When you can’t write, read. Discover your inspiration by reading other pieces of work. Find your character flaw, plot aspect, or descriptive word to use. Find an author that increases your desire to do better with your writing. My two authors I am challenged to do better by are Melissa Marr and Suzanne Collins. Research has shown that reading assists in learning and in broadening one’s mind. Allow your mind to be broadened when you are stuck in one spot. Allow yourself to gain inspiration through someone else’s work when you aren’t sure where to start. One way reading aids in the skill of writing is to provide different aspects. Other writers can provide a new characteristic for your main character simply by making it one of their character’s characteristic. Another writer’s work could inspire your books POV. Reading aids in allowing writers to pick up tips about creating a mood. A person learns little tricks by reading people who were successful at their attempt. Throughout my time as a writer and a reader, my most useful insights came while reading another person’s works. Reading has helped me discover things buried deep within me drawing the best out of my writing and allowing me to put my heart and soul into my writing. By allowing my recreational reading fill me to the point of overflow, the people who read my articles and my pieces receive everything I have in me. They receive my best work. So allow yourself to grow through the exposure to other’s masterpieces.
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Social Media is the place to be when you need to showcase your work. Whatever kind of work it may be there’s all sorts of platforms out there that you are able to use. My two personal favorites are Facebook, and Instagram. With Facebook, I have a few pages that I must keep up with and its fun coming up with interesting images or quotes. I also post about my business, obviously. I have a graphics page that pays more attention to that and then two book related ones. And then the account that I can post whatever I think is good, whether about my book or graphics. Or even some funnies throughout the week. It is also a way to join groups and find other people that are like you and your situation. It has been a lifeline of sorts for me throughout the years where I wanted to push things aside or not come back and then I had friends that would pull me back in. Instagram is a different sort of situation. I don’t have those that I talk to regularly or comment on regularly, but it is enjoyable seeing other people’s books that they’ve been writing on have finally concluded and they are putting them out there. I try to keep up with everyone’s stories as they pop up. That part is fun. And of course, working on new hashtags. Those are my favorite when it comes to posting. I’m still working on doing the live stuff, but that’s my resolution coming up in 2020. To be more live and involved as best I can be. There’s a large community out there of writers and readers that are banded together that I’m slowly stepping myself into and I can’t wait to dive even further into that as well as into what I can do for my book and business. Any collaborations I can come up with and join into. I’m always looking for new possibilities and social media is the way to go. I’d love to hear what you use, what you’re favorite social media pages are to use, and any fun little tactics that you enjoy using as you join into the large world of tags, hashtags, posts, likes, and follows. Be sure to comment! Finding time is one of the hardest things to do it seems. I work so much, 50+ hours with my job, trying to help run a section of the company. Then on top of that be the best mom I can be. And then on top of that keep my website fresh, come up with new covers. Plus get a blog out every week and write, write, write. It’s a lot on one person’s plate. How do I do it? I’m still trying to figure that out. I organize and prioritize. Figure out what works best for me. I seem to write better at night, so I know when I should be focusing my writing time. Working goes better in the day, with the sun shining. It continues like that and to figure out my schedule to get everything done in the short number of hours that we do have. I’ve realized that I have put a lot on my plate, but of course it’s all things I love so I must fit them in somewhere. I work and love my job. I write and love that job. I do graphics, which is relaxing, and I love it. And then of course above all else, I’m a mother and absolutely love it. There isn’t anything I want to put aside and hold off on, so I must put in a schedule for it. You can ask my PA, I’m not the best with it, which is why my post is coming a few days late. However, with that and realizing that I’m trying to take on the world- I need to prioritize better and make time for everything better. So I’m setting