Last week I posted a warning about unscrupulous 'publishers' charging money to help authors self-publish their books. You can read that here. I thought it might be helpful for some of you to know what kinds of things you should be expecting to pay for, in the event you are thinking of self publishing your book, and some places I know that are reputable to get them done.
There are three main things that need to be done to turn your story into a novel after you have edited it to the best of your ability. You can do some of this on your own, but you want to look professional. I recommend hiring these things out and getting professional help, but if you have knowledge you might be able to handle some of this on your own.
Cover Art:
The first thing your potential reader sees - can't stress the importance of great cover art enough. If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know that I endorse hiring out cover art professionally. This can run anywhere from $20-plus for a pre-made cover to several hundred. For Always & Forever, I used LFD Designs for Authors and their covers run $75 for a custom cover or they have premades available. I know currently they have a waiting list, so get in line. Here's their web site if you're interested http://mycoverart.wordpress.com/services/ They only do front art for a digital book, but you can find other cover artists who do wrap-arounds for print books as well.
I recently had artwork done for the book I'll be working on next, Love & Deception, by a new artist, edh Graphics, and I love her work. She does romance covers and also graphic work for your website/FB page. Her prices are very reasonable. Check out her web site http://edhgraphics.blogspot.com/p/custom-covers.html
Also, if you are looking for a wraparound cover for your paperback or an ebook cover or other graphics work, I've heard good things about http://jayceedelorenzo.com/sweetnspicy/services.html though I haven't used this one myself.
Professional Editing:
I do think you need to hire an editor, though when looking through the quality from various editors, I'm starting to wonder if there is any way to be guaranteed a good editor. They say you get what you pay for, but I had a writer friend pay a significant amount for an editor who didn't seem to get the story and made a lot of suggestions that would have ruined the novel. So I'm feeling a bit dubious about whether you absolutely have to have a content editor. However, I do think you need a proof reader to help with missing words and grammar.
Most editors will offer a 5-page sample or so. I suggest you take advantage of this before shelling out the money. Make sure that editor has ideas you agree with and seems like a good fit before hiring them. Unfortunately, I do not have any editors to recommend at this time, but a search on the internet will give you plenty to check out.
You can actually get fairly decent content editing from critique partners. The place I love to use to get critiques is www.critiquecircle.com. My critique group helps me work out all my content problems and helps brainstorm story ideas for things I'm having issues with. I rely on them a lot to help bring my book from start to finish. Also, critiquing their work helps my improve my own writing skills, so it is a win-win situation.
Quality editors or even proof readers can cost a lot of money, so you definitely have to shop around if you are working on a budget. You might even interest an English Major at your local college who is looking for something to add to their resume if you don't have the resources to pay for an editor.
Formatting:
Finally, I think it is important to hire a formatter. I did Always & Forever myself, but couldn't include a table of contents or the code that allows customers to swipe down and jump from chapter to chapter (apparently this is an NCX file). However, it appears that Amazon is slowly changing their minds about this issue and want to start making a TOC mandatory. So, for my piece of mind, I hired a formatter to fix Always & Forever and will do so for my future books. I just do NOT speak computer code. I used Rachelle Ayala, as I was happy with both her prices and the quality of her work http://www.rachelleayala.com/p/book-formatting.html
As stated last week, unfortunately, it seems there are plenty of companies who want to do you the service of uploading your books and charge you a lot for the privilege of this. However, it is simple to do this yourself. Here are the links to the various publishing places and their guidelines and instructions. It is really a super simple process once you get your account set up, and something simple to do for yourself.
USA links for digital books for self-publishing:
Amazon Kindle: https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help
Barnes & Noble Nook: http://pubit.barnesandnoble.com/pubit_app/bn?t=support
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/about/how_to_publish_on_smashwords
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/companyinfo/authorsnpublishers.html
More resources:
Romance writer, Maggie Jaimeson, was nice enough to send me a list of the services she uses and recommends so I could share them with you all. Thanks, Maggie! Check out her books and website while you are looking around http://maggiejaimeson.com/
Maggie says: Here are the people I recommend and other resources I use.
Gilded Heart Designs - Christy created my webpage header, bookmarks, and FB timeline (all the same image). She also does book covers. Though she didn't do any of mine I've seen the ones she's done for others and because of that, I will use her in the future.
Red Circle Ink - This is run by Jessa Slade, multi-published paranormal romance writer. I've known her for 8 years and heard her critiques. I've also seen what type of feedback she gives writers. She's reasonably priced and has a variety of packages. The thing I like most about her is that she is what I would call a "developmental" editor. Meaning she doesn't just copy edit, she understands novel structure, character arcs, tension, turning points, etc.
PrintRunner - This is who I used for my bookmarks. I got 500 for about $50. I really great deal and that was for two-sided, full color glossy print. They are absolutely beautiful. And they were delivered within 5 days. I do not use business cards ever. I tried that before I published and a little after I published my first book. What I found is that people lost them or threw them out. But bookmarks are actually useful, and mine have all the information needed for people to contact me (website, email, QR code that goes to my website) and shows all four of my current books as well as my brand) I used to use VistaPrint, but I like the quality of PrintRunner and the pricing better.
Earthly Charms - For my Signed by Author Labels and Local Author labels for print books. They are the best prices I've found and you can get rolls of only 100, instead of having to buy 500 to get a decent price.
Book Tour: GoddessFish Promotions - http://www.goddessfish.com/
E-book formatting faeries who do such a good job with the formatting. Here is their website. http://e-bookformattingfairies.blogspot.com/p/services-offered-by-e-book-formatting.html
I hope some of this is helpful. Make sure you read everything carefully and shop around. You can produce a quality book, even on a budget. Good luck and happy publishing. Have a fantastic week, my friends!
eeeChantelfff
Showing posts with label Critique Circle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Critique Circle. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Spotlight on Rachelle Ayala - Her Talents Know No Bounds!
