Gauthic Times #69 News & Other Stuff from Bill Gauthier, or May the 4th–Um…Was Last Week…Oops
Hello there.
I intended to write a great newsletter with lots of talk about Star Wars for May the 4th, even though the newsletter would’ve come out on Revenge of the 5th, but things got busy and weird and I just didn’t. Which, in terms of updates, is fine because I really didn’t have much to update last week. And, as far as Star Wars is concerned, I have so much I could say that I’m never really sure where to start. I did make a post to TikTok for the Fourth, so there’s that.
But today is the twelfth…well, actually, it’s the 11th as I write this but you’ll be reading on the twelfth…so I won’t be writing about Star Wars.
Let’s get into what I will be writing about!
Welcome to the 69th installment of Gauthic Times, the newsletter about my writing, my life, and using new technology for old things.
I see you sitting there reading this with your morning coffee (nice bunny slippers, you, and no, you over there don’t have to put on anything decent, I’m cool) and understand that you’d like more of my writing. Well, becoming a paid Patron on my Patreon, where I write about things in more detail than I do in the newsletter or on my website, including the actual names of my works-in-progress and not just codenames. The lowest tier for Patreon is $1 but at $5/month, we’re looking at some serious help.
I mean, if every subscriber or reader of this newsletter, or every social media follower I have became a Patron at even just the $1 tier, I could write more and pay my bills better. The same would happen if they bought copies of my books.
You can also buy me a coffee through Ko-Fi.
Echoes on the Pond is out now! Grab a copy, if you haven’t already. If you have bought it already, books make great gifts! And if you’ve read Echoes on the Pond, I’d also really love (and appreciate) it if you’d leave a nice review on Amazon or Goodreads.
You can also get my collection Catalysts or my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed.
Anyway, let’s do this!
***
Based on the feedback from my writer friend regarding Project: Monster, I decided to go back into that. He recommended that I cut 50-100 pages from the novel. I spent most of the week before thinking about what I could cut, and how to go about doing it.
In some ways, I’m pretty old-fashioned. I traditionally like to print out my work and edit with a pen. I feel like I do a better job that way. That said, printing a novel can be a bitch. It takes forever to print. Then you need a place to keep it. And then you need space to lay out the edited pages when you’re bringing the changes into the computer. With my setup, I don’t really have the space. I’d heard of a writer who will self-publish one copy of his books to edit, which sounds cool but also like a lot of work.
But then I thought about my iPad and Apple Pencil. I’d tried editing that way a few years back but I believe the technology has improved. So I decided to go through the PDF with my Apple Pencil and keep it in a shared folder so I can access it on my MacBook. I wasn’t sure if this would work so I tested it, and it works beautifully.
That led me to editing Project: Monster via my iPad Pro. I’m still dealing with the tactile handwriting on my manuscript in order to edit but it’s not taking up tons of space. I can also still go back and forth between pages because there’s a sidebar where I can see the pages and move between them. It also means that, in theory, I can take my editing anywhere with me.
That was all last week. This past week was me working on Project: Monster. I missed a few days because G had an art show one night and Friday night I was wrecked. I’ve been so tired lately. I could even work on the book last night.
So far the work has been a little here and a little there. Because I’m editing the third draft, a lot of the heavy lifting was already done. Also, this pass-through is meant to be as much about getting the feel of the book again in order to figure out where the 50-100 pages will come from. I know some of that will be taking a line here, a paragraph there, and the like. Yet I also feel like there’s a character who could probably be cut down a little, whose POV isn’t essential to the overall book. We’ll see when I get through.
***
In this spot over on Patreon, I updated Patrons on some work on my graphic novel idea for this week. The only way to know about it is to become a Patron!
***
Another short one but it’s what I have right now. Thank you for reading!
If you’d like to see what I could do if I wrote full-time, share this newsletter with others and consider a paid subscription.
You can also tip/donate on Ko-Fi.
Of course, you could also become a Patron on my Patreon, which has a lot more information about my works-in-progress and the books I’ll be querying, including titles and some simple, non-spoiler details.
Get my collection Catalysts, my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed, and definitely order Echoes on the Pond, out now!
If you haven’t left a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or anyplace else for Echoes on the Pond, please consider doing so. This greatly helps sell copies.
And maybe call your local brick-and-mortar bookstore and demand they carry it! I’ll even sign copies! Well, if they’re local to me. That means Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and maybe some of the other New England states.
Gauthic Times #68 News & Other Stuff from Bill Gauthier, or The Pain of Life
Hello, friends.
This week was insane. Pamela’s situation with sciatica is heartbreaking to watch and it’s making me anxious to see her in so much pain that I’m so helpless to do anything about. Things at work are crazy because they are. I have a very interesting class that takes a lot out of me because roughly half the class is like teaching elementary school instead of high school. There’s been some cool things, too.
So, let’s do this thing!
Welcome to the 68th installment of Gauthic Times, the newsletter about my writing, my life, and some kind words from an email.
I see you sitting there reading this and understand that you’d like more of my writing. Well, becoming a paid Patron on my Patreon, where I write about things in more detail than I do in the newsletter or on my website, including the actual names of my works-in-progress and not just codenames. The lowest tier for Patreon is $1 but at $5/month, we’re looking at some serious help.
