Life - Now and Then

Happy Thursday, y'all!

What's everyone been up to?

Today, I'm musing. Thinking about the past, the present, and the future.

It's strange to me to think that we'll eventually refer to time as before COVID and after. I'll admit, I was a bit worried there in the beginning, before the studies of people on my particular brand of medication were done. Having an immune system that acts like the Hulk on steroids is no joke. Many of the folks in the group I'm in (specifically for this medication) have gotten the 'Rona and did just fine. Seeing as I'm relatively healthy otherwise, I relaxed a little when I read those posts and the studies that came out of the first group of deaths and survivals (from actual doctors, not the news).

Yes, I still wear my mask everywhere, but I was a shut in before all this mess. Not too much has changed with that. But so many things have changed with me as a person...

Do you find that to be true? Did you experience any kind of growth during this quarantine and everything that happened because of it? I'll turn comments back on for this post so I can hear from y'all. Spammers have been out of control or I would've done it sooner. Nothing like waking up to fifty notifications about comments that are all BS. *eye roll*

I was struggling with a lot of things: loss of my alone time, loss of motivation, loss of concentration... I could go on and on. But sharing my cooking has really helped me pull myself back together. Added bonus: I GOT A NEW PLANNER with hourly slots. I can't even tell you how much these things help me. I'm back in the groove so much more now than I was before.

Of course, there are still adjustments to be made. My kiddo is home most of the time now, so I still need to plan around that. She has no issue barging in on me while I'm working. Haha. It is what it is for now, but I need to get back to writing. There's no way to explain to anyone what interruptions do to a writer's train of thought unless that person is also a writer. I need silence and a strict schedule.

Know what writers also need, I've found? A guarantee that what we're doing won't be yanked out from under us suddenly. When we commit to a book, to putting words on the page, we need to feel like it'll be complete at some point or we lose all desire to sit down and work at it.

At least, that's me. If I think that tomorrow will be the end of my writing career, I start to wonder why I'd even bother with another book or why I'd worry about finishing what I'm working on. What's the point?

Thankfully, I've still been working on the second installment of Recipe for Redemption with Tia and Kelly. This one is Izzy's story, and it's shaping up to be one helluva novel. With that will come an all new set of recipes (that I get to create) for the book.

How fun is that?

Anyway, I do wonder when, or if, things will return to some semblance of what they were before. I'm thinking things will change in ways we can't even fathom yet, but I also look forward to a future where there's not a big question mark hanging over everyone's heads.

Things that happened in my life during quarantine: EVERYTHING I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO GOT CANCELLED. A new job and total move to a different state (for me) threatened. Hubby lost his job and had to find a new one. Everyone was home all the time. Kiddo struggled with her social life from being housebound. Finances went tits up along with the old job, and we had to do some major adjusting quickly. I gained the COVID-20 around my middle. My arthritis finally hit a breaking point, and even moving started causing pain. I started a new medication for my MS that has weird side effects. SO MUCH. Ugh.

But all that aside, I've learned a lot, too. I've taken on deep introspection, and I've started to realize my emotional triggers more deeply than I did before. For that, I'm grateful. I now know why I burst into tears after a particularly intense workout and why I get so damned upset when things change without advance notice. It's taken a lot, but I'm getting there. 

How about y'all?

As you all know, I also started a cooking channel over on YouTube. Feel free to join me!

Now I just feel like I'm rambling, so I'll head on out of here. I hope everyone has an amazing week ahead.

Until next time, WRITE ON.

Jo

Author Life ABCs - C

Happy Wednesday again, everyone! So, for your second post today, I'm back on my Author Life ABCs with the letter C. Today's topic is appropriate, I feel, because it's also Valentine's Day. We're out there spreading the love so our friends and family have an amazing day. What I want to know is what you're doing for yourself today. Let's chat about my word and the topic a bit. Ready? Hold on to your desk, and let's get going!

