A Quick Sidestep

Back in my junior college days, Phys Ed was not my thing, so having the chance to take a movement class that didn't involve profuse sweat, sports bras, or showering in public was appealing. That's how I wound up in Social Dance learning the foxtrot.

Photo by Tim Gouw via Unsplash

The foxtrot involves two slow steps forward and two quicksteps to the side. The pattern keeps replaying in my mind, two steps forward and quick-quick sidestep. I'm well acquainted with the sidestep, the deviation from the plotted course.

My entire fall is a deviation from my writing goals. A whole new group of little people have just entered my life. They will take all my time and attention for a minute. Or a month or two. And then I can have a life outside of my classroom.

It's not the first time I've had to take a quick sidestep this year. I've been active on social media since 2014 when my first book came out. For a year or two, I posted to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram several times a week and posted fresh content here on my website at least once a week. With managing my book release. launch, monthly author events, and working full-time for most of the year, my Queen of Social Media tiara slipped a little. It's been a year of creating connections and meeting new readers. My focus has been on traditional marketing far more than on online marketing, and though it probably doesn't make a difference to my Amazon ranking, I'm happy with those results.

Writing time is writing time. It's sacred. Blogging or posting on social media is time stolen from finishing my novel. And that first draft is so close to being done! It's the Writer Paradox: successful writers need to connect with readers, in person and online, but the best way to be a successful writer is to keep writing.

Photo by Alvin Mahmudov via Unsplash

That's why I'm pleased to announce that I'm taking my first creative writing class since high school. The only education I received on crafting novels came from reading a ton of Young Adult novels. It will take a healthy chunk of writing, blogging, and social media time, but it should help me more more forward as a writer, even if it's in a different direction than I might have planned.

Forward momentum is forward momentum, even if it isn't precisely where you thought you were going. For a little more inspiration, let's muse on this quote by Ginger Rogers: 

I do everything the man does, only backwards and in high heels!

In the next few weeks I'll be doing author events, Parent Teacher Conferences, Comic Con, a Novel Writing class, and finishing my Rumpelstiltskin rewrite. And much of that will be in really cute shoes.

Don't worry, I've got this.

A Little Romance

Life has been busy lately. My summer life is transforming into my fall life. Writing full-time is making way for working full-time and listening for the call of my characters will make way for learning the needs of my students. My summer story is nearly written and with the opening of the school year, a new chapter unfolds. 

This summer, my journey has been marked with morning walks, morning talks, and so many stories. My heart is swayed by romance and as I roam around my school instead of my neighborhood and fall in love with adorable five-year-olds instead of my own characters, I'll continue searching for a little romance.

Perhaps you too are trying to reconcile a summer life with a regular life and you could use an extra smile and a giggle. If so, maybe you could benefit from a little escape nestled between the pages.

Ross Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, Winston Graham. I first met Ross Poldark in the PBS Masterpiece series Poldark. Because Aidan Turner, my friends. Since I discovered that it's based on a series of novels, I've been dying to get my hands on them. And guess what? They're fantastic. Ross's courage and inborn romance will win anyone's heart. 

I Am The Messenger, Markus Zusak. Zusak's style is both masterful and delightful. In this tale, he weaves the story of good-for-nothing Ed Kennedy who is given another chance to connect with humanity. Or Ed will be punished by the unknown master calling the shots. 

Vanessa and Her Sister, Priya Parmar. Parmar weaves a tale around the life and times of Vanessa Bell, artist and sister of Virginia Woolf. Historical Fiction will always be one of my favorite genres. It always sends me scurrying to the internet and library for more information on the events and historical figures portrayed in the novels. Vanessa and Her Sister is captivating, inspiring, beautiful, and heartbreaking.

Remembrandt, Robin King. Alex Stewart has a eidetic memory. She recalls everything she has ever seen with prefect clarity. When she's recruited by a secret organization, she finds her skills put to the test as a secret operative and her heart pulled in another direction by a handsome stranger. King's first novel in the series is both intriguing and youthful.

This Lullaby, Sarah Dessen. Dessen's novels paint a world of heartbreak and joy, youth and folly. And regardless of the fact that they are Young Adult novels, they always reveal a ribbon of truth running through the middle. This Lullaby follows the carefully plotted out last summer of Remy. She's leaving her eccentric author mother and newly-in-love brother for Stanford in a few short months. The only thing that's missing from her life is one short-term summer romance. She doesn't expect Dexter, a messy, quirky musician to claim more of her life or more of her heart than she's willing to give.

A Little Bit in Love, Susan E. Fletcher. Novels that give new life and breadth to a character we thought we knew always intrigue me. Eponine, from Les Miserables, is reimagined in this gorgeously woven tale of grit, romance, and heartbreak. It follows the path that led Eponine to Paris and Marius and love. We may know how her story ends, but now we can know her heart.

* * *

As for me, I'm only a few scenes away from finishing my third novel, beginning the task of editing and polishing and pruning, collaborating to create cover art, and starting a new novel. Oh yes, and educating another group of adorable five-year-olds! Stay tuned for news on both! Thanks for reading!

