Whiz With Words!

When you decided to become a writer, did you know how to write? Were you a whiz with the words?

If you are anything like me and most writers, it takes time and practice to get the right words on the page using all the right "rules."

I'm not claiming to be perfect. . .(YES! I know, it's hard to believe it. I'm less than perfect! Humor here!) 

1) Read, read, read! 

A healthy dose of reading really does help you with content writing. Reading is more available now then it was a few years ago (phones, e-readers, computers, books, news papers etc. . .). It's not just to read great stories, but it will help increase your vocabulary as well as give you ideas. I'm always looking for different way to create character tags and dialogue tags. 

I especially love my Kindle where I can highlight a passage and remember why it struck a cord with my writing muse.

2) Write, write, write! 

The old saying, practice makes perfect, really does hold true with writers! Effective writing does not happen overnight. You have to work at it like any other craft or job. Just like any job, you need to write daily. It may only be a few words a day while you are in line at the grocery, but at least you will words on a page and practice your writing techniques.

With every edited novel I receive from my editor, I learn something new. 

3) Thick skin!

We hear this all the time. "WRITERS HAVE TO HAVE THICK SKIN." Really, what does that mean?

It means that you have to learn to take criticism and not get mad. Our writing is like our baby. It's the cutest baby we have ever seen, our pride and joy. We will lay our life on the line for our baby. But sometimes our baby needs braces to fix their teeth, a cast to fix a broken bone. . .you get the point! 

I live by the power of three. If someone says something three times or three different people say the same thing about my story, my ears perk up and that's my clue that something needs to be changed. Sometimes my editor tells me to change it and I believe her:)

4) Read out loud!

There is nothing more powerful than reading your book out loud. You will catch so many things that your trained mind will not catch if you read it in your head. Reading out loud helps you find grammatical errors, punctuation issues, and plot holes. It gives you a good sense of the flow of your story. 

5) Edit! 

That is one word that I should type and you completely understand. Whether it's a blog or your novel, you know that you have to go over and over it. This is the hardest part about self-publishing! I have paid GREAT money for each editor that I've hired. . .and there are still so many mistakes in my novels! Currently I am having every single one of my novels re-edited. AND as you can read. . .I'm not the best editor with this blog either, but I keep going and I get better with each blog.

So. . .are you a whiz with words? What do you do to improve your writing?

I'm giving away a copy of The Tricked Out Toolbox to one LUCKY commenter!! You have to come back and see who won. I will post it in the comments section on Sunday, and you have ONE week to claim your book!

AND. . .I'm so excited to announce that SPLITSVILLE.COM is a finalist in two categories (Mystery AND Humor) in THE NEXT GENERATION INDIE BOOK AWARDS!! 

I'm beyond thrilled! The awards ceremony takes place in June at the Book Expo of America, where I will receive a medal!! How cool is that?? Plus SPLITSVILLE.COM will be listed in the library catalogs across the country. 

SO. . .these writing tips really do work to get your work noticed! Keep at it. It's your passion!

EDITS. . .sigh. . .edits. . .

People ask me all the time, "Isn't writing a book hard?"
I laugh. Writing the book is the easy part. Editing the book is the hardest part!

I don't know about you, but editing my manuscript is the number one thing I dread in the process of finishing a manuscript.

We all know that when we type THE END, that the end is NOT the end! It really is the beginning.
Some writers love it because they use the editing process to put more meat into their story, flesh it out more, and create deeper characters. Some writers are like me. . .they type THE END and it really is the end (or what we want the end to be).

Not that I don't want my story to be the best it can be, but I've written it once through blood sweat and tears. And quiet frankly, I don't want to relive that part again.

If I dive deeper into why I really don't like the editing process. . .it's hard work! I don't like hard work!

In the editing process, we have to find the plot holes, make sure the lose ends are tied up, make sure that your protag has the same color hair and eyes throughout the book, blah, blah, blah.

Guess what?

I don't want to read my novel 200 times. I don't want to check and re-check to make sure I tied up all the red herrings. BUT I want a bunch of readers to pick up my book and love it.

Then why don't I love the editing process so they do pick up my novel and love it?

Well . . .I'm learning to love the process.

How?