Today's word is:

Crossfit

/ˈkrôsˌfit/
noun - trademark
noun: CrossFit; noun: Cross Fit
A high-intensity fitness program incorporating elements from several sports and types of exercise.

Stay with me! I'm not talking about Crossfit for your body, so let's rename it to CrossCT (Cross Creative Training).

That's right, a one-hour exercise program for writers to keep our brains engaged and active. I hope y'all try this! I'm gonna! Ready? 3, 2, 1, GO!

• 5 minutes of hard and fast writing only dialogue
• 10 minutes, new characters, describing scene
• 5 minutes, same characters, short world-building in a genre other than your own
• 5 minutes learning the definition of a new word by randomly flipping open the dictionary and popping your finger down
• 10 minutes, four new characters telling the reader their first impressions of one another
• 5 minutes of micro-plotting
• 5 minutes of speed editing the first dialogue you wrote
• 10 minutes of prose with no dialogue using the word you just learned
• 5 minutes of typing out a conversation with one of your characters

And you're done! That seems fun, right? Anyway, what I'm trying to get to here is that you should take terms and things you're familiar with and apply them to your writing. Have some fun. Flex your muscles!

Never stop learning how to write, market, and do. This is your career.

What do you think? You gonna give it a whirl?

I'll post my results sometime next week. Should be fun!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Author Life ABC's - B

Happy Wednesday! Today marks the halfway point of the week! Who's excited? I know I am. Tomorrow, you get yet another excerpt from Provocation, which is sitting at 36k words at the moment with around 15k to go. Keep your eyeballs peeled for that. I can't wait for release day. EEK! Anywho, for today, we're back on the ABC's of author life. Ready for letter B? I know you are. Grab your coffee, or tea, and let's get going!

My chosen word to go with letter B is Break.

Why? Because I see so many authors with this on their horizon. Every year, too many of us break apart and quit. Those authors reach the point where they don't see why they're doing what they are. They throw in the towel and walk away.

So many more sit and stare at their computer screens or that blank piece of paper and wonder why they're bothering to do what they do. They're nearing the point where they'll break and quit. Of course, several of them reevaluate and push forward, slamming the keys day and night in a continuous loop, charging toward that pot of gold they see at the end of the rainbow.

And still others remember why they started writing in the first place.

If an author sets out to make a million dollars, thinking this is the way they'll make an astronomical amount of money for living, most will end up quitting within a few years. After all, "the big break" only happens to about 2% of writers. Several authors make a decent living, and they're happy with that, but they fall in a rough 5% category, so those aren't the folks I'm talking about here.

Like I said in last week's Author Life ABC's post, you first have to define what success is for you. That's the starting point, and then you gotta run with it. Be realistic, and post it somewhere you can see it every day.

Why did you start?

Many of us became authors because we're addicted to the written word. We have to write. It's what makes our blood move through our veins and what drives us out of bed each day. Even if we never sell a single book, we're in it for the words.

If that's why you started, you should never have a near break day. You're doing what you love, and no matter what, you'll find a way to do it. Putting the words on the page is what it's about. That, in and of itself, is satisfying as hell.

I always say, "I write because I must, and I design because I can."

If it's important to you, you'll find a way;

if not, you'll find an excuse.

I'm not sure who said that, but damn, how true is it?

What do you think? Have you ever hit the point where you thought you might break and quit? How did you come out of it?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Author Life ABC's - A

Happy Thursday, everyone! Welcome to my new, twice-a-month Thursday feature, Author Life ABC's. Obviously, since this is the first, we're on the letter A. I thought about this one for a while, and I've decided to go with Achieve. Ready? Grab your coffee or tea, get comfy, and let's get going!

As authors, we're always trying to achieve something, make something happen, get into a good place with our writing.

I think it's important to bring up goals when talking about achievements. If you have nothing you're striving for, you can't achieve hitting a milestone, right? Right.

For the folks who've been around the blog a while, you're aware that I usually set my goals low because I like to celebrate the small achievements in my career. Those are usually gateways to bigger things, stuff I don't let myself dream about because I'm an easy one to fall off the wagon if I can't see a positive end to my journey. But that's just me. I dream small and try to do more than my goal.