Note: The above novels, with the exception of Remembrant, may feature language, strong themes, sex, or other elements you may not appreciate. Please read responsibly.

The Writing Retreat: Take Two

60,000 words has come and gone. Will this actually be a novel? Will I even finish Book Three? A well-timed Writing Retreat might just make all the difference . . .

Beautiful Park City, Utah

Our Writing Retreat last year helped me finalize Midnight Sisters for publishing this year. It was also one of the best weekends I had last summer. Fun, interesting, and just busy enough. So this year when the girls asked if I wanted to participate, I jumped right in. I had reached 50,000 words in my current WIP, which is the length Becoming Beauty weighed in at, and I had also reached a critical point where I wasn't sure what to do next.

Mermaid tails keep toes warm. It's true.

As you may know, I'm not a planner. Well, there are times that being a pantser really leaves me in the lurch. And this was one of them. I'd been adding 10,000 words a week throughout July and had more than doubled the length of my novel. I planned to add as much as I could during our Writing Retreat and then browse the manuscript from the beginning for ideas of how to reach the end. I put in about two days writing and added about 5,000 words and gained some direction at last.

Yep. I finally know how I'm getting to the end! And if it took a lot of snacks, ice water on standby, a couple of pool and hot tub hours, and countless quiet writing hours, I'm glad to do it! Our Park City weekend also included evenings on the town and a Saturday shopping spree at the outlets. If you haven't figured it out, I love ALL of those things.

Book Three will probably take another year to complete, edit, and polish but it's much closer to the finish line than before Writing Retreat 2017. Carry on, my writerly friends, and remember that there's power, inspiration, and strength in numbers. Also, geekiness.

What's In The Works?

Back when Becoming Beauty was on its way to being published, I wrote a good deal of Midnight Sisters. However, self-publishing Midnight Sisters didn't allow me the luxury of doing the same with my third novel. Marketing and promotions fell squarely on my shoulders during the height of kindergarten craziness (January through May). 

For those of you who don't know, kindergartners return from Christmas break refreshed and ready to go. Differences in student ability is never more evident than during the last few month of school. It's my job as the teacher to keep everyone on track and everything running smoothly.

Imagine doing all of that during the same five months Midnight Sisters was released, the Blog Tour ran, a Launch Party was thrown, and about six more Author Events were held all over Northern Utah. 

And oh yes, I guest posted on several other blogs too.

Needless to say, I didn't do much novel writing on my new novel until the school year wrapped up. Since June is when I do most of my summer traveling, I was pleased to hit 20,000 words. For me, 20,000 words means a story has enough momentum to become a novel. In the last two weeks, I've put the pedal down and doubled that number, pulling in at 40,000 words. My plan is to stay focused, draft through July, and finally hit the end.

In the meantime, my Rumpelstiltskin* rewrite has transformed into a conglomeration of several fairy tales. Gilberto (Gil) is a Spanish Rumpelstiltskin blended with my first love, Gilbert Blythe of Anne of Green Gables. Behind him hovers an army of workers he refers to as elves, much like the Elves and the Shoemaker. Also, I couldn't resist setting Crown Prince Henry on the hunt for a wife, a lá Cinderella. That means that our heroine Elyse, who is a cross between the Rumpelstiltskin's miller's daughter and Cinderella, becomes the mystery princess at Prince Henry's wife-hunting ball. Of course, being just as mischievous as Rumpelstiltskin, Gil will choose that moment to appear and throw everything into a tailspin. 

Can you tell my fingers are itching to write that scene?

Sarah E. Boucher, author & educator

And that's why I haven't blogged in weeks. Writing time and writing energy only stretch so far. However, I promise that as I pull into the finish line, I'll share snippets of scenes. Also, as soon as the drafting and editing pace slows, I'm planning to do another feature like the Humor & Inspiration Features of last year or this year's character features Meet the Sisters.

Thanks for taking this journey with me!

*Author's Note: As an educator, I always love sharing new things (even if they're old things) with my audience. So, if you aren't acquainted with the original fairy tales Rumplestilskin, The Elves and The Shoemaker, or Cinderella, follow the links embedded above! Happy reading!

Stop Talking. Start Writing.

There seems to be a recurring theme in my world these days.

I'm currently on vacation with my best friend and guess what was one of the first things we did? We talked about writing. 

Did we talk about what we're writing?

Nope.

Did we talk about how much we've written?

Nope.

Did we discuss our upcoming projects or how excited we are about them?

Nope.

We talked about how we should be writing, how much time we wish we had spent writing, and all the other things we've been doing instead.

Sound familiar?

While growing my Twitter following, I've encountered some newbie writers who are in the same boat. (Names have been omitted in order to protect the dear, sweet, writers. If by some strange twist of fate they are actually reading this, bless their dear, sweet souls, because I've got a truth bomb or two to drop.) 

