The Cult of Book Marketing

I've been reading Kristen Lamb's book, Rise of the Machines this week. And it's given me a lot to think about. If you haven't heard of Kristen Lamb, she's a very vocal supporter of indie publishing and the creator of something called WANAtribe, which is a place for writers to commune and offer each other support. You can read about Kristen and WANA (which stands for We Are Not Alone) through the links above -- and I recommend you do -- she's very wise!

Anyway, Lamb's book has a lot to say about the way social media fits into the marketing plans of every writer, indie or traditional. It's been a little bit eye-opening to me, because she's rather plainly stating that everything I've been doing is wrong. The only comfort here is that I know I'm not alone. I learned how to use social media from other writers, and basically copied what they were doing.

The biggest issue Lamb brings up -- and one I've wondered about a lot -- is that writers using Facebook and Twitter seem mostly to be targeting other writers. In some ways this is good marketing if you ask me. After all, I don't know any other writers who aren't voracious readers. I go through several books a week, even when I'm on deadline, and I'd guess I'm not alone. But I've also been aware all along that my small community of writer friends -- no matter how much they'd love to help me -- cannot make me a NYT bestseller all by themselves. I need those elusive "regular folks" to read my books, too. And talk about them. But I don't really market to them, unless they stumble across my very writer-focused blog or FB page.

I've attended lots of FB launch parties for fellow authors, and helped host a couple myself. And the folks who comment a lot and end up winning the giveaways? Other authors. I'm part of plenty of author groups and have an entirely separate author persona, to keep my writing segmented from my "real" life.

And Lamb is making me see that this might not have been the best path. Part of the segregation between my "real" identity and my pen name is due to the type of work that I do in the "real" world. But I'm starting to see that maybe inviting my "real" friends into my writing world would be the best way to share the thing that has been most important in my life (besides those little mini mes that wander around my home shrieking). I wouldn't "market" to these folks, exactly...that feels quite wrong. But maybe NOT giving them the opportunity to support my writing is wrong, too.

I'm not going to post any spoilers from Lamb's book or tell you how she proposes that we move past our limited view of author-to-author social media marketing to connect with "real" people... mostly because I haven't gotten that far in the book yet. But she's setting the stage and preparing me for the big reveal... I'm about halfway through the book, and the woman has thoroughly built the case for why everything I'm doing is spectacularly unsuccessful. So at this point I'm invested and really REALLY hoping that the book can deliver on the promise that it's making. But even if it doesn't manage to do that (has anyone completed it? Does it???), it's well written and has inspired plenty of thought.

So my questions to you guys:
- have you felt trapped in this cult of author-to-author marketing, too?
- what have you done to break out and reach "real" people?
- do you keep your writing life segregated from your "real" life? If so, why?

AHHHAHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhaaaaaahHHHHAAA!!!!!!!

RELEASE DAY: THE EMISSARY, by Kristal Shaff

Like the title of this post? It's a scream of joy! I just can't help it. FINALLY today I can say my YA fantasy novel, THE EMISSARY, is out in the world.

It's taken me YEARS and many trials and agents and editors and publishers and rewrites and stubborn resolve for this to happen. I don't have words for what I'm feeling. Instead, I'll give you the facts of what is going on with my book.

Firstly, here is the cover.

You can order it on AMAZON HERE.

You can add it to your goodreads list HERE.

If you have a nook, order HERE

A FREE GIVEAWAY on Goodreads is happening HERE.

My blog tour, hosted by Chapter by Chapter, started yesterday. Learn more about my book and my journey by following the tour. The list of tour sites are HERE

Please, read my book. It's been wanting to be seen for oh so long.

Lemonade from Lemons: Filling the creative well during rough periods

I really liked Abby's recent post, Evolution of a Snowman, because it gibes with how I've been feeling lately too. She's right in that it can be easy to feel negative when things get a little rougher than usual. And it's especially daunting when real life stuff gets in the way of creativity and writing.

With everything going on, I neglected my other blog, The Writer Librarian, until last week, when I posted this writing contest. Entries so far? 0. The problem, I think, was not only the long radio silence on my end, but also the time constraints resulting in a lack of publicity--I even forgot to put a Twitter post about it, which is my usual go-to for that sort of thing.

This has taught me that even when I don't get as much writing/editing/creative time that I like, every experience adds to my creative pool, whether I realize it or not. And not only can I tap into it later, it helps me grow, both as a writer, and as a person.