In the midst of introducing you all to my fabulous critique partners from www.critiquecircle.com, I started getting a lot of requests from people to appear on my blog. I love helping out new authors and featuring their work, but I got a little sidetracked in my quest to introduce the authors who mean the most to me in the writing community. I've been very anxious to introduce this critique buddy, Rachelle Ayala.
Rachelle is great as a beta reader and crit buddy. Plus, her and I have such a good time. Even though our writing couldn't be more different as far as styles and overall ideas and events, the similarities in our novels are quite humorous. She wrote Broken Build at the same time as I wrote Always & Forever. The similarities are crazy. Both heroines have an injured leg. They are both hiding their true identity. We even picked the same song for our characters to fall in love to! The crazy thing is, we both wrote these things before reading the other person's work. There are many more instances of similarities throughout the book, these ones just give me the best chuckle.
Rachelle is a diverse writer and likes to explore different genres. As well as being great at that, she is an ex-computer program and speaks code like no one's business. Need help formatting your book to put it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords? Confused what the heck an NTX file is or how to build a table of contents? Rachelle, wonder woman, can make this all happen for you! In fact, I'm hiring her to format my projects and save myself the headache!
I am so grateful to have met Rachelle and have her as one of my writing besties! Check out her fabulous books below!
Looking for historical romance? This is based on the Bible and set in biblical times. Though I don't read a lot of that type of book and was a bit hesitant, Michal's Window is a rich, entertaining novel that I loved. Want to see a different take on King David's first wife? This is a fantastic read.
Not your Grandma's Bible Story...
Hidden Under Her Heart is a story about abortion and courage. Maryanne Torres tries to gain validation and love by giving more in each relationship than she takes. Lucas Knight believes his reason for existence lies in becoming a triathlon champion. An unwanted pregnancy forces Maryanne to examine her past while Lucas is torn between concern and bitterness. Meanwhile, a tiny life hangs on the balance. Is it worthless because it is unwanted?
Rachelle is great as a beta reader and crit buddy. Plus, her and I have such a good time. Even though our writing couldn't be more different as far as styles and overall ideas and events, the similarities in our novels are quite humorous. She wrote Broken Build at the same time as I wrote Always & Forever. The similarities are crazy. Both heroines have an injured leg. They are both hiding their true identity. We even picked the same song for our characters to fall in love to! The crazy thing is, we both wrote these things before reading the other person's work. There are many more instances of similarities throughout the book, these ones just give me the best chuckle.
Rachelle is a diverse writer and likes to explore different genres. As well as being great at that, she is an ex-computer program and speaks code like no one's business. Need help formatting your book to put it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords? Confused what the heck an NTX file is or how to build a table of contents? Rachelle, wonder woman, can make this all happen for you! In fact, I'm hiring her to format my projects and save myself the headache!
I am so grateful to have met Rachelle and have her as one of my writing besties! Check out her fabulous books below!
Looking for historical romance? This is based on the Bible and set in biblical times. Though I don't read a lot of that type of book and was a bit hesitant, Michal's Window is a rich, entertaining novel that I loved. Want to see a different take on King David's first wife? This is a fantastic read.
It's not easy being a woman, least of all princess of Israel. Married as a prize, abandoned as a wife, Michal fights to claim her rightful spot next to King David, the man she loves with all her heart.
Separated by war, concubines, and kingdom politics, Michal embarks on a journey of adventure and heartache where she is befriended by a goddess-worshipping priestess and tempted by a Philistine prince.
From reading scrolls high atop the palace walls to seduction with a henna-painted body, Michal is not your ordinary Bible heroine. Join her in Michal's Window and let her delight you with her courage, devotion, and outrageous passion in her relentless drive to win back her husband.
Content advisory: sexual situations, blood and violence
Want to buy Michal's Window?
Paperback at Barnes & Noble and Amazon
Looking for more of a mystery? Do you like a tough challenge? Check out the blurb for Rachelle's romantic suspense title, Broken Build.
When a woman wrongs a man… can a man forgive and love?
Jen Jones hides a horrible secret behind her new degree, toned body, and exciting job at Silicon Valley’s hottest startup—until a man linked to her past is killed in a hit-and-run.
CEO and founder Dave Jewell is about to land a huge deal. He doesn't need blood on his car, threatening phone calls, and Jen wrapped in broken code and blackmail.
A gang of thugs hunts Jen, and she takes refuge in Dave’s protective arms. Together, they must thwart a killer and rescue an innocent victim from their past. Love blossoms, but a damaging revelation points straight at Jen, threatening to tear them apart forever.
Content advisory: language, sexual situations
Want to buy Broken Build? It's available on Amazon:
And my personal favorite is the one she is currently working on, but you will all have to wait. Hidden Under Her Heart is women's fiction and expected publication is Spring 2013.
Also - for those of you authors looking for a good formatter or beta reader, here's the link to what Rachelle offers and her prices - http://www.rachelleayala.com/p/book-formatting.html
I hope you enjoyed meeting Rachelle Ayala! Happy reading, my friends!
eeeChantelfff
P.S. Don't forget my policy to read the samples before you buy! Everyone's tastes are different.
P.S. Don't forget my policy to read the samples before you buy! Everyone's tastes are different.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Sweet romance ~ #Spotlight on Melinda Dozier
Here's another great author in my ongoing quest to introduce my fabulous critique partners! Melinda Dozier writes contemporary romance, and she has the sweetest characters. You'll love them!
I 'met' Melinda through www.critiquecircle.com last winter. We quickly realized we had a lot of the same likes and dislikes and similar habits; we definitely share a brainwave. Despite our personal similarities, she writes in a vastly different style than me and it's a lot of fun to swap critiques and reach each others' material, and she always has terrific advice for me.
