Tried to quit writing

Patriot's History of the United States ^ | 5/15/2015 | LS

[LS]

Well folks, for about four years I haven't written anything, except a few movie reviews and some scripts. I had a strong calling to give up (I thought permanently) writing books. All that time, however, it kept nagging at me that the biography treatments of Ronald Reagan just were not satisfying.

So, I feel "released" now to begin a new book project, perhaps my final book: a biography of our greatest 20th century president.

I have already written a script that Arc Entertainment/Victory Pictures (who did the Palin movie) have agreed to produce called "The Lifeguard: Ronald Reagan and his City on a Hill." That likely will be my title and approach to this biography.

Also, for those who don't follow my Facebook page, I have put in my one-year notice at the University of Dayton and will retire and move to Arizona in May 2016.

If you're on Facebook, please add me as a friend. If you're on Twitter, I'm @LarrySchweikart

[Tijeras_Slim]

Thanks for all you’ve done over the years. There’s apparently no age limit on historians... I’m currently reading “The Wright Brothers” by David McCullough...fascinating stuff.

[Yo-Yo]

Congratulations on the movie treatment, and best of luck on the Gipper bio.

[OddLane]

Congratulations, Larry!

Best of luck on the latest project.

-good times, G.

[LS]

I would buy that but I had just finished another book on the history of flight, focusing on the Wrights and Langley, so I think it would be pretty repetitive. But McCullough is one of our best. Fair, accurate. His small book on the Johnstown Flood was a key research piece for my chapter in “Seven Events that Made America.”

[lulu16]

Hi Larry, I brought the group together when your movie Rock the (Berlin) Wall came to Tucson. I’m glad your bringing your gig to Arizona. Welcome.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I read “The Path Between the Seas” in 1977 just before going to college and minoring in history.

[Mears]

I’m in the middle of that too.

Very good.

.

[JRandomFreeper]

There is nothing to be ashamed of in writing. Just do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.

/johnny

[cripplecreek]

Sometimes ya just gotta let the well recharge.

[Gen.Blather]

That’s like trying to quit being Caucasian. You either are or you aren’t.

http://amzn.to/1cEFvmL

[perfect_rovian_storm]

I couldn’t see where to send friend request, but I did follow you. :-)

[Travis McGee]

Larry, here is my mid-course advice. I have had some challenges which precluded me finishing my 5th novel, but in the interim, I wrote some (at least to me!) significant short stories and essays. Now, here is where you might not see it the same way, but I have this theory that on some levels, it doesn't matter where you first publish your short works (NRO vs Joe's Blog). Instead, mostly what counts is a very unique and easily searchable title, and how you utilize social media to spread it around.

For an example, search around and find out how many people have read (or websites have reblogged) some of my short stuff like "When the Music Stop: How America's Cities May Explode In Violence." It's pretty significant. That was my first piece which traveled from web to print. (Maybe 10K words if memory serves?) Or scope around my short story, "Alas, Brave New Babylon." What counts is total readers, not the gold-plated first source website.

Frankly, I don't much care where a piece first appears. That is, IMHO, part of a hard-wired legacy dinosaur publishing mindset. Trying for the famous website is just working hard to shine your own light on somebody else's "famous name brand." Why boost them with your original content? Who give a flip? In 2015, nobody remembers where they read a story first. Just the title and the content.

Just kick some short stuff out there, and see what happens. Original clicks on your new short stuff will lead to more book sales on your old stuff, while you finish your next opus magnus. Even long excerpts of your future paid content. You don't lose anything by giving away big chunks of content. It all comes back to you in Kindle sales of old content, and it warms up your audience for your future books. That is at least a consolation prize! Just my dos centavos.

Click the pic to the full-text Free Republic thread.

[TBP]

Not possible. It gets in the bloodstream.

[mdmathis6]

I’ve thought about quitting FR...cause I spend a lot of time here...and well I miss the sun, and clouds and the forest friends....but after a day I find myself ambling back here...I even donate ever so often! FR’ism...I’ve got it bad!

[LS]

Yes, thanks. We will be back this Sept. with the new movie, “Other Walls 2 Fall!”

[TexasBarak]

I’ve read and enjoyed “Patriot’s History” and “Seven Events”. I think it’s time to read them again, and hand them to my kid, who is fourteen (and tells me that she wants to be a professional author). Thank you for writing them!

[LS]

Instead of short stories, I focused on screenplays. I did four of them, including “Malta,” a script about the defense of Malta in 1565 by the Knights Hospitalers vs. the Muslims.

[LS]

Go to the Facebook page and it says “send friend request.”

[LS]

Thank you. I really enjoyed writing “Seven Events.” Are you in TX? I’ll be down there with the film “Rockin’ the Wall” in November-—Austin, Lubbock, perhaps Dallas.