up a daily routine for me, which may work for you, everyone is different. But I want to put aside work at certain times to write, and then put writing aside at certain times to do graphics. Of course, after school until bedtime is dedicated time to my sweet boy. So, this is something I’ll be implementing in my life the next week to see how it goes. I’d even like to throw in some working out because I have been needing to add some workout in my schedule as well. Can I do it all? I’m sure as heck going to try. I’m a MomBoss, I can do it. When will I sleep and rest? I’ll find time for that as well. You can do it all, have it all, and still manage to find time for everything and everyone else. I see it as a matter of realizing that you don’t have to give all your time but give your all in that time frame. I’m planning on trying this out this week and next week I’ll let you know how it goes. If you try it too or have already started this process- please give me your notes, ideas, or how it’s going for you. A month has been picked and the year has finally come that my first novel is going to be truly released. It has been a long back and forth journey since 2011 and I can’t wait to get this going. A few people know the story behind this novel… It all literally started with a dream. I’m being truly serious about this. I had a dream about Rena, and vampires. It was an intense dream. Even to this day I can picture it all. The colors and smells were so distinct that I felt as if I was there. Starting at a school, there was fighting, death, love, happiness, confusion, and anger all rolled into this dream. It was amazing and I couldn’t wait to write it all down. There was no hesitation. When I woke up, I jotted all details down. In 2011, I started writing it, and within six months; a full manuscript was complete. However I did a horrible thing after that… This is a piece of advice I would offer to anyone writing a novel, or anything for that matter: Don’t rush your work, don’t run with something like this, take caution. All P’s and Q’s need to be taken care of. I rushed it, and although the novel did receive quite a few downloads, it also received quite a few negative reviews. There were so many things missing, but I couldn’t wait to get it all out there. Even the first handful of covers were horrendous…this was what also got me into making covers and into graphics design in general. I knew I could do better. The reasoning behind a great book cover…there are so many reasons. I know the saying is “don’t judge a book by its cover.” However, so many people do. When they are searching on websites or even in stores, it’s what grabs the interest first. You want the cover to speak a thousand words to the possible reader and to draw them in telling a story. You want the cover to tell your story. Money must be put into this, unless you have the graphics design skills, please don’t do something basic. Let someone help you, or work on it over and over as I did. I started with graphics design because I wanted to do my own book cover. It took A LOT of time and tries, and years to where I finally was able to create one that was good enough. Remember that this is important, not something to put aside. Put the money toward the editing and cover. When the book is put out on display whether on websites or on shelves, the cover is the first thing anyone will notice. So make it stand out, make it Pop, and let it show your fans what they are about to dive into. However, I didn’t realize what I had done until I wrote the second book and realized I was still missing so much, that I pulled everything from production. It needed to be redone from the beginning. Jen, a very close friend of mine, said words that stuck… “You tell a great story, there’s so much potential.” That made me feel good, and the thought that she would take on a mess was incredible, but as the publishing option diminished; I continued to take her words with me and finished the rewrite. And finally, on February 10th, 2020, Book 1 of the Blood Origins Series: Yearn for Blood will be Published by Willow Moon Publishing. The cover is gorgeous and I can’t wait for the book to be out there. It definitely took some lessons learned, but it was all worth the wait. Finding Motivation… how does one do this? With a deadline looming down on you, and expectations to get it all done, what pushes you to that point to get it all done? My motivation strikes at different times, and usually very inopportune moments that my character’s want me to write their story. I mentioned making sure to have tools on you at all times in a previous blog, for this purpose. But what if you need to write and you just aren’t feeling anything? I have heard multiple different options that people try to get this going. I’m going to list the different ideas and go through them as to why I think they would work.