I mean, if every subscriber or reader of this newsletter, or every social media follower I have became a Patron at even just the $1 tier, I could write more and pay my bills better. The same would happen if they bought copies of my books.
You can also buy me a coffee through Ko-Fi.
Echoes on the Pond is out now! Grab a copy, if you haven’t already. If you have bought it already, books make great gifts! And if you’ve read Echoes on the Pond, I’d also really love (and appreciate) it if you’d leave a nice review on Amazon or Goodreads.
You can also get my collection Catalysts or my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed.
Anyway, let’s do this!
***
I finished Project: MG Space Adventure III this week. And I’ve decided (for now) on the new title. I worked on it every night and finished it Friday. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the story overall. It’s a real adventure and I really found myself engrossed at a certain point.
Draft two is done and I’ve sent it to at least one beta reader. I’ll be sending it to another soon.
***
In this spot over on Patreon, I updated Patrons on the lack of work on my graphic novel idea for this week. The only way to know about it is to become a Patron.
***
A writer I know who has been a big help to me for many years offered to read Project: Monster. Friday, I came home from work and errands to find a very nice email from him, giving some solid advice about the book.
The last paragraph of the email nearly had me in tears:
“Hope this helps. And thanks for letting me check it out. Your writing is tight, and in these past several years you’ve become a really solid writer. Now try to focus on what makes your work Bill Gauthier fiction. Keep honing your voice and don’t be afraid to take chances. You’re right there and ready to take that next step. Keep plugging!”
Damn! That’s a very big boost that I really needed.
***
And here I’ve come at the end of this update. I apologize for it being so short. Thank you for reading!
If you’d like to see what I could do if I wrote full-time, share this newsletter with others and consider a paid subscription.
You can also tip/donate on Ko-Fi.
Of course, you could also become a Patron on my Patreon, which has a lot more information about my works-in-progress and the books I’ll be querying, including titles and some simple, non-spoiler details.
Get my collection Catalysts, my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed, and definitely order Echoes on the Pond, out now!
If you haven’t left a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or anyplace else for Echoes on the Pond, please consider doing so. This greatly helps sell copies.
And maybe call your local brick-and-mortar bookstore and demand they carry it! I’ll even sign copies! Well, if they’re local to me. That means Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and maybe some of the other New England states.
Thank you for subscribing!
Gauthic Times #67 News & Other Stuff from Bill Gauthier, or Springing from Break
Hello, friends.
April Vacation, aka Spring Break, is nearly over. It feels like it went by quickly, of course, yet also not. Strange. I got to be with my daughters twice this week and saw my father with them, so that was good. Unfortunately, Pamela is dealing with an issue that has left her immobilized so that wasn’t good. I also didn’t get a ton of stuff done that I’d wanted to but I did other things, too.
Overall, a good week. Now comes the stress and anxiety of the End of the School Year and all that brings with it.
Anyway, let’s go!
Welcome to the 67th installment of Gauthic Times, the newsletter about my writing, my life, and other assorted horse pucky.
I see you sitting there reading this and understand that you’d like more of my writing. Well, becoming a paid Patron on my Patreon, where I write about things in more detail than I do in the newsletter or on my website, including the actual names of my works-in-progress and not just codenames. The lowest tier for Patreon is $1 but at $5/month, we’re looking at some serious help.
I mean, if every subscriber or reader of this newsletter, or every social media follower I have became a Patron at even just the $1 tier, I could write more and pay my bills better. The same would happen if they bought copies of my books.
You can also buy me a coffee through Ko-Fi.
Echoes on the Pond is out now! Grab a copy, if you haven’t already. If you have bought it already, books make great gifts! And if you’ve read Echoes on the Pond, I’d also really love (and appreciate) it if you’d leave a nice review on Amazon or Goodreads.
You can also get my collection Catalysts or my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed.
Anyway, let’s do this!
***
I worked on Project: MG Space Adventure III every night this week. Lots of tightening and rewriting and deleting. At one point, I’d added about 100 words to the book and then last night I edited out a different 100, bringing it back to 50,000 words. I feel like there are definitely spots where I need to go back and re-attack.
I’m still thinking about the new title Project: MG Space Adventure III. Guess we’ll see.
***
In this spot over on Patreon, Patrons were given a look into my graphic novel idea. The only way to see it is to become a Patron.
***
I did another drawing this week:
I wanted to play with some Copic Multiliner pens I got and wanted to see if I could translate what I’ve been doing digitally to paper. I think I did okay. I’m no pro and won’t be, but I’m still somewhat proud of it. Of course, looking at it right now, I see several things I’d change but that’s the learning process, right?
***
I’m still reading Greg F. Gifune’s Smoke, In Crimson. I’m going slow through it because I’m a slow reader but I’ve also been reading comics on my Marvel Unlimited and DC Universe Infinite apps. Not to mention another comic book, too. I’ll write more about the comics, maybe, next week. For now, Greg’s book is beautifully written and brutal. There’s a lot to unpack from it and I’m enjoying it quite a bit.
