Write or Die by Dr Wicked

A little something to keep you focused and on track during Nanowrimo (or any other time of the year). Write or Die by Dr Wicked helps you with your personal word count goal by keeping you in line if you aren't on target.... set your target word goal and decide if you want to experience Gentle, Normal or Kamakaze consequences.

Good luck and have fun.

Kindle Numbers: Traditional Publishing Vs. Self Publishing

I came across JA Konrath's blog about how he makes more through ebooks than he does traditionally. Interesting.

Kindle Numbers: Traditional Publishing Vs. Self Publishing

Finding a Literary Agent

Breaking into the book business requires the author to be a little savvy not only for the writing part but for the business part as well.
Truth is most writers aren't very business savvy. They would prefer to just write and leave the business part to someone who enjoys that sort of thing....well, I do anyway.

These days, authors are required to get out there and promote, promote, promote. Gone are the days where the publisher will set up a marketing plan....unless you have already established yourself as a best selling author.

Anyway, before I lose my train of thought, sometimes we don't want to search out the publisher but prefer to have an agent do that sort of thing for us....

If you want to learn more about finding a literary agent that fits you and your work, check out Nathan Bransford blog to help you out.

Happy Writing.

Kick Ass Sequel

Haven't been here in some time. Does it really matter? No, probably not. Getting so caught up in trying to update blogs and stressed by the content doesn't really appeal to me.

Been re-working a novel I wrote a few years back...getting it to where it should have been years ago. I'm adding things, new characters, new dialogue, more intrigue. Plus, I'm making it a sequel. I think it'll kick ass as a sequel.

It's a young adult paranormal thriller based in 16th century Ireland.

It's called Sacred Circle.

Look for it at your local bookstore in late 2010.

Also working on a adult fiction book...more about that when Sacred Circle has all of its updates updated.

Where Are You Going Today?

So, where are you going today with your writing?

What? No where?

How come?

No inspiration?

I see.

Sometimes the inspiration that comes to us doesn't have to be the idea that becomes the bestselling novel.

Take this blog post for example. Hardly award winning. It started out with trying to find something to write about. The question, "Where are you going with your writing today?" was really directed toward me. Where am I going?

I have freelance projects that are due, but I really want to get my book 'Reinventing Rita' past the first draft.

Hold on. I'm getting off topic. I was talking about inspiration. Finding something that inspires you doesn't have to be this amazing thing....like a mountain or a sunset or the calm of a lake. It can be a breadbox, if that's what really gets you going.

It can be an action: Going to the breadbox and finding there is no bread.

It can be the desire to buy a breadbox and how it would really make life easier.

It could also be figuring out what the heck a breadbox is. (My husband has no idea. When I explained it to him, he said I was old.)

Find the thing that gets you to write and write about it. Who cares if it doesn't go anywhere...you really didn't waste any time. Did you have something better planned today?

If you are looking for inspiration, check out my website at www.thewritersmentor.ca .

When Being Crusty gets the Job Done

Right now I'm not in the best of moods; the littlest thing will set me off. However, what I have noticed is that there is motivating energy in being in a rotten mood.

I feel more focused and less wishy-washy. I feel assertive rather than passive-aggressive. I feel like I can write with clarity and style....and mean it.

I guess crustiness does have some positive traits.

Articulation Prevents Headaches

I'm going to rant a bit: there is nothing I hate more than lack of articulation. Mean what you say and Say what you mean. It's easy; it's simple. It's not brain surgery.

If you are a freelance writer, taking on freelance projects can be rewarding and a pain. Some clients know what they want, some want you to guide them and some don't know what they want and think they do, then change or add things without warning. This is the client I can't stand. My current client keeps changing/adding/fill in the blank to the project. Does the client think I'm a mind reader? I wish.

I re-read emails, looking for things that I might have missed and there is nothing that I can pick out. Instead, I'm the one that looks like the idiot.

It shouldn't be this hard...should it?

What's Your Story?

I took some time off to think about my own writing situation; I did some much needed reflecting.

What we want in life comes down to this: What is your story? What story are you making up or telling yourself that you truly believe about yourself? Now, really think about that story.

Is it really true? Is it an accurate measure of who you want to be? Is it a story made-up through the years by friends and family members; a story that you took on as true?

We can change our story. We can choose for ourselves in every moment who we are.
So, what's your story? And, are you strong enough to change it to what you want?

Why You Should Follow Through with Your Ideas

About 5 years ago, I came up with an idea for a book that I felt would be great to work on as soon as I finished the book I was writing at the time.

I wrote down my impressions/thoughts about the book, the character's names, how the story would progress. I also wrote about 10 pages of a scene just to get the ball rolling.

I then tucked the notebook away thinking that I would come back to it when I had the time.

It turns out I should have jumped on the idea a whole lot quicker than I thought as the book is now a best seller written by someone else. The funny thing is, my main character's name is exactly the same name as the main character in this author's book (and it's not a common name).

No, my work wasn't stolen. However, I do believe that we are all given creative ideas that we either choose to run with or leave languishing in a drawer somewhere.

I chose the latter.

The point is, I should have kept writing. I should have continued, no matter what. This is not to say my book would have become a best seller, but I do feel like I robbed myself of something really great.