A Walking Meditation: Relax Your Creative Monster

When I need to recharge between projects or am working out a plot point, I walk. Walking is a great way to let my mind wander and play. It never fails to relax me and help improve my storytelling. I normally take a lot of photos, which is great because I am submitting them to Shutterstock for royalties, so my walks serve a dual purpose. I also get a really good workout because I am gone on average about an hour at a time.

Have you tried a walking meditation when your writer's mind needs space? If you take pictures on your walks, please share them below in comments. I'd love to see your art or hear about any other suggestions you have for relaxing your mind.

Do You Still Play?

 

I do. I find it therapeutic. There are so many stressors since the coronavirus lockdown of 2020. I find it essential as a writer to have other outlets. It lets my mind relax and ideas flow. Sometimes there are no words for the feelings I have at the moment, but they come to me when I use my hands. 

Since early 2021, I have picked up two new art mediums; I am working on guerilla chalk art and also the Kindness Rocks campaign. I've painted over 400 hundred rocks and guerillaed a few parks, used my driveway as a canvas, and drawn outside of places where friends live. It's been a lifesaver. It helps me to have another creative outlet to feel less isolated and keep me sane. 

I hope this post finds you healthy mentally and physically. The pandemic has altered our world forever. We are living in a time of cultural, social, and media whiplash. Sometimes I tune out for my own sanity. I'd like to share some pictures of my artwork with you. I hope it brings you joy. It does for me. You can find more of my chalk work online. Please share your own work in the comments. It brightens my day.

Rejection Isn't Bad

What? You're thinking I'm crazy or had a momentary lapse in judgement. Why would I embrace a failure? Well, it's not a failure, if you put your work out there and one publication rejects it. There could be a number of reasons your work was rejected:

• They got slammed with great submissions and didn't have room to publish them all.
• You might have misjudged the market and have a great story that would fit better with another press.
• Not everyone has the same taste as you.

Five Fun Ways to Promote Your Book by Author Michelle Scott & Free eBook Contest

Michelle Scott received her MFA from Wayne State University. Her stories have appeared in such places as Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, All Possible Worlds and Realms. Her fantasy novel, The Dragons of Hazlett was nominated for a 2009 EPPIE Award. Her latest urban fantasy novel, The Soulless, was recently released from Mundania Press, LLC. Michelle lives in southeast Michigan with her husband and three children. You can read free samples of her work on her website.

THE SOULLESS: They prey upon society’s outcasts--the lonely, the desperate, the guilty--feeding upon the rage and lust and fear hidden in these human hearts. Once they find a victim, they are able to erase the boundary between impulse and action, turning an angry thought into murderous rage and a simple desire into manic obsession.

Only one person understands the danger. Evander Calhoun has spent a lifetime protecting his unsuspecting neighbors from these evil spirits, but--after a nearly a century of service--the old man no longer has the strength to continue the fight.

Evander must find a replacement. But, despite the fact that his master was a nearly crippled, illiterate, farmhand, Evander staunchly refuses to consider anyone but a strong, young male for an apprentice. In fact, he is so blinded by prejudice that he is apt to overlook the best chance he has of saving his beloved town.

Buy a copy.

Book promotion is very important to writers, but that doesn’t mean that it has to be a chore. And when you enjoy doing something, you lessen your chances of burning out. Here are five ways that you can connect with readers that should be fun for you as well.

1. Join online book discussion groups. I’m not just a writer; I’m a reader as well! I love discussing new books, recommending books I love, and talking about my favorite characters. Joining online book sites like GoodReads and Shelfari allows you to find other readers who share your reading interests. The point here is not to make drive-by promotional comments or to mention, “I’m a writer” in every thread. No, it’s to create connections with readers by engaging in conversations about the books you love.

2. Chase a meme. Bloggers, especially book bloggers, use memes (daily topics or question that are passed from blog to blog in hopes of going viral) as a way to lead readers from one blog to another. When you chase down a meme (travel from one blog to another, following the thread of posts relating to the meme) you can discover a huge number of book-related websites. You will not only meet other readers, but you may also connect with bloggers who are willing to review your latest release or host an interview.

