#WritersLife: Writing a New Poetry Collection While Editing the Other New Collection

 

Welcome to #WritersLife, where I talk writing in real life. 

I'm deep in the editing trenches for Poetry #3 while I await the return of the professionally edited manuscript from my critique partner. I'm trying to focus on the other areas while I wait, like I mentioned in the previous post, including the metadata, the promos, and ARC set-up, but lately my creative muse has blossomed and is diving head first into Poetry #4.

I debated entering pieces into anthologies, and I probably will still do that to help gain more exposure, but this new collection has me in a choke hold. I think it's a combination of reading Instructions for Traveling West by Joy Sullivan and listening to The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology by Taylor Swift that has shoved me into the writing and daydreaming that is making up this new collection. 

I'm focusing much more on poetic styles for this collection, which I'm trying to not let heavily affect the voice for Poetry #3. I love the rawness of #3 and want to maintain that, but for #4, I'm moving into more of my favorite poetic devices, namely alliteration, slant rhymes/true rhymes, and a repetitive structure that's reminiscent of songwriting. 

I grew up on country music, and its storytelling is one I want to emulate in my poetry, whether that's with the attention to detail or repetitive lines. The five senses play an even stronger role in both of these collections whereas my first two collections, The Ones and Missed Arrows, honed in on emotions, relationships, and overall more intangible imagery. I want the readers to taste the scenes in these new manuscripts and feel the zing on their tongues and abhor the pungency in their nostrils. 

I have a working title I love, but it's still early (we're nearly a year from when I would release #4). Poetry #3 changed titles after having a title picked out for 8 months, and I still can't believe it changed because that title was so near and dear to my heart. However, the official title alludes to more of the overarching themes and will be a stronger title for marketing purposes (writing is a craft, but publishing is a business after all). I get goosebumps rereading some of these pieces and they haven't even been edited by me yet, let alone seen by my CP or beta readers. 

I wonder if this is how Taylor feels working on music: she knows her latest writing is her best because she's perfecting her craft, but her listeners are on two albums back and she can't share it with them. I feel that way with my poetry. I want to show off these new poems, but I still have a whole collection that hasn't been released. It's also a strong testament to never work on one project at once. As soon as you send a manuscript off to a CP, editor, or beta reader, start outlining or drafting your next project. 

I can't wait to share #3 with everyone, and we have less than three months until its release! Official title, cover reveal, and blurb is coming in July, so stay tuned here, on Instagram, and on YouTube.

Happy writing!

#WritersLife: New Poetry Updates May 2024

 

#WritersLife, where I talk writing in real life. 

I'm so excited with the progress I've made on my latest poetry collection! It came back from the editor at the end of April, I spent time on the copy edit suggestions, tweaked minor lines and sections, and sent it off to my critique partner. 

Today I finalized the meta data, including the blurb, categories, and tags for KDP, D2D, and IngramSpark. I also want to upload to Kobo directly this time so my ebook can be included in the Kobo Plus program (I have a video going up soon on my three months experience as an author on Kindle Unlimited). The cover was finalized a little while ago, and it's killing me to not share it yet!

I finalized the ARC sign-up form which I hope will be going live in July, and I'm thinking of having blog subscribers or YouTube subscribers as my first-come, first-serve group if anyone is interested. Money is a little tighter than last release, so I want to minimize just how much money I give to Meta while I search for ARC readers (I used a boosted ad last time, which found me 24 readers and of whom 8 left reviews). 

This is a hard collection. It focuses on my familial relationships, how they shaped me, and how they continue to affect me even after their deaths. For those who read my debut collection, The Ones, you may have picked up on some allusions to the theme of this new collection, but it's something I haven't dived into in years because I had accepted it as a part of my life. 

For anyone facing hardship in the terms of illness, abuse, neglect, or anything outside of their immediate control, this is the collection for you. It will probably make you cry in more emotions than one because I did from start to finish crafting these pieces. 

I still need to draft the scripts for my YouTube videos for this Friday and next, but I'm debating skipping next Friday because I need a bit of a breather. I took a week off for the first week in May, much needed after nonstop client work for editing and beta reading, but now I need time off to finalize the publishing aspects of the new poetry. 

Oh, and book marketing. Can't forget that. 

Happy writing, reading, and life-ing!

#WritersLife: My Publishing Journey from 2021 to 2024

 

Welcome to #WritersLife, where I talk writing in real life.

Well friends, it's been a while.

I started this blog just before I graduated college in 2014, was active for three years, gone for four, briefly touched base, and disappeared again. This time, I'm not as lost as I was in 2021 with my writing and publishing journey.

I don't know what capacity I'd like to use this space just yet, but if nothing else, it will be the written version of my Author Tube series over on YouTube (the OGs will remember that "obsessed with YouTubers" was one of my "About Me" inclusions because really, is there anything more remarkable about me than that?). But firstly, let me dive into a bit of what I've been up to.

2021

This year ended nearly the way it began: still lost and without a shred of writing to add to my experience. I remained lost as to which direction to take or how to jump back into this world. Let's face it, trends are real, and trying to understand the latest trends in YA lit after distancing myself from it for years was far more daunting.

2022

I decided to embrace my new sales position and self-published my first ebook (since unpublished and now no longer available) centered on sleep. I made three sales and was ecstatic, unsure of how this would play out long term but pumped to be working with words again.

That same month I got my first editing client on Fiverr. I started out offering beta reading, copywriting, and job description services (spoiler alert, only one of those gigs is still live). By the end of the year, I made my first $1.05 from self-publishing and my first $52 from freelancing. 

I also dabbled in poetry a bit as well as pieces of stories, the first few poems creating what soon became an 8,000-word poetry manuscript. 

2023

I published my second sleep ebook at the start of the year, doing a week-long pre-order and dabbling with marketing on a new Instagram account created in the same month. I marketed myself as Orange Rose Editorial.

I decided by spring I wanted to publish the poems that had now amassed into a collection that spanned 100 pages. It was also in spring that Fiverr promoted me to the next level of seller, and I curated my services to only involve books: beta reading, copyediting, manuscript critiques, and query letter assistance (all for young adult and middle grade, naturally). 

