At the Starting Line

I am thrilled to be writing again!!  I've been researching for MONTHS, developing characters, writing down then throwing away plot idea after plot idea and finally I have a nugget of a story!  I can begin writing my second novel!

The beginning of a new project is filled with such joy and anticipation.  It's also filled with tons of self doubt.  I've already scratched this project more times than I can count, only to immediately start it again.  My mind is constantly asking, is this story worth telling?  Will it be good?  Will anyone even want to read it?  What if I get half way through and it sucks?

I wonder if published authors have these doubts when embarking on something new.

A big challenge I have at the starting line is keeping a steady pace.  I tend to write quickly, trying to get every idea down as fast as it appears.  My first draft is usually a mess of random ideas with no details connecting the dots.  This makes the second draft extremely difficult because I have to shift my mind from "outline" mode to "expression" mode, which isn't terribly easy for me.

In my first book, I did a much better job of enforcing the "slow and steady" mantra, but I still have a ways to go.  Details are good!  I just need to remind myself of this and let my brain sit on an idea instead of racing from one to the next.

Good luck to anyone else starting a new project!

Some Helpful Resources

I'm going to share some websites that have been especially helpful.  Feel free to add your own!

This is a wonderfully witty and helpful site by Catherine Ryan Howard, a self published author.  She's awesome!  Check her out!
http://catherineryanhoward.com/

Ok, so this is kinda of given, but the writer's digest website is a good place to practice writing prompts, get feedback, and learn what agents are looking for in new talent.
writersdigest.com

For the ebook publisher:
babybook.com

This is a site by Susan May Warren designed to help emerging and advanced writers get even better at their craft.  There's information about contests, conferences and you can get active in their online community.
mybooktherapy.com

The Mind of a Writer

I've always known that I'm different.  Well, maybe quirky would be a better word.  Imaginative?  Let's go with that.

For one thing, I have no problem with solitude.  I'm perfectly content to sit alone in a room with nothing but my thoughts.  I know, it's weird.  But that's only because you don't know what's going on in my brain during such moments.  Basically, when I close my eyes a movie that has never been written begins to play.  I see characters, settings, plot twists.  Scene after scene unfolds, and yes, the characters talk.  What would a movie be without some dialog?

Ok, before you hand me over to the loony hospital, hear me out.  The writer's brain is different.  Unique.  It can see a person sitting on a bench in the park and instantly come up with an entire back story of that individual.  It sees story potential in a dying tree, the sound of an ambulance in the distance, or a dog barking in the middle of the night.  Anything can set it off.  It never sleeps.

I've always loved this about my brain.  As far back as I can remember, I've always enjoyed my brain's ability to see a mother and child shopping for groceries and instantly come up with an entire story about their lives.  It's fun and very entertaining.

But it makes me weird.  Odd.  Different.  A bit crazy to those who don't get it.

Usually, these thoughts are just in my head but every once in a while, I slip and express them to the outside world.  When I was about eleven years old, I got locked out of my house while it was raining.  I knew my parents would be home soon so I decided to wait out the storm in our shed.  As I stood in the shed, waiting, I noticed an earthworm on the ground.  My writer's brain instantly set off and before long I had established a children's story about my new found friend.  So what did I decide to do?  I told it to the earthworm, of course.  Before I got to the end, I heard my name being called followed by intense laughter.  My checks turned bright red as I stepped into the pouring rain and saw my neighbor, laughing at me, asking if I wanted to wait out the storm in her house.  It was after that incident that I realized my writer's brain was best confined to my thoughts or paper.

But I share it with you today to let others know, you're not alone!!  About a year ago, I got the privilege of hearing an award winning romance writer speak of how she comes up with her ideas.  She said something along the lines of, "Ideas come rather organically.  I can be shopping and as I hand over my money to the cashier, I start to wonder what her life is like.  I wonder if she's married, if she has children.  Then I just make up her story and roll with it."

Um....that's me!  I can't tell you how excited I was to hear that.  You see, I'm not that weird.  I just hadn't met others like myself!  But now I know, the writer's brain is different.  Quirky.  But fun!  I'm grateful for the craziness, the constant flow of ideas, the never ending imagination that creates stories out of fleeting moments.

So you see, I've never minded solitude.  I have plenty to keep me entertained.

Book Review : In Sheep's Clothing by Susan May Warren

Being a good writer means recognizing and learning from good writing.

I just finished reading the book In Sheep's Clothing by Susan May Warren.  It's a romantic christian suspense novel set in Russia.  Gracie Benson, a missionary in Russia, is on the run from murders who killed her friend.  A FSB agent, who is wrestling with his own demons, tries to keep her alive.  The two end up being hunted by a killer who has been laying in wait for decades.  What Gracie doesn't know is that she she holds a secret that could save millions of lives, but only if she can get out of Russia alive before the killer gets her.

Ok, now I'll go into more detail.  SPOILER ALERT!!!!!

Gracie Benson is a wonderfully written character.  She's a missionary who feels as though she has failed God because she can't even convert her best friend, Larrisa.  Her visa is about to expire and while she knows she must leave Russia she wishes for another chance to do God's work.

Vicktor is the hero of the book.  He's Russian and a member of the FSB.  He's got a close knit group of friends who are christians, however, Vicktor refuses to believe in God.  He's haunted by his past, specifically a killer who simply goes by The Wolf.  Vicktor and his father (a cop ) chased the Wolf down into a building.  Vicktor's father said to hold back, but Vicktor didn't listen.  He went into the building, the Wolf knocked him down and ran out shooting Vicktor's father in the leg.  Vicktor's father is forced to retire and he know spends his days alone in his apartment.

