The Benefit of Writing #IWSG

This month’s optional question for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group comes in two parts. For part one, How do major life events affect your writing? You can check out my response here. I explain how my writing took a hit during a difficult time, and what I did about it.

Today’s post will cover part two: Has writing ever helped you through something? Yes indeedy. I first started writing for escapism. What I hadn’t expected was that it became a type of therapy. I had some Stuff I had to work through and suddenly that Stuff was appearing on the page as I wrote. I went with it and I ended up with an interesting story and a better understanding of the Stuff that had been lurking in the background of my life.

Years later, I discovered that writing non-fiction worked the same way. With my book, Cling to God: A Daily Devotional, I better understood my faith in God by writing out my random thoughts while reading the Bible. When I decided to turn those thoughts into a book, I honed them and the feelings that went with them into something I could share with others. That way not only did the writing help me draw closer to God, but it has helped others to do the same also.

How about you? How has writing affected and helped you?

This post was written for the IWSG. Every first Wednesday of the month the members of our group post on their blogs about their writing insecurities or offer some encouragement to others. If you are new to the IWSG, then please go HERE  

Quick reminder: the IWSG Anthology Contest is open for submissions! The genre is Young Adult Romance and the theme is Masquerade. Don't wait until the last minute!

6 Ways to Break the Habit of Insecurity #IWSG

All writers will experience a level of insecurity at some time--some more than others, some more frequently than others. It’s a natural and inevitable part of being a writer. However, this feeling of insecurity can become a repeating beastie that lurks around for too long and inhibits your creativity until your writing comes to a shuddering stop. It can become so bad that the moment you sit down to write, the insecurity flares up again. This is bad. And this is what happens when your insecurity has become a habit.

It’s time to break the habit of insecurity, and below are 6 ways that might help:

1. Recognise it’s a habit not an addiction, and that means the problem isn’t insurmountable, no matter how dark those insecurities feel. Plus, knowing there’s a fixable problem is the first step to making a change.

2. Learn what triggers your insecurities. If reading reviews turns your insecurities into a bad rash, then stop reading those reviews. If the glare of a blank page is the trigger, then try filling that page as fast as possible, allowing yourself to put down complete rubbish. At least then the page won’t be blank anymore and you’ll be able to get on with editing. If it’s an insensitive critique partner, then have a conversation with that partner, or find another one.

3. Change your environment. This one works like a dream for me. Often it’s just the cue of sitting at your computer and opening the document that’s enough to trigger a multitude of insecurities. Try changing where you write, even how you write. Try writing in a different room, or at the local coffee shop or park. Try handwriting for a while or dictation.

4. Schedule your writing time. This needs some discipline. Set a specific time to write every day and stick to it—even if it’s only 15 minutes a day. But make sure you spend that time writing. This does not include checking your social media, going through your emails, researching, staring at the monitor, or anything else you might’ve used to justify not writing.

5. Stop focusing on the negatives, i.e., how much you didn’t achieve, how you got a one star review, how your critique partner didn’t love that scene you thought was gold, how little time you got to write, how few words you scratched out this week. Start focusing on the positives, i.e., how much you did achieve, how much you love writing, how you got an awesome four star review, how you kept writing despite those insecurities nipping at your heels. Train your thoughts, so when you start to feel insecure, you won’t let it continue, or at the very least, you won’t be debilitated by those insecurities.

6. Be kind to yourself and take it slow. Don’t expect the immediate disappearance of insecure thoughts. Insecurity is what we do as writers. It’s part of the creative self. If those insecurities come screaming back—and they will—don’t flog yourself over another perceived failure. Just continue to work through it

Know that all habits can be broken with a little work and discipline. They may not break at the snap of a finger, but over time you can form a new positive way of thinking which will aid your creativity, not hinder.

How do you work through insecurities?
 

This post was written for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. We post on the first Wednesday of every month. To join us, or learn more about the group, click HERE.

Some Necessary Truths about Creativity #IWSG

As many of you know, I’ve been working on game design and I’ve discovered—much to my delight and distress—that it’s very similar to writing. Because of this, I’ve learned a few unexpected truths about creativity I’d like to share with you today.

Game design, along with writing, can be frustrating. This may not come as a surprise to many of you, but I think it’s a truth we live with on a surface level until we’re sunk in the thick of it. When we’re not feeling the frustration, we can brush it away, shrug, and say, “Sure, frustration comes with anything creative. It’s part of the deal.” It’s harder to say that when we’re experiencing the angst of something not working the way we want/need.

Frustration is the doorway through which doubt can creep. Resentment for the project can rise, a sense of failure can take hold. The extremes don’t happen every time, but the frustration is the seed from which all those nasties can bloom. It's important, even crucial, to understand the truth that yes, setbacks can happen when we’re creating something from the heart, and it’s okay. It doesn’t make us failure if a solution doesn’t come to us right away. It doesn’t mean that’s the end of our writing/game design/[insert creative outlet] career.

