Sometimes you need to Step Away to Recharge

December can be a tricky month for anyone who celebrates the holidays.  There are gifts to buy, baking to do, cleaning for company and extra social events to attend.  When’s a writer supposed to find time to write?

I’ve been beating myself up about not getting any writing done since Nano ended on November 30th.  But as it turns out, it really wasn’t a bad thing after all.  I only wish I hadn’t allowed myself to stress out about it so much!

Now that the Christmas tree and decorations are all back in storage in the basement and the last remnants of holiday treats have been eaten, I find myself experiencing a new-found energy and creativity.  I’m reading writing blogs, ezines and books.  I’m plotting and planning.  But most of all – I’m writing again.

As it turns out, sometimes you need to step away to Recharge.

How did you fare as a writer celebrating the holidays?  Did you stay on track, or let things fall a bit by the wayside like I did?

January 10, 2012 – recharged and ready for writing!

Nanowrimo aftermath

 

Well it’s been nearly a week since Nanowrimo (the national novel writing month) ended and participation in the event has given many writers a rough draft of a new book or at least several thousand words toward such a project.

Did I win by writing 50,000 words?  Nope!  But I still won by participating.

Nanowrimo forced me to get back to working on my sequel suspense novel and because of the discipline of having to write something every day in November, I now have some 17,000 more words added to my book and a much clearer understanding of not only my ending, but also the areas I will now revise and rewrite to make the book its best.

Did I participate in Nano this year in hopes of finally winning with 50,000?  A part of me would have liked to have achieved such a lofty goal.

Am I disappointed that I didn’t cross the perverbial finish line so to speak?  Absolutely not!

All writers know that writing is a solitary job.  Having the discipline to stick with a long project like a book manuscript requires isolation from others (both online and off) and a real commitment to sitting down and fleshing out the story.  With all of life’s distractions, getting ample time to finish such a project can be extremely difficult.  Nanowrimo provides just the push that I need, especially at a time of year when life is busier with the impending holiday celebrations.

Thanks Nanowrimo for another great year!  You kick-started my first novel which definitely helped me on the road to having it published.  Hopefully, my sequel won’t be far behind.

Kindlegraph – how to personalize your ebook

 

My publisher posted this information a while back and I finally had the chance to check it out.

If you have an ebook and want to be able to autograph it for your readers, you can do just that if your book is offered on Amazon. It’s called a Kindlegraph.

Here’s the link to my book, “When Love Won’t Die”:
http://kindlegraph.com/authors/dramaquill

To find out more about Kindlegraph, check out this link:
http://kindlegraph.com/about

Note:  Right now, this autograph only works if you have a Kindle e-reader.

Nanowrimo…And we’re off

 

November is Nanowrimo month – a time where published and aspiring novelists vow to write approximately 1600 words/day for the entire month of November.

What’s the payoff?

Fifty-thousand words in a month’s time. This can be a great start to a new novel or the chance to complete a book that’s already been started.

I fell a little short of my goals yesterday with 1,163 words on my suspense novel, Amorous Obsession, but I did a lot of planning/plotting so I’m still happy with my progress.

And…I also wrote a few more pages on my pirate musical (sadly they don’t count in my Nano total LOL)

To participate in all the action:
http://www.nanowrimo.org

Happy writing!

Win a FREE download of my suspense novel

 

Since I write in the suspense genre, and really enjoy scary villains, I’ve decided to host a Hallowe’en contest.
The rules are simple…
1. Create a villain
2. Describe him/her in 100 words or less.
3. Make me cringe
4. Type villain’s description into comment section of
this post along with you first name and your email

I will choose my favorite villain by midnight on Oct. 31st and the winner will receive a free download of my suspense novel, When Love Won’t Die.

Also, if your villain really inspires me, I will use him/her in one of my future suspense novels (with your permission).

Will you be participating in Nanowrimo?

 

I can’t believe it’s that time of year again – Nanowrimo time.

November is Nanowrimo month – a time for writers to dedicate themselves to writing 50,000 words on a new novel or WIP, with the help of the *free* Nanowrimo organization. Check out the website, sign up, find your region to connect with other writers and prepare to write and write and write.

My first novel, published in September 2010, was a direct result of the Nanowrimo process.

What are you waiting for? Go sign up…now!

http://www.nanowrimo.org/

Getting ebook reviews

Every author wants feedback, but getting book reviews can be time consuming and challenging. 