Right now, I'm super excited to announce that Melinda received a contract with Entranced Publishing, and her novel (which I've already been lucky enough to read) Time Changes Everything, will be released June 3, 2013! Wait to go, Melinda! I'm so excited for you!
Time Changes Everything is a great book about Amanda Larson, a girl who always had a crush on the 'boy next door.' She meets up with Jake Edwards seven years after their first and only date, and even though Amanda believes Jake will always think of her as the little "squirt" from next door, things are pretty explosive between them from the get go! However, there are problems on the horizon. Jake and Amanda will have to overcome a lot of obstacles if they are ever going to reach their 'happily ever after.' Check out her cover! Beautiful!
To follow along with Melinda in her journey to publication, and also for the latest information on when you can catch a sneak peak of her work and other things, follow her blog http://melindadozier.blogspot.com/ and for a glimpse of her book blurb and links to snippets from her book, follow this link - Time Changes Everything. Romance lovers, you are going to want to watch out for this name. I've also read the first couple chapters of Melinda's current work in progress - all I can say is, I'm loving it! So much fun!
UPDATE: Time Changes Everything was bumped up! It will be available May 13, 2013! Yay!
Thanks for stopping by! Have a great weekend!
eeeChantelfff
P.S. Don't forget to check out today's stop on my blog tour for Always & Forever. Christina McKnight has me over there for an interview, talking about my book and also a bit about my writing process http://christina-mcknight.blogspot.com/
I 'met' Melinda through www.critiquecircle.com last winter. We quickly realized we had a lot of the same likes and dislikes and similar habits; we definitely share a brainwave. Despite our personal similarities, she writes in a vastly different style than me and it's a lot of fun to swap critiques and reach each others' material, and she always has terrific advice for me.
Right now, I'm super excited to announce that Melinda received a contract with Entranced Publishing, and her novel (which I've already been lucky enough to read) Time Changes Everything, will be released June 3, 2013! Wait to go, Melinda! I'm so excited for you!Time Changes Everything is a great book about Amanda Larson, a girl who always had a crush on the 'boy next door.' She meets up with Jake Edwards seven years after their first and only date, and even though Amanda believes Jake will always think of her as the little "squirt" from next door, things are pretty explosive between them from the get go! However, there are problems on the horizon. Jake and Amanda will have to overcome a lot of obstacles if they are ever going to reach their 'happily ever after.' Check out her cover! Beautiful!
To follow along with Melinda in her journey to publication, and also for the latest information on when you can catch a sneak peak of her work and other things, follow her blog http://melindadozier.blogspot.com/ and for a glimpse of her book blurb and links to snippets from her book, follow this link - Time Changes Everything. Romance lovers, you are going to want to watch out for this name. I've also read the first couple chapters of Melinda's current work in progress - all I can say is, I'm loving it! So much fun!
UPDATE: Time Changes Everything was bumped up! It will be available May 13, 2013! Yay!
Thanks for stopping by! Have a great weekend!
eeeChantelfff
P.S. Don't forget to check out today's stop on my blog tour for Always & Forever. Christina McKnight has me over there for an interview, talking about my book and also a bit about my writing process http://christina-mcknight.blogspot.com/
Friday, September 14, 2012
Wonderful Descriptions ~ #Spotlight on Author Kimberly Sullivan
My next critique partner from www.critiquecircle.com to introduce is the fabulous, Kimberly Sullivan. Kimberly writes both novels and short stories (I always admire the ability to write short stories - I'm too long winded J).Kimberly writes women's fiction, both first and third person, and her descriptions of the places her characters live is nothing short of amazing. You feel like you are in the remote town settled in the mountains of Italy. You see the way the people are dressed - even enjoy their food with them. She's fantastic!
Here is a link to her short-story, Caves: http://www.snovalleywrites.org/?page_id=518. She won the SnoValley Writes 2012 Writing Contest for the category of writer age 18 and older with this story. Talk about impressive! I'm in awe of her skill.
I'm not sure how long the following link will be good, but Kimberly also had a different short story, Holiday Bliss, accepted for publication in the WriteFrance Anthology. They are offering a free peak for a limited time. Kimberly's story appears on page 47. WriteFrance.com
In the meantime, visit Kimberly's blog and follow her journey: http://kimberlysullivan.wordpress.com/ She does both a travel blog type post on Tuesdays (putting up beautiful pictures of places she's been and letting us armchair explore wonderful vacation spots) and also writing posts on Fridays.
Thanks for reading! Have a great weekend!
eeeChantelfff
P.S. Don't forget about my blog tour starting today - hop on over to Christina McKnight's blog and see her New Release post for Always & Forever - http://christina-mcknight.blogspot.com/
I've learned a lot from Kimberly about singular/singular agreement, awkward phrasing, and just overall everything. She is a great help and a wonderful inspiration to me as I work through my projects, and she spots my problems and offers up encouragement. I just finished critiquing a novel for her, In the shadow of the Apennines, and I'm excited that she is starting a new book. Soon, I hope she is able to publish a novel in the near future, and I can share that happy news with all of you.
In the meantime, visit Kimberly's blog and follow her journey: http://kimberlysullivan.wordpress.com/ She does both a travel blog type post on Tuesdays (putting up beautiful pictures of places she's been and letting us armchair explore wonderful vacation spots) and also writing posts on Fridays.
Thanks for reading! Have a great weekend!
eeeChantelfff
P.S. Don't forget about my blog tour starting today - hop on over to Christina McKnight's blog and see her New Release post for Always & Forever - http://christina-mcknight.blogspot.com/
Friday, September 7, 2012
Paints a Beautiful Picture ~ #Spotlight on Author Monterey Sirak
Onward in my goal of introducing you to all my great critique partners at www.critiquecircle.com This week, I want to talk about my good friend, Monterey Sirak. Monterey and I met shortly after I started on critique circle a year ago. Her writing is so beautiful, so wonderful, I knew I had to get to know more about this person and learn from her.
