Your Writing Life Needs Some Spring Cleaning

Spring is here, and I love the warm weather. Everything is in bloom and new again. I also have the urge for spring cleaning. Here are some ideas to help get rid of the paper and electronic clutter in your writing life.

Electronic Files

• Go through your photos and save any that you really want to keep to the cloud or an external hard drive to free up space on your computer.

• Clean up your saved email, especially those with attachments. Make sure to empty your Sent and Trash files regularly.

• Archive any old document files.

• Open your cloud storage and delete anything that is outdated or no longer needed.

• Look at the apps on your phone. Remove any that you don’t use.

Your Marketing Materials

• Check out your biography and marketing materials. Make sure they are current.

• Make sure your website has the most current information about you and your books.

• Check your biography and your books on your social media sites.

• Does your headshot need refreshing?

Paper Files and Clutter

• It’s time to go through your files and purge what you don’t need.

• It’s time to file what hasn’t made it to the filing cabinet yet.

• Make sure that you file mileage and receipts for your writing expenses as you collect them. This will make it easier for tax time next year.

• Clean off your desk.

• Look at all the books you’ve collected over the year. Can any be donated or gifted?

What would you add to my list?

Ideas for Tightening up Your Manuscript - Tips for Authors

Self-editing is probably my least favorite of all the writing tasks, but it, along with the other proofreading and revising steps, are the most important to your manuscript. Here are some ideas of ways to tighten your work and make it more polished before you send out queries. You often only get one shot with an agent or publisher, so your manuscript needs to be the best it possibly can.

• Read the dialogue out loud. If you don’t want to be the reader, use the “Read Aloud” function on Microsoft Word’s Review tab. You will often hear things that need to be adjusted.

• Look at your dialog. Make sure it moves your story forward. Remove the chitchat if it doesn’t add to the story. Fluffy filler needs to go.

• Review your dialog tags (he said/she said). Use the Goldilocks method. You need what’s just right (not too many and not too few). The reader needs to know who the speaker is, but every line doesn’t need a tag.

• Look for places where the action is mundane. If you are bored, your readers will be too.

• Print out a copy of your manuscript and read it chapter by chapter. You will see more mistakes on paper than you will on the screen.

• Use your spell checker to catch extra spaces and typos.

• Search for “be” verbs (is/was/were…). Try to substitute a stronger verb. These are usually parts where you’re doing a lot of telling and not showing.

• Look for examples of passive voice and make those sentences active.

• Review long paragraphs and make sure all the detail adds to your story. Backstory (your character’s history) is important, but it needs to be sprinkled in. Long chucks of history read like a police report or a data dump. They take the reader out of the story’s action.

• Look at the action in your story. You do not need to describe every single step and thing that your characters encounter. If your story is about your character flying to Europe, you really don’t need to tell us about all the things she does to get to the airport unless it is key to the work.

• Make a list of your overused words We all have our favorites. Mine are “just” and “that.” During my editing, I search for these and replace or delete as many as I can.

• Pay attention to the details. If you rename or change something, make sure you’ve removed or updated all references. I beta-read a few chapters for someone the other day, and this person had two different names for the main character and two different spellings of one of the names.

To me, editing is harder than writing, but it is so important to the overall project. What else would you add to my list?

What Do You Have to Have to Write?

Writers have their own routines and habits. Here are some things I have to have when I’m researching and writing a mystery.

Music - I usually listen to faster music when I’m writing. I like a lot of genres, but if I’m trying to concentrate, I listen to jazz or classical. Those are my choices for editing, too.

Caffeine - I must be caffeinated for my writing sessions. I’m not much of a hot drink drinker, so I drink soft drinks, iced tea, and iced coffee all year. My day starts at 5:00 AM, and caffeine is always part of the morning ritual.

Snacks - I don’t do a lot of snacking, but when I’m in writer mode, chocolate is a must-have. Dark chocolate is my favorite (no nuts or coconut).

Exercise - I tend to sit still too long. My fitness band is good about buzzing when I’ve been in my seat too long. I also have two crazy Jack Russell Terriers for officemates, and they let me know when it’s time for a break.

A Plan - I’m more of a plotter (even though I do go off script) than a pantser when I write. I like to have an outline of each chapter. That helps me when I start and stop. It also helps when I go to write the dreaded synopsis.

No Distractions - When I am in full writing or revising mode, I need to keep the distractions to a minimum. No TV, internet, or phones. It is too easy to just stop to research something and end up watching funny cat or dog videos for an hour.

What works for you? What would you add to my list?

Find the Writing Routine That Works for You

It’s NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), the time when authors commit to writing each day with the goal of completing a good chunk of their novel by the end of the month. Anyone participating this year?

I think daily writing goals are good. For a long time, I resisted. There was too much going on in my life to commit to being able to write every day. (And it took almost five years to finish my first novel.) I have picked up speed over the years, and that includes daily writing.