3. Host a giveaway. At least once a month, I host a giveaway with one of my books as a prize. Oftentimes, I will do this as a part of a blog hop. (A blog hop is similar to a meme in that several blogs link together so that readers can ‘hop’ from one blog to another in order to enter as many contests as possible.)  At other times, I will write a guest post for a blog and then offer a prize as well.  Not only is it fun to give away prizes, but giving away copies will put your book into readers’ hands.  Hopefully, that will land you either a good review or, at the very least, a little word of mouth.

4. Start a Poll.  Engage your readers by asking for their input.  Maybe you’ll have them help you decide which cover you should use for your next release, or maybe it’s as simple as asking what book you should read next.  What a poll does is build a conversation between you and your followers.  After all, everyone loves to give an opinion!

5. Talk about something other than writing and reading!  It’s easy to forget that there is a world outside the written page.  Readers have a variety of interests, and it’s wonderful to connect with them on a level that doesn’t involve books.  I’ve also been known to start Twitter conversations about topics like Tim Gunn, cats, and chocolate.  Also, as an avid knitter, I interact with other knitters and knitting threads throughout the Web.  Whenever I join social sites (such as Pinterest or Ravelry), I make sure that my profile includes links to my website and books.  That way, if people are interested, they can check out my work. 

Remember, promotion isn’t about shoving your book in people’s faces and screaming, “Look at me!  I’m a writer!”  No, it’s about making connections and building relationships.  Building a fan base can very time consuming, but it can also be rewarding and, most importantly, fun!

You have a chance to win a FREE eBook copy of The Soulless!

Contest Rules

1)      Only ONE comment per person.

2)      Please include your email, if not listed in your profile post link. You can post it like this to avoid spammers: yourname at yourdomain dot com.

3)      I’ll announce the winner on Friday, February 3, 2012. The contest ends at midnight on Thursday, February 2, 2012.

4)      In 100 words or less, tell me how you would protect your own town from evil spirits.

Good luck and have fun my wily demon hunters!

Tips for the Sick Writer

Every writer faces a time under the weather. Here are a few tips to keep you cool when you're feeling blue.

1) Never sign a contract while on mind-altering medications. Try to avoid sending out submissions or doing any business while under mind-altering meds. If you need to, have someone else proof anything you send out and type your emails for you.

2) Try to avoid taking new medications before public appearances. You don't know how they will affect you.

3) If you can still write and are having problems typing, get a voice recognition program to do the writing for you.

4) If you're too sick to write, but can't turn your brain off, you can keep your thoughts flowing and organized with a digital recorder.

5) Read a good story and rest up. It might inspire you later.

6)) Daydream, if you can't sleep or read. You never know what's lurking inside your imagination.

7) Be careful about sharing information on social networks. Nobody likes a whiner and you want to put forth your best impression at all times. You never know who might be paying attention to what you are writing -- future agents, other writers in your genre, editors, publishers.

8) Plan your writing schedule while ill. If you feel good for an hour, take advantage of the time to write. If you know you feel good at a certain time of the day or evening, use that time wisely.

9) Rest when you need it. You can't get any work done, if you aren't able to function.

10) By all means, follow your doctor's advice so you can get back to your keyboard quickly.

11) Don't be discouraged if you are not up to your usual level of writing. Everybody gets sick. It happens.

12) If you have a deadline/appearance to keep, then by all means keep it. If you can't, be professional and let people know in a timely manner.

13) If you are a blogger and can plan for your absence ahead of time, have guests fill in for you. Part of successful blogging is consistency. If you miss a week, you can lose your audience's interest. If take ill suddenly, see if you can have someone you trust contact guest bloggers for you.

14) Don't compare yourselves to other writers in similar situations. Not everyone is Stephen King and can write while recovering from a car accident. If you can, great for you. If you can't, that's okay.

15) If you're recuperating long term, don't look at it as an obstacle. Look at it as a challenge to broaden your horizons as a writer. Inject your experience into your writing. It is cathartic and readers will recognize and appreciate your authenticity when they read your work.

Hopefully, some of these tips will help a few of you out there.

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!