Monterey is as beautiful a person on the inside as her wonderful writing suggests. She has become a true friend to me, and I am so grateful to know her. She writes poetry, and if ever a picture was painted with words, Monterey knows how to do this. Mostly, I've been reading her short stories, and she recently had one, Past Treasures, published in an on-line magazine. You will be amazed at her skill. Here's the link http://www.epiphmag.com/EpiphanyMagazineissue15Fiction.html#msi
Monterey is currently working on her memoir, which I have had the privilege of reading. I won't say her life has all been sunshine and bunnies, but she has an incredible strength that comes through in her writing, making it all the more wonderful to read.
Monterey has also had three books of poetry published, available through Amazon. Check out the covers and links to each Amazon page below. If you love poetry, you definitely don't want to miss out on her work.
Happy reading and writing, everyone! Have a terrific weekend!
eeeChantelfff
Monterey is as beautiful a person on the inside as her wonderful writing suggests. She has become a true friend to me, and I am so grateful to know her. She writes poetry, and if ever a picture was painted with words, Monterey knows how to do this. Mostly, I've been reading her short stories, and she recently had one, Past Treasures, published in an on-line magazine. You will be amazed at her skill. Here's the link http://www.epiphmag.com/EpiphanyMagazineissue15Fiction.html#msi
Monterey is currently working on her memoir, which I have had the privilege of reading. I won't say her life has all been sunshine and bunnies, but she has an incredible strength that comes through in her writing, making it all the more wonderful to read.
Monterey has also had three books of poetry published, available through Amazon. Check out the covers and links to each Amazon page below. If you love poetry, you definitely don't want to miss out on her work.
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| The River of Liquid Dreams on Amazon Her last name was different on this one, but it's still Monterey |
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| In the Presence of Shadows Amazon link |
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| Faith Like a Dandelion Amazon link |
Happy reading and writing, everyone! Have a terrific weekend!
eeeChantelfff
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Hilariously Funny ~ #Spotlight on Travis Casey
I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about the importance of receiving critiques and how important my critique partners are to me from www.critiquecircle.com (cannot recommend this site enough). I thought it would be fun to introduce them to you all over the next several weeks and let you get a little sample of writing from these talented people.
Today, I would like to introduce you to Travis Casey. Funny is not the word to describe this man! He has two books written in a trilogy he is working on (of which I was lucky enough to read them both as he wrote them!) and is working toward publication. One way or another, I know he is going to get published. Part of me hopes he goes self-pub so I can get the book faster! Seriously, I would sit and read the chapters in his book and laugh so hard my kids would always ask me what the heck I was doing. Sometimes, I'd have to wipe laugh tears away before I could answer. Good stuff here. Hopefully I can entice Travis to do an author interview when his first book comes out.
While we're waiting for the book, Travis has some articles published at Helium.com. In the humor section, out of 30 articles, his is rated #1 (not that I'm terribly surprised by that). For a good laugh, check it out at www.helium.com/items/1837261-travel-airplanes-flying-stewardess You can also check out his author bio and the other articles he has published there by clicking on Travis' name at the end of the article.
Also, Travis has some great stuff on his blog (which he hasn't written anything new on in a while, but maybe he will soon *crosses fingers* though, in fairness I would rather urge him to write more books for me to read). You can see more of his sense of humor and what you'll be getting yourself into when you read his books. One story is my absolute favorite on his blog at www.traviscasey.net. If you read nothing else, this is the one - Haircut? But I don't speak Chinese.
Trust me, you'll laugh! As soon as Travis' book is published, I'll be letting you all know. Laughter is the best medicine, and Travis delivers a lot of it!
Have a great week! Thanks for reading!
~ Chantel
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| Travis Casey |
While we're waiting for the book, Travis has some articles published at Helium.com. In the humor section, out of 30 articles, his is rated #1 (not that I'm terribly surprised by that). For a good laugh, check it out at www.helium.com/items/1837261-travel-airplanes-flying-stewardess You can also check out his author bio and the other articles he has published there by clicking on Travis' name at the end of the article.
Also, Travis has some great stuff on his blog (which he hasn't written anything new on in a while, but maybe he will soon *crosses fingers* though, in fairness I would rather urge him to write more books for me to read). You can see more of his sense of humor and what you'll be getting yourself into when you read his books. One story is my absolute favorite on his blog at www.traviscasey.net. If you read nothing else, this is the one - Haircut? But I don't speak Chinese.
Trust me, you'll laugh! As soon as Travis' book is published, I'll be letting you all know. Laughter is the best medicine, and Travis delivers a lot of it!
Have a great week! Thanks for reading!
~ Chantel
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Facing Chronic Disease - Rheumatoid Arthritis
First of all, I'd like to start by apologizing. I know I haven't posted in a long time. My life has been rather chaotic lately. Beyond the chaos, I have had a wonderful time throwing a little party for myself, a pity party.
I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis around the end of April. I've kept mostly to myself and shut out the world for a while with the exception of my family and one very good friend (I can't thank them enough for all they do for me). I read a lot of blogs from other people, and that was a mistake. Let me tell ya, it's dang depressing to hear how horribly tired they are all the time and how much pain they are in. I'm tired, I have the pain. I already know about all that.
In the midst of this little party I had for myself, my son graduated from high school - yes, I know I'm way to young to have a son graduating high school :-) My children aren't biologically mine, but I've had the pleasure of raising them for the past 14 years. We threw a huge party for him and a lot of family members came. It was great, and I'm so proud of him. He's going off to college in August to become a police officer. His ultimate goal is to join SWAT, which scares me to death, but I'm really proud at the same time.