The Wolf is back after a decade of laying in wait.  What Gracie doesn't know is that her friends are not as pure as they appear.  A medical miracle was produced that can cure cancer.  Gracie unknowingly has the cure in her possession.  Her friends asked her to send their mail to the US.  In the stack of mail is the cure addressed to a medical facility in the US.

There are a ton of twists and turns in the book that keep the reader thoroughly entertained.  I continually was surprised by betrayals and just when I thought I had all the characters figured out, someone would surprise me.

In the middle of the suspense is the love story of Gracie and Vicktor.  Gracie falls for him but knows that she can't truly give her heart to a non-Christian.   Vicktor falls for her knowing that as well.  But as the book progresses, all this discussions Vicktor had with his friends start to pop in his head.  He begins asking Gracie questions about God's grace and forgiveness.  He struggles with the idea that he could be so easily forgiven but he desperately wants the weight of his guilt off his shoulders.  Gracie leads him and prayer and Vicktor turns over his grief for Jesus.  It's a beautifully written moment when Vicktor becomes a christian and finally feels free.

Once the murder is finally captured (I won't actually say how or give away who the murder is because you really need to read the book!!) Gracie still needs to leave Russia.  Her visa has expired.  She and Vicktor kiss and he promises to see her again.  As she sits on the plane home, holding the miracle cure, he walks down the aisle (he hitched a ride) and surprises her. 

That's the end.

I thought it was an amazing story with characters who you'll easily fall in love with.  The way Susan May Warren instantly draws you into the story is superb.  She delicately weaves a suspenseful story with the message of God's love.

I highly recommend this book!

Is a story worth your time?

I have hero envy, which isn't so bad as a writer.  I can live vicariously through my characters without actually running into a burning building or hunting down bad guys.  My next book captures my envy through my hero, a FBI Special Agent, and my heroine, possibly another FBI agent.

I've done about a months worth of research already into the FBI.  Seriously, it's becoming a bit obsessive, but I've learned a lot about what goes into the training, career and mind set of an agent.

And yet....

I still don't have a story.  I have three characters, their names, what they look like, and the rest is sketchy at best.  So how do I continue?  Do I even bother?  Maybe this story will never develop.  Maybe I'm just not this type of writer....maybe my hero envy shouldn't be played out on the page.  But how do I know?

How does a writer know if they're on a good train of thought?

Well, the first thing I do is push away the insecurities and give myself permission to suck.  Yup, I sat down recently, told myself that no matter how bad my ideas are, just keep writing them down.

They were bad.  I won't use them, but it was a good exercise.  I think a huge hurtle for writers like myself, just starting out, is thinking we can't make mistakes.  We can't have a bad idea.  That's a lot of pressure, and in my case, I'm only in the brainstorming phase!  Isn't this when I'm allowed to have bad ideas?

So here's what I suggest.  Go ahead and allow yourself to have terrible ideas and terrible writing.  Run your ideas through some sort of filter, maybe a spouse or good friend or writing critique group.  Let it simmer.  Give it some time on the back burner.  If still nothing....write something else.  Don't stop writing!  I've been writing random short stories while my brain decides if my FBI story is worth pursuing.  Just remember, you get better the more you write, so even if you don't use a story, it wasn't a waste.  You practiced developing characters, working on tone, suspense...whatever.  You worked.  You learned.  That's always worth it.

I've made a huge mistake : Self Publishing Gone Wrong

Ok, I've made a mistake.  Actually, multiple mistakes.  Big ones.  Embarrassingly big mistakes.  Learn from me:

I've always wanted to have one of my books published through traditional means.  However, I recently self published my first novel A Light in the Darkness, a Christian romance / suspense. 

After researching self publishing, I've learned many things. 

I don't even know where to start on all the mistakes I've made.

First, let me just say that this book was written specifically for a dear friend of mine for her 30th birthday.  I finished it about two weeks before her big day, frantically put it all together and ordered it as quickly as possible to make sure it arrived in time.  The fact that it came in time was a great accomplishment.

 After I gave it to my friend, I thought I could spice it up a bit.  I fixed some spacing issues, redid the cover, those sorts of things and thought I was all set.

Um....no.   I've been focusing so much time on learning the ins and outs of traditional publishing that I neglected doing the same thorough research for self publishing.

Here's what I learned:

1.  No one cares.  Not really, at least.  Just because you've written a book doesn't mean that the world is going to flock to buy it.  I can look at my lulu sales page and figure this one out.  I didn't really give the reader a reason to buy my book, other than the fact that I've wrote it. 
                    The book needs to have an eye catching cover, something that says what the book is about.  (My mistake #1)
                     The little blip from the story needs to be really awesome. (I could have found a better blip.  Mistake #2)
                     The author bio should prove that you can write.  (Mistake #3 for me.)

2.  Use social media.  (I've done that)  But don't be harassing.  (Mistake # 4).

3.  Do an e-book.  (Mistake # 5)  Getting an e-book together is a little confusing, but clearly not impossible. 

4.  Edit.  Edit.  Oh, and Edit.  If you aren't good at editing, get a pro to help out. (Mistake #6 - I mean, I edited and had others help, but a pro would have been helpful)

Ok, my ego can't take much more.  I've totally dropped the ball on my first attempt!  Wait, that's nothing to be too ashamed about.  It's a first attempt.  We all make mistakes, right?  Now I can go back to my book, fix my mistakes, and re-release it.  That's the beauty of self publishing.  Plus, I've learned a ton about self publishing and I'm only just beginning! 

So please don't make the same mistakes I did when self publishing.  Take the time, research, and do it right the first time.

How do I get better at writing?

Read and write. 

Yup, that easy.

Every time I hear a published author pass on words of wisdom, they always say the same thing.  If you want to be a good author, you have to read a lot and write a lot.

So what are you reading right now?

I just started To Whisper Her Name by Tamera Alexander. How about you?