I made a book cover, had colleagues from college read my story, and self-published my poetry, titled The

Ones, on Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), IngramSpark, and Draft2Digital (D2D). I announced it three months before it's release and somehow sold 81 copies by release day. I still don't know how I did that. The sales I made by the end of 2023 covered the publication costs. 

I was promoted to the next tier of seller on Fiverr, and July saw my first 4-figure month from editing services. I also wrote the first draft of my next poetry collection while brainstorming an additional two. For NaNoWriMo, I wrote 23k words of a YA cozy mystery (that has yet to be completed, but I have no intentions of letting it go). 

I met Alexandra Bracken, Patrice Caldwell, Adalyn Grace, and Jessica Olson. 

Lastly, I started posting on YouTube regarding self-publishing, writing, and editing. 

2023 had shaped up to look suspiciously close to what 2017 could have been had I not lost sight of my dream in 2016. 

2024

In February, I self-published my second poetry collection, Missed Arrows, to a whopping 9 readers. I also experienced my first annoying experience with IngramSpark and testing out the waters with Kindle Unlimited. Spoiler alert: I made zero sales in three months and will be publishing the ebook wide. 

March saw my second 4-figure month with editing jobs, and it hasn't slowed since. I'm on track to earn the Top-Rated Seller badge's qualifications before the end of May. 

My third poetry collection is slated for release in August 2024. My YouTube channel just hit 250 subscribers. I've assisted 90+ clients on Fiverr. 

I've faced disappointment this year as well as tremendous glee, and I can't wait to see how the remainder of the year plays out. I'd love to get a website up and running (but this will be my main spot until I figure that confusion out). I want to get better at book marketing and making videos. I want to build my writing community.

I think that's how I'll divide this blog with my YouTube channel. The videos will highlight editing and publishing news while this will only cover my writing journey and thoughts I don't share anywhere else. Of course, I might end up combining the two at some point, but for now, this will revert to being my reading and writing nook.

Thanks for joining me. My last post ended with me wanting to write again, and now I'm publishing every year. Keep on writing, friends. 

#WritersLife: Managing the Job Search

#writerslife

 It's been four years since I held a word-related job (an academic instructional associate at a community college), and it's definitely showing to the hiring managers when I submit an application. 

I don't blame them. We suffered something worse than a recession: a pandemic. The warehouse job I've held since 2019 definitely saved me and offered me more hours than I was signed up for because of everyone else forced to remain indoors. I thought, back in 2017 when I quit my college position, that I was ready to leave the writing world behind and focus on an industry that would be able to sustain me.

However, 2021 has been the most stressful and difficult year of my life. I lost someone I loved, and I've never experienced grief like that before and it took a long time before I even wanted to talk to family and friends again. But, as with all negative experiences, it also shed light on the lifestyle I was pursuing. Wake up, run errands, stress at work, shower, sleep, and repeat. I realized I didn't want that for myself. 

I want to wake up excited for the day. I want to look forward to work. I want to be happy to be living the life I'd made for myself. Instead, I started therapy to help myself cope with stress and life management because of how miserable my current job makes me feel.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate warehousing in the beginning. In fact, I found so much enjoyment out of it with my last company. The guys I worked for and with genuinely cared about me and looked out for me. I experienced rough patches where I couldn't identify who I was, but it was the lack of writing that led to those emotions, not the job itself. This new warehouse job, however, led to breakdowns in the company restrooms and wishing I could quit on the spot and never look back.

Unfortunately, I needed the insurance, and I couldn't afford to walk away from that. Until now.

My husband has a great job with a company that offers benefits, and I finally realized I didn't have to stay in warehousing to get the insurance I need. Not only that, but I haven't needed doctors' visits like I did with my previous head injury, so any insurance coverage will provide what I need. 

Needless to say, I can't explain all that on a resume, so I've been rejected almost half a dozen times in three weeks. Twice yesterday. But with the pandemic, so many creatives lost their jobs or full time hours and I'm competing with an even larger field than last time. Not only that, but these are individuals who never gave up on their writing careers, or who practiced writing regularly, or took unpaid or low wage positions to keep those credentials on their resumes. 

I know everyone says writing is something you can start at anytime, and it's true, but it's not something you can get paid to do at any given time. I publish posts on my blogs and run social media branding for a food truck, but neither of those are paying my bills right now. It's hard, but for some reason, I don't want to throw in the towel. I want to see this through. I want to write again.  

#WritersLife: Four Years Later

 

#writerslife, where I remember my former life.

It's been almost four years since I posted on this blog. In that time, I underwent cranial and spinal surgery, bought a tiny house, changed industries, and got married. Needless to say, none of those things involved writing. In fact, I turned away from writing in every sense.

I touched on a bad break-up I went though in 2016 that halted my ambition and that led to a slower climb in my writing endeavors in previous posts. However, I can't fully explain what coerced me to stop writing and change industries after spending four years earning my Bachelor's in Creative Writing and an additional three years working in the publishing and marketing scenes.

It started with wanting a break. A mental break from the self-imposed deadlines, an emotional break from wanting to live up to the best-selling author image I curated, and a physical break from the hours staring at a bright computer screen (yellow tinted glasses are one of the greatest inventions of our modern times). I took that break and then some, and stopped writing for two years, save for the occasional journaling that never lasted more than a couple weeks.

I felt frustration the first dozen times friends, families, and colleagues asked if I'd been writing. Why was it simple to understand someone no longer wanting to work in sales but difficult to understand why I didn't want to write? And then I realized: no one knew how to identify me without writing.

I had no identity without writing.

I suddenly had to find new things to define myself not only for others, but myself. Without manuscripts and book clubs and author events, what was I into? Since everything I enjoyed, mainly video games, church events, and playing with my dogs, couldn't equate to a paycheck, I thought I had nothing going for myself. I dove into warehousing because 1) I was good at it and 2) in 2017, I needed good insurance for my upcoming surgery and warehousing pays well in that department.

