So You Wanna Be a Writer? (Pt 2)

So You Wanna Be a Writer…Pt 2

On Monday, we discussed what comes next after you decide that you are, in fact, a writer. As a quick refresher:
10. Start to Budget for extras.
9. Join national/local groups for writers.
8. BICHOK
7. Start small, dream big.
6. Join a critique group.
5. Adjust your schedule to allow time to write.
4. Don’t give up on reading!
3. Write, write, write!
2. Read every book on the craft you can get your hands on.

And now for the ugly truth.

The number one thing that a new writer has to do is…

LET GO OF YOUR ILLUSIONS.

I know, I know—“But, Ralene, I don’t have any illusions. I don’t expect to be the next “insert name of famous author here”.” (Did I even punctuate that right? Oy!)

Trust me…that’s not the only myths that new writers (and some not so new writers as well). I could start a whole different Top 10 for that, and maybe I will someday, but not now. Instead, I just want to let you in on a few little secrets.

Writing isn’t easy.

That’s the biggie. You may have cranked out 70-200K words blindfolded with one hand behind your back. Sorry—it ain’t that easy. Some of the best times for a writer are when they are creating a new story. They get to live vicariously through their characters and experience things they may not otherwise (or possibly re-experience something they already went through). It’s fun to discover new people, places, and ideas.

It’s also hard work and little immediate return. When you commit to writing, something always gets sacrificed. For some it’s time with family, others it’s their social life, and still others (like me) it’s stuff like housekeeping, hobbies, etc. For some, it’s all of the above. Writing can be a very lonely profession. (And people wonder why we’re obsessed with Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, and other social media!)

Sometimes, though, we just want to give in. Give in to that TV show, give in to that date with the girls, give in to that voice in the back of our head telling us we’ll never amount to anything so crawl under a rock and hide. Writer’s block hits and we’re ready to throw in the towel—is it really worth it?

Inside we discover a strength we didn’t know we had, and we push through and move on. We do what we do because it’s our passion, our heart, our lifeblood.

Just so you know, the publication process is slow.

The average wait time for a novel to go from contract to book shelf is about 12 months. Sometimes shorter, often times longer. And that’s AFTER it’s been contracted. No one told me that it can take up to 2 months to hear back about a stinkin’ query letter…IF I hear back from them at all. Or that, even though the agent/editor sounded SO excited in their request for a full manuscript that it could be anywhere from 1 month to 6 before I hear a yay or nay.

The joys of writing.

All that to say…writing is tough. Not just anyone can write, and write well. That’s not to discourage anyone…but to reveal the ugly truth. Let go of your illusions, roll up your sleeves, and dig in for the long haul.

Here’s just a few fun quotes from fellow writers:

Diane M Graham: “One of the best parts of being a writer is creating a world and characters. One of the worst parts of being a writer is the responsibility of that world and its characters.”

Kimchi Lya McMahon Blow: “The worst thing and best thing...the creative "voice" in me never shuts up!:) Sometimes that's bad and sometimes it's good!”

Katie Ganshert: “The best thing about writing is writing. The worst thing about writing is writing.”

Do you see a trend in those quotes?

So You Wanna Be a Writer...Now What?

Almost five years ago, I made the biggest decision in my life next to getting married and having kids. I wanted to write professionally. Of course, that’s easier said than done. I can say I’m a writer, but what makes that so? It has to be more than my verbal announcement.

The decision to write professionally means a lot of changes. Some are fun, and , well, some aren’t. Let me tell you right off the bat: Writing is not easy. That’s not to say it isn’t fun, but it’s definitely not as easy as it appears at first.

When I first sat down to crank out my first novel—I had the time of my life. I wrote and wrote and wrote. The words came effortlessly, the story and characters were fun and interesting. Then, thanks to a critique group, all my hopes and dreams were dashed. What was all this about plotting and character arcs? What in the heck is wrong with adverbs? Don’t even get me started on the intricacies of query letters, synopses, and pitches.