An even better example was a slightly bizarre library question I got through chat the other day. I didn't save the transcript, but the basic gist was this:

Library User: Hi, I'm looking for leadership skills used by domestic violence perpetrators.

Me (significant pause): You mean leadership skills used by domestic violence victims?

Library User: No, not victims. Perpetrators.

Me (incredulous): You mean abusers?

Library User: Sure, that will work.

Some time later after some significant searching and head scratching...

Me (unable to hide snark): Uhrm, I'm not finding anything. Do perpetrators actually have meetings now? I'm not familiar with your field.

Library User: It must not be that common. If you can find it, I'm also interested in the tools perpetrators might bring to meetings.

What I didn't say: What, like knives?

Me (what I said instead): The only articles I'm finding are ones that discuss leadership skills used by social workers and counselors. Is that what you're looking for?

Special Library User: Hmm. I guess that will work--I'm a social work major.

It's obvious my user thought "perpetrator" meant "counselor," and my only regret is that I didn't see the interaction with their instructor when they figured this out. Luckily, this will be going into my ever-growing file of weird library stories, and even though it was a challenge to deal with, it's something I can utilize later on.

So for those battling rougher terrain than usual (there seem to be a lot of us lately!) take heart. It's not all lemons, and you can use these things to your advantage later, whether in writing, or in life. So kick your feet up, drink that lemonade, and enjoy.

Reasons for Requesting: Character Interests

So you've got this concept, right? And an idea of what kind of character you need at the helm. You've developed their personality and dialogue and fears, so you've got a pretty well developed character on your hands. But there is a vital ingredient that your character will be lost without: Interests.

Yes interests. We all have them. Our hobbies and activities that make our hearts sing. And, especially for YA and Middle Grade, these things are important. I mean all of us were probably in some kind of club at one point or another. Band, theater, sports, art, underwater basket weaving... there are lots of things out there to be interested in.

But many times when I read an MS the character doesn't seem to... like anything. They make a big deal over the things they hate and don't get but not what they love. I think often times that's a trap authors fall into, especially in fantasy. They make the character's life flat and boring until the adventure starts and THEN the MC's life begins. But it feels cheap. Like the character has existed in a bubble until the story comes along.

How do you solve this? Give your MC goals and interests. Give them a path in life that they would have gone on if not for their adventures. And for bonus points, work their talents and interest somewhere into the plot. If they are adept at underwater basket weaving, maybe add a scene where the only way to beat the villain is to weave a basket-like prison underwater. Obviously an exaggeration, but it makes the character feel more real and three dimensional.

Ron was good at chess. It came in handy. Hermione was good at all of her classes and that comes in handy. In an MS I read recently, the MC used her talents and passions to solve the situation. Give them interests and make them count and its a good way to earn a request.

Bonus tip: if the only thing the character is ever passionate about is the love interest, you're doing something wrong. The character's whole life is not tied to the love interest. Even though 'interest' is in the title, it doesn't count as one. I have read books where that has happened.

That's all for today. Have a great week everyone!

Evolution of a Snowman

I've thought a lot about what to post today and tried to come up with some awesome writing post, but it's been a rough week. Not only was it the busiest and most stressful payroll in the history of all payrolls (I'm only sort of exaggerating here), but we found out some extremely disappointing news yesterday. So all I can come up with are negative things to write about, like how much waiting sucks, especially to have everything fall apart in the end over something totally stupid and completely out of my control, and how I really wish I could just hide from the world and write for a solid month, because it feels like I haven't written anything in forever, and how I need more hours in the day, and . . . yeah. So much negativity.

So I need some fluff. And this is one of my favorites. :)

Our family moved from Arizona to Idaho at the beginning of 2010. My kids hadn't had a lot of experience with snow at that point. As a result, they hadn't built many snowmen.

We'd come up in 2006 to visit family and that was my kids' first real experience with snow. This is their first snowman:

It wasn't really their fault this one turned out so sad since the snow didn't want to stick together, but still, he looked like he was already melting. Poor thing.

When we moved here, I thought the kids would be all excited to get out there and make some awesome snowmen, but apparently, it's cold outside when it snows, so they resisted. Then we had the great blizzard of Nov 2010 (not as blizzardy as they made it sound like it would be) and since we were on break, the kids finally attempted another snowman.

