Nitpicking Ninnymuggins

Oh man. It is time. Tax season is over, and I’m back. I’m unsure if that is a good thing or a bad thing, but nevertheless, here I am. I believe we left off just after you were grudgingly deciding to go back through your novel and rewrite it so it makes sense. 

If you’re like me, there is a high likelihood that you aren’t going to rewrite every single line. I don’t feel that is necessary. I mean think of all the hard work you put into that beautiful, luscious manuscript. Don’t just throw her out with the trash. Love her. Cultivate her, and she will grow into the novel that you knew she could. 

Some of you may prefer to rewrite the entire thing, and that is alright also. It is always going to be completely up to you. Right now, you don’t have an editor. You don’t have an agent or a publisher. It’s just you and your crisp, yellowing parchment. Fine. This isn’t medieval times, so you probably have your laptop out instead. Your crisp, white high definition display may be more like it. 

It is in times like these that you may hate writing, but I assure you that everything you cut will be cut for a reason. Everything you add will be added for a reason. 

I fully understand that you put your blood, sweat, and tears into this novel, but regardless of how many times you change it, or who changes it, from here on out should be all about your reader. 

I repeat. FROM HERE ON OUT SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT YOUR READER. 

We all get it, because published or not, we’ve all had to deal with it from time to time. Your manuscript is perfect. I mean downright mainstream, referenced, baked on high for 33 minutes, and slightly browned to perfection on the edges.  

But his is no longer your book. It is your readers. You have become an author of the people. 

This is not to downplay your importance. I feel that this is something that many authors overlook. They don’t want to change their book, because it is their special work, and it is like a piece of themselves. I get that. I have spent countless hours writing, researching, pleading to the gods of literature. But in the end, you have to accept that the reason you are getting into the writing game is to accentuate your work. 

To whom you might ask?  

Your readers. They are the reason that you are writing. They are the reason you have your followers. They are the ones who are going to buy your book and give you amazing reviews so someone else can buy your book. 

I hope by now that you understand where I’m going with this. Does it really matter if John has black hair or red? To you, it may. But I feel like sometimes we miss the point of what we are doing. I love to go back to George Martin as an example. Not in a bad way, but just because it is a prominent thought in the world today. I finished the fifth book in A Song of Ice and Fire a few months ago. We’re talking about December of 2018. I’m eagerly awaiting the release of the next one. But an interesting thing happened. I Did some research and found out that it came out in 2011. 

This means that some people have been waiting for eight years for the next book to come out. This does several things for me. One, it makes me feel good about my writing speed. I have always been a slow writer, and I felt like it has taken me way to long to churn out books. Two, it makes me feel a sense of urgency when I write. 

I’m sure there is a good reason for not finishing the series in a timely fashion. But at some point, you must realize that everything you are doing now is for your readers, not yourself. They’re the ones who are going to make you great. Your work is not worth anything if nobody ever gets to read it. 

Do nitpick a little. Cut a little. Add a little. If your agent or publisher wants you to change something, then consider it. The book is yours. You strung together thousands of words from your own heart and mind. Nobody is going to take that away from you, and nobody is changing it. They are simply helping you craft the raw materials that you have written into something even better. 

If your boss offered you a raise, you would take it. You wouldn’t say, “Now, hang on a moment. I like what I’m making now. Why would you try and change that when I’m used to it?” If you think about your writing in that fashion, then it almost becomes silly to think of not getting down and dirty with your manuscript.  

Make sure it is the best work you can write. Make sure it is the best version of yourself. 

Musings with K.L. Thorne

I have met so many interesting authors since I decided to jump into the Twitterverse. There are so many everyday people trying to become something awesome. I think that there is something to say for those people who pour hours and hours into making a work of literature.

One such author, K.L. Thorne, is someone who has been around since the beginning.

What makes a good book? The characters? The plot? In my opinion, the thing that makes a book good is specific to the individual reading it. For example. One of my all time favorite books is For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway. If you were to wonder onto Goodreads and begin to look at the reviews, you’ll notice that people either five-star loved it, or one-star hated it. Now, that is a pretty large variance for something that is supposed to be a classic work of literature.

