Veronica Scott's Tuesday Two Cents

After a long hiatus, Tuesday Two Cents is back, sharing writing advice from a different author each Tuesday.

Today, we welcome author Veronica Scott,  best selling author of action-packed SFR.  A big thank-you goes to her for taking the time to answer one question: If you could share one piece of writing advice with new writers, what would it be? Take it away, Veronica!

I was recently invited to give a talk for a local writers’ group and since the allotted time was short and the topic of being an independently published author is huge, I tried to narrow the presentation down to a few key points. I didn’t want to depress or overwhelm the group members, most of whom aren’t yet published, but I thought it might be useful to start them thinking what next after I type The End on that first book?

There were lots of questions and no one dozed off, which are two key positive indicators in my internal ratings system and I thought the topic might be useful here. I’ve turned the outline of part of my talk into this post.
.

First, as I did at the meeting, we need to pause and acknowledge that finishing a book is a HUGE accomplishment and deserves celebration and kudos. So few people actually manage to complete that first book, although so many talk about writing a book ‘someday’, or may even write a few pages and find out what hard work it can be and stop. So if you’ve completed that first book, take a moment to bask in the well-deserved happy feels.

But then the author needs to ask where on the spectrum of expectations they fall. Is this the book of their heart, the one and only book they ever want to create and just having it available on Amazon for friends and relatives to buy will truly be enough? Holding that paperback version is a thrill all right.

So if the book sits at #3,000,000 in Amazon forever they’ll be ok with it? Or are they secretly hoping to become J. K. Rowling someday, with billions of readers and theme parks and movies and so forth? I think we’d all like to be that person and yes, someone does win the lotto and yes, a few authors do rise to that level…but there’s nothing specific you can do right now to become JKR.

So accept that you fall into the middle of the spectrum with most of us authors and realize writing is a business and you’re going to have to treat it as such.

First, you have to have a social media presence. How are readers going to find you and your book if you aren’t out there to be found? No, magical thinking doesn’t qualify as a strategy, especially nowadays with the huge volume of books being published every week. If your book hovers around #3,000,000 in ranking, readers are not going to stumble over it.

 I always encourage authors to find the social media that works for them and where they feel comfortable. Even if they aren’t yet published, they have interesting lives, hobbies, fan favorites, general book talk they can share. And the internet always loves a good cat picture or two!

The one thing I strongly urge a writer to have is a blog or a website. There needs to be a central point a reader can go to learn about you, your books, what’s coming next and when, and a way to contact the author. Yes, you can have an Author Page on Amazon and also collect followers on BookBub after publication – I do both – but that real estate doesn’t belong to you. You don’t even know who those readers are and the company can change its business practices on a dime. So have one internet spot that’s all yours!  Your first internet presence doesn’t have to be full of bells and whistles and expensive.

Six more quick points of advice?

Develop a thick skin because this is a business.

Never engage with reviewers, especially over a negative review.

Find a group of likeminded writers, on Facebook or wherever, for encouragement and tips and cross promo!

Practice self-care, physically and mentally.

Don’t compare your journey to any other author’s because everyone’s path is different.

Most important: Stay true to your own voice!

My most recent release is Kierce: A Badari Warriors SciFi Romance (Sectors New Allies Series) and here’s the blurb:

Elianna McNamee, spaceship engineer, is far from her home in the human Sectors, kidnapped along with all her shipmates to be used for horrifying experiments conducted on a remote planet by alien scientists. 

Her captors decide to toss her in a cell with a ferocious predator, expecting him to kill her…but Kierce, the Badari warrior in question, has too much honor to mistreat a human woman. The trouble is, he’s trapped in a form drastically different from his own as a result of twisted genetic meddling and hiding dark secrets to save other Badari lives.

Able to become a man again briefly with Elianna‘s help, he and Elianna bond over their mutual hatred for the enemy but when rescuers finally arrive, the pair are separated by well-meaning Badari authorities.

Kierce struggles to overcome flashbacks from the torture and drugs the alien scientists inflicted on him. He and Elianna despair over whether he’ll ever be able to regain his rightful place as a man and a soldier in the pack, much less be ready to claim a mate.

Elianna accepts a risky but essential assignment far away from where Kierce is being held, working with another man who’s more than professionally interested in her. Her heart belongs to Kierce and she can’t forget their two nights of shared passion but will that be enough to lead them to a happy reunion?