These are all possibilities of how to get back on track and not lose sight of the goal or feel as if you won’t ever get it done. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself, and let the words flow. It’s funny how many varieties of ways people get into the mood to write. How often something that works for one person will not work for the next. And how many variations are out there that people use. When writing, some like to use pen and paper then move it over to the computer. I’m that person. I have notepads all over, pens all over, and I write. Sloppy, messy, part cursive and part print writing. Then I’ll move it over to the laptop when I’m done or after I’ve done a large amount. I feel like it flows better for me that way. The perfect pen, the in between of ballpoint and rollerball. Nothing that will smear as I write, since I am left-handed, and most likely the side of my hand will rub against everything I write. Something I have learned throughout the years. I prefer a thicker inked pen with a rubber grip. Something I scour the aisles of stores for, sometimes on purpose and other times just for the fun of having that perfect pen. I’ve heard of others jumping straight onto the computer, and I get that too. It would be easier in a sense so that I wouldn’t have to copy everything over, but I also find that when I copy it over it helps me catch things. But again, everyone is different and it’s fascinating. As far as the sounds around me… I’m sitting now, listening to the Deep Focus playlist on Spotify with softer instrumental music filling the living room where I type. I can’t hear voices of any kind as I write, it interferes with my own voices 😊 and so everything for me has to be exactly like this. Not silent but I can’t hear people talking. I prefer the softer sounds over anything to crazy, unless I’m writing a crazier scene and then it helps me get in the mood. However, I’ve talked to others that can have the TV on, or be in a noisy room, even listen to regular music and write with no problem. Or others must be in complete silence. Again, the multiple ways that people find their inspiration is great and interesting all. I love hearing about different ways that writers use to write. Some like to be outside vs inside or vice versa. At night versus the day; it just all differs from person to person. I know inspiration hits me at the weirdest times. I just recently found the beginning to my 3rd book as I was cleaning. It just popped into my head and I had to sit down and write. (not that I minded taking a break from cleaning) Most of the time ideas show themselves when I’m not wanting to have the inspiration…in the shower, at bedtime, in the car. And I have to either take voice notes, depending on what I’m doing at the moment, but I know if I don’t take it down right then – when I go to write it later the voice will sound different and not be as good. So, it is a rush for me to make sure I capture it all. Either way, it’s just fun to learn everyone’s habits, to see which work best for you. Maybe talking to each other and learning a new way may help you with your own habits and patterns. I’d like to hear your way of writing, be sure to leave a comment! Accept the support in all ways that you get it. People don’t have to read your book or your writings to support you. I’ve learned that. I used to think that if someone didn’t read my book, that they weren’t interested in what I was doing. But some people just aren’t readers, or what you’re writing isn’t their favorite genre, however that doesn’t mean that they don’t support what you’re doing. Some of the closest people to me haven’t read my book and that’s okay. What I know is that they’re all there for me. When I announced that I was getting published all I received were positive responses and congratulations. They were proud of me for pursuing my dreams and for never giving up. That was enough to make me happy. As writers, sometimes just the push from those that care about us or love us is what we need to remind us that we’re doing what we love. It can get so rough, lonely even, when you’re lost in your thoughts all the time. And it feels like the only confirmation or affirmation is that people are reading your completed books, but even the simple push of motivation or a ‘don’t stop’ comment can come in real helpful when you are deep into the writing process because there are so many times that you want to start over, that you feel your writing is straight up crap, or that you aren’t going to get anywhere with it. So, the simple comments of appreciation and motivation are welcomed. I’m realizing that after this new journey, and right now that I’m on deadlines for the first time in my writing career and taking such a huge leap in this section of my life. And something that anyone smack dab in the middle of writing, or even right at the beginning, or the end of it all. This is not a career decision for just anyone and not something that anyone can do. To give into it and offer so much time and energy, a sweet pat on the back can be the make or break it motivation we all need. Incredible things are on the horizon in my future and I’m grateful for the path that has led me here. So many of us travel through great lengths, jump through nearly impossible hoops, and barely crawl over those high set hurdles. We think that there’s never an end in sight, or that if there is this so-called light at the end of the tunnel, that we may never reach it. However, I’m seeing, finally after a long while that the light is there, and it is something that can be reached. Goals are set, and so frequently they get pushed aside or away completely for life. Because plans hardly ever get accomplished as we expect them to, just as an outline to a book where the characters are taking charge. Page