What to Do When You Hate What You Write by Bestselling Author Cara Lockwood

Cara Lockwood is the USA Today bestselling author of nine novels, including I Do (But I Don’t), which was made into a Lifetime Original Movie starring Denise Richards and Dean Cain. Her books have been translated into several languages and are sold all around the world. She’s written in many genres and also created the Bard Academy series for young adults. Recently, she’s begun offering freelance editing through www.edit-my-novel.com, which is an official sponsor of National Novel Writing Month (http://www.nanowrimo.org/). You can also read more about her work at www.caralockwood.com or www.bardacademy.com.

The worst demon a writer will ever face is his or her own critical eye.

Every writer I’ve ever known has at some point or another had a crisis of confidence. Anxiety and insecurity are truly at the heart of nearly all kinds of writer’s block.          

In a bout of self-loathing, Stephen King famously threw away Carrie in disgust. His wife saved the bestseller from the garbage by digging it out, reading it, and declaring it worth saving.

So, how do you move past confidence-killing insecurity if you don’t happen to be married to Stephen King’s wife?

I’ve got a few ideas. I’m no stranger to writing anxiety. I’ve published nine novels, and yet, there are times even now, when I look at a rough draft and want to hit “delete.”

For the thousands of you participating in National Novel Writing Month this month, how do you get over the biggest hurdle of all – when you hate what you write?

Here are some suggestions:

Don’t throw your manuscript away. Just put it away for a couple of days.  

If you’re at the point where you want to give up, just take a break for a while. We all have good writing days and bad writing days and you don’t want to trash everything on a day that you just happen to be feeling down. Give yourself some room to get perspective.

Get feedback from an experienced editor.

Writing is a solitary pursuit and sometimes you can easily lose perspective on your own work. Enlisting an experienced editor cannot only help you break through writer’s block, but it can also take your novel to the next level. I’ve been really blessed in having great editors in my career, and I really think they have made the difference for me with several novels I had thought couldn’t be saved.

It’s a big reason why I do freelance editing work. I’m hoping to help others as my editors have helped me.

An editor can also help you find a new path forward. Maybe some small changes (adding or subtracting a character or changing a scene) can breathe new life in your novel.            

Join a writing group.

Now that we have a thriving online writing community, it’s easier than ever to find other writers like yourself. A writing group is invaluable for getting honest and constructive feedback and bonding with other writers who understand your pain. Sometimes, just having the opportunity to vent your frustration can help you find the confidence you need to get back to writing.

Tell your critical inner-editor to take a break.

Sometimes, you have to tell your inner critic to be quiet in order to push through and finish. Think of that inner voice like a heckler at a play. Tell him to sit down for the second half. Even a truly bad manuscript can be improved with editing, but if you don’t have any words on a page, you can’t edit them and make them better. I’ve finished my share of truly awful first drafts. But, that’s why we call them drafts. They’re not supposed to be perfect. They are drafts and should be refined and edited and improved.

Read a book that will inspire you.

Go back to one of your favorite authors and read or reread a book that might be similar to the novel you’re writing. Sometimes, you can find inspiration in reading. I still learn new things about writing from other authors, and sometimes, when I’m really feeling stuck, I’ll read one of my favorite authors who will inspire me to jump into writing again.

Find a writing cheerleader.

Before I wrote my first novel, I Do (But I Don’t), I started and stopped a half a dozen manuscripts. I would start a novel, then I’d put it down for a while, and later when I picked it up again, I was usually so discouraged by what I’d written that I’d just give up on that project . Finally, when I began writing, I Do (But I Don’t), a romantic comedy about a divorced wedding planner, I enlisted the help of one of my avid reader friends to help me get through my rough patches.

I asked her to be my “writing cheerleader” and help me stay on course. She was a great writing partner. Every week, she’d read the pages I wrote, and then she’d continue to bug me until I got her the next chapter. It was just the inspiration I needed to keep going.

Remember that every writer, no matter how experienced or successful, feels like you do at some point.

Sudden loss of confidence happens to every writer. I’ve never met a single writer who could honestly tell me they didn’t feel at some point that they should give up on a manuscript or on their whole careers. The difference between the published writers I know and some of the unpublished ones is that the professional writers found a way to keep writing. They didn’t give up. If you truly believe writing is your calling, find a way to keep going.