Here are their the account descriptions:

I'm an aspiring author with a bad case of lazy. Currently writing a couple of novel series and a few screenplays.

I want to reply, Kudos on not calling yourself an aspiring writer! And for actually getting the job (or several jobs) started! Keep it up, Sunshine!

Here's another:

Hey guys! I'm a fiction writer who dreams of getting published; feel free to throw some inspiration my way!

I want to ask what's standing in her way. Is she waiting for the right time to publish? Is she waiting for a big, shiny contract? Those are pretty tough to score. And there are always strings attached. So if writers want to publish their stories, they need to get smarter and find the path that's right for them. 

Boom. Inspiration.

Here's my favorite account description:

Follow me as a I try to complete a novel I've been working on for the last seven years.

I want to comment on that, but I can't decide just how brutally honest I want to be. Which of the following would you suggest?

a) What's your timeline for completing this novel? Another seven years? Because YIKES.

b) Do you expect to see a return on your investment? Because you'll need to sell a ton of those puppies to break even after you've committed a decade to the project. Again, YIKES.

c) Obviously this project is going nowhere. Set it aside and find something you are truly passionate about finishing. And guess what? You'll have published that novel before you could have ever finished this one. 

I've known writers who couldn't give up on that first novel and/or publishing contract and insisted on pursuing it instead of moving on. The truth is we are better writers today than ever before and the stories and characters we develop will be more complex than they would have been several years ago.

On the other end of the spectrum is my amazing friend Jo Ann Schneider. Jo and I published our first novels the same year. However, in the time that I've published two Young Adult fairy tales, Jo has published seven novels, two novellas, as well as collaborating on a couple of short story anthologies. Did I mention that they're all in different genres?

Now that's smart. Jo not only talks about writing, she gets the job done. Her Facebook feed shows some awesome stuff these days. Here's what she shared last week:

Thursday:

Hey Jagged Scars fans. I'm on a mission to write a rough draft of book 5 between now and July 6th. It's only going to be about 80,000 words. That shouldn't be a problem, right? I started yesterday. 

Here is my progress report for today. Time for a snack.

Beginning word count: 5,015

Ending word count: 12,023

(Sarah's math says: 7,008 words on day one!)

Friday:

Hey Jagged Scars fans, here's my daily report:

Beginning word count: 12,023

Ending word count: 21,576

21,500 words down, only 60,000 to go!

(Sarah's math says: 9,553 words on day two!)

Saturday:

My goal was 25,000 words this week. Got a little more in. One week down, two and a half to go.

Beginning word count: 21,576

Ending word count: 26,610

(Sarah's math says: 5,034 words on day three! 21,595 words written in one week!)

She's amazing. If I wrote like that, my 50,000-60,000 novel would already be written. But I've let life get in the way. I've let distractions (like those blasted idiots who are supposed to be fixing my AC but still haven't done so) get in the way of my summer writing goals. 

So here I am, pulling up my big girl panties and saying it loud and proud:

I'm finishing another novel this summer. 

I'm already a third of the way done at over 20,000 words. Another 10,000 words (which I knocked out in one day last summer) and I'll be halfway done. I can do that, right? 

A life lesson that both Jo and I have learned is that as soon as you publish a novel the first thing your readers will ask is:

When will the next one be out?

Every author wants to say, Holy Heck, Greedy Gus! I just got this one out and it nearly killed me! Can you give me a second?

What we should do is express our gratitude for their support. We want them to be invested in us and all we do, right?

These are the people who will pay our bills. Or at least pay for the occasional pedicure.

As I continue down the road to fame and riches (or just regularly pampered feet), I welcome you to come along on the journey. Here's to finishing my first draft instead of just talking about it!

Failing at Life 2017

Yup. It's that time of year again. I feel like I'm failing at everything.

Point 1: My classroom is a mess. My students have spring fever and Spring Break taunts from weeks away.

Point 2: I haven't made any headway on my current manuscript. (Quite frankly, I haven't even had the head space to attempt it. #ShameSpiral)

Point 3: Marketing? Yeah, let's not talk about marketing. I just wish my book were capable of selling themselves. (Every author dreams of self-marketing books, don't they?)

I don't know about you, but The Writer Suckfest is at least a yearly event for me. And no matter whether you have a full-time career or a full-time family (or both) you'll feel like you're failing at that too. Should we give up and consume copious amounts of chocolate while binge-watching an entire season of mediocre television?

I say NO. No way. Let's be proactive! (If that doesn't work, we can always resort to chocolate later, right?)

Five Tips for Surviving Failing at Life

Runaway Don't worry. It's not an act of cowardice. A change of pace and/or location helps you see things as less fatal than before. It may be as simple as disappearing into a really great book or movie but it also might require a beach-side cottage and the calming shush of the ocean.

This weekend I ran way to Comic Con. As weird as it sounds, there's nothing like hobnobbing with a hoard of geeks, dweeds, and super cool nerds to make you feel human again.