Game design, along with writing, is slow. Writing an outline for a new manuscript can take me a month or more. Then writing the first draft can take another month or three or four or five... Then there’s all the rewriting, editing, and tweaking. The same goes for game design. Planning what I want for the game takes forever. Then designing the pieces, building them, thinking up puzzles and interesting levels, then implementing them in a way that actually works in the environment and on the platform… takes an eternity.

I’ve learned testing is crucial. Test often. If I spend the time making everything look pretty before I’ve tested it, then I’ve potentially wasted a lot of time if at the end I discover it has to be redone from scratch. The same goes for manuscript writing. If I spend days, weeks even, prettying up a scene without checking to see how that scene works in the story, then I could be wasting time. And once it’s pretty, it’s even harder to throw away if it doesn’t work.

Because anything creative takes time to get right, because it can be frustrating, it’s important to remind yourself why you started in the first place. It’s important to celebrate the little victories—I actually got a mini puzzle working in my game. I was so excited to see it working that I celebrated the event even though in the big picture it was such a little thing. It helped me focus on the win rather than on the mountain of work I’ve yet to accomplish. And it’s important to remember your love for the project. That love will get you through fire.

What are some truths about creativity you’ve learned? How do you bolster yourself up when the project is dragging its feet?

This post was written for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. We post on the first Wednesday of every month. To join us, or learn more about the group, click HERE.

The Importance of Taking a Break from Writing

As some of you know, I've been away for the last two weeks. I completely unplugged from the internet and went on a trip to get away from everything. What did I do? I went on a cruise. And wow, what a cruise.

Hubby and I went to the South Pacific Islands and pretty much did nothing the whole time. Having no access to friends and easy information via the net felt strange, but soon we reveled in the joy of sunshine and relaxation.

I had planned to catch up on a mountain of reading and maybe a little writing. Instead I slept. A lot. Sheer bliss. No pressure to think up new stories, fix old ones, achieve, produce, or make and maintain connections. No push. No rush.

Initially that familiar sense of guilt nagged on my thoughts. I should be writing, or in the least, reading! There's ample opportunity. Then I decided to sweep that guilt away. The result? Now that I'm back, I find myself  full of creativity and bursting at the seams with fresh ideas and a renewed passion.

My advice to anyone struggling with a lack-luster creative drive, take that break. Not a partial, semi-break, but a full and proper break where you take away all the pressures and just be wonderful to yourself.

When was the last time you took a proper break? What do you do to be wonderful to yourself?

How I found the Write Path

Today's post is brought to you via the special blogfest, How I Found the Write Path, hosted by Carrie Butler and PK Hrezo. The Prompt: Write a letter to yourself when you first started writing toward publication. Details here.

Dear Younger Self,

You know how you hope you'll make a huge success of yourself, buy a mansion with an ocean view from your earnings as a bestselling author, and won't be able to walk down the street without being accosted by fans begging for your autograph? Good news: You can still walk down the street without getting mobbed by fans. Go you! Bad news: You didn't become an author until much, much later in life. Why? Because you quit. Dumbest thing you ever did.

Writing in dribbles--a couple of paragraphs a month or a handful of pages here and there--will mean it'll take you nine years to finish your first novel. Seriously, girl? You want to take nine years to write a book? Waiting for inspiration is one of your first mistakes, though not your biggest.

Your biggest mistake, apart from quitting, was having a totally skewed idea of what it takes to get published. You didn't do the research, you didn't put in the hours, and you gave up before you hit any kind of momentum. Surprise, surprise, there's a business side to writing if you want to get published. It's not easy for a dreamer like you, but neither is it impossible. Remember that.

Here's what you're getting right:
You are reading a lot. That's the best thing you can do so keep reading. Don't turn your nose at different genres. Read anything you can get your hands on. Even non-fiction. You'll notice a difference in your writing when you expand your exposure to a variety of styles and story types.

You are currently fearless when it comes to writing. Hold onto that fearlessness. You'll need it when you start reading How-To books on the craft or sharing your work with others outside your family. That's when you'll start to think you are doing it all wrong and the first doubts will come nipping at your ankles. Continue to write what you love, not what you think other people will love.

Here's what you could improve on:
Write every day. Don't be afraid to draw up a writing schedule. It might seem regimental to your creative self, but you'll revel in it. Same goes with outlining. Get over the fantasy that outlining is somehow less organic and creative, and give it a go already. You'll thank me later. Write more short stories to hone your skills. Attend more workshops. Find a critique group and enjoy the support and encouragement of other writers. Only other writers can truly understand what it's like to be a writer.

One last piece of advice: Write down your ideas. No matter how certain you'll remember those ideas, trust me when I say, you won't.

And, whatever you do, don't quit, you big goose!

Lynda R Young
Author of speculative short stories and YA novels.
http://lyndaryoung.blogspot.com

Good habits of Successful Writers

For the April A-Z Challenge I've written a short list of the good habits of successful writers. You can read it over at the Insecure Writer's Support Group.