Even though I got all the chapters back from my editor a week and a half ago, I couldn't find the motivation to fix anything. I haven't been critiquing any of my friends at www.critiquecircle.com, and I recently discovered that it is impossible to hold a hardback book when you are in the middle of an arthritis flare. I was literally in too much pain after reading five pages, and suffered all the next day while trying to type at my day job. That made my pity party even bigger...reading has always been my escape and now it's been denied to me. Perhaps when I get an electronic reader it will be better. The one I want weighs only six ounces so I'm hoping I can easily hold it.
Guilt got the better of me last week, and I decided to reach out to my crit partners and tell them why I haven't been critiquing their work...and to apologize. It's funny, I call them my crit partners, but they have come to mean so much more than that. It reminds me of when I was in band in high school...it's a family of sorts. An odd kind of family, but still a family. I've never met any of them in person, and yet they have become great friends. I love them all and I am so grateful for their support!
I also have a wonderful family. They've stepped up to the plate, doing more around the house because they know I can't right now. My parents listen to me cry or whatever I need to do, sitting on the phone with me and helping calm me. I have a lot to be thankful for, and the pity party won't work indefinitely.
I'm usually a glass-half-full kind of person, and hearing everyone's support and ideas helped me realize I need to get a move on it. I have a book to edit, I have a life to live. My doctor said with the medication, I will likely have twenty to thirty years before I am unable to type so I need to work on the books I want to write in the meantime.
I will do a blog post soon on my adventures with editing. My copy editor did a wonderful job, and I'm surprised by the amount of information I have learned from her!
For anyone suffering with a chronic disease, I have a little advice--look for actual support groups on your disease, get information that will help you cope and improve your life. I spent weeks reading personal blogs and just depressing myself. All hope isn't lost as long as you have the desire to try. Of course, we are all entitled to the occasional pity party!
For more information on diet and lifestyle changes, gentle exercises that can help, and a place to start looking for a support system if you have been diagnosed with RA, I recommend www.risesupport.com I've heard water aerobic classes made for arthritis can help out, and I am starting on Tuesday (I think I've adequately explained how much I love the water, so I'm really excited about this).
They always say when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Well...I love lemonade! Time to get to work and squeeze those lemons!
Have a terrific week, everyone! I'm off to edit my book!
I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis around the end of April. I've kept mostly to myself and shut out the world for a while with the exception of my family and one very good friend (I can't thank them enough for all they do for me). I read a lot of blogs from other people, and that was a mistake. Let me tell ya, it's dang depressing to hear how horribly tired they are all the time and how much pain they are in. I'm tired, I have the pain. I already know about all that.
In the midst of this little party I had for myself, my son graduated from high school - yes, I know I'm way to young to have a son graduating high school :-) My children aren't biologically mine, but I've had the pleasure of raising them for the past 14 years. We threw a huge party for him and a lot of family members came. It was great, and I'm so proud of him. He's going off to college in August to become a police officer. His ultimate goal is to join SWAT, which scares me to death, but I'm really proud at the same time.
Guilt got the better of me last week, and I decided to reach out to my crit partners and tell them why I haven't been critiquing their work...and to apologize. It's funny, I call them my crit partners, but they have come to mean so much more than that. It reminds me of when I was in band in high school...it's a family of sorts. An odd kind of family, but still a family. I've never met any of them in person, and yet they have become great friends. I love them all and I am so grateful for their support!
I also have a wonderful family. They've stepped up to the plate, doing more around the house because they know I can't right now. My parents listen to me cry or whatever I need to do, sitting on the phone with me and helping calm me. I have a lot to be thankful for, and the pity party won't work indefinitely.
I'm usually a glass-half-full kind of person, and hearing everyone's support and ideas helped me realize I need to get a move on it. I have a book to edit, I have a life to live. My doctor said with the medication, I will likely have twenty to thirty years before I am unable to type so I need to work on the books I want to write in the meantime.
I will do a blog post soon on my adventures with editing. My copy editor did a wonderful job, and I'm surprised by the amount of information I have learned from her!
For anyone suffering with a chronic disease, I have a little advice--look for actual support groups on your disease, get information that will help you cope and improve your life. I spent weeks reading personal blogs and just depressing myself. All hope isn't lost as long as you have the desire to try. Of course, we are all entitled to the occasional pity party!
For more information on diet and lifestyle changes, gentle exercises that can help, and a place to start looking for a support system if you have been diagnosed with RA, I recommend www.risesupport.com I've heard water aerobic classes made for arthritis can help out, and I am starting on Tuesday (I think I've adequately explained how much I love the water, so I'm really excited about this).
They always say when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Well...I love lemonade! Time to get to work and squeeze those lemons!
Have a terrific week, everyone! I'm off to edit my book!
Monday, May 21, 2012
No New Books I Love This Week
Unfortunately, friends, I am still making my way through the Sookie Stackhouse series, working my way up to Deadlocked. On top of that, my first fourteen chapters were returned from my editor, and I have a lot of work ahead of me.
Although my critique partners at www.critiquecircle.com did an excellent job, nothing replaces an editor. She is pointing out scenes that would work better from the other character's point of view, and why, suggesting changes to a certain character to make him fit the story better. It is a lot of work, and I've only made my way through the first six chapters. I'm very excited though, as I think this will all lead to a much better end product.
I know I highlighted Mercedes Lackey not too long ago, but I've decided to share with you the book series that inspired me to start writing my first book (the one that fizzled at 150 pages). Joust is part of a four-book series dealing with war between two countries each struggling to overtake the other. The greatest war weapon available is the fearsome dragons and their riders, often turning the tide in battles.