They worked on it for quite a while, so I thought for sure this one was going to be huge. I promised not to look until they were done. My patience was rewarded with this:

Not bad, though it looked more like a cake than a snowman. I'm sorry, snowwoman. And my daughter wasn't very happy with me when I started laughing. But it was so not what I was expecting and sometimes, the laughter just can't be controlled.

So when the response to snowman #1 was less than satisfactory, they set out the next day to make another one. This was the result:

And so begins the tale of the girlfriend snowwoman and the boyfriend snowman, as told by my 11-year-old daughter. The boyfriend (on the left) had to go out for some reason in a terrible snowstorm. It was so bad it buried him up to his neck. His girlfriend went looking for him and when she found him, she ran in circles, waving her hands around, screaming, "Help! Help!" And when no one came to help, she made a sign. And she lost her scarf.

Rough day.

As far as I know, the only help they got was our Great Dane eating their noses. Apparently, he likes carrots.

Maybe, if I'm lucky, this winter I can convince them to create some awesome Calvin and Hobbes style snowmen. :)

The October Mystery Agent contest is coming! Is your first 250 ready?

TGIF, Operation Awesome! In case you missed it, our October Mystery Agent lottery is open until next Thursday, September 25th. Our awesome MA is seeking MG, YA (any & all genres!), women's fiction, historical fiction, and romance (historical, contemporary, and new adult).

Our MA will be considering not only your Twitter-length pitches, but also the first 250 words of your manuscript, as well. When I was a querying writer, those contests were my favorite - a pitch could go either way, but when actual pages entered the equation, I knew that my entry would truly represent my manuscript, for better or worse.

So what makes a strong opening? Well... unfortunately, that is as subjective as the rest of this process. One reader may find your opening slow or confusing, and another may be hooked from the word 'go.'

But no matter what kind of opening I'm reading, there's one thing I can't go without: grounding. Sometimes, in an effort to avoid the dreaded infodump, the writer will catapult the readers into a dynamic, dramatic scene, hoping to grab their attention that way. And some writers can pull off an in media res opening beautifully! But without grounding - an idea of who these people are, and the rules of the world they live in - the stakes just aren't there for me.

If I don't know the main character yet, I'm just not going to be invested in their success. But that doesn't mean I have to understand absolutely everything within that first page! It really only takes a few well-placed, specific details to get readers interested in what you have to offer. A hook doesn't have to be an explosion. It can be an intriguing setting, a relationship dynamic, or just a character I instantly like. That's what will keep me begging for the next page.

What do you look for in an opening?

October Mystery Agent Lottery!

We have another Mystery Agent contest coming up in just a few weeks and 

our lottery form is now LIVE!

When can you enter?

Right now! The lottery will be open until Sept 25th.

What should you include in your rafflecopter entry? 

Title
Genre
Word Count
Critique Forum Preference - Please indicate if you'd like your entry to be included in the critique forum. If you do not respond to this option, we will assume you want to be included in forum.
Contact Info - leave your email or Twitter @name so we can contact you if necessary.
Writing as - We have had entrants prefer to be listed under pen names. If you'd rather we use a pen name when posting winner's names, info, entries, etc, please indicate this.

Please note: Your pitches will not be entered on the rafflecopter. If you are selected, you will then email us your pitches.

Our MA has requested twitter pitches (140 characters) and the first 250 words of your completed manuscript, so get them ready!

What is our October Mystery Agent seeking?

Our MA is currently looking for: MG, YA (any & all genres!), women's fiction, historical fiction, and romance (historical, contemporary, and new adult).

If you have a completed manuscript in one of these categories/genres, please enter all required info into the Rafflecopter below.

Please enter only once and only if your manuscript is finished and query-ready.

The lottery will close Thursday, September 25th at 11:59 pm EDT. Lottery winners will be posted here on the blog on Friday, September 26th. 50 lucky entrants will be selected. Those opting in for the critique forum will have their entries posted for cheerleading and constructive feedback.

And last but certainly not least, the reveal, along with the to-be-announced prizes, will be posted here sometime in the month of October.

If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Love: 10 Books That Have Have Never Left You

I read a post by Brian Klems on Writer's Digest about the 10 books that have never left you. So, as my brain tends to do, I got to thinking about what books have had an impact on me? Which books do I return to again and again? 