Questions? Comments? Email cara@caralockwood.com.

Tips for The Busy Writing Life

Are you having trouble finding time to write? Are you feeling overwhelmed? I've been there too. I used to work full-time and juggle a social life, my family, and my writing. Now I am home, which is a luxury for a writer. I have more than enough time to write and more than enough time to find excuses not to as well.  Here are some of the strategies I used while working full-time. I managed to write around 500-1000 words a day and still have a life. You can too.

1) Go to bed a littler earlier and get up a little earlier. Carve out some time in your morning schedule before work to sneak in some writing.

2) Turn off your T.V., stop texting, and stop playing your computer/video games. I realize all of these are stress-relievers and entertainment, but if you give up just one hour a day, you can use that time to write.

3) Make your lunch break and other breaks from work writing breaks. I used to bring a bagged lunch and worked in my cubicle over my lunch hour writing. This may not work for everyone, since there are some annoying coworkers that don't recognize when you don't want to be disturbed, but if you have access to a laptop, you can take your lunch outside somewhere outside or at your favorite local coffee shop.

4) Everyone has to laundry. Clothes get dirty and they pile up, but now you can look at this as an advantage, not a chore. Sort your laundry, put in a load, and while you wait, use that time to write.

5) Keep a notebook by your bed or a digital recorder. Often times, when I could not sleep, I got the best ideas and found it easier to record them for future use, if I didn't have to hunt down a paper and pen.

6) If you're really serious, you can set aside Friday or Saturday night for writing and save the other night for going out.

7) Sleep in on the weekends if you need to, but don't stay in bed all day. If you work full-time, you only have your weekends to yourself. This is valuable writing time.

8) Consider taking your vacation time for your writing. There are plenty of conventions for networking. There are also lots of writing weekend workshops you can attend, even some cruises. You could even find a quiet, relaxing cottage or hotel to stay at where you can focus all your attention on your writing.

Good luck! As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!

How Much Unpublished Writing Should You Post on Your Blog?

I ask myself this every time I post on my blog and feel every writer should too. I have posted links to already published work and a little teaser of a story or some poetry I do not intend to sell, but I'm keeping my story sharing to a minimum for a few reasons.
1)  I want to sell stories. If I post everything, I'm writing for free, no one will have a reason to buy my work.

2) I already post my works in progress on a critique forum and feel that forum is the professional choice for feedback from peers. I want to put forward my best image on my blog. You never know when someone important in the industry will stop by and I don't want my unfinished work to be my first impression. I only get one chance to make a first impression and it's going to the best one I can!

3) I am concerned with copyright issues. If I post something here, technically, it's the first publication. I want my work published for the first time in a publication other than my own blog.

4) Even though this blog is copyrighted, I know there is the smallest chance someone reading my work would try to steal my ideas. Unless you're Kim Harrison or another big name, you might never find out someone stole your work, unless you or a friend stumbles across it by chance. I am very careful about what I share and with whom.

My advice to writers is to share only short teasers of your work or links to already published writing. If you just want to share your writing with the world, then publish wherever you want, and please, leave a link so I can enjoy your stories too. But if you're trying to get a agent, get published, and are in the business professionally, consider what I've blogged today.

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!

Origin of The Mermaid's Shadow Lamp by Nora B. Peevy

I'm pulling one of my favorite stories from the vault today. Bewildering Stories published The Mermaid's Shadow Lamp in 2008. Bewildering Stories is a wonderful online magazine featuring speculative fiction. They welcome new writers as well as established and their Managing Editor, Don Webb, is one of the nicest editors I have worked with in the industry. (This is not just a plug for their publication -- it's true. He gave me a helpful critique of my story, which you do not always get when you submit. He also answered all the questions I had for him.)

They published the The Mermaid's Shadow Lamp in four parts. Here is the summary from their site:

Miriam Manchester is a bitter spinster and so rude that she is known as the Witch of Shorewood and is suspected of having sinister powers. One day she espies and purchases a musical shadow lamp in an antique store. Its beauty and music comfort her. It also has powers that surprise even a witch.

Three things inspired me to write this tale -- a love of shadow lamps, my favorite antique store, as a child, and your standard spooky witch who lives on your block.

