April 30, 2010

My daughter’s expecting her first baby, and it’s fun watching her during this “nesting” season. Today it struck me how much her preparations for a new life are like those plans made by writers who want to write for a lifetime.

Time to Make Changes

My daughter’s changes have included preparing the baby’s room and getting the proper baby equipment. She is also handing over a ministry at church that she runs (and loves), but feels she can’t devote enough time to after the baby is born. And she can stop working if she chooses to; she said they’d been budgeting for this eventuality for years. (Bless her husband.)

All this nesting has been a dual venture. Her husband is involved, from going to doctors’ appointments and setting up the nursery to being a careful financial planner. They’re on the same team.

Writing Season Preparation

If you want to be successful at your writing and even turn it into a career, you’ll need to make similar changes. The easiest one is setting up a writing space (whether it’s a spare room or just a corner of the bedroom) and acquiring the proper equipment (computer, printer, Internet access).

You may have to give up some volunteer activities for a while, or cut back (or cut out) certain hobbies. For a while, maybe you can’t plant huge gardens or run marathons or belong to three book clubs. Your may also hope to quit your day job. If that’s the case, you’ll need to do like my son-in-law and have a strict budget (probably for years) to prepare for the income cut.

Lastly, involve your family. Writers’ lives always run smoother when the immediate family members are on the same team. Find ways to involve everyone so they don’t feel neglected.

It’s Temporary

My daughter’s nesting season won’t last forever. One day when she’s an old hand at the skills she’ll acquire to balance home and baby, she will (slowly, I hope) begin to add some “extras” back into her life. Maybe not everything, but some things she misses the most.

Likewise, the things you give up so you have time to devote to your writing is for a season. Once you have the writing skills well in hand, you will be able to slowly add back into your life a few of the things you miss most. But give sufficient time to your “writing season” first. You’ll be glad you did!

April 28, 2010

Last week I received this question in my email from a blog reader: “I wonder with the proliferation of print on demand companies reducing the need for inventory, providing on-line marketing capabilities, and the writer keeping a higher percentage of the book profits, what in your opinion, is the best route to go and why?”

 If you read my other comments on self-publishing in “The Four D’s” or “Publishing Confusion,” you probably guessed that I am negative about self-publishing. [Do read those articles-there are links to various websites where you can become more informed-and warned.]

Some of my opinion comes from personal experience: none of my 35 books were self-published. Some of my opinion comes from seeing writing friends and students get burned by false promises. (Yes, the writer gets to keep a higher percentage of book profits, but often those profits are miniscule. Fifty percent of a meager amount is still a pittance.) And some of my opinion comes from what I’ve heard agents and editors say (their negative perceptions of self-published books and authors.) I’m afraid that in at least nine cases out of ten, self-publishing turns out to be a very disappointing (and often expensive) experience.

Good Option for Some

Are there times that self-publishing something makes sense? Definitely so. Perhaps you’re a frequent speaker for a national organization like MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), and you speak to large audiences many times per year. If you have a nonfiction book that this group would love, then a print-on-demand book (POD book) could be a good idea. You have a built-in audience and credibility as an expert through your speaking. (I’ve heard of many professionals-from agents to landscape gardeners-who’ve been able to sell hundreds of books when they speak at conferences.) But they had credibility first-and a built-in large audience for their books. 

My One Experience with Self-Publishing

For the above reasons, I decided to e-publish a couple of $7 e-booklets this month. [See "Don't Re-Invent the Wheel."] I had the credibility first. Most of my published books are novels, so “50 Tension Techniques” was easy to put together from a workshop on that subject that I’ve done at many SCBWI events. And since eleven of my published books are mysteries, I had the credibility for “Writing Mysteries for Young People.”

And my built-in audience? I’ve had a website for many years, a blog for four years, and already had friends on my Facebook and Twitter pages. Everything was already in place for “e-sales.”

And (this is key to me), it was almost free to set up. I just added information pages to my website and blog. (If I had used PayPal instead of ClickBank, it would have been totally free to e-publish them, but my Google research turned up a lot of disgruntled PayPal experiences, so I opted to pay the one-time $49 ClickBank fee.)

What About Self-Published Fiction?