I had my parents, my college friends, and now ex-boyfriends push me to write again after my surgery in 2018, now that I had my own place when I bought my house in 2019, and definitely again when we went into lockdown in 2020. But I didn't know what to write about. I wasn't reading young adult anymore, and I definitely wasn't adult enough for fiction. I love my faith, but I am far too much of a sinner to write religiously.

While I pondered these thoughts, my newlywed husband proposed that I write again. I snapped at him, told him he wasn't the first to suggest it, the first to not understand, the first to think it was easy to jump back into even if I secretly thought my voice was gone forever. He said a dozen people could have suggested me to try it, but it was only meant to be the thirteenth person who made a difference.

Something about that moved me and it pissed me off. 

I was done with writing. I didn't know how anymore, or what was popular, or who was still agenting, or where the book blogs were jumping. But it stuck with me. 

A few weeks later, my dad opened his grilled cheese food truck. He asked me to do the social media, and I said yes. It gave me such a rush, and I had fun googling cheese memes and food truck events and blowing up my friends' pages with constant sharing of its posts. I actually enjoyed the scheduling. I enjoyed the self-inflicted deadlines. Within two weeks I was back in my old habit of scheduling posts a week or more in advance. 

Feeling encouraged, I applied to a writing job. They rejected me. I applied for another. They rejected me, too. And with that, I was back in the industry

I still don't see myself cranking out a novel or two a year like I did in my prime, but I know blogging will allow me to practice without feeling like I'm doing something wrong, and the social media posts will provide me with enough structure to creatively stretch my legs.

So here I am, four years after my last post, and this is my #writerslife. 

#WritersLife: Establishing a (Fun) Reading Schedule

#WritersLife, where I talk writing in real life.

If you've been writing for a few weeks or drafts, you've definitely heard the ancient proverb of our great word wizards: if you want to write well, you must read often. This has always been the case for me. When I find myself in a reading slump, I pick up Marissa Meyer, Sara Raasch, or Leigh Bardugo to kick my butt in gear and inspire myself to get back to writing. Reading your favorite authors is also great for taking notes on what you like personally as well as reminding yourself of what works for the current reader.

However, mixing up your reading choices can also help put your mind in a better place. Not every YA book I read has to be a learning experience the first time, and not every book I read has to be YA in order for me to enjoy it. In fact, reading outside your normal reading genre or topic can open up opportunity for things to incorporate into your preferred genre or can serve as reminders for things you never want to do in your writing.

This is where a fun reading schedule comes in. Many bloggers follow reading schedules centered around genres or release dates to coordinate with their review posts, and recreational readers tend to follow the most sought-after titles on their TBR list. For me, I'm focusing more on leisure reading and new writing, which means book reviews aren't as prominent on my blog as they once were. I am open to read whatever my heart calls me to read, whether it's YA, faith-based, or academic.

Young adult novels

I am a lover of YA. I started reading YA when I was in elementary school and have no plans of stopping now that I'm a nearly quarter-century adult. When the blog started in 2014, I focused only on dystopian novels, dipping into adult for analyses and comparisons for how the genre had transformed. In 2015 I expanded the blog to include more of my interests and wrote book reviews on YA fantasy, historical, and fairy-tale retellings in addition to general science fiction although it remained predominantly dystopian. 

In 2016, I fell deep into my #WritersLife segment and introduced an even amount of reading-related posts and writing-related posts. When I started working my two jobs in the fall of that year, I took a complete hiatus from reading, writing, and blogging to refocus my goals because I felt like my purpose was shaken. I read a few novels, varying from adult to YA to faith, but nothing seemed to really speak to me.

Picking back up in 2017, I know I still want to focus on young adult novels, but now I'm reading a wider variety than ever before. I can't stop reading contemporary novels about mental illness, especially after spending a year working for a college where a large number of my regular students identified as living with mental illnesses. However, I'm also slipping away from my science fiction lore to more fairy-retellings and historical reads. 

No matter what I end up reading, I will always lean toward YA when I need a pick-me-up or motivation to write my own story. While my love for YA remains strong, that may be the only thing that hasn't changed.

Faith-based reading

Normally, I wouldn't focus on much of my private life because my blog has always focused on words, but my decision to become Catholic has touched all areas of my life, including my reading choices. I spent 2016 starting and finishing the Bible (New Living Translation) and signed up for RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) classes.

On Easter of this year, I was confirmed in full communion with the Catholic Church. At the start of 2017, I started reading The Catechism of the Catholic Church and have spent the last month reading Teresa of Avila: The Book of My Life, translated by Mirabai Starr, the memoir of the woman I chose to be my patron saint. This memoir has helped me overcome the trials I face and better understand how to react to my emotional states so that I remain mature and obedient to God's will.

Understanding my body and mind has shaped not only the way I am, but also how my relationships with others carry out. This transformation carries into my perception of people and characters, leaving me wondering how to write about characters in a way that will show this complex, constant struggle. Any change in our being will affect our art, and I think it's important to connect with what we surround ourselves with to understand the change that will occur in what we produce.

Learning about my faith and myself has helped me personally, but I still rely on academic and craft reading to hone in on the words and structure my work needs to convey my message. 

Academic studies

I spent the last 9 months tutoring at another local college despite the promises of leaving behind education for good. However, I love learning much more than I love teaching, and I think that's why I was able to return, if only for a little while.The chance to be around so many diverse people reminded me of the lessons we learn from each other even when we don't intend to teach.

Craft books are still a favorite of mine. I read Stephen King's On Writing, and it remains the single best writing craft book I've come across. Throughout my college career, we referred to Janet Burroway for everything. While Burroway is great for building a story, I often found the books too lengthy for easy reference, but for general information, her books are a great source. For editing, the best resource I've read is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King.

Learning how to enhance my creative writing has been a greatly self-taught skill. Eric references me sources quite often, and my Twitter writing friends are also immense help in finding the gems. My college instructors weren't keen on how to find ourselves teachers outside of school, so I really only had one professor teaching me invaluable skills I still use to this day (thanks, Sirkin!).

