The Joy of Self-Publishing

By Deborah Owen (Writeandpublishyourbook.com)

I had been writing for two decades before I realized how much I needed the companionship of other writers with like minds. All that time, I was thinking how neat it would be to talk to other writers, but I had no idea that writer’s groups even existed. Since the advent of computers and my own education in using one, I now realize what I was missing all those years. Only when I am with other writers do I feel really understood.

There are seven good reasons to join a creative writer’s group:

Finding other writers is extremely encouraging. You can talk in forums, by email, or chat privately.

You will find a plethora of activities to engage your talents.

There will be lots of writing contests, and this is one of the best motivators there is.

You can get creative and make greeting ecards, banners for others who have a business, and unique graphic signatures.

You can strike out on your own by creating a business, or help someone else in theirs.

Being part of a writing community gives you awesome opportunities to search out latent talents and bring them to life. You can create contests (or help others who create them). If you like graphics, you will have a wonderful opportunity to sell them and gain exposure.

You can post your stories on the net. Other writers will critique your work, and you will critique theirs in return. The more detailed your critique, the more they will appreciate it. Tell them if they miss a comma, or should have used a semi-colon; tell them if their plot was thin or the scenery didn’t convert to an image in your mind. This is what they need to know to improve their performance. By interacting in this way, you will soon learn what is good and bad writing, and what you want to emulate, and what you should avoid.

By this simple but effective method, you can improve your writing by leaps and bounds. When receiving critiques, remember that the person giving it is trying to help you. Don’t get your feelings hurt by someone criticizing your favorite story. On the contrary – use 95% of their suggestions for editing, and then put the story out again for more reviews.

The largest majority will thank you and invite you back for more reviews. Others will get their feelings hurt, so be tactful and gentle. If you don’t know how to review stories, the site will have a guide for you. You’ll be reviewing like a pro within a month.

I have visited many writing sites. The one I endorse is Writing.com, as it is one of the best established writing groups on the net. Membership is free. It won’t take you long to settle in, as you will have lots of help.

The Bible says if a person would have friends, he must show himself friendly. Whether or not you believe the Bible, that’s good advice, so don’t wait for someone to reach out to you. You reach out to them.

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By Ginny Wiehardt (About.com)

The short story and the novel differ in many ways, but the most important consideration is the time commitment involved. While it’s relatively uncommon for a writer to work consistently on a short story for years, the average novel takes 3-7 years to complete. If you’re going to commit that much of your life to a project, you obviously want to be sure your novel idea is a good one. So how do you know if your idea is novel-worthy? A few questions will help you decide.

1. Does something happen?

It may sound simplistic, but for many people, plot is one of the hardest elements to grasp. Make sure that your story contains a central conflict. Something must happen to turn your character’s life upside down, and through this experience, a change must take place within your character. If your idea does not include a conflict, you’re not quite ready to start writing.

2. Will it appeal to others?

If you’re reading this article, you probably do care about your audience. You probably hope to someday publish your work. If this is your goal, and you’re going to spend 3-7 years on a project, do give some consideration as to whether or not your work will be of interest to others. Is it overly focused on you and your concerns? How does your theme apply to others? What will your reader gain from reading your book?

3. Are you taking a risk?

While you must consider your audience, don’t be afraid to write something risky or outside the mainstream. Denis Johnson keeps a sign over his office door that reads, “Write the unpublishable…and then publish it.” This rule has obviously worked for him, and odds are it will work for others. Ultimately editors and agents are interested in seeing something new. That won’t happen if we’re intent on writing only what we know can be published.

4. Is your novel idea compelling to you?

The most important person you have to sell on your idea is yourself. If your attention flags halfway through writing the book, your readers will pick up on it. Unless you’re James Joyce, no one’s going to spend as much time with your novel as you will. It’s important to see your book through so that you gain confidence in yourself as a writer, but you want to enjoy the process. Writing a novel should be fun, at least some of the time.

