Revealed! The Secret to Publishing ~ Ruth Logan Herne

The Secret Revealed

Ruth Logan Herne

There is no big secret to writing. There is no easy path for 99% of us, there are no short-cuts, and there really isn’t a lot of money that needs to be spent because the secret to becoming a published author isn’t much of a secret at all: Write, write, write.

Hi, I’m Ruthy, and I’m a pull-yourselves-up-by-your-bootstraps woman who has raised six amazing kids, all college educated with multiple Ivy League degrees among them. Between the six, they’ve attained myriads of awards and accolades and all the pomp and circumstance their waitress mother and grocery store worker father could give them. We might not match them in education, but we taught them three important things. To love God, to reach for the stars, and to never quit.

I have no fancy degrees after my name. I have no capital letters or sheets of parchment, but what I do have is a God-given talent and the tenacity to stick to the long-range plan. And that plan, once my kids were fairly well launched, was to become a multi-published author with books that boost women with faith, hope and love. With over ¾ million books sold, I am living my dream, but there were no secrets in this amazing and wonderful success… think milk-the-cows-daily hard work, and a true love for what I’m doing!

1. Believe in yourself: Embrace your desire, your goals and your talent. Read what you love, and then write the kind of books you love to read! Often there’s a direct relationship between the kind of author style that ‘speaks’ to you, and your untapped talent. I realized I gravitate to storytellers. English veterinarian/author James Herriot, LaVyrle Spencer, James Michener, Karen White and many others.

2. Study craft books if that’s your style of learning. It is not mine. I don’t read craft books, I don’t open them, and when well-meaning people send them to me, I donate them to others. Trust your own personal learning style, but you can only do this if you’re not afraid to listen to criticism and adjust as needed.

3. Write, write, write. I write 1000 words/day, every day. I’ve done this for years, and did it long before I got “The Call”. Now that I’m semi-retired, I write more than that, but while working a full-time job I wrote 1000 words/day, every day. That is 365,000 words/year. If you take out Sundays, that’s 313,000 words/year. That’s over three full-length novels and five of my Love Inspireds. That’s a lot of books!

4. Envision your success. Visualize your work ethic. Stay focused and turn off the negative voices of doubt. Command your own ship and chart your own course. Do you know how many folks told me that farm kids don’t end up in Ivy League schools? I didn’t listen. Do you know how many people told me that poor kids from hovels can’t succeed? I didn’t listen. Do you know how many folks thought I was crazy, a waitress with a dream to be a published author? (shakes her head, laughing) I did not listen to any of that. Instead, focus on the positive people who share your dream and support your goals. They may not be the closest people to you (and often aren’t!) but that doesn’t matter. They will cheer each minor step of your journey and that’s a huge blessing.

5. From Good Will Hunting: (Matt Damon as Will, talking to a Harvard guy): “And two, you dropped a hundred and fifty grand on an bleepin’ education you coulda got for a dollah fifty in late chahges at the public library.”

I had no money when I started this gig. I had two jobs and six kids—four in college and two still in high school. I babysat for a lovely group of cute kids every day, eleven hour days, and then went to the restaurant (and then a bridal store eleven years later) to work at night. I took every romance out of the library that I could get my hands on, and they didn’t stock a lot. I read and studied timing, pacing, plot and began writing at four AM every day. And I learned. Now that might not work for everyone, because here’s the biggest and best advice I can give you, re-stated.

6. There are no short-cuts. There are no gimmes. There are no hand-outs, and the best habit you can develop is the self-discipline to write, write, write. And then edit and write some more. But here’s the thing…(leans closer)… if you love this gig? If you love it the way I do, because you’ve waited all your life to do it and now you are? Then you’ll do it because on the very worst day, I still have the very best job on earth. And I couldn’t be happier!

