If you want to accomplish any task, you must set goals for yourself. Whether it's writing, cleaning the house, losing weight, saving for vacation--it won't happen if you don't plan for success.
As an author I encounter many people who say that someday they'll write a book. That's a nice goal, but you've got to start writing to attain it.
If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up. ~J.M. Power
Now that you've established your goal, you must get going. Set a deadline: a page a day, 500 words a day, 1,000 words a day, or even 3,000 words a day. Figure out what you're comfortable doing--and what won't overwhelm you--and get started.
A deadline is negative inspiration. Still, it's better than no inspiration at all. ~Rita Mae Brown
Deadlines are a fact of life in many occupations. Get over your aversion to one. When you hit your final deadline and write "the end," it's time to celebrate. Each day when you hit your daily deadline you get to go to bed at night satisfied that you've done your best, and you're on schedule.
God gives us dreams a size too big so that we can grow in them. ~Author Unknown
I've dreamed of writing novels since I was a little girl. It took many years of hard work and deadlines, but thank God, I've been able to attain my dream.
Sometimes the journey was difficult, daunting even, but that's no reason to give up. I had a fire inside me to push on and not give up. I set deadlines and met them.
What about you? What keeps you going? What deadlines do you set for yourself?
I'm sorry this Tuesday's post is late. I want to discuss novel beginnings, but I've been sidetracked by another new beginning -- my granddaughter's. She was born last Wednesday, and I'm visiting California getting to know her preciousness.
And now on to novels:
I've been told that most novelists end up deleting the first two or three chapters to make them publishable. Their first few chapters contain the dreaded backstory. Backstory can derail your story before it even gets started. Often it's not necessary to the novel -- hence the need to chop it off.
Conversely, I've had the opposite problem. I tend to start a novel and gallop off into the story, and then I have to go back and write the first chapter or two. The reason why is because I'm expecting my readers to care about the character in my novel enough to hang in there until the end of the book, but I haven't given them a reason to care or understand who my character is. I tend to jump into the inciting incident without laying enough groundwork.
Jeff Gerke in his book Plot versus Charactersays you need to establish normal before you violate normal: It's important to show what a character's life is like before the main story intrudes. Otherwise, we simply can't tell (and don't care) that her life, which we haven't seen, has been turned upside down.
What's your biggest challenge when starting a new story?
As a writer where do you come up with ideas? If you ask a seasoned writer, they’ll tell you that ideas are in the air.
I've been mulling over ideas now because I'm preparing a proposal for my latest novel. Included in the proposal are several other book ideas.
Ideas are all around you. All you have to do is be observant. If you write fiction, look at the people around you, what quirks make you think, "What if that girl with the blue hair and nose ring was a closet Young Republican . . .?" What about the man in the grocery store, racing with his clunky cart down the aisle as if he's playing chicken with oncoming shoppers? Why is he in such a hurry?
All it takes is a germ of an idea to settle into a writer's brain before they're off and dreaming.
Don’t despair if you see someone else chasing the same idea. No two writers will create the same story, and ideas are not copyrightable. Your execution of an idea is what makes it unique.
And what about non-fiction writers? From where does their inspiration come? The answer is the same, from life.
Be attentive to the people you come into contact with. Ask questions. For example, I once visited a library that had a display of Hopalong Cassidy memorabilia. I contacted the man who owned the display and requested an interview. By focusing on different aspects of his collection and his passion for Hopalong Cassidy lunch boxes and paperback books, I was able to tweak the material and sell the article to two different markets.
What thrills you lately? What annoys you lately? Both of those topics are fodder for an article, short story, or novel. Open your eyes, remove your earphones, breath in the fragrance of the season, and write what you sense.
Where do you find your best ideas?
Oh, and the photo above is taken from my hammock under the maple tree. I hang there often and let my imagination roam.
Have you discovered the WordServe Water Cooler Yet? Today the Water Cooler is hosting my blog post about dialogue. Hop on over and take a look.
The WSWC blog is an online reference written by the clients of the WordServe Literary Agency. I'm proud to say that I'm one of the 30+ contributing writers. The blog will post daily about marketing, publishing, the craft of writing, social media, and anything else that will help other writers on their publishing journey.
I’m a real sap for a good description. I’ve even been known to save a marketing brochure if the words tickle my fancy.
In fiction beautiful words strung together with care paint vivid scenes that the reader can use to anchor the action in the book. Today's insight from a pro is taken from A Novel Idea, a compilation book with advice from several best-selling authors.
In chapter seven Deborah Raney discusses the power of the right word. "Words are amazing things. With a unique combination of a hundred or so characters arranged into words, I can build a captivating set as surely as a Broadway stage crew." She illustrates her point with some lovely, evocative words to set the scene.
