What Do You Wish You had Known?

by Patricia Bradley, @PTBradley1

I started writing thirty-seven years ago when these people came to live in my head and wouldn’t go away until I wrote their stories. It all started when I couldn’t sleep, and one night as I stared at the ceiling, a man materialized in my mind. He stood at a window and in the background smokestacks belched black smoke. Then he turned to me and said, “This isn’t the way my life was supposed to turn out.”

For the next few weeks I entertained myself with stories about his life, and then more people came, all clamoring for their stories to be told. I subscribed to Writer’s Digest Magazine and began my writing journey. Would I have started it if I’d known it would be thirty-two years before my first book released?

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Avoiding the Squints

post by Michelle Griep

You know those websites where there's a black background and white type? After you read them for a few minutes and then look away from the screen, do your eyes go wonky? Because mine do, and I'm wondering if I've got short-circuited eyeballs or if that's a normal opthalmic response.

Either way, it got me to thinking about all the time people spend nowadays staring at screens and how that's probably not too good for our peepers. So, I did a little research and you get to reap the benefits.

5 Ways to Avoid Digital Eye Strain

#1. Brighten things up.
Not the screen, necessarily. I'm talking about the room. Make sure to have a light on while using your computer because it helps reduce the strain.

#2. Position is everything.
Sometimes when I'm looking at Pinterest, I practically smash my nose against the screen to get a really good look at a cute pair of shoes. Naughty, naughty. The ultimate distance between your shnoz and the screen should be around 20-28 inches.

#3. Change your focus.
Every 15 minutes or so, look away from the screen and focus on a distant object. This gives your ol' focusing muscles a bit of a workout.

#4. Bat those eyelashes.
It's a fact that your blink rate decreases as you stare fixated at a screen. Make a conscious effort to blink every 10-15 seconds. This coats the front part of your eye, nourishing the area with oxygen and nutrients and sharpens your vision.

#5. Go to your happy place.
Close your eyes and put the centers of your palms over your eyes. Relax by taking some deep, slow breaths. This one is my personal favorite. Try it. You'll love it.

These are just a few tips. If you're interested in finding out more, check out this article by Dr. Edward Kondrot, founder of The Healing Eye and Wellness Center.

Like what you read? There’s more. WRITER OFF THE LEASH: GROWING IN THE WRITING CRAFT is a kick in the pants for anyone who wants to write but is stymied by fear, doubt, or simply doesn’t know how to take their writing to the next level.

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. Follow her adventures and find out about upcoming new releases at her blog, Writer Off the Leash, or stop by her website. You can also find her at the usual haunts of Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

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Not All the Voices in a Writer's Head Are Characters

post by Michelle Griep

Writers are psychotic little mammals. All wired up and worried about contracts and sales numbers and does-this-book-make-my-butt-look-big? But there's one kingpin issue of them all that every writer must deal with . . .

Guilt.

We've all been there. Don't tell me you haven't got an internal mother inside your head pointing her finger at you. There's a plethora of things an author feels guilty about, like all the money you wasted getting a doctorate in osteopathic medicine and here you are writing Amish Zombie Romances, or even something as simple as the realization that your family is destined to eat frozen pizza for dinner yet again. Okay, so maybe you don't feel guilty about those things, but there are common anxiety causing situations that most writers face.

Top 5 Guilt Inducing Scenarios

1. An overwhelming amount of regret for a sub-par word count.
Sometimes when you sit down to write, words clog into tangly globs. You feel bad because you know you're capable of more, but for whatever cosmic reason, the ol' creative juices just aren't flowing.

2. Shame weighs heavy on your shoulders when you think of the poor slobs out there in Nine-to-Five land.
Others eek out a living by the sweat of their brow, clocking 8-10 hours of back-breaking labor while you park your royal heinie on a cushioned office chair whenever you feel like it.

3. Lack of a regular paycheck makes you feel a load of disgrace.
If you got paid by the word, this wouldn't be a problem. But it is. This kind of work doesn't bring immediate financial benefits, so there's not a whole lot to show for it up front . . . which creates tension.

4. You landed a contract and your critique partner didn't.
I hate it when this happens. There are so many fantastic writers out there who deserve to be published, so why did an editor scoop up my story and not theirs?

5. You should hate what you're doing like every self-respecting employee on the face of the earth.
But you don't. You love creating worlds and characters and super cool car chases that end in fiery explosions. But everyone else complains 24/7 about their drudgery at work, and though you try, you can't quite work up a single "drudgery" emotion to relate to them.

And that, my friends, is only the tip of the guilt iceberg. So, what's a writer to do with all this angst?

GUILT SOLUTIONS:

• Look at your writing as a long-term investment, not a get-rich-quick money making scheme.
• Incorporate a paradigm shift: writing involves a LOT of thinking, so just because your fingers aren't flying over the keyboard, that doesn't mean you're not working.
• Keep in mind that creativity takes time. Michelangelo didn't paint the Sistine Chapel in a weekend.
• Make a to-do list and cross items off as you finish them so that you can see what you're accomplishing.