There are things that took me awhile to discover on my own, so I thought I’d share my expertise (pfft!) with you. First things first! You’ve made the decision to become a writer. That’s great. Here’s my Top 10 for New Writers (in ascending order):

10. Start to budget for extras. Being a writer comes with its own unique set of expenses. From printer ink and paper to writer conferences, sometimes it isn’t cheap. The sooner you start saving, the more freedom you have later on. (I highly recommend getting yourself down to a good writers conference!)

9. Join local/national writing groups. There’s nothing like a group of like-minded people who get together and cause trouble! There’s also nothing like a good support group when you get stuck—whether it be research, schedule-juggling, or just plain writer’s blues. There are several out there, and for different genres. I am a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW)—a fabulous group with a wealth of information and support, not to mention and kickin’ conference in September!

8. BICHOK (Butt in Chair, Hands on Keyboard)—sit down and write! Nothing is better for a writer than practice. And we all know that practice makes perfect, or at least as close as we’ll get this side of heaven!

7. Start small, dream big. I first read this concept in Jerry B. Jenkins book, Writing for the Soul, a few years ago. He suggests that a writer start with producing articles and stuff of the like, then moving on to short stories, and finally a novel if they so wish. I don’t necessarily agree with the whole of that concept—I see nothing wrong with writing articles and working on a novel at the same time! I do agree that mastering different types of articles and the art of short stories can do a lot to enhance your skills as a novelist.

6. Join a critique group. Our eyes are only as good as our brains. And what happens when our brains see the same thing day in and day out? They become accustomed to what’s put before them. We cannot be unbiased readers of our own novels. It would be like being an unbiased judge in a cutest baby contest that your child is in. There are several different ways to go about this—several online writing sites have different kinds of critique groups. I belong to one on Writing.Com and have had some really big breakthroughs with them. Some groups, like ACFW, offer critique loops that encourage the formation of unique critique groups. If nothing else, you can advertise that you’re looking for a critique group and see what happens! For a while, I also had a dedicated critique partner. She was a great asset and it was nice because she knew MY writing style and all about my novel!

5. Adjust your schedule to allow time to write. We all have busy lives. Me? I have three young kids (5, 4, and 9 months), a husband who is in the military, active in my church and local playgroups. This year, I also start officially homeschooling two oldest. I have to make writing a priority or I’d never get anything done. This does not mean that I make it more important than my other responsibilities, but I know I have to make certain sacrifices (like TV time, extra time with kids/hubby). With the help of my supportive husband, we work out a schedule that allows me time for writing and for extra stuff like reviews, blogs, and building my platform (yeah, I’ll talk about that eventually!).

4. Don’t give up on reading! Great writers and great readers. If you push reading to the side, then you’ll lose a major area of both enjoyment and opportunities to learn. Read everything—good, bad, and in between. Learn from the masters, learn from the mistakes—what worked? What didn’t? While I wouldn’t go so far as to analyze every book you read, it definitely helps to reflect on what you can learn from it.

3. Write, write, write! Did I mention this before? My mistake…it must be doubly important! You’ll never learn if you don’t try. Trial and error is the best way to find everything from your writing style, to your genre, to your voice.

2. The second most important thing every new writer should do is to read as many books on the craft as you can get your hands on. This is very important. There is so much good advice available to you out there. If you can’t afford to purchase the books, borrow them, check the library—just read! Another great option is to find and follow the blogs of published authors, agents, editors, and other publishing professionals. They are a wealth of information. Just don’t go all stalker on them…

Here's a SHORT list of some great books on writing (both Christian and non) to get you started:

On Writing by Stephen King
Plot and Structure AND The Art of War for Writers by James Scott Bell
Writing Fiction for Dummies by Randy Ingermanson
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamot
Writing the Breakout Novel AND The Fire in Fiction by Donald Mass

And stay tuned on Wednesday for the number one thing that new writers need to do! Yes, I’m completely evil that way. For those of you experienced writers, what do you think of this list? Anything you’d add to it?

April Goals for 3 in 30

In the month of March, I participated in the 3 in 30 challenge hosted by two amazing blogging mamas. At the end of February, I posted three goals I wanted to accomplish for this month. You probably don’t remember, so here is the short recap.

