Step One: Dream
Step Two: Desire
Writing is my bliss, my passion, my job and, even after writing 12 books in a year, I love it. There were times I wondered if I would. I'm grateful I can say YES!!!
One of the first things I do every morning is go out to the computer and press the power button. Why? I can't wait to see what my characters are going to do! During the night, ideas come to me (last night I dreamed in technicolor about a kind and good-natured redheaded king, old ruins where cattle were watered, and the future of DVD's - they no longer existed) Okay, that is called creative fodder - the kind of stuff I can and do use in my books.
Writing novels is something I've wanted since I was a teen and, sadly, when I went to college, I listened to the 'experts' of my time and let my dream fade when they said the only writing major they offered was journalism. It was a big blow. I wasn't fond of the news (most of it is bad, even then, and why would I focus on that?)
Because I believed them, for decades, I limited my talent to birthday cards, journals, etc. I was a - dare I say it? - closet writer! I still penned ideas, but I seldom shared them.
Then I read The Jack Rabbit Factor by Leslie Householder. The cover of the book had three important words that opened doors in my mind: Why You Can.
Thanks to the book, which woke my dreams, I made the decision to write professionally because I LOVE writing. Once I gave myself permission to follow my dream, there was no going back to the dark cave where my creative juices used to bubble and hiss while I ignored them.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Writing a book Step One: Dream
After writing 12 books, you have a pretty good idea about THE formula you use to get your book into print. This is the first step I take in writing:
Write a book : Dream BIG (and don't let anyone steal your dream!)
Take a fantastic idea and be willing to slap the reader with images that blow their minds - if it doesn't blow yours or suck you in, do a rewrite. Don't use old phrases: "The dream began..." to begin a book unless in the first page the dream explodes in the reader's face and grips them by the lapels and shakes them hard. Don't give them any choice but to turn the page.
Important: length of book. You may laugh, but the first book I wrote was over 252,000 words. What I learned was traditional publishers won't take a look at you - there are a few exceptions, but for the most part, a first book should be around 200-250 pages.
With that said, simply write the story in your heart. I had to write it until the story (Epic COS) was finished to my satisfaction. Now my books average 300 pages (some are more and some are less). If I did it over again, I would try for 250 and simply add another book to the COS series so that each softcover isn't quite so expensive. I may still do that...and the good news is that I can because I'm in control of my work, not a publisher, editor, or another person. I own ALL rights to my books.
What sells best in fiction? Character-driven books. One of my editors, who used to work at a press, told me the reason she loves my books are the characters. If you don't love your characters, or understand them, it will show in your work. There are reasons why most people (there are exceptions to every rule) won't write believable books until they are in their 30's - 40's. The biggest reason: they haven't lived long enough to experience life on enough levels to really grasp the interactions of people on more than a superficial basis. Experience counts.
Even if you have the talent to create great characters, you must be able to weave a story around them that's worth telling. If you can't do that you won't be successful either.
I've been asked where I get my ideas.
The answer is everywhere. Some books come from dreams, others spring from the ashes of unused ideas I had for a different book. I might watch a movie, read a book, or, as in the case of a long-planned trilogy Sky Signs, watch sunsets and sunrises with the love of my life - for more than a year. I didn't know watching all of those God-rendered wonders that I would be adding all the information to a stack of ideas.
After some people read COS, they think I'm a master plotter. You would think I would be writing murder mysteries and maybe I will - someday. What they fail to really consider is the fact that COS is an EPIC and as such, had to have significant plot, subplots, and sub-sub plots.
While there is "nothing new under the sun" the way people retell stories in this era is the difference between a ride in a 1960 Lincoln Continental and a 2012 Ferrari. The world is plagued by instant gratification and books are competing with X-Box and other games so they MUST grab the attention of the reader.
The Harry Potter epic and the Twilight series took tradition and tweaked its nose a bit, re-introducing characters that have always existed (wizards/vampires) in such a way that they sold millions of copies.