Amazon     Apple Books       Nook     Google    Kobo

Author Bio and Links:

USA Today Best Selling Author

 Veronica Scott grew up in a house with a library as its heart. Dad loved science fiction, Mom loved ancient history and Veronica thought there needed to be more romance in everything. When she ran out of books to read, she started writing her own stories.

Seven time winner of the SFR Galaxy Award, as well as a National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, Veronica is also the proud recipient of a NASA Exceptional Service Medal relating to her former day job, not her romances!

 She read the part of Star Trek Crew Member in the official audiobook production of Harlan Ellison’s “The City On the Edge of Forever.”

Newsletter Signup: https://us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=2a337b96e2ee1ee1250004b9d&id=7462393c9e

Blog: https://veronicascott.wordpress.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/vscotttheauthor

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Veronica-Scott/177217415659637?ref=hl

 

Eleri Stone: Tuesday Two Cents

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Eleri Stone: Tueday Two Cents' Worth

Today we welcome Author Eleri Stone to the Two Cents stage. She's answering the burning question: If  you could share one piece of  writing advice with other writers, what would it be? Take it away. Eleri!

My two cents…

One thing I wish I’d done a lot sooner in my writing career is to seek out other writers. I didn’t feel that my lack of connection to a writing community was such an awful thing when I was writing for my own pleasure, though surely even then it would have been helpful. But once I decided that I wanted to publish, knowing other writers really would have come in handy. Instead, I started submitting stories, no beta readers or kindly mentors or any idea of what I was doing. And really I have no excuse for that. There are so many wonderfully supportive writing groups out there that if I’d only looked around a little bit, I wouldn’t have gone into the whole publishing thing so unprepared.

If you’re a romance writer like me, the RWA (Romance Writers of America) is an incredible resource, not only for established writers but also for people just starting out. There are a lot of great local groups who meet in person to discuss the industry, bring in guest speakers and have workshops.

There are also a ton of online groups where you can get to know other writers. If you’re a new-ish writer, Absolute Write is a good place to start. You can participate in Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) which takes place during the month of November. They have an active forum section and can put you in touch with local writers who often meet up during the month for write-ins. You can follow your favorite authors on social media to see how they manage the writing and business side of things. You can also participate in writer blog hops like Weekend Writing Warriors with Teresa and me. I’ve met a bunch of wonderful authors through that group and it’s a lot of fun, too. J

 Finding your tribe is such an important and satisfying thing. I really wish I’d started looking sooner. 

***

Eleri Stone is a RITA-nominated author of paranormal and fantasy romance. She was born in New Jersey, but now lives in Iowa with her husband and their three children. All of her stories have some element of speculative fiction in them and they all end with a happily-ever-after.

 http://eleristone.com/

https://twitter.com/EleriStone 

https://www.facebook.com/EleriStone?fref=ts

Ursula Hartlein:Tuesday Two Cents

Monday, May 11, 2015

Ursula Hartlein: Tuesday Two Cents' Worth

Hello and welcome, dear readers. Today is Tuesday, and that means it's time for Tuesday Two Cents' Worth.

Welcome, Ursula Hartlein, historical fiction writer extraordinaire. And thank you for so generously taking the time to answer this question: If you could share one piece of writing advice with other writers, what would it be?

Thank you, Teresa, for inviting me to be on your blog!  One piece of advice I’d give to other writers would be to use your setting as more than just inconsequential window-dressing.  Weave it so deeply into the narrative it becomes like its own character.

One of the things which most strikes me about the earliest drafts of books I began when I was a lot younger is how the settings seem like little more than minor details.  I was guilty of the Gossip Girl in period clothes mistake I see too often now.  At least my excuse was that I was really young and didn’t know any better.  For some reason, my 18th and 19th century stories had much better worldbuilding, perhaps because I was more familiar with those eras.  It took a long time for me to get to that level with my 20th century historicals, and stop writing them as largely contemporary stories which just happened to be set in the past.

You should spend as much time as it takes getting familiar with the setting, so you know how to write it well.  Don’t just use a city, neighborhood, or era because you think it’s cool or required.  For example, not all stories set in England have to be set in London, not all stories about immigrants to the U.S. have to be set in the Lower East Side, and a story set during your childhood or teenage decade shouldn’t be a trip down memory lane to name-drop your favorite bands, TV shows, and fashions.