And always remember: the act of pursuing a dream tends to make a lot of people cranky because they didn't have the guts or stamina to pursue theirs. Don't let them steal your joy.

Like what you read? There’s more. WRITER OFF THE LEASH: GROWING IN THE WRITING CRAFT is a kick in the pants for anyone who wants to write but is stymied by fear, doubt, or simply doesn’t know how to take their writing to the next level.

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. Follow her adventures and find out about upcoming new releases at her blog, Writer Off the Leash, or stop by her website. You can also find her at the usual haunts of Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

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Four Tips for Forming a "Street Team"

Posted by Michelle Griep for Erica Vetsch

Recently, I decided to take the plunge and form a tribe, a street team, a book launch team, or whatever kids are calling it these days. I knew that my efforts alone were not going to be enough to get the word out sufficiently about my new releases, nor could I devote enough time to marketing all by myself and still write books. I watched what some of my fellow authors were doing to organize and assemble teams, took notes, and gave it quite a bit of thought.

Then I took the plunge, knowing what I hoped for but not really knowing what was realistic.

The truth is, I could not be happier with my little group. They are enthusiastic, eager, and have surpassed my expectations.  So I thought I would share a few things I’ve learned so far that might be helpful for someone thinking about starting an author ‘street team.’

Put out the call with specifics: 

You need to get the word out, but it isn’t enough to just say, ‘hey, want to be part of my team?’ You need to be specific about what you’re looking for and what prospective members can expect. I chose to put the word out on Facebook mostly, because that’s my favorite social media site. I listed clearly what I was looking for; book reviews, social media, blogging, etc. I also listed clearly what team members could expect from me; review copies of books, promotional materials, inside/early info, brainstorming possibilities, etc. In order to select my team, I set up a questionnaire on SurveyMonkey.com. I asked questions like:

• ·       How many of Erica’s books have you read?
• ·       Which social media sites do you use?
• ·       Have you ever reviewed a book online before?
• ·       Do you belong to any other authors’ street teams?

I tailored the questions to help me select the folks that would work best for my needs. One thing I also needed to consider is how big I wanted my team to be. I needed to weigh up my promotion budget, my publisher’s contributions to promotion, and how many folks I thought I could manage. I decided to start small with 25 people, figuring I could always add folks later as I got more experience.

Give the group an identity tailored to what you write: 

I write historical fiction, and a lot of it is set in the American West with cowboys and cavalry officers and pioneers. When it came time to form my book launch team, ‘street team’ didn’t seem like quite the right name. I went with The Vetsch Posse.  I created a ‘wanted poster’ and used ‘cowboy lingo’ to describe what I was looking for. Folks responded better than I even imagined. They’re proud of being part of a Posse riding the publishing range in search of new readers. J

Encourage inter-group networking: 

When I had my selections made, I created a private Facebook Group for the members. Then I asked everyone to post all their social media links there so everyone could link up, follow, and like each other, forming connections which would make sharing info easier. I asked everyone to introduce themselves in the group, which resulted in lots of chatter about their common likes, locations, and similarities. The group identity began to form with very little help from me. This, I believe, is crucial to the success of the venture, and will, I hope lead to a group that will function well with little input and oversight from me.

Be clear with your communication and expectations: 

I post each Monday morning in the private Facebook group. I figure once a week is a good amount, not wanting to overwhelm members but also not wanting them to think I’ve forgotten about them. I call the post the Monday Morning Abuckles (Arbuckles being synonymous with cowboy coffee.) In each MMA, I post the promotional items that I hope to accomplish that week. Things like having everyone post on FB and twitter about a contest or book giveaway, or encouraging those on Pinterest to pin to the Vetsch Posse board. Just this last week, I let everyone know that my publisher had printed up some postcards and bookmarks, and if Posse members wanted, I would mail them a handful to give out. Boy howdy, did the Posse come through on that one. I mailed more than twenty packages! Yay, Posse!! They will distribute these postcards to friends, family, local libraries, and bookstores. This is a great example of being clear on what you would like to accomplish, and your team will help you get it done!

One of the things that I’ve been most surprised about is how happy and thankful these folks are to be part of my team. They’ve thanked me many times, when it is I who should be thanking them! (And I do!) I’m still learning, but thus far, forming The Vetsch Posse has been fun and effective!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Anything he can do, I can do better. At least that was what Cassie Bucknell thought before she pinned on Ben Wilder’s badge and took to patrolling the streets of Cactus Creek, Texas. Cassie has been in love with Ben since primer school, but Ben treats her like a little sister. When they are picked to swap jobs for a month as part of the annual Cactus Creek Challenge in their Texas hometown, the schoolhouse is thrown into an uproar, the jail becomes a temporary bank vault, and Cassie and Ben square off in a battle of wills that becomes a battle for their hearts.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Erica Vetsch is a transplanted Kansan now residing in Minnesota. She loves history and romance, and is blessed to be able to combine the two by writing historical romances. Whenever she’s not immersed in fictional worlds, she’s the company bookkeeper for the family lumber business, mother of two, wife to a man who is her total opposite and soul-mate, and avid museum patron.