When I first met K.L. Thorne, the first thing that stuck out to me was how well she interacted with others on Twitter. And I think we all know that is the whole point. It does no good to be on a social site and not actually interact with your followers. I mean that is why they are following you in the first place.

But then things changed a little when we swapped books. I read the first book in her Hestaesia series, and I was blown away by how good it was. The story line was intriguing. The characters memorable. The description took me right into the story and made me want to read more.

There will always be those people in life who surprise you. If you are one of them, the important thing to do is to keep on surprising. Katy, keep surprising us, and keep writing great books.

K. L. Thorne (Katy)

What genre(s) do you write?  

“Steamy romance.” 

Have you published any books?  

“A series of five – Hestaesia. The first being Lost in Love. Self-published through Amazon.” 

What books are you currently writing?  

“Book two of the Hestaesia series is complete and undergoing editing. Currently writing book three.” 

What is your current writing status – Querying, indie publishing?  

“Indie publishing.” 

How did you get into writing?  

“I’ve always liked writing – I can recall writing silly comics for my little brother when I was six or seven about the adventures of his teddy bear Billy! I’ve had the writing bug ever since.” 

What is your motivation to write?  

“I’ve recently taken a hiatus from writing while waiting on responses from my beta readers and was submerged in terrible anxiety. For the longest time, I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Until, one day, I wrote a little snippet from a random idea in my head. The anxiety vanished as each word flowed, as if writing itself was a sword against the beast. I write because it makes my insides feel quiet, as if I’m alone in the world I’m creating. And I love it.” 

What do you want to accomplish in your writing career?  

“I love people enjoying my work. I get a real buzz out of discussing my imaginary world with other people and have them be as excited about it as I am.” 

Who is your favorite author?  

“Kresley Cole.” 

What is your favorite band? 

“Three Days Grace.” 

What is your favorite food? 

“Pizza.” 

If you could go anywhere, real or imagined, where would you go? Why?  

“Iceland – to see the Northern Lights and go to that blue lagoon hot spring.” 

What is something that we don’t already know about you?  

“I am owned by a stroppy, but ridiculous, Dalmatian called Roo.” 

How can we get in touch with you? 

Twitter: @KLThorne

Instagram: @k.l.thorne 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KLTRomance

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18609183.K_L_Thorne

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KDYKG2N

If you aren’t following Katy, then you are missing out!

Writer's Snag

We’ve all heard of writer’s block. I mean, you want to write. You’re sitting in your favorite place. Hot coffee steaming beside you. You open that fresh Word document, and you are completely ready to write the best novel of your life. Then you realize that the only action happening on the page is a blinking cursor.

Well, forget about it! I’m not talking about that.

What I want to discuss today, is writer’s snag. I’ve chosen to call it writer’s snag because this is a different animal compared to writer’s block, and so it would make sense to give it a different name. For me, writer’s snag is when you want to write. You are excited to write. You know exactly what you want to put on that page.

But you are too busy. A great example is this short and sweet blog post this week.

I have to admit, that this can be a troublesome time in any writer’s life. I would even argue that it is more of a nuisance than writer’s block. Kids, family, work. They all seem to get in the way sometimes. I am not immune to this phenomenon, and neither are you.

Case in point: It’s tax season. I’m an accountant.

I’m telling you, it’s rough. I have this great idea for a contemporary fantasy. It began to blossom around the Christmas holiday. I was off work more than I normally was, and got myself spoiled and was able to write way more that I normally do in a week. Next thing you know, the beginning of the year rolled over and I’m drowning in work-related craziness.

I have this great idea, and I can’t even write about it!

But what we are going to do, is breathe. Just breathe. It’s fine, and there is no way we are going to let writer’s snag keep you from producing that bestseller. I have developed a few pointers in order to allow you make the most of your time when you are suffering from writer’s snag.

1.       Make Every Small Moment Matter – I know we all say that we are so busy we can’t do anything. But let’s be real for just moment. Are you really? Can you shave ten minutes off of lunch? Do you really need that long in the restroom? The truth is, there are tiny bits of time that you have throughout the day. You just have to capture them in small quantities. 100 words may only be 100 words, but if you write them 1,000 times you have a novel.