Vetch is a young boy who has been captured by the opposing side and is serving as a serf to a cruel master. When a dragon rider realizes Vetch's plight, he decides to commandeer Vetch as his dragon boy. The rest of the series deals with Vetch's journey toward manhood, and his role in helping to end the war between the countries. You can read more about this book and the rest in the series at Mercedes Lackey's web site http://www.mercedeslackey.com/books/joust.html
When I reached the end of this book, I realized I didn't know of any other books where dragons were portrayed as intelligent creatures that were allies and companions to the characters in the book. (I had, of course, already read Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series). I tried out a few series that looked promising, only to realize they weren't really about the dragons like I'd hoped. A story came into my head about a young woman, Lena, who is transported to a magical land by a dragon she soon bonds with, Vallerand. There was an epic struggle between races and Lena would have to right the wrongs. Of course, as I've previously mentioned, I do not really have a fantasy book in me, and I finally realized romantic suspense was were I could shine.
However, this series of books will always have a special place in my heart for prodding me into this wonderful adventure of novel writing.
Have a terrific week, everyone!
Although my critique partners at www.critiquecircle.com did an excellent job, nothing replaces an editor. She is pointing out scenes that would work better from the other character's point of view, and why, suggesting changes to a certain character to make him fit the story better. It is a lot of work, and I've only made my way through the first six chapters. I'm very excited though, as I think this will all lead to a much better end product.
I know I highlighted Mercedes Lackey not too long ago, but I've decided to share with you the book series that inspired me to start writing my first book (the one that fizzled at 150 pages). Joust is part of a four-book series dealing with war between two countries each struggling to overtake the other. The greatest war weapon available is the fearsome dragons and their riders, often turning the tide in battles.Vetch is a young boy who has been captured by the opposing side and is serving as a serf to a cruel master. When a dragon rider realizes Vetch's plight, he decides to commandeer Vetch as his dragon boy. The rest of the series deals with Vetch's journey toward manhood, and his role in helping to end the war between the countries. You can read more about this book and the rest in the series at Mercedes Lackey's web site http://www.mercedeslackey.com/books/joust.html
When I reached the end of this book, I realized I didn't know of any other books where dragons were portrayed as intelligent creatures that were allies and companions to the characters in the book. (I had, of course, already read Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series). I tried out a few series that looked promising, only to realize they weren't really about the dragons like I'd hoped. A story came into my head about a young woman, Lena, who is transported to a magical land by a dragon she soon bonds with, Vallerand. There was an epic struggle between races and Lena would have to right the wrongs. Of course, as I've previously mentioned, I do not really have a fantasy book in me, and I finally realized romantic suspense was were I could shine.
However, this series of books will always have a special place in my heart for prodding me into this wonderful adventure of novel writing.
Have a terrific week, everyone!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Writing Tip Wednesday ~ Motivation ~ 5/2
How do we stay motivated as we write? What keeps us going? Most of us are not doing this for a living, although we'd like to. We have busy lives and sometimes writing takes a backseat to other priorities. Your kids have a band concert, football practice, or dance recital. Maybe you had a fight with your spouse. Perhaps you have health problems. On top of all this, you still have to cook dinners, clean the house, go to your day job.
Where does writing fit in?
Like many people, my life has exploded lately. On top of my family duties and personal issues, I added in the networking with Twitter, Facebook, managing this blog, and Triberr. You can read about that here if you missed it last Friday. With all this added responsibility, I haven't done actual novel writing. I've tried to stay caught up with my critiques at Critique Circle, I've thanked all my "Tweeps" at Twitter, I've followed new Facebook groups and "liked" everyone who likes me ... I've been overwhelmed! The hour I used to set aside for writing in the morning before anyone else woke up has evaporated into time spent networking. I'm working on ways to manage these things better, and will post on that later.
Does this happen to everyone else too? I've been struggling for a way to kick start myself into gear. I need motivation to write the new novel. Always & Forever is with the editor, and there isn't much I can do there. In a way, I feel a little let down at saying goodbye to Zach and Lilly, knowing soon I will finish with them and they will be out in the world, hopefully selling *crosses fingers*. But just like children leaving to college, I won't have the same relationship with them I once had when they leave the house. During editing, I was so sick of them I thought I couldn't wait to see them leave (must be the teenage years!). Now, I have to admit to having no small amount of fear. What if I fail with the next book? Can I write something that good twice? The fear is almost as paralyzing as the overwhelming commitments I've gotten myself into.
However, I want to be a writer. I really do. Eventually, I want this to be what I do for a living, so I can't let these little speed bumps sidetrack me from my goals!
The first thing I've done to try and get myself back on track is to read more books again. I love helping my critique partners and looking for ways to improve their stories, but somehow that is not the same as reading for the pure pleasure and joy of reading. I find that when I read for fun, it sparks my imagination and my Muse once again speaks to me. The last few mornings I have awoken with the urge to write. I've had other things that needed taken care of first. Hopefully by the weekend my obligations will be fulfilled and I can begin writing. In the meantime, I'm going to continue reading every night, revving my Muse up so she will be ready to go when we write again.
Another thing that really helps me is having people who I know are enjoying the novel and are waiting for the next chapter. Part of my problem right now, no one is reading the new book (loosely named Crime & Passion) and so there is no urgency for me to get a chapter finished. No one is going to be disappointed if I don't write. I have no one to impress. I'm very much a people pleaser. The thought of someone being disappointed because I don't do what I'm supposed to really motivates me. If you are not involved in a critique group and find your motivation flagging, I suggest you join one. Critique Circle is free and a great place to meet up with other authors who are all looking to help one another. So, my job next week is to start inviting people to read my new book and putting up the chapters I have done.
Another program I really enjoyed in the past at CC was the ability to log a goal for how many words I plan to write in a given month. It shows up on my profile page, and other people can see if I'm making my goals or not, as I log each day how many words I managed to type. This really pushed me last time I used it. It is a potentially very public place to fail if I don't meet my goals. That motivates me.
So, what do you all do to stay motivated? Any tips for me to try? I have to start writing soon!
