How Do I Even Start...?

Happy Tuesday All,

Normally I'd have this up and running in the beginning of the day, but I got behind.

In my adventures as a writer, I come across people who say "I want to write, but I don't know how to get started." The really simplistic answer to that is "Just write." That really is a key part of writing is actually writing. But sometimes they want more information, or ideas of hints and help, etc. So here's a basic, general breakdown:

1. You have to write. What are you interested in? What story do you have to tell? Do NOT worry if it seems stupid or whatever to you. Just get started. You can always edit later.

2. Check out your favorite authors. A lot of authors have websites and/or blogs, etc. Some are on social media. Check them out. See what they say about the writing process and getting published. Find out what worked for them and see if it's something that'll work for you.

3.  Find a writer's group. Very helpful and you won't feel so alone. Some groups even offer workshops and classes. As a member of Romance Writer's of America, I've got access to all kinds of material off the RWA website, monthly magazine, online workshops, email newsletter, and chapters. A ton of information.

4. Read. Read things like Publisher's Weekly, Writer's Digest, publisher websites/blogs, agent websites and blogs. Check out their social media. Do research.

5. Write some more...in fact, between all this, KEEP writing.

6. Edit! Edit, edit, edit. And edit again. You will go through several drafts. You will get rid of pages and scenes and stuff that just doesn't work. It's okay...you want to put out the best and most polished manuscript you can. If you need help, check out freelance editors.  Jennifer Bray-Weber and Carla Rossi offer editing services (they're experienced writers/editors, and I know them personally. Very professional and helpful). There are others, of course. Those names are just off the top of my head.

7. Remember that oftentimes the first manuscript isn't the one you published. In fact, my first completed (that is, written beginning to end, not counting any editing to do) has never been published. I'd have to do some serious editing for it to be even CLOSE to publishing. In fact, other manuscripts weren't even completed. So, no, my first completed manuscript wasn't my first published work. (This isn't to say that someone's first manuscript can't get published, it's to say that in general it doesn't happen. There are, of course, exceptions, but this is in case you realize your first completed work isn't what you want to publish...don't lose hope or get defeated, you aren't alone).

So there you have it. 7 general steps that should help you get started. Remember, everybody's process is different, but you won't get started writing until you actual sit down and write. So go for it!

Have A Terrifically Tip-Top Tuesday!

Breaking It Down, Or Road Map 2017 Edition...

Happy Monday All,

Recently I've been posting on Tuesdays, but I felt like shaking things up, so I'm posting today.

Back in 2010, I wrote a blog post called "Road Map" talking about tips and things toward getting published. Some of that advice still works and some of it is a bit outdated (for one thing, Nathan Bransford isn't an agent anymore).

I figured I'd give a little update since I've gotten published and talk about some of those other things that helped me get here.

Let's start with the basics...

Know your genre. I have a whole blog post on genres (although, it's an overview and doesn't get into every one that's available nowadays).

Know your audience--this goes with genre, but it also speaks to who is reading that genre. Typically women read Romance, although, there are men out there who read Romance, too. Depending on the romance you're writing, you have to know how to tailor your story for that audience.

What route to publishing are you taking? Are you going for an agent, a publisher, self publishing? A contest? Know the guidelines for those people. Check the websites, the rules, all of it. This goes with knowing your audience.

Follow Industry Professionals Online. A lot of them have blogs. Some of them are on Facebook and Twitter. Find the ones you're interested in and see what advice they have to offer or what they're saying about publishing. They might have some tips and hints that could help you.

Format Matters!

In general, I have found that agents and editors and critiques and

contests will request that you use the following format for your novels:

*Either 12 Point Times New Roman or 12 Point Courrier New (so no fancy fonts--sorry).

* Double Space your work (easier to read)

* .5 indention for new paragraphs

*Center Title in Title Page and Chapter names (whether it's numeration or a title name, like Chapter 1: Fall Out--it'll be in the center of the page) (take off intentions when you're centering)

*1 inch margins all the way around the page (top, bottom, and sides)

*Save document in Word or as .rtf The only time I've ever seen a PDF file when working with published work is when I've gotten the

ARCs (Advanced Reader Copy) of my work. So don't use PDF unless instructed to do so. I don't know what format Wattpad uses, but I do know in general PDF isn't used unless it's an electronic ARC.

*Unless otherwise specified, put pages you're submitting directly in email. Generally agents and editors will request first 3 chapters or first 5 pages and a 1 page synopsis...within the email body itself.

*Page header on every page except title page to include the following: Title, Author Name, Page number (Page number upper right hand corner--unless otherwise specified).  Generally in contests, they will ask entrants to take their name OFF of the manuscript so that the judges don't know who the author is. The NWHRWA operates its Lone Star Contest this way.

Other Stuff...

Read in your genre. If you're doing romance, read romance, if you're doing mystery, read them. YA, read YA. Mid-grade, read it. It helps you know what's being published, what's being read. What's selling, which brings me to following:

Don't Follow Trends. Trends come and go. Write what you want, but don't write it just because it's currently popular. That popularity can fade as quickly as a day. With that said, if a popular trend is Vampire Unicorns and you

absolutely ADORE Vampire Unicorns, then write it. But, if an agent or editor says "ABSOLUTELY NO VAMPIRE UNICORNS" do NOT query them your Vampire Unicorn novel.