You also don’t want to overwhelm your story with so many details it feels more like a comprehensive history lesson or showing off your hometown or favorite city.  Pick the most important events, fashions, social movements, etc., of a given era, which make sense for your characters.  Even in a long book with an ensemble cast, what are the odds every single member of that family and circle of friends would be touched by all the events of the era?  It’s also overkill to have your characters constantly visiting all the city’s landmarks, name-dropping streets, and hanging out in trendy bistros and clubs.  Learning how much to season your book with is a delicate dance.  But you never want to give the impression this story could take place anywhere or at any time, and thus waste a great setting like Shanghai in the 1920s or Cairo in the 12th century.  This applies to sci-fi and fantasy too.  Even if it’s soft sci-fi or lighter fantasy, you still chose that setting for a reason.

Ursula Hartlein, who also writes as Carrie-Anne Brownian, is a proud native Pittsburgher, who’s lived most of her life in Upstate New York.  Her degree in history and Russian and East European Studies has been a great help in writing historical fiction, both intense and more light-hearted.  She dreams of one day earning a Ph.D. in 20th century Russian history, with a focus on GULAG and the Great Terror, and of having her own small farm on several acres of land.

As Ursula Hartlein, she’s the author of And Jakob Flew the Fiend Away, set from 1940–46 in The Netherlands, and You Cannot Kill a Swan: The Love Story of Lyuba and Ivan, a sweeping saga set from 1917–24.  As Carrie-Anne Brownian, she’s the author of Little Ragdoll, set from 1959–74 in New York, and has had work published in the anthologies Campaigner Challenges 2011, edited by Katharina Gerlach and Rachael Harrie; Overcoming Adversity:  An Anthology for Andrew, edited by Nick Wilford; How I Found the Right Path, edited by Carrie Butler and PK Hrezo; The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond; and The Cat Who Chose Us and Other Cat Stories.

http://carrieannebrownian.wordpress.com/

http://onomasticsoutsidethebox.wordpress.com

http://twitter.com/Anyechka

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OVGJ7NU (You Cannot Kill a Swan: The Love Story of Lyuba and Ivan)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OVGJ7NU

http://www.facebook.com/AndJakobFlewTheFiendAway

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L5JAF2S

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/little-ragdoll-carrie-anne-brownian/1119867666?ean=2940149695805&itm=1&usri=2940149695805

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/little-ragdoll-a-bildungsroman

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-Ragdoll-A-Bildungsroman/435227226506660

Elizabeth Varadan: Tuesday Two Cents

Monday, May 4, 2015

Elizabeth Varadan: Tuesday Two Cents' Worth

Welcome to Tuesday Two Cents' Worth! Today, Elizabeth Varadan, writer extraordinaire for young audiences is shelling out some excellent advice. The stage is yours, Elizabeth! 

The Value of Patience and Persistence – Elizabeth Varadan

All my life I wrote stories and poems, but as an adult I was mainly focused on getting through college, and then a teaching career consumed my time and creativity. I wasn’t serious about writing until I retired early to write full time.

My first lesson in persistence was the reality that, no matter what one’s flair for language and story ideas, one must spend significant time and effort learning the craft of good writing. (My efforts earlier had gone into the art of good teaching.)

Character was my strength, but a supportive writing group helped me discover that plotting was my weakness. I read books on plotting. I reread favorite authors and new ones, paying attention to what made their plots engaging. I took classes. All of that took time, but gradually I saw improvement. Persist in learning the nuts and bolts of your craft.

Lesson number two: Re-write forever. At times, it feels that way. Early on, I wanted to submit manuscripts too soon. A good critique group keeps your enthusiasm high for writing while helping you to resist that temptation. Writing is about more than the quest for publication. It only took me a few weeks to write The Fourth Wish, and the same is true for Imogene and the Case of the Missing Pearls. But I spent couple of years rewriting each one, and then rewriting it again and again – more times than I can count – before it was ready. This is key for those who self-publish: Resist the temptation to get your book published too soon. Persist in making it your best work.

Lesson number three: Keep on, despite rejection. I self-published The Fourth Wish after an online magazine ran it as a serial, because readers liked it. I started a blog, and a world of new friends opened up. From blog friends I’ve learned so much about what’s out there, if you only persist. For Imogene, though, I wanted to be traditionally published. That meant writing more of those dreaded query letters and synopses (which do get easier with time. Anything you persist at gets easier with time.)