Have a great week!!
Friday, April 20, 2012
Publishing?
Well, as many of you know, I finally made a decision. It was not an easy one! I must have changed my mind thirty-seven times.
Ever since this idea of writing entered my head, I always assumed I would write the next Great American Novel, it would magically be wonderful, and I would send it off to a publisher, land an agent, and the rest would be history. Okay, that's really never what I expected. Though I did expect I would one day be published, I never imagined it would be an easy process. And I know it isn't! I have nothing but admiration for all the traditionally published writers out there. It is a hard world to break into. Many terrific books are passed over in favor of other books, as publishers try to guess which fad will catch on, what book will catch the attention of millions of readers. Self-publishing is an entirely different ball game. You can make this a very easy process in which you put forth no effort, and most likely will end up with a product that will not sell and will hurt your reputation. Or you can go about it the correct way, professionally, just like a traditionally published author, and build a brand for your name that will eventually lead readers to you *crosses fingers and takes a deep breath*
Now there is the new world of E-books and the publishing venture offered through Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Smashwords, Google Books, and many others. Suddenly, anyone who strings a few lines of text together can slap a book up on the internet and attempt to sell their work.
Honestly, I didn't view these as "real" books. Please don't come after me with the pitchforks and burning torches. In fairness, the only self-published book I had ever read was absolutely horrible. I downloaded it for 99 cents, thinking that for the price it was worth taking a chance. Boy, was that a horrible assumption. Spelling errors, basic grammar structure problems, and the plot ... let's just say it was not well thought out. I swore I would never buy another self-published book.
Enter Critique Circle. Suddenly, I'm reading works in progress (WIPs) by awesome authors and I'm excitedly sharing my work, getting great help, perfecting my craft. Everyone is talking about their editors, and I'm so naive and clueless about this new way of publishing, I think they must have publishing deals. I was amazed that all of these people seemed to so easily land a deal, and wondered what the heck the secret was! :-) When I realized they were self-publish authors, who actually hired editors just like traditional authors, my brain suddenly started wondering what world of possibilities could be opened by this new development.
I gave self-published work another chance, and I have to say, it's unfortunate I happened upon that first book. The majority of these self-published novels really deserve to be published, as much as any other book I've read. There is something a little sad about reading digital books, but I'm slowly getting used to this new way of reading--I love the feel, smell, and experience of holding a book in my hands, turning the pages. I've told my family I want a Kindle for my birthday this year. We'll see how that compares to a paperback. It has to be better than reading at my laptop.
My plan is to publish Always and Forever on Amazon. I'm learning a lot about promotion, Facebook, Twitter (I'll have more on my experiences with this later). It's a scary world, but also fabulously exciting.
My editor, Stephanie, sent the first 5000 words of Always and Forever back to me this evening. She has some great ideas and some great catches. In fact, Chapter One listed on this site is not going to make it to the final edit--well, parts of it will, as far as information given about Lilly, but the chapter itself will undergo a radical change. I will update the website in the future and put the final Chapter One up. Stephanie made a suggestion for an alternate first chapter. Interestingly, it's the same suggestion my good critique buddy and fellow aspiring author, Travis Casey, made. It was a good idea when he made it, and it's still a good idea. I'm going to run with it. She had a lot of other great suggestions. I can already see the benefit of hiring an editor. I'm very, very excited to embark on the next phase of editing.
Here are some of my favorite blogs that have information about self-publishing, what authors are doing about promotion, and just some general guidelines:
Rachelle's Window
Victorine Writes
Good luck to everyone, in whatever dreams you pursue! Anything is possible!
Ever since this idea of writing entered my head, I always assumed I would write the next Great American Novel, it would magically be wonderful, and I would send it off to a publisher, land an agent, and the rest would be history. Okay, that's really never what I expected. Though I did expect I would one day be published, I never imagined it would be an easy process. And I know it isn't! I have nothing but admiration for all the traditionally published writers out there. It is a hard world to break into. Many terrific books are passed over in favor of other books, as publishers try to guess which fad will catch on, what book will catch the attention of millions of readers. Self-publishing is an entirely different ball game. You can make this a very easy process in which you put forth no effort, and most likely will end up with a product that will not sell and will hurt your reputation. Or you can go about it the correct way, professionally, just like a traditionally published author, and build a brand for your name that will eventually lead readers to you *crosses fingers and takes a deep breath*
Now there is the new world of E-books and the publishing venture offered through Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Smashwords, Google Books, and many others. Suddenly, anyone who strings a few lines of text together can slap a book up on the internet and attempt to sell their work. Honestly, I didn't view these as "real" books. Please don't come after me with the pitchforks and burning torches. In fairness, the only self-published book I had ever read was absolutely horrible. I downloaded it for 99 cents, thinking that for the price it was worth taking a chance. Boy, was that a horrible assumption. Spelling errors, basic grammar structure problems, and the plot ... let's just say it was not well thought out. I swore I would never buy another self-published book.
Enter Critique Circle. Suddenly, I'm reading works in progress (WIPs) by awesome authors and I'm excitedly sharing my work, getting great help, perfecting my craft. Everyone is talking about their editors, and I'm so naive and clueless about this new way of publishing, I think they must have publishing deals. I was amazed that all of these people seemed to so easily land a deal, and wondered what the heck the secret was! :-) When I realized they were self-publish authors, who actually hired editors just like traditional authors, my brain suddenly started wondering what world of possibilities could be opened by this new development.
I gave self-published work another chance, and I have to say, it's unfortunate I happened upon that first book. The majority of these self-published novels really deserve to be published, as much as any other book I've read. There is something a little sad about reading digital books, but I'm slowly getting used to this new way of reading--I love the feel, smell, and experience of holding a book in my hands, turning the pages. I've told my family I want a Kindle for my birthday this year. We'll see how that compares to a paperback. It has to be better than reading at my laptop.
