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I thought I’d try something completely different (cue the Monty Python music), and give my readers and followers a glimpse into my writing world by asking my ‘author’ self these five fun questions…
1. Given unlimited resources, what would be your ideal writing environment?
Hmmm…unlimited resources? I honestly don’t know how to answer that because I DO have the perfect writing environment. But if I had a choice, I’d like a condo in Florida for the winter months, so I could continue to enjoy the warm weather all year round! After all, didn’t Hemingway have a place down there? Grin.
2. Where do you actually write?
I set up a writing office in my home. Since we’re empty nesters, one of the bedrooms was a perfect fit to fill with my book shelves, books, a reading chair, L-shaped desk, computer, printer, and story board. I don’t have a great view, but I figure it helps keep me staring at my computer and pounding the keys. Wink.
3. How did you come to write The Last Timekeepers series?
Both the idea and inspiration came to me through a dream I had around 1998. In this dream, I saw seven arches, and there were seven people (five kids, two adults) with crystals in their hands, walking up to these arches. It definitely had an Indiana Jones feel to it. At that time, I was writing a paranormal romance (before there was a distinct genre) and had no intention of writing a middle-grade/young adult book like The Last Timekeepers. But this idea kept growing in my mind, and wouldn’t leave, like some mystical force pushing you from behind. So, I thought I’d challenge myself and write a novel—a series—that would appeal to my son, who at the time was the target age of my audience. I’ve always loved the time travel genre, so I imagined the arches I saw vividly in my dream as time portals. It was a no-brainer for me.
4. What was the hardest part of writing your book, and how did you overcome it?
Hardest part? I think starting from scratch and learning the process of actually writing a book. I’m strong at dialogue, so that part wasn’t a problem, but I lacked in novel structure and how to construct a novel. I had to learn from the ground up, so I went to night classes, joined writing workshops, read books on writing to hone my skills enough to get the first draft done. And then when the book was complete, I had to learn how to edit, revise, and redo. This part of writing a novel is an ongoing work in progress! LOL!
5. What is your favorite late night snack?I’m gonna say a bag of party mix—the cheesier the better! I do love my salty snacks! And thankfully, I don’t indulge that often.
The writing business can be messy and hard at times, but it can also be fun and rewarding. Givingreaders a small glimpse into an author’s life can provide an avenue for engagement, life-long connections, and fans for life. Cheers and thank you for reading my post!
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| My Writing Womb |
Actor/writer John Cleese once said to an audience that in order to be creative, two things must occur: you need to create boundaries, and make time. That’s it. Even if you write or paint or woodwork for one hour, you MUST shut yourself in a space, and let no one in for one hour. Writers would sure benefit from wearing a turtle’s shell so we could withdraw from the world any time we wanted! LOL!
Early mornings are a popular working time for many writers and artists, for a few obvious reasons. If you get up early enough, you can generally count on being free from visitors, phone calls, and other interruptions. And if you go straight to work on your creative project—if you literally put it first in your day—you can guarantee that your working time won’t be derailed by other commitments or temptations.
So how do you acquire that coveted time to write? This has been an ongoing obstacle for many writers, including yours truly. Especially when life gets messy. And trust me, it does! I guess the best advice that I can give is that you need to make sacrifices. Instead of watching three TV shows with your better half, cut back one or two (pick your favorite to watch), then scurry to your writing lair and put your fingers to the keyboard. Lock yourself in your room. Tell your family members that once the door is closed for the set amount of time you’ve chosen, you’re not available. Period. Even if someone screams bloody murder. If you need to, buy earphones, download a music app, and plug in. This will help to keep those distractions out and the words flowing.
Another option is GET OUT of the house and go to your local coffee shop or library. Many authors have chosen this avenue with great success. Libraries have more confining hours, but most coffee shops are open 24 hours. The idea is to create both time and space for yourself to write. Plus, you’ve got fresh coffee or tea on demand, so that’s a bonus!
A more expensive idea if you can swing it is to rent a motel or hotel room for a personal writing retreat. You might be able to get a good deal during off-season periods, or even use those air miles you’ve been saving to cash in on a room. What about using a friend’s home or apartment a few times a week? The possibilities are available, but we have to utilize them.
This upcoming year, I need to make some sacrifices and define my space (physical and emotional) in order to finish writing the next installment of my time travel series (so close!), and start brainstorming the next book. I’m lucky enough to have my own writing office, and there’s no little ones around to knock on the door. Unless my 100 pound yellow Labrador decides to nudge open the door to be fed or walked! I’ve used a timer in the past, but like anything, if it’s not made a habit, it’s not going to work. Self-discipline is the name of the game in this business, that’s for sure! So keep a stiff upper lip, define your writing space and time, and get that book written!