Whatever your art or craft is, read about it. If you truly love it, or aren't sure if you truly love, study it: spending hours figuring out the right phrase to tell a character how to get lost without saying get lost is a good indication that writing holds a strong interest for you.

Read everything. Read what you love. Read what you can't stand. Read boring stuff to remind you how to not write that way. Read tabloids if that's what you like. Read historical documents if that's what you like. Read religious texts if that's what you like. Find what you like and read it. Not everything has to be a learning lesson, but everything always is.

#writerslife

Other posts you may enjoy:

• #WritersLife: Changing up Your Inner Office
• Can't-Wait Wednesday: Renegades (YA Fantasy)
• #WritersLife: Finding Inspiration to Write

#WritersLife: Changing Up Your Inner Office

#WritersLife, where I talk writing in real life.

I recently talked about finding inspiration to write after nearly a year of lacking motivation. I've been switching up everything related to my writing in order to jump start new ideas and wake up that coma-induced muse in my head. Another trick I'm trying is changing up how I write, including where, when, and who.

I've come up with 5 major changes to try in the next few weeks to see how they help and how frequent or strong that help turns out to be. As always, the #writerslife is a constantly changing plane, so I'm learning to adapt to my internal changes so my inner office space is open to dump those words on paper.

Silence or Music?

I am someone who thrives on words: visual words, auditory words, the conversations between the voices in my head. Because of that last reason, I have to eliminate all other forms of words besides the words popping up on my screen.

I love Okanokumo on YouTube for maintaining focus, but when I need to write action-packed sequences for my fantasy stories, I turn on Cascada. Counterproductive to my 'destroy all words' stance from earlier, but if we're honest, all of Cascada's songs are the same beat with different lyrics, and it's the beat that allows my fingers to keep pace.

Since I'm a music-listener normally, perhaps I should try silence, or maybe even throw the whole need out the window to be surrounded by people.

Solitary or Bustling?

Writing is a solitary sport, but that doesn't have to mean you don't have a stadium full of people to spectate. Some writers can write at the kitchen table with kids' TV shows blaring and teens arguing and spouses being needy and wondering where their work shirts are. Other writers lock themselves away in a basement, tower, or medium-sized closet to escape distractions. Whichever method you do, do the opposite.

This will be difficult for me because I lose focus easily, so being around family often slows me down. However, being around family also reminds me that my career is a strange one: I don't belong to a work space for 8 hours and come home and check back in. My mind was once constantly flowing with ideas, and often I would sneak a minute or two to write a new idea down or escape to finish the end of a brilliant dialogue scene.

Being around family is also a great way to get new material for characters and situations when you feel stuck because no one's family is as dramatic or dysfunctional as your own.

Sitting or Standing?

This is a fairly new idea in the writing world. Writers are perceived as these sloth-like creatures that thrive on sitting in chairs for days on end. However, with all these cubicle junkies wanting to be healthy, we now have the option of standing desks.

I admit, my mind works differently when I'm standing and writing, and that may not be entirely from the fact that my feet are killing me. Maybe our brains will coordinate action scenes more fluidly because we can feel the muscles in our legs contract with each slight movement. Or maybe we can relate more to the butterflies and the quaky knees of a romance scene as our legs buckle underneath us from exhaustion.

Either way, I think I'll give it a try.

Private or Public?

Because of my need for low music and alone-time, I'm 90% of the time writing at home. I also don't like the idea of people reading over my shoulder, which results in me holing up in a corner with my back to wall, stalking those around me behind my yellow-tinted spy-inspired computer glasses.

That's also not very comfortable, so there's that.

Writing in public is difficult to do for me because I'm so shy about my work when I don't believe it's ready for outside eyes. For those who write in public, do you have mental tricks to overcome this worry? Or if you're fine with those wandering pupils, why do you choose to write in public versus at home? This is definitely the hardest change for me to initiate.

Early or late?

There are two types of writers in the world: those who write before noon, and those who write after midnight, and yes, those are two very different groups.

I write best at four in the morning until six. Those hours are when my brain is supercharged from sleep but I'm still stuck in those dark hours of night when our brains play tricks on our memory and emotions. My friend Eric starts writing in the late afternoon, preferably after the sun goes down because I think he's secretly a llama vampire but these are just conjectures. 

Writing at 2 p.m. may not sound drastic, but it's a huge difference to my morning personality. Even writing at 6 p.m. is making me yawn, but if that's what it takes to kick-start my brain into functioning at 4 a.m., then it may be my only option.

These are just a few of the divisions I classify myself into as a writer. Do you fall into these categories? Is there one I left out? Share your thoughts and experiences and let me know if you're a sloth-like llama vampire or something even more sinister.

#writerslife

Other posts you may enjoy:

• #WritersLife: Finding Inspiration to Write
• #WritersLife: Measuring Your Writing Progress
• Waiting on Wednesday: Words on Bathroom Walls

#WritersLife: Measuring Your Writing Progress

#WritersLife, where I talk writing in real life.

Measuring your writing progress is not always an easy--or a motivating--thing to do. If you determine a measurement and then fall short, you risk putting down your self-esteem or slowing your momentum, and that could jeopardize the entire project. Not only that, but by choosing to by-pass this potential dilemma by not setting goals, you risk putting off the writing entirely until you have more time, which never magically appears like the time set aside for certain tasks.

If your writing is important to you, then creating goals is necessary to prioritize it. There are multiple ways to measure your writing progress; it's a matter of trial and error to see which ones best match your personality and writing style.

Word Counts and Page Counts

Counting words and pages is the most common practice for all writers. A popular writing program, NaNoWriMo, encourages writers to get 50,000 words on paper in November and then pushes writers a little further to write what they can in April. This is a great tangible way for writers, especially new writers, to see their progress before their eyes immediately. 

For me, this measurement works best when I have a novel in mind and know what the outline is to follow. I can see the physical words on paper as they are in my mind. At my peak, I was averaging 3,000 words a day and was kicking my revision's booty. However, if you're a slow writer, this may not be the best measurement for you.