Thanks: I recently won a kindle edition of Melting the Ice Queen's Heart. A big thanks to Amy Ruttan, the author, and to Nas Dean at Romance Book Haven. I'm looking forward to reading it.

Project update: As some of you know, I've taken on a huge non-writing project while I'm still writing. I'm not ready to say exactly what this project is until I have something to show for it. However, I'm still super excited, I'm learning heaps, and I'm re-learning heaps more. I'm sorry I haven't been around as much. I hope you'll all understand. I'm still popping around when I can, though.

What have you been up to recently? Has the A-Z challenge kept you busy? 

I hope to see you over at the IWSG to check out the good habits of successful writers.

How to Survive a Writer's Life

Today I'm over at the Insecure Writer's Support Group website, talking about ways to best survive the difficulties of a writer's life.

I'd love to see you over there.

#IWSG

Best Writing Advice Part 2 #IWSG

There's something deeply encouraging about hearing great advice from peers who genuinely understand what it means to choose writing as a career path. In the last month I've been especially encouraged by all my wonderful bloggy friends who have left comments here and on the Insecure Writer's Support Group website. It's because of your readiness to share great advice and to support each other. I'm truly warmed and gratified to be a part of this community.

Consequently, I want to share just some of the advice given in the comments for my post, The Best Writing Advice Ever. It would be a shame for these tips to become lost in the comments. In my post, I wrote that the best advice I've ever been given is to keep writing and don't give up. I put out the question, what other advice have you been given that's been invaluable? Below are some of your answers:

Stephen Tremp, L Diane Wolfe and Kittie Howard mentioned how important it is to write about what you love: "Write what you're passionate about. If you don't, it will show."—L Diane Wolfe. 

Along similar lines, Patsy Collins said, "Write what you enjoy rather than what you think will sell".

"Often as beginners we spend too much time worrying about all the advice." A very true statement (and one I wish to expand on in a future post) from S P Bowers.

Jemi Fraser was the first to mention how important it is to read. Laura Pauling also emphasised this, along with Jay Noel and Nas. 

Madeline Mora-Summonte mentioned the importance of hard work and quoted Stephen King: "Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work."

Toinette Thomas said the best advice she was given was to get some beta readers.

Susan Gowley/Kelley said, "As soon as you finish one project, dig into the next or have more than one going at a time."

"Just keep writing everyday." --Pat Hatt

"Finish what you start." --Chris Andrews and Charlotte Brentwood. 

Nicole Singer shared what her crit group told her on her first day: "Don't take what we say personally, but take it to heart."

"Put a manuscript away and don't revise it immediately." Wise words from Medeia Sharif.

"'There's an audience for everything.' We shouldn't be discouraged if we feel like our writing isn't as epic as someone else's. It's the core emotions and feel that carry book, and there WILL be people who identify with your core." --Crystal Collier

Denise Covey shared advice she read in Donald Maas' writing tips: Dig deep to make the story worth reading.

And to finish off with a chuckle, Shallee McArthur shared what a teacher once told her: The two keys to a good book are to have a unique take on something, and not to suck.

From this great pool of advice, which have you recently found the most encouraging and helpful? Which do you find particularly difficult to follow through on? Is there any other advice you'd like to share?

This post was written for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. On the first Wednesday of every month, we post about our insecurities or share encouragement. To join the group or find out more info, click here.

Note: Alex J Cavanaugh, our resident Ninja Captain extraordinaire, would like everyone to know that his book, CassaFire, the second of a wonderful space opera series, is on sale for a short time at just 99c. If you haven't yet read this series, now is a brilliant time to start (the first book is CassaStar). If you aren't a scifi fan, then don't worry, this series appeals to non-scifi readers too.

The Five Stages of First Publication

by Alana Garrigues and Nutschell Anne Windsor

Hello Lynda fans! Nutschell and I are so happy to be here today, on our third from final stop on our month-long Story Sprouts blog tour! We've had so much fun visiting with everyone from around the blogosphere!

Story Sprouts is a mixture of writing resource and anthology, with 38 stories and poems created during a six-hour writing day workshop last June. Some of our authors have been published before, in a variety of media, while for many this is the first time seeing their name in print. As an organization (Children's Book Writers of Los Angeles) dedicated to educating and inspiring writers on their road to publication, we are so proud of all of our authors, but especially excited for our first timers! First publication is a wonderful feeling and ego-boost for writers!

So, we've decided, in jest, to identify the five stages of first publication. Perhaps you can identify?

1 - ELATION: Your name is in print. Your name is in print! OMG, YOUR NAME IS IN PRINT! Pure, uninhibited, jump-up-and-kick-your-heels together joy - your name is in print.

2 - DOUBT: Your name is in print. With a story. Wait, what did the story say? What will your friends think? Did you put your best foot forward? Wasn't there a mistake on the 10th page, in the 3rd paragraph, in the 4th sentence? What will people think about your brain and how it works and what that story says about your sanity? Oh, this could be bad ….