You need to find the routine that works for you and your schedule. This one is mine. I still have a day gig that starts at 7:30 AM, so I get up and write at 5:00 AM. I have always been a morning person, and I usually stick to my routine on weekends. I write during my lunch, and if I didn’t hit my word count for the day, then I come back after dinner to finish. On days that I work, my goal is 1,000 words. On weekends and days off, my goal is 3,000 words. I can usually finish a cozy mystery draft in about two to two and a half months. I have my major research completed and a pretty good outline of the mystery before I start. When I’m not writing a book, I use the time to network, market my current books, and update my social media platforms.

Here’s what I learned about having a routine:

• Do your best to keep to your schedule. Figure out how much time you have and be realistic about your plans.

• If you miss a day or so, don’t beat yourself up. Life happens. Try to get back on track. The longer you are away from your WIP (work in progress), the harder it is to find where you left off.

• Just write when you are in first draft mode. Make notes of things you need to research later. Don’t go back and edit or revise. Just write.

• If you’re finding it hard to carve out time, look at your daily schedule. Where can you find 30-60 minutes each day? What can you exchange for some writing time?

• When we worked from home during the pandemic and lockdown, I committed my commuting time to writing. I was way more prolific than I’ve ever been. To me, it proved that daily writing time works.

• Celebrate your victories. I keep a little sheet of paper with my daily word totals. You’ll be surprised how quickly it adds up.

Let me know what works for you. Happy Writing!

Secrets for Finishing Your Book - Tips for Authors

It took me over five years to write my first novel and probably another two years of editing and revising (and revising) before it was finally published. (I do write faster these days, but it took a while to find my groove.) Here are the two things that authors need for their writing journey:

• Willingness to do the Hard Work - You need to put in the work/time if you’re going to be a writer. That means sticking to a schedule, writing regularly, honing your craft, and being open to feedback.

• Persistence - If you want to be a published author, you need to set your goal and work toward it. There are going to be roadblocks, setbacks, and disappointments. Writing is a tough business.

There is no magic pill or solution. Here are some things that have worked for me. Give them a try. If something doesn’t work for you, modify it or try something else.

• Set your writing schedule and your goals. Make sure you don’t set yourself up for failure. Be realistic. If you have a busy schedule, you may only be able to commit an hour every few days. Add in a few skip days because life is going to get in the way or you may not feel like writing one day. Try your best to stick to your schedule. I am much more prolific when I write or edit every day. I am an early bird, so I get up before the sun and write before work. I also get up at 5:00 on my days off to write.

• Keep yourself motivated. There are so many distractions and other things to do. Plus, life gets in the way. Figure out what works for you.

• Just do it. My friend, Alan Orloff, calls this BICFOK - Butt in Chair - Fingers on Keyboard. It’s work.

• Try not to get Distracted. Author Brad Parks had a great suggestion for when you need to research something. He said don’t stop and research it in the moment. Type XXX in the space and make a note. Keep writing. Then when he’s in editing mode, he goes searching for “his X’s.” It cuts down on the distractions.

• Find your crew. Writing is often a one-person sport. Find your support team to celebrate with you and to cheer you up when you hit a road block. These special people are a gift.

• When you’re writing your first draft, just write. Don’t correct, edit, proofread, or revise. Finish your first draft before you go back and edit.

• Get rid of the distractions. Turn off the TV, shut your door, and get off the internet.

• Writing/publishing is a business. You need books to sell. Seven years may be too long between books. Before the pandemic, I wanted to see if I could write more than one mystery in a year. I committed to a schedule for a year, and I produced two novels, a novella, and two short stories. Since I was working from home during the pandemic, I committed my daily commute time and lunch (3 hours on week days) to writing. I finished three novels, a novella, and two short stories.

Best wishes for your writing projects!

Writerly Lessons Learned - Tips for Authors

I have done hundreds of events, workshops, and classes over the years, and I have learned a lot along the way. Here are some that I can laugh about now…

Know Where You’re Going to Be - We did a museum event one time in January. When I booked it for our anthology authors, it never occurred to me to ask where we would be sitting. It was outside in the dead of winter. Thankfully, one of the gals lived nearby, and her husband dropped by with portable space heaters.

Always Confirm - Get the details before an event and confirm everything. I attended a friend’s book launch at a chain bookstore. When her guests arrived, the book seller told her that the book order didn’t arrive on time. She didn’t have any extra copies with her.

Lips Don’t Lie - We did a panel event at a library with a packed house over 250 people. During the signing, a woman approached the table, and she told me she had to tell me something. She wanted to tell me that “my lips disappeared in the back of the room.” At first, I thought she was trying to sell me cosmetics. I was a little baffled at the comment. It seems my lipstick had disappeared somewhere along the way, and she wanted me to know, so I could wear a darker color next time.

Some Assembly Required - We did a signing at a beautiful winery once, and my partner in crime brought her tent and table. I’m sure it looked like two women doing some kind of weird dance. We had to wrestle the tent. (We are both under 5’ 3”, so it was quite an adventure to raise the canopy over our heads.) I hope no one was filming it. Thankfully, a tall person assisted.

