Chuck is the author of the published novels:Blackbirds, Mockingbird, Under the Empyrean Sky, Blue Blazes, Double Dead, Bait Dog,Dinocalypse Now,Beyond DinocalypseandGods & Monsters: Unclean Spirits.He also the author of the soon-to-be-published novels:The Cormorant, Blightborn (Heartland Book #2), Heartland Book #3, Dinocalypse Forever, Frack You,andThe Hellsblood Bride. Also coming soon is his compilation book of writing advice from this very blog:The Kick-Ass Writer, coming from Writers Digest.

He, along with writing partner Lance Weiler, is an alum of the Sundance Film Festival Screenwriter's Lab (2010). Their short film, Pandemic, showed at the Sundance Film Festival 2011, and their feature filmHiMis in development with producers Ted Hope and Anne Carey. Together they co-wrote the digital transmedia dramaCollapsus, which was nominated for an International Digital Emmy and a Games 4 Change award.

Chuck has contributed over two million words to the game industry, and was the developer of the popularHunter: The Vigilgame line (White Wolf Game Studios / CCP). He was a frequent contributor toThe Escapist, writing about games and pop culture.

He currently lives in the forests of Pennsyltucky with wife, two dogs, and tiny human.

30 Days in the Word Mines by Chuck Wendig

30 Days In The Word Mines takes you on a month-long journey of writing, offering pages filled with practical writing tips, motivational throat-punches, and ruminations on the craft of writing and art of storytelling. Whether you're running with National Novel Writing Month or just want to hunker down and write to see just how far you can get, this book will help you every step of the way with a new tip, trick or thought every day of the month-long journey. From the mad mind behind terribleminds comes an original companion book to help you navigate the maze of writing every day. Good luck, and art harder.

CURATOR'S NOTE

The opinionated Chuck Wendig is one of those rare writers who can write about anything and make it interesting. When he writes about writing, the opinions combine with great advice. I've been reading Chuck's blog for years so that I can steal nuggets of truth from him. He's put those nuggets into this wonderful book, which will help you all become better writers (and more opinionated people). – Kristine Kathryn Rusch

 

REVIEWS

  • "Chuck Wendig's Confessions of a Freelance Penmonkey is full of the kind of writing advice I wish I'd gotten in school. Practical, brutally honest, and done with the kind of humor that will make it stick in your brain. Whether you're a veteran writer or new to the craft, you'll find something useful in here.
    Plus he says 'fuck' a lot, so, you know, there's that."

    – Stephen Blackmoore, author of Dead Things

  • "If it weren't for Chuck Wendig's advice, I'd have fallen off the writing map long ago. This is the book you want stapled to your chest when you march into the battle of authorship!"

    – Karina Cooper, author of BLOOD OF THE WICKED

  • "Chuck Wendig hammers out writing and career advice that's always brave, profane, creative, clever, and honest. And don't forget hilarious. You'll never laugh so hard learning so much."

    – Matt Forbeck, game designer and author of AMORTALS and VEGAS KNIGHTS.
 

BOOK PREVIEW

Excerpt

Before:

I want you to write every day for thirty days.

Maybe this coincides with National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo, which I pronounce ree-mo not wry-mo, because I'm a rebel, Dottie).

Maybe this is just you seeing if this novel-writing thing is for you.

Maybe you're trying out my 350-words a day plan (see appendix).

Doesn't matter if you're writing 100 words a day or 2000. Doesn't matter if you've never tried to write before or if you're a salty old-pro, fingertips discolored with the letters and numbers that have worn off your keyboard and worn onto your calluses.

This book will take you day by day through the labyrinth. We will stalk the minotaur together. We will stalk the beast and confront the dead-ends as one.

Maybe this will help.

Maybe only one day's worth of discussion will help.

Hopefully it does.

This contains rumination on writing, practical advice on getting shit done, and little story seeds planted throughout.

Now let's write, motherfuckers.