3 - RELIEF: Your editor caught that mistake on the 10th page, in the 3rd paragraph, in the 4th sentence. Phew. And another 200 mini mistakes you and your word processor and your revisions didn't even notice - commas and misspelled words. Nice. Saved from the wrath of the grammar police.

4 - FRUSTRATION: But wait, your editor also changed something that you said that was brilliant on the 64th page. Why did they change that? You spent days perfecting that metaphor. How could they change it? Isn't that your name on the cover? And what about these other 10 spots that were tweaked unnecessarily. How could that be?

5 - RESOLVE AND SATISFACTION: Your name is in print. Your neighbor and hairdresser and high school english teacher have all expressed their positive opinions (even if it did take months to get it into their hands!). The story is good. You don't have to hide under a rock with doubt or kick your editor to the curb. You created something, and people like it. It is something to be proud of. And you're ready to tackle that next story with resolve, intent on giving your editor even less work on the next round, and your reader even more to fall in love with.

So, what do you think? Feel familiar? What did we miss?

Learn more about Story Sprouts at http://www.storysproutsanthology.com/
Join the Children’s Book Writers of Los Angeles at www.cbw-la.org
To buy Story Sprouts: Amazon

To find Alana:  Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter
To find Nutschell: Blog, Twitter, Linked-In, Pinterest

The Best Writing Advice Ever

What is the best writing advice? I'm often asked this question and, while one piece of advice is never the ultimate golden nugget guaranteed to work for every single writer on the planet, I will always repeat advice given to me:

"Keep writing and don't give up."

If you do keep writing and striving to improve, then you will:

Gain confidence. The more you write, the more comfortable you'll become writing. With this comfort, comes confidence.

Discover your voice. If you keep writing, then you'll find your own voice, rather than borrowing the voice of a favourite author. Your uniqueness will naturally begin to shine.

Master the theory. There's only so much theory one can read about. You have to put it into practice to truly understand it. Some people suggest, once you've written a million words, then you start to 'get it'. This number is not an absolute, of course. Some writers need more, some less. But it takes time and this means never giving up.

Find freedom. If you keep writing, then you'll find the freedom you need to try different things, explore concepts you wouldn't normally explore. You'll become less precious over your every word and you'll stop overthinking every sentence.

Maintain sanity. It's sheer insanity for a writer to give up writing. I know; I tried it once. Not smart. The stories crying out to be written don't go away. The characters begging to be born don't suddenly vanish. The need for creative expression doesn't dry up. Sure, they might hide in the background for a while, but they come out in other ways, such as grumpiness, distraction, and a growing dissatisfaction with life.

Consequently, my heartfelt advice to all writers, new and established: Keep writing and don't give up.

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

How Writers can Balance Time Spent Online

In a previous post, I wrote about the many distractions threatening our writing time. The overwhelming response in the comments was that the internet is the biggest threat. E J Wesley said it best:

"The internet is such a double-edged sword for most of us. It's hard to write without the resources it provides and almost impossible to reach an audience without it these days."

With a pinch of discipline and understanding, social media and all things internet don't need to take over, despite their lure and all the reasons we need to be there.

The tool vs. recreation.
To balance our time online, we need to be able to differentiate the internet from being a tool and being a recreational outlet. As a tool, it can help us achieve the goals we want. As a recreational outlet, it can distract us from the things we want to do most and even prevent us from achieving our goals.

For example: As much as I love blogging and Facebook, I need to remind myself, if I allow the time on those outlets to go past my daily allotment, then it falls into the recreational category and I only have myself to blame when I don't achieve my goals.

Know your weakness.
Only you know your weakness. For some, a weakness might be Twitter: You think you'll just pop on for a second, and an hour later you're still there chatting away with friends, having a great time and justifying it by calling it marketing. For others it might be less easy to justify, but just as much of a distraction, such as Facebook games.

If you are honest and acknowledge your weakness, then that's a big step toward dealing with the problem and making a change.

For example: If you're able to acknowledge your weakness is turning those seconds into hours, then don't 'just pop on'. Give yourself a specific time each day to indulge and stick to it. Set a timer if you have to, or turn off your alerts. Again, only you can know what solution works for you.

Fight the guilt.
Don't let guilt sway you from your goals. Building a large following happens over time, and with it comes a higher demand to maintain those connections. Your goals will remain the same, so that means something has to give. All too often, it's the writing time that get put on the backburner because guilt will creep in and tell us we have to visit a gazillion blogs a day.

A writer with no books out won't need to use social media as much as a writer with something to sell. Yes, a new writer needs to build a platform but, more importantly, that writer needs to write. In fact, all writers need to write. Individually, we need to work out how much time is needed to achieve each goal. And stick to it.

There comes a time when you have to ask yourself what you want from the limited time you have and how much you gain in return.

How do you manage your internet time vs your writing time?