But, whether you self-publish or seek traditional publication, never give up. We’ve all heard this, which isn’t the same as living through it – so much disappointment and then picking yourself up again! Still, when I heard that Kathryn Stockett’s marvelous book, The Help, had been reject 60 times – 60! – I told my husband, “Obviously I haven’t been rejected enough! What if she hadn’t sent it out 61 times?”

That made me keep submitting Imogene and the Case of the Missing Pearls, a middle grade mystery involving Sherlock Holmes, until I found the perfect match in MX Publishing, an independent publisher that specializes in Sherlock Holmes books.

So there you are: Don’t stop. Never quit. Persist.

Imogene and the Case of the Missing Pearls can be pre-ordered

at:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Imogene-Missing-Pearls-Elizabeth-Varadan/dp/1780927584

And at Book Depository: 

http://www.bookdepository.com/Imogene-Case-Missing-Pearls-Elizabeth-Varadan/9781780927589

Author contact information:

Blogs: http://elizabethvaradansfourthwish.blogspot.com

                   and

           http://victorianscribbles.blogspot.com

Twitter: @4thWishVaradan

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethVaradanAuthor

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Varadan/e/B003VOTCFG/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1308264854&sr=1-1

Elizabeth Varadan is a former elementary school teacher. She taught most elementary grades, but her favorites were the middle grades, and she now writes middle grade fiction. She and her husband live in Midtown Sacramento, California, a beautiful tree-lined neighborhood with bookshops and art stores nearby. Her children’s fiction and poetry have appeared in Ladybug, Friends, and Skipping Stones Magazine. Her adult flash fiction has appeared in several online and print magazines, and her poetry has been anthologized in Vine Leaves Journal and The Stray Branch.

Evelyn Jules: Tuesday Two Cents

Monday, April 27, 2015

Evelyn Jules: Tuesday Two Cents' Worth

Welcome to Tuesday Two Cents' Worth! Today, the very talented Evelyn Jules is shelling out some great writing wisdom. Read on!

Hello, all you writers out there! Teresa was kind enough to invite me to her blog to share some writing wisdom with all of you. You ready? Okay!

If there was one piece of writing advice I could share with others, it would be this: take risks. If you don’t take risks, you won’t make mistakes. If you don’t make mistakes, you won’t learn from them. Sometimes a risk can be something as simple as reaching out for a critique partner to look over your work. I know without a doubt I wouldn’t be where I am without my crit partner and fellow Team Awesome member, Margaret Ethridge. I never write anything without running it past her first, and the same goes for her.

You know that old expression—two heads are better than one? It’s never more true in the world of writing. We can read and re-read our own work until we’re ten seconds away from lighting it on fire and sprinkling the ashes over our morning toast. Or, on the flip side of things, we might think it’s the best. Thing. EVER. No one has ever written anything quite this awesome before, so I’ll just wait till all the big name publishers knock on my door and fight over it. Yeah...no. That only happens in Hollywood. Have a friend look it over! Yes, it’s agonizing having someone criticize your work, but why not make it the best it can possibly be before moving on to the next step? Odds are, you’ve invested a chunk of time and effort into your manuscript, so don’t cut corners at the end.

Last but not least, don’t give up. It’s so easy to throw in the towel. One bad writing week can turn into another and then another. You need to make time for it. Even if it’s only thirty minutes in your day. Even if you only manage to write 100 or 200 words, it’s something. How many words are on a blank page? ZERO. Just write! And remember, you are awesome! :)

Bio: Hailing from the Great White North, Evelyn Jules loves curling up on the couch with a hot toddy and a steamy book. Nothing warms a girl up faster than a little hanky-panky. When she’s not reading deliciously erotic tales, she’s weaving her own in hopes of warming her readers’ hearts and other parts! 

Thanks so much for listening! If you’d like to get to know me better and be friends and stuff, you can find me at the following locations:

My blog: http://evelynjules.blogspot.ca/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EvelynJules

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EvelynJules

And here’s a link to my Amazon page filled with all my published titles: 

http://www.amazon.com/Evelyn-Jules/e/B008QP0PPG/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_

Tanya Reimer: Tuesday Two Cents

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Tanya Reimer: Tuesday Two Cents' Worth

Welcome to Tuesday 2 Cents' Worth, where authors and writers answer one question: If you could share one piece of writing advice with other writers, what would it be?

