Time For Some Ketchup...I Mean Catch-Up

It’s been a few weeks since I last posted, but I have been writing and I have not forgotten you. Today I’m just going to post some of the notes and ‘letters’ I’ve written over time to you guys. They’re just notes, things that have resonated with me. Some are funny and ridiculous, others I have no idea how to classify them.

So read on for a look inside my mind.

5/31/2016

Everyone has little cheats they use when writing, abbreviations, symbols, etc. Thanks to Jim Carrey in the movie God Almighty, I always spell out ‘beautiful’ as b-e-a-utiful. In the voice Jim uses. Always.

That’s not the only trick the media, television and movies in particular, have taught me when spelling.

Remember that episode of Family Guy where Stewie pronounces the H in coolwhip? Yeah, whenever I hear the word coolwhip now, there is Stewie Griffin calling out coolWHip. And it’s not just that one word. It’s any word that carries a silent H. I realized this when I was editing Legacy and needed to write overwhelming. I couldn’t remember where exactly the H went. Then Family Guy came on the tv and I remembered Coolwhip...botta-bing, I knew just where that H went.

So it got me thinking, what other tricks, besides the obvious, can be used for writing tricks? The mind is wonderous thing, isn’t it? What tricks do you use?

6/06/2016

Indie Author. DIY...that means we do it all by ourselves. We write, edit, and create all on our own. The best books have aspects hired out, hard edits and covers. That is, if you have the budget.

Most career paths have classes you can take, sometimes even online, or schools you can attend to obtain a degree in what you want to do in life. Writers and authors don't have that. Sure we can take business classes, creative writing classes, graphic design classes...which all adds up to thousands of dollars spent and hundreds of hours devoted to learning. We have workshops and webinars to teach us. But as with music and art, you either have it or you don’t.

Anyone can be a writer...but not everyone can be a good writer. On top of that, indie authors have to wear many hats, not just that of writer. We have to do research, write our stories, edit those stories, design covers, edit some more, find beta readers, create author platforms, create an online profile through social media and author websites...on top of creating more than one book or project.

The world of publishing is ever-changing, and yo have to stay on top of every news article and change in the industry. It’s hard work and time consuming.

If you are like me, just etting out there, you probably are signed up for newsletters from other indie authors who figured this stuff out a long time ago. My inbox is filled with emails containing news, tips, and tricks to get out there and make the most of my chosen career.

But those emails...they have me in information overload. I see what to do, what not to do, try this complany, stay away from these kinds of publishers, use this software, use whats free, write what you know, go learn something new and write about that.

It is exhausting. Sometimes I just want to write and hit ‘publish.’ But I need to make a life out of this. To do that I have to have an income to support not just my career, but also my life. I need to produce a good product, which comes from hard work and diligence.

Diligence produces research I can use to make it in this fast moving world. I know I need the advice. I know what I need to do but sometimes….

*face meet desk*

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Just a Regular Day in the Life

I've been online now, officially, for a little while now, just a few weeks, months. I've shared with you my day to day life, even though it's mundane, and my writing adventures, no matter how singular they may seem.

But what I haven't told you is what I really want to do. I want to write. (Duh)

I want to write books, I want to get them published and share my stories with the world. And how do I do that? How can you do that?


Write. Write. Write.

You can find it everywhere: advice on how to write, what to do & what not to do, tips and tricks. "Write what you know." "The hardest part of writing is the first sentence."

Trust me, I've seen it, done it, dove head first into it. I'm going to be swimming in this business for the rest of my life as it changes everyday. And I am so happy to be doing it.

The best way to learn how to write IS to write. And I will be writing what I know. I'll be working on my projects. I'll be writing these blog posts so you can follow along with me. And I'll be doing something I've been doing in my head for years: book reviewing.

Sure, there are hundreds of reviewers all over the world. Genre specialists, the eclectic reader, etc., etc. I would be categorized as the eclectic reader. I'll read anything from Patricia C. Wrede's Dealing with Dragons to JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Seriously, my library is filled with books I read and loved in the sixth grade to books I've read picked up for free through Bookperk.

I've read books to enjoy them and get out of my own head, I've read books because they are everywhere on my Tumblr feed. I've read books because no one has heard of them or because everyone has heard of them. There are a few I could only skim, and even less that I couldn't even finish, but I have always, always read books and shared them with friends and family. And they usually trust my opinions.

So to help with my writing, as well as to keep up with my writing, I will be doing book reviews, whether published or unpublished, I don't care. I want you, my readers to see what I like. Maybe I can persuade you to read a book you never thought you'd like, but will give it a chance based on what I have to say.

That's how it's done, right? You like a book and tell a friend, then they share it with a friend, and so on & so on.

If you like what I have to say, maybe you'll keep coming back?

So, we have a new schedule. Same days, different posts.

Based on this, I see there will be a book review, my very first official, this Wednesday. Come on back for my take on Beth Barany's Henrietta The Dragon Slayer.

What do you think? What are your thoughts? I really want to know, so comment below or email me!
If you have a book you would like for me to review, shoot me an email through
the contact form on your right.

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Research...You Mindless, Fickle Being

Writing fiction means you make up the rules. You create the world, the religions, the culture, the beliefs. You create the characters. You control everything.

Until you publish and you get criticized for the decisions you make. They say, "You didn't follow the rules." "That's not how it's supposed to be."

You could tell them all to screw off, that you make your own damn rules. But the things they say still hurt. The shiny accomplishment you wore is dulling out and you wonder how you can write again.

So maybe you decide to make facts work for you, instead of against. As I've said before, you can find anything on the internet. Doesn't always mean it is right. Here is where research comes into play. The book I'm working on now is a world of my own creation...inside reality. Basing fiction off real-life can be a hazardous road to walk.

The best and easiest thing to do is to find a reliable source. Books. Write a book using books.

Books are most definitely your best friend and knowing how to use them can make the research days of plotting seem like the calm before the storm (which it really is.)

For days I've been researching mythologies of all different types and origins, boats, languages, land mass, blahgity-blah.

I could easily go to Google and type in the terms I need. There's a 50/50 chance the info I find will be right or wrong. There's an even greater chance that someone will see this one fact in my book and tell me I got it wrong and then proceed to share 20 links to sites that tell me I'm wrong and he's right. So I beat him to it. Searching for an expert on the topic could lead to much more fruitful finds, and much less headaches.

Following some rules doesn't have to be painful. You can break all the rules you want and still appease the Fact police.

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