Photo: my herb patch: Thyme (since this is a post about time management, lol)

7 Biggest Threats to Writing

Everything that can potentially stop you or distract you from writing is a danger. Those threats might seem innocuous, you might label them as unavoidable, but the truth is, if you want to make writing your career, then you’ll need to be able to recognise them so you can do something about them. Besides, when writers don’t write, they grow discontented and even insecure about their work. To avoid this, I’ve written up a list to help you spot the warning signs.

The internet: This wonderful tool is an amazing resource for research, for connecting with writers and readers, and taking a much needed break. However, as we all know, the internet can serve as a massive distraction from writing. When you say you’ll just pop on for a few minutes, and those minutes turn to hours, you know it was a mistake.

The doubts: This is perhaps the most obvious threat, but also the most devastating. Doubts can range from those little niggling doubts about whether or not others will like your story, to the massive belief you aren’t good enough to write. Whatever form they come in, they can cripple. The only way to get past them is to simply keep writing. You don’t have to keep writing the same project, but you do need to keep writing.

Family and friends: It won’t matter how supportive family and friends are, they can still distract us from our writing. This is a good thing, of course. We need family and friends. We need to enjoy their conversation, fulfil our commitments, refresh in their company. It’s not good when they become the excuse not to write.

The Muse: Yes, that pesky little critter is one of the biggest threats to writing. Why? Because all too often writers wait for him to appear before they write. If I waited for my muse I’d need to invest in a waterproof computer and I’d never get any sleep.

Illness: Yes, sometimes we are too sick to write, but I’m talking about those times you’re feeling lethargic, you might have a headache, you’re so tired you just want to collapse into a pillow. Even if you have a chronic illness, there are still ways of finding the time and energy to write. It may not be for a two hour stretch, but do what you can.

Cleaning: So what if there are a few dust bunnies hopping around? Don’t let them coax you from writing, no matter how much they tease you. You can round them up once you’ve finished your writing session.

Time: The biggest threat to writing is the lack of time. No matter how much we have, there’s never enough time. When it comes down to it, “I don’t have enough time to write,” is simply another excuse. We have to make time.

I don’t know why writers are so skilled at coming up with reasons why we can’t do the thing we love so much. Too often we put our writing last, behind the commitments, behind our homes, behind the little things that distract us, behind switching off in front of the television. Perhaps it’s because it’s easier than writing, or safer than reaching for the dream in case we fail. The way to beat the excuses, the dangers, is to recognise them for what they are, and to remember how much writing means to us.

What’s your biggest threat to your writing time?

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This post was written for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. On the first Wednesday of every month we post about our insecurities or offer up encouragement. Join this awesome community HERE.

We are also running an exciting giveaway. For more details, check it out HERE.

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Note: I will be taking a much needed break over December so I can spend the time finishing the first draft of my NaNo novel, enjoy some family and friends, and perhaps travel a little. I’ll be back on January 8th for the next IWSG post (No, IWSG will not be posting on the first day of the new year). Please have a safe and wonderful Christmas and a brilliant New Year.

8 Benefits of Writing

I’m in the middle of the fun craziness that is NaNoWriMo at the moment. A little behind, but nothing so bad that I’m freaking out. Consequently, I bring to you today a short fun post to show some benefits to writing. Oh, and I took this photo because writing is as sweet as a strawberry.

1. Writing keeps me sane. Although some days, it doesn’t seem that way. I’m so thankful I have an outlet for storytelling otherwise my brain might implode from the pressure.

2. Writing keeps our loved ones sane. Writing makes a writer happy. If a writer isn’t happy, then the rest of her family suffers.

3. Writing helps me meet a wide variety of people I wouldn’t normally meet. I wouldn’t have met all my wonderful blogging buddies or all my other writing buddies if I wasn’t a writer.

4. Writing opens up my world of experiences. I’m not a naturally adventurous person. If I were left to my own devices, I’d be happy to stay within my close group of friends and not venture out. Writing forces me to be adventurous, to try new things, and meet new people.

5. I can create worlds and destroy them just as fast, if not quicker. A little destruction is good for the soul.

6. Writing clarifies my mind. As a writer, I have to train my thought processes so I’m able to pinpoint exactly what I want to say.

7. Writing increases my vocabulary. I may not bother if I wasn’t a writer or reader.

8. Writing gives me the courage and confidence to express myself.

What are some other benefits to writing you’ve experienced? How are your November projects coming along?

M. Pax: Top Five Highs and Lows of Publishing

Please welcome M Pax to my blog today. She is a truly amazing person with a lot of drive and talent. A great combo. Take it away, Mary.

This author gig is tough, rife with ups and downs. Here are the highlights of mine:

Top Lows

1. Rejections. I still submit short stories and still get rejections.
2. Bad reviews. Most of them are for my perma free The Backworlds. This used to really bother me. Lately, not so much. It sells my sequels. It does its job. And it’s a darn good story.
3. The Renaissance of Hetty Locklear not selling. That one is like pushing water up a hill.
4. Mistakes. I’ve hired editors I didn’t like and a cover artist I didn’t get along with. I’ve learned to get recommendations from writers I know and to get them privately. Just because a writer lists an artist or editor doesn’t mean she or he would use that vendor again. I’ve also learned to trust my gut and intuition.
5. Slow sales days. Husband Unit hates these, too. He has to listen to me whine about how it might all be over. Yeah, I can be a bit melodramatic.