Deb advises, "You can improve your manuscript exponentially by simply reworking the first paragraph or two of each chapter to set the stage as vividly in the reader's mind as if he were watching a scene from a smash hit on Broadway."
I hope I'll be a learner as long as I'm a writers. Here's the beginning of a scene from my wip (work in progress), can you *see* it?
The storm had continued throughout the afternoon. A thick layer of white frosted the Victorian city. Snow piled up on ornate iron railings leading to solid front doors and pristine powder nestled on the windowsills. The city sounds muffled, and Margaret felt peaceful. The sidewalk stretched before her, a patchwork of lumpy piles of slippery snow and portions that had been safely scraped off. She picked her way south, careful to keep her balance.
After walking a few blocks, she came upon an empty lot where children played. Their shrieks and laughter made her homesick. Janice and Jeffry would have loved to join in the fun. She stopped and watched the kids rolling large snowballs around in circles, and then they worked together to stack them up, creating knobby-looking characters with coal eyes and crooked coal grins.
A few weeks ago, I posted a link to an online quiz about what type of writer you should be.It's a fun short quiz. My answer was screenwriter.That tickled me because I think novels should run through your mind like a movie and also because I'm going to turn Searching for Spice into a screenplay. Well, I'm going to make a good try at doing it.
Anyway, here's another fun quiz that tells you which famous writer you write like. I took the quiz a few times with different excerpts, but you can also use a blog post, journal entry, or comment.
Here are the results when I used my current wip:
Margaret Mitchell
James Joyce
Douglas Adams
Kirk Vonnegut
Here's the results with my completed Lady in the Locket:
James Joyce (again!)
K.J. Rowling
Douglas Adams
According the quiz, my text from Searching for Spice resembled the work of:
David Foster Wallace
Chuck Palahniuk
Charles Dickens (go figure!)
Have fun, and tell me what famous author you write like!
My guest blogger today is Cherie Burbach, author, blogger, poet, crocheter, and geek. Today Cherie is discussing the value of Twitter to promote your book.
Thanks for dropping by, Cherie. What's the lowdown on book promotion and Twitter?
Cherie Burbach: One of the most common things I hear from writers who used to use Twitter was that it "wasn't working" for them. But was it? Were they sure? Twitter is a different platform than Facebook or other social media outlet, so it would stand to reason that some people would love it while others would not. If you're using Twitter now (or have in the past) and figured that it just wasn't worth the effort, here are a few points that may make you change your mind.
How Did You Measure Success?
In general, it's difficult to measure the success of one piece of marketing individually.Chances are, you're probably doing a number of things to help promote your book, including writing blog posts, giving out bookmarks, linking to things on Facebook, sending postcards, and the like. When you sell a book or two, can you always pinpoint exactly where the sale came from? Marketing, in general, doesn't work that way.
The individual marketing efforts you put out there help build on each other. Readers will stumble on blog posts, tweets, and other promotional items, and eventually they will recognize you or your book and hopefully buy it. But will you ever really know where, exactly, that reader first discovered you? Even if you gave them a coupon and they used it to buy a book, you wouldn't know that the reason they are using the coupon is because they have been reading your blog or Facebook posts, for example.
Is Twitter Driving Website Traffic?
While most marketing efforts are difficult to track, one way you can determ
ine if Twitter is working is by the amount of web traffic you're getting. You'll need to use a service like Google Analytics or StatCounter to help you figure out where your traffic is coming from. These types of services will let you see specifically which tweets were used to click through to your blog or website.
Are People Retweeting Your Links?
Generally if someone uses the "RT," or retweet button on Twitter, it means that they liked your link. That's the first step in getting interaction and having them find out more about you. If they like what you tweet, they may go to your blog, or follow you to your Amazon author page, for example. You can track this by your @replies, and use this feature to thank your fellow tweeter for sending out or commenting on your link.
Are People Chatting About Your Book?
What are people saying about you or your book? Use the Twitter search function to look for your name, book title, or subject matter. Not everyone will use the "RT" function, but they might talk about your book without including you in the tweet. Twitter search is one way to track effectiveness.
Is Twitter Supporting Your Other Marketing Efforts?
Twitter is unique in that it actually helps promote the other promotion efforts you're taking part in. If you have a book signing, for example, you can promote it before, during, and after! You can include pictures of you at the event, tweet about questions that readers asked you, or even thank some of them specifically for coming out.
If you have a blog post you want to share, Twitter is yet one more way to promote it, along with Facebook, StumbleUpon, Digg, etc. Twitter works as a promotional tool, and as a way to support your other promotional efforts. Can you really afford not to give it a try?