***
This week, Pamela and I watched the true crime documentary series Don’t F*ck with Cats on Netflix. The series hooked us right away and was crazy. We followed it up with Ken & Barbie Killers: The Lost Tapes on HBO Max. The latter case was mentioned in the former documentary so we figured we’d watch it.
Last weekend we watched Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces, which was terrific. I love Steve Martin and this documentary did not disappoint.
For family viewing, we watched Argylle, which was a lot of fun.
***
I mentioned last week trying to set up book signings at local stores this past week. That didn’t happen. I did begin looking up stuff but I’m not sure where to start. That said, I absolutely intend on trying to set things up.
***
Okay, that’s this week’s newsletter. Thank you for reading!
If you’d like to see what I could do if I wrote full-time, share this newsletter with others and consider a paid subscription.
You can also tip/donate on Ko-Fi.
Of course, you could also become a Patron on my Patreon, which has a lot more information about my works-in-progress and the books I’ll be querying, including titles and some simple, non-spoiler details.
Get my collection Catalysts, my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed, and definitely order Echoes on the Pond, out now!
If you haven’t left a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or anyplace else for Echoes on the Pond, please consider doing so. This greatly helps sell copies.
And maybe call your local brick-and-mortar bookstore and demand they carry it! I’ll even sign copies! Well, if they’re local to me. That means Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and maybe some of the other New England states.
Thank you for subscribing!
Gauthic Times #66 News & Other Stuff from Bill Gauthier, or Breaking My Spring
April Vacation, aka Spring Break, is here! One week to do whatever I want, whenever I want, as long as I have time, money, and the ability! (Checks bank accounts. Looks at energy levels). One week to do whatever I want as long as it’s sleep or things I can do at home! Whee!
Actually…that sounds kinda great.
This week has been kind of crazy as the thing I’ve been alluding to for months came to pass at work. I’m not going into it here but it’s both exciting and scary and my colleagues and I will have our work cut out for us, but a direction is before us.
That said, with vacation here I’m hoping to get some writing work done and do some art. Anyway, let’s get into things.
Welcome to the 66th installment of Gauthic Times, the newsletter about my writing, my life, and a drawing I made.
Look, I know you’re sitting there thinking, If only I could get more Bill Gauthier writing and work in my life. How can I do that?!
I get it. I do. One way to do that is to become a Patron on my Patreon, where I write about things in more detail than I do in the newsletter or on my website, including the actual names of my works-in-progress and not just codenames. The lowest tier for Patreon is $1 but at $5/month, we’re looking at some serious help.
I mean, if every subscriber or reader of this newsletter, or every social media follower I have became a Patron at even just the $1 tier, I could write more and pay my bills better. The same would happen if they bought copies of my books.
You can also buy me a coffee through Ko-Fi.
Echoes on the Pond is out now! Grab a copy, if you haven’t already. If you have bought it already, books make great gifts! And if you’ve read Echoes on the Pond, I’d also really love (and appreciate) it if you’d leave a nice review on Amazon or Goodreads.
You can also get my collection Catalysts or my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed.
Anyway, let’s do this!
***
I worked on Project: MG Space Adventure III for most of the past week. I had a meeting on Wednesday night at the school so I skipped that night, though I did a teeny bit for something else, which I’ll mention below. The editing/revising is going well. I will have to go back and fix some speech patterns for a bandit, but that’s the kind of thing that’s not uncommon for revising to a second draft.
I have a possible new title for this book. At first, G liked it, then she wasn’t sure. Pamela has liked it.
***
In this spot over on Patreon, Patrons were given a look at a character sketch an idea for a comic book or graphic novel idea. The only way to see it is to become a Patron.
***
While I posted this to my Instagram and Facebook Saturday, here’s a drawing I did:
I got a 22-inch drawing tablet at work and wanted to test it, so began this picture. I finished it at home on my 16-inch drawing tablet. I’m kinda proud of it.
***
One of the things I’m thinking about doing this week is looking into setting up book signings/events. I’m not really sure how to go about it but I think I can figure it out. I’ll stick to places within driving distance, including the Barnes & Noble stores, in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
***
Okay, that’s this week’s newsletter. Thank you for reading!
If you’d like to see what I could do if I wrote full-time, share this newsletter with others and consider a paid subscription.
You can also tip/donate on Ko-Fi.
Of course, you could also become a Patron on my Patreon, which has a lot more information about my works-in-progress and the books I’ll be querying, including titles and some simple, non-spoiler details.
Get my collection Catalysts, my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed, and definitely order Echoes on the Pond, out now!
If you haven’t left a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or anyplace else for Echoes on the Pond, please consider doing so. This greatly helps sell copies.
And maybe call your local brick-and-mortar bookstore and demand they carry it! I’ll even sign copies! Well, if they’re local to me. That means Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and maybe some of the other New England states.
Gauthic Times #65 News & Other Stuff from Bill Gauthier, or Total Eclipse of my Art
Hello, friends!
The first week of April is done and here we are. Last week was the longest year ever! So much going on at work that I barely have time to think. Writing was slow this week, which I’ll talk about. I don’t have many thoughts to go into my intro this week so I guess we’ll get right into it.
Welcome to the 65th installment of Gauthic Times, the newsletter about my writing, my life, and ads for my work.
I know you’re wondering how you can get me to write more and be even more creative. I can see it in your eyes as you eagerly consume these words from your device, hanging onto every syllable, unable to satiate the need for more Gauthic writing.
Well, becoming a Patron on my Patreon, where I write about things in more detail than I do in the newsletter or on my website, including the actual names of my works-in-progress and not just codenames, would certainly help. The lowest tier for Patreon is $1.
Check it out: if every social media follower I had did the $1 tier, I could write more and pay my bills better. The same would happen if they bought copies of my books.
You can also buy me a coffee through Ko-Fi.
Echoes on the Pond is out now! Grab a copy, if you haven’t already. If you have bought it already, books make great gifts! And if you’ve read Echoes on the Pond, I’d also really love (and appreciate) it if you’d leave a nice review on Amazon or Goodreads.
You can also get my collection Catalysts or my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed.
Anyway, let’s do this!
***
I finished revising Project: MG Space Adventure II on Monday. It still weighs in at 30,200 words and 140 pages. I’m pretty happy with it. I found the last two sessions had a lot of tweaking, tightening, and polishing, but that’s to make the ending better. What a fun book!
Because I’ve been reading Project: MG Space Adventure III to G and Pamela, I wanted to finish reading it before jumping into revising for the 2nd draft. Well, that didn’t happen and I decided I couldn’t wait any longer so Thursday and Friday saw me working on that. It’s 9:38 PM on Saturday night as I write this so we’ll see if I do anything on the book tonight.
It’s funny because revising for the 6th draft of Project: MG Space Adventure I took 11 days and revising for the 3rd draft of Project: MG Space Adventure II took 12 days. There was a little more to do in the second book than the first but I’ve already seen what a marked difference there is in revising for the 2nd draft. The first draft is messier. Even though I rewrite a little as I go, that first draft is really more about forward momentum and getting the story down. With Project: MG Space Adventure III being a first draft, I find myself laboring over whether the words I use are right, if the sentence sounds good, if the rhythm of the prose works. There’s a lot of tightening nuts and bolts. I suspect this draft will take me longer than the other books because the book is longer and because there’s more work to do.
***
In this spot over on Patreon, Patrons were given a mini comic I did to test an idea. The only way to see it is to become a Patron.
***
Today I worked on two ads. Here they are:
This ad was done at 11”x17” and could be shrunk down.
This ad was done for Instagram. I don’t entirely love everything about it but I don’t hate it, either.
***
One thing both ads have is the URL to bring people here. The problem is, I need to update this website badly. A big ugh right there. I’ve been working with the same look for the site since around 2011 or so. I’m not sure what to do, though. Still, it’s a location where people can find information about my work.
***
Okay, that’s this week’s newsletter. Thank you for reading!
If you’d like to see what I could do if I wrote full-time, share this newsletter with others and consider a paid subscription.
You can also tip/donate on Ko-Fi.
Of course, you could also become a Patron on my Patreon, which has a lot more information about my works-in-progress and the books I’ll be querying, including titles and some simple, non-spoiler details.
Get my collection Catalysts, my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed, and definitely order Echoes on the Pond, out now!
If you haven’t left a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or anyplace else for Echoes on the Pond, please consider doing so. This greatly helps sell copies.
And maybe call your local brick-and-mortar bookstore and demand they carry it! I’ll even sign copies! Well, if they’re local to me. That means Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and maybe some of the other New England states.
Thank you for subscribing!
Gauthic Times #64 News & Other Stuff from Bill Gauthier, or Eggs in the Basket
Hello, friends!
If you’ve been following along for a while, I’ve been alluding to things at work that have been causing a lot of stress. This past week saw some answers and hints at some answers, and while anxiety is still there, so is excitement. That said, teaching in the 21st century is not for the faint-of-heart. I even heard that someone in administration had said, “If you’re not using AI in education these days, are you even a teacher?” Or some bullshit to that effect.
I have thoughts, but you probably already know them.
Welcome to the 64th installment of Gauthic Times, the newsletter about my writing, my life, and my attempts at drawing.
I just know you’re wondering how you can get me to write more and be even more creative.
Well, becoming a Patron on my Patreon, where I write about things in more detail than I do in the newsletter or on my website, including the actual names of my works-in-progress and not just codenames, would certainly help. The lowest tier for Patreon is $1. Check it out: if every social media follower I had did the $1 tier, I could write more and pay my bills better. The same would happen if they bought copies of my books.
You can also buy me a coffee through Ko-Fi.
Echoes on the Pond is out now! Grab a copy, if you haven’t already. If you have bought it already, books make great gifts! And if you’ve read Echoes on the Pond, I’d also really love (and appreciate) it if you’d leave a nice review on Amazon or Goodreads.
You can also get my collection Catalysts or my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed.
Anyway, let’s do this!
***
I’m over halfway through revising Project: MG Space Adventure II. Last night, I got through page 105 of 139. I’ve been working on this draft for nine days. If Project: MG Space Adventure I is any indication, I’ll be working on Project: MG Space Adventure II for another two or three days. And then it’ll be time to jump into Project: MG Space Adventure III (the title of which might change since G thinks it’s cheesy…we need to make her happy since she is the audience).
Project: MG Space Adventure II has more action and a bigger cast than Project: MG Space Adventure I, which makes it interesting to deal with. The main character is dealing with higher stakes and it’s been fun playing with that.
***
Patreon Patrons know about a side project I’m playing with that’s either a comic book or graphic novel. I know I’ve mentioned Gabby Ray here but there’s something else I’m playing with. While I’m not planning on revealing what that is here, I thought I’d write about how I’m approaching the comic/graphic novel.
Stephen King used to talk about toy truck projects that he’d work on. Basically, he worked on his main project in the morning and then sometime later on that day or night, he’d go back to the office and work on an idea for fun that he called the toy truck. It was a story he had that sounded fun and a way to play with writing while not focusing the main attention to it. Almost like a hobby. Once the main project was finished, the toy truck sometimes became the main project. I like that idea although I’m not really in a position to do something quite like that.
I love writing and storytelling. My worst day writing is still better than some of my best days doing other things. However, as I’ve gotten older, a little more weight has come onto it. Every rejection stings just a tiny bit more than it did ten years ago, which stung a tiny bit more than it did ten years before that, which…. You get it. Sometimes I may play with a story for fun but I also like to do other creative things. If I had more time (and more talent) I’d learn the guitar. For now, though, drawing has become a thing for me again.
I’ve been drawing since I could pick up a pencil. My mother drew and so did I. Before wanting to be a writer, I wanted to be a comic book writer and artist. At thirteen, I went along the path to writing because it felt easier for me and it’s not a wrong choice. I’m naturally good at writing. Yes, I work very hard and yes I’m constantly trying to improve, but I find I can create an image with words much better than I ever could with lines.
That said, I recently rediscovered drawing. Not just doodling, which never stopped, but drawing. I also rediscovered my interest in creating comics. Not just writing comics–though, trust me, there are some dreams in that direction–but drawing them, too. As I played with Gabby Ray for school, I found that digital art really helped me realize what my childhood self could only dream of.
As a result, I’m playing with comic books and graphic novels as my side/fun projects. The need to be creative is as strong as ever and I find that playing with comics on the side helps me focus on my writing in the main. There’s a balance there.
What’s been cool about rediscovering my love of drawing is that I’m not only doing digital art, but also playing with physical art, too.
Here’s a drawing of Superman I did in pencil, playing with some ink pens, and markers (with some Posca paint pens for highlights). It’s no José Luis García-López, George Pérez, Jerry Ordway, Gary Frank, Nicola Scott, or…well…you get it, but I’m proud of it. I did what I could with what skill I had. Most of all, I had fun.
I think it’s important that creative types find other creative outlets, something that isn’t necessarily being looked at as a career though could become one under right circumstances if the creative type wanted.
Rediscovering my love of drawing has been big. And, better yet, I feel no pressure to improve. I know I will, but there’s no pressure in it because for right now, it’s all mine.
***
Okay, that’s this week’s newsletter. Thank you for reading!
If you’d like to see what I could do if I wrote full-time, share this newsletter with others and consider a paid subscription.
You can also tip/donate on Ko-Fi.
Of course, you could also become a Patron on my Patreon, which has a lot more information about my works-in-progress and the books I’ll be querying, including titles and some simple, non-spoiler details.
Get my collection Catalysts, my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed, and definitely order Echoes on the Pond, out now!
If you haven’t left a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or anyplace else for Echoes on the Pond, please consider doing so. This greatly helps sell copies.
And maybe call your local brick-and-mortar bookstore and demand they carry it! I’ll even sign copies! Well, if they’re local to me. That means Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and maybe some of the other New England states.
Gauthic Times #63 News & Other Stuff from Bill Gauthier, or Writing for Myself
Hello, friends! Things that I’ve been worried about for months will be settled for good or for ill on Monday. I know at least a little of what is about to happen and while it settles some anxiety it causes new anxiety. I’ve considered calling former students to arms (not literal) for months now but haven’t. It will not help. But since I tend to have a dark view on things, I’m doing my best to pull back and try to remain positive. I have done what I could, and I will do what I’ll have to, but for now, things are out of my hands. That’s education in the 21st century.
What I can control, somewhat, is my writing and creativity. So that’s what I’m happy to focus on here. So….
Welcome to the 63rd installment of Gauthic Times, the newsletter about my writing, my life, and entertaining myself with my own writing.
And you’re probably sitting there wondering how you can get me to write more.
Well, becoming a Patron on my Patreon, where I write about things in more detail than I do in the newsletter or on my website, including the actual names of my works-in-progress and not just codenames, would certainly help. The lowest tier for Patreon is $1. Check it out: if every social media follower I had did the $1 tier, I could write more and pay my bills better. The same would happen if they bought copies of my books.
You can also buy me a coffee through Ko-Fi.
Echoes on the Pond is out now! Grab a copy, if you haven’t already. If you have bought it already, books make great gifts! And if you’ve read Echoes on the Pond, I’d also really love (and appreciate) it if you’d leave a nice review on Amazon or Goodreads.
You can also get my collection Catalysts or my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed.
Anyway, let’s do this!
***
Wednesday saw me finishing the most recent revision of Project: MG Space Adventure I. In the end, the sixth draft weighs in at 30,250 words, or 133 pages. It was really a shine and polish more than anything. Adding a word here, removing a word there, making a long paragraph two (or three) smaller paragraphs, and maybe clarifying a few small things. The one thing that I did that was fun was add a name or two that didn’t exist until I wrote the third book.
With the first volume completed (again), Thursday night I started the revising/rewriting for the third draft of Project: MG Space Adventure II. I’ve been pretty tired these last few nights so I’ve only worked about half an hour on the books and have gotten through about 19 pages. This one requires a little more work than the first book so it take a little longer to get through. We’ll see. Right now, Project: MG Space Adventure II weighs in at 30,030 words, or around 137 pages. We’ll see what the end will bring.
It’s been a lot of fun diving back into this world. It’s a world (or universe) of adventure. I’m writing books I would’ve liked as a kid and I enjoy the hell out of them.
***
I began writing Project: MG Space Adventure I for my eleven-year-old daughter G. When she was much younger, she was aware that Daddy wrote books but that they were for grown-ups. She asked me to write a book for her.
Luckily, I had a story.
As I sat down to write the story, even though G was in the forefront of my mind, the book quickly became a story for me. I’m not surprised. It’s a story that takes place on a distant planet with an alien race, strange creatures, an evil empire, a robot, and there’s a lot of adventure. It’s everything I would’ve wanted in a story as a kid. It’s a lot of what I like now.
In many ways, this is a way for me to write a Star Wars story without writing a Star Wars story.
In his masterclass of a book, On Writing, Stephen King writes that first drafts are meant to be written with the door closed. This means that it belongs solely to the writer. This is the draft that I consider myself playing with action figures. Anything goes.
As I wrote Project: MG Space Adventure I, the story raced along and it did something that almost never happens in my first drafts: it was shorter than I would’ve liked. Luckily, it was easy to “find” more story that I must’ve missed during the next excavation (to steal another King metaphor for writing).
That’s what second drafts and beyond are about: writing with the door open. In other words, considering the readers. In this case, there was one reader in particular that I was thinking of: G.
Funny enough, as she’s gotten older, she has become very hard on books. She loves reading but she has high standards. One of her teachers she took through OutSchool loved that about her. She didn’t love everything they read and she had legitimate reasons. She didn’t care if the book was supposed to be great, if it didn’t appeal to her, she despised it. The fact that she still loves the MG Space Adventure stories tells me that I’m doing something right.
And if you think that she loves them because I’m writing them for her, here’s a story from this week:
Right now I’m reading the third book aloud to her and Pamela. Called Project: MG Space Adventure III, I thought it was a nice bookend to Project: MG Space Adventure I. At one point, G says, “You should change the title.”
“Why? It’s a good bookend.”
“I dunno. It’s cheesy.”
She roasted Project: MG Space Adventure III.
As an adult and writer, I don’t need to listen to her advice.
But…
She’s the target audience, right? So guess who’s trying to come up with a new title?
Either way, the books may have started with her in mind, but they quickly became stories for me and by that measure, they became better for her. And for any other reader.
***
Okay, that’s this week’s newsletter. Thank you for reading!
If you’d like to see what I could do if I wrote full-time, share this newsletter with others and consider a paid subscription.
You can also tip/donate on Ko-Fi.
Of course, you could also become a Patron on my Patreon, which has a lot more information about my works-in-progress and the books I’ll be querying, including titles and some simple, non-spoiler details.
Get my collection Catalysts, my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed, and definitely order Echoes on the Pond, out now!
If you haven’t left a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or anyplace else for Echoes on the Pond, please consider doing so. This greatly helps sell copies.
And maybe call your local brick-and-mortar bookstore and demand they carry it! I’ll even sign copies! Well, if they’re local to me. That means Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and maybe some of the other New England states.
Thank you for subscribing!
Gauthic Times #62 News & Other Stuff from Bill Gauthier, or Revising from Space
Hello, friends! Is it possible to clench your jaw so hard that it snaps off, flying across the room and hitting someone in the forehead? I’m asking, as the kids say, for a friend.
The sun is shining on this mid-March Saturday, the sound (noise) of children playing outside is coming through the sliding glass door, and I’m here to say “hey” to you, my faithful readers.
Hey.
Welcome to the 62nd installment of Gauthic Times, the newsletter about my writing, my life, and my feelings on AI in education.
You’re probably sitting there wondering how you can get me to write more. It’s a question that keeps you up at night. I get it.
Well, becoming a Patron on my Patreon, where I write about things in more detail than I do in the newsletter or on my website, including the actual names of my works-in-progress and not just codenames, would certainly help. The lowest tier for Patreon is $1. Check it out: if every social media follower I had did the $1 tier, I could write more and pay my bills better. The same would happen if they bought copies of my books.
You can also buy me a coffee through Ko-Fi.
Echoes on the Pond is out now! Grab a copy, if you haven’t already. If you have bought it already, books make great gifts! And if you’ve read Echoes on the Pond, I’d also really love (and appreciate) it if you’d leave a nice review on Amazon or Goodreads.
You can also get my collection Catalysts or my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed.
Anyway, let’s do this!
***
Project: MG Space Adventure I has been my main focus for this week. Beginning last Sunday, I’ve gone through half the book. There’s twenty less words than when I started with the tightening up, polishing, and minor revising.
I call the book a middle grade space adventure because it’s a kids’ book, aimed at the 8-12 age group though I am told adults can enjoy it, too. At about 131 pages, or around 30,200 words, the book is very slim compared to the adult horror novels I write. That said, it still hits me emotionally at times.
I refer to it as a “space adventure” instead of a “science fiction” novel because there’s not tons of science in this fiction. It’s really an adventure on another planet with science fiction motifs, like a crashed spaceship, an alien race, and a robot friend. It’s friggin’ fun.
***
“Hey! Have youse guys tried out the new AI stuff?”
The teacher from another vocational program came into my classroom not because of me but because one of my colleagues had been standing near my desk, chatting with me. She looked at me with that look on her face I know so well, just this side of an eye-roll.
“Not really,” she said.
“I’ve–” I started.
“Oh, man! It’s great!” he said. “I’m not so great at writing lesson plans and I can just plug in a few ideas and it does it for me! Youse guys gotta try it!”
Now I know for a fact that this first-year teacher, who’d been a teaching assistant in his program longer than I’ve been teaching there (that’s since 2007) needed to be told that Google Classroom doesn’t correct tests and give grades for you unless you put the answers in. He was under the impression that Google just knew, I guess.
And this is one of many reasons that I worry about AI in education. Before he’d cut me off and ignored me (as he put his satchel on my desk, moving some stuff with his bag and nearly forcing me to stab him in the eye with a pencil–I hate my desk(s) being touched), I was about to tell him that I’d used AI to help create rubrics. We all have our weaknesses and rubrics are mine. But using AI to help craft a rubric is actually very similar to what I’ve been doing for years, and in some cases, better.
Knowing that I’m not good with rubrics, I’ve often looked up rubrics for topics that I’m teaching and then taken them, revising them for my needs. AI does the same thing. It’s taking the criteria that I put in it, the objectives and frameworks/competencies that I’m looking for and churning out a rubric.
From there, I go through and revise it, tweaking and fixing things and putting my stamp on it. Just like I did when I was taking the rubrics from Google Images, etc.
I guess if I used AI to write a lesson plan, I would do the same thing. I’d use it as a guide for myself.
That is not what this guy is doing. This guy is putting whatever word salad he can manage into the machine and using what it puts out, right or wrong. When he said, “It writes the whole thing for you,” it said everything.
This is what I find disturbing about AI in education. It easily does what AI in every other artform does: it takes the humanity out of the work. Only the teacher can know what will work and what might not. Only the teacher can revise the lesson plan based on past problems that arose when teaching it. Or based on the students they currently have in front of them.
I’ve been thinking about AI in education a lot since a PD day back in November but it wasn’t until this moment when the other teacher came into my classroom to talk to my colleague (which is the only time he comes into my room: to talk to other adults in my room or if he needs something) that it solidified for me what troubled me most about AI in the classroom. It doesn’t know our students, any more than many administrators who never come into the classroom.
And that is wrong.
***
Okay, that’s this week’s newsletter. Thank you for reading!
If you’d like to see what I could do if I wrote full-time, share this newsletter with others and consider a paid subscription.
You can also tip/donate on Ko-Fi.
Of course, you could also become a Patron on my Patreon, which has a lot more information about my works-in-progress and the books I’ll be querying, including titles and some simple, non-spoiler details.
Get my collection Catalysts, my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed, and definitely order Echoes on the Pond, out now!
If you haven’t left a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or anyplace else for Echoes on the Pond, please consider doing so. This greatly helps sell copies.
And maybe call your local brick-and-mortar bookstore and demand they carry it! I’ll even sign copies! Well, if they’re local to me. That means Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and maybe some of the other New England states.
Gauthic Times #61 News & Other Stuff from Bill Gauthier, or Phases of the Work
Hello, friends! I’m sitting here on Saturday afternoon feeling a little strange. On the one hand, I completed a major project, on the other, there’s still so much work to do. Such is the life of a creative. That said, Friday night was the first night that I didn’t sit down to write since September 15th, 2023. It felt weird.
Welcome to the 61st installment of Gauthic Times, the newsletter about my writing, my life, and whatever pops into my mind.
You’re probably sitting there wondering how can you get me to write more. Well, becoming a Patron on my Patreon, where I write about things in more detail than I do in the newsletter or on my website, including the actual names of my works-in-progress and not just codenames, would certainly help. The lowest tier for Patreon is $1. Check it out: if every social media follower I had did the $1 tier, I could write more and pay my bills better. The same would happen if they bought copies of my books.
You can also buy me a coffee through Ko-Fi.
Echoes on the Pond is out now! Grab a copy, if you haven’t already. If you have bought it already, books make great gifts! And if you’ve read Echoes on the Pond, I’d also really love (and appreciate) it if you’d leave a nice review on Amazon or Goodreads.
You can also get my collection Catalysts or my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed.
Anyway, let’s do this!
***
This week saw around 5,000 words added to Project: Amusement Park and, if you follow me on my socials, you saw that I completed the first draft of the novel.
The final first draft weighs in at 188,300 words and 682 pages in manuscript. To put it in perspective, the novels Dune and Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring are close to 188,000 words. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is only a smidge bigger. I got that info from this website.
Tuesday and Wednesday saw the biggest additions with 1,400 words and 1,900 words respectively. On Thursday, I read and polished what I wrote on Wednesday.
Getting to that point in the novel is always a strange experience and words often flow like there’s a leak. When I finished working on Wednesday, my brain felt like pudding but the novel was done. For now.
The next step with it is to read it, make notes, and then work on the second draft. Now, because I did some minor polishing and rewriting as I went, sometimes going back to other sections to help them match up with what was happening, my first draft is almost like a second draft. That said, I’m not quite sure I’m ready for my beta readers to have at it yet. For now, I’m putting it aside to focus on revising the middle grade space adventure books.
***
The first volume of the space adventure books is basically done. I think I’ll go through it and do a polish, but I’m pretty happy with it already as I’ve already done several drafts and rewrites.
The second volume of the space adventure books has two drafts. I definitely need to go through it at least one more.
The third volume of the space adventure books is only in first draft. This one probably needs the most rewriting/revising, though it’s pretty solid for a first draft.
***
In addition to the revisions, I really want to do some submissions. I may go through my short story folder to see what needs revisions and submissions. I have a bunch of stories that are just gathering dust. Even if they end up here, at least they’ll have readers.
I also have an idea for a serialized novel over on Patreon. It’s nothing more than a concept right now but I’m leaning toward doing it more and more. Mainly because I think it’ll be fun.
***
There’ve been other things I’ve been playing with, too, but I’m not going to mention them right now because they’re just play.
***
Okay, that’s this week’s newsletter. Thank you for reading!
If you’d like to see what I could do if I wrote full-time, share this newsletter with others and consider a paid subscription.
You can also tip/donate on Ko-Fi.
Of course, you could also become a Patron on my Patreon, which has a lot more information about my works-in-progress and the books I’ll be querying, including titles and some simple, non-spoiler details.
Get my collection Catalysts, my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed, and definitely order Echoes on the Pond, out now!
If you haven’t left a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or anyplace else for Echoes on the Pond, please consider doing so. This greatly helps sell copies.
And maybe call your local brick-and-mortar bookstore and demand they carry it! I’ll even sign copies! Well, if they’re local to me. That means Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and maybe some of the other New England states.
Thank you for subscribing!
Gauthic Times #60 News & Other Stuff from Bill Gauthier, or March to the End
Hello, friends! Today’s post is a little later since I didn’t write it on Saturday like I usually try to do. Once again, the tension/stress of the week had me sleeping a lot yesterday and I just couldn’t get myself to write the update.
Now we’re in March and spring is around the corner. There’s a lot still to do and I’m hoping something will help relieve the stress I’ve been feeling, but I’m not going to hold my breath.
Anyway, let’s get into the writing stuff!
Welcome to the 60th installment of Gauthic Times, the newsletter about my writing, my life, and brief stuff.
You’d like to see more nonfiction writing from me, right? I know you want to! Which is why you should become a Patron on my Patreon, where I write about things in more detail than I do in the newsletter or on my website, including the actual names of my works-in-progress and not just codenames. The lowest tier for Patreon is $1. Check it out: if every social media follower I had did the $1 tier, I could write more and pay my bills better. The same would happen if they bought copies of my books.
You can also buy me a coffee through Ko-Fi.
Echoes on the Pond is out now! Grab a copy, if you haven’t already. If you have bought it already, books make great gifts! And if you’ve read Echoes on the Pond, I’d also really love (and appreciate) it if you’d leave a nice review on Amazon or Goodreads.
You can also get my collection Catalysts or my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed.
Anyway, let’s do this!
***
This week, about 6,000 words were added to Project: Amusement Park. The novel now weighs in at around 183,300 words and 662 manuscript pages.
Last Sunday I wrote two sessions, each one weighing in at over 700 words. This makes me happy because that’s a lot for one day for me, but also on Tuesday I was so tired I only wrote about 200 words.
I’m basically at the climax of the novel. The final battle or whatever you want to call it is about to begin. Part of this past week’s writing gave me a way for the main characters to beat the monster. Not that there’s a monster, per se, but I’m using that terminology. One of the things that the second draft will do is allow me to plant the seeds and the clues leading up to it.
I don’t want to project too far or too much, but I suspect that this week or next week should see me finishing the book. Certainly by the end of the month
***
Okay, that’s this week’s newsletter. I’m sorry about how short it is, but thank you for reading!
If you’d like to see what I could do if I wrote full-time, share this newsletter with others and consider a paid subscription.
You can also tip/donate on Ko-Fi.
Of course, you could also become a Patron on my Patreon, which has a lot more information about my works-in-progress and the books I’ll be querying, including titles and some simple, non-spoiler details.
Get my collection Catalysts, my novellas Alice on the Shelf and Shadowed, and definitely order Echoes on the Pond, out now!
If you haven’t left a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or anyplace else for Echoes on the Pond, please consider doing so. This greatly helps sell copies.
And maybe call your local brick-and-mortar bookstore and demand they carry it! I’ll even sign copies! Well, if they’re local to me. That means Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and maybe some of the other New England states.
Thank you for subscribing!
Gautham: Bill Gauthier.com 