Tag: writer’s life

Writing, Book Promotion, and Life: A Personal Decision

writing-and-knitting-needle-1169606_960_720This post is a very personal one, but also one that I think will resonate with other Indie authors.

For several months, now, I’ve been in a funk and having trouble figuring out why. I even thought of giving up writing entirely. Why? I looked at my life, how I spend my time, and realized that there seemed to be no time to do many of the things I used to enjoy, like knitting, sewing, and reading. At first I wanted to chalk it up to growing older. I don’t have the energy I used to. That depressed me.

I have always been a busy person and abhor just sitting around accomplishing nothing. Those last two words were the clue to my dilemma. I felt I was spinning my wheels and not seeing results. Continue reading “Writing, Book Promotion, and Life: A Personal Decision”

Writing May Surprise You

surprised by writing amazed-19214_960_720I’m not sure when my life became so encapsulated by writing that I began to put parameters around it. I don’t write horror. I don’t write erotica. I don’t write crime dramas. I never tell the same story twice, and I never, ever write sequels.

And yet we all know that writing can be a whimsical mistress. I’m not a planner; I don’t have my next three novels plotted out. Most of the time when I’m done with one book, I have absolutely no idea what I’m going to write next. Not the plot, not the characters, not even the genre. After I finish writing a book, I will allow myself to lounge in the fallow field of not-knowing, waiting for the muse to glance my way, crook a finger at me, and wink.

Well, never say never. Continue reading “Writing May Surprise You”

Push-Pull Between Old and New Writing Projects

push pull of writing and book marketing puppy-837998_960_720The last few months have been particularly productive for me. I finished one book in November after five months of steady writing. As I always do, I sent it out to beta-readers and otherwise put it aside for a cooling-off period. I did not re-read it or think about it, but gave myself permission to catch up on other things until I heard back from my beta-readers. Suddenly in December, however, I got an idea for a new book, and before I knew it I was pounding away at that. The new book wasn’t anything I’d planned; it just hit me like a tidal wave until I agreed to get the flow down on paper.

Then the feedback for the other book started coming in and I needed to make edits. Then I remembered I had a book signing already set for the near future, and I promised I’d have the latest book ready for that. Suddenly I was being pulled off the WIP in order to finish up the last book, and it was a real struggle. I had to get the last book finished and published so I could order books for the signing. But I really wanted to just submerge myself in the new WIP. Waugh!

Of course for us indies, this is the constant dilemma. Continue reading “Push-Pull Between Old and New Writing Projects”

Where Do You Write?

where writers write coffee-desk-laptop-notebookMelissa Bowersock wrote a post a few weeks ago about writing drafts longhand, and whether anybody still does it. It sounds like a lot of people do. I used to, but I don’t anymore. The last time I can remember writing a first draft longhand was when I was in graduate school and was writing my novel on legal pads on the Metro on my way to work. I remember getting some odd looks from other passengers. It didn’t bother me back then, but I think it would now. Continue reading “Where Do You Write?”