one of those plans gets tossed out the window, because something new has been placed in front of us to get over before we can even start. That’s how it has felt for a long while now for me, anyway. In 2011, I had a dream…yes really; a dream. It was the beginning phase of this novel I’ve been working on since then. I’ve been writing all my life. Poems started it off, a way to get emotions off my chest. And then from there I attempted child-like short stories. But in 2011, it was then that I dreamt about my main characters and the story that followed. As I’ve posted in other blog posts of mine, I rushed, which was a big mistake, and I learned my lesson from it. I shoved it out there without properly going back over it, without a proper editor, and without realizing how badly it needed a great cover and SO MANY corrections. So, I set out to redo it, update it, however you want to say it. With many cover concepts later, I thought I had done it! Finally fixed the story, yet the cover never felt right… But I had gone through an editor, even hired a ghost writer to assist with expanding on details and helping me find a way to change it with keeping the original story. That’s what we did, and in the end, I was back in love with my book and with the story! However, when I put the book back out, the sales were way down compared to the first time I tried and I realized that perhaps attempting again may not have been the best for my novel but I would continue with the story because my characters deserved it. Then just a few months ago, I found a home for my novel. It was accepted by a publisher, and a new cover that spoke volumes about the story itself was put together. It brought back that excitement for the story and for the work itself. I was ready to really write and to get myself out there again. It is in this moment that I realize even more what it means to not give up, don’t quit on your dreams, because eventually they will become reality. There are so many reasons, but I will only name three things here. Writing can be so complicated, especially when you want to take it steps further to set up a blog, or write a novel. And it gets even more complicated when writing is something that you are meant to do, something you’ve been doing all your life and you can’t get away from it. Either way, we all have those reasons and here are mine…
Not only is it the fact that my voices pick the most inopportune time, but there is the whole fact that I can hear voices at all. I’m sure most writers understand this, because I have spoken to others that hear the voices as well. They nag you until you actually start writing their story. Or if a specific scene is meant to happen, they put images in your head and tell you to write NOW. It doesn’t go away until it has been written. And although, these voices are in my head, making me write; I usually don’t mind them. This reminds that I can tell stories, and each time I have that dream or hear that nagging voice: I know that means that I’ll have a new story to tell. That makes me happy.
Although, no one can really complain, because in the end it is these stories that we are picking up and reading and losing ourselves in. Getting lost in a new world, a new love, or a new villain. Without us being just a wee bit crazy, we wouldn’t be able to sit down and get these stories out for everyone else. So, there are sacrifices we have to make, but for us it’s life. It’s fun, and entertaining at ALL times. Creating an amazing first chapter… This is difficult, some would say the most difficult. It’s trying to decide that first sentence and where exactly, and how to start your story out; it is one of those moments that the backspace button is used most often. This is tough to get going because you want it to stand out, away from everyone else’s book. The first sentence must grab your audience. It must pull them in and keep them intrigued to read more. So using the usual starters is not a good idea. There are so many phrases that are used way too often, a simple example would be “Once upon a time”; that’s one that you shouldn’t try anymore. There are others, as well as not talking about the weather, and I just learned that having your main character waking up is also too cliché…(I just tried that in my own first chapter was told not to). It happens to the best of us, but to keep it strong writers must think outside of the box for that opening line. Even if you have an amazing and compelling prologue; I also learned that readers may skim over the prologue and move onto the first chapter. So keep that first sentence new and amazing. Keep it refreshed and unique to your story. Once you find that perfect beginning line the rest of the chapter should flow easily. As if the characters just needed that little bit of push to get their story told. The rest of the first chapter maintains that same importance. Bring the main characters to life here. Let the readers get a feeling of them, some personality and understanding. Let the readers step into their day to day life and fall in love with the story to come for them. It can seem daunting and overwhelming, but you can do it. Of course if needed the internet is filled with assistance as what to use. But honestly your best bet is to think of what is going on in the scene, of how you are starting it, and use details from that. Instead of being asleep and just waking up, are they dreaming? Did something happen the night before? Is someone in the room? Think of all the details surrounding the moment and leading up to it; then create your first line from that. You have this. Push past the looming fear of failing and press forward. Before you know it, the entire book will be done! |
AuthorTiffany Heiser Archives
February 2020
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