Cherie is the About.com Guide to Friendship and has penned eleven books and ebooks, including Internet Dating Is Not Like Ordering a Pizza and 21 Ways to Promote Your Book on Twitter. She has published over 500 articles on the subjects of health, sports, and lifestyle. For more info, visit her website.
I'm always interested in studying book covers. I love to see if there are any strong clues about the story within.
More often than we realize, books share similar cover art.
Two years ago I blogged (with pictures) about two books with the same image on them. And now it's happened again.
I imagine publishers and authors cringe when the covers are so similar. Maybe not. Perhaps someone can put a good spin on the situation.
Right now I'm thinking of covers because Out of Her Hands is in the process of become an e-book. I'm excited, and I want it to have a dynamite cover. I think it will! In just a few weeks (I hope) I'll be able to share it with you.
I know without a doubt the new cover for Out of Her Hands will be a one of a kind. That's because I'm working with my friend Pauline of Fat Tuna Photography to create the concept that's been simmering in my mind.
What about you? How important are book covers when you're selecting your next read? What type of cover image draws you to a book?
Happy Saturday! It's hard to believe my friends and family on the east coast are battling Hurricane Irene when there's not a cloud in the sky here in Colorado.
I hope my friends and blog follower will play along with this and help some great writers get more of a following.
My friend, author Cathy West, gave me The Liebster Blog Award! (Liebster is a German word for friend, btw.) This award is meant to go to blogs we enjoy who currently have less than 200 followers. You may remember that I blogged about Cathy's debut novel, Yesterday's Tomorrow a few weeks ago.
Now I have the privilege of passing the award along to some of my blogging buddies:
Loretta Oakes blogs at Complementary Thoughts. Loretta and I met when we joined the same writers' group a few years ago. She's a fun and deep girl. Loretta's blog boasts that it finds a balance for science and religion. And it does.
I met Kay Day at a writers' workshop in Colorado Springs. She blogs at Loopdeloops in La La Land. When I heard she was moving to my town I harassed her until she agreed to join my local writers' group. She did, and we became friends. Kay is known for her sweet disposition and quirky humor. You'll love her insights.
My friend Helen, Colorado Springs writer is as thoughtful as she is sweet. Helen's Points to Ponder is a great blog.
Bonnie Doran is one of my critique partners. Her blog Prose from the Pros is always full of great insight, helpful writing tips, and examples of brilliant writing -- from professionals. It's well worth following.
If I have just awarded you The Liebster, here are the rules:
Thank the person who gave you the award, and link back to them.
Give The Liebster Award to five bloggers, and let them know in a comment on their blog.
Copy and paste the award to your blog.
Have faith your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.
Have blogging fun!
I hope you'll discover some great up-and-coming authors to love.
Unfortunately rejection is a part of the traditional publishing process. You write your book, polish it up, and send it out to agents and editors. And then you eagerly await their ecstatic reply.
Except the glowing offer of representation or the perfect publishing contract doesn't come. Instead you get a rejection letter. Ouch.
It can't be avoided. I don't think anyone's been published right out of the shoots. It takes time and effort to bring your work up to the level it needs to be for representation and publication. The thing to remember is that publishing is subjective, and what one agent or editor passes on another will love.
My first novel, Searching for Spice, was rejected several times. One letter from an agent thanked me for sharing it but went on to say, "I only represent clients with good ideas and good execution of those ideas -- neither of which was apparent in your work." Double ouch. A few months later, I got a contract with Tyndale House Publishers for that book and Out of Her Hands.
My agent, Rachelle Gardner, posted this week about rejection letters she received on behalf of her clients. Take a look. But the bottom line is that those rejected books were eventually sold to a publisher who loved the book.
Here's a link to an article about 30 famous authors whose work was repeatedly rejected.
Be encouraged. Don't give up. Keep learning the craft, and write on!
I'm happy to welcome Gina Holmes to my blog today. I was fortunate to meet her at one of the first ACFW conference I attended. She is kind, authentic, and has a heart to help other writers in their journey.
Gina is the bestselling author of Crossing Oceans and the newly released novel, DRY AS RAIN. She's the founder of Novel Rocket, (formerly Novel Journey), a registered nurse, wife and mother who makes her home in Southern Virginia. You can learn more about her at www.ginaholmes.com
Your debut novel hit ECPA, Amazon, PW and CBA bestsellers list (some throughout the span of a year!) For several weeks Crossing Oceans was the #1 free kindle download and then stay in the top hundred for a long time.
