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.

Take Care of You, Too - Tips for Writers

We have been through a lot over the last year and a half. Some, more than others. The pandemic and its chaos has forced everyone to change, adapt, and extend grace to others. I suggest that you include yourself.

There are going to be days that you don’t feel like writing. It’s okay to stray from your schedule. Just make sure to have a plan to get back on track. Don’t beat yourself up. Learn from the situation and do your best. And if you have contractual deadlines, make sure to build in time when planning to accommodate a few skip days.

Sadness, losses, and disappointments are part of life, but that doesn’t make them any easier to cope with. Make sure you give yourself time and space to grieve.

Take care of your health. Make sure you’re eating right, exercising, and getting enough sleep. I spend way too much time at my desk these days. I need to find more ways to move around.

Reach out to others to talk or visit. Writing is a single-person sport most of the time, but you do need contact with others. Find a crew of writers. Having a support network is invaluable for advice, celebrations, and to keep you motivated.

Try not to dwell or fixate on the disappointments. It’s easy to get mired in that quicksand, and sometimes, it’s difficult to get out of. If you’re not in the mindset to write, work on other tasks (e.g. revisions, editing, queueing up blog posts, social media tasks, or administrative tasks that you never get around to.) You can still be productive and work on your manuscript later.

News anchor, Lester Holt’s closing line is always a great reminder for all of us, “Take care of yourself and each other.”

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.

Online Interview Tips for Authors

You want to look and sound your best on an interview. No matter if it’s for print, an audio podcast, or a video, here are some tips that can help you look like a pro.

Backgrounds

I can’t tell you how many Zoom meetings, workshops, or interviews I’ve viewed where the subject was sitting in his/her bedroom with a clear shot of the bathroom in the background.

• Set up your camera and look at your background. If another room (especially the bathroom) is behind you or you think you may be interrupted by others walking by, close the door.

• Look at what’s behind you. Make sure it conveys the image you want to project. If it’s a bookshelf, people like me will spend some of the time trying to see what books are behind you. Make sure your shelves or the room behind you is neat and professional looking.

• Many podcasts (which are typically audio only) also post a video of the recorded session. Make sure you ask before you think it’s audio only.

• If you use a green screen, make sure it stretches across the entire area behind you. There’s nothing more distracting than for viewers to see parts of your desk or room peeking around the green screen.

• If you choose to use the blurred or preset backgrounds, make sure you don’t fidget. When you move or there’s movement behind you, the background adjusts as if it’s part of you. It’s funny to watch people (and body parts) appear and disappear. Also, doors that open behind you look like a portal into another dimension when your stock background starts to move. This may not be the look that you’re going for.

Lighting

Lighting (as much as you can get in your interview spot) is important. If you do a lot of online presentations, you may want to invest in a good light. The prices vary, but you can get a good one that’s reasonably priced.

• Natural light is the best, but it’s not always available.

• If you wear glasses, be careful with ring lights. We can see doughnuts in your lenses.

• Test your lighting. You want to be well lit, but not washed out.

Sound

The interviewer or panel need to be able to hear you. A practice session or a mic check is always good practice.

• Test your camera/microphone and know when you are (and aren’t) on mute.

• Invest in a microphone or headset that minimizes background noise. I can bet money that my neighbor is going to decide to blow leaves or cut grass the minute I log on to do a presentation.

• Find a quiet place in your home that’s away from distractions. It’s good if you have a door to close.

• If you’re outside, remember your microphone will pick up traffic noises and wind.

• At my house, the dogs are pretty well behaved, but if someone rings the doorbell, all bets are off. I’ve put notes on the doorbell when important recording sessions were in progress.

• If you’re having internet or sound issues, find out if you can call in to the session. (Old school landlines are the best if you still have one.) Make sure you have the call-in information before you get started.

• If you’re having connectivity issues, make sure no one else in your house is streaming (movies, TV, music, or video conferencing) or gaming. Turn off video to improve the connection.

Your Look

Zoom has made it necessary to look ready for anything at a moment’s notice.

• Wear solid colors.