      I'm pleased to introduce you to Tanya Reimer, talented author, generous supporter of fellow writers--and owner of a great sense of humor. She'll be sharing her two cents today. 

      Take the stage, Tanya!

     I lived by this motto for a long time: Write because you love to, because you absolutely have to, and worry about publishing when it’s time.

     But what happened when I ironed out the technicalities and was staring at something that was… done? I discovered that while writing might be art, publishing is business. Writing and publishing are often thought about as one, but they aren’t the same. Many write and never publish. Some write to sell. Others fall somewhere in between. I’m glad I gave myself the freedom to create without the worry about selling. In other words, I wrote with dreams, and now, I publish with goals.

     When I left the comfort of my artistic world and ventured into the business realm, I got conflicting feedback. For example, I had a publisher ask for more setting and another wanting it cut. I thought about these things with both my creative and my business hat on. They were opposites. Which meant from a creative point of view, with a few tweaks, the book could be published. From a business point of view, my creative piece would not sell without a few tweaks. Even if I decided to self-publish, I was going to need a team of support from editors to readers and how many tweaks would they ask for? It put my creativity to question. Sure I am always willing to make more than a few tweaks, but! BUT! I was suddenly knee deep in the mud wondering why I couldn't just write for the market to begin with? Does creativity work that way? I reflected on my goal and my dreams. My dream was to be creative, but my goal was to publish. Can creativity be marketable? Should I force a piece into a particular market just to see it sold, and if so, which one?

     So what’s a writer to do? No matter what anyone says, despite the doubt and the panic; you are the artist. When you write, you learn about the creative side, (everything from grammar to plots) and when you’re ready to journey into that business aspect of writing, you must take the time to learn all you can about the business (everything from the market trends to which stories will compliment and drive your sales). Understand it as well as you did the creative aspect. This will allow you to stay in control of your work and make the right choices for your career.

ABOUT:

Tanya Reimer is the author of Ghosts on the Prairies published with Elsewhen Press (2014) and Petrified published with Sunbury Press (2014). She lives on the prairies where the tranquility inspires her not so peaceful speculative fiction. She is director of a non-profit Francophone community center, where she offers programming and services in French for all ages. She teaches social media safety for teens and their parents and offers one-on-one technology classes for seniors. 

Website: www.tanyareimerauthor.wix.com/books

Blog: www.tanyareimer.blogspot.com

Susan Stuckey: Tuesday Two Cents

Monday, April 13, 2015

Susan Stuckey: Tuesday Two Cents' Worth

Welcome to Tuesday 2 Cents' Worth, where authors and writers answer one question: If you could share one piece of writing advice with other writers, what would it be?

      I'm pleased to introduce you to the very talented Susan Stuckey who will be generously sharing her two cents today. 

      Take the stage, Susan!

Teresa asked me if I’d be interested in writing a post answering the question “If there is one piece of writing advice you could share with other writers, what would it be?” I said yes, because Teresa is such a sweetheart--who could say no?

One minute (actually is was more like a couple of seconds) after I hit send on my acceptance, panic set in. Who was I to give writing advice to anyone? What could I say but reiterate one of the same memes as everyone else? Read! Write every day!, etc.

Then I realized that the answer could be found in two of the disciplines I studied in college: sociology and psychology. I considered our age of “internet interaction” filled with the flame wars, bullying, and negativity. I realized that my advice would not directly be about writing, but something related.

I went back to one of my favorite poems -- specifically the last two lines of this verse:

"The ill-timed truth we might have kept--

Who knows how sharp it pierced and stung?

The word we had not sense to say--

Who knows how grandly it had rung!”

[from The Fools Prayer by Edward Roland Sill]

     My advice is to have sense, and say those truthful words that “grandly ring” to everyone but especially fellow writers. Offer other writers help and support. Helping someone else promote their publication does not diminish your possibilities of sales, it increases them.

     Perhaps you don’t believe you can promote their book to your fans because you write YA or MG and theirs is erotica or adult horror or ??? There are other ways to say the word that rings grandly. Buy their book. Leave a review. Attend their Facebook party. Congratulate them on publication for a job well done.    There are untold ways to show the “kind heart” and give support.