First, I wanted to write a tale about a magical shadow lamp. I saw one in a magazine and I'd always wanted one as a child. For those of you who are not familiar with shadow lamps, here is a link to give you an idea. They are rotating lamps casting shadows onto the walls of the room. Miriam's has a music box included, though hers is directly from my imagination and not Amazon's modern version:

http://www.starmajic.com/store.cgi?A-Shadow-Lamp+0+1B1A001

The second inspiration for this story was Chattel Changers. One of my parents' hobbies is antiquing, so as a little girl I often went with them to this neat antique store in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I enjoyed wandering the two-story shop and gazing at all the jewelry. I also found myself particularly drawn to the lacquered boxes and music boxes. While Miriam's antique store is not exactly the same, I drew upon the memory of Chattel Changers.

The third inspiration was the universal childhood rumor of a neighborhood witch on my block. Every child growing up has the house at Halloween that no one wants to go trick or treating at because the woman is a witch. Fortunately, I had two such characters. I moved into the neighborhood I lived in for twenty-three years, with two rumored witches. One of them turned out to be a family friend eventually, but the other one scared me even more than the dark as a child! I dreaded having to pick up my ball from her front yard and after the first Halloween, I never, EVER rang her doorbell again!

I hope you enjoy The Mermaid's Shadow Lamp as much as I enjoyed writing it. I asked Don Webb for a comment on my piece because rarely as writers do we actually discover why our stories were accepted or rejected. His reply: The gist is that the Review Board liked the characters, dialogue, and setting.  
So what are editors looking for? Well, Mr. Webb, his Review Board, and Jim Harrington, a veteran writer for Bewildering Stories, answer those questions in What Do Editors Want? They look for good grammar, an entertaining read, and great characters/story settings. The article also discusses common writing mistakes and the top three reasons stories are rejected. I recommend it for all writers. You can also find more helpful articles on their site here:

http://bewilderingstories.com/special/writing.html

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!

Suggestions for the Writing Life

I was going to title this Rules for the Writing Life, but then I realized I hate rules and people telling me what to do, which is why I love art. It's late, and I'm feeling reflective. I have a belly full of yummy Japanese food and a giant mug of water by my side and the house is quiet.

No drum rolls, please! You might wake my lizards. *grins*

Here are my suggestions for a happy writing life in no particular order:

1) Write what you want to write. Writing in one genre works really well for some writers, but not everyone. If you want to write a paranormal romance with hot, busty vamps and then a child's story about a flying dragon with superpowers the next day, do it! Go where your heart takes you.

2) Its good to write every day and to set goals, but if you don't meet your goal, don't beat yourself up. You're only human and sometimes you need to reboot.

3) Reboot by playing! Be a kid again, no matter how old or young you are right now. Go out and try something new. Explore! Be open to all the opportunities around you because you never know when you will be inspired to write.
 
4) Don't let the naysayers around you or inside you best you. Ignore them. Write! Don't worry about making money or if you can write a bestseller because all that worrying and those negative ideas in your head are a roadblock to personal success.

5) Be a reading beast! Devour every book you can. Try new genres you haven't explored. Revisit old ones you love and see how much it influences your writing. (I make a list of every book I read each year. That way I can look back and see the writing journey I have taken. It's very rewarding).

6) Don't let the rejection monster lurking in your closet terrorize you. So one editor didn't like your story! Big deal! There is more than one editor in the world.

7) Join a critique group. Find one that works with your schedule and best suits your style of writing. It doesn't matter if it is online or a group that meets in person, a fresh pair of eyes is a writer's best friend – especially an impartial one not emotionally invested in your story.

8) Take care of your body. If you don't feel good, you won't want to write. Try to get enough sleep. Play hard, but give yourself time to rest. Eat well. Boost your immune system and repeat!

9) And when you've completed this list, go back and do it all over again.

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!

Spring Cleaning for Writers: 6 Tips to Help You Get Organized

This may seem like a no-brainer, but writers have to be organized. It's spring and everyone is thinking about their annual housecleaning and planning their gardens for the summer, etc. Now is the perfect time to get your writing life organized before you get too busy soaking up the sun outdoors.

1) Do you have any outstanding submissions?