• Choose dark colors. They show up better. Busy patterns look squiggly, especially if your audience is using low resolution for viewing.

• Take time to do your makeup and hair. Make up does help with your look on video.

• Make sure that you’re looking into the camera. It looks odd when you’re looking off screen, down, or side-eyed.

• If you’re going to read something, make sure that you’re still facing the camera.

• Smile. You want them to see the real you.

• Take a deep breath and calm the jitters. You’ll do great! You know your material.

Always be prepared. Have any props or books within reach (so you don’t have to get up). And do a practice run if possible to make sure all links and equipment are working. And it’s always a good idea to have an emergency contact for the host in case you can’t get the link to work.

Best wishes for your next interview and book promotion!

Dealing with Goodbyes in Your Writing Life

Writers encounter a lot of rejections and goodbyes along their writing journey. It is a part of the process, but knowing that doesn’t make it any easier. As you grow as a writer, there are things you’re going to have (or want) to give up or do less of because your time is finite, and you have to be able to juggle all the demands in your life.

Make Sure Your Events Match Your Audience - Early on, we tried just about every event and conference that would let us speak and sell books. I learned after a few events which ones drew my readers. I am now more selective about events I attend and where I spend my time and money. I don’t have to do every event.

You Can Say No - I like to help and to be a part of things, but there are only 1,440 minutes in a day. I was taking on too much and not guarding my writing time. I had to decide what time I was going to devote to writing and book marketing, and then I had to not do some other activities.

Changes - Life is full of changes. People retire, move, and change jobs. It is difficult when you miss people or your life was upended by something you can’t control. Agents and editors retire or switch jobs. Our friends are no longer here with us. Publishing houses are purchased, and sometimes contracts are not extended. Give yourself time to grieve.

Moving on - I started out with a group of writers, and many of us were at the beginning of our journeys. We did book signings, critique groups, and blogging/marketing efforts together. Things don’t always stay the same. There are times when you need to evaluate your goals and decide if you want to continue doing things or if it’s time to jettison some activities in order to improve your craft. This doesn’t mean to give up friends or stop supporting them. It just means that you may have outgrown the activity or that it may not bring you the same joy or value that it did in the past.

Whatever the goodbye is, you need to give yourself some time to react and grieve. Then it’s time to assess your writing situation Are you ready to make a change? Decide where you want to be and work toward that goal. The writing life is a tough one sometimes. But I still believe the benefits and joys outweigh the obstacles along the way.

Plotters, and Pantsers, and Hybrids, Oh My!

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

What is your writing style? There has always been an age-old discussion among writers. And you will find diehard fans on both sides.

Quick Definitions

Plotter - One who is a detailed outliner. He/she plans the entire book before writing.

Pantser - One who writes by the seat of her/his pants. The writer goes where the story leads.

Hybrid - This is a combination of the two styles. There’s some planning and some freewheeling.

I have been in IT for the last twenty-one years, and before that I was involved with business analysis, project management, and technical writing. Planning and outlining have always been a part of my work processes. I am also a list maker and planner of everything from vacations to potlucks. So it was a natural fit for me to plot.

My style has changed over the years. As I dove deeper into the writing process, sometimes a subplot or a character took over, and the structure changed from my plan. In an effort to speed up my writing, I “pantsed” several books. They no longer took five years to write, but I tended to get stuck in the middle. I struggled with where the story was going. It wasn’t really writer’s block, but I was mired in what should come next. With the rewrites and the revisions, I probably spent more time than if I had outlined the book in the first place.

And sometimes the characters or plot did take over. In my Delanie Fitzgerald series, Chaz Wellington Smith, III, the sleazy strip club owner was only supposed to be a minor character in book one. My critique group liked his character, and he is fun to write. I just finished book four in that series, and Chaz is still around. He grew on Delanie and me.

In your writing, use whatever style works for you. I describe myself as a hybrid now. I’m rigid enough to start with a plan and flexible enough to change if it suits the story. My chapter outlines also save time when I put a synopsis together for querying.