     And when someone supports you, either verbally or by action, THANK THEM!

     Small kindnesses make large waves.

*****

BIO: Currently (mostly) retired, but 'back in the day' Susan was a meek, mild-mannered, self-effacing accountant/auditor but after 5:00 her imagination broke free. She either played with historical stories, or in the magical World of Aldura she created.

Besides playing in fantasy worlds and/or historical times, Susan dabbles in various hobbies, loves to try new recipes, and is the servant of multiple fur-children (both feline and canine).

LINKS:

Website/blog: http://susan-stuckey.storytellersinn.com

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Susan-Stuckey-Author/405863746200970?ref=hl

Twitter handle: @SusanStuckey3

Amazon US Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Stuckey/e/B00F961U04/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1392130321&sr=8-1

Connie Jasperson: Tuesday Two Cents

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Connie J. Jasperson: Tuesday Two Cents' Worth

     Welcome to Tuesday 2 Cents' Worth, where authors and writers answer one question: If you could share one piece of writing advice with other writers, what would it be?

      I'm pleased to introduce you to the talented Connie J. Jasperson who has kindly agreed to share her two cents today.


      Take it away, Connie!

     "The Buddha once said, “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”  I believe this to be true, and try to live my life accordingly. I am a basically happy person.

     And this is how I approach writing. It's only human nature to want to make the world to fit your idea of what is good and beautiful.

     In my favorite books, good people always find themselves in bad situations, but through the drama, heartache and violence, the great authors managed to express the beauty of life, the emotions that are experienced when joys are contrasted against sorrows.

     If you have never felt hunger, you can never understand what it is to have plenty. In the same context, if you have never known sorrow, how can you know joy? The contrasts of life are the flavors, the textures that give it meaning.

     I would advise an author to be true to the human condition in writing, whether you write historical fiction, Sci-fi, or fantasy. Understanding humanity and the realities of both extreme poverty and an overabundance of plenty give your work a sense of solidness, and without that feeling of truth the story will never hold water.  Draw from history, mash it up into alternate realities all you want, but don't turn away from the ugly truth—because in any story, small instances of kindness are all the more precious when viewed in juxtaposition to brutality.

     Never forget that there is as much beauty to draw from as there is pain, for it is that contrast that makes an intense story compelling.

     No work of fiction will ever be more horrific or glorious than the true history of our humanity and inhumanity. We authors will only scratch the surface, and if that small scratch makes an impact on a reader, we have done our job."

HUW THE BARD, by Connie J. Jasperson, published March 28, 2014

(new release)(mature readers)

Genre: fantasy, alternate history

Synopsis:

Smuggled out of the burning city in a reeking ale barrel, Huw the Bard is a wanted man. Starving, reduced to begging and worse, he must somehow make his way north to safety. It’s a 200-league walk to the one place he might have a friend, though the path Huw must take is anything but straight.

A lot can happen to a man on journey like that.

>>><<< 

Amazon Buy Links:

http://bit.ly/HuwTheBard_US

http://bit.ly/HuwTheBard_UK

http://bit.ly/HuwTheBard_AU

 

Connie can be found at: 

 

cjjasperson.editing@gmail.com

www.myrddinpublishing.com

Life in the Realm of Fantasy https://conniejjasperson.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/cjjasperson

 https://twitter.com/cjjasp

Elena Giorgi: Tuesday Two Cents

Monday, March 30, 2015

Elena Giorgi: Tuesday Two Cents' Worth

Welcome to Tuesday 2 Cents' Worth, where authors and writers answer one question: If you could share one piece of writing advice with other writers, what would it be?

I'm pleased to introduce you to the talented Elena Giorgi who has kindly agreed to share her two cents today.


Take it away, Elena!