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Image source: Writingforward.com

by Carla Charter 

It had been one of those days. A blizzard had struck, leaving me with three housebound children, two of them younger boys. Boys who lately feel like their going to be trying out for the WWF in a couple of years. Don’t get me wrong, they do this for fun!

Anyway, I caught up on the wash and finished the housework. After watching television with my three children, I tucked them all snugly into bed and the house was soon quiet. Time I thought, for me and my writing. Time to meet those deadlines. So I made myself a cup of tea and sat down at the computer. Then the words promptly froze. I’m not sure exactly why.

Despite my best efforts, nothing would come together right. It all sounded forced and stilted. So I did what any creative person would do: I opened a solitaire game on the computer. Half way through my second game I stopped cold. What was I thinking?

Would Dickens or London or Alcott give up that easily? Where would their books or the world be for that matter if they did? So I closed the game and went back to the writing. Determined one way or another to meet those deadlines. I wrote through the mess of words that sounded awful and straight.

Suddenly, once I refused to give up, the writer’s block gave up. Words started flowing and my work was fascinating again.

Since then, I have posted a stick it note to my computer that says Keep Writing, because there’s no other thing to do for a writer who loves her work—both at home and at the computer.

Article source: Writefromhome.com ; Image source: Techwritersblock.com

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by writer44

By Laura Stamps

If you’ve always wanted to write a novel, but found the traditional structured process too frightening or overwhelming, maybe your imagination works in a more organic fashion like mine. In that case, start with your main character and the idea the character gives you for the plot. Then close your eyes, grab your notebook or computer, and watch the main character. Sooner or later she or he will begin talking and moving around. When that happens, start writing! I guarantee what you hear and see will thoroughly surprise and delight you.

Even though my books are considered literary novels, I’ve always admired the mysteries of Tony Hillerman, and the way he laces his novels with information about the Native American tribes in his area. I call books like these “info novels,” and they are great fun if you’ve never read one. That is also a goal I try to achieve with my Occult novels. With these I’ve been able to weave information about contemporary Pagan life, as well as real spells, chants, or rituals throughout every chapter. This series also provides a wonderful opportunity to add data of interest to my women readers about holistic healing, feral cat rescue, perimenopause, fibroids, and much more.

Anyone who would like to undertake a big project like a first novel should know the sky is the limit. If organic structure development, experimental formats, and “info novels” appeal to you, go for it! Don’t worry if your ideas differ from the traditional novel. And don’t be afraid to seed your novel with information. Just make sure it occurs naturally within the flow of the storyline. For good examples, read the “info novels” written by novelists who excel in this form.

Also, don’t let your first draft scare you, because all first drafts tend to be utterly frightening. A first draft has only one purpose: it’s the place where you put your ideas down on paper. The editing of the first draft is where the magic happens. When I create the first draft of each chapter, it is an exhilarating experience. A real adrenaline rush! But I am first and foremost a poet, and like most poets I love to edit. It’s the polishing of each scene, sculpting it to sail smoothly into the next that gives me the greatest joy.

In fact I am currently working on a new novel, which is proving to be the most organic and intuitive one I’ve ever attempted, making it great fun to write. All I started with this time was the main character and her cats. She never told me her idea for a plot, so I just followed her around, writing down her thoughts, words, and actions as she moved from scene to scene. Suddenly, other characters appeared, and exciting subplots began to emerge.

Now I am six chapters into this novel. The first five chapters have already been published or accepted by literary journals, because I always submit each finished chapter as a short story to gain publication credits for the novel. Yet the main character still hasn’t revealed the plot to me. No problem. This novel seems to be following its own organic, information-rich course, and those who’ve read several of these chapters have enjoyed them immensely and can’t wait to find out what happens next. Me too!

Don’t let fear stop you from writing the novel that’s been bubbling around in your imagination for days, months, or years. Most of all, don’t let a lack of money or education stop you. I never took a writing class, and nineteen years later I’ve published more than thirty poetry books and novels. My poems and short stories have appeared in over seven hundred literary journals, magazines, and anthologies worldwide. How did I do it? I used what was available to me. I found my high school and college grammar books and studied those. And then I read the poetry books and novels of writers I admire, and that’s how I learned to write.