Beside the commercial success, your book was a finalist in every major Christian book award, including: Christy, ECPA, Retailer’s Choice, Carol Awards, and won RWA’s Inspirational Reader’s Choice and an INSPY. Does having that kind of success put the pressure on for your second book?
I try not to think too much about it. I didn’t expect that kind of success but am very grateful for it. I had a lot of pressure on me on this releasing novel, not because of the success of the first book, but because, unlike the first, I didn’t have all the time in the world to write it. Some books flow smoothly, this one I had to yank out like a bad tooth. I faced multiple rewrites, some of them pretty major, all while trying to promote my all important first novel. I was still working full time, mothering, running Novel Journey (now Novel Rocket) and all of that, so this was a tough tough book for me to produce.
Tell our readers about your latest release, Dry as Rain:
I'm a really bad pitchman so I'll just repeat the back of the book copy:
Behind every broken vow lies a broken heart.
When Eric and Kyra Yoshida first met, they thought their love would last forever. But like many marriages, theirs has gradually crumbled, one thoughtless comment and misunderstanding at a time, until the ultimate betrayal pushes them beyond reconciliation. Though Eric longs to reunite with Kyra, the only woman he has truly loved, he has no idea how to repair the damage that’s been done.
Then a car accident erases part of Kyra’s memory—including her separation from Eric—and a glimmer of hope rises from the wreckage. Is this a precious opportunity for the fresh start Eric has longed for? Does he even deserve the chance to find forgiveness and win back Kyra’s heart . . . or will the truth blow up in his face, shattering their last hope for happiness? A richly engaging story of betrayal and redemption, Dry as Rain illuminates with striking emotional intensity the surprising truth of what it means to forgive.
"Holmes grabs the reader with a unique storyline about infidelity and what it truly means to forgive after betrayal. By looking at the situation from a different angle, the author provides a great deal of food for thought and contemplation." RT Book Reviews – September, 2011
Library Journal says, "Fans of emotionally packed domestic fiction will love it."
This novel feels so much different than Crossing Oceans. Why did you choose to take such a different path?
I didn’t intend to write something completely different and I think it feels that way because of the characters telling the story. In Crossing Oceans, Jenny was our narrator and she was a melancholy, all woman sort.
In Dry as Rain, we have Eric, who is a man’s man and doesn’t think in flowery language and descriptions so it would have been wrong to write him that way. While both books have a heavy subject matter, Crossing Oceans was much more so. You can’t get heavier than dying, so it was bound to be more emotional, no matter how I wrote the next book.
But, my genre seems to be relational drama which both are and I like to pepper in a quirky cast and that’s true of both books.
You took a lot of chances in this book. First writing first person from a male’s perspective, secondly to have the protagonist someone who does a lot of things that aren’t very Christianly, like cheating on his wife, drinking, lying, etc. Are you afraid this might hurt your sales in the Christian market?
Afraid? No. Concerned, sure. While I don’t personally have a problem with Eric drinking a beer, the rest I have a problem with too. The thing is Eric’s a nominal Christian at the beginning of the book, lukewarm about his faith like many who call themselves followers of Christ. This is his journey though and he doesn’t end up where he begins. I wanted to tell the story as truthfully as I could and at the end of the day let the chips fall where they may.
What happened to your long time website, Novel Journey?
www.noveljourney.blogspot.com is now www.novelrocket.com You can get to it by either address but we decided on an overhaul because we wanted to drop the blogspot address and just have a dot com. The guy who owned Novel Journey didn’t return our emails to sell so we had to do something a little different. This turned out to be a good thing maybe because we’d been chewing on broadening the site for some time. We’ve got some exciting changes now, the most notable is the addition of “Rocket Pages” a sort of Craig’s List for writers to find the services they need to launch and sustain their career.
What’s going on with you personally?
Well, I’m blissfully married, mom to two, stepmom to three, and owner of 2 dogs and a fish. I bought a guitar and hope to start fiddling with that soon and just writing a lot. Nothing too exciting over here but that’s the way I like it. I’m the happiest I’ve been in my life. I’ve accomplished many of the dreams and goals I’d hoped to and I always tell my husband, if I died today, I’d feel I lived and full and rewarding life. Not that I’m looking to die just yet.
What are you working on now?
I can’t give the title yet as that’s a work in progress but it’s a story very close to my heart. I’m more excited about this one than anything I’ve ever written. Hopefully my publisher agrees and you see it on the stands in the next year or so. That’s really all I can say for now.
Tell us something we don’t know about you.
I’ll tell you a few. I thought I was afraid of heights until I bungee-jumped and loved it. I’d love to skydive for the first time in the next year, white water raft and get at least a little skill on the guitar. My husband is a talented songwriter. My kids are the sweetest in the world, (yes, the world!), and I love to get my hands dirty. That should do it. Thanks for having me!