My list is eclectic. Some are new, some are classics, and one is on the list because it is fun (and constantly read by my niecelets and nephew). Here's the list: 

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
3. Before I Die - Jenny Downham
4. Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher
5. Wuthering Heights - Emily Brontë
6. A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness
7. Painted Faces - L.H. Cosway
8. The Giver - Lois Lowry
9. Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson
10. The Gruffalo - Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

How about you? Which books have had an impact on you? 

And, in case you missed it yesterday, you can check out our fantastic September Mystery Agent reveal (and winners) here. 

Happy Wednesday! 

Mystery Agent Reveal and Winners!

Thanks to all who entered and gave feedback! Our September Mystery Agent is . . .

Rachel Brooks of L. Perkins Agency!

She has chosen two winners:

YA thriller SURVIVING SARIN

and

NA Contemporary THE IMPERFECT TRY

We will be contacting the winners shortly with submission information. Congratulations!

Want to get to know our Mystery Agent better? We've asked her a few questions!

Any exciting news to share?

I recently participated in #PitMad and have a bunch of amazing stories in my inbox as a result. Plus, it’s always exciting to see writers supporting one another online.

Any tips for writers struggling with their pitches? Common mistakes you see in them?

I’m receiving a lot of pitches that are extremely above or below their genre’s typical word count. It’s important to know or research the ballpark word count range for your genre. While there are always exceptions, generally you should aim for that range.

I also repeatedly see a simple mistake—not including sample pages with the query! Querying is a thrilling (and stressful) process, but don’t get in such a rush that you hurt your chances by forgetting something so crucial.

What books have you read lately that you’ve fallen in love with (manuscripts you’re currently working with or others’)?

I recently started reading a contemporary romance manuscript from my inbox that I think I’m falling head over heels for. As far as already published books, I’m reading Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead. She’s amazing, as usual!

What are you seeing a lot of in your slush pile lately? What would you like to see?

I’m seeing a lot of variety in my slush pile— new adult, picture books, and everything in between. Some queries I’m seeing aren’t for genres I’m currently seeking, like political thrillers or memoirs, but then other pitches are right up my alley, like fresh YA stories. I’m on the hunt for adult romances at the moment, including erotic romance.

And a few just for fun:

Coffee or tea? Neither. I’m a soda gal all the way!

Sea or mountains? Definitely sea. I used to be surrounded by water and dearly miss it now that I’m landlocked.

Chocolate or bacon? Dark chocolate.

Ebook or print book? Both! I’m happy it doesn’t have to be an either/or situation in today’s industry.

Favorite TV show? Ouch, only one? Well BBC’s Sherlock definitely makes my list of top five favorite current shows.

Thanks to our awesome Mystery Agent for her time! To learn more about Ms. Brooks and her list, check her out on Twitter and on the agents page on the L. Perkins Agency website. 

Stay tuned for more Mystery Agent news very soon!

To Pre Or Not to Pre

 (That's William Shakespeare threatening to dagger me [in the nicest way possible] if I ever use that To Pre Or Not to Pre joke again)

A few weeks ago, my book Crow's Rest showed up on Amazon as available to pre-order in paperback, and of course I had to tell everybody about it. But once the squealing was done, all kinds of questions about what pre-ordering does (and does not) mean for the book and author came up.

Firstly, I had to explain to a few less-publishing-savvy friends that pre-ordering it now means that they still won't get the book until it comes out in May 2015. So the inevitable followup question became "what are the advantages of pre-ordering it then?"

I had some vague recollection of being told publishers use those pre-order numbers for things, but I didn't really have a concrete answer to that question (still learning so much about the actual publishing process!). So I asked around among my fellow Fearless Fifteeners, and got the emphatic answer that yes, pre-orders are crucial for any book! Those numbers are used to:

• determine whether the publisher may be interested in your next book
• determine how large that initial print run should be (and possibly whether they should also print a hardcover version)
• to gauge how much buzz the book is getting, and therefore whether it merits some extra swag or promotional budgeting

The exact explanation from my publicist, Jennifer Allis Provost, on that last point was:

Basically, once you've landed a publishing contract you've convinced someone to invest months (sometimes years) and thousands of dollar in your work, with no guarantee that you will sell a single blessed copy. Yep, that's why it's so hard to make it past the submissions stage; since publishers don't have crystal balls, they have no idea what will take off and what will tank.

What changes their mind? Pre-orders.

Let's say you're a debut novelist, and the publisher has assigned you a publicist, done some marketing, and whatever else is involved in their standard package. You know who the publishers go "above and beyond" for? The titles with hundreds or even thousands of pre-orders. Those pre-orders tell the publisher that the author is willing to do her part to get the word out, and do everything she can to make that title a bestseller.