I'm taking my time. I've realized that the publishing industry isn't nearly as fast as I'd like it to be. It's all about getting the best product out to the readers that you can. That means that you must take your time. Read every single word, and reread every single word. Make sure you develop your characters, create that scene, tie up all the plots and sub-plots. AND remember that if you take the time NOW to create that fabulous book, that you can take the time later to reap the rewards.

In the end, there is such a great satisfaction once I can type THE END after the third...er...fifth round of edits.

Author Sarah Duncan has a great series on her blog about the editing process! Check it out!

TODAY is NEVER TELL YOUR DREAMS book birthday! Release day!!!

Superstition:  Noun

1.      An irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear.

2.      Circumstances under which Maggie Greenlee lives her life.

Maggie’s life revolves around superstition.  Never walk under a ladder, don’t let a black cat cross your path, Maggie’s favorite, toss a pinch of salt over your shoulder for good luck, are staples Granny taught her. But the biggie, never tell your dreams before breakfast, is the one Maggie is sure is an old wive’s tell. But after Maggie hears that someone had a dream that Maggie was left at the altar, before breakfast-no less! –Maggie pulls out all the superstitious stops to make that dream not come true.

Until her fiance breaks off their engagement and she loses her job. . .all in one week.

Maggie goes back to Grandberry Falls where Granny's sweat tea and the annual Jubilee is just the cure she needs. Only everyone seems to be keeping a secret from her.

Mayor Mitch Dozier is busy working on the eminent domain case against Maggie's granny's farm. Maggie's granny insists that Maggie doesn't find out about the case, and Maggie is a distraction he doesn't need.His heart was broken once by Maggie Greenlee. He won't let it happen again.

Will Maggie and Mitch discover that the future of Grandberry Falls depends on them?

Year of Change. . .Shooting for the Moon!

Over the past six months my writing career has gone from zero to 90! It's been so much fun getting to know all my fantastic readers. As a matter of fact the cards below are from my readers! I couldn't believe how many Starbucks gift cards, ornaments, or even just a simple note that I got. It's me who should be showering them with gifts!!

(so authors Melissa Bourban and Jane Porter's are on top...they still read my books!)
I spent most of the holiday writing away on my cozy mystery, Strung Out To Die. It's been so much fun actually writing that many words, digging deep into the character and NOT just skimming the top.
As a self-published author, you have the ability to write until you think you are finished. Sometimes that means that you aren't fleshing out those characters, or even that scene.
I continued to write and write, making the decision that I had a career path. I want more readers, more author friends, and more of the crazy business. Writing is in my blood!!

And I love a good fleshed out story. I admit that as I wrote the first two of my Grandberry Falls novels, I didn't flesh out the characters as well as I could have, even though they are really great stories. And sitting down to finish Strung Out To Die really had me thinking about what I really wanted in my career. I've always said that I WANT IT ALL! Movie, TV show, radio interview, book tours, self publishing, etc....Shoot me, I dream big!
Anyways, my Divorced Divas really do deserve to get the chance they deserve. Be completely fleshed out, learn to love them, make a great series, and get it to the masses.
What does this mean exactly?

I'm seeking that ever loving agent. . .yet again. What does THIS mean??? For those of you who truly know me, you know I don't stop until I get what I want. And this has always been my goal. For those of you who will never seek an agent again, that's great and your career is your career. For those of you that are readers, you don't care as long as my book gets in your hands. And no matter what Strung Out To Die will get to your hands by a publisher (either me or a company).
So I dipped my toe into the pool sending out a few of those queries over the holiday, mind you the book wasn't even finished, and a few things happened. Five full manuscript requests, one three book deal proposal, and an indie site asking me to enter an indie contest for non-published manuscripts (it's totally on the up and up!).
That to me gave me the push that I needed to realize that I really hadn't fulfilled my dream.
What does this mean to my indie career? NOTHING! The best thing about being self-published is that you can do it no matter what! And I still have the Olivia Davis Mystery series, anthologies, short stories, along with my next book that will go with Carpe Bead 'em, that will be self-published this year.
Does this effect my grogs? Nope! As for The WoMen's Literary Cafe, that is about promotion and marketing. Every single author no matter what publication journey they are on has to do that! The Naked Hero is a grog for readers! I will be connecting with all readers again and my blog here is about anything we want it to be about.

So. . .I'm going to shoot for the moon this year! And I'll let you know all about it here! Even the failures:))