Top Highs

1. Fan letters. There is nothing better than contact from a reader who says he or she loves my writing. It makes all the lows worthwhile. Every single one.
2. Dr. Joseph Geary being a fan of the Backworlds series. As the innovator of modern telescope optics, this is an uber geeky victory for me. One that made me squee. It also impressed my astronomy boyfriends.
3. Being contacted by a publisher this past summer with an offer to include Semper Audacia in an anthology. She paid me, too. Space Jockey is now out, selling very well, and gaining me exposure.
4. The Backworlds series selling steady and growing. Yay! The fans now help shape the stories. Originally, it was Lepsi’s skull found under the ash sea. I received a lot of letters telling me how much my readers loved Lepsi and Talos. So yeah, Lepsi is not dead. Not anymore.
5. Doing what I love – writing stories. It’s a real high when each one is finished and is sent out into the world.

M. Pax-- Inspiring the words she writes, she spends her summers as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory in stunning Central Oregon where she lives with the Husband Unit and two demanding cats. She writes science fiction and fantasy mostly. You can find out more by visiting her at:

Website / FB / Twitter / Goodreads / Pinterest / Wattpad

Beyond the Edge

 

Some truths are better left unfound.

For two years Craze’s dear friend, Lepsi, has been missing. The murmurings of a haunted spaceship might be a message and may mean his old pal isn’t dead. The possibility spurs Craze and Captain Talos to travel to uncharted worlds, searching. Out there, in an unfamiliar region of the galaxy beyond the Backworlds, they stumble upon a terrible truth.

Meanwhile, Rainly remains on Pardeep Station as acting planetlord, dealing with the discovery of her lover’s dark and brutal past. Alone and questioning her judgment, her introspection unlocks more than heartache. Latent protocols in her cybernetics activate, forcing her to face a sinister secret of her own.

In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendents to survive in a harsh universe. This is the fourth book in the science fiction series, The Backworlds. A space opera adventure.

Amazon / AmazonUK / Nook / Smashwords / Kobo / Other Outlets

Photo: Please note, barring author pics, most of the photos on this blog were taken by me. However, this one of the girl rock climbing is not one of them. I don't think I could climb that high. Mary kindly provided this pic for the post.

Terri Rochenski: Be Entreatable

Today I'm over at the Insecure Writer's Support Group website, posting about how to turn your writing insecurities into strengths. So, while I'm there, Terri Rochenski is taking over here with a great writing tip.

Terri and I first met through the Make Believe anthology as contributing authors. Her excitement and energy is wonderful to watch, and rather infectious. Her debut novel, Eye of the Soul, is a great fantasy that draws you in from the first page. When she's not conquering the world with her stories, you can find her here: Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads. Take it away, Terri.

Be Entreatable
One of the best ways to date I’ve learned how to hone my craft was through writing forums. I’ve been active in two within the past couple of years, Writer’s Digest and Scribophile. While taking advantage of both, I applied myself not only to posting my own stories, but critiquing other authors’ works as well.

While I didn’t always feel qualified to give my opinions, I stuck to what I knew as a reader—plot lines making sense, engaging characters and stories—those types of things. As I learned more about the craft itself, the more I felt I could offer in terms of feedback.

One thing I noticed while participating in these online forums is that a lot of budding authors carry pride around like a 100 lb. block of gold. God forbid you point out an issue with their baby. Hackles rise and offense is often taken when none was implied. With an unentreatable attitude like this, an aspiring authors chances of learning and going on to become published is slim to none.

While I am by no means an old pro at the writing and publishing thing, one thing I DO know. Be entreatable. Be willing to learn. Allow yourself to be vulnerable in accepting other people’s help. Quite a few have gone on before, paving the way, learning on their own bumpy journey, and have no wish for others to experience their heartache.

My motto, though? Just be sure to chew up the meat and spit out the bones.
Everyone has an opinion and not everyone can be right. While some things boil down to a preference of style, accept what will make you a stronger story teller.

The main thing?

Don’t lose your voice, the style that is all your own. Being unique is what will get you noticed at submission time.
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Eye of the Soul by Terri Rochenski

Escape. That should be Hyla's first thought as her people are chained and imprisoned for no imaginable reason. Instead, Hyla finds herself traveling through a land void of Natives, with human soldiers pillaging in desperate pursuit of her, and in search of the mystical Pool of Souls—home to the one man who can save her people.

Or so she believes.

