Are you a procrastinator like me? Can’t seem to finish all the projects on your plate? Frustrated and guilty? Swearing you will not take on another obligation until you finish what you have?
Yeah. I have gotten better over the years but I still feel like this habit is blocking my creativity. Here are a couple of articles with helpful information:
The Top 10 Ways to Overcome Procrastination
and
Categories: Writing Biz · Writing Life
Exactly what does it mean to be the best you can be? Something I am learning about writing is that in order to be the best I can be I need to do a whole lot more than put words on paper.
For example, I am published with small print publishers, e-publishers. I really like my publishers, and I am thankful for the opportunities I have received from them. A little known facts about e-publishing is that it is a whole lot harder to run the company than it would first appear. There is more to it than clicking and loading books. Why do I care you may ask? Because as a writer if I understand what each of my publishers are doing, what they are strong at, what they are weak at, then I will know what I have to do in order to make my book successful. The days of “If you write it, they will buy it” are over. You not only have to write a book, you have to package it, title it and, unlike the large print publishing houses, there is no one there to tell you the name of your book is not catchy, the cover sucks, and you need to create a new blurb. Now we all know New York doesn’t get it right all the time. Many of my favorite authors are not always happy with the title change and the cover art, and what blurb they choose. But the point is those people get paid to research marketing and what people are buying. Therefore, they stand a better chance of getting an unknown on the shelf.
For me, I am glad that I started with e-publishing. I am learning a lot about patience. Where I wanted to go go go before, I am now a little more relaxed about getting my work out there. I have three manuscripts floating around at New York offices and one agent’s office. If they don’t get picked up, I will send them elsewhere. If they still don’t, I will look at the books again. But I will keep writing and I will keep building and eventually with a lot of determination and persistence it will pay off.
A year ago I just wanted my work published. Now I want to be the best I can be. I can see my writing grow and improve with each short story or novel I write. Critics may not agree, but we shall see.
So if you are a writer, don’t just write. Find out what is going on at the places you write. Keep tabs on industry information through magazines and articles online. Check your dream publishing houses each month to see if anything has changed with their guidelines. It is essential for you to not only be a good writer, but be the best writer you can be. The only way to do that, is to be well rounded and know the business. It will save you from regretting decisions you make because you will always make informed decisions.
Thank you for letting me stop by and write a little something on writing.
Cara North
I’d like to thank my friend Cara for stopping by to talk about writing. I know she’s passionate about what she does. I applaud her successes because I know she’s a writer who is here for the long haul. — Andrea
Categories: Writing Biz · Writing Life
Do you include bookstore owners in your promotional efforts? They can be a friend indeed. There is a Waldenbooks manager in our area who loves to help out our chapter members. Last month she sponsored a huge book signing in the mall for about a dozen authors.
Categories: Writers Resources · Writing Biz
Do you have more than one book in you? I’ve recently met a couple of people who desperately want to be published– But I’m not sure they really want to be writers. They have one story in them that they think needs to be launched on the world. But they don’t want to take the time to learn the craft, learn the business, think about what a writing career means.
Categories: Writing Biz
