Getting it Done and Giving it Away

Another 6 weeks of furious fiction typing is behind me, and I have to say that I’ve loved every second of it!

Back at the beginning of February I posted about my monthly agenda. It included writing content for Blogging Your Book, posting and promoting blogs, 4 admin days, newsletter & opt-in creation, a writer's meeting, and 13 full days of working on book 2!

Goals? Set realistically.

So I started researching and writing a blog post. And the thing took on a life of it's own.

When I got to 3,000 words it started me thinking that instead of a post or even a series of posts, the piece would make a great eBook.

And now that eBook is ready to share with you! Woo hoo!

In Does My Book Suck? (a self-publisher's guide to finishing your book with confidence) you'll get:

• Quotes from people who live the dream of writing.
• Advice for how to tighten your writing.
• How to kick start your author platform.
• Industry stats.
• Organizational tips.
• Resources to take your writing even further.
• Writing prompts that will add depth to your stories.
• And so much more.

And it will all cost...

The low, low price of free for Newsletter Subscribers! Become one by clicking those words and get started downloading your copy of the guide.

Next blog post, you don’t want to miss it!

Stick around for my next post in 2 weeks because I’m hosting a giveaway of my novella – Reckless Abandon the first book in the Shaw McLeary Adventure Series.

In fact, I’m giving away 3 signed copies so come on back and enter!

Need a reminder? No problem!

Sign up for my newsletter and you’ll never miss an update!

And now, back to book writing…

Image courtesy Sura Nualpradid on freedigitalphotos.net

Celebrate What You Love - Happy Valentine’s Day!

First of all I just wanted to make a quick note:

If you’re writing fiction and haven’t had a chance to check out my last post I think it will be well worth your time to read it.

The post is hefty at about 1300 words but chock full of info and advice that all authors should examine to legally protect themselves when releasing fiction.

For example, anyone who wants to use a known public place in their work could face problems depending on the story line.

So after that post turned out to be so long - and because tomorrow is Valentine’s Day in the U.S. - I’ll leave you to enjoy some writing love!

No matter who or what you love, show it some extra attention tomorrow!

Happy writing everyone!

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Living with a Writer isn't Always Easy

Okay fellow fiction writers, it's time to own up.  The cat's out of the proverbial bag so we might as well admit that they're all onto us.

The jig is up.

Everyone knows we have more than one personality hanging around in our heads. Yes indeed. True story.

Fortunately though, writers get to flaunt their imaginary friends all over town! How many professions allow you to do that – essentially be insane – and not only allow it but encourage it? That's the coolest part of my job.

We use the friends in our head to our advantage when developing characters for our fiction. We scribble them down and purge them out. Because if all of those personalities had to reside together up there for too long things could get mighty ugly. 

We need them written and gone.

That's why I carry a pen and notebook around with me everywhere. You never know when a character is going to say something so perfect that you have to take notes or you’ll lose it forever.

I don’t care if I somehow get invited to a big hoo-ha awards show where having a purse is frowned upon, because I'll have one. And inside it you'll find a writing implement, and paper ready for ink.

I’ll be like a Bond girl but instead of a gun in my garter belt my secret stash will be a Pilot Fine Tip Ball-point in black.  The vodka martini of pens. With a twist.

So in the spirit of better explaining what makes our head's tick, here's the top 3 things anyone should know about living with a writer.

1. Despite your obvious astonishment at what comes out of our mouth at times, we promise, we’re not all scary

The thing about fiction writers is that we’re personally easy to live with most of the time. Of course that says nothing about the hundreds of “people” who have built imaginary condos inside our minds, yelling at everyone to listen.

For example, the latest annoying neighbor might be a snarky, divorcee with Aqua Net hair.

If you’re in my life and spend the work day with me, you’re going to watch me become this person (sans actual Aqua Net) because I have no choice.

She must live in my head and sometimes sneaks out of there in order for her to become real on the page.