Led by her faith in the deity Fadir, Hyla is met along her journey by Jadon—a human male and fierce King's warrior, and his childhood best friend Conlin—one of the few Natives aware of his Fadir-given Talents. Protected by Jadon, guided by Conlin, and with an unfailing belief in the purpose of her pilgrimage, Hyla carries on.

Like her, though, another searches for the Pool, and should he gain access first, everyone she loves, and everything she knows, could be lost. Forever.

Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle / Barnes and Noble / Kobo

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Thanks, Terri! Such great advice. That willingness to learn and accepting people's help will take us a long way, not only in writing, but in life. 

Today is Motivational Monday over at the Insecure Writer's Support Group Facebook Group. 

And don't forget to visit me over at the IWSG website!

How to Write from Your Heart and #IWSG

Writing from your heart isn't easy. It's easy to follow the rules, but if all you do is stay within the boundaries, tick the boxes and play it safe, then your story will lack a certain spark. It's the heart that makes a story shine, the heart that pushes your story to a new and riveting level. Below are my tips on how to write from your heart.

Make yourself vulnerable. Get over those insecurities and put yourself in your writing. Bare your soul, showing the world your passion for the story and its characters.

Be wholly in control, but let yourself go, giving yourself the freedom and permission to make mistakes.

Ignore the trends. Ignore what you think other people will want to read and instead write what you want to read.

Be brave enough to break the rules, making certain you have a full knowledge of how and why the rules work in the first place.

Ignore the urge to write for publication, but know what works for publication within your target market and, more importantly, why it works.

Listen to your characters, but decide for yourself if what they want is what you want for the story.

Be honest with your emotions and those of your characters. Delve into the truth of a scene and don't be afraid to explore what you find there.

Know only you can write the story, but be open to outside influences.

Broaden your experiences--this includes reading widely and frequently--because they will influence not only what you write, but the way you write it. They will steer you away from writing copies of someone else's story.

Practise. Like anything, writing from your heart takes practise. So keep writing.

What helps you to write from your heart? 

This post was written for the Insecure Writer's Support Group, founded by Alex J Cavanaugh. Members of the group post on the first Wednesday of every month. Everyone is welcome. If you haven't already, then please sign up HERE.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

The Insecure Writer's Support Group website has launched!

I have the honour of being one of the admins for the site, along with Joy Campbell, Joylene Nowell Butler, Susan Gourley/Kelley, Michelle Wallace, L. Diane Wolfe and, of course, the Ninja Captain and spark behind it all, Alex J Cavanaugh. As a team, we helped to put it together and are currently working hard to build it into something truly special.

Along with being chock full of writerly resources, the site will offer encouraging and helpful posts on writing. We will post every Monday and the first Wednesdays. We hope to eventually open up the Wednesdays to guest posts too. So please check it out HERE.

We've also set up a Facebook group. We'd love to see you there!

Oh and our twitter hastag is still #IWSG

How has the Insecure Writer's Support Group helped you?

Why Bad Reviews Don't Bother Me and Shouldn't Bother You

Because I throw everything I have into my stories and my writing means so much to me, I thought I'd have an exceptionally hard time when it came to reviews. I expected my heart to rip in two at any slightly negative comment coming my way. Certain I'd lose sleep for days, I readied my emergency stash of chocolate.

Instead I found myself totally fine with the whole process. Sure, I won't deny the initial sting when I found someone who didn't like one of my stories, but I got over it pretty fast--way faster than I ever could've guessed. Surprise made me work out the reason for my duck's back reaction and I thought I'd share why bad reviews don't bother me and shouldn't bother you.

Confidence in the story. If I'm not completely happy with my story, I won't put it out into the public forum. To have the confidence to put it out there, I first need to make sure it's the best it can be--by sending it to critique partners and beta readers, using the expertise of professional editors, and listening to their advice. Let's not forget the benefits of learning the craft, attending workshops and conferences to develop the craft, and writing more than just one story. If I like my story, then it won't matter as much what other people think.

We can't please everyone. It's often just a matter of finding your audience. Often reviews come from readers who picked up the book for free and who would not have normally read a story in that genre. I can shake them off because it's not personal, whether the reviewer tries to make it personal or not. Not every story will suit the same audience either.

Bad reviews validate good reviews. When I check a novel's reviews before I buy and it only has glowing five star ratings, I'll skip the book because this tells me only the author's friends and family have given a review. I no longer trust the good reviews. Every book gets some bad reviews. It's inevitable and it's needed for a balanced representation of the novel.

We can learn from bad reviews. Some less than shining reviews can be truly helpful through the constructive criticism they offer. Rather than getting upset, or dismissing them in a huff, it's worth rereading them to see if something can be learned from them.

Not all reviews are honest. I find it difficult to get upset over a review that was written out of spite, a need to knock down the competition, or a general grumpiness due to quitting caffeine the day before. Because most readers of reviews can spot these types, they bear little weight. They tend to reflect more poorly on the reviewer than the story being reviewed. Whatever a person's motivation behind writing a bad review, if it's not an honest review, then it can easily be dismissed. Perhaps a small chocolate can help wash away the negativity.