About Ruth Logan Herne

Multi-published, bestselling author Ruth Logan Herne is living her dream with over ¾ million books in print. A mother and grandmother, she lives on a small upstate New York farm with her husband, dogs, cats, chickens and a revolving door of small children and their parents in and out of the house. She can often be found hiding in a nook or cranny, scribbling away.

Keep up with Ruth Logan Herne at ruthloganherne.com, on Facebook (ruthloganherne), on Twitter (@ruthloganherne), or on Pinterest (ruthyloganherne).

About Back in the Saddle

The Prodigal Is Coming Home 

It’s been a long time since Colt Stafford shrugged off his cowboy legacy for shiny Manhattan loafers and a promising career on Wall Street. But when stock market manipulations leave him financially strapped, the oldest son of legendary rancher Sam Stafford decides to return to the sprawling Double S ranch in Gray’s Glen, Washington. He’s broke, but not broken, and it’s time to check in with his ailing father, and get his legs back under him by climbing into the saddle again.
 
He doesn’t expect to come home to a stranger pointing a loaded gun at his chest— a tough yet beautiful woman that Sam hired as the house manager. Colt senses there’s more to Angelina Morales than meets the eye and he’s determined to find out what she’s hiding...and why. 
 
Colt’s return brings new challenges. Younger brother Nick has been Sam’s right-hand man at the ranch for years and isn’t thrilled at having Colt insert himself into Double S affairs. And the ranch’s contentious relationship with the citizens of Gray’s Glen asks all the Stafford men to examine their hearts about what it truly means to be a neighbor.  And as Wall Street recovers, will Colt succumb to the call of the financial district’s wealth and power—or finally the courage to stay in the saddle for good?

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Wait a Minute... Can Procrastination be a Good Thing? by Kristy Cambron

Why Procrastination Can Make You a Better Writer

By Kristy Cambron

You read that right. 

Procrastination – the process of favoring one task over another after having weighed the importance or urgency of each, usually “putting-off” an assigned task until the last moment before a deadline. 

How, we might ask, can this possibly be a good thing?

Oh how I know we’re stirring the pot with this topic. But I wonder if procrastination has been branded with an unjust reputation. (Hey - even Forbes has gone on the record to say it’s not all bad.) There’s the perception that it causes stress. That it labels you unreliable if it’s a common practice. Or that it can leave you feeling ill-prepared if you wait until the last moment to practice before a big event. In fact, my grandmother used to say that practice does indeed make perfect. I’m not in the business of questioning my wise old Granny’s idioms, but I do have to step out in defense of this topic – at least enough to say that something good can come of a situation in which last-minute action must take place.

I confess that procrastination helped me through many writing assignments in college. I’m not talking about the research part. (I took extensive my time with that.) I’m zoning in on the actual pen-to-paper side of writing because procrastinating can actually make you better. Here’s why:

1. You learn effective time management skills. – This truth about procrastination surprised me when I became a full-time writer. Our days won’t be spent solely on writing the next story (no matter how much we might like them to be). As an author, you’ll have far more to focus on than simply putting words down on paper. There’s marketing for the books you’ve released. You’ll want to engage with your reader community on social media. There are industry trends to track, the writing craft to stay sharp on, book signings and speaking appearances to attend. All of these things will have to be prioritized against your deadlines. What needs your immediate attention may be something other than writing, and that’s okay. 

2. You plot. A lot. – Even up to a few months ago, I was working a full-time corporate career with a daily commute through some serious traffic. I used that time in the car to get to know my characters and their story. By the time I sat down to write late at night, I’d already visited the story in my head so much that the words flooded the page. Even if you’re not a self-professed plotter, you’ll get to spend extra time with your characters when you procrastinate. Whether that’s in your head or mapping out your novel in a storyboard fashion, you’ll find that it can actually help give you breathing room to work out your plot. 

3. You tune out distraction. – Social media can be a major distraction for writers. The lure of checking out what’s trending on Twitter or being posted to Instagram can draw our attention away from the story craft. It’s fun to engage on social media, but when you’re on a deadline it can be downright dangerous. Getting serious and when you write will force the responsible deadline-aware part of your persona to trump the fun social media butterfly every time. Sign off and tune in to your story. 