2.       Think Outside the Box – This should be the most obvious. If you’re a writer, then you are in the best scenario you could imagine. There is a problem that your character (you) has to solve. So, think outside the box and make time. I spend my mornings writing, since it is too busy to do it at work. Nab a few lines while your child is napping, or stay up later after they go to bed. I have to get up a bit earlier, and I’m not fully functional, but it is slowly getting written. Even a small bit at a time counts in the long run.

3.       Suck it Up, Buttercup – This may be the Army coming out in me, or possibly the father. But I grew up in a time where if you wanted to do something, you went out and did it. It isn’t easy, but you have to think about the future and what you want to accomplish. Sometimes there won’t always be that perfect time. Got get it! Go write one damn word a day if that is all you can do because guess what? If you do that 100,000 times, then you have a novel.

And there you have it. Now get out there and defeat writer’s snag forever!

Musings with Sarah Sutton

I love writing, and I love being able to follow other writers on their journey. This is one of the reasons that I chose to integrate author interviews into my blog. I mean at some point you may get tired of my ramblings, or maybe not (hopefully not). I think this is a good way to support other authors as well as give our community a small insight into their minds. 

If you have been to my website, you have seen that I am working on starting a podcast. This is something that I am very excited about. I would love to move these interviews there, as part of each segment will focus on an author. 

As I began thinking on this, I knew that the first thing I had to do was come up with a list of authors to include. Well, I suppose I should say start with, since I’m going to get you all at some point. Sarah was one of the first few that came to mind. 

I enjoy Sarah’s posts and her enthusiasm for writing. She is part of the old guard (for me anyways) of the #writingcommunity and I added her to my super-secret writer’s list a long time ago. One of the things that I appreciate the most about Sarah is that I can always count on seeing original content from her. From the samples I have read, I can tell that she is not only passionate about her writing, but about sharing it with the world. 

Sarah Sutton 

What genre(s) do you write?  

“I write YA Contemporary Romance or YA Contemporary Fantasy.” 

Have you published any books?  

“No published books yet, but I’m working on it!” 

What books are you currently writing?  

“I’m writing a YA Contemporary romance book titles Hitting a Home Run. I’ve been working on it for almost two years, hopefully on the last legs of editing.” 

What is your current writing status – Querying, indie publishing?  

“Right now, I’m querying, and having a conversation with an editor. Fingers crossed!” 

How did you get into writing?  

“Oh, that’s a fun story. When I was six years old, I absolutely devoured any book that I could read. I was so inspired, I wrote my own chapter book—completely plagiarized from whatever I was reading, of course. I’d go to the store and buy folders to put my papers in and pass them around to my fifth-grade classmates to read. They all loved it, claiming that I’d be a famous author one day. I’ve been writing ever since!” 

What is your motivation to write?  

“I’ve recently taken a hiatus from writing while waiting on responses from my beta readers and was submerged in terrible anxiety. For the longest time, I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Until, one day, I wrote a little snippet from a random idea in my head. The anxiety vanished as each word flowed, as if writing itself was a sword against the beast. I write because it makes my insides feel quiet, as if I’m alone in the world I’m creating. And I love it.” 

What do you want to accomplish in your writing career?  

“At this point, I just want to be able to hold my published book in my ten fingertips, to feel my hard work and see it finally come together. Perhaps one day my goals will change, but this is one that I’m excited about.” 

Where do you currently write?  

“Recently, I’ve splurged and—this is going to sound so obnoxious, and I’ll accept it—purchased one of those pre-built sheds for out in the yard and have converted it into my very own she-shed. There isn’t enough room in my house for an office, and in my big family, this gives me a little slice of heaven. This is where I spend my time writing, and I’m so grateful!” 

Who is your favorite author?  

“Taherah Mafi—she’s so down to earth and cares about her readers. She’s absolutely my favorite!” 

What is your favorite band? 

“Oh, man...I’m not much of a person to pick a favorite band—a handful of songs by the same band is more my speed. I really like AJR and Lauv.” 

What is your favorite food? 

“Chocolate chip cookies. Do you even have to ask why?” 

If you could go anywhere, real or imagined, where would you go? Why?  

“I’d go to the beach, definitely. Michigan doesn’t offer much in the relaxing water department—and with my love of the ocean, this is definitely where I’d go.” 