"Lately the one question I'm asked a lot is: should I self-publish? I'm happy that people are asking because up until a few years ago you were immediately deemed unworthy just for posing such a question. But today writers have a choice, and I can't tell you how happy this makes me. I've seen too many writer friends mistreated and intellectually abused by publishers, editors and agents. Of course, that doesn't mean that self-publishing is the perfect alternative. Nothing's perfect and no matter what route writers choose, they have to do a lot of work. The job doesn't end when you write "The End" on the last page of your manuscript. In fact, that's when the job really start. And yes, the first question should be: should I self-publish? And my answer usually is: it depends.
     What kind of writer are you? Are you part of a writing community, do you do a lot of online networking, do you write fast and plan on publishing many books and/or a series? If so, go for self-publishing. It will take longer to build your readership (and start making money) but if you can promise many books to come and are patient with letting that readership grow, you will be rewarded in the end.
     On the other hand, if you are the kind of writer who can produce one book per year, and likely the literary kind, you are probably better off trying the traditional route, unless you have really good networking connections. Of course, I do know writers who've become extremely successful by self-publishing one book only (there are always exceptions, right?), but it's rare.
     No matter what you decide: get on-line and talk to writers from both sides. Set some goals, ask questions, and find out for yourself what works best for you and your career."

 E.E. Giorgi grew up in Tuscany, in a house on a hill that she shared with two dogs, two cats, 5 chickens, and the occasional batches of stick insects, newts and toads her dad would bring home from the lab. Today, E.E. Giorgi is a scientist and an award winning author and photographer. She spends her days analyzing genetic data, her evenings chasing sunsets, and her nights pretending she's somebody else. On her blog, E.E. discusses science for the inquiring mind, especially the kind that sparks fantastic premises and engaging stories. Her debut novel CHIMERAS, a medical mystery, is a 2014 Readers' Favorite International Book Award winner.

 

Links:

Blog: http://chimerasthebooks.blogspot.com/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/E.E.-Giorgi/e/B00J4900R6
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chimeras/166368693451952
 
Elena, thanks so much for sharing your writing advice!

Veronica Scott: Tuesday Two Cents

Monday, March 23, 2015

Veronica Scott: Tuesday Two Cents' Worth

Welcome to the inaugural post for Tuesday 2 Cents' Worth, where authors and writers answer one question: If you could share one piece of writing advice with other writers, what would it be?

I'm pleased to introduce you to Veronica Scott who has kindly agreed to share her 2 cents today.

Thanks for inviting me to be your guest, Teresa! The single most important piece of advice I give to anyone who asks me about writing is sometimes the hardest – get words on the page, every day if you can. Sounds simple but with all the demands on an author’s time, plus the fun stuff like Twitter, Facebook and more, not to mention reading (because we all love to read or we wouldn’t be writers!)…it’s way too easy to let a day, then two or more slip by without actually getting new words produced for your latest manuscript. (And please note, although I started writing longhand as a seven year old author of an elaborate fairy tale, I soon switched to a very old Royal typewriter and nowadays I happily pound on my laptop keyboard instead, but they’re still “words on a page” to me.)

                The thing is, some days the Muse isn’t very co-operative and all you can produce is a measly paragraph, or a sentence, or just some scribbly notes on what the next scene may be like. That’s ok! You’ve still transmitted something that moves your story forward out of your mind to a place it can be read and worked on.

                Don’t talk about writing – WRITE.

                Which leads me to the second most important piece of advice I give, which is don’t  edit yourself as you go. Don’t be over-critical in the early drafts or you risk choking off the creativity and possibly never finishing a single story. First drafts are clunky. They have extra stuff. You’re going to have to return to these pages eventually and revise/edit/add/delete – it’s the process. But don’t examine each word  as you write it, ok? Maybe you know someone whose first draft is release-ready (but I kinda doubt it LOL). Even if that’s their process, you have your own process, unique to you. And nothing is ever truly wasted. I have entire chapters I’ve cut later, during the developmental edits, that have the potential to become additional material for a blog post or newsletter, or might even be the kernel for a new story.

                You’ll be pleasantly amazed how even a few words every day soon adds up to a complete first draft – you’re on your way!

Blog: https://veronicascott.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vscotttheauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Veronica-Scott/177217415659637?ref=hl

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5428500.Veronica_Scott

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Veronica-Scott/e/B006CUCJ92/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1426864281&sr=1-2-ent

Veronica Scott is a three-time recipient of the SFR Galaxy Award and was awarded a NASA Exceptional Service Medal (from the day job activities, not for her romance writing). She has written a number of best-selling science-fiction and paranormal romances and is the SciFi Encounters columnist for the USA Today/HEA blog. She grew up in a house with a library as its heart. Dad loved science fiction, Mom loved ancient history and Veronica thought there needed to be more romance in everything. When she ran out of books to read, she started writing her own stories. Her most recent science fiction romance is  the award-winning Mission to Mahjundar.