In my life time, every 20 or so years, books with particular themes recycle. For instance, 20 or so years ago, it was Anne Rice and her Interview with a Vampire series that was being touted as new and exciting. Now, when something is successful, we have three or more copycats and the publishers rush to get the novels out to the world in hopes of riding the wizard/vampire wave of success, knowing the readers are hungry for more.
Whatever you write, let it be original and something you are interested in. Love your characters and paint them into a corner as much as possible and try to enjoy getting them out of it using unique ideas.
Write a book : Dream BIG (and don't let anyone steal your dream!)
Take a fantastic idea and be willing to slap the reader with images that blow their minds - if it doesn't blow yours or suck you in, do a rewrite. Don't use old phrases: "The dream began..." to begin a book unless in the first page the dream explodes in the reader's face and grips them by the lapels and shakes them hard. Don't give them any choice but to turn the page.
Important: length of book. You may laugh, but the first book I wrote was over 252,000 words. What I learned was traditional publishers won't take a look at you - there are a few exceptions, but for the most part, a first book should be around 200-250 pages.
With that said, simply write the story in your heart. I had to write it until the story (Epic COS) was finished to my satisfaction. Now my books average 300 pages (some are more and some are less). If I did it over again, I would try for 250 and simply add another book to the COS series so that each softcover isn't quite so expensive. I may still do that...and the good news is that I can because I'm in control of my work, not a publisher, editor, or another person. I own ALL rights to my books.
What sells best in fiction? Character-driven books. One of my editors, who used to work at a press, told me the reason she loves my books are the characters. If you don't love your characters, or understand them, it will show in your work. There are reasons why most people (there are exceptions to every rule) won't write believable books until they are in their 30's - 40's. The biggest reason: they haven't lived long enough to experience life on enough levels to really grasp the interactions of people on more than a superficial basis. Experience counts.
Even if you have the talent to create great characters, you must be able to weave a story around them that's worth telling. If you can't do that you won't be successful either.
I've been asked where I get my ideas.
The answer is everywhere. Some books come from dreams, others spring from the ashes of unused ideas I had for a different book. I might watch a movie, read a book, or, as in the case of a long-planned trilogy Sky Signs, watch sunsets and sunrises with the love of my life - for more than a year. I didn't know watching all of those God-rendered wonders that I would be adding all the information to a stack of ideas.
After some people read COS, they think I'm a master plotter. You would think I would be writing murder mysteries and maybe I will - someday. What they fail to really consider is the fact that COS is an EPIC and as such, had to have significant plot, subplots, and sub-sub plots.
While there is "nothing new under the sun" the way people retell stories in this era is the difference between a ride in a 1960 Lincoln Continental and a 2012 Ferrari. The world is plagued by instant gratification and books are competing with X-Box and other games so they MUST grab the attention of the reader.
The Harry Potter epic and the Twilight series took tradition and tweaked its nose a bit, re-introducing characters that have always existed (wizards/vampires) in such a way that they sold millions of copies.
In my life time, every 20 or so years, books with particular themes recycle. For instance, 20 or so years ago, it was Anne Rice and her Interview with a Vampire series that was being touted as new and exciting. Now, when something is successful, we have three or more copycats and the publishers rush to get the novels out to the world in hopes of riding the wizard/vampire wave of success, knowing the readers are hungry for more.
Whatever you write, let it be original and something you are interested in. Love your characters and paint them into a corner as much as possible and try to enjoy getting them out of it using unique ideas.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Giveaway at I'm a Reader not a Writer
From now until Nov 1st, you can win one of my award-winning books
Chest of Souls (Book 1)
http://www.amazon.com/Chest-Souls-Book-One-ebook/dp/B00439H4KI/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&qid=1317767653&sr=8-1
Klaus
http://www.amazon.com/Klaus-ebook/dp/B004A8ZVUM/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2
Pic Jump
http://www.amazon.com/Pic-Jump-ebook/dp/B0053HHDQE/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317767794&sr=1-1
For extra chances, you can follow this blog and/or tell your local library to buy the book(s)
Chest of Souls (Book 1)
http://www.amazon.com/Chest-Souls-Book-One-ebook/dp/B00439H4KI/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&qid=1317767653&sr=8-1
Klaus
http://www.amazon.com/Klaus-ebook/dp/B004A8ZVUM/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2
Pic Jump
http://www.amazon.com/Pic-Jump-ebook/dp/B0053HHDQE/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317767794&sr=1-1
For extra chances, you can follow this blog and/or tell your local library to buy the book(s)
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Kipped 3: Indies - shooting yourself in the foot?