When I started writing, my definition of success was set very low (in my eyes): I wanted to change the life of one person, make them look at the world in a new way, or have such a massive impact on them that they went out and did something amazing.

After all, this was never about money for me. While selling books is lovely, and reviews are awesome, I never expected to get rich and/or famous for the things I was writing. Still don't.

I wanted to change a life. Simple.

Back in 2014, I achieved that goal. I'm not going to say how or when it happened, but I will tell you that one incident changed the way I looked at my career from then on. There was no longer a burning need inside me to create words that changed minds. Instead, from those books emerged my true author self. I found my voice.

I now write to entertain and educate while still examining the human condition however I can. Characters are put in impossible situations and area asked to make a choice. It's fun and so very rewarding.

My achievement in one area of my career led to new, exciting things for me.

Over the years, I've had other goals, and still do, but the biggest one was met, and I consider myself a success. No matter what happens from here on out, I have that to hold on to.

Sure, there are other things I'd like to achieve, but nothing will ever compare to that one thing, and nothing will ever replace it. It's my most cherished achievement.

In order to be successful, you first have to define that for yourself, in whatever way you choose. Writing is your career, and you need to feel as though you're doing whatever you set out to do, achieving those goals, no matter how simple, or silly, they may seem to other people.

That's what I'll leave you with today. Go define success for yourself.

If you've already achieved that goal, drop a comment below telling me when and how it changed your life.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Be Your Own Biggest Cheerleader

Today, I'm stepping up on my soapbox. Just for a minute, but read, and think about, what I write here. This may be a long post, so grab some coffee, settle in, and maybe take some notes. Let's get going!

I see so many people these days wondering if they're good enough, strong enough, or asking themselves if they can do it.

When you're asking yourself if you're good enough, what is it you're referring to? Let's start there and see if maybe your mindset can be altered. Just a little. That's all it'll take.

Am I Good Enough?

If you look at yourself in the mirror and ask this question, you're doing it all wrong. Instead, ask yourself: Am I the person I'm proud to be? Am I meeting my own expectations? If not, how can I change so I love who I am and can look at myself in the mirror, proud of what I see?

Why? Because you're the only one that truly matters. You need to be in love with yourself first. Love stems from respect, too. Have those two things, and you'll come to a place where what other people think of you doesn't matter, and it won't be because you believe yourself to be "above" them. You'll know that you're the absolute best version of yourself that you can be. If they don't understand that, it's really okay. Because you have yourself, and that's the one person that should believe in you no matter what.

If you're a writer, then write for yourself first. I know you're probably going to say that doesn't sell books, and you're right, but if you're in this business to sell a billion copies, you're doing it for the wrong reasons, and you'll end up quitting before you even get started. If you write for yourself first, you're always good enough, because you're the only critic that matters. This question will never be asked by you again. Sure, we want folks to enjoy our writing, and it's okay if that still makes you a little nervous, but don't put so much weight on it that a one star review ruins your whole day and ends up making you question yourself as a writer.

This goes back to: Put out the best version of your book that you can. Give yourself something to be proud of on all levels. If you love it and can stand behind it like you stand behind yourself, you'll be happy whether you sell zero copies or a thousand.

If you don't like something, CHANGE IT.

Am I Strong Enough?

Of course you are. You just have to want it badly enough and not depend on others to bail you out or do it for you (whatever IT may be). When I was in college, I had this amazing professor who changed the way I look at those who give excuses with a simple quote:

"If you want it badly enough, you'll find a way.

If not, you'll find an excuse."

That sums it up. Don't give up on yourself or your dreams. Not ever. If you can't make it happen alone, find someone to help you, but don't begrudge those who don't have the time or resources. Back up and try again. Don't be afraid of failing. In every failure, there's a nugget of golden wisdom you can use to help yourself in the future. Learn from your mistakes, and COVER YOUR OWN ASS beforehand. This, also, is a learned habit.