4. You immerse yourself in research. – I may be dating myself with this one, but I remember spending hours in the library, digging through endless stacks of periodicals and encyclopedias to write a high school term paper.  Research then didn’t have nearly the reach that it does now. We have access to an endless amount of information to feed our stories – all at the touch of a mobile screen. Use it! If you’re not ready to write, you can be researching for when you will be.

5. You write with passion. – As Mr. Hemingway would suggest, we should be able to sit down at the typewriter and let our fingers do the bleeding. But if we’re up against a deadline and we sit in front of a keyboard, it infuses us with an added urgency to produce. That urgency – a truly centered focus – can work to remind us what we loved about writing in the first place. We revisit the pure interaction of writer and story that God has engraved upon our hearts. If you try to write and realize you’re doing it without His guidance, step away for a while. Procrastinate on it. Spend that time in prayer and communion with Him, then come back to a place where passion meets the words head on. You’ll find your story when the walk is in tune with Him.

All this being said – be professional. Never miss a deadline because you’re caught up in waiting for “your story”. Have a due date? Start on it early. Don’t procrastinate just because there’s time baked in the calendar. Give yourself breathing room but still take it seriously. This is your dream and with care (even with a little procrastinating), you’ll get to ‘The End’ in the right time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kristy Cambron fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. Her debut historical novel, The Butterfly and the Violin (Thomas Nelson, 2014), was named to Library Journal’s Best Books of 2014, Family Fiction’s Top Ten Novels of 2014, and received nominations for RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards Best Inspirational Novel of 2014 and the 2015 INSPY Awards for Best Debut Novel. Her second novel, A Sparrow in Terezin (Thomas Nelson, April 2015), was named Library Journal’s Reviews’ Pick of the Month (Christian Fiction, February 2015) and a Top Pick from RT Book Reviews.

Kristy is an Art/Design Manager at TheGROVEstory.com and holds a degree in Art History from Indiana University. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three football-loving sons, where she can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good Christian fiction read.

You can connect with Kristy at: 

Facebook: Kristy Cambron | Twitter: @KCambronAuthor  | Instagram: kristycambron  

Pinterest: KCambronAuthor | Web:  KristyCambron.com | TheGROVEstory.com   

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Embracing Steep Learning Curves and Other Lessons from the Writing Life of Lynette Sowell

Interview by: Kelly Klepfer

Tell us a bit about your current project.

A Season of Change is an “urban Amish” romance, set in the village of Pinecraft, in the city of Sarasota, Florida. Jacob Miller is an Amish widower visiting family during Christmas time, when his daughter is seriously injured in an accident. He must stay in Pinecraft for an extended time while she recovers, and he’s face-to-face with the world in ways he never imagined. Natalie Bennett, a former circus performer, works at a circus school and volunteers at the hospital where Jacob’s daughter is. She meets the Millers and embarks on a search to find her late mother’s family. Her mother was ex-Amish and had never told Natalie. Sparks fly between Jacob and Natalie, but there’s another woman who makes sure she remains in the picture—and she’s the logical, proper, Amish choice.

Do you still experience self-doubts regarding your work, or struggle in a particular area such as writers block or angst driven head-banging against walls? Please share some helpful overcoming hints that you’ve discovered.

Yes, especially the self-doubts and the head-banging incidents. With every book, I try to learn something about the craft that I haven’t before. With every bookstore (online or otherwise) visit, however, I see book after book and wonder sometimes: are my stories in the making any real difference in the mix of things? There are thousands of written voices clamoring for readers. But I remind myself that God’s given me skills with writing and I’ve done my best to multiple what He’s given me and be faithful in that. We aren’t promised the outcome, but I believe hard work will be rewarded. Also, I’ve learned to be patient with myself. So, you writers out there be patient with yourselves, too. Sometimes we have to be thankful for the baby steps we make.

