I enjoyed your interview. It looks like you and I have similar views of humor and life, even though all my writing is scheduled for the future - but not too distant. Upon my retirement I plan to write a book (mostly for my family- but who knows what can happen once you actually DO something) I am just getting involved in Substack and learning how it works. I also enjoy listening to AGB!
“I decided I would write a space sitcom serial live on my Substack, and the sequel to my novel, and a weekly newsletter, and new stories every week for paid subscribers” Oh my goodness, no wonder you got burned out! I got burned out just from reading that. Though I can understand why you decided to attempt all of that. It’s so easy to make grand and exciting plans for future projects, but so much harder to actually execute all those plans. If only we could zap all the stories we want from our brain to the page.
I’m glad your burn out didn’t kill your love of writing.
Fun read. You interviewing...you. Made me strangely think of the film Adaptation. I hear you on the burnout; I’m trying to avoid that by being consistent but slow with my posts.
I'm with you on the burnout thing. I am moving back to working on short stories, even though it means abandoning the novel I was working on, at least temporarily. I just couldn't bring myself to work on it that way. I don't like publishing something until I feel like it's finished. Anyway, I'm limiting my substack to 1 story and one poem per month. Even then, I'll probably run out of old stuff to republish.
By the way, it sounds like when you jumped from FB to Medium, you republished your FB back catalog, then republished it again plus more, on Substack. Seems like a winning strategy. When we all have to jump to the next thing in five years we can republish everything again! 😎
Very interesting. It strikes me as very Borgesian: see his story Borges and I at https://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/00/pwillen1/lit/borg&i.htm Were you aware of that when you interviewed yourself, Mark? It's a great idea, a nice way of telling people about plans and achievements in a lighthearted way. Well done!
Haha! I loved every line of this. It’s your very own personal writing history, and what a fun journey it sounds like it has been for you! I’m happy to hear you bounced back from the burnout and enjoy it again.
NOTE TO MARK’S READERS: The Britpop and Elise books, IMHO, are good for middle-school readers of either gender. (We are still a few years from testing this on our oldest grandniece, alas.) Gift idea with the holidays!
Great interview, Mark, though I don't know about that interviewer! I think we've all burned out at one point or another. I had actually thought about trying to add in NaNoWriMo next month despite the ongoing health challenges and other things I'm trying to do. Then I laughed myself silly and moved on. 🤣🤣🤣
Found it difficult to concentrate on the whole of this interview, Mark. I mean, dang, you won a literary award! With a bona fide certificate and everything. And with your name on it. Wall mountable. I’m just going to go now and lick my wounds. Great production, though. Who’s your editor, by the way?
I enjoyed your interview. It looks like you and I have similar views of humor and life, even though all my writing is scheduled for the future - but not too distant. Upon my retirement I plan to write a book (mostly for my family- but who knows what can happen once you actually DO something) I am just getting involved in Substack and learning how it works. I also enjoy listening to AGB!
“I decided I would write a space sitcom serial live on my Substack, and the sequel to my novel, and a weekly newsletter, and new stories every week for paid subscribers” Oh my goodness, no wonder you got burned out! I got burned out just from reading that. Though I can understand why you decided to attempt all of that. It’s so easy to make grand and exciting plans for future projects, but so much harder to actually execute all those plans. If only we could zap all the stories we want from our brain to the page.
I’m glad your burn out didn’t kill your love of writing.
Fun read. You interviewing...you. Made me strangely think of the film Adaptation. I hear you on the burnout; I’m trying to avoid that by being consistent but slow with my posts.
Hehe that was so much fun! Thank you 😊
Mark, can you please ask Mark how I can get some mojo to write hundreds of stories please?
I'm with you on the burnout thing. I am moving back to working on short stories, even though it means abandoning the novel I was working on, at least temporarily. I just couldn't bring myself to work on it that way. I don't like publishing something until I feel like it's finished. Anyway, I'm limiting my substack to 1 story and one poem per month. Even then, I'll probably run out of old stuff to republish.
By the way, it sounds like when you jumped from FB to Medium, you republished your FB back catalog, then republished it again plus more, on Substack. Seems like a winning strategy. When we all have to jump to the next thing in five years we can republish everything again! 😎
Very interesting. It strikes me as very Borgesian: see his story Borges and I at https://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/00/pwillen1/lit/borg&i.htm Were you aware of that when you interviewed yourself, Mark? It's a great idea, a nice way of telling people about plans and achievements in a lighthearted way. Well done!
Haha! I loved every line of this. It’s your very own personal writing history, and what a fun journey it sounds like it has been for you! I’m happy to hear you bounced back from the burnout and enjoy it again.
NOTE TO MARK’S READERS: The Britpop and Elise books, IMHO, are good for middle-school readers of either gender. (We are still a few years from testing this on our oldest grandniece, alas.) Gift idea with the holidays!
You will also enjoy this as an adult, btw.
Great interview, Mark, though I don't know about that interviewer! I think we've all burned out at one point or another. I had actually thought about trying to add in NaNoWriMo next month despite the ongoing health challenges and other things I'm trying to do. Then I laughed myself silly and moved on. 🤣🤣🤣
Creative and hilarious as usual. :) My kids asked why I was laughing. Lol
Found it difficult to concentrate on the whole of this interview, Mark. I mean, dang, you won a literary award! With a bona fide certificate and everything. And with your name on it. Wall mountable. I’m just going to go now and lick my wounds. Great production, though. Who’s your editor, by the way?
Thanks Mark. What a great way to tell a story. Thanks for interviewing yourself.
What a fun-filled morning read! Your middle school award filed with the family’s important documents! 😂
Thanks Mark! I am marveling at your creativity.