"People often ask me for advice on writing a book; because I'm a published author they assume I'm in on some big secret. But the good news is that there's no big secret, and the bad news is that there's no big secret. The advice I give is very practical, and it's advice that people rarely want to hear. But I'm not holding out on you, honest to God--this is really how it's done. First, stop talking about it and sit down and start writing it--word by word. No on else can write your book but you. If you don't write it, it won't get written.
Second--and brace yourself for a cliche--writing really is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. Writing is work. Perfect characters, plots, and sentences don't spring fully formed from the mind of a writer onto his or her screen. They are achieved only by time, patience, thought, and constant rewriting."
(I added the bold font.) That's probably the first piece of advice wanna-be writers need to hear. To steal a phrase: Just do it!
I found this simple online quiz. It's only got five multiple-choice questions, and the results tell you what type of writer you should be.
It's fun, not anything scientific, and you're free to ignore the results. :)
My results say I should be a screenwriter:
You don't just create compelling stories, you see them as clearly as a movie in your mind.
You have a knack for details and dialogue. You can really make a character come to life.
Chances are, you enjoy creating all types of stories. The joy is in the storytelling.
And nothing would please you more than millions of people seeing your story on the big screen!
This delighted me because I am going to turn Searching for Spice into a screenplay. It's encouraging, actually.
Have you heard about the controversy surrounding the book The Help by Kathryn Stockett?
A woman who works as a maid for Stockett's brother claims that Aibileen, a main character in the book, is modeled after her. AND the real-life woman's name is Ablene. Coincidence? Could be.
The lawsuit, which seeks $75,000 in damages, was filed in Jackson, Mississippi, where the novel is set. A hearing is set for August 16th.
As a novelist, I understand how similarities can occur. We hear a name or recall an incident, and it's incorporated into our story. Face it, often experiences in an author's life (of the life of a friend or family member) find their way into our fiction. And more than one story was inspired from a headline.
It will be interesting to see how this case shakes out.
Here are a few more details about the controversy.
I think it’s important for a novelist to study human nature. We need to create realistic characters to draw people into our books.Aside from going to school to study psychology and sociology, or reading books and attending lectures to educate ourselves, you can get a good peek at human nature by watching reality TV.
Yeah, really.
I don’t watch the trashy stuff. To see how people respond under pressure, I enjoy watching The Amazing Race or Survivor. It’s interesting to watch those folks plot how to take advantage of a situation. Also you get to see good examples of family dynamics on Amazing Race when family members team up.
You see people’s character or lack thereof on reality TV. To see how someone responds to authority or rationalizes bad choices, watch one of the judge shows, Judge Judy or Judge Mathis. I wonder if some of those bums really think anyone’s buying their baloney.
Another show I like to watch is Millionaire Matchmaker. The hostess Patti (matchmaker) has a real knack for reading people, and she doesn’t put up with any hooey. I love it when my BS meter pins in the red while listening to one of her clients, and then she calls him out. In the beginning of the show she reviews clients’ videos, and she figures out their personality right away. That’s one talented lady. She cuts to the chase, and I like that.
Another source to hone in on human nature is to watch Tonya Reiman when she does her body language segment on O’Reilly. She’s also got a great website with lots of information on body language cues: a newsletter, articles, FAQs.
So, the next time you veg out watching reality TV, tell yourself you’re simply being a student of human nature.
Since I was in grade school, I’ve known that writing was my passion and that description is my forte.
Fortunately, writing description in scenes comes naturally to me. So much so that I’ve had to learn to back off on description because it slowed down my story.
I imagine there are as many approaches to writing description as there are writers, but I’m going to give you some of my methods:
Imagine you’re the character in your book. Put yourself in the middle of the action.
Take a deep breath. Is there anything in particular you character can smell? Something pleasant or something foul? Describe that: Her nostrils flinched as she smelled the acrid odor of harsh soap and starch.
Is a breeze cooling your character’s skin like a menthol kiss? Or is it so hot his freckles are melting off of his face?
What does she see? Describe it in a way to deepen her characterization. My current character is a mom, and she filters what she sees through that point of view: The boy’s messy hair stood in the wind. His face was red and his ears redder. The tattered coat hanging from his thin shoulders was missing buttons and looked insufficient to warm his scrawny body. Margaret fished into her left pocket and felt a coin. She walked back to the boy and held out the money. His fist flew through the air and grabbed it.