What mistakes have you made while seeking publication? Or to narrow it down further what’s something you wish you’d known earlier that might have saved you some time/frustration in the publishing business?

For several years, I held onto a book idea that never really got anywhere. Hundreds of hours of research (in neuroscience and neuropsychology, no less!) and several versions of the same proposal later, my book never went everywhere. It was a psychological thriller, and I still think the idea has merit. But when I look back and see how much time I spent on that book and the first three chapters, I shake my head now. I’d be farther along than I am now if I’d simply just: Let. The. Book. Go. So, don’t get stuck on one book and obsess over it so much you don’t get anywhere with it, like I did.

What is your favorite source for finding story ideas?

Documentaries and/or news stories. I’m a history buff and I especially like learning about lesser-known ties of the past to the present. But I always have my ears open for something I can use in a future book.

Have you ever had one of those awkward writer moments you’d like to share with us, the ones wherein you get “the look” from the normals? Example, you stand at a knife display at the sporting goods store and ask the clerk which would be the best to use to disembowel a six foot man…please do tell.

I have some wonderfully supportive friends, and I appreciate the fact that I do. There have been times, though, when someone might ask about how the writing is going, and I tell them more than they probably want to know about my characters and their issues. That’s when I notice I’m getting the look that says: “You’ve gone a bit overboard telling me about your imaginary friends.”

With the clarity of experience what advice would you offer up to the wet-behind-the-ears you if beginning this writing journey today?  

Make haste—slowly. Don’t keep putting off finishing that book, but then don’t send out a book proposal before it’s truly ready. With the “ease” of self-publishing now, I think it’s tempting for some writers to put out a book before it’s ready and then get disappointed. I’m glad self-publishing wasn’t around back when I was starting; I think I would’ve been tempted to jump into something before my work was ready. And once a book is “out there,” it’s out there.

What event/person has most changed you as a writer? How?

A little more than four years ago, I sent my resume to our local newspaper because they ran an ad saying they were looking for writers and photographers. I was hired to cover local news events, from bake sales to political debates to school board meetings. I had NO experience in news writing, although I did know about who-what-when-where-how-why of reporting. It was a steep learning curve, but in 2012 they offered me a weekly column as well. Becoming a freelance news reporter has changed the way I view my characters and story lines. And I think being a fiction writer has helped me be a better reporter.

What piece of writing have you done that you’re particularly proud of and why? (Doesn’t have to be one of your books or even published.)

Although my books are all dear to me for various reasons, I’m proud of the series of feature articles I wrote for the newspaper leading up to Veterans Day 2012. I had the opportunity to interview a number of veterans, from a retired Army command sergeant major who was in the TET Offensive in Vietnam and was the first (and last) man to buy me a drink at the local VFW (I had a Diet Coke), a 90-plus-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor, and a firecracker of a lady who served in the Women’s Army Corps.

Do you have a pet peeve having to do with this biz?

Just when you think you’ve guessed what the market’s doing, another curveball comes along. But then, it’s the nature of the biz. You can only make an educated guess and do your best work.

Share a dream or something you’d love to accomplish through your writing career.

I would love, love, love to have one of my books turned into a movie.

What gives you the greatest writer buzz, makes the trip worth the hassles (besides coffee or other substances, or course)?

When I realize that I’m getting to do something I love, and I’m getting paid to do it. I also freelance part-time for my local newspaper, so that provides a regular income. And, it’s writing also, except I get to write about real people and events.

Describe your special or favorite writing spot or send a picture if you’d like.

I like writing in my living room, with my dog at my side. My office dress code can’t be beat.

Writing rituals. Do you have to sit somewhere specific, complete a certain number of words, leave something undone to trigger creativity for the next session? Some other quirk you’d like to share?

Sometimes—no, often—I’ll write the very last scene of the book. It can be the “gravy” that keeps me going when I’m in the thick of things.