Here’s where I think that having an ebook provides a real advantage.

According to statistics, over two billion people use the internet on a regular basis.  That’s two billion potential customers for your ebook and the potential for tons of feedback.

So how do you go about getting the word out to reviewers?

Well, in my case, I submitted my book to an actual publisher (not a vanity press) so that I’d have the clout of my publishing company to help publicize my book.  My publisher submits all their books to many different review sites so they’ve already done a big chunk of the work for me.

But don’t despair if you did decide to self publish.  You can google “ebook reviewers” and get lots of results from blogs (where the owner has already compiled lists for you) to other sites that list ebook review sites.  Here are a few to get you started:

http://www.ebookcrossroads.com/ebook-reviewers.html

http://www.tinahunter.ca/links/ebook-reviewers/

http://www.twilighttimes.com/practical_tips4.html  (scroll down the page to find reviewers)

Getting reviews not only hooks potential new customers into buying your ebook but having numerous reviews also means that your ebook’s title will show up with more results with search engines. 

My suspense novel has been reviewed on amazon.com, the Pen and Muse, Coffee Time Romance and most recently on Pulist http://www.pulist.net/when-love-wont-die.html

It may take some time but keep contacting reviewers online.  All it costs is a free download of your ebook.  And don’t forget to encourage everyone who’s read your book to go and post a review wherever it’s available.

Don’t be discouraged if you submit to review sites and don’t get a review.  Just make sure you submit.

Contests for Playwrights

You’ve written a play and wonder what to do next? Getting a production is great. If you can find a local group willing to do your play, that’s probably the easiest. If you can’t, you can always try entering contests where often there’s prize money alongside getting a production. WomenArts is a great newsletter filled with opportunities for playwrights and screenwriters.

Muse Online Conference

Hopefully you’ve registered for this FREE online writing conference. The workshops and handouts are amazing and there are chat rooms for meeting/greeting and Q&A as well.

You’ve written a play…now what?

I love my job!  One of my responsibilities is to provide my studio’s drama department with original play scripts for each class. 

For some folks that sounds like a daunting task but I love it!

This semester I’m working on a circus mini musical for the 6-9 yr. olds, a modern day Ms. Scrooge play for the 10-16 yr. olds and a full-length pirate musical, complete with songs and choreography for the 9-18 yr. old class.

I’m lucky!  I know exactly what’s going to happen once I finish my plays.

Each class will begin to work on becoming their characters, blocking and physical movement, memorizing lines, learning songs and choreography and working together on the project. 

I said I was lucky.  Why?  Because I get to be there to watch it all unfold.  I can see how things work that I’ve written and tweak anything that doesn’t seem to be working. 

My writing will come to life right before my very eyes.

Now I realize that I’m very lucky to have access to these groups of kids and teens who are more than willing to act out whatever scripts I bring to class.

Many (or maybe even most) playwrights don’t have instant access to a production like I do, but there are ways to get productions of your scripts.

* Contact local amateur theatre groups/troupes and ask if they are willing to read your script

* Enter contests where the prize is a staged reading or a production (beware: some contests  
   have entry fees.  You have to decide if the fee is worth it for the potential prize)

* Find a local writing group and/or make other connections that may lead to a production

* Contact schools, drama clubs or other groups that may entertain the idea of putting on a
   show

* Organize your own production (more on that later).

For me, getting my plays published means I can reach a wider audience and perhaps won’t have to do ALL of the marketing myself to get my plays out there..but…productions, whether amateur or professional are what it’s all about in the end.

“The Play’s the Thing” 
       Shakespeare

Download-file.net SCAM SITE update

Just an update to my previous post on this site that appears to be illegally offering content for free download.

Several writers have gone to the site and found that their books were indeed posted without their permission.  Many contacted their publishers and also contacted the site.

Some members of my critique group and also some from my publisher decided to search everything from big name authors to complete jibberish and guess what?  Yep – everything and anything searched came back with results.

So fear not, fellow writers.  Although the site makes it appear that your books have been stolen, it’s unlikely that the site has any legitimate content whatsoever.

But here’s the real warning…

In order to download content, one must join the site and pay the introductory trial fee of $4.99.  That means divulging credit card info. 

DON’T DO IT!

I contacted Angela Hoy of writersweekly.com earlier this week and her thoughts were that perhaps the download links are viruses.  So, if you pay to join the trial membership and then click on one of the downloads to see if it’s really your book, you could end up inviting a virus into your computer.

