Terry Maggert

@HorBull It’s FAR more common than you think. Good catch.

I filled my 5 gallon gas can with 93 at Marathon today. I was watching the pump to see when it was done. I go to pickup the can and thought “this is seriously light” and then realized that the can was only half full even though I clearly paid for 5 gallons of gas. That has never happened to me before. Anyway, I’m sure the attendant/owner checked their cameras to make sure I didn’t dump some of the gas in my truck or some bullshit like that because I waited about 10 more minutes so I could finish pumping. The point is, be careful when you’re putting gas in your vehicle and fill it all the way to make sure you’re not getting shorted a few gallons.

@hcksqtjimduggan If you were 8 over in Georgia they’d PIT you. #silverlinings

Thanks to the boys in blue for keeping Nashville safe!

He was a prophet, and it becomes more obvious with each passing day.

I hope this was the only podcast they ever recorded

Happy St. Patrick's Day. It's a serious moment for some, and a celebratory moment for many. When I visited Ireland, there were ancient places that changed me forever, including the Rock of Cashel, which felt like being in a different time. And then I went to Alabama.

Soon.

Incoming. Hunker down. #weather

@rosphlps @joeimel We just passed it, appears to be someone hit The Funky Bean food trailer.

INJURY ACCIDENT: Phil Moore Park at Scottsville Road ALVATON, EMS, WCSO responding 3 vehicle collision, box truck has overturned, there are multiple injuries

@VanessaChaseOG As a young man I suddenly became very interested in Egyptian history 😉

JoAnna Cameron was one of the most beautiful women that ever lived. ISIS Intro With Vintage Saturday Morning Commercials (1975)

@BackwoodsEnginr @Devon_Eriksen_ Great editors are The Precious, and are shared with secrecy and quiet joy.

@Devon_Eriksen_ "...editor who was recommended to me by @TerryMaggert, who fucking knows how to make a dollar selling a book." Y'all better believe it. 27 (and counting!) Backyard Starship novels! Astounding output. And it's cool that 2 of my fave sci-fi novelists share an editor...

The more dogmatic the writing advice, the less seriously I recommend taking it. Why? Because every successful writer eventually figures out one important thing: No one can tell you how to write. He can only tell you how he writes. Writing fiction is the process of extracting a story from your head, and putting it on paper for transfer to someone else's head. There are as many variations of this process as there are heads. And if there is a piece, any piece, of writing how-to that is so general, so universal, that it works for all heads... well, I haven't seen such a thing yet, and I doubt I ever will. Dogmatic writing advice, advice the giver thinks is iron law, tends to come from an unpolished writer who has discovered a truth about his process, and thinks it is a law of the process. Thus, dogmatism is a sign of sophomoric writing advice. If you were to ask an author whose mastery is indisputable, say @orsonscottcard or @monsterhunter45, he would have a lot of recommendations, but they would probably all be laced through with liberal doses of "if that works for you". Does that mean that writing advice is valueless? No. Far from it. Because you have to discover your own process, wandering in the wilderness rather than following a beaten path, the guidance of others is even more important. But it has to be guidance from others whose heads are similar to yours. You'll know who those are because their advice makes sense, and works for you. Not because it's the answer, but because it's part of your answer. So, should you use a professional editor? Yes, if that works for you. Some writers rely heavily on them, some just use them for a little sentence tuning, some don't need one at all. Personally, I find that beta readers are far more important to me than editors. I am not writing for writing professionals. I am writing for people who like novels. The unpaid, non-professional beta reader therefore gives me a far better picture of the reader experience than a professional editor does. Of course, since beta readers are non-professionals, what he gives you is raw impressions, not polished advice, and interpretation is up to you. He knows if a chapter is boring, if a character is unlikable. You're still on the hook for the why. But if you're good at interpreting that kind of feedback, beta readers might be a more important part of your process. If you choose to hire a professional editor, buyer beware. There are a lot of people out there who have discovered that it's a lot easier to make a buck off an aspiring writer than off a reader. You can't throw a stone on "Reedsy", or some other cash-grab site, without hitting six of them. I had an "editor" tell me she had "worked with" Brandon Sanderson, and then charge me a couple K for a pile of gibberish feedback that could have been generated by any midwit teenager with a copy of "Save the Cat." Turned out later she had worked as his secretary. I consider the money to have been spent on a valuable life lesson. Anyone who tells you they can make your novel into a bestseller, or teach you how to write a bestseller, is lying. If they could, they'd be far too busy writing bestsellers, or working for people who already do, to be angling for a check from the likes of you. I use a professional editor who was recommended to me by @TerryMaggert, who fucking knows how to make a dollar selling a book. But I rely far more on beta readers. Would I advise new authors to get feedback from one of the two? Yes. But I'd also advise them to discard my advice if it turns out to be unhelpful. And to avoid any advice from anyone who acts like he has all the answers.

This evening’s skies: M101, the Beehive Cluster, and the Sombrero Galaxy. A beautiful view. #Astrophotography

There’s a direct correlation between sunlight and words produced. Summer induces productivity, and an improved mood adds human interaction, which fuels characters. I relearn this every year. #writingtips

@Devon_Eriksen_ Thank you for the kind word, Devon. And to your friends here on X, pay attention to Devon’s devotion to storytelling. It’s a rarity,and it produces a memorable book of unusual quality.

LFG!

@arts_of_war Stunning. Thank you.

The charge of the Polish Hussars at the Siege of Vienna in 1683 was the largest cavalry charge in history. I am painting this epic moment one painstaking detail at a time. This is exactly what I do - bring history to life in fine art.

Status: LEGENDARY

Gettin’ mushroomy on the back forty #mushrooms #countryliving #kentucky

@RapSheet @DavidMulugheta @AthletesFirst It's nice knowing I don't have to concern myself with the upcoming season, really frees up my Sunday afternoons. The @MiamiDolphins have passed into the realm of comedy, but a style of comedy that loses tens of millions of dollars.

Sources: The #Dolphins are signing #Packers QB Malik Willis, as a new QB has landed in Miami. He gets a 3-year, $67.5M deal with $45M fully guaranteed in a contract negotiated by @DavidMulugheta of @AthletesFirst.

@williamlstuart Thank you as always, Bill!

Read my #review of Halfway Drowned (Halfway Witchy Book 4) by @TerryMaggert! 4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 stars)! buff.ly/3mq6TyL

@MavrocksGirl I’m so stoked to see you get to enjoy this. 😁👍

They started shooting #TheRockfordFiles last week! I can honestly say I was astounded when I saw David literally channel my dad! I know you all have your thoughts and opinions but, I respectfully ask that you wait until you see the show! PLEASE STAY TUNED!