I have book coming out soon called Mirror Images. It is for Young Adults. It is a mystery/thriller and the first of a three book series set in Madison, Missouri.
One benefit. I meet great people. Check out in descending order...YA authors Veronica Roth and Anthony John. Oh, and couple other authors you might recognize, Janet Evanovich and Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb.
And I get to do neat activities like meet a prince or dress up and go to masquerade ball or even learn how to be on S.W.A.T. team. So beware, I've got knowledge!
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But the truth is writing is HARD, HARD, HARD work if you do it correctly. I work late hours, make my wrists and back hurt and hear dialogue in my head most of the time. I also laugh out loud at some of the things I have my characters say, get angry during fight scenes and cry like a baby when someone is mean to my characters or when the book ends.
AND IT'S STILL AWESOME!
Why?
1. I can wear my pajamas to work!
2. I am the boss and make all of the important decisions.
3. I decide when and where and how I often I work.
4. I get to make up stories.
5. I can write all kinds of things. Scary books, fantasy, children's, funny, sad, or articles for newspapers or magazines.
6. I get to share my writing with others. I get to speak to all ages of people. And I get to read the work of other authors and help decide if they get published.
7. I travel to great places and can count it on my taxes. I have been to Washington, D.C., Chicago, Savannah and Atlanta, GA.
8. I can listen to music and sing as loudly as I want to!
9. I like to dance every 59 minutes when my timer goes off to remind me to not to sit too long.
10. One day others will read MY book and maybe I will bring some of the joy I have gotten from books.
There are three things to becoming a writer.
The MOST important is the writing. And don't forget to regularly SAVE YOUR WORK!
Then you have promotion and social media.
Finally you need to run a business.
How to get started.
1. Read some books! Look at how the author put them together. Choose something that interests YOU.
2. Maybe try some fan fiction.
3. Brain storm. Look around you for ideas. Find your VOICE. What is your style and your goal to communicate to your reader?
4. Get a notebook or something to type on or a tape recorder. Don't be afraid to research and interview.
5. Write. Set specific goals and get in the habit of writing regularly. Get a routine. SAVE your work!
6. Books follow the pattern: Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action and Resolution.
7. Your characters need goals, motivation and conflict. What they are doing needs to make sense.
7. Have someone else you trust read what you have written. Join critique groups and writing groups. Make writing friends.
8. Listen to their suggestions and consider them.
9.Revise your work. EASIEST TRICK-Read your work aloud. Your brain will hear the mistakes.
10. Keep going until you are done. Then find a contest or two. Then write ANOTHER book or short story or essay or journal entry--anything. Just keep writing!
Once you have a product, you want to publish.
Research to find out the best place.
Decide on your pen name, title and later a cover, dedications, back copy, fonts, style, illustrations.
Types:
Traditional publishing. Query letters, agent, publishing companies.
Self-publishing. You hire everyone. You get more money, but more work.
Something in between the above two.
YOUR work, yes, your work, will be REJECTED. Multiple times. Don't give up.
Promotion.
Developing a brand. You need people to help get the word out about your book. Reviews, blogs, author pages, Facebook, Twitter and SWAG. Street teams. Book signings, library presentations and conferences.
Business.
You have to keep track of what you spend.You have to pay taxes. Foreign and movie rights. You can hire assistants when you start making money.
All of this and it's still an awesome job! So either read a book or write one or do both.
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