Plot, seat of pants or combination?

Combination. I’ve tried Snowflaking—highly recommend writers to check it out—but it was too outline-y for me and started to feel too much like a school “assignment.” Come to think of it, I never liked writing the outline in school. I’ve also tried pants-ing, but if I don’t know enough about where I’m going, I get lost or sidetracked, and end up wasting time. So I’ve found a happy medium for me. And I love Scrivener.

What is the most difficult part of pulling together a book? Ex. Do you have saggy middles, soggy characters, soupy plots during your first drafts…if so, how do you shape it up?

Soggy characters, at first. I’ll get the basics of a character, and that’s a nice place to start. But if I don’t find out what they really, truly want and need, I find it’s harder to get a story line going. I keep asking my characters, “Why? Why? Why?” In the last book I turned in (A Promise of Grace), I really had to coax Rochelle Keim into sharing her secrets with me. She seemed a bit passive at first, and I had to get past that to see more facets of her character.

Have you received a particularly memorable reader response or peer honor? Please share.

I love it when a reader tells me she couldn’t get to sleep or couldn’t get her housework done because she couldn’t put my book down. When I read, I want to immerse myself in the story, and I’m honored when a reader tells me she had that happen while reading one of my books.

Have you discovered any successful marketing/promo ideas that you’d share with us?

I’m a big fan of joining Facebook groups where readers hang out. They are just looking for books to buy, and some of those groups have thousands of members who would like a good read. And that’s free; it just takes time to post links and book blurbs.

Parting words? Anything you wish we would’ve asked because you’ve got the perfect answer?

Why did I write an Amish book? Well, thanks for asking! I’ve heard it said, “Put a bonnet on it, and it’ll sell.” Well, yes, and no. I chose to write this series because of its setting. There’s barely a buggy or a farm in the “Seasons in Pinecraft” series, but plenty of beach. And I love the beach. I found the village of Pinecraft a fascinating and endearing place to write about, and if I close my eyes, I can picture its streets and layout because I’ve walked and bicycled it. I’ve eaten its food, stayed in the neighborhood, and I call some of its residents my friends. I miss it. I would love for a reader who’s never picked up an Amish book because it’s an Amish book, to try this one out because it’s a bit different.

Thanks for having me!

Lynette Sowell is the award-winning novelist of more than fifteen titles. When she’s not writing fiction, Lynette works covering local news for the Copperas Cove Leader-Press, where she also writes a weekly column called My Front Porch. She enjoys reading, cooking, watching movies and is always up for a Texas road trip. Lynette was born in Massachusetts, raised on the eastern shore of Maryland, but makes her home in Copperas Cove, Texas, with her husband, along with a spoiled Texas heeler and a pair of cats who have them all well-trained.

Keep up with Lynette Sowell via her blog (lynettesowell.blogspot.com), Facebook page (Lynette Sowell, Author) or Twitter (@LynetteSowell).

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Sibella Giorello ~ Hotel Writing

Sibella Giorello grew up in the mountains of Alaska admiring the beauty and nature that surrounded her. She majored in geology at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts hoping to learn more about the landscape she loved back home. From there Sibella followed a winding path, much like the motorcycle ride she took across the country, which led to her true love, journalism. 

She found herself in Seattle writing for rock-n-roll magazine and earned a journalism degree from the University of Washington before heading south to the land of great stories. In Virginia, Sibella became a features writer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. It was there she also met her husband and would hear Jesus whispering her name at a tent revival.

Sibella started writing about Raleigh Harmon as a way to keep her love of story-telling alive while staying at home with her young sons. As a journalist and author, her stories have won state and national awards, including two nominations for the Pulitzer Prize. The Stones Cry Out, the first Raleigh Harmon novel, won a Christy award for debut novel in 2008. Sibella now lives in Washington state with her husband and sons.

Her latest release is The Stars Shine Bright. Learn more about the Raleigh Harmon series here. 