Regroup A chat with a friend, writing it out, or just talking to yourself until life makes sense again helps straighten things out. Think of soldiers in battle. Sometimes they have to retreat, assess the threat, and determine the best plan of attack. I don't know about your brain, but mine works in a similar fashion. That's why we have support groups, people!

Recognize Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Freaking Albert Einstein . . . As irritating as that quote is, there is something to be said for recognizing what's failed you in the past and what has resulted in success and correcting accordingly.

For instance, when I mentioned marketing earlier I really wanted to confess something. I haven't been using my past marketing experience to inform today's decisions. How dumb is that? Time to fix it and sell some more books!

Reconnect The longer I walk this planet, the more I see the importance of forging connections. We connect with ourselves, we connect with others, and we connect with the universe (whether you call it God or destiny or fate). We also connect with our own characters and stories. Whenever I'm floating aimlessly or bumbling about, usually it's because one or more lines of connection are down. Reassess, my dears, find the downed lines and pop them back in place. (BTW genuinely connecting with readers, followers, fellow writers, and reviewers is my number one marketing tip!)

Recommit Once a game plan has been developed, we need to recommit ourselves to it. Make it achievable and then jump right in! Does that mean we go down in flames if it doesn't work out? Nope. We live and learn and move on.

Here's my game plan:
1) writing two more guest posts
2) running promotions on my books
3) preparing for this summer's author events 
4) continuing to work on my current project
5) not freaking out about the pitfalls of March

After my weekend runaway, I can recognize that my students are coming along nicely and only require a little help. No group of kindergartners advanced to first graders without a certain amount of drama. In a similar manner, no first draft was ever completed without a certain amount of hair loss and swearing.

That's my plan and I'm sticking to it! (But I'm keeping the chocolate on hand, just in case!)

So my dears, what's gone horribly wrong in your life lately? And more importantly, what are you going to do about it? Leave me a comment! You're not alone, my dears. I'm here to support and inspire.

The Inbetween Land

All writers inhabit the Inbetween Land at some point. Wedged between first drafts and last drafts, finished manuscripts and fresh plots, beta readers and editors. It's a truly bewildering place.

It kind of feels like this...
Alice in Wonderland, 2010

And take it from me, it takes careful maneuvering to escape it.

Develop a Game Plan:
Writers have to learn how to use their time wisely. As a part-time writer, I split my time and energy between teaching and writing. The challenge is creating a schedule that works. 

This fall that means getting the school year underway and setting a date to publish Book Two. Then, between now and then, I need to set up a Blog Tour, put the finishing touches on the cover, and plan how and when to format the manuscript. You know, after I finish editing everything up. 

I've had several conversations like this lately:

He's so fluffy, I could die!
Alice in Wonderland, 2010

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”

“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.”

“I don’t much care where—” said Alice.

“Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go,” said the Cat.

Learn Who To Trust:
Experts materialize when anyone lays claim to the title of Writer. Marketers, editors, proofreaders, social media specialists, etc. are dying to give you their pitch and take your money. That's why it's crucial that writers learn to trust their own voice. We're responsible for researching things properly and cleaning up timelines, grammar, and character quirkiness. 

People in positions of power may be professionals,
but they may also be professionally bonkers.
Alice in Wonderland, 2010

Our expertise will be called into question. When that happens, we must carefully consider the counsel given as well as the source, especially if it comes from someone who is strong in areas where we are weak. We aren't infallible, but neither are our editors and readers. We must trust our hearts and swallow our egos. We must keep our minds open but pay attention to our own intuition. 

Get to Work:
Unlike the noble turtle who leaves her eggs in the sand and trots back to her day job, we can't abandon our manuscripts to nature and expect them to thrive. And unless you're rolling in money, the lion's share of the work will fall to you. Just like I have, you're bound to make mistakes, but you're bound to have fun as well. As frustrating as it may be, being a published author is awesome.

So pitch in! Do all you're able to do and then call in as many favors as you can. Among all those experts who emerge from the depths when they smell fresh writer blood are those who care more about helping other writers than they do about draining your bank account. They don't mind giving free advice, sending you in the right direction, or swapping favors.

That one time I dressed up as Alice...
Halloween 2015

So my dears, now that I've got my game plan, know who I can lean on, and know what's ahead, I'd better stop playing dress up and get working! Wish me luck!

And please, share your tips and horror stories about the dreaded Inbetween Land in the comments!

The Hazards of Dealing with Writers

It must be peculiar when someone argues with imaginary characters and invents new ways to torture them.

Today we embark on a frank discussion about the hazards of dealing with writers. Hopefully our efforts will encourage our loved ones to rant and rave less when dealing with our nutcase behavior. 

The Blink and Stare 

They do: Writers get lost in daydreams. Occasionally that means we stare into space while filling plot holes and imagining horribly wonderful things to do to characters.

You do: When we zone out, just hand us frosty beverages and snacks! (It's important to keep writers sufficiently nourished in this state.)

The Overuse of Extraordinarily Long Words 

They do: After writing and rewriting, adding and deleting descriptions, adverbs, and adjectives, writers' brains are overflowing with sesquipadelian words. 