2. Writers hole themselves up on purpose so you don't have to see all the characters all the time

And there are more of us than we’ll ever let on, but you love us anyway so we think that’s pretty rad. Most writers prefer to be alone while working on fiction. 

Because, as you can see, we aren’t really alone anyway.

But here's your warning: People we can reach out and touch – be it in our homes or through our fingers online – we will use for character research as often as we possibly can.

3. We'll try to avoid the writing by researching for weeks, seemingly wasting time if you don't know any better, but it will likely all come out in one big purge.

Crucial.  Point.

We aren’t really procrastinators no matter how our habits may seem to keep us from "work" sometimes.

Writers never stop working. 

Out with friends? We're using those times to develop characters and dialogue. Watching television? We're analyzing plots for how it could work in a book. Sleeping? We're still collecting information that could prove useful down the road.

Then, when we get to the point of the purge all of that energy we collected for the past however long goes flooding onto the page.

Don't worry if we seem strange, distracted or burdened with another personality. Because the truth is, we are all of those things.

Luckily our job description fully embraces the departure from the norm. I hope you enjoy it!

Sign up for my monthly newsletter here for more fun with fiction. You'll get a copy of my eBook Does My Book Suck? - a self-publisher’s guide to finishing your book – free just for signing up!

Yesterday I Sent My “Kid” to Prom

You know how in law contracts they always designate 1 word for the names of the parties involved? For instance, “Client” instead of Sally B. Smith.

In the spirit of that, by “kid” I refer to my newly completed first novel.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the correlation of raising a kid to an Author releasing their first book.

I’m feeling like that anxious parent today. The one who stayed up all night. The one who spent most of the night biting my nails and praying that my “child” didn’t end up drunk and knocked up in the back of a limo in some grocery store parking lot somewhere last night.

They grow up so fast don’t they? Graduation is just a breath away and it’s a little melancholy.

After all, I raised her since birth. I developed her, molded her and shaped her into something special and unique. And now that she’s out there in the world on her own for the first time, I’m feeling a little lost without her.

I can’t even think about when she gets married and moves out on her own.

Based on what I’ve heard, most authors will understand exactly what I mean. Hopefully, if we’re decent at our jobs, we’ll finish it in far less time than 18 years.

But regardless of how swiftly or slowly we let her go the fact remains – there are distinct parenting stages with our manuscripts.

Planning Stage through Birth
Everyone loves this part. We get the “nursery” ready and start picking out cute little outfits. We make sure to eat right and get plenty of rest.

Our offices are fresh and new. We’ve dusted off the desktop and armed ourselves with a brand new journal to take notes on all the most important developments along the way. The ones that take our breath away when we realize we made something out of nothing.

Every day is a brand new delight and surprise!

Toddler
Somewhere around the middle of the first draft we start thinking about ways to leave our bratty little book with a babysitter and run, screaming, in the opposite direction.

Everything from character to storyline seems to suck. We stopped sleeping, we do nothing but yell ‘no!’ at the top of our lungs all the time. We’re flat out exhausted. We hate our book. It isn’t even a book, the things we brought to life couldn’t possibly be real.

We wonder if the thing came from the depths of hell.

That evil something runs around screaming, jumping off of furniture, hiding from us behind large trees. That evil something takes off its diaper and poops right in the middle of chapter fifteen. That evil something expects that we’ll figure out a way to get rid of the mess.

We just hope it doesn’t get worse.

I need a beer.

Tween
Though still slightly ornery, we manage to pull it together and start running a somewhat tighter ship. Nothing swings from the ceiling fans and we’re feeling pretty good about getting it together.

Then, as if overnight, all the manuscript wants to do is sulk in its darkened drawer for the next year…should I be worried?

Teenager
Oh yea. Here comes the fun. Note the sarcasm?

Coming out of their room for nothing more than food and friends, we see a new tattoo and jet black hair. It’s time to completely remold her into something that only slightly resembles her original self.