Self-published nonfiction out-sells self-published fiction by an enormous margin. Few people starting out as novelists have a speaking platform where they can sell their books. Few have a huge following online-and you must have if you expect to market your novel online. Otherwise you are stuck marketing the book from the trunk of your car, begging a few small bookstores to stock your self-published novel (the chain stores won’t), and arranging your own autograph parties and signings where you will probably sell fewer than a dozen books.

With self-published novels you won’t have the kind of support you get when published by traditional publishers. [For example, my latest publisher has nine of my books on their website, which I'm sure gets a lot more hits than my website! They have separate pages for the mysteries and the devotionals.] In addition, the four mysteries and one devotional are all getting new covers in May and another “publicity push” from the publisher. Traditional publishers can do that-they have whole publicity and promotion teams who work on such things.

Publicity and Promotion

When you self-publish, remember that you are the publisher (or you pay for it), the art designer (unless you pay for that service too), and your book’s publicity/promotion/sales team. Most of the on-line promotion packages that self-publishing companies want to sell you are things you could do for yourself for FREE.

And unless you already have a big following, your sales will be minimal. Most self-published books are way over-priced. Why would a stranger take a chance and buy a novel from an unknown self-published author when the same money will buy him a famous name author’s novel? Once self-published authors have run through their friends and family members, the pickings are slim when it comes to sales.

Be Extra Careful

If you are considering self-publishing, please thoroughly research the pros and cons first. Do Google searches on “self-publishing scams.” For each company that wants to “publish” your book, Google them. Contact other authors they’ve “published” and ask about their sales and what the “extra services” (like editing, marketing, book jackets) cost them. (Remember: with a traditional publisher, all those services are free to you and done by whole teams of professionals: editors, publicists, sales reps, promotion, etc.)

Do not let your blind faith or impatience to publish make you naïve. Take time to get your facts. Self-publishing is very risky business for an author. Except in rare cases (like those mentioned earlier), I can’t recommend it.

April 26, 2010

More than one person emailed the question: “How can I know I’m a real writer?” or “How can you know if you’re ‘called’ to be a writer?”

Since I have seven bookcases of writing books, it wasn’t hard to find a lot of opinions from published writers. Most of them gave lists of character qualities you needed to be named a “real writer.” Among the traits listed (desire, discipline, patience, willingness to learn, etc.) was something I hadn’t thought of. But this one trait could be a deciding factor.

What Is It?

It’s called having a “long-term view.” Don’t think: “Do I have a book inside me?” Think instead: “Do I have a writer inside me?” Sometimes it’s hard to tell! We certainly can’t rely on our feelings to tell us, since they fluctuate so much from day to day.

What would a “writer inside” look like? I don’t know for sure. Some agree with the writer George Bernau: “I decided that I would continue to write as long as I lived, even if I never sold one thing, because that was what I wanted out of my life.”

I can agree with that, I think. Even if I never sold another thing, I believe I would continue to write: newsletters, journals, some stories, some articles, things for my family. I might not keep trying to write “for the markets,” but I don’t think I could stop writing in some form or another, even if I tried.

Stick-To-It-Iveness

Others would agree with Harlan Ellison that the “long-term view” is more a mind-set, something you can choose instead of something that has chosen you. He said, after reading a book he didn’t like, that “If someone who writes that badly can become a writer, then even the dippiest of us can become a writer, baboons can become writers, sludge and amoeba can become writers. The trick is not in becoming a writer, it is in staying a writer. Day after week after month after year. Staying in there for the long haul.”

So the answer to the question of “Am I a REAL Writer?” seems to be that you are–if you don’t quit. You are if you stay in the writing game for the long haul.

What a Real Writer Isn’t

When I was searching for the answer to that question, I looked in several books. None of the well known authors said REAL writers sell books or REAL writers win awards or REAL writers make a lot of money or REAL writers have agents.

No. The consensus of opinion was this: Writers write–and keep on writing. You’ll know you’re a REAL writer if that’s what you do.

April 23, 2010

Today I’d like to take a survey and find out what subjects you’re most interested in. Some of my blog topics strike a nerve, resulting in nearly a dozen comments. Some topics don’t elicit any response, but I don’t know if that means the topics aren’t helpful or not.

So…I thought I’d just ask! What topics would you like to hear more about? Here are some that have “hit a nerve” in the past and elicited many responses:

Some Possible Choices

• rejection
• writing schedules
• setting boundaries
• creativity
• discipline
• distraction
• families
• writing fears
• finding time
• getting started
• goals
• habits
• inspiration
• motivation
• perseverance
• procrastination
• rejections
• schedules
• self-care
• time management
• voice
• writer’s block
• writing schedule
• OTHER_______

Please leave a comment if you have any preferences at all. Or email me at kristi.holl@gmail.com if you don’t want to post a public comment. I’d like to write about the things that matter most to you!