Hours and Sessions

Measuring by set parameters is a great way for all writers to dedicate a chunk of time to their craft. In Stephen King's On Writing, he talks about getting up first thing in the morning and writing until noon. For some of you, doing this kind of thing after your shift at work would be the same idea: get home at 5:30, spend some time with your family, and then write until 7:30 (or whenever dinner is).

This can be a stronger motivator for writers who spend a little more time thinking through their first draft. Putting in an hour of work can get me 2,000 words during a first draft; for another writer, an hour of work may be closer to 400 words. However, dedicating an hour everyday will generate content for you to revise, and that constant motivation will keep your writing alive.

If you already know you can't set aside a daily time to write, give yourself a weekly session count to follow. If you find extra time on Tuesday to have two half-hour sessions, do it, and then you won't feel behind if you didn't write on Sunday and Monday. If you write by an outline, you can even measure your progress by your story's progression.

Scenes or Development

Measuring based on the story progress is definitely for those who are detail-oriented or faithfully following a plot outline. You can write one major scene a day or write until a change occurs in a character or the setting. Really, this one probably has the most flexibility, so if you're more of a chaotic thinker (and I envy people like that when I feel paralyzed because my planner isn't updated), you may find the most motivation with this method.

When I first started writing, I wrote a chapter a day with a minimum of 7 pages per chapter. I don't often follow this mindset while drafting, but for my revision process, I edit per scene so I can try to treat each individual scene like its own story. I'll admit that I am terrible at this because I'm super impatient and want to finish the revisions as fast as possible, but it does help me catch all the ways my writing can be improved.

While planned and chaotic thinkers may work with these physical measurements, spiritual thinkers may benefit more by listening to their inner muse.

Personal Satisfication

As Sarah from Sarah's Day says, "Listen to your body;" listen to that inner muse or inner writer and understand your personal satisfaction level. One day, 500 words is what makes you happy. The next day, 2,000 words is when you finally feel ready to stop. I had a handful of days last year where I wrote 5,000 words in a day because my inspiration for the story was so fresh. These fluctuations are normal.

I repeat: These fluctuations are normal.

Our desires fluctuate. Our inspiration fluctuates. Our work ethic fluctuates (I'm a prime example of this one). However, we should not compromise our writing goals for these inner changes. Even when you don't feel like writing, try brainstorming, outlining, or revising. Always put effort into your work to keep your mind fresh on the subject.

Whatever way you measure your writing, it's important to track continual progress. And don't think of measuring as a way of measuring your worth as a serious writer. The purpose of measuring your progress is to keep you going in any small way you need. Your worth as a writer is measured by your faith in yourself and nothing more.

So long as you always end the day feeling satisfied with everything you did and attempted to do, you've succeeded in meeting not just your writing goals, but your life goals.

#writerslife


Other posts you may like:

• #WritersLife: Finding Inspiration to Write
• Waiting on Wednesday: Words on Bathroom Walls (YA Contemporary)
• #WritersLife: Camp NaNoWriMo 2016 Update

#WritersLife: Finding Inspiration to Write

#WritersLife, where I talk writing in real life.

Something I've been struggling with for many moons now is finding inspiration to write. I am not, by any means, jumping right into a daily writing routine because I know myself well enough to know that will burn me out in a week's time. However, I'm also learning new things about myself as I age, and one of the new things is that I need new inspiration in all areas of my life.

Writing is no exception.

The methods I used before to inspire me no longer carry the same potency. Before, I relied on friends and peers to motivate me, on social media writers to "compete" with (friendly rivalries, always), and strict work schedules to highlight my determination to make it.

When I vanished from social media last summer, I lost the first two inspiration methods, and it will take time to rebuild them. I am also working more hours now than I was a year ago, so I need to manage my time to fit writing and brainstorming back into my weekly routine. Some serious reconstruction would need to happen for me to revert back to my original lifestyle.

On the other hand, I'm trying to be more positive. Rather than lament on the fact that the writing encouragement I've had for 15 years no longer works, I want to think of new methods I can fall back on. After speaking with a couple friends and testing out new ideas, I've compiled a list of the things that are currently motivating me to write again.

Reading

This one isn't a new idea, but it's definitely one I'm actively following now. Some of my go-to authors are Marissa Meyer, A.G. Howard, Sara Raasch, and Leigh Bardugo. While I love reading new books and authors, the majority of them end up being entertainment rather than lessons.

With the above writers (among others), I am encouraged to write because I am in love with their storytelling skills, the way they develop characters, the detail in their setting, and the unpredictable turn in plot. I aspire to be more like them, to write stories that carry messages and new perspectives and understandable people. 

I haven't read a book by any of these authors this year, but I have a feeling if I jump back into one, I'll be pushed to write something that they would be excited to read.

Writing Prompts

I think Pinterest is absolutely wonderful and severely underutilized in my writing career. 

I have a board on Pinterest called Writing Inspiration, but I wasn't drawing anything from the character building exercises or pretty quote pictures. However, something I've seen more and more of are brief writing prompts (10-40 words or so), and these are gold.

Whether a writer changes up the words to match their vision or only use the prompts as a free writing tool before they begin work on their masterpiece, prompts are a great resource to get thoughts on paper. I use them as I imagine my characters saying or living them. If I can't imagine it, then my characters wouldn't think it, and so the prompt doesn't fit the direction I plan on going.

There are some hilarious prompts out there, and I think these are the best ones to use for free writing because letting the silliness out early on saves room for the tension that stories thrive on.

Unconventional Storytelling

A brilliant man brought the idea of unconventional storytelling to me this week, and it's one that I never thought as a free writing exercise until I realized I needed new inspirations for my work. 

He said to think of it like profiling: pick a person, and based on their expressions, their walk, their clothes, and a few other things (I have a terrible memory but so far he doesn't seem to mind repeating himself), decide what kind of life they're living in this present moment. It's like people watching, but with a purpose: to inspire character development.

I think this method is also great to try with friends. Two perspectives offer more fluidity in possible story lines, especially when you and your friend view the world or live your lives differently. Not only that, but I like to link my characters with certain mannerisms and quirks, and watching people provides a fresh look at ones I may not have come across yet. 