You do: If these words emerge in ordinary conversation, smile and nod, my dears. (Feel free to dive for the dictionary later.)

Prolonged Periods of Quiet

They do: While writers work, it may become uncomfortably quiet. Remember that the writer in question is carrying on various conversations in her/his head and/or dealing with everything from grammar issues to problematic plot twists. 

You do: Avoid interrupting the writer at all costs. An irritated writer is capable of adding you to their cast of characters and using those long periods of silence to plot your death. 

Intermittent Laughter 

They do: Writerly silence may be interrupted by giggles and/or maniacal laughter. Yes, we giggle at our own stories. (Sorry.) And when we add something particularly evil that will make readers yell out loud and throw their Kindles across the room, the maniacal laughter comes out.

You do: It's best not to interfere. Unless you want an ear full of whatever we're cackling about. We'll behave normally later. (Probably.)

Intermittent Tears 

They do: At some point, all writers believe that their talents are CRAP and their stories aren't worth publishing. This may result in tears, tears, and more tears. 

You do: Keep the tissue on hand, pass out hugs as needed, and prepare several supportive statements like: 

• My, your butt looks amazing in those sweatpants! 
• Your natural scent is beautifully musky!
• How about another round of hot chocolate and Downton Abbey?

Odd Expressions/Gestures

They do: Writers may run into trouble describing a character's facial expressions or gestures. Sometimes, we practice the very things they're trying to describe, which will probably resemble some sort of bizarre mating ritual. (Again, sorry.)

You do: Just pretend like you didn't see anything. And think about how funny it will be to mock us later...much later.

Odd Research Questions and Google Searches

They do: Certain projects require writers to research bizarre subjects. We may ask you about how to stab someone fatally or poison a coworker. 

You do: Don't worry. It's all in the name of literature. Just delete the browser history regularly and keep 911 on speed dial just in case.

* * *

Writers are a pack of weirdos. There's no arguing with that. But because of their creative bend, they do keep life interesting!

What other writer hazards have you encountered? Leave me a comment!

The Writing Retreat

This spring I came to my beloved Writing Group with a plan. I wanted a Summer Writing Retreat.

My thought process was something like:

Ooh, it's going to be amazing! There will be time to work all the kinks out of my manuscript and interact with some of my favorite people! 

Can you tell I've never been to one of these before?

Sometimes it's best to create your own plan instead of following someone's tried and true method. (Plus tried and true sounds boring, while my plan centered around writing, playing, good food, a bit of shopping, and laughter. Lots of laughter.)

So, the ladies and I reserved a hotel near Park City, UT and began to plan. I'm mid-edit on Book Two and my goal was to make it much closer to the end. And hey, getting in several quiet hours of writing was very productive.

To my way of thinking, there have to be some givens in holding/attending a Writing Retreat:

Come to work. Bring your project(s) and have a personal goal in mind. (In case you're wondering, my goal was to make progress on my WIP and not to make everyone crazy.) If you don't think you can engage that long, have a back up plan like blogging, editing, world building, character development, etc.

Be prepared for distractions. My lovely friend Jo Ann Schneider informed me early on that she'd be bringing earplugs. She knows me way too well...but hey, I was quiet and well-behaved for so long! (For the Chatty Patties like me, bring earbuds so you can block out the other humans in the room you desperately need to chat up. For example, I edited to Glee on Netflix for two days.)

Leave time for fun. This may not seem important when you're on a business trip, but when you hit your goal--whether it's a time goal or a word count--you need to hit the town, hit the restaurant, or hey, hit the sack. I don't know about you, but I need a brain break after a long day of intense focusing.

If the above picture doesn't express how well our weekend went, I don't know what will. We had an amazing time! It may not have been the most productive I've ever been--traveling all over for several weeks takes a toll--but I'm proud of the work I did. It's set me firmly on the path to polishing up Book Two for publishing later this year. And we're already thinking of what we want to do next year.

Bear Lake for Writing Retreat 2017, anyone? Don't forget to pack your swimsuits and be ready for a Raspberry Shake break. Because that's totally happening.

* * *

What are your thoughts? What type of Writing Retreats have you attended? Thanks for dropping by!

The Shift: Traditional to Indie

The Waiting Game is loads of fun.

Because learning that your story isn't an agent's or publisher's cup of tea builds character, right?

And who doesn't appreciate waiting and waiting and waiting to hear if your story is good enough or if it fits into the Holy Publishing Schedule?

The truth is no matter which path you take, indie or traditional, the lion's share of the work will fall to you. Whether you ask for it or not, advice on plot, character arc, blocking, and a myriad of other topics will come your way. And baby, the marketing alone can knock you flat.

Because of the labor intensive nature of publishing, I thought I'd pose the question to my followers:

Do you have a preference between traditional or indie books?

The response was overwhelming: NO ONE CARED. As long as the story was worth reading, it would be read, they claimed. My confession? I lean toward traditionally published books, but only those with high-quality storytelling and great cover art. Send an indie book with the same characteristics my way and I'll snatch it up too!