• Erica's Goodreads
• Erica's Books on Amazon
• Erica's Facebook Page
• Erica's Newsletter
• Erica's Pinterest Boards
• Erica's Twitter
• Erica's Website

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First Draft Manifesto

Writing a novel isn’t as simple as it seems. You should know what you’re getting yourself into when you sit down to write a first draft, and so I give you . . .

The First Draft Manifesto

Principle #1: Divorce Your Art From Perfectionism

Just write what you're thinking.

I know. Sounds too easy, right? Like I'm making up a fake truth to fool you so that your writing will fail, and then I'll swoop in with mine and make millions (cue evil laughter). Nope. Nothing like that at all. Here's the deal . . . When you put too much effort into finding the right words, your creativity gets bunched up, bogging you down. Sometimes even stopping you. That's bad, folks. Newsflash: you don't have to have the most psychedelic words strung out across the page like a hippie on acid. You only need to have words. Period. They don't have to be perfect. Not yet. That's what editing is for.

Principle #2: Step Off the Cliff

BE BRAVE

There's a certain amount of bravado involved in penning a first draft. How much? Gobs. No, really. I measured. It takes guts to expose the story in your head for all the world to see, but don’t hyperventilate. The beauty of a first draft is that no one but yourself need see it. So go ahead. Take a deep breath. Then expel every crazy word idea swirling around in your skull.

TAKE CHANCES

Go rogue. Allow your characters to take risks with their actions. Snark up the dialogue, letting it shoot off into conversations you never dreamed possible. Give your plot permission to take a sharp left turn or even mow down into the ditch for some off-roading.

FREEFALL

Your writing will never change or grow if you don't vary the way you write. If you usually write in third person, do a scene in first, just for the heck of it. You don't have to keep it that way, but in the exercise, you might find a new perspective in which to stage that scene. Flail around a bit with structure, like writing only dialogue for an entire chapter. Quit rolling your eyes. Of course you'll go back later and add in setting and descriptions.

First drafts are the safest place to experiment and stretch the boundaries of your usual writing norm. If you were waiting for permission, here it is. Go for it.

Don't tuck tail and run . . . persevere!

Principle #3: Endure to Infinity and Beyond

The idea of writing a novel is oh-so-much more romantic than actually parking your heinie in a chair and pounding out words. After a day or two of actual writing, the ninety-nine percent will tuck tail and run, whimpering about writer's cramp or block or something about a clogged artery in the posterior region.

The only way to finish a first draft is to . . . umm . . . **excessive throat clearing** FINISH THE DANG THING! Yes, I'm yelling. There's no easy way out except through, and that takes endurance.

So keep plugging away, word after word. Eventually you will give birth to a pound-and-a-half baby manuscript, putting you in the ranks of those with a complete novel to their credit instead of a loser talking smack about writing one.

Principle #4: Think like a pirate.

There are lots of things to admire about pirates, as long as you overlook their rank body odor and the fact that they slit throats and rob people. The piratey trait with the most takeaway value for a writer is that pirates aren't married to rules and regulations. Sure, they've got a code to follow, but in the words of Captain Barbossa . . .

"The code is more what you call guidelines, than actual rules."

When you set sail on the ocean of first draft, you have a destination in mind. There's a plan lurking about in your grey matter, a map for you to follow from beginning to end. If you're really a planner, you've even got a synopsis written and know exactly how the story will flow from chapter to chapter.

But if you come up with a better idea halfway through, it's okay to change directions. Sure, your story might not turn out how you expected, but that's okay. Don't put so much pressure on yourself to stay a certain course that you're not willing to explore a different direction story-wise. Some of the best creativity happens when least expected.

Principle #5: Carpe Diem

Besides mindlessly zipping from one blog to another or checking out updates on Facebook or Twitter or whatever, how about you sieze today, right now, and type out a few words of your story idea?

Creators create. Yeah, God took a day off but guess what? That was AFTER he finished. Don’t let today slip by without carving out time to splatter some words on a page. I’m not saying they have to be stellar. They just have to be. Don’t tell me you’re going to write a book. Do it. Do it now.

What? You’re still here?

Like what you read? There’s more. WRITER OFF THE LEASH: GROWING IN THE WRITING CRAFT is a kick in the pants for anyone who wants to write but is stymied by fear, doubt, or simply doesn’t know how to take their writing to the next level.

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. Follow her adventures and find out about upcoming new releases at her blog, Writer Off the Leash, or stop by her website. You can also find her at the usual haunts of Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

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