My plan is to publish Always and Forever on Amazon. I'm learning a lot about promotion, Facebook, Twitter (I'll have more on my experiences with this later). It's a scary world, but also fabulously exciting.
My editor, Stephanie, sent the first 5000 words of Always and Forever back to me this evening. She has some great ideas and some great catches. In fact, Chapter One listed on this site is not going to make it to the final edit--well, parts of it will, as far as information given about Lilly, but the chapter itself will undergo a radical change. I will update the website in the future and put the final Chapter One up. Stephanie made a suggestion for an alternate first chapter. Interestingly, it's the same suggestion my good critique buddy and fellow aspiring author, Travis Casey, made. It was a good idea when he made it, and it's still a good idea. I'm going to run with it. She had a lot of other great suggestions. I can already see the benefit of hiring an editor. I'm very, very excited to embark on the next phase of editing.
Here are some of my favorite blogs that have information about self-publishing, what authors are doing about promotion, and just some general guidelines:
Rachelle's Window
Victorine Writes
Good luck to everyone, in whatever dreams you pursue! Anything is possible!
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Writing Tip Wednesdays ~ 4/4
Editing
The most helpful editing tip a critique buddy told me was to try not to use the word "was". Every class I took said - show, don't tell - but I didn't really understand what that meant. However, if you are using was, were, is, or are in your writing, you are probably telling. Another way this is stated is passive writing. The action isn't happening, but instead the narrator tells the reader what happened.
Consider this group of sentences: The pedestrian was hit by the car. The car tires were screeching when the vehicle came to a halt. A spectator was running around screaming. 911 was called and the ambulance soon arrived.
Horrible to read, right?
For more action and less passive wording, consider what happens when I take "was" out of that group: A car slammed into the pedestrian. The vehicle's tires screeched in protest as the acrid scent of burnt rubber issued from beneath the car. A spectator ran around, uselessly screaming. Within minutes of the 911 call, an ambulance zoomed onto the scene.
One of the easiest ways to get rid of was is to look for any was -ing word constructions: was running, was singing, was eating. Change these to the past tense form (which will automatically give your writing more action): ran, sang, ate.
The trickier ones to find have a word between was and the -ing word: was seldom trying, was always teasing, was still shouting. These should be changed: seldom tried, always teased, still shouted.
You can't always get rid of was, but taking out as many as possible, restructuring sentences with "was" in a more action-oriented way, will definitely give you an edge on the whole "show, don't tell" philosophy.
A great resource I use all the time for more editing tips A-Z can be found here.
Happy writing! Have a wonderful week!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Falling Without a Net
Growing up, I never really knew what it felt like to fail. I mean, I didn't accomplish everything I tried, but there was always someone to pick me up, kiss my bumps and scrapes all better, and send me back out to try again. Writing ... not so much. Starting was a scary prospect, because I always knew it was utterly possible I might fail--perhaps colossally fail--with no one around to pick me up and kiss away my hurts, or even tell me why I failed.
I kept my work secret from friends and family, not wanting them to see in case I wasn't any good. Well, except my mother. She's known about my writing from the beginning, encouraging and urging me on, just like she has been my whole life. Still, it's my mom's job to tell me how terrific I am, no matter what. I needed the truth, unsullied by the rose-colored glasses of motherhood.
Believing it would be easier to fall on my face in front of strangers, I went in search of an online critique group. Thank goodness I found Critique Circle. I'd recommend this site to any person wanting to have terrific, helpful critiques on their work. Here, finally, was that safety net I'd searched for. A group of people who understood me and knew exactly what I was going through.
These terrific people tell me when something doesn't work and needs changed in my book, and often act as sounding boards to help work out those changes. These same wonderful people are just as eager to tell me when I've written something brilliant.
As Zach and Lilly have finished out their story and my critique buddies have gone through the chapters of Always and Forever, I've started to believe I may actually be a writer, that I can do this. I now associate with some wonderful authors, and although readers haven't heard of them all yet, one day everyone will be reading their wonderful books. I've learned more in a few short months working with these new friends than I learned in any of the classes I paid to take. Check out the blogs that I'm following (left-hand column on this screen) if you want a chance to meet some of these talented people and see what they are writing.
Somehow, I was led to the perfect support group, and I'm grateful for them everyday. Not only have they strengthened my writing, I know they are there to catch me if I fall. I'm no longer writing without a net.
I kept my work secret from friends and family, not wanting them to see in case I wasn't any good. Well, except my mother. She's known about my writing from the beginning, encouraging and urging me on, just like she has been my whole life. Still, it's my mom's job to tell me how terrific I am, no matter what. I needed the truth, unsullied by the rose-colored glasses of motherhood.Believing it would be easier to fall on my face in front of strangers, I went in search of an online critique group. Thank goodness I found Critique Circle. I'd recommend this site to any person wanting to have terrific, helpful critiques on their work. Here, finally, was that safety net I'd searched for. A group of people who understood me and knew exactly what I was going through.
These terrific people tell me when something doesn't work and needs changed in my book, and often act as sounding boards to help work out those changes. These same wonderful people are just as eager to tell me when I've written something brilliant.
As Zach and Lilly have finished out their story and my critique buddies have gone through the chapters of Always and Forever, I've started to believe I may actually be a writer, that I can do this. I now associate with some wonderful authors, and although readers haven't heard of them all yet, one day everyone will be reading their wonderful books. I've learned more in a few short months working with these new friends than I learned in any of the classes I paid to take. Check out the blogs that I'm following (left-hand column on this screen) if you want a chance to meet some of these talented people and see what they are writing.
Somehow, I was led to the perfect support group, and I'm grateful for them everyday. Not only have they strengthened my writing, I know they are there to catch me if I fall. I'm no longer writing without a net.
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