Is there any noise in the background? The shrill call of a bluejay? The staccato beat of a neighbor’s lawn sprinkler? Try to incorporate that description into your character’s emotion. The shrill call of a bluejay frightened her. The starch came out of her spine as she glanced over her shoulder. OR The staccato beat of the neighbor’s sprinkler kept rhythm with his pulse. He had to figure out which way she’d gone.
Is he eating? What does it taste like? Again incorporate it into your character’s mood. The news fell on him like a wall of fire, and the bite of tiramisu he’d savored a moment before tasted like chalk.
These are simply some suggestion to get you thinking. Hope it did the trick!
Writers have an obligation to their readers and to themselves to be lifelong learners and improve their craft. One way to do that is to read books on writing, attend conferences, and read blogs on writing.
The WSWC blog is an online reference written by the clients of the WordServe Literary Agency. I'm proud to say that I'm one of the 30+ contributing writers. The blog will post daily about marketing, publishing, the craft of writing, social media, and anything else that will help other writers on their publishing journey.
The contributors, some published and some not-yet published authors, will share helpful information for both fiction and non-fiction writers. We'll tell you what has worked for us and what has not worked in our writing careers.
Check it out, subscribe or bookmark the page. Our goal is to help others achieve success in their publishing dreams.
The WSWC blog is inspired by my agent Rachelle Gardner'sblog, which is an annual pick for the top 101 websites for writers by Writer's Digest Magazine. Rachelle posts on every aspect of publishing--but from an agent's point of view. The WSWC blog is similar, but from the perspective of authors.
Andspeaking ofRachelle's blog, today she is hosting her 1st WordServe blog tour. She'll post links to blog posts where authors explain what they've done, or plan to do, to market their books as well as other advice for new writers.
I dreamed of writing novels since I was in grade school. My first book, Searching for Spice, released in 2008. When I became serious about my goal of publication, I joined a writers' group, ACFW, and began to become a part of the publishing community.
I soon realized that you have tostart thinking of marketing longbeforeyou ever get a publishing contract. You have to start marketingyourself-- to agents and editors.And to market yourself, you need marketing materials.
My point is that I took my goal seriously enough to present myself as a professional. I think it not only helped to make me look professional to agents and editors, it helped to give me confidence that, yes, I
was a writer in a professional capacity.
I know not everyone can afford to have professionally designed business cards, and in all honestly any card with your image and contact info will probably do. If I had to choose between a homemade photo and a homemade business card, I'd choose the card. A professional image is worth the price. If you can't afford it, barter it. You are a writer, right? Write advertising copy, and trade words for images.
Eventually I hired a designer and printed new business cards. Here's a picture of my cards. (I couldn't decide on which I preferred, so I bought two different sets.)
I purchased my cards atclickbusinesscards.com. Check them out--they'll even send you free samples. I chose the card with the matte celloglaze finish. It feels nice to the touch, doesn't smudge, and you can write on it with a pen.
If you're an unpublished author, start thinking of yourself as being president of your own writing business. Invest in your business with time and well-crafted marketing pieces. I thought of my writing as a (potential) business, and thank goodness my husband thought so as well. To be honest, there were times when I felt it was fiscally irresponsible to spend the family budget on my writing dreams. But my husband believed in me and encouraged me to keep working. Believe me, I know it's not cheap to buy books, create marketing pieces, and attend conferences. But what business doesn't have start-up costs?
As a writer, it's important to spend time with other writers. Their support and camaraderie are keep you on that sometimes-difficult path. It's also helpful to go to beautiful places and soak in the atmosphere. Being amid beauty unleashes creativity and fires the imagination.
Every year my local writers' group spends the day at the beautiful Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. They are very gracious and allow us to take up space on their
patio by the lake, the mezzanine, and the upper lobby.
This year about 25 writers met to spend time together. We wrote, brainstormed, encouraged, plotted, and enjoyed the company of creatives.
I made an interesting discovery a few years ago – artistic people have the same urges, but they’re manifested in different art forms.
It seems writers are not the only ones who in the course of their lives trip across creative ideas. (Duh!)
I was driving with a photographer friend when we came upon a beautiful scene. As I often do, I quietly thought of how I would describe the scene with words. After a few minutes my friend said she couldn’t stop thinking of how she would capture the light in that lovely setting. I imagine if a musician were in the car, she’d comment of creating music that would depict the scene.
And of course, two writers who see the same scene will describe it in two unique ways. We all filter what we see through our personal experiences. Two writers who see a bee tripping from flower to flower on a beautiful sunny morning might paint the mood in entirely different ways. One would comment on the sweetness and beauty of the moment, but the other writer might be highly allergic to bees and could write the scene as a prologue to a horrific incident of extreme discomfort or fear.