So as a reader, all that pre-ordering does is reserve a copy for you, and to make sure you get it close to the release date.

But for the author, that pre-order is a really great thing to have on their side! Having a better understanding of how this works has prompted me to go through my Goodreads Want to Read list and actually follow through with pre-orders on the titles I'm really excited about.

Feel free to share some titles you're excited for, that you've pre-ordered, in the comments!

P.S.  I was tempted (and basically dared by Jessica L. Brooks) to add a "The More You Know" gif to this post, but, copyright

SCREENPLAYS MOVIES AND MORE

 

Writing screenplays that sell is a lot like writing novels.  You must really love your story and feel compelled to share it. This drive will carry you through the process.  Ask yourself--What do I really love to write about? For me it was lighthouses.  I love how lighthouses are a symbol of hope, of light and shelter. A few years ago I wrote a novel about a lighthouse entitled, Fears of a Fisherman. This month I found out that my lighthouse novel, will be made into a film in 2015. I really believe it was my love of  lighthouses that made this dream possible.  

 

 

In addition to being passionate about your subject matter, you must also really know your characters. Make sure you have conflict and have your hero make solid choices. 

 

It is so important to show growth in your characters as well.  Have your antagonist attack and or damage your characters in the most personal of ways--this will make your audience become emotionally invested in your hero. 

 

Think outside the box. Be a rebel. Write about what moves you. What you love!  

 

Happy writing everyone!

 

Have a cool novel cover? send me a link by posting in the comments below! 

 

 

Check out my new Cover for my novel River of Bones.

Be sure to share yours as well!  

 

 

 

 

Clean Slate

I'm blogging late today because it took all day to clean my house. Four loads of laundry, an heirloom piano that hadn't been dusted for an embarrassing duration, and carpets that needed some serious love.

Cleaning my house was like revising my novels. I didn't think it could be done, but I knew it HAD to be done. I started with one corner of the house: decluttered the papers, toys, and half-eaten apples (I have four boys). Then I moved on to the next task: thoroughly dusting the scrolly nooks and crannies of my hundred-year-old piano. It's so old the cherry wood has gone black everywhere except the untouched inside. I had to dust quietly, which is no fun with a piano, because my babiest one was sleeping down the hall. If you've ever picked up a dusty old manuscript and tried to revise to your modern tastes, you have an inkling how I felt tackling this job.

The kitchen is the kitchen. It gets cleaned more often than anything else, even the bathroom, so that was easy... sort of like dropping my guilty pleasure adverbs from the first five chapters of my book.

Then there's the carpet. It's my least favorite to clean because it bears the brunt of everything, all the daily traffic of six people (maybe minus the baby who isn't crawling yet), and it weaves throughout the house. It's foundational. It's essential. And it was filthy. We live in the red dust of southern Utah right next to a city called Hurricane for its gale-force winds. My carpet is white. We just bought a Kirby in hopes of domesticating this over-sized rug. Imagine you reread your manuscript and realized it didn't just need the omission of a few badly placed adverbs or flowery adjectives. Imagine you looked at the whole house that you'd spent so many countless hours designing and organizing, and realized with horror that the very fabric that held up all your furniture needed a deep clean. I've got a couple manuscripts like that, which I probably won't be tackling any time soon. "Back to the drawing board," are five words I hate to hear myself mutter.

But if you're brave, maybe you'll tackle that white carpet turned mud-red rug (say that five times fast), and your book will end up as incredible as my house looks right now as I sit typing. Yay! It's a peaceful feeling when you've done the work and made something--book, house, yard, garden--just shine.

Don't look at this picture too closely. We're going for Most Improved.

Happy writing this weekend! And if you must, happy revising!

Blog Tour! Lisa Amowitz's VISION - and a giveaway!

Visit Rock Star Book Tours

My dear friend, the amazingly talented author/graphic designer/illustrator/book cover goddess Lisa Amowitz has a brand new book out and it's FABULOUS! Here are the deets:

About the Book

Title: VISION

Author: Lisa Amowitz

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Pub. Date: September 9, 2014

Find it: Goodreads|Amazon|Barnes& Noble

The light is darker than you think… High school student Bobby Pendell already has his hands full—he works almost every night to support his disabled-vet father and gifted little brother. Then he meets the beautiful new girl in town, who just happens to be his boss’s daughter. Bobby has rules about that kind of thing. Nothing matters more than keeping his job.