Visit Sibella Giorello and at  Facebook or Twitter. 

Hotel Writing

Like most women writers, I've got a long list of obligations that bump writing into last place.

Writing -- and getting a haircut. Both tied for last place.

First place goes to wife and mom, quickly followed by cook/chauffeur/maid/
Marine Corps drill instructor.

I'm not complaining because despite the totem pole that puts writing at ground level, I managed to publish five novels in about as many years. Remember what Ginger Rogers said about doing everything Fred Astaire did only backwards and in high heels?

And she was the better dancer for it.

The same goes with women writers. We learn field-tested tactics. One of my best  writing strategies was rising before dawn and churning out as many words as possible before people (read: guys) started asking about breakfast and clean socks.

That system worked. And it's still my daily routine.

But recently I discovered another powerful tactic: Hotels.

With blessings from my sainted husband and sons, I booked a room at a favorite hotel ninety-minutes from home. The distance seemed ideal: Far enough to get away, close enough that if the whole experiment blew up I could zip home and re-set the alarm clock for 4 a.m.

But the experiment worked.

And how.

In four days of hotel writing, I produced with 40,000 words.

That number is not a typo. I double-and-triple checked the word-count, since that's normally what I produce in one month. This will come as a huge shock to everyone everywhere, but your productivity really rises when you're not doing laundry, cooking, or yelling to the second floor, "Your lacrosse uniform is in the second drawer on the left side in the other bureau!"

If you need to get some words on the page, I highly recommend getting away to write -- but would add some caveats. Looking back, these things were crucial for the trip's success:
 

1. Pick some place that's nice but boring. For one thing, your subconscious can relax with safety and familiarity. For another, you're less tempted to shop or ride roller coasters.

2. Don't stay at a dump even if you're trying to save money. That plan will probably backfire because fear ruins creativity. What you want is a place where you are encouraged to feel pleasantly irresponsible for what goes on outside your hotel room.

3. Upon arrival, kick the inner nag to the curb. Self-doubt is creative suicide. You're a writer--don't doubt it. Say it loud, say it proud, and refuse to listen to any interior criticisms.

4. When it comes to your productivity, don't be picky. How did 40,000 words appear in four days? I lowered the bar. My mission wasn't to produce stellar prose. It was to produce a story—warts and all—and return home for editing. Don't judge your work. Just write.

5. Place that “Do Not Disturb” sign on the doorknob and don't remove it until you check-out. Yes, I know, after three days the maids were looking at me like I was the Unibomber's sister. But other than fresh towels, that room was for reserved for uninterrupted time pacing the carpet, talking out loud to myself and hammering on the keyboard.

6. Stock the in-room fridge with your favorite foods. Mine are black tea and brie. Whatever snacks help you write, eat them. Now is not the time to get healthy. You're not visiting a spa; you're in writing boot camp.

7. End each day with a reward. It will help motivate you for the next day's work. After writing for 12 hours, I would go a long run followed by a glorious dinner and glass of red wine at a restaurant that was all but deserted by the time I arrived. This last part was crucial because . . . .

8. You want to stay away from people. Writer Saul Bellow used to come into my aunt's restaurant in Chicago. He was always by himself. I used to think he was lonely, but now that I'm a novelist, I understand. Bellow already had too much company -- inside his head. As a fiction writer you carry around a waking dream and the nice people who feel like chatting can kill it. Be polite, but be firm. No new friends. You have good work to do.

9. If you get claustrophobic, move around the place. Mezzanines, balconies, poolside if you can write amid noise. Ask the front desk about a quiet spot. I found a cubby on the mezzanine where nobody could see me but I could see them. Ideal for describing characters taken from real life.

10. Pray. Really, this point should be at the top and bottom of the list. We're not in charge of our circumstances (though, like characters in novels, we tend to believe otherwise). Don't be afraid to ask for divine guidance. You have a lot to say and limited time to say it. And when all else fails, there's usually a Gideon's in the bedside drawer.

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