Yesterday I was weeding in the front yard and thought of the beginning to a murder mystery/suspense novel. The foundation of our house is landscaped with river rock. While I was weeding I passed around the window well. My author’s mind kicked into gear, and I imagined the beginning of the book – a lady was weeding the foundation of her house, and sunlight reflected off something in her window well. When she leaned over to see what it was, she saw . . .
A dead body!
Just a few thoughts. Have a pleasant day, everyone. BTW, the photo above was taken last year in Colorado Springs when I attended the Glen Eyrie Writers' Workshop. Isn't it lovely?
Here's a description of the book: She's after the story that might get her the Pulitzer. He's determined to keep his secrets to himself. Vietnam, 1967. Independent, career-driven journalist Kristin Taylor wants two things: to honor her father's memory by becoming an award-winning overseas correspondent and to keep tabs on her only brother, Teddy, who signed up for the war against their mother's wishes. Brilliant photographer Luke Maddox, silent and brooding, exudes mystery. Kristin is convinced he's hiding something. Willing to risk it all for what they believe in, Kristin and Luke engage in their own tumultuous battle until, in an unexpected twist, they're forced to work together. Ambushed by love, they must decide whether or not to set aside their own private agendas for the hope of tomorrow that has captured their hearts.
I'm about halfway through the story and really enjoying it. One of the reasons I like it, other than because it's well written, is because it's set in the 1960s--and that in itself is unusual. The setting, Vietnam, 1967, sucks you in, becoming a character in the story. You can feel the simmering heat and the buzzing insects, feel the humidity hanging in the air.
I get the impression Cathy wrote this book with passion, and as a reader, I love that. So if you're still looking for a good summer read, pick it up!
I dried my hair in the sun yesterday. Not exactly front-page news, but it was a moment that gave me fodder for writing novels. I’m of the no-moment-wasted camp of writers who tuck memories and ideas into my head like a robin picks up string and scraps for her nest.
Drying my hair in the sun was a gift—time to sit and be still and enjoy a truly simple pleasure. The day captivated me with birdsong and sunshine and newly blossomed hollyhocks resting against the fence.
Other than sitting poolside or on a beach, drying my hair via sunshine is something I haven’t done in decades. I’m usually mindful of schedules or errands or tasks to complete, so I pull out my trusty dryer and blast my hair until it’s dried and tamed into something resembling a style.
But yesterday I left my dryer on the shelf and stepped outside. While I enjoyed the gentle embrace of morning sun, I thought of other simple moments that are locked inside my heart—moments that symbolize something precious, pure, and sweet. Moments that can be incorporated into fiction.
My sentimental journey transported me to times in my childhood when I was unrushed and without a schedule. Like when my mother would urge me to sit outside and let the sun dry my hair. Like moments spent clutching crayons and scribbling in a coloring book beside a blue northeast lake while listening to water lap against a wooden dock and blue jays squawking in spicy pine trees.
Like that one time I can never forget when my auntie took me for a walk, and we came upon a stream that tripped over moss-covered rock as it journeyed downhill toward a valley. My aunt told me to take off my sneakers and walk down the “stairs” that were covered with soft, thick water-sod. I can still recall the feeling of icy water clutching my ankles as I walked like a fairy princess down a magical staircase.
Using these actual moments aren’t as important as making the reader associate with the pleasure extracted from the moments. My readers may never have walked down a wet, mossy staircase, but they have enjoyed a pure, simple pleasure, and that’s what I want to make them feel when I write a scene.
Do you have any special moments from your past that make you recall the wonder of childhood?
The other day while walking through my neighborhood, I saw that a nearby house had some beautiful daisies blooming. It made me think that my daisies should be flowering too.
When I arrived home I took a look. There are usually about 15 or so stems in my plant, so when I saw only a few long stems about to bud I knew something was wrong.
Something has been gnawing at my daisies! Most of the stems had been chewed off about a foot off the ground. Can you see the damage?
Many of my neighbors complain about the bunnies roaming our subdivision as though they're enjoying the all-you-can-eat flower buffet. (Note: 17 years ago when we moved here there were no bunnies--but there were plenty of coyotes.) But I have a fenced yard and a Jack Russell Terrier. Any bunny who dares to slip under my fence has got to be one dumb bunny. I can't recall seeing any in my yard.
But I think I've determined who the culprit is. It's those crazy squirrels that have been walking the fence around the perimeter of my yard. Here I thought they were innocent little woodland critters happily living their lives. But apparently they were just casing my yard out for a banquet of daisies.
And then these criminal squirrels have the gall to leave some stems laying about as if to taunt me!
And the next time my little dog barks are the furry squirrel, I won't be reining her in.