Why bring this up now? Because my waiting game has reached an end. And I'm on my way to becoming an indie author. The big pieces are in place. A professional editor and a cover artist have been secured, and I'm in the middle of editing my twist on The Twelve Dancing Princesses.

As I jump into uncharted waters and try not to sink, I'll need all your support, kindness, and patience. And I'll be pleased to answer when you ask:

When is your next book out?

Because it hits shelves later this year, my dears! And that in itself is exciting. I still have so much to learn about self-publishing and I welcome your tips and warnings. Leave me a comment below!

And keep your eyes open for a new version of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, penned by yours truly!

Humor & Inpiration in Writing: When Words Behave Like Toddlers

Cover art for Sugar and Snails

I think I've found my calling. Hosting the Humor & Inspiration features ranks right up there with writing 10K words and/or bagging an adorable pair of shoes at 50% off. 

Anne Goodwin is my first across-the-pond...um, Humour & Inspiration feature. Known to Twitterdom as @annectdotist, she describes herself as a writer, blogger, slug slayer, and recovering psychologist. I'd describe her as a lovely person, a talented writer, and a mentor to others in her field. I never suspected that she fights a different battle than most writers, which is a compliment to her professionalism. But she'll fill you in on that. Just be prepared to laugh and be inspired!

* * *

When Sarah invited me to contribute a post about humour and the writing life, I wondered if it might be a case of mistaken identity. I tend to frequent the dark places and I’m not known for my capacity to raise a laugh. But never one to forgo the opportunity to strut my stuff on someone else’s blog, I agreed to give it a go.

Due to repetitive strain injury, all my fiction and all my blog posts are produced with the assistance of voice recognition software. I say assistance, but it’s much slower for me than typing ever was, as the programme has a mind of its own and every other phrase requires checking and correction. Because the errors are proper words, they can easily dodge my radar leading to a catalogue of embarrassing blog comments and tweets. On more than one occasion, I complimented the author of Black Lake on her novel Black Lace; an entirely different animal altogether.

It’s as frustrating as a toddler who wants to examine every crack in the pavement when you’re already late. But in the right mood, as with a toddler, its perspective on the world, and in particular its indifference to logic, can raise a smile.

I don’t know if it will evoke amusement, or sympathy, but I thought I’d share some of the nonsense that has recently appeared on my screen. With the erroneous words in bold, I’ll leave you to do the translation; the words in italics how I’d reply if the blasted thing could be relied upon not to mangle my words.

but it’s much lower for me than typing of awards             

though higher for you, perhaps, as I am rather too short to get the prize

balancing blog comments            

with the weight of bananas, perhaps?

my off the platform                        

definition of a somewhat unstable author platform

the author flanking the publisher in the acknowledgements       

Hello! Paula mentioned that you might be interested in doing a feature on my website next year. I'm pretty sure the theme would be right up your alley! On Humor and Inspiration in Writing and Life 500 words or less. Keep it brief, fun, and interesting. Feel free to go in any direction you'd like. (For example: what inspires you, keeps you going, how humor influences your writing, keep you from jumping off a cliff...or throwing your laptop off the balcony, etc.) Attach a fun head shot and any other pics, memes, and gifs that are pertinent to your post. If you're an author, a clean cover art image is always welcome. Attach links to your blog/website and any purchasing links you'd like to have featured. Feel free to add a brief book blurb, bio, or whatever you'd like promoted. Plugs are great! I'll take care of all the editing, snarky asides, and formatting. Totally my forteHello! Paula mentioned that you might be interested in doing a feature on my website next year. I'm pretty sure the theme would be right up your alley! On Humor and Inspiration in Writing and Life 500 words or less. Keep it brief, fun, and interesting. Feel free to go in any direction you'd like. (For example: what inspires you, keeps you going, how humor influences your writing, keep you from jumping off a cliff...or throwing your laptop off the balcony, etc.) Attach a fun head shot and any other pics, memes, and gifs that are pertinent to your post. If you're an author, a clean cover art image is always welcome. Attach links to your blog/website and any purchasing links you'd like to have featured. Feel free to add a brief book blurb, bio, or whatever you'd like promoted. Plugs are great! I'll take care of all the editing, snarky asides, and formatting. Totally my forteI know it can be a close relationship, but shouldn’t they give each other some space?

But if you read Philip living, there’s an advantage            

preferable to reading Philip dying, perhaps?

with disgust choir bit on your blog           

what’s your problem? I wasn’t trying to sing at you

a mere two has la                            

appropriate baby language for a toddler

how I’d reply if the plastic thing                                

okay, a writer shouldn’t have to rely on expletives, but who are you to censor my output?

as Orion crudity was to the Nazis             

obscene stargazing among the fascists

You get the idea? Somewhat paradoxically, given the expectations of greater professionalism, the publication of my novel has left me less anxious about the toddler in my computer. Not only because I’ve had editors and proofreaders checking my words, but because my title has a tendency to bring out other people’s inner toddler. Maybe that’s inevitable when Sugar and Snails is adapted from a nursery rhyme, but it always makes me smile when it’s quoted as Sugar and Spice. I’m not proud, whatever tempts you to read it is fine by me. Although it addresses a serious topic, it’s definitely not devoid of humour.