How do you define your boundaries as a writer? Where are some great places you like to write? Do you allow yourself a certain amount of time to write? Would love to read your comments! Cheers and thank you for reading my blog!
By: Sharon Ledwith,
on 1/4/2016
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Sharon Ledwith: I came. I saw. I wrote.
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In the Tarot Cards, the Seven of Pentacles is all about taking stock. Reevaluating what you’ve been working on for some time, and reflecting on what you’ve accomplished so far. The beginning of a new year is a perfect time this. It’s a time for assessment and future planning, as well as a time for a change.
I’m lucky to be with a publishing company who sets business goals for the year and shares these plans with their authors. Some of these plans include to publish a certain amount of books while keeping slots open for authors who are writing an ongoing series, featuring a new book each month with blog posts, videos, and discounts, attending many events and festivals, and producing audiobooks. They want to continue improving and growing, and so do I. Part of that growth includes building their brand. And that’s my goal too.
So how am I going to continue building my author brand? By blogging weekly, sharing interesting and helpful information on the social media, helping other authors achieve their goals, connecting with readers through events and visits, offering sales and giveaways, and of course writing more books. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I’ve not been able to get more of my books into the hands of my readers these last two years. This will change in the upcoming year with the publication of the second installment of The Last Timekeepers series, The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secretlater in 2016. I also plan to work on researching and outlining the third book in the series next year too!
My literary agent also has big plans as Walden House (Books & Stuff) has set up a satellite office in the UK, and will begin re-submitting the first book in my Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls series throughout North America and Europe. Patience is the name of the game when you’re working with an agent, and since I’m busy producing my time travel series, it’s a win-win for me. This is the beauty of developing an author brand. When potential publishers check you out, you’ve got a platform and a body of work already on the go. And that’s when all your hard work and persistent effort will pay off!
Finally, I can’t stress this enough, but having a positive mental attitude helps tremendously. It will not only carry you through the tough writing times where you’re lucky to get a paragraph written in a day or make enough sales in a month to buy a coffee and donut, but will see to it that you stay true to your dreams. Trust me, you’ll have good days and bad days, but if you take stock on where you’ve been and how far you’ve come as a writer, things will become brighter, better, and lighter.
How do you take stock? Are you in a happy place now with your writing career? Wishing you all a very Happy New Year, and thank you for taking the time to read my blog! Cheers!
Honestly, if I knew that it would take over fifteen years to become a published author I would have thought long and hard about whether I should go down that road less traveled. But I did. And the truth is that you can’t buy this experience. You digest it. You absorb it. You bleed it.
What I’ve learned in those fifteen plus years is worth more to me than any university degree I could ever earn. The skill of actually writing and crafting a book is such a process that it takes years to glean, and once completed no one can take that feeling of accomplishment away from you. NO. ONE. I’ve also learned that a writer must wear three different hats if he or she wants to succeed in this crazy writing business.
Hat #1: Asks what I am skilled at doing? I imagine this hat like a hard hat you’d wear at a construction site. This is information that you and you alone must discern. Use your natural abilities or skills that will serve you in your writing business. Good at blogging? Do it! Great at sharing information to help others achieve their dreams as well as your own dreams? Go for it! We can’t be good at everything. We just can’t! Understanding where your skills lie will help you tremendously when you seek publication or if you decide to go it alone.
Hat #2: Asks what do I enjoy doing? Yay! This is a fun hat! I imagine this hat looks like a jester’s cap with bells. Do what you love, love what you do. These are the tasks that you find rewarding. Plan a novel. Plan a whole book series. Write that first draft. Only you know what makes your heart beat faster and brings you joy, and once you figure that out then as cliché as this sounds, the world is your oyster.
Hat #3: Asks what can I uniquely contribute? This is a more serious hat for me—a fedora perhaps—business-like and serious. Do you want to write something of value to share with the world? Or just with family and friends? Will your books be useful (read: sell) in the marketplace? Do you have a business plan mapped out and ready to go to take your readers on fantastic journeys? In the end, it’s all up to you to determine what you can give, and how you want to go about doing it.
In dreams, hats represent the attitudes you show others most, your mental outlook, your various jobs, talents, personalities, and aspects of yourself. Hats reveal how you cover up or display what you really think or how you protect your ideas. So what kind of hats do you think you’d wear to succeed in the publishing business? Love to read your comments! Cheers!
Now, where did I put my jester’s cap…
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Robin Brande,
on 7/19/2011
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Last weekend I, like many of you, saturated myself with all things Harry Potter. Even after seeing the amazing, wonderful,…
I’m loving this series from ex-lawyer Passive Guy, talking about how to read and understand publishing contracts.
Read his latest installment, then do yourself a favor and catch up on all the previous ones! Excellent education.