Yes, you're strong enough if you want to be. Most of all, don't be taken in by the excuses of others. If they wanted it badly enough, they would've made it happen. People will show you this. Be prepared to see, and be strong enough to walk away.

You're strong enough to hold yourself up, but you're not responsible for shouldering the burdens of others.

Can I Do It?

If you devote yourself to it, 100%, with no excuses along the way, you can do anything you put your mind to. Don't take no for an answer. Back up, regroup, and try a different path. Always be willing to morph and bend if you need to, but don't let folks walk all over you, and do NOT try the same thing in the same way and expect a different result. Eisenstein said it best:

If you do the same thing in the same way and expect a different result, that's the definition of insanity.

Don't be insane! Change something! Try again! Don't let anyone use the word can't in your presence. Be an advocate for the things you believe in.

Listen, life is going to throw you some serious curve balls along the way. It'll feed your doubt monster the cookies they love so they grow stronger and whisper louder in your ear, beating you down.

When you have a success, no matter how small it may seem, congratulate yourself. Pat yourself on the back, and be your own biggest cheerleader. Make it a big deal. You made that soup? Well, then, it's the best damned soup that'll ever be made. You learned a new skill or had a new idea? Celebrate that. Even if it's with yourself.

You don't need the validation of others; you only need the validation of the person that's been with you from the moment you were born and will be with you until the day you die: YOU. So, yes, you can do it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm a work in progress, too, but I'm living every day by the words above and have been for years. Doubt creeps in, but learning how to combat it is half the battle, and I'm totally winning the war.

You're responsible for your own happiness, and you're NOT responsible for ANYone else's happiness. You also can't change them; they have to be willing to change themselves. Surround yourself with those that understand this and appreciate it, those upstanding people who are also happy, and be good to them.

The benefits to all these things will be unbelievably amazing.

Work hard, play hard, and find your love for yourself.

Do you ever fight with things like this? Got any nuggets of wisdom to share?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

London, Paris, and Chapter.Con

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Wow, was it ever an amazing week. Yeah, I'm gonna talk about a "few" (haha) things that happened, but I'm also gonna share photos. Not sure I've ever walked that much in my life, and I had a ton of experiences I'll never forget. Ready? Grab your coffee or tea, and let's get going!

I apologize in advance for the long post. So much happened. Not even sure I'll be able to do all this in one day, but I'm gonna try. If it says Tuesday up top, but it's actually Wednesday, ignore, please. hahaha!

Here we go!

As most of you know, I turned forty back at the end of July. Well, my husband and I decided we'd celebrate my birthday by running around Europe and attending Chapter.Con. Here was our itinerary:
Saturday

• Fly out at 9pm

Sunday

• Land at around 10am, check into the hotel and get settled
• Tour Buckingham Palace and have afternoon tea at 1:30pm
• Eat at a London farm-to-table restaurant at 5pm
• Go on Jack the Ripper walking tour at 7pm
• Back to the hotel and in bed by 11pm

Monday

• Board Eurostar to Paris at 7am
• Tour the Louvre at 11:30am
• Explore Paris a bit
• Dinner at Chez Francis at 6:30pm
• Tour Eiffel tower at 9:45pm
• Back to the hotel and in bed by midnight

Tuesday

• Tour Notre Dame at 10am
• Tour Versailles at 2pm
• Board Eurostar to London at 9pm
• Back to the hotel and in bed by 11pm

Wednesday

• Best of London tour at 8:30am - Included St. Peter's, Changing of the Guard at Buckingham, Tower of London, Greenwich, and the London Eye
• Have food at a local pub
• Back to the hotel and in bed by 11pm

Thursday

• Tour Shakespeare's Globe Theater at 11am
• Watch production of King Lear at 2pm
• Unofficial meetup for Chapter.con attendees at the Hogarth pub at 7:30pm
• Dinner nearby
• Back in bed by midnight