Resources...

Know industry terms. Do you know what mss is? What a query is? What an ARC is? Do you understand editorial terms? Find a book on writing and study it. Writer's Digest has some pretty good resources. They have a Free Advice section.

Research where to submit your work. A good website is Preditors & Editors. Jeff Herman's Guide To Book Publishers, Editors, & Literary Agents is pretty much updated every year and the 2017 one is available on Amazon and on Barnes & Noble. It has a wealth of information, but make sure you use this book in tandem with looking up the agent/editor you're interested in on their website because sometimes they have more information on their website and may have updated since the publication of the book. It's a resource, not a bottom line tell-all.

When I was starting out I read The Complete Idiot's Guide To Novel Writing (not that anyone is an idiot, that's just the title). Unfortunately, I don't think there is an updated version of the book. So, some of the advice might be a little dated.

Study The Industry...

Are you falling for a myth about publishing? 
Long ago, before I got serious about writing I thought writers had to pay to have their books published.

Here's the reality:  At the time, this was vanity publishers and they were known to take advantage of authors.

So's what's the scoop nowadays?
Most of the time you don't pay anything out of pocket to have your work published unless you self-publish and depending on how you

do that will determine how much you pay. I don't pay anything out-of-pocket to have my work published because I'm working with a publisher that isn't a vanity publisher. Agents and editors aren't supposed to ask you for up-front fees (although, I think there are times there might be a reading fee, but I haven't seen those in my research of agents and editors). Agents are paid through taking a percentage of an author's royalties. Editors get paid by taking a percentage of royalties, too.

Add A Bit Of Polish To Your Work...

Yay! You finished your manuscript. It's lovely, it's amazing, it's got a great plot and engaging characters...you've studied the industry, you know what you want to do...you're ready to publish...

WAIT A MINUTE!

Did you edit your work?

Edit? What? Huh?

Yep. You've got to edit. Find those pesky repetitive words, look for sneaky spelling mistakes. Can you get rid of as many gerunds as you can. Can you say the same thing with 3 words instead of 12? Do you really need that 2-page description about the Vampire Unicorn's castle, or can you cut it down to one paragraph? All these things must be done before you publish, no matter what direction you take.

Bethany Averie & Kerrelyn Sparks

This is where critique partners come in handy. You polish up your novel the best you can on your own, then someone (typically another writer, but it can be anyone with a good eye that you trust) goes through and gives you feedback.

This can be hard. That story is your "baby". You worked hard on that thing. And someone's telling you that place you just loved, loved, loved...doesn't work. Sure, some of it can be one person's opinion--which is why it's good to have more

Bethany Averie, Kerrelyn Sparks, & Christie Craig

than one person look at your work.

Over the years, I've worked with several different critique partners. (Disclaimer, I've never critiqued with any of the authors in the pictures here, these are just fellow authors I'm friends with, not my actual critique partners) They always tell me what works and what doesn't. A good critique partner will give you the "skinny" in a such a way that's honest, but not completely spirit crushing.

My personal critique style: I try to use the sandwich method--constructive criticism, something positive, and then another

Bethany Averie & Terri Thackston

constructive criticism. You don't want someone who just says "This sucks, you suck, it all sucks, throw pie at it." You want someone who's going to tell you what you do well ( example: "Excellent use of dialogue." ) and what you need to work on. (Example: "I think this part is a little word, can you cut it down?")  Maybe even give you ideas on HOW to fix something (I try to do that, and I have critique partners who do this).

But you do not, not, not (did I mention, not?) want to send anyone your first draft. Trust me. And trust me when I say, if you can take some time away from a manuscript and come back, you're likely to

find MORE stuff to fix (this has happened to me).

Either way, rushing the process just leads to mistakes. Fix that baby up until it's just so pretty even the laziest cat with the most sour disposition can't resist snuggling it. (That's metaphorical language. Most cats don't read--at least, I don't think so. I never had a novel-reading cat).

Final Words of Advice...

Even if this is a career choice for you, find a way to enjoy it. Writing can be hard, it can have good and bad days. But if you're

passionate about it, if it's what you really want to do more than anything else, stick with it, even on those hard days. I

guarantee you, you aren't the first or the last author to have a bad day or a good day. We all have them. But you have to find a way to enjoy the process or it just becomes a drag. I love what I do. Some days it's easy to love, some days it's hard to do. But I can't imagine not doing it. If you feel the same way, then chances are you're passionate enough to chase the publishing dream. If you don't want to publish, then just write for fun. Nothing wrong with that. I have plenty of things I've done for fun that I'd never do professionally.

Have A Marvelously Merry Monday!

Should You Register? Let Me Count The Reasons...

Happy Monday All,

I know I haven't been good about keeping up with the blog. Currently I have a full plate. I'm working on a project my publisher has requested, plus something I did on my own, and a couple of stories I'm hoping to finish writing. On top of that, I've got the mommy/wife gigs going on, and the audiobook.