When Bobby starts to get blinding migraines that come with scary, violent hallucinations, his livelihood is on the line. Soon, he must face the stunning possibility that the visions of murder are actually real. With his world going dark, Bobby is set on the trail of the serial killer terrorizing his small town. With everyone else convinced he’s the prime suspect, Bobby realizes that he, or the girl he loves, might be killer's next victim.

About Lisa:

Lisa Amowitz was born in Queens and raised in the wilds of Long Island, New York where she climbed trees, thought small creatures lived under rocks and studied ant hills. And drew. A lot.

Lisa has been a professor of graphic design at Bronx Community College where she has been tormenting and cajoling students for nearly eighteen years. She started writing eight years ago because she wanted something to illustrate, but somehow, instead ended up writing YA. Probably because her mind is too dark and twisted for small children.

BREAKING GLASS which was released July 9, 2013 from Spencer Hill Press, is her first published work. VISION, the first of the Finder series will be released in 2014 along with an unnamed sequel in the following year. LIFE AND BETH will also be released in the near future. So stay tuned because Lisa is very hyper and has to create stuff to stay alive.

To contact Lisa try:  
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  | Pinterest | Goodreads 

My thoughts:

I absolutely loved this book. It's chilling enough that I would have liked to only read it during the day but it was one of those "I can't put it down" books so I ended up reading into the night just to finish it. And then spent the next several weeks looking over my shoulder. The characters are the kind that stay with you long after you've finished the book, and not just the main character, but the side characters as well. Bobby's visions are truly horrifying, as are the consequences of those visions. The story kept me hooked and guessing and sad that the story ended (I'm hoping for a sequel!!). If you like murder and mystery and an amazing male main character, you definitely need to read this one. I highly recommend!

GIVEAWAY!!

Lisa is giving away 2 Signed copies of Vision and swag for 2 winners US ONLY.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

Week One:

9/1/2014- Word to Dreams- Interview

9/1/2014- Books Complete Me- Review

9/2/2014- Suzy Turner, YA Author- Guest Post

9/2/2014- Her Book Thoughts!- Review

9/3/2014- Mom With A Kindle- Interview

9/3/2014- The Bookie Monster- Review

9/4/2014- One Guy's Guide to Good Reads- Guest Post

9/4/2014- Reader Girls- Review

9/5/2014- Realm of the Sapphired Dragon- Interview

9/5/2014- Amaterasu Reads- Review

Week Two:

9/8/2014- The YA Lit Chick- Guest Post

9/8/2014- Buried Under Books- Review

9/9/2014- Anonymous Interests - Interview

9/9/2014- In Between The Lines - Review

9/10/2014- Curling Up With A Good Book- Guest Post

9/10/2014- Dalene's Book Reviews- Review

9/11/2014- Avid Reader Musings- Interview

9/11/2014- Operation Awesome- Review

9/12/2014- kellyvision- Guest Post

9/12/2014- Reese's Reviews- Review

Plot holes and a simple suggestion

These are my sweat pants. They're falling apart. (I folded one leg over so you could see the back, too.)

I didn't realize how full of holes my pants were until I was getting ready to fold them recently, and saw them lying on the bed. 

Whoa, I thought. Those are practically goners. 

It made me sad.

It also reminded me of my current WIP. With OTH releasing on Monday, I've been working on Flora stuff for months now. With the Flora things being officially out of my hands for a while (whew), I've been able to go back to Cozenage 2. 

It's like seeing the storyline for the very first time. Tons of issues are jumping out at me, demanding my attention. I love it.

A lot of times, we writers spend so much time getting comfortable with our works-in-progress, it's easy to get to a point where plot/character holes are completely missed. The stories or specific aspects of them might be falling apart at the seams, but because we've been buried so deep in everything and know how the WIP is *supposed* to be, we don't even see this.

There are varying pieces of advice on how to fix this (CPs, betas, et cetera), but I've personally come to learn that taking a few months (yes, months--not weeks) away from a project that might *feel* like it's done is really the best. I know that seems like a long time when you're chomping at the bit to get it finished and move on to another project, but believe me, it's worth it. You'll be looking at your work with a pair of fresh eyes and only will plot holes stand out, but it'll also be easier to come up with solutions when you're not burnt out on the storyline.