Creating New Goals

Continuing the trend of the aforementioned brilliant man (I fear he may become a force to contend with on the blog; Marvelous Eric, take caution!), he suggested creating new goals within my writing if I'm still blocked.

This writer's block has been with me since last summer. I tried starting a new daily word count goal and that feel before the first days ever ended. I tried scheduling time, and I found excuses to avoid it. I even disappeared from the blog because I felt like nothing I was doing was contributing.

Writing aside, I need new goals for all things in my life. I made the decision to join the Catholic Church last year (Confirmation was April 15, 2017! Catholic peeps, holla!--er, alleluia!). This was the first milestone decision I made since before I left my last job. It made me feel so good last week to accomplish the goal I gave myself, and I want to keep feeling that way in all areas of my life.

What is it I want to do with my writing? In my jobs? Within my relationships? I need to break these up into milestones so I am always actively working toward something achievable rather than falling into the pit of "just surviving."

What motivates you to write? To actively pursue your dreams? We can't brainstorm our dreams forever; at some point, the outlining must begin.

#writerslife


Other posts to check out:

• #WritersLife: Beautiful moments
• Books Read in 2016
• #WritersLife: Back to Academia

#WritersLife: Back to Academia!

#WritersLife, where I talk writing in real life.

This news has been in the making for a little while, and I'm so excited to announce that I am no longer unemployed! Cue confetti and celebratory imaginary GIFs because I can't seem to understand how they work.

Starting August 22, I will be a writing tutor for the community college here in Fort Worth. I finalized the paperwork this week and met with some of the tutors at the center to get a feel for it.

If you've been following this blog for a while, you may know I worked at the community college in El Paso after I earned my degree. It was at this writing center that I remember first hearing about Eric's gaming blog and took on the challenge to have more page clicks than him. I didn't think it would become an endeavor that I'm still doing two years later, but oh my word it's been two years since this blog started.

Moving forward, I am beyond excited to work with this college not only because the Academic Learning Center (ALC) is so chill and welcoming, but also because this campus is gorgeous!

The view of the reservoir!

The campus is directly next to the reservoir. When I pull into the parking lot, I see this beautiful body of water and lush greenery everywhere. Not only that, but the ALC is located on the third floor so I can look out the windows and see the water whenever I want!

And the inner campus is just as breathtaking! 

This pond is right in front of the doors to the ALC building!

I'm excited to get back into academia because I know it's more stable than marketing or publishing. That and the team has been so friendly and sweet. As the semester goes, I'll update on how things are going, but I'm about to be super busy.

I'm doing 19 hours a week tutoring for the moment, and I'm still putting in 24-30 hours a week at the warehouse. At this rate, I'll be reading manuscripts when I get home and then going straight to bed.

I keep trying to get back to the writing grind, but there have been so many hiccups, good and bad. In fact, this whole summer has been a hiccup. Since May I've been going nonstep, jumping between jobs, traveling across the country, and collecting all the Pokemon. I'm hoping with a full time schedule between these two positions, I can find the stability I've been craving and can focus back on my life again.

Remember guys: your life is solely yours. Don't hold back what you're destined to do or be because of other people or fear or comfort. Get out there and do everything you can so you have even more experience to draw from when you face difficult decisions. 

And if you're a believer, it also helps to remember that no matter what, God's got this. You just have to let Him do what's best so you can get out there and be your best.

#writerslife

Other posts you may enjoy:

• Waiting on Wednesday: Daughter of the Pirate King
• #WritersLife: Working as a (Creative) Writer
• Why I Write: Young Adult
• #WritersLife: Beautiful Moments
• Waiting on Wednesday: Vassa in the Night

#WritersLife: New WIP and Book Recs

#WritersLife, where I talk writing in real life.

Hello, lovelies! It's been awhile, but a lot of good things have happened since my last posts so let's get to it.

Firstly, my personal life is going very well. I had a phone interview yesterday and an in person one this coming Monday. I've been temping at a warehouse, but a job related to my field would be spectacular! Both involve schools: one is to be a teacher's aide in a elementary or high school, and the other is for an instructional writing aide at the local college. Clearly I'm not done with school yet.

Secondly, Pokemon GO released two nights ago and my brother and I are becoming Pokemon masters! My Squirtle is in the top percentage at CP 55, and Broski just evolved his Pidgey. We're practically experts, just saying. You can find more up-to-date info on my Pokemon training journey on Instagram. We plan on going out with his friends to the park this weekend to catch more!

With those important updates out of the way, let's jump into the words!

New WIP and DIY MFA

I downloaded the DIY MFA starter kit back in June, and while I've read it through, I took it one step further today and wrote down my writing goals and some of my reading requirements.

Reading during my undergraduate years helped me learn about craft, and reading YA novels after graduation helped me understand what's out there now and how these writers are making things work. 

I read a ton of fantasy and science fiction novels, but I write an even mix of fantasy and contemporary stories. I decided to take a break from my YA SF rewrites for personal reasons and get back into a writing routine with a new piece. Er, an old but new now piece.

In college, I wrote a short story called Blonde Hairs told from the perspective of a guy in a relationship. While the girlfriend is never present in the story, he finds blonde hairs throughout his day that remind him of her. I spoke with a friend about it, and he suggested showing more of the bad memories too. After thinking it over, I believe this story would benefit more with a novel or novella structure than a short story structure. 

I'm working on the outline first to gauge how long it may end up being, but I want to read more contemporary stories. Unfortunately, as I said above, I don't read a whole lot of them. I know Rainbow Rowell is huge and I heard those stories are fantastic, but that's really the extent of my knowledge.

This story centers on a relationship, but not necessarily the steamy romance if you know what I mean. I'm thinking of a story like One Day where individual growth is as important as the relationship growth. There's also a non-linear plot, so perhaps The Time Traveler's Wife could also help me in writing this story. 

I think it'll best match the New Adult genre, so I am welcome to book suggestions that are from YA, NA, or Adult. Any and all things will help. I want to capture the fun and youthfulness of love while also highlighting the mature and adult side of it. 

