ADVENTURES IN SELF-PROMOTION: MY FIRST ZOMBIE BOOK

Just in time for the best of list! Outstanding piece, both funny and interesting.

Congrats on such an enormous accomplishment. Will be looking into it.

Congratulations! I'll definitely check it out, whenever the book is published in Sweden. Of perhaps I can get my brother to buy and send it to me.

Really liked the... article... it's always interesting to read about other people's writing methods - especially at a time like this, when I'm barely getting anything written myself. I started working on a book some time ago, had a great few months and then it was like hitting a wall, I'm just too tired and too uninspired to get anything done after work and it stays with me even on days when I'm off work.

Anyway, your decision to write it dryly sounds great! I'll let you know if I still think so after I've actually read it.

Very funny piece Josh. Good luck with the book. Will try find it when it makes its way here.

Good on ya, but, am I gonna love your nuts?

Just in time for my end of the year amazon shopping spree! Bought, along with the "Badass of the week" book, for a killer combo of fun reading.

Outstanding, man! Congrats! As a geek who hasn't let the oversaturation of zombies affect his love for them, I will most definitely be picking this up.

Thank you so much for writing this. I've been itching lately to take all the stuff I've learned from working on Sam Strange and writing a really weird novel, or fixing my crappy first novel. It's enlightening to hear from someone who's actually done it without having to plow through the tons of discouragement most authors seem to spew.

Joshua Miller, I hope your Zombie Book makes a...Killing!

That was a great read Josh, as a creative writing major I always enjoy reading about the process of writing, especially, as Sam commented above, if it isn't full of negativity.

Does this mean you're rich? 'Cause I need to borrow some cash.

A published fucking author! Well isn't Mr. Miller something!

Congratulations man.

oh fuck, gonna have to buy this. Kindle version in January via the conversion thingy on ipad for me.

"I had to shit words onto the page. Research was eating up a significant amount of my workday, so I simply had to get words on the page everyday to make progress. I have never subscribed to the philosophy of just sitting at the computer and seeing what happens. I know that works for some writers, but that’s how I end up with 100 files of worthless bullshit. I like to pace or go for a walk, waiting for inspiration to strike, and then write it down. Not this time around."

Thank you for saying this (and for reminding me). Writing is 60% discipline, 20% inspiration, and 20% skill, talent, will.... But mostly discipline. Otherwise you are researching and talking about writing instead of doing it.

"Then I treated myself to a $60 bottle of bourbon. It was tasty."

So which bourbon is your fix? (Bourbon lover here!)


"Everything I write seems equally brilliant and catastrophically awful the moment I’m done."

Been there. Just about every time.

You have every right to be so proud of yourself. And I'm glad Nick gave you a space on CHUD to allow you to present your work (fuck it if it's not directly film-related) and for us to share in your pride and accomplishment. I hope some of us share in the actual product of your labor itself and enjoy the read.

Congratulations, man. I'm somewhat tired of zombie books, but you may have sold me based on this really well done article. Your self-awareness of the geek-perceived zombie-glut defuses anything the haters have to say. This bludgeoned horse has been dead a long time, but I will never get why people who aren't the target market for something resent the fact that the target market exists. I don't like coffee, but I don't try to clog up the Juan Valdez blog with knee-jerk vitriol.

I agree with Sam; it's nice to see someone write about writing without trying to depress you about how Sisyphean it is as a career choice (remember Devin's "If you want to be a writer: don't" article from about a year ago?). To me that was always just a back-handed way to self-congratulate.

And seriously, ten bucks. Ten bucks. Think of all the ways we routinely waste ten bucks each day almost accidentally, when instead that could go toward a book with a couple of chuckles in it. Seems like a good deal to me.

As for the blue-collar level of effort that goes into writing... I'm actually supposed to be finishing something right now for Andrea... so I'll shut up and go do that...

Thanks for the encouragement and kind words everyone! I love what a warm community CHUD can be. Especially as I know self-pimpin' is often met with a dubious glare. Frankly I am astounded at how mostly positive the comment section was.

And of course, Seb. Of course you can't borrow any money.

Do it, man. I had a moment of hesitation before deciding to write my book, but then I determined there was no conceivable future in which I'd ever say, "Boy, I'm glad I never wrote that book!" On the contrary, I realized, "Why has it taken me this long to write a book!" It is incredibly time consuming, yes, but its not actually as much work as it seems. It's like rolling a boulder: hard to get it moving, but eventually it becomes easy going, and then of course becomes a little tricky to slow down and stop (I think Stephen King suffers from a major slowing down problem).

Many years ago I received a piece of advice which altered how I thought about writing. It wasn't even from a writer, but an agent. We were discussing an idea I had for a TV show and I was laying out my plan for the season, which I thought was a very clever slow-burn, and he cut me short and said, "No, no, you gotta put all that in the pilot." His whole philosophy was that you should never hold back good ideas, because you don't know if the show will be canceled. I realized that's kind of applicable to one's career in general. I'd always wanted to write a book, but I'd think stupid shit like, "I have a lot of ideas but none of them feel right to be my first book. Maybe my second or third." And that's the exact sort of moronic thinking that gets you zero books written. Write your book, Sam! I don't like hearing writers discourage other writers. I think is sullies the joy of creation.

High five.

Ever since touring the Heaven Hill distillery years ago I'd wanted to spring for a fancy bottle of Elijah Craig. This was my excuse. I also got myself of bottle of Black Maple Hill - Small Batch; which I lovez.

This man is wise. Everyone should listen to him!

Generally I feel like I'm over zombies, but the historical angle is intriguing enough to make me want to give this a try.

Also, who are the 7% that're buying the Kanye West album instead?

I bought myself two books for Christmas.

This (your) one:

and

This one: http://www.cracked.com/you-might-be-a-zombie/

Rap war, impeding.

Just bought your book at the Barnes & Noble at Union Square! They had two copies.

I also looked for Mr. Whitehead's, but they didn't even have it in their database, so it looks like I'm gonna have to order it from Amazon. If somebody had already pointed that out, sorry!

Skol!

Are there plans for a hardcover? I'm thinking coffee table edition.

I'm still just trying to figure out how the hell to turn it into a movie.