Friday

• Chapter.con at 8am
• Did a little self-guided walking pub tour and had dinner at a pub
• Film screening for the Lovely Witches Club at 7:30/8pm
• Back in bed by midnight

Saturday

• Chapter.con at 9am
• Public signing
• Butterfly ball at 8pm
• Back in bed by midnight

Sunday

• Fly out at noon
• Land at 5pm

As you can see, we did a lot, and we saw a LOT, but it was absolutely amazing. I think we probably walked around thirty miles during our trip, but we're both in pretty decent shape now, so it wasn't too bad. Here are a few photos of our running around things (yes, we're a bit goofy sometimes):

Now, I want to talk about Chapter.con. I have so many things to say about this event, so try and be patient with me, please.

On day one, I wasn't sure what to expect. I set up my table with all the required things: books, sample booklets, swag, etc... But then, I didn't know what else to do until the keynote speaker, so my husband and I mingled and chatted with folks.

Opening the day was keynote speaker Samantha Young. She'd come all the way from Ireland, was so inspiring, and her story was so genuine. I loved when she teared up because of something a fan had said to her. It made her feel as though I could relate to her and showed her humanity in a very vulnerable way. After she spoke, we started the panels. There were so many people there that I didn't know, it was a little intimidating. I'm one of those people who will come over and shake your hand, but inside I'm totally cringing, wondering if you're going to reject me right away or listen too intently to my words and dislike me later--I have strong opinions, and I tend to voice them loudly (as you all know). It's strange being in a place where no one has heard of me or knows what I do. I get a very out-of-my-comfort-zone feeling.

But I met some of the most interesting people. Folks I'd known online for a long time, like Sophia Valentine (who arrived on day two), were there, but most of the people I'd never had much interaction with, if any. Let me tell you what, my fears were unfounded. Everyone was fabulous. There were people from all over Europe, yet I felt right at home. These folks instantly became forever friends, and we had a number of good laughs and some more serious discussions about books and publishing.

It was amazing.

Day two brought forth the fans and some of the other folks I was SO looking forward to meeting in real life. Gaynor Smith (from SASS and IBGW) and Chillie Martindale (from SASS) were there, and I had some real time to chat with the lovely ladies on Katie's Chapter.con team. Catherine Stine was the keynote speaker, and I learned several new things about her! What an interesting lady. Her bio could be 5k pages long, and it still wouldn't be enough.

By the time the Butterfly Ball rolled around, I was feeling one-hundred-percent at home and comfortable.

Even with the intimate number of people (authors, readers, etc...), there were several I didn't have a lot of time to speak with and wish I'd had more.

Then, something amazing happened, I won an award. It wasn't just any old award, and it wasn't an award for anything I'd written. No, this award was for the person who gives of themselves to the writing community, the person who goes above and beyond to help anyone in need, without expectation of anything in return but a smile. It was for the Most Inspiring Community Leader.

To say my surprise was genuine is an understatement. You see, I'd been lobbying for someone else to win that award. And I'd lobbied HARD. Why? Because she totally deserved it. Besides, I'm used to being nominated and not winning, so I wasn't gearing up for a big "holy crap, I won" type of speech. This led to me rushing up and grabbing the thing and running away like I'd been lit on fire. My words were stolen. I'm a little mortified, to be honest.

Now, I sit and look at that award, and I'm so tempted to put it in a drawer where I can't see it, so I don't give up or slow down in my efforts. I find that, oftentimes, human nature works against us, and when we win something huge, we tend to say, "Okay, that's it. I've done enough."

I sit here and tell myself, it's never enough. There's always someone out there in need of a helping hand. If I quit, will someone else step in? I'd hope so, but I'm not one to take that risk. Besides, it wouldn't be fair to expect someone to shoulder ALL of that alone.

I'm beyond humbled.