Getting shot is painful.
I've never been shot in real life, but I have been in dreams (I've also hit the ground after a fall, so nix the theory that you die if this happens).
Indie authors are sprouting like weeds because of the easy-to-publish formats we are blessed with. Unfortunately, some of them never learned to write and are polluting the system with the idea they can get rich quick by offering a 99 cent book.
Vultures are also emerging from this era of epub. They are the people that steal others people's work, cobble it together, and resell it under a different title.
I resent these two kinds of authors because they are giving ebooks a bad name. The only way to clear it up is personal responsibility: when you release a book, make it your very best work.
Here are some ways to avoid shooting yourself.
1) READ
Before I set my goal of 12 in 12, before it was even a vision, I loved reading. I was/am a voracious reader. Focus on the genre you like and choose its best selling books - study them. However, expand your mind and your talent by reading other kinds of books. You may be surprised where ideas can come from.
2) Edit...Edit...Edit...repeat
I usually go through 5 drafts of my work before I let anyone read it and after they read it, I edit at least one more time. If you can afford one, hire a professional editor (their prices vary, but $3 a page is the 'norm' the last time I checked). Do NOT trust your spell checker. Get a dictionary, a thesaurus - tools for grammar, etc.
Here is one of my personal reasons for needing an editor: As a young adult, I intended on becoming an Executive Secretary and among my courses: Speed Reading. The first day they tested us to see where we were. I was already at 700 words per minute. When I finished the class, it was well over 1,000 - not a large jump, but speed and retention (remembering what you read) are two different animals; one is a cheetah, the other is a domestic cat.
One thing you're taught in Speed Reading is to ignore small words (if, and, but, for...). Because my eyes are trained to ignore small words, when I edit, I tend to skip over ALL 2-3 letter words. This really becomes apparent to my pre-readers. I'm getting better at it, but a far cry from perfection.
3) Amputation: what you do for dry rot
During my 12 in 12, I probably cut 300+ pages of unusable material. That may not seem like a huge amount to a non-writer, but that's an entire book (months of work). I toss all my cuts into a junk bin to use later, perhaps in the same series, or another book. Just because it doesn't fit into one book, doesn't mean it won't work in another. If you get stuck, you can always go to the junk bin and see if there is an idea with merit, dust it off, modify, etc.
4) Cool off
While the manuscript(s) are in the hands of pre-readers/editors, I'm usually writing another book (or three). When your work returns and you re-read it, mistakes can jump out at you and you can take an ax to them, tighten loose nuts, or laugh at yourself and make a few quick changes.
5) If it's not fun, don't do it!
One of the first things I do every day is turn on my computer. Now I write 5 days a week instead of 6. Sometimes I only get 2 hours in, most of the time, its 8. No matter the number of pages, this is a business for me. It is a privilege to have the freedom to delve into the world of imagination and I intend to make the most of it.
I've never been shot in real life, but I have been in dreams (I've also hit the ground after a fall, so nix the theory that you die if this happens).
Indie authors are sprouting like weeds because of the easy-to-publish formats we are blessed with. Unfortunately, some of them never learned to write and are polluting the system with the idea they can get rich quick by offering a 99 cent book.
Vultures are also emerging from this era of epub. They are the people that steal others people's work, cobble it together, and resell it under a different title.
I resent these two kinds of authors because they are giving ebooks a bad name. The only way to clear it up is personal responsibility: when you release a book, make it your very best work.
Here are some ways to avoid shooting yourself.
1) READ
Before I set my goal of 12 in 12, before it was even a vision, I loved reading. I was/am a voracious reader. Focus on the genre you like and choose its best selling books - study them. However, expand your mind and your talent by reading other kinds of books. You may be surprised where ideas can come from.