The beauty of the internet is that we are all connected and getting information out is relatively easy and extremely quick.

As far as download-file.net is concerned…DANGER WIL ROBINSON!

Writers Beware: Someone may be stealing your book right now!

Writers Beware: Someone may be stealing your book right now!.

Writers Beware: Someone may be stealing your book right now!

I’ve made it a habit to google myself and my book title monthly.  Usually I’m pleasantly surprised at the new sites that have picked up my book and offered it for sale in their online stores or new reviews from new readers. 

That wasn’t the case this month.

In fact, I found illegal copies of my book in numerous digital formats all offered for download at the following site:

http://download-file.net

They DO NOT have permission to offer my book for download, free or otherwise.

They DID NOT contact my publisher or myself.

They ARE STEALING from me and from my publisher.

My editor contacted them and so did I.  I got back a bogus link to click that apparently was the tracking page to this incident.  It was given a fancy incident number and everything.  But the page doesn’t exist.

I found someone else who’s had the same problem.  They also have tried numerous ways to contact the site owners but never get any response.

Isn’t it difficult enough for new writers to make it in this biz without the unscrupulous thieves who choose to steal from someone else in order to make money.

How do they make money?

If you want to download anything from their site, you pay $4.99 for a one month trial membership.  Otherwise, if you’re a non-paid member, you can’t download anything.

Writers Beward:  Download-file.net may be stealing a copy of your book right now!

What comes first – the plot or the characters?

I wonder if most people’s first reaction when reading the title of this post was, “Duh, the plot of course!”  And hey, maybe they’re right.  But for me, I seem to have much greater success developing new projects if I have a set of characters in mind first.

When writing plays for Slightly off Broadway’s drama department, just knowing whether the actors will be playing hillbillies or wizards sparks all sort of creative flow.  I can’t imagine trying to come up with the story first when the list of possible characters is somewhat endless. 

My inspiration for writing my first suspense novel was actually loosely based on something I had witnessed in the life of someone I knew.  My villain took on the characteristics of a handful of individuals I’d seen in action in disfunctional relationships throughout the years, be it my own or those of my friends and/or family.  My heroine became the culmination of three strong women, all of whom faced horrible circumstances and found a way to survive.  I think the hero is actually someone I wish existed.  I can’t imagine figuring out the plot of my story if I didn’t first get to know these characters.

Currently, I’m working on another suspense novel, and again, the characters prompted me to not only develop the plot but also helped me with the location.  The story morphed relatively easily out of just a few details about the lives of each of the characters.

Now it might sound like I’m saying that it isn’t the plot, but in fact it’s the characters that come first.  In my case, that does seem to be true – at least so far.  But I think this question, much like the “what came first – the chicken or the egg” question has lots of room for debate.

I’d love to have other writers weigh in on their experiences in regard to plot and characters.  Feel free to post to get the discussion going.

Great blogs for writers of Suspense

Well, it’s now August and officially, my holiday time is over.  I vowed that I would not engage in any work-related activities in July, which included checking work email accounts, blogging and, GASP, working on my next two books.

But I had to do it!

My creative side got more than its share of time this past few months.  I wrote three new kids’ plays (and watched them morph into productions), researched and wrote material for both of my new books and did a lot of work marketing myself and my first novel.

I was tapped out creatively.

Now that I’m re-energized and ready to get back on the creative band wagon again, I decided that my first post back would be to share some blog links for those of you who also write (and read) suspense.  It’s always a great idea to check out what other writers blog about, especially those in your genre.

So here goes…

http://vanessa-morgan.blogspot.com/

http://suspensebyanne.blogspot.com/

http://keepmeinsuspense.blogspot.com/

http://www.womenofmystery.net/2011/07/top-suspense-group-blog.html

http://leegoldberg.typepad.com/a_writers_life/top-suspense/

http://harlequinblog.com/2011/05/tips-and-tricks-for-writing-romantic-suspense/

http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/2011/07/10/blog-interview-no-54-with-suspense-author-marla-madison/

http://www.danamarton.com/

http://community.eharlequin.com/content/harlequin-romantic-suspense-author-blog

http://jarekkubicki.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/suspense-magazine/

and finally, here’s a HUGE list of suspense blogs from Networkedblogs.com…

http://www.networkedblogs.com/topic/Suspense/

Enjoy