So, as I look back with fondness and tears welling in my eyes, I also have a heart filled with hope and joy for what the future will bring with all these lovely new people in my life. They're amazing individuals. If you ever have a chance to be groundbreaking and get in on something that will give you a lot of personal time with new authors, don't turn it down. Do everything in your power to make it happen. To attend years beyond the first isn't the same as being there when it all begins.

I hope you've all enjoyed my little post, and if you're new, welcome to the blog! I'm looking forward to getting to know you all better!

There are so many people I didn't mention above, but you're all in my memories and in my Facebook life! Depend on me stalking the ever-loving crap out of you!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Midlife Crisis or Just a Good Idea?

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Today I'm going to talk about something I've been pondering (I've been doing a lot of that, eh?). If you'd like to join in and discuss, feel free. If not, just sit back and enjoy the inner-turmoil of a nearly forty-(what?)year-old. Grab that coffee or tea, and let's get going!

As you all may know, I'm a freak about schedules. They give me order among the chaos that's life. Since about June of last year, my schedule has been all shot to hell. I blogged about a lot of it here because I needed a way to get it out/off my shoulders. Well, now, things are starting to calm down and come back to the way they should be.

So, I made a weekly schedule to accomplish some things I've been needing to do (write, business stuff with IBGW, grow a couple of my platforms, etc...) and hit it hard.

But I did something I hadn't planned for: I changed the way I eat and added an hour a day for exercise.

Yesterday, I started to think about why I did that, and I realized I'm only a week away from my fortieth birthday. Yep, that's right, I said forty. When it hit me, I had a moment of panic. There are still so many things I want to accomplish in my life. I have books out the wazoo that I want to read, write, and publish, too.

Because I have MS, this also dragged the question of how many years do I have left to do all those things? I know I don't feel like I thought a forty-year-old woman should feel. I still have the energy of a twenty-year-old cheerleader some days.

Could this be the beginning of the end, and how long will the end really take to greet me?

Thinking about that has me contemplating where I'm going with my life. Am I going to be content working on things for others forever, or do I want to dive into my work and keep breaking down conventional walls?

Was changing my eating habits just in time, or too late to make a real difference? Am I having a midlife crisis, or was all this just the sensible thing to do?

I'm a little frustrated. Like I said, there are still so many things I want to accomplish, and I feel like every tick of the clock is robbing me of another moment.

Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

There goes another minute of my life.

Of course, all this may be stemming from writing Utterances. I can't say a whole lot about the book right now, but I think you'll all love it when I'm done. I'm such a sucker for anything to do with the human condition and learning/surmising what makes people do the things they do and how life occurrences change the way we think.

I'm happy to say my schedule is working out fabulously though. Just look at the blog! What you can't see is that I have a clearer head, and I feel like a million bucks. Maybe it was just a good idea.

That brings me to my question of the day:
Do you ever examine your own humanity? What are your biggest goals and/or life questions? Is there anything BIG you want to accomplish before you shuffle off this mortal coil? Do you find it difficult to get a grasp on a schedule?

Talk about it!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

PA vs PR vs MA - What's the Difference and Why it Matters

Happy Friday, everyone! Well, today's post is going to be a long one, so strap in and get ready to go! Today, I'm talking about Personal Assistant vs Public Relations vs Marketing Assistant. Yes, there's a difference, and not a lot of folks know what it is.

Personal Assistant: A secretary or administrative assistant working exclusively for one particular person.
Basically, this person is there to keep you on track, schedule things for you, and remind you when you have something coming. They handle what you can't. Think of a CEO and his secretary. Those are the things this person does for you.
Average cost (for authors): $150 per month 
 
Public Relations: Is the practice of managing the spread of information between an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) and the public. Public relations is the idea of creating coverage for clients for free, rather than marketing or advertising. 
These people are the ones who keep your public image out there. They spread the word that you're a thing and that you have books for sale.
Average cost (for authors): $150 per month

Marketing Assistant: A person who helps to promote and sell products or services, including market research and advertising.
These are the folks who pimp books, do market research to see where/how your book will sell best, and suggest advertising strategies based on their findings.
Average cost (for authors): $500 per month average (could be plus marketing fees for promotions and such as well but may be included--every MA is different)

To sum up:

• If you need someone to keep you on track, organize your life, and help you remember when things are due, you need a PA.
• If you're looking for someone to help you with getting your face/name out there, let you know about opportunities to attend events, etc... then you need a PR firm.
• If you're looking for creative marketing solutions that get you results sales-wise, you want an MA. Most of them focus on your target market, and that's what's important.