What is something that we don’t already know about you?  

“I could say the alphabet backwards before I could say it forwards. I’m addicted to Coke—the drink, of course. And sometimes I contemplate quitting my job to become a professional napper.” 

How can we get in touch with you? 

Twitter: @sarahmaesutton 

Instagram: @sarahmaesutton 

Website: sarah-sutton.com

If you aren’t following Sarah, then you are missing out!

The Last Prayer

A soft evening breeze swept over the deep ravine. The cool draft moved as a phantom along the old wooden planks, causing them to tremble. It whispered past the faces of the two sentries. A thick fog had erupted from the ravine. Settling over the camp, it clouded the view to the other side. The sentries stood unmoved, watching intently at the swaying bridge before them. 

“How longs it been,” rasped the whispered voice of an older man. 

“Five days,” replied the younger, even quieter. 

“Weather is getting colder.” The old man continued. “You know what they say about the winter up here. Be mighty fine to be back in my warm bed.” 

“They’ll be here.” The younger insisted. “James told me five days at the most.” 

“Aye,” began the older one, “five days was yesterday, as I haven’t pulled out me second hand yet.” 

“They’ll come.” Smiled the younger boy. “We just need to hold the bridge until they make it back.” 

“James is a right fine officer.” The older man rasped, “Mighty fine captain indeed, but the stories haven’t changed. What is one company to do against a hundred strong?” 

“Nobody said a hundred.” Replied the younger. 

“Eh,” scoffed the older man, who bent over to light a cigar. “Nobody didn’t say a hundred either?” 

The cold breeze now licked the uncovered faces of the sentries. The long grass around their legs moved restlessly as it danced along with the melody of the night air. The sun was now completely down, but the sentries didn’t light a fire. 

“Curse this cold.” The old man croaked. “I can’t feel me toes.” 

“Just a little longer.” The younger was said. “James will be back.” 

“And what if he does, mm? What’s to say he doesn’t lead them right here to us?” 

“He wouldn’t.” The confident voice of the younger man rang out amid the darkness. “You know that, or you should. He’s probably been your captain longer than he has been my brother.” 

“Now you’re talking.” Smiled the old man, the cigar now half smoked and sticking to his lips as he talked. “Why did you ever want to join up anyways, boy? I mean I know I didn’t have a choice. Down to me last dime, and my wife to her last nerve.” 

Their conversation was interrupted by single drum beat from somewhere far away beyond the thick fog. 

“It’s Jude.” The boy laughed to himself as he chanced a glance at the old man who was trying hard to ignore the drum. “Was named after my grandpa.” 

“Strong name.” The old man said as he nodded his head. “Just Jude, or is it short for something?  Morris is my name, but you can call me Mo. Wife calls me Mo-ron half the time.” 

Jude smiled trying not to laugh, as several more drum beats could be heard, this time only closer and much louder. 

“Judah,” he replied, still looking straight ahead. 

“Is that right?” Mo said with interest. “Judah like the man who got eaten by the whale, or like the brother of Jesus?” 

“Jonah was eaten by the whale.” 

“That’s right, Jonah.” Snorted Mo slapping his leg. “Lucky us then, got the brother of Jesus right here with me. Wait till I tell my wife.” 

“Well, not exactly,” began Jude, “but if it makes you feel better.” 

“I feel like dancing with the daisies now, son,” laughed the old man, choking on the butt of his cigar. “Nah, my feet are still frozen. I’d probably just fall straight down that gully over there.” 

The drums were now closer and beating at a faster pace as the two sentries shifted in the foliage beneath the trees. 

“I could have sworn I felt something when I brushed by you earlier.” 

“Mo, I am not the brother of Jesus,” Jude said trying to stay calm, but the drums were getting louder and now dim torch lights could be seen moving through the trees across the ravine. 

“I knew I should have gone to church more,” whispered the gruff voice of Mo, as he attached a bayonet to the barrel of his rifle. “Now that I look back on it, I should of done a lot of things. Say a prayer for us, huh?” 

They couldn’t see anyone yet, but the bridge was beginning to shake as Jude finished attaching his own bayonet. He glanced in the direction of Mo one more time before lowering his head.