April 21, 2010

I love flying for the simple reason that you get to read on planes and in airports. Last week I re-read an old favorite If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland (originally published in 1938). Reading some of her comments, you’d think she was writing in the 21st Century.

Chapter Ten has a lengthy title: “Why Women Who Do Too Much Housework Should Neglect It for Their Writing.” The chapter is about doing too much (unnecessary stuff) for others and neglecting your writing.

The More Things Change… 

While most of us today have enough modern conveniences that housework isn’t the time-consuming drudge it used to be, we’re trying to juggle home, day jobs, carpooling, throwing kids’ birthday parties, running the school’s bake sale, and a thousand other things. Some things are truly important to your child’s and family’s welfare, but much of it isn’t.

Let me quote Brenda Ueland and see if you agree: “They [wives/mothers] are always doing secondary and menial things (that do not require all their gifts and ability) for others and never anything for themselves. Society and husbands praise them for it (when they get too miserable or have nervous breakdowns) though always a little perplexedly and half-heartedly and just to be consoling. The poor wives are reminded that that is just why women are so splendid–because they are so unselfish and self-sacrificing and that is the wonderful thing about them! But inwardly women know that something is wrong.” 

That Was Then! Or Was It?

You might say, “But that was 1938!” Yes, but judging from the letters I get from mom/students, things haven’t changed all that much. We break our necks trying to keep up with whatever “expert” says a good wife or good mother does. We still “people please” and try to live our roles perfectly–instead of choosing what is the more excellent use of our time and doing that well.

My children (and now my kids and grandchildren) have always come before my writing. But in order to find time to write, I had to stop making my own pickles (like good farm wives did back then), running every children’s program at church, sewing costumes for plays, making applesauce out of the bushel of half-rotten apples given to me, painting my kitchen ceiling that was stained, and a host of other things. I wanted to write! Something had to give.

What About You?

Today I believe the pressures are much higher. Young parents are expected to have their children in several social groups starting in preschool, have big birthday parties for the kids, and be at everyone’s beck and call. Do you find that true in your life?

Could this be why you don’t have time to write? Does your family knowingly (or unknowingly) put pressure on you to give up all of your activities in favor of theirs? Or is the person putting pressure on you to be everything for everybody…you?

April 19, 2010

What could be more fun than meeting up with a writing friend to spend a few days researching the setting of your new manuscript? Nothing I can think of!

That’s what I did last week, and no other experience has left me so “pumped” to write in years. We started in Charleston, South Carolina, then drove up the coast to North Carolina, logging over 1,200 miles. The azaleas were in bloom everywhere we drove (see above). Talk about beautiful!  I’ll share a few photos below, and then get back to the usual “Writer’s First Aid” column on Wednesday.

Breathtaking!

I needed to visit a plantation for research, but first we explored downtown Charleston. We started in the Historic City Market, and you can see a mini-slide show here. There I found a hand-painted card that is now framed on my desk. It says: “Today I will translate the reality of my dreams into my ordinary day…in order to achieve extraordinary results!” Doesn’t that sound inspiring? A great quote to read each morning before I start work.

We walked to the wharf next, past some very colorful houses!

The next day we visited the Boone Hall Plantation, which is still a working farm. This link has an entire video and photo gallery, if you’re interested.

As we walked down the long avenue of giant oaks dripping with Spanish moss (behind me above), I could easily imagine myself as Scarlett O’Hara arriving at the infamous  Twelve Oaks picnic. Turning 180 degrees (below) gives you a glimpse of my dear Australian friend Sherryl and the plantation house.

I took hundreds of photos last week–one of the benefits of digital cameras–and I’ll post more of them on Facebook this week. Most of the time, this Writer’s First Aid blog deals with the tougher side of the writing life and how to persevere despite everything. So today I wanted to show you the “fun” side of writing that can be yours. Sherryl and I both have novels set on the coast there, so the trip was tax deductible (a big consideration!)

And now, off to “translate the reality of my dreams into  my ordinary day…”

April 16, 2010

I get quite a few questions about setting up a website (how to do it, when to do it, what to do with it once it’s launched.)