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Anne Goodwin’s debut novel, Sugar and Snails, about a woman who has kept her past identity a secret for thirty years, was published in July 2015 by Inspired Quill. Her second novel, Underneath, about a man who keeps a woman captive in his cellar, is scheduled for May 2017. Anne is also a book blogger and author of over 60 published short stories. 

* * *

Anne Goodwin:
Author, Blogger, Recovering Psychologist

Catch Anne Goodwin online: 

Website: annethology 

Twitter @Annecdotist

Grab a copy of Sugar and Snails: 

Amazon 

Amazon UK

A snippet of Sugar and Snails:

The past lingers on, etched beneath our skin ...

At fifteen, Diana Dodsworth took the opportunity to radically alter the trajectory of her life, and escape the constraints of her small-town existence. Thirty years on, she can’t help scratching at her teenage decision like a scabbed wound.

To safeguard her secret, she’s kept other people at a distance ... until Simon Jenkins sweeps in on a cloud of promise and possibility. But his work is taking him to Cairo, and he expects Di to fly out for a visit. She daren’t return to the city that changed her life; nor can she tell Simon the reason why.

Sugar and Snails takes the reader on a poignant journey from Diana’s misfit childhood, through tortured adolescence to a triumphant mid-life coming-of-age that challenges preconceptions about bridging the gap between who we are and who we feel we ought to be. 

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Isn't Anne a gem? Reach out to her online and you'll see what I mean. Just like the other Humor & Inspiration writers (see their links below), Anne has been a pleasure to feature.

Lydia Thomas: No, I Won't Write Your Memoirs 

Prairie Wife in Heels: The Idyllic Country Life 

Terry Tyler: Art Inspires Life

Kaley Tallman: Abandoning the Comfort Zone

Heidi Doxey: British Book Invasion

Carol J. Hedges: So You've Published a Book...

Allison Maruska: Four Steps Away From the Cliff
Colleen M. Story: Writers with Personality
Tamara Copley: The Magic of Humor
Sarah E. Boucher: Beating the Blaaahs
Jenniffer Wardell: All the Best Jokes

As always, thanks for dropping by! If you're a writer, author, or blogger and you'd like to be featured in a Humor and Inspiration post, leave a comment below. Thanks!

Crafting Your Craft

Just like cheese, wine, and crazy friends who encourage you to act like an idiot, writing gets better with time. 

Perusing my website's stats revealed that my most viewed posts were published in 2015. Weird, right? In 2014, I worried about proving myself as a writer and making a splash when my book was released in November. Conversely, in 2015 I had to relax and accept my limits as a writer, blogger, and author because I began teaching at a new school and had to blog less frequently.

That's right. Less. 

I'd just released a book. On top of online marketing, I had to do the traditional high-heels-hit-the-pavement variety of marketing too. (Don't judge. I like to be pretty when I hit the pavement.) And stress hit an all-time high when I moved from the elementary school I'd been teaching at for 8 years to a charter school. 

The only plausible reason I could find for those pesky numbers was this: 

Practice Makes Perfect. 

(Or in my case, practice makes better.) 

Writing: In 2015, I went from crafting one-point-to-be-made posts to integrating other's posts, websites, books, themes, and links into my own posts. And I began to write about writing. I tackled topics like Indie vs Traditional Publishing and full-time vs part-time writing, the Waiting Game of writers and publishers, dealing with deadlines, the importance of keeping promises we make to readers, the ins and outs of world building, and how to break writing rules effectively. 

Connection: In 2015, I learned the value of connecting with other authors and writers as well as readers both online and in real life. I found a commonality with them and began discussing the struggles all writers face. I posted about other authors and their books more than ever before.  Also, I cracked the code on Twitter. Seriously. And finally, I understood the Power of the Share, which is something I plan to harness more in 2016. (If you want to be part of that process and be featured on my website, please leave me a comment below.)

Promotion: In 2015, I took advantage of #MondayBlogs and #ArchiveDay regularly, which boosted my readership drastically. Also, I learned to play the numbers game and promote my posts on all forums (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc) in their own unique way and repeatedly post (not spam) for higher interaction. And I learned a bit more about marketing and online etiquette. (Because let's be honest, what does a kindergarten teacher know about marketing? Unlike buyers, the kids come to you! But hey, we know plenty about the pleases and thank yous of etiquette.)

Like years of piano lessons that refine musical ability, I refined my writing and consequently my website through weekly practice. I'm still not there yet. But I'm much closer than I was in 2014 and today I'm more excited than I was 2015.

Tally ho! Onward and upward in 2016, my friends!