Sometimes if your mind works in an organic fashion this may be the best way to tackle your first novel. Then all you’ll need to do is let go, give total control to an imaginary character who lives in your head, listen to what she or he says, and start writing!

Xlibris Publishing Guide - Get this free guide now and learn how you can self-publish your book this new year!

Article source: Bookcatcher.com

Image source: Images01.trafficz.com

By Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

In my first year of freelance writing – and only eight months of it was full-time – I surpassed my financial goals as a writer. Here are my new writing goals, plus some New Year’s Resolutions tips for writers.

Success is not an automatic function of individual talent,” says Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers: The Story of Success. “It’s bound up in so many other broader circumstantial, environmental, historical, and cultural factors.”

Your success as a freelance writer or novelist depends not only on your hard work, discipline, and goals – it’s also about your circumstances, lifestyle, and culture. That’s scary, because it’s both good and bad! If you’re lucky and the timing is right and the planets align, then you’ll experience more success as a writer. But, if fate conspires against you, then…you may not see your writing dreams come true.

But, lucky or not, you can set and achieve goals that bring you closer to getting published as a novelist or selling articles as a freelance writer. Check out my writing goals and these New Year’s Resolutions tips for writers – they’ll help you structure your goals, which will increase your chances of success. And, for more info on Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers: The Story of Success, click the book cover.

Writing Goals and New Year’s Resolutions Tips for Writers

1. Set financial goals. If you’re a freelance writer for magazines and websites, try setting financial goals. This writing goal worked really well for me last year, and I’ve set higher goals for the new year! This New Year’s resolution tip works best when writers are freelancing full or part-time, or motivated by money.

2. Break your financial goals into categories. As a full-time freelance writer, my goal is to earn $4,000 per month. I’ve broken that overall financial goal into smaller ones: a certain amount from my blogs, a certain amount from magazines and websites, and a certain amount from my articles on Suite101.

3. Pitch 3 new articles a week. I love writing for magazines, and my writing goal is to pitch three new article ideas every week. This New Year’s resolution tip works best when writers are freelancing full or part-time – but this time, money isn’t necessarily a factor.

4. Set a per word financial goal. Can you tell I’m determined to earn a living as a full-time freelance writer? I didn’t set a New Year’s Resolution goal for a per word rate, but I want to earn a minimum of $1 per word.  I will write for fifty cents a word in special circumstances (like for the first magazine that actually accepted my pitch and hired me to write an article!), but I’m discovering that some magazines pay $2 per word! Again, this New Year’s resolution tip works best when writers are motivated by money.

5. Set your blog or website goals. Another writing goal I have this year is to write one blog post a day. Since I have three blogs (Quips and Tips for Freelance Writers, Quips and Tips for Achieving Your Goals, and Quips and Tips for Couples Coping With Infertility), I see this goal as easy to achieve! There’s no shortage of stuff to write about. Make a checklist of your blog or website goals, because this New Year’s resolution tip works best when writers are motivated by checking things off their “to do” list.

6. Find one new writing market a week. I didn’t do this last year, but my writing goal this year is to contact a new magazine or website with a query every week. Last year, I kept pitching to magazines that never responded – and I’ve learned that after you’ve tried an email address more than ten times without a response, it’s probably a dead end!

7. Send 10 recycled queries a week. If I don’t hear back from an editor or publisher within three months, I consider that article idea up for grabs…and I send the query to a new magazine or website. If you’re a freelance writer, don’t let your older ideas go to waste! Keep cycling them through, and sooner or later someone will pick it up. Hopefully.

Fellow scribes, I encourage you to set New Year’s Resolutions that include writing goals. Post them where you can see them all the time, and remember that Malcolm Gladwell’s tip for success: you’ll need to log 10,000 hours of writing before you’ll become a successful writer.

Xlibris Publishing Guide - Get this free guide now and learn how you can self-publish your writing into book this year!

Article source: Theadventurouswriter.com

Image source: Coachbennett.com