Welcome to editing.

Some writers do this as they go along. I personally like to write it all first then go back to shape it into something more realistic later. Some might call me masochistic but if I have to live through the teen years of my book, at least I’ll get them all out of the way at once.

Sleeping, showering, and leaving the house are optional at this point. I obsess over making sure she’s perfect. I get rid of the Mohawk that showed up in chapter twenty-five and the co-dependent, money-sucking boyfriend who arrived in chapter forty-seven.

Because they add nothing to the story.

But she keeps telling me she’s perfect and to “get off her back so she can live her own life.”

I need a six pack.

Prom and Graduation
Then that moment arrives and it’s filled with mixed emotions. She’s ready to step out on the town. This is the part where we stop writing another word, let it go, and send it off for Copyright registration.

We have to admit she’s done.

All we can do is hope her college essay is strong enough to get her into Harvard.

But as parents of a first child we’re also realists. Some backup colleges might not be a bad idea. We don’t care, just so long as the Registration Certificate, arrives in the mail we’re going to be ecstatic.

Early Twenties
Suddenly we realize - the thing is finished! On her own for the first time.

Time to party bitches!

For the first time in years our writer’s brains can all but turn off and stop collecting information vital to our story.

For the first time in years we can do laundry, sleep, exercise off the 25+ extra pounds that showed up.

That amazing book is out there paying her rent and partying with cute boys and we’re finally empty nesters. Time for us to do the same!

She’s Engaged
The certificate comes back and its official. All we need to do now is decide how to get her out into the world.

We scoured the different options years ago. Finally we’re ready for release day.

New Life On Her Own
We’ll always be there to lift her up, promote her to the world, tell people how freaking awesome she is, but in essence she has her own path to take now; her own life to go out there and live.

The great news is that now we’re truly empty nesters. We get the time now to do book signings, interviews, articles, blog posts, and media blitzes.

This is our proud parent moment where we get to talk about her with everyone and tell them how great her career is going, how happy we are for her and how exciting it was to have raised such a wonderful kid.

We boast, cheer, cry and high-five perfect strangers. We have raised a gem. We rule!

And then, forgetting all about those early years of misery and frustration, we think to ourselves “I think I want another…”

But first, I need a nap.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter here for more fun with fiction. You'll get a copy of my eBook Does My Book Suck? - a self-publisher’s guide to finishing your book – free just for signing up!

What are your Thoughts on Re-purposing Old Books?

What are your thoughts on altering an old book?

I went looking to see what kind of things people create from old books and found all kinds of interesting products. Upcycled bits and pieces combine to become everything from picture frames to wallpaper for an entire room and loads more.

Some of the projects people have posted are definitely beautiful, I just couldn’t bring myself to cut out or cut up pages of any book. Not even one that I’ll never read.

To me, I feel like books should stay books. But that’s just me.Instead of keeping books that don’t speak to me I like to donate them to charity. The fun thing? One of those crafty types might make their way into that same thrift store, find the book I donated and use it in some crafty way that I discover years from now online.

It’s fun to imagine who that person might be. A new character perhaps?

Hmmm…

What would you do with an old book like the one in the picture up there? Read it? Hack it up? Donate it? Something else?

Sign up for my monthly newsletter here for more fun with fiction. You'll get a copy of my eBook Does My Book Suck? - a self-publisher’s guide to finishing your book – free just for signing up!

Picture This

While checking my Facebook news feed today for tidbits of inspiration and news about my friends and family, I came across a picture a friend had shared.

It isn't anything particularly mind bending or overly special per se, nothing I don't already know somewhere inside my head. But with my current leap into the net of life to chase my dream it absolutely resonates.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and use the inspiration!

Sign up for my monthly newsletter here for more fun with fiction. You'll get a copy of my eBook Does My Book Suck? - a self-publisher’s guide to finishing your book – free just for signing up!