious literary magazine, WOTL!
If you’re interested in giving a presentation at the 2023 Maryland Writers’ Conference, the Maryland Writers’ Association is accepting submissions! It’ll be in person in October, so you know.
At the beginning of this year, I made a resolution to be more positive. It hasn’t been easy, but after the Easter holiday, I was resolved to keep faith in myself and continue toward that resolution. Even after Easter, though, I have still found myself feeling low and battling self-doubt, which makes me question my previous accomplishments.
Nevertheless, I know need to keep going, and I may have to reevaluate my Internet and social media habits even further as well. I’ve tried being more productive and mindful of my time, though I’m not sure I’m satisfied yet. But at least I’m aware of this, and I know I need to once again remember to believe in myself.
I’m happy to announce to you all that a short story of mine is appearing in an upcoming Christmas anthology by Mystic Publishers, Inc. this year!
The story is called “The Red House,” and has its origins in my high school years of writing. Like pretty much all of my writing attempts from back then, I’d thought it lost, until one day when I discovered a printed copy of it along with some other pieces (including what would become “Crossing the Estuary” in the Fae Corps anthology Fae Dreams).
For this month, here’s a double feature! Many thanks to Sally Cronin for promoting my published work, and to Robbie Cheadle for allowing me to discuss how poetry has impacted my life. Check out both!
Change happens all the time. As someone who suffers from Asperger syndrome, I can tell you that change to routines and patterns, stepping outside of my comfort zone, has never been easy. Change, especially when it occurs outside of my control, sends my mind spiraling, and I feel trepidation.
But change can lead to benefits. As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been making efforts to cut back on social media time, but I’m also seeking to change my online habits, too. During the COVID shutdown I spent more time online, especially Twitter. I did get the word out about my work more and made some new connections, but now the hashtags I followed haven’t helped with book sales. The same’s been happening with tweets asking for book recommendations. These habits and the time spent on them and other sites feel more like a hindrance. To counter them, I’ve tried walking more, and for that, I’m glad.
With most sites, I’ve gotten down to generally 1-2 logins per day. Nevertheless, that is also something that could change in the future. Sometimes, I’ve found myself going up again if I need to do something specific, like website maintenance. I’ve felt if I can limit myself with those moments, I’m fine.
Nevertheless, the temptation is still there, and it can eat time. Plus, I’m aware these efforts could turn into new patterns that could become just as constrictive and worrisome. I need to curb the scrolling, searching, and that addictive, time-eating cycle that can result, but simultaneously, I also shouldn’t try to control everything, because anxiety always comes from not being perfect. It’s been said that with reviews, quantity over quality. With online time and content, it’s the opposite. Now I need to put it into practice.
Likewise, I’ve tried getting back into the writing routine I’ve mentioned before. Sometimes it doesn’t happen, and other times I do not get the word count I’d like, but I need to remind myself that progress is progress, no matter how small. I need to see the fun in writing again, as author Nour Zikra put it. This year, I hope to be more positive about my writing, my online/social media time, my habits, and, most of all, myself.
I realized through prayer that I need to think more positively. Then, at the beginning of Advent, when I was feeling low and anxious again, after an earnest prayer to God, I opened my copy of the Bible without any specific section in mind. It opened to Psalm 77, and as I read it, I knew my prayer had been answered. Even if you’re not Christian or religious, I hope you too will remember all the good that’s been in your life when distressed. If I need to make changes to meet new circumstances, I will have to do so.
P.S. Enjoy these videos of my readings from last year’s open mics!
Andrew McDowell 