If you have pieces beyond the normal response time, think about sending a letter to check on the status of your submission.

2) What are your writing plans for the next few months?

Consider gathering all the notes you jotted down and putting them to good use, instead of letting them serve as coasters for your coffee mug. It's easy to word process them and store them in files on your computer.

Here's a great blog article on another organization technique that may come in handy for you:

http://www.juliamccutchen.com/blog/?p=282

You can also purchase a digital recorder that's compact and with easy to access to files whenever you them. They're also lightweight and can be taken on vacation.

A few reviews on different recorders can be found here:

http://reviews.cnet.com/voice-recorders/

Software is also an option, like Scrivener 2.0, a word processing program. You can find a review of it here on Kathryn Pope's blog. The article is from January 31, 2011, entitled: Writing Through Life: Scrivener (like Bartleby, only different):

http://kpope.wordpress.com/

Scrivener looks to run around $45 on this site:

http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php

3) Have you updated your writing information on any forums/groups you have joined and your own site, if you have one?

Make sure your bio and writing credits are current. It's also a good idea to have your bio and writing credits saved electronically to pull as needed for submissions, interviews, and anything else.

4) Have you checked your links on your site/blog to make sure they work?

This can be tedious, but it's necessary. There's nothing worse than trying to share information that doesn't exist anymore with a reader.

This is an older article on why checking links is important, but it's still relevant:

http://blogbuildingu.com/articles/check-broken-links

This tool will check all your links for free and save your sanity:

http://home.snafu.de/tilman/xenulink.html

5) Manage your computer files. If you haven't invested in a portable hard drive to backup your writing, I suggest you get one. I back up all my work to a portable drive so that if anything happens, I still have a copy. Portable hard drives have really come down in price and there are always great deals, if you shop around.

Here's a list of reviewed drives from CNET to help you make an informed purchase:

http://www.cnet.com/topic-reviews/portable-hard-drive.html

You can also backup your computer with online services for a fee. PC Magazine has an article reviewing some of the services out there:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2288745,00.asp

In addition, if you don't have dedicated folders on your computer for your writing, you might want to consider it. I usually have one folder for the current year I am writing in; all my writing goes in that folder. Then I don't have to hunt for a file when I want to work on it; it's also easier to transfer just one folder from my computer to my portable hard drive.

6) Now is also a great time to organize your bookshelf and make room for new books.

Keep your favorites, but consider donating ones you aren't keeping to a local library or charity or book swapping with friends on sites like Goodreads.com. You can also sell magazines and books at used bookstores like Half Price Books in your area, but the magazines have to be current. Recycle your old ones that you can't sell in an art project or two. My blog article about recycled book art might come in handy here!

Happy organizing!

As always, happy writing and happy reading as well!

So How 'Bout the Wily Writing Beast, the Story Title?

As writers, we all face the hairy eyeball of the title beast and live to tell the tale. But just how do we pick the perfect title for our new story?

There are two methods that lead to the same conclusion:

1) Title your story and then write.

2) Let your story write its own title.

The first option led to writer's block for me, which is never a good thing. With option number one, I found myself staring at a blinking cursor until my seat went numb from sitting too long. However, I realize what doesn't for me may well be the golden key for someone else.

I subscribe to the second option. I pick my titles midway through my first draft or after the completion of the first draft. The title is the cherry on the sundae for me. I find it cathartic to use the backspace key and replace "Untitled" with something more witty and polished.

Ask yourself three questions when writing your title.

How does it relate to my story?

Be content relevant. If you're writing about zebras, you wouldn't name your tale: The Story of the Angry Writing Desk. Unless, there is an angry writing desk in your story. *wink*

Would it catch your eye in a bookstore?

Will your readers find it interesting enough to pick up? Make your title engaging. Use active verbs and gripping images to draw in your readers.

Has my title been published before?

Search the web to see how many hits for your potential title pop up. If there are a lot of them, scrap that title and go with another. If there is only one, you might still consider it. If you do pull up a piece of writing with your title, is it in the same genre as yours? If it's in the same genre, you might want to pick another title so your work can truly stand out as original.

If you follow these three suggestions, you will definitely tame the wily title beast.

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!