Thanks, Mom - At my very FIRST book signing at the Library of Virginia, I pocketed my keys, phone, and a pen. I didn’t want to have to keep up with a purse during the talk and signing. When I went to sign the first book, I realized my pen had dried up. Thankfully, my mom came to the rescue with the stash of pens from her purse.

Censored - We did a Facebook take over one time on a site owned by a blog tour company. The company did book promotions for mystery and romance writers. Somehow, its erotica promotions caused it to have an adult rating with some of the web monitoring tools. We found out later that a lot of our readers’ computers blocked the site as pornographic.

What Time is it? - Make sure you clarify the time zone. I’ve done interviews and panels based in Europe and the West Coast, and I had to check the time conversions several times. I was up once at o’dark thirty many a time for a live, morning interview in England.

A Rose by Any Other Name - When we formed a group of writers for a joint blogging venture, we Googled the name and hashtags that we wanted to use. We ended up with Lethal Ladies Write because “Lethal Ladies” belonged to a group of wrestlers. When I was looking at pennames, I thought I’d use my first and middle name, Heather Leigh. When I Googled it, it belonged to an exotic dancer and adult film star in California. Her following was slightly different than mine.

The writing life is an adventure. These are some of mine that were also learning experiences.

Do Your Homework - Tips for Writers

My parents and teachers instilled an “always be prepared” work ethic from early on. When I try to cut corners and wing something, it often doesn’t turn out like I imagined. Here are some tips for writers where they should do their homework and make sure they’re prepared.

Querying Agents and Publisher - You often only get one shot with an agent or publisher. Don’t blow it by sending out a generic or half-baked query. Target the person/company that you want to be apart of. Make sure your work fits and provide all the criteria they ask for. Follow the directions. Make it easy for them to navigate your submissions. Then keep track of where you’ve sent queries.

Hiring Talent - If you’re in the market for an editor, proofreader, publicist, cover designer, formatter, personal assistant, or any other talent, do your research. Seek references and ask people you know for recommendations. Make sure that your agreement is a business transaction. You do need a signed contract or statement of work. Also, make sure you’re aware of the costs and how you will be billed.

Presentations - No matter how good a public speaker you are, make sure you are prepared. If you’re not sure about the technology, do a practice session to ensure everything works and everyone knows the expectations. Make sure you have an emergency contact number in case there is a problem.

Events - Even if you’re working with a book seller to handle the sales, it’s a good idea to have a box of books in the trunk of your car. I can’t tell you how many times the book order didn’t arrive or they didn’t order enough.

Confirm all of the details with the organizer ahead of the event. Know what you’re responsible for bringing. Make sure you have emergency contact information. Be early and bring the things you think you’ll need.

Sometimes a little bit of prep work prevents a lot of heartbreak and frustration.

Keep the End Goal in Mind - Tips for Writers

The best advice I received early in my writing career was to write your next book. Marketing, research, learning, training, editing, querying, appearances, conferences, social media, and life in general all vie for your attention and limited resources. All of these things are important, and you have to decide where you’re going to spend your time.

Your Craft - Make sure you are learning and growing as a writer. Find a writing partner, critique group, or developmental editor to help you hone your skills. You need to learn and improve as you progress on your journey. But don’t get bogged down in the self-help and training that you don’t have time to write and practice.

When I first thought about being a writer, I bought every “how to” book I could find. I ended up spending a lot of time (and money), and some of them weren’t that helpful. I was reading help books rather than writing. I finally decided to go through my collection. I kept four or five of the best and donated the rest to the Friends of the Library. It’s the same with training. You need to do workshops and classes from time to time, but not to the detriment of your writing.

Your Brand - These days all publishers expect authors to have an established platform , interact with readers, and find ways to market their books online. This is key to selling books and keeping contracts. Again, authors need to balance the work. I try to guard my writing time and reserve other time for marketing, business, and social media tasks. Look at your situation. What can you afford to hire help to do? My rule is to figure out my budget. Determine what I can do and pay professionals to do what they do best. And don’t always look at your writing tasks. You can farm out daily tasks, too that may free up some of your time, especially if you still have a day gig (e.g. yardwork, cleaning, dog-walking, etc.).

Balance - You do need to balance all the parts in your life. I looked at my spare time. I like social media and web design, so I decided to do those myself. I check my social media sites several times a day. I also try to multitask and do some while watching TV or movies. I did look at my TV time, and I was watching a lot of bad TV. I record what I really want to watch and speed through the commercials.

Your current book will help you sell your previous books. Meaning you should see additional sales from readers who want to know what else you’ve written. Multiple books also help you if you want to do larger ad campaigns.

There is a lot that goes into the writing life. (More than I ever thought of when I dreamed about being a writer.) I am constantly learning new things and trying different marketing ideas. But just remember to protect your writing time. Writers do a lot of things, but their primary goal is to finish their work in progress.