No matter which option you go with, what you need to ask yourself (honestly) is: "How much money can I make back in return for my investment?" Pay close attention to your ROI. It's all that matters.

A bonus bit of information:

When you do your own promos, keep track of what works and what doesn't. Use one series as a Guinea pig. Do a promotion on book one and send it to one or two places with links you can track clickthroughs and sales on. Write down how many books you sold throughout that promo. Do the same with book two, and so on and so forth.

Then, when you're ready to release that next book/series, you'll know exactly where to put your hard-earned money.

I hope this post helps you make some decisions. As always, hit me up in the comments with questions or thoughts. Remember to play nice!!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

5 Reasons Authors are Divas

Happy Friday, everyone! Wowzers, what a crazy week, huh? Hope you all have big plans for the weekend and have a ton of fun. Today, I'm gonna talk a little bit about authors. If you're ready, get comfy, grab a cup of Jo, and let's get going!

5 Reasons Authors are Divas!

Number 1

No one ever told us how much marketing we'd have to do when we published our book. Seriously, that shit wasn't laid out there in the beginning. We had no idea we'd need a degree in human psychology and social media interaction to make anything of ourselves in the book world. Now that we've found out, we lament the loss of our writing time. It makes us grouchy on the best of days (no matter how many cups of coffee we imbibe). We're tired, frustrated, and downright pissed off most of the time because we don't have the magic formula, and when we find something that works, it's suddenly inundated with 5k other people doing the exact same thing. What happens then? We have to go back to the drawing board and pray whatever we try next works, and then wash, rinse, and repeat.

Number 2

It's literally all about us. All the time. We have to be our own biggest cheerleaders, and that makes our heads swell whether we want them to or not. When a person spends all day talking about themselves on social media, it's hard to step out of that mindset and remember how to focus on other people. Just know that most of us don't do it intentionally. Narcissism is a byproduct of marketing yourself.

Number 3

When a person sacrifices so much of themselves, both physically and mentally, to accomplish a task with the magnitude of publishing and marketing a book, they feel like they deserve some kind of reward or acknowledgement for all that they gave up to make it work. To put it simply: This shit ain't easy. Authors give up time with their families, time they'd spend on themselves, and even time to pause and eat something, for the cause. Do we want to take the time to go get mani-pedis? Hell yeah we do! But unless the nail person can come to our office and do our toes under the desk as we write (I still haven't figured out how the manicure would even occur--Dragon?), we're shit out of luck. I hear people say there need to be more hours in a day. That statement makes me laugh. We'd still use those hours to write or market. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, and if we're not producing books, or talking about our stuff, we're screwed.

Number 4

We give a lot of stuff away. Why? Because this is what we've been told will make loyal readers. For every few dollars we make, we're probably spending ninety percent of it on giveaways and marketing. Hours are spent setting things up so readers have the most fun at our parties. Then, we find our books on pirate sites, posted by someone we gave an advance review copy to, or we get a one star review from someone we gave several prizes to, only to have them say they'll never read anything by us again. I mean, holy shit, Batman! Do you have any idea what that can do to a non-diva mindset? Yeah... So, we have to hold our heads up and say it doesn't bother us, put on a brave face, and forge ahead. Otherwise, we go down in all-consuming flames of depression and give up.

Number 5

We're tired of hearing how easy it is to write and publish a book. Seriously. So damned tired of it. We're also sick of people shunning us because we're not worldwide bestsellers with a million bucks in the bank. We freaking work hard, and we have to have an attitude about it because we know we've done something all those mouthing bastards who talk about how easy it is haven't done. If they had, they'd never spout all that bullshit to begin with. Rather than berate or negate us or our work, they'd genuflect. Regularly.