There is no right way. Look for ideas or hacks that will help you improve your writing. If something doesn’t work, jettison it for something else.

Happy writing, whether you plot and plan, or write whatever comes to mind.

It's Time for Health Check of Your Writing Life

Audits, regular check ups, and routine maintenance always make me cringe. They’re not my favorite things to do, but they are necessary and important. And I challenge you to do an annual check up on your writing life. Are the things that you’re doing helping to move you forward with your goals?

Platforms

• Your website, newsletter, and social media platforms need routine care and feeding. When was the last time you posted or commented? Do you do things to actively grow your audience?

• Occasionally look at your follower lists. There are accounts that follow and drop you when you follow them back. It’s a good idea to purge nonfollowers from time to time.

• Make sure that all your links work on your sites. Test your contact me forms.

• Look at your author headshot. If it’s from ten years ago, you may be due for a new one.

• Look at the landing page of your website. Is it inviting and appealing? Can visitors easily navigate your site?

• Search for your name on a variety of search engines. See what comes up. If you’re not in the first page of results, you need to work on your internet presence.

Tools/Services

• Look at the tools and services that you pay for. Are they helping you market yourself and your books?

• Make sure that you use this services enough to get your money’s worth. Are there comparable free tools available?

• Check your accounts. Is “autorenew” set? If so, make sure that you still want the service before it’s time to reup. Chances are that you’re paying for things you don’t use.

Your Time

• Time is precious, and you need to guard it.

• It is okay to say no to things that you don’t want to volunteer for. It’s hard, but if you’re overloaded and overscheduled, you don’t have time to write.

• Look at where you spend your writing time. Is it balanced with your marketing efforts?

• Look at your numbers and what marketing efforts sell books. Scale back or jettison the ones that didn’t work for your book.

• Look for pockets of time in your day that you can redirect to your writing time. When we worked from home during the pandemic, I dedicated my normal two hours of commuting time to writing, and it paid off. I was very productive with my writing projects that year.

• Get organized. Stop spending precious time searching for things. Organize your desk, schedule, and computer files.

Take a few minutes to do a retrospective with your writing life. Look at what you’ve produced, marketing, goals, schedule, and expenses. Focus on a few things that will help you move closer to your goals.

What I Learned about the Writing Life from the Wizard of Oz

The 1939 MGM version of THE WIZARD OF OZ is my all-time favorite movie. It used to be a once-a-year treat when it aired on TV, but when technology changed, I bought the VHS tape and DVD for “on demand” viewing. I even took a two-week fun course on it as an undergrad. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen it, but it still find surprises each time I watch it. Here’s what I learned as an author from it.

You Had the Power All Along - You do. You have the grit and determination to fulfill your writing dreams. It’s there. You just need to harness it and figure out your plan. Make a plan and follow it. Don’t give up!

Use Your Assets - You have the tools to be a writer. You will need to put in the time and energy to hone them, but you have the brain, heart, and courage to do it.

Everyone Needs Friends - The writing journey is a long (often solitary one), you need friends, mentors, coaches, and cheerleaders. Find your crew and support each other.

People (or Scarecrows, Tinmen, and Cowardly Lions) Are Willing to Help - The Writing Community is full of authors at different stages who are gracious with their time and advice. Find your writing allies and cherish them.

Be Part of The Group - Make sure that you’re an active participant with the writing community. You don’t have to do everything, but you need to do something. Share ideas, experiences, and contacts. Provide feedback and guidance. Support other writers with comments, shares, and reviews.

Sometimes It’s Scary - The witch’s flying monkeys scared me so badly as a kid. (And when I was little, I found it hard to fathom that the lady in the Maxwell House coffee commercials was really the Wicked Witch. But that’s another story.) There are some rough patches and scary stuff along the writing journey. Rejections, bad critiques, and nasty reviews aren’t pleasant. Learn what you can from them and keep going.

Be Flexible - You are going to run into all kinds of roadblocks and dead ends. Figure out ways to move forward and to advance your goals. Use your gifts. Be creative and find your way out of the haunted forest.

And one pair of shoes can change your life.