I like what Neil Gaiman says:

The best advice I can give on this is, once it's done, to put it away until you can read it with new eyes. Finish the short story, print it out, then put it in a drawer and write other things. When you're ready, pick it up and read it, as if you've never read it before. If there are things you aren't satisfied with as a reader, go in and fix them as a writer: that's revision.

How about you? Do you agree with this? If so, how long do you step away from WIP (or finished draft) before diving back in again? 

How All Work and No Play Kills a Manuscript

I'll admit, I've struggled with what to blog about this week. I was going to one about editing, but realized I'd already done that. I was going to post about creative inspiration from my Hawaii trip, but Aimee already did such a good job of that with Alaska that mine seemed redundant in comparison.

But perhaps I can do both--with what I learned in Hawaii during the limited hours I dared to hand-edit the last chapter I'd hacked to bits. It fell completely flat, and made my character a distant carbon copy of herself.

I'd been working on it too hard to notice. Unwilling to take breaks for fear I'd never get the revisions done.

It took getting me out of my routine, and putting me in a setting with lots of ocean, rainbows, and a touch of yoga to knock some sense back into me. Give me the perspective I needed.

And I realized the reason my scene fell flat is because my character literally had a gun in her pocket--and wasn't using it. In this scene, she needed to do a lot more than just sit there.

So when I got back home, I re-wrote the scene, splicing it together in the sequence it was meant to go, and had her hold that gun to someone's head, for goodness sake. I don't know if I'll keep it as is, but for now, it's enough to move forward with the rest of my revisions.

Another thing the time and space in Hawaii gave me was the realization that fun is not only a necessary part of writing (and living) but it has to be a priority. Even if I have to manually write it out on my to-do list. Staring at the Pacific Ocean, with its waves rolling in, reminded me that there is a whole lot more to life than being hyperfocused on work. And that being too driven actually hurts more than it helps.

So, instead of feeling guilty for the week I spent barely writing or revising, I feel blessed that it allowed me the space I needed. And if that doesn't help me remember not to work myself to death, perhaps these pictures will:

So what is your limit? What are some signs that tell you you've been working too hard?

Reasons for Requesting: Setting

As mentioned the last time I posted, I went to Alaska this summer on a cruise with my family. It was truly a beautiful, breathtaking landscape. The kind that gets you inspired to write epic fantasy with huge, sweeping landscapes. Mostly because it almost doesn't seem real. Below are some pictures from the trip, including some sleepy sea lions :)

The weather was amazing to match the scenery. A picture is worth a thousand words, they say. So it can be hard to make an image come to life with only a few paragraphs.

One of the great powers of writers is to make places that exist only in words come to life in the readers mind. Its a hard task and definitely one I struggle most with as a writer. Dialogue flows easily. Plot and characters? One of my strong suits. But imagery of any kind, particularly setting? I struggle big time with that.

So when a see a writer who can nail that setting? GIMME! The setting is as much a character as anyone else in your story. It should be a fully integrated element of the story. A most recent example I've come across of pitch perfect setting is  The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Spain is a huge part of the story and this book makes me want to visit.

In the end, that's really what your setting should do. Make us want to BE there. Make us want to hop onto the nearest train to Spain, Italy, Alaska or any number of fantastical locations. There are a lot of important elements that go into fleshing out a world, but setting is one of the most important.

Helpful tip for setting if you're bad at it like I am: Practice with describing places. It doesn't matter if its your local coffee shop or the glaciers of Alaska. Practice setting the scene to help it become more natural. And use all five senses when you do. Practice makes perfect right? And it might just land you an agent!

Dierdra Eden's Knight of Light (The Watchers book 1) - and a Giveaway!!

We're excited to help Dierdra Eden celebrate the release of her new book, The Watchers Book 1: Knight of Light. Take a peek at her awesome book trailer and be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a copy of her book and $100 Amazon gift card!!

The Watchers Book 1: Knight of Light

 In England, 1270 A.D., Auriella (pronounced yurr-ee-ella) flees her village after being accused of witchcraft. Pursued by nightmarish creatures, she struggles to accept the truth about her humanity. Filled with fairies, dwarves, pixies, dragons, demons, and monsters, Knight of Light is an enthralling tale that will capture the imaginations of readers young and old.

The Watchers Series has been described as Braveheart meets Supernatural. The mythology for the series is based on many theological texts from dozens of sects with correlating themes. Ancient writings include The Dead Sea Scrolls, The Traditional Apocrypha, The Pearl of Great Price, and The Kabbalah.