So here are three short articles from the National Writing for Children Center that will answer your questions about setting up a basic writer’s website.

A Clear Explanation

Websites for Authors and Writers: Part One

Websites for Authors and Writers: Part Two

Websites for Authors and Writers: Part Three

April 14, 2010

“The best time for planning a book is when you’re doing the dishes.” ~~Agatha Christie

“Lately I’ve been having conversations with a friend about the importance of the menial, everyday tasks in our lives, and how they provide wonderful opportunities to let our minds loose to roam, explore, and process…

We live in such a noisy world. Whenever we’re driving or folding laundry or jogging, it’s tempting to always have our iPods or cell phones in our ears, or the TV or radio on in the background. How desperately we avoid having a few moments of silence!”

But these moments of silence are so important for writers. So much “writing” and “processing” that we do requires silence. For more about this, read “Embracing Silence” on Rachelle Gardner’s agent blog.

April 12, 2010

“Where there’s discomfort, there’s growth. Where there are barriers, there are lessons. And where there is adversity, there is strength to be found and potential to be explored.”

Do you avoid the discomfort that comes with the writing life? Discomfort comes with both failure and success!

I will be away from my desk all week on a writing-related trip, so this week I’ll share some motivational articles that I think you’ll find thought-provoking. I’ll be back online “live” next Monday.

Today’s offering from Craig Harper’s motivational blog is called “The Discomfort Theory.”

 

 

April 9, 2010

In the midst of the doldrums, our writing lives come to a standstill. We stop writing, reading craft books and magazines,  journaling, critiquing, and researching.

There is actually a place near the equator named the Doldrums. Because of shifting winds and calm spots in the area, a sailboat caught in the Doldrums could be stranded for days due to lack of wind. When we’re caught in the writing doldrums, our writing boat is stranded for days too.

What causes this? The Doldrums near the equator are caused by alternating calms and squalls. Super highs and super lows. Hyperactivity and then no activity.

That’s exactly what causes the writing doldrums too.

Uneven Pacing

The cycling back and forth between hyperactivity and doldrums is where many of us live. NOTE: the hyperactivity can be writing-related or nonwriting activity. Writerly hyperactivity includes writing marathons for ten hours, getting caught up in the Twitter-Facebook-LinkedIn-MySpace-blog frenzy, and other ways of operating in hyper-drive. Nonwriting hyperactivity can be rushing from one kids’ activity to another while juggling your day job, a birthday party, a sick parent, and your aerobics class.

Either way, you’re too busy and out of balance. This always–and I do mean ALWAYS–is followed by the doldrums where you just can’t make yourself do a thing. (Partly it’s nature’s way of making you slow down and rest.)

Is this your pattern? If so, you’ve probably noticed that the time spent in the doldrums effectively wipes out how much you gained during the hyper times.

The Solution

Do you get tired of crashing, of having days of no productivity that follow your super productive days? After the flurry of frenzied activity that accompanies your adrenaline rush, your bodies, minds, emotions and spirits shut down. This can be prevented though!

It takes daily discipline, but it can be done. And oddly enough, the discipline that’s called for is slowing down. You want to avoid the hyperactive days–be they writing or nonwriting hyper days–so that the doldrums don’t automatically follow.

To avoid the crash, you have to avoid the frantic days that precede it.

Balance and Pacing

If you want to have a writing career that will go the distance, your best bet is to avoid the extreme highs so you can avoid the extreme lows. Even if you can write five straight hours, it’s better for most people to stop after two hours and take a break. Do something else, something physical. Change gears. Let the adrenaline subside. You can write again later if you have time.

If you’re hyper in the nonwriting world, it may mean saying “no” a lot more often. Not everyone who asks for your assistance needs it nearly as much as you need to stop and take a few deep breaths and relax. Most of us have such an automatic “yes” that we don’t even stop to think or pray about the request. It’s only later–when we’re up till midnight trying to get our own things done–that we realize we agreed to something that we should have declined.

The Pay-Off

The writers who last, who keep producing quality writing, are usually those who have found a way to stay on an even keel most of the time. Then they can write daily, produce pages that add up over time, and still have a balanced life away from the keyboard.

Give yourself permission to get out of hyper drive, and thus avoid the writing doldrums. You’re the only one who can make that change. I urge you–and ME–to begin today.

Newer Posts »