1. Finish major edit of Dividing Spirits.

2. Drink more water.

3. Start walking.

Well, you’ll be happy to know that I accomplished exactly ONE of those goals. If you’ve been keeping up with my blog, then you already know I finished my major edit of Dividing Spirits. Exciting, I know!

Now is the time to let you in on what my goals are for April.

The first two are going to be the same goals I had in March, but was not successful with. So, my first goal is to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Since society has successfully ingrained in my head to be scared of tap water, and bottled water is ridiculously expensive, I invested in a filtered pitcher (the nozzle on our tap isn’t the right kind to hook up a filter). This way there is always cool, healthier water for me in the fridge.

I’m also going to start walking more. The park is about a half mile away, so if I take the kids there three times a week, that’s a mile—which is definitely a start right?

My third goal is probably the one to put the most pressure on me. I want to read and rewrite most of The Impossible Choice. IC (as I fondly refer to it as) was the novel before Dividing Spirits. The story was beloved by many of the people who read it (professional writers and good friends/family). However, I set it out to 3 agents and pitched it at a conference with no bites. At first, I was pretty bummed and put it aside to write Dividing Spirits. Lately, though, I’ve felt the push to go over it again.

Last night it hit me. I knew how to fix IC! Most of it anyway. I started jotting notes down like crazy. My mind just would not be quiet—which is a good thing, I suppose. So, for those of you who thought I gave up on that emotional and suspenseful novel, have no fear. It’s coming back bigger and better!

I hope you were able to accomplish your goals last month! If you would like to share your goals for April here, we can keep each other accountable—a checkup mid-way.

Happy April!

Inspire Me!

One day…

One day I will have an office to call my own, and not a little corner of a room. When that time comes, I’ll have the freedom to design it however I please. I can draw inspirations from here and there to create a place that is wholly and purely—me.

However, being a military family that lives on post more often than not, that’s not likely to happen anytime soon. So, instead, I have my own little corner carved out in the bedroom. There’s not much to it, really. A desk, a file cabinet with a printer on top. Yep—that’s about it.

So, how do I take a place like this and make it my own?

1. Personalize it! You have your own unique tastes—allow yourself to splurge just a little to use those tastes to create your work space. Like colored sticky notes instead of the plain yellow? Get a few to go crazy with. Maybe you always wanted a mouse pad with Taz on it (if you don’t know who Taz is, quit reading immediately. Just kidding!). Personally, I love all things color, so I have colored sticky notes, colored pens, colored paper clips…the list goes on. What can I say? Color inspires me!

2. Play with it! Just like when you first move into a house, sometimes the first set up doesn’t end up being the most ideal. Maybe you thought having the notebooks stored below the desk was best, but you found that you were spending too much time digging for a specific one. Instead, maybe they need to be stacked neatly in the open space above the computer so you can select the one that you need with ease. Make these changes as needed, don’t let them fester and get under your skin. It’s easy to take a few minutes to rearrange.

3. Plaster it! Don’t forget…your walls are your friend. So, invest in a couple of corkboards or whiteboards. These are great ways to keep track of lose papers, hold calendars, and jot notes. Don’t go overboard—unless that’s your personality. Clutter often gets me down more than inspires me creativity.

4. Pictures! Paper! And Parcheesi? You know what sometimes inspires us the most? Those little trinkets that make us smile, the ones that distract us just enough to all our minds to muddle through that last road block. So put up a couple of pictures of family/friends, or of beautiful mountain views, flowers…whatever tickles your fancy. Write your favorite quotes or short excerpts of books/poems on colorful paper and post them around your work area. And Parcheesi? Sometimes games that work our brains will stimulate more activity. Now, I technically have no idea what Parcheesi is…it just started with a ‘P’.

I’m still in the process of getting my “office” sorted out. As the days go by, I hope to start incorporating my inspirations into my work space. I know I have those pictures somewhere…

What are some steps you can take to up the inspiration quota of your work area?