2) Edit...Edit...Edit...repeat
I usually go through 5 drafts of my work before I let anyone read it and after they read it, I edit at least one more time. If you can afford one, hire a professional editor (their prices vary, but $3 a page is the 'norm' the last time I checked). Do NOT trust your spell checker. Get a dictionary, a thesaurus - tools for grammar, etc.
Here is one of my personal reasons for needing an editor: As a young adult, I intended on becoming an Executive Secretary and among my courses: Speed Reading. The first day they tested us to see where we were. I was already at 700 words per minute. When I finished the class, it was well over 1,000 - not a large jump, but speed and retention (remembering what you read) are two different animals; one is a cheetah, the other is a domestic cat.
One thing you're taught in Speed Reading is to ignore small words (if, and, but, for...). Because my eyes are trained to ignore small words, when I edit, I tend to skip over ALL 2-3 letter words. This really becomes apparent to my pre-readers. I'm getting better at it, but a far cry from perfection.
3) Amputation: what you do for dry rot
During my 12 in 12, I probably cut 300+ pages of unusable material. That may not seem like a huge amount to a non-writer, but that's an entire book (months of work). I toss all my cuts into a junk bin to use later, perhaps in the same series, or another book. Just because it doesn't fit into one book, doesn't mean it won't work in another. If you get stuck, you can always go to the junk bin and see if there is an idea with merit, dust it off, modify, etc.
4) Cool off
While the manuscript(s) are in the hands of pre-readers/editors, I'm usually writing another book (or three). When your work returns and you re-read it, mistakes can jump out at you and you can take an ax to them, tighten loose nuts, or laugh at yourself and make a few quick changes.
5) If it's not fun, don't do it!
One of the first things I do every day is turn on my computer. Now I write 5 days a week instead of 6. Sometimes I only get 2 hours in, most of the time, its 8. No matter the number of pages, this is a business for me. It is a privilege to have the freedom to delve into the world of imagination and I intend to make the most of it.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Kipped 2: Traditional or Indie publishing, that was the question
Another question I've been asked: Why not traditional publishing?
I tried traditional publishing. I had no idea at the time that it was going to fade because of the advent of eBook (which was being touted as a fad and no match for tradition).
My efforts to query were successful with more than one publisher, but because of the rumors that were already flying on the net and in the market place, I was already taking a serious look at Ebooks. After a lot of prayer, research, and my gut feeling, I opted to go Indie. Now, a year later, while traditional publishing is going the way of the Dodo bird, I see divine intervention again.
Here's one personal example of why the current/traditional system doesn't work:
8 months after I had sent the email query for 5 Blanks to multiple sources, I was called and a publisher wanted to know if 5 Blanks had been sold yet. No it wasn't, I told her, but I had already self-published 5 books; ironically, the very first to be published was 5 Blanks. The publisher was disappointed, but assured me the query was good enough that she wanted to try.
I had wondered why it had taken them so long to contact me and I was told my query had ended up on the slush pile. Some may ask by accident or design? In hindsight, I have to say by design. The traditional market, as most people are coming to realize, is losing its monopoly.
I informed the publisher about what I was currently doing. They assured me that they would be very interested in looking at anything else I wrote. In a way, the call was a verbal nod to my talent - a tender mercy of sorts that reaffirmed my faith that what I was writing was good enough for publishers.
I'm really grateful now I didn't succumb to the temptation of going with a traditional publisher. I read in David Farland's Kick in the Pants articles that some traditional publishers are heading for years of litigation because they are not paying their authors the royalties earned.
Bottom line: God understood all of this before it even happened and gave me a heads up and set me on the right path. He has been good to me.
I tried traditional publishing. I had no idea at the time that it was going to fade because of the advent of eBook (which was being touted as a fad and no match for tradition).