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I'd love to hear about your 2015 discoveries and how they effect your perception of the future. Leave me a comment below!

Full-Time, Part-Time, Indie, or Traditional

We all have issues, like problems with our health, self-image, employment, and relationships. But writers have their own special set of  issues. Two subjects that fascinate and infuriate writers everywhere are Traditional vs Indie Publishing and Full-time vs Part-time writing. As I've made my way in the writing world, I've seen some pretty heated discussions about each of the issues. Recently I interviewed author Jo Ann Schneider, who just released her third book Fractured Memories, and I grilled her on both subjects. Plus we had really good pizza.

Me: I've only gone down the traditional publishing path, but while I waited for that acceptance letter to come, I wondered what my next step would be if it didn't come. I thought about my indie author friends and considered the difference in income from self-publishing and receiving royalties from a publishing house, managing marketing campaigns, taking care of editing, and the amount of control writers have over the publishing process. 

In the end, I was grateful Cedar Fort gave me a chance and helped me through the editing and publishing process. That choice worked for me at the time. But Jo, you’ve gone down both avenues. I'd love to hear your thoughts on Self-publishing vs. Traditional publishing? Are the any drawbacks or major annoyances you want to share?

Jo: I’ve now gone through one small press, one serial into a book press online, and one that I published myself.

I do have to say that having someone send me all of the files with the book cover, and the different e-formats of the book, and the bookmark designs, and all that jazz is awesome. 4 weeks before I released Fractured Memories (my indie book) my cover designer copped out on me, so I had to scramble to find a new cover artist. In the end I think I found a group I can work with for almost everything, but it was a huge pain. At one point I was literally waiting for a cover—everything else was finished and ready to go. So not having to worry about that is nice. Plus formatting e-books is a pain. Luckily I have a computer savvy hubby who did most of it for me.

I like being able to control my price point on my indie book. And I make more money per book than on my more traditionally published books.They’re just on-line, not in the book stores, so that’s a conundrum.  However, if you look at the stats, Amazon sells a lot more books that a brick and mortar bookstore.

The part I really loved about Indie publishing is that when my book was ready, I got to release it. I didn’t have to wait for a year and a half before the publisher actually got it out. That delay is really annoying. The release date for New Sight got pushed back twice before it finally got published. That’s not a unique problem, it happens all the time in the publishing world. It’s frustrating.

I always tell people to do what feels right for them. I went traditional first, while a good friend of mine went indie. We’ve had different experiences and we’ve each learned from what the other has been through. There are pros and cons to both paths. If you’re wondering what to do as an author, go find others who have done it to talk to. They’ll tell you all about it.

Me: So interesting! In my experience, Cedar Fort handled cover art and publishing almost completely, editing was a collaborating process, and I had a larger role over marketing than I might have had with a larger publisher. I'm really grateful to have had such wonderful mentors to help me launch my my first novel. But maybe in the future when I'm a little more established as an author, I might take the self-publishing route.

The other thing we've discussed before is full-time vs part-time writing. As a single woman and a fledgling author, if I don't work full-time, I can't afford my condo. Or Netflix. Because of that, I consider my teaching career to be necessary to my writing career. There are perks to working 9 months out of the year and dedicating summer and school breaks to writing. It may not be ideal, but it works for me. Your position is completely different, Jo. If you had the choice, would you be a full-time writer or continue as a part-time writer? Give me the goods!

Jo: Ooh, good question. Not sure. Sometimes I think I get more accomplished as a writer if I don’t have unlimited time. I make it a priority and don’t mess around on the interweb or run errands all day. If time is short, I often get more accomplished.

That being said, if I could find the discipline to really buckle down and write, then I’d love to go full-time as an author. My dream is to be releasing two books a year, minimum. My books are longer (65k – 90k) so I can’t keep up with the authors that put a 40k book out every three months. I’m okay with that. I pretty much can’t write shorter novels. They just explode everywhere and end up as trilogies. Which means I could for sure use more writing time. I just need someone to crack the whip behind me and say, “Write, slave!” whenever I click on Facebook or YouTube.

Me: If I didn't have a day job (and I wasn't easily distracted by shiny objects and pretty handbags) I'd be all all over that whip, Jo! We could have side by side work areas and both get more writing done than we do now. However, I'm pretty sure that I could never be full-time writer. I like people too much to spend all of my free time in solitary confinement.

* * *

Such good food for thought, don't you think? I love powwowing with other authors and picking their brains about writer issues we all face. In the end, I don't think there's a right or wrong way answer about publishing or full-time writing. You have to develop a publishing plan and a writing schedule that work for you and meet your goals.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the Traditional vs Self-Publishing and Full-time vs Part-time writing! Leave me a comment below!

If you'd like to learn more about Jo Ann Schneider, her books, and the other projects she has in the works, follow the link to her website, or click on the links below. Happy hunting!

Babes In Spyland 

(YA Fiction/Humor)

New Sight 

(YA SciFi/Fantasy)

Fractures Memories 

(YA Fiction/Distopian)