Writing is a job. When someone works for themselves, they don't have 9-5 like regular folks. Authors usually work 10-18 hours a day. So do small business owners. Guess why? Yep, because being an author is the same thing as owning a small business.

At this point, are you wondering why we do it? If you are, just know it's because we love what we do. Writing books is what our insides tell us we must keep doing in order to stay sane.

So, if there's a writer in your life, and you wonder why they're so consumed with themselves, take a moment to consider what it is they do every day. Think about what kind of pressure they may be facing. Ask how you can help (if you can), and be sure and tell them what an amazing job you think they're doing. It matters.

Are you an author? Do you know one? What are your thoughts on the above?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Organizing Life

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm just talking. It's probably a topic you're all too familiar with, so I do hope you'll read along. Ready? Let's get going!

So, as you all probably know, I reorganize my everything once a year in January. I look back over the previous year and measure what's working, what isn't, and add new things to my schedule I'd like to try.

This year killed me! I just tried to do too much. I'm not afraid to admit failure. After all, I'm only one person; I can't do everything all the time.

So, what to do about it (because I refuse to take it lying down)?

Drop back and re-group. That's all I can do. I have to nail down a schedule and stick to it like superglue.

Things I want to look at:

• My blog--Formulating a plan and a posting schedule
• My book publication schedule--I want to amp this up
• Takeovers in events--I'm looking to pair this down to one a month (they take a lot of my time and $$)
• My radio show--Figuring out content that doesn't require me to rely on other people--that KILLED me
• IBGW--Finding new avenues to promote my amazeballs team
• My downtime--Scheduling in time for me outside work
• Time, period--finding out where all mine is going, and why I can't seem to get a grip on managing it right now
• Reviews--I have a ton of books on my list to read still--gotta carve out time for those

So, there's my to-do for the week after Utopia this year. I like to set goals. *grin* Like you didn't already know that about me. haha!

Thank goodness I have a planning app! Deadlines are things I need, and clear direction is something I thrive on.

Do any of you have suggestions on how I can tackle all that (like desired content for a bookish radio show)? What about your schedule? Tell me in the comments!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Reaching Out - Why Author Buds Matter

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm talking about author circles. You know, those folks you rely on to help you through the good times, bad times, and times in between. Grab a cup of Jo, and let's get going!

I have two circles of authors I talk to: Online - those folks I communicate with primarily via Facebook, Twitter, Skype, and e-mail, and Offline - people I see in person.

I think it's equally important to have both.

Why?

Because, the first kind, the online folks, are easy to reach out to and ask questions or get advice. I never have to worry if one of my author friends online have my back, because I know they'll be there if I need an ear. It gives me a safe place to vent frustrations, get encouragement, and find knowledge. In return, they know I'm there, too.

But the second kind, the offline authors, are the ones who force me to get out of the house, see and interact with people, and actually use my voice. We swap author war stories, opinions, and advice on all things authorly. These are the ones I know on sight, and these are the ones I hug each and every time I see them.

We schedule get-togethers because we realize the importance of interacting on a larger scale. Oh, and the place we go has amazing coffee. Because all writers need fuel.

I always leave my coffee days with a new burst of energy and tons of ideas on marketing, plots, and other things. There's a spot on my calendar every month with a giant X over top of it. This means I don't schedule anything else on that day. It's my day off to spend with people who are in the same line of work as I am, and those folks I can bounce ideas off of.

I went all the way to Utopia (400 miles) to meet them the first time, but it was worth every minute in the car.

So, I urge you to reach out. Find those people nearby that you can get out of your writing cave with and have some human time.

It matters. You'll have a whole new sense of self afterward. My group of ladies are the best, and I wish you luck in finding a small tribe that means as much to you.

Do you have a nearby tribe of writers? Have you considered looking for them?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo