The Final Details (of a writer's life)

Of all the things a writer writes in his life, the final details are arguably some of the most important...

Today I'm writing about something that none of us like to think about. The final details of a writer's life--the details that are critical they be left behind and spelled out clearly.  I was inspired to do so by some recent sad events in my writing world.

In May, only weeks after I'd met her in person as she traveled through my part of the world, a writing friend died unexpectedly. While I read a wonderful memorial post written by a mutual author friend, the words really sunk in. There were unfinished projects.The mutual friend had been critting with and for her for quite some time. And not only was she grieving the loss of a wonderful friend, she was grieving the unfinished stories she'd been looking forward to seeing completed.

Unfinished projects.

Two weeks later, my dear friend, editor, and crit partner died unexpectedly. He was an extremely private person. I believe I am the only person who has copies of his writing files. But now, this crazy-good book that was 2/3 finished will likely never see the light of day.

These horribly sad and unexpected deaths, and the unfinished projects left in their wake, compel me to consider intellectual property rights beyond my death.

My daughter knows--I've told her many times, that she will inherit all of my unpublished books, every manuscript and outline, every file of story ideas...  But if I died tomorrow, no one would have passwords to retrieve these files, No one has passwords to my online sites such as this blog, or facebook, emails, or Twitter.

Knowing who will inherit our unfinished business isn't enough. Our survivors need access to the things we want them to have access to. The final details need to be shared.

Taking it a step further, designating in a legal will who inherits these things is something all writers should consider.

There's some general information at this site: Estate Planning for Intellectual Property Rights

Another good article (the first of a series on IP Estate planning) Writers in the Storm 

On November 3, 2014, I ran across this article and am adding it to the list: What Happens to Your Data After You Die?

There. I've gone ahead and broached the subject. I've shared my personal sad experience over the last two months in spite of not wanting or liking to talk about it. But it had to be said. And as much as you, dear readers, don't like to think about it... please do.

Do you already have a plan in place?

Weekend Writing Warriors July 27, 2014

 

      Welcome Warriors, and Snipsuns. The last weekend of July!  So glad you can stop by for a visit. :-)
 
     Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly bloghop. Each week, participants sign up HERE at wewriwa.com, then post 8 sentences of their work, published or unpublished, to go live between noon, Saturday and 9:00 AM Sunday EST. Then we visit each other and read, comment, critique, encourage--all those things that do a solitary writer's heart good.

     Snippet Sunday group from facebook--not us, but many of our participants do both, can be found HERE
 
    The travelers are now on the boat that will take them upriver into the Firce Mountains. Tayden  nearly takes a tumble into the water. Um, and they haven't even left the dock yet. :-)

     Shouldering his way past the three of them, Wiley untied the cleat hitch securing the bow line, and then untied the stern. His quick movement set the boat rocking, nearly launching Tayden over the side. Wiley grabbed him by the back of his coat, then pulled the lanky man back. Steadying him, he wore a devilish smile when he said, “You need some water-legs, er... were you meaning to take an early morning dip?”

     Tayden stammered, seemingly incapable of making a reply.

     “Don’t you worry none, son. Some of you was made for land, and some you was made for sky. And that’s a good thing for the rest of us cause the river’d be a mighty crowded place if we all was made for water.

That's it. What works, what doesn't? 

Thanks for visiting!

Meet My Character Blog Tour

MEET MY CHARACTER BLOG TOUR

I owe many thanks to fabulous writer Monica Enderle Pierce for including me in this fun blogtour. I’ll post Monica’s Bio—the one she shared with me that looks professional and serious. But first, let me say a few words about her that come straight from my heart. She’s an awesome human being.  Intelligent, interesting, pulls no punches, and she’s fun. When you visit her blog,  email, or message her, you’ll get a dose of “sweet cheeks” and “hon”-- Monica has a big heart, but she is one feisty lady. And that brings me to what I really want you readers to know. She knows "feisty", and she puts that to good use; she writes feisty characters. There are no wimps or shrinking violets in her books. Her heroines are tough. They are survivors. I’ve read both of her published books. I gave both five stars. And I eagerly await the next installment of each. Now…for the (somewhat) boring, polished bio:

Monica Enderle Pierce is an indie author of fantasy and science fiction for adults. She has two books in publication: Girl Under Glass was an ABNA semi-finalist and an Amazon bestseller. Famine, a historical, noirish supernatural thriller, is her newest release.

Website: www.stalkingfiction.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MonicaEnderlePierce

                                                          Twitter: @MonicaEPierce

Book links:

Girl Under Glass: http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Under-Glass-Iron-Series-ebook/dp/B008R35J3A

Famine: http://iwantth.is/faminek

Onward  with what this blog tour is all about. I get to highlight a character from a recently published book, or from a WIP (work in progress-- writer lingo). And since I don't have anything published yet, I'm going to share the main character from the first book I wrote. 

Here goes...

1) What is the name of your character? Is he/she fictional or a historic person?  Her name is Marissa Kradel, and she is purely fictional. She's the first fictional voice that ever talked to me.

2) When and where is the story set? The story has two concurrent story-lines, one in present day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and one approximately two years earlier beneath a very alien night sky in a kingdom called Rialt.

3) What should we know about him/her? She went missing for two years, at the end of which she was found in the desert near Phoenix after having just given birth. No baby. No memories of where she was for two years. She has another child with an abusive (estranged) husband who won’t allow her to see her son. She’s homeless and penniless at the beginning of the story.

4) What is the main conflict? What messes up his/her life? She’s convinced that her dreams are actually the memories of where she was for those missing two years. Convinced to the point of delusion. And the dreams keep telling her a story that she was on the other side of the galaxy living a life far different than her life here on Earth. She’s been treated by doctors, did a stint in a psychiatric ward.

5) What is the personal goal of the character?  To be reunited with both of her children. To finish her run of dreams and see if the answers are at the end of them, or to accept that her dreams are just dreams. To not be “crazy”. 

 
6) Is there a working title for this novel, and can we read more about it?  Across the Night Sky. I occasionally post snippets of it on my Sunday morning posts for Weekend Writing Warriors

7) When can we expect the book to be published? Spring, 2015 good Lord willing and the creeks don't rise...or something like that.

Now to introduce the authors who’ve graciously accepted my invitation to join the fun.  All talented writers. All wonderful human beings. Visit them next week to meet their characters.

Karen Michelle Nutt resides in California with her husband, three fascinating children, and houseful of demanding pets.

Whether your reading fancy is paranormal, historical or time travel, all her stories capture the rich array of emotions that accompany the most fabulous human phenomena of falling in love. Visit her here: www.kmnbooks.com/

Elaine Cantrell –in her own words: I've been married to the same wonderful man since 1973. We've been blessed with two great sons and three wonderful grandchildren. We live in a small town with our families nearby and count ourselves fortunate to do so. Elaine writes Sweet Romance, Fantasy, and Mystery. Visit her here: http://www.elainepcantrell.blogspot.com/

Sarah Wesson, the Queen of Hearts, is a mommy, a reader, a spouse, a librarian…and she’s a writer. Biographer of notable local dead people (not your local, her local), re-hasher of  history, keeper of half-written shipwrecks, completer of three drawer novels, and currently querying Pigeons, and WIPping up a couple of new projects. I have to add--she has this great sense of humor that comes through in her writing. Visit her here: wessonblog.wordpress.com/

Charmaine Gordon writes Mature Romance featuring sexy seniors. That  Mature Romance” label actually leans toward sweet romance.  Wife of an Air Force pilot, a mother, grandmother, and former actress, she pulls from a deep well of experience when writing her stories. http://authorcharmainegordon.wordpress.com/

Cindy Amrhein, or as many of us know her, “History Sleuth”, works as an assistant county historian. She puts all of that experience to good use when she sits down to write a book. She writes True Crime, and Detective/Mystery.   http://historysleuth.blogspot.com/