Technorati Tags: Advice for Writers, Business of Writing, Publishing, publishing contracts, understanding publishing contracts, Writing, Writing Advice, Writing Business
I’m using the title from this blog post, which is a must-read for any writer who cares about his or her business–which I hope is every one of you! As I’ve been taught, and as I try to pass along to you, no one will ever care about your career as much as you will. NO ONE. Yes, there are times when we all like to be taken care of, but save that for a day at the spa, not for your writing life.
I’m a fan now of The Passive Voice. Maybe it’s because we’re both recovering lawyers. (Not as in recovering them from a dive wreck, but as in feeling better and better the further we get away from it. Although still, about once a month, I have that anxiety dream where I’m due in court in half an hour and I have no idea what the case is about. And I’ve already gotten rid of all my suits and have nothing to wear. Oh, when will it end???) Anyway, Passive Voice has a lot of great blog posts–it’s time well-spent cruising them.
Enjoy!
Technorati Tags: Advice for Writers, Authors, Business of Writing, Publishing, Writers, Writers Advice, Writing, Writing Advice, Writing Business
Each day we boot up, check our email, send out queries, research information, engage in online classes or discussions, pay our bills and perhaps check the headlines or the weather. As writers and editors we live by our computer—and perhaps a multi-use cell phone contraption. We need access to a wide array of sites and services. We need unbiased information--and we need it now!
The Internet is our constant companion and hardiest coworker, and we take it for granted. What if you booted up one day only to find that your provider was no longer allowing access to the sites you needed? What if all the information you found was one-sided. What if your website and links took so long to download that the editor decided you weren’t worth the hassle? What if you suddenly found that you only had access to the “Public Internet” or the “Family Tier” and that the “Business Tier” would cost extra. Unlike radio or television, the Internet has been our source for uncensored, equally available information—and there is a battle going on to maintain the status quo.
The Low-Down
Net Neutrality is the ability to access anyone or any site regardless of race, creed, political party or service provider, uninterrupted and at an equal rate of speed.Big Business wants to control your access to the Internet. As we know, money talks, and certain providers such as AT&T, Verizon and Comcast would like to regulate content, give the right-of-way to their own network—slowing down all other traffic crossing their path, and institute payment-tiers of service (much like the cable television channels).
Enter The FCC
In an attempt to maintain the integrity of the Internet as we know it, the FCC stepped in. On December 21st they passed rulings in an effort to insure that content not be blocked or censored and that it remains equally available to everyone. The rulings only covered line-wired access (not wireless services) and left an opening for tiering or “paid prioritization”.
Verizon Fires Back
Not only did Verizon file for reversal of the ruling, they also filed a joint proposal along with Google which suggests, among other things, that the FCC enforce the protection and nondiscriminatory requirements but have no rule making authority. In other words, you can watch us but can’t control us. Some customers already report being notified that Verizon will be throttling data speeds “to ensure high quality network performance for other users at times of peak demand”. At risk are people whose ISP shows a lot of usage. That kid playing on the iPhone might be more important than your business access; how do you feel about having you Internet speed cut in half after 2pm?
What Can You Do?
You can write to your representative, join the discussion at OpenInternet[dot]gov, or speak with your pocket-book.
You work hard for your money and you owe it to yourself to make wise choices with it. When we purchase services we do more than satisfy a need, we become partners with the company we have chosen. Do a little research on where your provider stands, both for your hard-wired system and your wireless provider. If you decide they are not acting in your best interest consider switching.
By Robyn Chausse
(photo by R. Chausse)
How do you feel about Net
I hope this stuff is useful to you guys. When I find a good blog post by a writer for writers, I like to pass it along because the more information any of us have about the business, the better (I think).
So take a look at J. Steven York’s post about writers and other [...]
Look. Anyone with a passing knowledge of Flash animation can make a picture of themselves dance. No biggee there. But to make a picture of yourself dance with significant hip action? Worth the price of admission alone. Congratulations are going out to HMOCL #12 Don Tate II for successfully selling his picture book biography as of late to Lee & Low.
Now go check out his thrusts.
5. What is your favorite late night snack?
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Hers is truly a story for the ages. It’s stuck with me for ten years of my life, and for some people it’s taken them even farther. There are many stories that do that. I appreciate what you’ve said here and how you’ve put what I’ve recognized in Rowling into words. I’m glad you liked the movie! I was spellbound and sobbing and laughing. It was truly fitting. I am grateful to all writers for the worlds and people they make so real to us! I literally don’t know what I’d do without all of you.
Kelley, I agree with you about the movie–sobbing and laughing, yes! (Not at the same time, of course.) And I agree with you totally about being grateful to writers like her who builds these worlds and these characters for us to enjoy. It sounds schmaltzy, but I really do feel like she has enriched my life this past decade! I’m happy for every success she has. She totally deserves it.