Let's chat with novelist Janice Hanna Thompson, author of Love Finds You in Groom, Texas (Summerside/Guideposts, June 2011).
Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Love Finds You in Groom, Texas. Always the groomsman, never the groom… It’s 1914, and Jake O’Farrell has gained an unusual reputation among the locals: He’s played the roles of groomsman and best man in all four of his older brothers’ weddings, but he’s never been able to find the woman to capture his heart. And now with the upcoming wedding of his best friend, Jake will become the last single man in the town of Groom.
Anne Denning has made the difficult decision to move with her sisters to Texas, but a train derailment forces them to seek shelter in Groom, near Amarillo. Mrs. O’Farrell, hopeful that Anne will catch her youngest son’s eye, invites the girls to stay at her home until the train is repaired and ready to pull out. Anne has no idea of the blissful chaos that lies ahead!
Why do you like writing comedies with strong take-aways? Comedy is a great outlet. We comedians can get away with a lot more than authors who play it straight. Want the reader to walk away with a little nugget of truth? Couch it in something humorous. I’ve found that light-hearted writing not only suits my personality, it’s the perfect vehicle for sharing the gospel.
I know that you enjoy teaching. Can you tell us about your online courses? Thanks for asking. I enjoy teaching almost as much as I enjoy writing! For many years I taught creative writing at a school of the arts. These days I teach through my online courses. They’re audio/video driven, which is great fun. I get to go into a recording studio to record them! My courses are, as follows: Becoming a Successful Freelance Author Fiction Writing Master Course Navigating the Business of Freelance Writing Magazine Article Writing Master Course Creative Writing U.N.I.Q.U.E. – Finding Your Unique Place in the Writing Industry Non-Fiction Book Writing (coming in August, 2011)
Where can I get the book? Love Finds You in Groom, Texas can be purchased at any number of online stores, as well as my website: www.janicehannathompson.com (front page). Readers can always join my VIP bookclub and get the locked in price of $11 (no shipping) by contacting me directly at booksbyjanice@aol.com.
I'm usually percolating a novel for quite a while before I start writing it. Currently I'm editing a completed novel, eager to get back to a started novel, and beginning to think about a future novel.
In a recent post, Expectations and Disappointments and Novels, I discussed tripping across an idea for a new novel. The idea would be that not every beautiful, desirable, or useful thing will live up to our expectations. Often when we least expect it, something (or someone) will be a huge disappointment.
I happened to run across a woman the other day who fired my imagination. She was a drive-thru bank teller. Our interaction was brief--I deposited a rebate check, and she cashed it.
When the envelope with the cash was returned to me I stuffed it into my purse and went about my business. Later I noticed she'd written a message on the back of the envelope:
Note that she wrote the message in purple ink and highlighted it in pink ink. Then she signed it and stamped a smily face.
And when I got home and opened the envelope I found she had put a shiny star on the receipt.
A day later I had lunch with a friend and showed her the envelope and receipt. We decided that this teller must be the happiest, most optimistic person or she surely has too much time on her hands.
This might not seem like much, but it's the beginning of a personality for my main character. So far she's a content, happy, and optimistic person who has led a charmed life. That's until . . .
For quite a while I've believed that our culture is lacking in shame. This isn't the first time I've discussed this. People strut around doing all manner of awful things without even a twinge of shame. If there was more shame, there would be less bad behavior. People simple don't care that they act inappropriately. And for a more civilized society, they should care.
The latest example is Jesse James admitting that he has forgiven himself for repeatedly cheating on his former wife Sandra Bullock. As he says, "Oh, yeah. I'm cool."
I hope I'm not the only person who's disgusted with this immature, self-centered jerk. He said only the media portrayed his behavior as negative and justified himself by saying, "Yes, I cheated on my wife, but so do a lot of other people." Blech!
Last week a Facebook friend posted a link to a story that discusses something our culture needs to give some thought to. The article's called The Death of Shame. Take a look.
If you want to accomplish any task, you must set goals for yourself. Whether it's writing, cleaning the house, losing weight, saving for vacation--it won't happen if you don't plan for success. 
She was born last Wednesday, and I'm visiting California getting to know her preciousness. 
quietly thought of how I would describe the scene with words. After a few minutes my friend said she couldn’t stop thinking of how she would capture the light in that lovely setting. I imagine if a musician were in the car, she’d comment of creating music that would depict the scene.
Other than sitting poolside or on a beach, drying my hair via sunshine is something I haven’t done in decades. I’m usually mindful of schedules or errands or tasks to complete, so I pull out my trusty dryer and blast my hair until it’s dried and tamed into something resembling a style.
ds You in Groom, Texas (Summerside/Guideposts, June 2011).