However, I do want to make all writers aware that the time has come to get your registration for the Northwest Houston chapter of Romance Writers of America Lone Star Writer's Conference in! The deadline to register is September 15, and we're about halfway through August already.

Me with editor, Debby Gilbert
at the 2014 Lone Star Writer's Conference

I have been attending this conference since 2009. Every year is different, but consistently it's been fun, informative, and worth every penny. I'm excited that this year Kerrelyn Sparks is speaking.

Me, author Kerrelyn Sparks, and author
Christie Craig

Kerrelyn is a fellow author and someone I've had the pleasure of meeting in person. She's talented, sweet, and I imagine has some great information for writers. She has a fabulous sense of humor and is very personable.

Jennifer Fusco of Market Or Die! is also coming. I haven't heard her speak, and I don't know her, but it sounds interesting, and I can always use marketing ideas for my work.

Taken at one of the Lone Star
Conferences I attended (I can't remember
which one)

There will be pitching opportunities, and also raffle baskets available.

I look forward to this conference every year and I'm already registered. We have had writers of all different genres come, so even if you don't write romance, don't hesitate!

See you there!

Have A Marvelously Magnificent Monday!

Sell Yourself, AKA Promotion...

Happy Monday All,

It's another week, you ready? Apparently whether we're ready or not, the week begins.

I don't mind my writing work, and generally the mommy-gig isn't too bad, but it's been a bit rough this week with Youngest, so it's a little tougher than usual--especially when migraines hit. So I'm sipping my coffee, wishing I got a little more sleep, and doing my best to get myself together for the day.

One of the topics that will be covered at the NWHRWA 2016 Lone Star Writer's Conference (for more information, click here) is PR--aka Promotion.

A lot of writers (including myself) are either shy or introverted (sometimes both). I have met some writers who weren't shy, and some extroverted writers, but I haven't met many. The one thing that is often on any writer's mind when they think of promotion and putting themselves out there is how? What can you do?

The short answer is--a lot. Almost everywhere you go there are opportunities for networking/promoting. In fact, I do it on a regular basis in spite of any shyness/introversion on my part.

Here's an example:  Last year, during the Christmas season (Christmas Eve to be precise), we decided to get a pizza. So I went into the pizza place and gave the checker my order. While waiting,

I sat down next to a lady and we got to chatting. We chatted about some things--Christmas, Church, and such. Finally, I asked if she liked to read. She talked about what she liked to read, and I said I was a Romance author, and pulled out my bookmarks (I keep them in my purse, so I have them whenever I get into a situation like this) and described my books and gave them to her (I often will even sign the Divine Love bookmarks for people).

This is a quick way to make yourself known (especially if you're not a big name). And even if THEY don't like the genre you write, they might know someone who does, and they can pass on your bookmarks to those people.

Now, I'm not saying it's easy to talk to people I don't know. But, you can assess the situation and decide whether or not it's an opportunity. And if the opportunity presents itself, then you've got one more person who knows about your work.

Promotion is a big topic, and most people have an opinion or ideas of what to do. Writers have to take this information and assess what's best for them.

Like I said, this topic will be covered at the Conference, and that's on Saturday, October 1, 2016. It's open to all writers, so get that registration in!

Have A Magnificently Marvelous Monday!

It's That Time Again...

Happy Wednesday Everybody!

I'm one tired chica. For the last 4 nights either dizziness (due to allergies) or Youngest Offspring has made sure I don't get a full-night's sleep. In fact, I don't think I've slept from 11 p.m. to 8 or 9 a.m. in over a year. I imagine it's part and parcel of the whole Mommy-gig. But since I know things could be much worse, I suppose I should thank the Lord this is all I'm up against in terms of being a mom at the moment.

The NWHRWA has opened up registration for the annual Fall Conference--the Lone Star Writer's Conference, which is happening Saturday, October 1st. This conference is open to ALL writers, NOT just Romance novelist. So you Thriller, Suspense, Horror, and such, you can come, too. YA and NA writers, you come, too. It's open to ALL writers.

The fabulous NY Times Best Seller, Kerrelyn Sparks, will be

Me, KERRELYN SPARKS, and author Christie Craig

talking about world building and all of that fun stuff. We have another speaker for the afternoon--someone I've never heard before, but she sounds great, too. Her name is Jennifer Fusco, and she'll be speaking on promotion.

More details can be found on the website, which if you click right here, it'll take you straight to the information on the conference.

Trust me, you do NOT want to miss. We have a lot of fun. There are raffle baskets (great stuff are in those, believe me--I plan on bringing at least one for the raffle, so don't you want to come and see what I'm giving away?) I have to double-check, but I believe lunch is included, and we usually have something out for breakfast. This is southern hospitality, folks, and we don't skimp on the welcoming.

As of the writing of this blog post, they're waiting on the reservation code for hotel rooms, but I'm told that will be available soon. We especially encourage any Lone Star Writer's Contest finalists to come because we do a whole announcement for that.

I've already turned in my registration...have you?

Have A Wonderfully Whimsical Wednesday!