Getting upset dulls the shine. It's just not worth wasting our precious time getting upset over the little things. Yes, bad reviews count as the little things. If you're being reviewed, that means you're published. Celebrate that instead.

How do you handle--or think you'll handle--bad reviews? 

Online Etiquette for Authors

While social media and online marketing isn’t such a new concept anymore, it does help to sometimes refresh the ole writerly brain on how best to interact over the intertubes. Below are my quick tips to get it right:

Double check what you’ve written before pressing the send/publish button. Those typos can make you look unprofessional and the grammar errors can make you want to go hide in the closet for a few days—and we all know a closet is not the most inspirational place to write.  

Don’t do online what you wouldn’t do in person. Heck, don’t do some things you would do in person too! Use commonsense and courtesy, and avoid those flame wars by avoiding inflammatory language.

Don’t say anything online while you’re angry, drunk or on pain medication. Come to think of it, maybe at times like those, the closet isn’t such a bad place after all.

Be the real thing. If you try to be someone you’re not, then it will show and you’ll come across as disingenuous. No one wants to be accused of being fake, not even this closet-dwelling recluse on a chocolate binge.

Use your author name. As much as ‘AngelsRock’ sounds cool for an online name, even if your stories are about angels, it’s yourself you want to promote. People will connect to a real name over a gamer tag, or even no name at all.

Be available. The whole point of social media is the social aspect. You want people to find you, even contact you. So that means, along with your author name, you’ll need to provide an email address or some other way to connect with you. You'll need to be present on those sites too, rather than relying heavily on automated or prescheduled posts.

Avoid the hard sell. It doesn’t work and it turns people away. Go go double jeopardy.

Talk about other things than your books. Yes, there are a gazillion other things to talk about than the awesomeness of your book.

Cross promote, but don’t only cross promote. If all you post is promotional stuff, whether it’s for your book or someone else’s, people will grow tired of it.

Be generous. Listen to what others have to say and look for opportunities to help.

Thank the people who have helped you. This might sound obvious, but you'd be surprised by how many authors forget to do this. So I’ll say again, if someone has gone out of their way to help you, even if it’s a little thing, then don’t forget to thank them … or into the closet for you!

Can you think of other etiquette do's and don'ts for writers? What's been your standout experience of writers who get it right or wrong?

Photo: A pic I took at IKEA. Think closets. Okay, so it's a thin connection, but I amused myself.

Finding Inspiration in the Success of Others

Ian Irvine is a successful Australian author who has written 29 books, including an internationally bestselling eleven book fantasy series: The View from the Mirror Quartet, The Well of Echoes Quartet and The Song of the Tears Trilogy.

He took 17 years to find success and wrote 21 hard drafts to get his first book right. He worked hard for what he wanted and he didn’t give up.

His advice: be patient. Don’t be in a hurry to get published. Enjoy the process. Learn, get it right, indulge, experiment, and keep writing.

Which authors inspire you to keep going?
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This post was written for the Insecure Writers’ Support Group. We post on the first Wednesday of every month. Come join us!

Today is the second anniversary of the group. Alex J Cavanaugh, Ninja Captain and founder of IWSG, will have a very special, super exciting announcement over at his blog.

I’m down with flu for the second time this year (how rude!), thus the shorter than normal post. If happy thoughts and chocolate were to come my way, they would be graciously accepted. 

#IWSG
 

How to Write an Original Story

With a gazillion authors out there and a gazillion more stories written, some might argue that to write something original is getting harder. So often I’ll dream up a great story idea and think it’s original, only to find out it’s been written before. Sure there might be nothing new under the sun, sure there might be only seven basic plots, but there is a way of writing one of the seven in a new, original way. Below are 8 tips to write an original story.

1. Be confident to write your story, not the story you think others will want to read.

2. Read widely, inside and outside the genre you write in. If you read only within the genre you write, you’ll end up writing the same story that’s already out there.

3. Get out and live a little. Life is a great story generator. Sometimes we get so caught up writing, that we forget to enjoy everything life has to offer. The more we experience, the more we can draw on for our stories.

4. Avoid formula. While it’s good to know what sells, and why some formulas work, if you start ticking boxes, the readers will notice the story lacks soul and originality.

5. Don’t target an audience. This advice might go against the norm, but it’s also a fast way to write something unoriginal. Keep the knowledge of your target audience in the background of your mind and just write the story that’s calling to you. You might discover it’s meant for a different audience than you originally intended.

6. Don’t overthink your story. While some writers can approach storytelling in a highly analytical way, I’d suggest this is not the case for the majority of fiction writers.

7. Research. Find out what other stories similar to yours are out there. If they are too similar, then make changes. Don’t wait until you’ve finished writing.

8. Just write. Push those doubts and excuses aside and just write.

How do you write an original story? Can you think of any other tips? What’s the hardest part of writing something original?

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A big thank you to Crystal Collier for the Shine On Award. You're awesome!