UPDATE: I just finished the substantial edit of Dividing Spirits! Yes, I’m super excited to have that done. I’m putting the novel aside for a bit to work on the query/synopsis/proposal part of the writing process. After that, I’ll probably do some more planning for Sam’s Way. The story is really starting to come alive in my head. In a couple of weeks, I’ll come back and do another run through Dividing Spirits to pick up anything I may have missed, possibly add in some more layering. Fun stuff!

Where in the World is Ralene?

Okay, so the title didn't have the same ring as Carmen SanDiego. I tried...but it all sounded strange.

Anyway, this week I'm blogging over at Encourage. Empower. Extend. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Normally, I don't let those posts interfere over here. But, I wrote a devotional on peace as we prepare for the month of April. Won't you join us over there to share what you think of when you think of peace?

Encourage. Empower. Extend.

Tomorrow, I'll be back here talking more about the work environment that inspires us.

Homeschool Saturdays

In the past, I've made it a point not to post on the weekends. However, as my life takes some more twists and turns, I find three things taking over my life. Writing, of course, but also family (duh), and HOMESCHOOLING.

For those of you who hadn't heard, my husband and I decided to homeschool are kids pretty much from the start. We got all those arguments from family and friends on whether or not we were doing the right thing, but this is the route we feel led to take for a variety of reasons.

Up until now, I haven't talked about it much on here. We've been "unofficially" homeschooling our two daughters who are pre-k age. Alana just turned 5, though, and would be starting Kindergarten in the fall. Time to look at things from a little more official standpoint.

I don't plan to start the Kindergarten curriculum until August, but now is the time that I'm doing my research and making my plans. Believe it or not, I'm actually not procrastinating. And as I do my research, make my plans, etc, I'm going to share my journey with you guys. I figure those of you who homeschool might find some new insight, even if you've been at it for years. Those who don't, maybe you'll get a peek at a world you've not been exposed to before.

Monday through Friday is still all about faith, books, and writing...but Saturdays are for Homeschool Wrap-up!

Don't Sit There!

As the unpacking process reaches the point of “no boxes”, I’m busy arranging, rearranging, and changing my mind again. You know that crazy indecisiveness as your mind toys with the million and a one choices and strategies—even as I type, I’m resisting the urge to move the living room furniture once again.

Part of this process is, of course, setting up my work environment. Being a writer, I have specific requirements for optimum creativity. Ideally, I like a quiet place with lots of light and few distractions. In my old house, I was blessed to have areas to make a complete separate office. However, due to circumstances that I won’t talk about because I’ll just want to scream, our new house is bigger, but a different setup. I don’t have the extra rooms like before.

After much contemplation, measuring, mouth-twisting, I finally made some decisions. My work area is now split into two areas. Downstairs, right off the kitchen, the house has a built-in desktop. This area is my work station during the day. It’s where I compose my blog posts and delve into reviews. I check my emails and play on Facebook and Twitter. It’s also where I do all the rest of my organizing of life—menu planning, organization plans, homeschool schedule, etc.

Our big desk fit nicely on one wall of our bedroom. Now, normally, I would not like the desk in our room. After all, the bedroom is supposed to be a sanctuary, a place to relax. But due to space constraints, this was the best option. So all my novel-related work will take place up there. We have a nice big window to let in lots of light. I can shut the door on the world and settle into some peace and quiet.

Now it’s time to set it up in exactly the way I think will jumpstart the most creativity. Not sure what that is yet, but I’ll have fun playing with the set up. I do know that I want to get one corkboard for character/setting notes/pictures. I’m a pretty visual person, so I think that will help stimulate my muse and get me “in” the story.

I’ve noticed that I have different preferences depending on what I’m writing and where I am in that project. When I’m writing a first draft, nothing bothers me. I can be inside/outside, standing up/sitting down, on the couch or at my desk. I just get excited to write! When I’m researching or editing, though, I’m much pickier. I want quiet. I want a specific set up. The biggest difference, I think, is that when I’m writing a first draft, I can do that in short spurts. Twenty minutes here, thirty there. When I research/edit, I get frustrated with anything less than an hour. Strange, huh?

Work environment can be pretty essential to who we are as writers. It can affect our energy, our focus, and our creativity. Do you know what your preferences are? How do you mold your surroundings to fit those preferences?