If you know of any books or authors that may fit in with a contemporary, romance, or non-linear plot structure, please let me know! No Harlequin please; I don't need sex stories. Of any kind. Ever. Erotica is not my cup of tea. I giggle too much.

New story. New goals. New Pokemon. Er, old ones that I can now catch. Seriously though, I think my reward will be every 1,250 words written, I get one hour with Pokemon GO. 

Gotta write 'em all!



Other posts you may be interested in:

• #WritersLife: Beautiful moments
• Waiting on Wednesday: Vassa in the Night
• Why I Write: Thankfulness 
• Waiting on Wednesday: Crooked Kingdom
• #WritersLife: Working as a (Creative) Writer

#WritersLife: Beautiful moments

Life is full of beautiful moments. Sometimes those moments involve people, events, or places. Sometimes they involve beliefs, emotions, and magic. And sometimes, those beautiful moments are all we have left after change.

I don't know who will be in my life 1 year from now. I don't know who will be by my side in 5 years or who I will enjoy dinner with in 20 years. I don't know if I'll even be around in 20 years, or in 5 years, or even this time next year.

But being grounded is what will stop me from relying too much on the who's in my life. I know what I want to be: an author, a Christian, a good friend. I know how I can get there: writing, believing, listening, laughing. I know why: because these are the things that have always been inside me, even before I knew what they were.

I don't know when certain things will happen, but timing is always out of our control. If we spend our entire lives planning, we will never get it right, because just like we can't control the when, we never have control over the people around us.

Sometimes we trust people who only know how to hurt us. Sometimes we love people who can't love us back. Sometimes we share our soul with someone who changes their mind. Sometimes, we wake up and realize that we're facing the world alone, and while we don't understand why we are, it's important to remember that these people don't have to control your life. That's all on you.

I know love is simple, it always has been. If you love someone, you care for them, protect them, listen to them, and spend as much time as you can with them. Love is never complex, but the people are. Just because someone says they don't love you back, it doesn't mean the love was wrong, just that they are the wrong person to be in your life.

I've spent a lot of time in prayer since January. Something I've learned from God is that even when He doesn't intend for someone to be permanent in our lives, He does intend for us to grow from the experience. He won't send someone you believe is wonderful just to hurt you later when they choose someone or something else. He does it to show you that as wonderful as you thought they were, you're even more so because you loved unconditionally and are still able to see the beautiful world around you.

Pain doesn't go away overnight, or in a week, or even in years. There may always be someone you think of and feel a pang of sadness, and that's okay. You can't control the who's that come into your life, but you can control who you will be and how others will view you. You know the phrase: if you want a friend, be a friend. If you want to be surrounded by great, caring people, be someone who is great and caring.

Do I think some people are stupid for making choices that take me out of their lives? Certainly. I know my worth, but I'm also grateful to know how they feel now rather than after I've invested 5 years in them. My time is valuable because I'm not guaranteed tomorrow. And if someone doesn't see how beautiful you are, be grateful you were able to see some beauty in them before they walked away.

I have a lot of stress in my life right now. I have health issues, an unemployment status, bills to pay, and family problems like everyone else, but not everyone will be able to walk your path with you even if you helped them walk their own. It hurts. I know. But you know what? Keep on helping people with their stresses because as badly as you need it right now, you'll come across someone who will be willing to help you too, and that one will be the one who chose to love unconditionally just like you.

Love others. Love yourself. Love life.

And above all, know that so many people already love you right now.

#WritersLife: Meeting Author Jenny Martin

#WritersLife, where I talk writing in real life.

Last month I met the wonderful Jenny Martin in Irving, Texas and it was one of the most magical moments in my life!

Irving Library's awesome technical display for Jenny Martin.

The Irving Public Library is an amazing place and its staff is some of the sweetest people I've ever met. If you're in the DFW area of Texas, I highly recommend following them to know what their author series are because they have a ton!

They started off this event very similar to the Marissa Meyer event I attended in February. Super yummy cupcakes, Marked nail art, book cover rings (my favorite!), and book pins were available before Jenny Martin started speaking. I bought both of my copies of Tracked and Marked at the event and those covers are gorgeous!

We listened to Jenny and her partner-in-crime, Julie Murphy, discuss the questions we had over the ending of Tracked and what the next book meant for Jenny. She said that the sequel focuses on staying strong after adversity. It's a message that I desperately need to hear right now, and for that reason I am terrified of starting this novel.

Jenny Martin signing a fan's copy of Marked.

Jenny did not divulge which of the men will be around in the end, but I know in my heart Cash is the
only logical option here.

I waited in line to speak with her after the Q&A, and I suffered some serious speechlessness when I reached the table.

I walked up with my books, and I'm not sure I even formed the word 'hi' before Jenny said that she knew me. I said, "Yeah, we talk on Twitter." She responded with she remembered me from Twitter, but hadn't we met in person yet? When I said no, she said that she was so excited to meet me and that she wanted to give me a hug.

Jenny Martin. Wanted to give me. A hug.

I still haven't accepted that as a reality and continue to believe this was a huge elaborate daydream.

Jenny signed my books and we talked about Tracked and Marked and other car books and she said she loved my review of Tracked and I think I blacked out but can't remember. I do know I called my mom immediately after to cry and tell her how amazing this experience was.

I am so glad I was able to meet Jenny. I've haven't been working on the rewrite, but I'm hoping this night will encourage and push me to get back into it because writing has always been my passion, and I cannot let other people discourage me from doing something I've loved for so long.

If you ever get the chance to meet Jenny Martin, jump on that train! You need this series in your life!

Jenny Martin:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Have you read Tracked? What's your favorite racing novel?



Other posts you may like:

• Book Review: Tracked by Jenny Martin (YA Science Fiction)
• Waiting on Wednesday: Marked by Jenny Martin (YA Science Fiction)
• #WritersLife: Meeting Author Marissa Meyer
• #WritersLife: Meeting Author A.G. Howard
• Top Ten Tuesday: Top Reads on my TBR List

#WritersLife: Camp NaNoWriMo 2016 Update

#WritersLife, where I talk writing in real life.

