The Secret To Publishing

IT'S BEEN A YEAR!!!!

A year for what?? I'm glad you asked! It's been a year since I decided to blog and blog three times a week!! Happy BLOGAVERSARY to me!!

A year ago I was receiving over 100 emails a week from writers asking me from: how my books made the best sellers lists so quickly after they were released, what do you do to market, how do you reach your target audience of readers, etc....

That is when I decided I was tired of answering those emails and wanted a place to send the writers. This blog was my idea! I have covered almost every single topic that I do to make my career a success.  There isn't a magic formula, but I can promise you that it's been consistency.

Consistency....Consistency is the secret to publishing!

THINK. ABOUT. THAT. WORD.

On this anniversary, CONSISTENCY is going to be my new word going forward into this next year of blogging.

How does that equal NOVEL SUCCESS?

As writers we know that we can't wave a magic wand and mysteriously get words on a page, we have to do one thing....

SIT OUR BUTT IN THE CHAIR AND WRITE. Plain and simple as that. Nothing more, nothing less.  i can guarantee that if you don't put your butt in the chair, you will not succeed, you will fail. No matter how much advice I have provided you on this blog, it will NEVER work for you if you don't sit your butt in the chair and write.

Just like this blog. I had to consistently plan Sunday night, Tuesday night, and Thursday night a topic to blog on. I had to come home after working my day job, get my guys to their after school functions (plus sporting events and games), cook dinner, do laundry, dr. appt (because all my guys have to go to monthly ortho and dermatologist appt), four legged children needs (we walk at least two miles a day), and every other thing I do. Guess what....you have those same set of obstacles or more! Which means that all writers have the same issues. No matter if they are a best seller or not! Everyone has issues.

I was consistent with my time and schedule and fulfilled my quest to not only put out four novels and blog three times a week! And my family survived through it all!

Over the next  couple of months I will be blogging only once or twice a week. I participate in NANOWRIMO and get my publishing schedule for 2013 ready. Blogging here does take up about five hours of my weekly time and I'm going to be spending that time in November to participate in NANOWRIMO.

I have guest blogs that I will be putting up and if you would like to guest blog, please check out the guest blog tab on top. I know that each and everyone of you have something to add to our little community here.

So go ahead:

1) Put your butt in the chair with a few goals in mind. Put on a timer starting for ten minutes and just write. Don't go back and edit. Just write for ten minutes! Take a break and go back and write for another ten minutes.

2) Surround yourself with like-minded people. I want you to reach out for support on Facebook, writing loops, people who are going to encourage you to continue on your goals and road to publication.

3) Look at your writing as a career. If you have a day job, you have to show up everyday in order to get a paycheck or NOT to get fired. Same with writing! Show up everyday!

If you want to succeed, you have to show up everyday and perform. OR your readers will fire you.

NOW....GO DO IT!

Tips For Writing a Novel

If you are anything like me, you listen to writers that you think have become successful in your definition of success. You take in every single word they say.

Over the past few years I have put my ear to the grind stone and have really tried to make my writing career just that. . .A CAREER.

The authors that I consider successful have a few tips in common, a few tips that they continue to say over and over when I hear them speak.

1) Write What You Want:

With the freedom to write the story you feel in your heart, you will be able to connect with the story, characters, and the plot.

With the wonderful world of self-publishing, we have defined our own success. We have blazed a way that has made us unique to our own worlds and words.

You have to freedom to spin the details as you want to. You have the wonderful advantage to fit your story into what ever genre you want to fit it into. That's amazing!

2) Write Every Single Day!

Butt in chair, hands on keyboard!! I don't know who came up with that statement, but it rings true every single time. There is no way you can produce a novel without the words. You can't publish a blank book, well. . .I guess you could, but they'd find you! They'd stone you! (Okay so they won't stone you, but you get the picture!)

3) Turn Off Your Inner Editor!

Give yourself permission to just write without the hassle of going back to edit your work. You have to go back and edit later, so wait! Get those words out of you head and on the paper.

If you stop to go back and edit, it ends up disrupting your flow of writing and you can't get back into the groove of things.

4) Be Inspired!

Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.
― Roald Dahl

Guys might roll their eyes at this, but there is something to be said about the perfect quote or image to help spark that great scene or plot point to continue with your manuscript.

For every novel I write, I keep a journal. I put the date in the front and begin to collect items, as I go along, that remind me of the idea. I let an idea/plot stew in my head for a few months before I even begin writing it. This is generally because I'm already deep in another novel.

Collecting these little tid-bits keeps me excited about the upcoming manuscript/novel, and when I am ready to sit down and start the new novel, I have all I need at my finger tips.

It might be as simple as finding a fence with an amazing background. I can plan an entire chapter around my character hanging out by that fence, along with describing the fence and background. Or even just the vivid colors are enough to spark my juices.

5) Read, Read, Read!!

I know you are so tired of hearing everyone telling you to read. Don't take it from me, take it from the MASTER!! Watch the video below!!!!




Share any tips that you may have for writers about writing and leave it in the comments! Until then. . .keep WRITING!