“The Watchers” are supernatural beings in human form whose duty it is to protect and guard mankind from the armies of darkness. Unfortunately, as the Book of Enoch mentions, some of these Watchers go bad. Although the mythology is based on these texts, Deirdra Eden’s The Watcher’s Series is written in a traditional fairytale style with a young girl’s discovery of incredible, but dangerous powers within herself, a cast of humorous side-kicks, a quest for greater self-discovery and purpose, and villains of epic proportions

Amazon  Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads  Wattpad  Pinterest

About the Author

"My goal in writing is to saturate my books with intrigue, mystery, romance, and plot twists that will keep my readers in suspense. I want to see fingerprints on the front and back covers where readers have gripped the novel with white knuckles! Aside from writing, I enjoy jousting in arenas, planning invasions, horseback riding through open meadows, swimming in the ocean, hiking up mountains, camping in cool shady woods, climbing trees barefoot, and going on adventures."
-Deirdra Eden

Find Deirdra Eden and The Watchers Series online on Amazon, Deirdra's website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Wattpad, and Pinterest.


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Procrastination

All images via Hyperbole and a Half

I like to procrastinate. Have you ever noticed how many things around the interwebs (and in general life) need attention right at the second you should be writing/doing stuff in general? 

There are definite cycles to procrastination. Some weeks I'm all: 

Other weeks:

And stuff piles up and attacks me until I submit: 

But once it's done:

Until next time... 

So tell me, do you procrastinate? 

Back to Writing!

Summer is officially over at my house and the kids will be back in school by the end of the week. I’m facing the moment I’ve been looking forward to all summer... Writing Time!!!

But man! My daily habits have completely changed (maybe for the better) while being off the grid. So... since I have a relatively clean slate to set up new writing habits, I’m working on a list of what my daily priorities should be.

1. Make a schedule! 
-One hour of exercise, three days a week with the hubs. Neither of us seem willing to put out the effort on our own, but we’re hoping to keep each other motivated. :-) You never know! It just might work! No more, “I don’t have time, I’m writing!”

-Dinner plans. No more, “I can’t think about dinner right now, I’m writing!” (which ultimately leads to $5 pizzas or frozen/boxed things with 8 minutes to spare before swim team practice.)

-I will NOT attempt to do any writing before the kids go to school. I generally wake up hours before anyone else does, but it ultimately leads to, “Oh my gosh! The kids are still in bed and we have 4 minutes to make lunches, eat breakfast, get dressed and out the door!”
But I might try jotting down a few scene/chapter notes that I want to tackle for the day... especially if I need to write three chapters a week to meet my intended deadline. (Thank goodness I have a (mostly) detailed outline to keep me focused!)

-Make laundry/cleaning a daily ritual—not a monthly “Ugh! I can’t work in these conditions!”

-Be extra cautious about balancing time between MY projects vs covers and editing for others. As much as I love working on other people's projects, I really do have a deadline.

2. Write the Schedule!
-Change that... PRINT the schedule as a daily check-off chart and live by the list each day until it becomes habit.

3. Stick to the Schedule!
-I seem to go through this I-need-better-habits phase every September and New Year. So...crossing my fingers and toes that I can be dedicated to more than just making time to write. :-)

I’m extremely grateful to have such a huge amount of flexibility in my day-to-day life. I know many writers who would LOVE to have as much time as I do. I just need to use the time more wisely to better balance obsessive writing and a healthier frame of mind. I’m 98% certain everyone in my house would benefit. :-)

September MA pitch critiques!

Welcome back to the Mystery agent critique portion of our contest. The 16 entries (some didn't turn in their pitches and some opted out of the crtique) will be open for your amazing feedback all week!

Our rules are simple:

• Be helpful. 
• Be relevant.
• Be kind. 

Thank you to all of you, and to all our amazing entrants! Happy critting!

You can also visit the entries in the tab under the OA blog banner:  MA Critiques.

Just a little more info about the forum:

• You DO NOT have to register to comment.

• To comment on a pitch, just click Reply on the main post in the thread. It will bring up a comment box where you can enter your name and comment.

•  To return to the full list,click September 2014 Mystery Agent in the top left corner of the forum.

• And once again, we'd love to know what you think about the new format. Let us know here in the comments. Any feedback would be awesome! Thanks!