Camp NaNoWriMo has gone in a way I did not expect and is proving to be a mixture of joyful and frustrating moments. I'm pleased.

Cons of my Camp NaNoWriMo 2016 Experience

I am currently at 12,478 words. Where should I be as of April 15? At 22,500 words.

I'm behind, but that's my fault.

I have organized a way to fit my manuscript reading for the lit agency in between my work hours, so that's not the problem. The distraction comes from me trying to focus on things that are just as important as my writing.

I'm job hunting in the middle of baby NaNo.

My internship ends the first week of June (I think; it could be last week of May). So I've been looking for new work since March. I got my first interview on April 1, and my next will be April 22. All this traveling means less time to write, but it's still important so it's okay.

For those who follow me on Twitter, you may have seen my cries for help as I shamelessly promoted my online portfolio. That will probably continue until I sign new employment papers, so I'm offering a friendly warning to be prepared for those Tweets.

But alas! I discovered something amid the chaos!

Pros of my Camp NaNoWriMo 2016 Experience

The darling Rae, whom you all should follow and shower with love, tweeted some time ago about a blog post that talked about creating a DIY Writer's Retreat. 

The summary is this: reserve a hotel room for one or two nights, don't ask for the WiFi password, and write and work until you check out of the hotel (but the full article is very eloquent so check it out).

I decided to try it out at home this weekend to 1) save money and 2) because I had a four day weekend from work so Friday and Monday the house was empty.

Friday, April 8, I wrote 4.3K words. Monday, April 11, I wrote 3.1K words.

I average 1,200~ words per hour during my rewrite session because I have to care about which words I choose, whereas during NaNoWriMo 2015 I was averaging 1,000~ words every half hour (#1K30 on Twitter). When I sit down and close all my sessions and treat myself like I'm on a retreat, things got done.

I didn't call back my car insurance agency about my quote although I promise to do that...this week. I finished my manuscripts by Thursday so I wouldn't be tempted to read instead of write. And Monday I put down The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski to write those 3,000 words.

Because of this, I want to try to plan out sessions throughout the week. My day off is usually Monday and then if I can carve out alone time on Saturday that would give me at least two. 

My goal is to write 1,800 to 2,000 words a day to catch up, and then use sessions days until the end of the month. 

How's Camp going for you guys?

Updated Stats for Camp NaNoWriMo 2016

Start: April 1, 2016

End: April 30, 2016

Daily word count goal: 1,500 words (same as my original revision goal)
Actual average daily word count: 891 words

Current novel word count: 12,478 words

Projected end count: 70,600 words

Projected cups of tea: 55-70 cups
Current cups of tea: 35 cups

Cabin: Awesome girls from around the world!



Other posts you may like:

• #WritersLife: Participating in Camp NaNoWriMo 2016
• #WritersLife: Importance of Writing Everyday
• Book and Writing Goals for 2016

#WritersLife: Participating in Camp NaNoWriMo 2016

#WritersLife, where I talk writing in real life.

I decided to go out on a limb and sign up for Camp NaNoWriMo this April! You can find my camper's profile here.

For those who have been following this series, I've been working on a YA SF about parallel universes for a few months now. I wrote the draft during NaNoWriMo 2015, worked out a revised outline in January 2016, and have been rewriting the second draft since February.

Here's the thing: I'm only at 25,600~ words for the second draft. I planned on finishing between 60-70K words by March 31st. That's not going to happen.

Enter, NaNoWriMo! I love this community and have joined the Camp version for the first time. I set a goal of 45,000 words by April 30th, which would put my novel just at 70,000. If it needs less, then I'll stop before my goal.

Camp NaNoWriMo 2016 Stats

Start: April 1, 2016

End: April 30, 2016

Daily word count goal: 1,500 words (same as my original revision goal)

Current word count: 25,600 words

Projected end count: 70,600 words

Projected cups of tea: 55-70 cups

Cabin: TBA

I'm hoping with the second draft finished that I can start looking at minor edits or changes I might want to make rather than piecing together most of the plot.

My problem started because 1/3 of the way into my first draft, I changed the voice to better match the protagonist. About halfway, I realized I wanted to incorporate more hidden plot points between the protagonist, the villain, and the mentor. Lastly, during the revision outlining, I knew some kind of romance was needed and used a character I wanted to save for later in the series and introduced him sooner. 

All of that changed the bulk of the draft. That's probably why the editing is sucking the life out of me.

For those who have participated in Camp NaNoWriMo, how do you like it? I'm so excited to see what cabin I get placed into!

Other posts you may be interested in:

• #WritersLife: Finishing the first draft of NaNoWriMo 2015 novel
• End of Revision Round 1 for NaNoWriMo 2014 novel
• #WritersLife: Working as a (Creative) Writer

#WritersLife: Please Consider NaNoWriMo This Year

#WritersLife, where I talk writing in real life.

I first heard about National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in high school, but I didn't participate for the first time until November 2012. Since then, I've written every year. 

Quick brief: NaNoWriMo is an online writing challenge that takes place in November. The goal is to write 50,000 words from Nov. 1st to Nov. 30th. There are loads of tips from authors and the NaNo team along the way, and the writer community is always there to help with ideas and plot points. Each city also has its own municipal liaison(s) who are like little fairy godparents who you should treat with love, respect, and to a lot of brownies. 

#WritersLife: Importance of Writing Everyday

#WritersLife, where I talk writing in real life.

This post is my 100th for the blog, and I am so happy that it will be for the #WritersLife segment! I want to hone in on a lesson that every writer (published, aspiring, or as a past time) talks about as the best advice to give.

To be a writer, you must write everyday.

#WritersLife: The Day Job

#WritersLife, where I talk writing in real life.

So often I hear writers say they've had to pause their fantastic word sprinting because they had to go to their day job. I'm guilty of this. The term "day job" is what we call anything that gets us financially through our bills and groceries so we can write in the early morning or late at night.

But I'm starting to wonder if this is hindering us. Specifically, if this is hindering me.