My efforts to query were successful with more than one publisher, but because of the rumors that were already flying on the net and in the market place, I was already taking a serious look at Ebooks. After a lot of prayer, research, and my gut feeling, I opted to go Indie. Now, a year later, while traditional publishing is going the way of the Dodo bird, I see divine intervention again.
Here's one personal example of why the current/traditional system doesn't work:
8 months after I had sent the email query for 5 Blanks to multiple sources, I was called and a publisher wanted to know if 5 Blanks had been sold yet. No it wasn't, I told her, but I had already self-published 5 books; ironically, the very first to be published was 5 Blanks. The publisher was disappointed, but assured me the query was good enough that she wanted to try.
I had wondered why it had taken them so long to contact me and I was told my query had ended up on the slush pile. Some may ask by accident or design? In hindsight, I have to say by design. The traditional market, as most people are coming to realize, is losing its monopoly.
I informed the publisher about what I was currently doing. They assured me that they would be very interested in looking at anything else I wrote. In a way, the call was a verbal nod to my talent - a tender mercy of sorts that reaffirmed my faith that what I was writing was good enough for publishers.
I'm really grateful now I didn't succumb to the temptation of going with a traditional publisher. I read in David Farland's Kick in the Pants articles that some traditional publishers are heading for years of litigation because they are not paying their authors the royalties earned.
Bottom line: God understood all of this before it even happened and gave me a heads up and set me on the right path. He has been good to me.
Kipped 1: How I released 12 books in 12 months
The question I am asked most often from both readers and writers is: HOW did you do it?
My best and most simple answer for that: with God all things are possible. Most people believe there is something bigger than themselves out there and I would be foolish not to recognize the divine intervention I experienced; some of those experiences too sacred in nature to share.
Along with that inspiration, I was blessed to have a lot of support from family and friends.
Also, it took LOTS of hard work and painful stretching of my soul and brain.
Many claim hindsight is 20-20 but when you have a vision the size I had, I promise that you must keep your eye on the end result or you're going to stumble over the path when it gets hard and, people, it got hard!
At the beginning of my journey, when the way was still crystal-clear and my characters were still behaving themselves, I was wrapped in ignorant bliss of exactly how much it was going to take to release 12 books in 12 months. My vision seemed to skip the part where I would be spending 12 and sometimes16 hours a day at my computer, typing, thinking, creating, and, oh, the tale-twister that kipped me: EDIT.
The simplified process goes like this:
1) Idea - make that a Mind-blowing, fantastic idea.
2) Write
3) Edit
4) Rewrite
5) Edit
6)...repeat all 5 steps until the book(s) is/are done
Stay tuned for more of the insiders story.
My best and most simple answer for that: with God all things are possible. Most people believe there is something bigger than themselves out there and I would be foolish not to recognize the divine intervention I experienced; some of those experiences too sacred in nature to share.
Along with that inspiration, I was blessed to have a lot of support from family and friends.
Also, it took LOTS of hard work and painful stretching of my soul and brain.
Many claim hindsight is 20-20 but when you have a vision the size I had, I promise that you must keep your eye on the end result or you're going to stumble over the path when it gets hard and, people, it got hard!
At the beginning of my journey, when the way was still crystal-clear and my characters were still behaving themselves, I was wrapped in ignorant bliss of exactly how much it was going to take to release 12 books in 12 months. My vision seemed to skip the part where I would be spending 12 and sometimes16 hours a day at my computer, typing, thinking, creating, and, oh, the tale-twister that kipped me: EDIT.
The simplified process goes like this:
1) Idea - make that a Mind-blowing, fantastic idea.
2) Write
3) Edit
4) Rewrite
5) Edit
6)...repeat all 5 steps until the book(s) is/are done
Stay tuned for more of the insiders story.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Congratulations to the WINNERS!
If this were the price is right, the following three women would race down to the front and begin their journey with Bob Barker to win, win, and win!
Vivien from Wichita, Lisa from Springville, and Sophia from Riverside! WOOHOO! Congratulations on winning and watch for the book in the mail!
Vivien from Wichita, Lisa from Springville, and Sophia from Riverside! WOOHOO! Congratulations on winning and watch for the book in the mail!
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