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

Living in the Authorverse

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Is it Friday yet? Ha! Just kidding. We have four whole days of awesome ahead of us; keep it up! You're going to do great things this week! While you're here, why not read through my rambling post for a few minutes? I'm gonna talk about living in the authorverse; you know, that realm where all the writers dwell, silently waiting for their chance to jump into the spotlight in some way or another. These are things I've learned over the past six years. Ready? Grab a blankie, and let's get going!

1. Authors are a Rare Breed
Seriously, if you've never met one of these formidable creatures in real life, you're missing out. One minute they're shy and hiding in a corner, and the next minute they're blowing your mind with their knowledge base, talking to you like you've been chummy forever, and breaking out their (usually pretty bad) dance moves from the 80s. Of course, that outgoing behavior may be alcohol related, which brings me to my next item.

2. Authors are Prone to Drinking Massive Quantities
This is something I didn't know was a thing until I attended my first author conference. These ladies finally get out of the house, sans kids and husbands, and go all out. I watched someone literally fall all over herself (and the floor) that year. It's related to a taste of freedom, which brings me to my next item.

3. Authors are Chained to Their Laptops
I'm not kidding. Getting an author away from the computer is like prying a lollipop out of the hand of a toddler. Whoever referred to something easy by saying it's "like taking candy from a baby" has obviously never tried to take candy from a baby. Authors are the same way. Threaten their computer, and you may just get stabbed. This is because our laptops are literally the surrogate mothers of our children, the bearers of our blood, sweat, tears, and time stolen from our human families, which leads into item four.

4. Authors Treat Their Books like Babies
You've probably heard the term "My Book Baby," but did you ever wonder why people say that? Well, it takes nine months to grow a baby, and it takes nearly the same amount of time to write and publish a book (for most people). You care for it and feed it as it grows, clean it up, dress it properly, and then thrust it into the public eye for criticism. Can you imagine if someone took one look at your actual baby, turned to the crowd, and announced that it was the ugliest kid they'd ever seen? You'd be crushed. This is how a one-star review can feel, and it leads to item two on the list above. But when said author has nothing but three stars and up, it sometimes leads to item five, however, I've found that lots of praise isn't necessary to create this mindset.

5. Authors are Divas
Duh. They have to be. They're required to sing their own praises from dawn to dusk. No one is going to buy a book the author says sucks. I mean, if all authors were self-depreciating, this authorverse would be a very bleak place, indeed. So, we're a little stuck-up and demanding sometimes. You can't be told that you have to sing your own praises every day online but then must behave humbly in person. It doesn't work that way. I've never met an author who sold a book by calling themselves crappy writers. Just saying.

6. Authors are Spacey
Yeah, we really are. We blank out on people. Not because we want to be rude, see, but it's because we're all about the stories, and sometimes, inspiration or ideas hit us when we least expect them to. We're not ignoring you; we're plotting (yes, sometimes, it's your death as a character in the book, but it's fiction! Remember that. We don't really kill people [or do we?]) what will happen next in the story. Real life is hard on us, but we can interact! You just need a little patience (or some booze--see item two). You won't find spacey characters in our books, usually, because we like to write what we don't live. This leads me to the final item, number seven.

7. Authors are Normal People with Imaaaaaaaginations
Darn good imaginations! No, we didn't really fly a spaceship to Mars or engage in a threesome with the neighbor; but if we write it well enough so you believe we did, we've done our job! We're here to entertain you and make you feel as though what we wrote is believable and could actually happen. Don't assume we've done the things we've written about in our books or that our brains even work that way. Remember, we're stepping into the character's shoes for our novels, and we see and experience the world as they would if they were real. We don't have to actually take part in something to understand what it might be like.

So, if you meet an author in the wild, approach with a smile, tell them how excited you are to know about their books, excuse any blank outs or crazy behavior, don't assume our lives are the stories we tell, and try to remember that we're showing you, and talking about, our cherished children. We'd love it if you didn't call them trolls. With a megaphone. On national television.

This, my friends, is living in the authorverse. Know the rules. Be the exception!

Do you have anything to add?

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

Jo

Readers, Sensitivity, and Mob Mentality - How Much is Too Much?

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm on yet another discussion. There are several things that have popped up over the last few weeks about right and wrong things to put in a book. Get your coffee or tea in hand, your typing fingers ready to respond, and let's get going!

We all have opinions, right? I plan to open discussion on both sides of the board with this post, and I won't be standing on either side of the fence. You all know me too well if you've been around here a while. I like to hear what you think, I'm going to try my best not to influence you with my own words, and I enjoy the verbal exchange of ideas and viewpoints.

*****That being said, please be nice when you comment. This is my blog, and I won't tolerate hatred, calling-out, or vitriol here. Got it? Okay. Let's move on.

There are a number of books that have been released lately that have spurred some pretty serious reader blowback. To be 100% transparent, I haven't read any of them. My work has revolved around writing my own book, and it's been emotional enough.

But I've seen posts and discussions on Facebook, and I know the titles of the books under fire. No, I'm not going to share those, either. If you want to know, you'll have to do your own research. This post isn't about that.

For centuries, books have been the catalyst to change in many countries. If you don't know the history, do a quick search. There isn't enough space here to discuss them all, and you should be informed. But what I'm seeing now deals directly with what the authors write.

Incest, racism, hate.

Those are the topics under fire.

From my reading experience, either an author is trying to change your way of thinking, trying to bring to light something that's horrible that needs to have light shed on it, or they're trying to tell a story that has nothing to do with their own thoughts or beliefs (a true escape).

It's difficult to tell the difference sometimes, but that doesn't stop me from reading books I don't know what's inside of. This thing where authors have to disclaim horrifying details of their books in the blurb is unsettling.

Why?

Because the things that bother one person, won't bother another. We see this with all the reviews from all the books everywhere. Some people loved the Harry Potter series, and some folks wanted to burn all the books for promoting witchcraft.

See what I'm saying?

I can see labeling it 18 and up, but I'm talking about all the other things. It's worrisome that someone might just grab a book and "read" it only so they can trash it in the review later on and have that little verified purchase ribbon to back their words. But I'm backsliding.

Anyway, the problem here isn't just that labels are being applied, because I know at least one of the novels under fire was labeled, but that it's expected in the first place.

Who are we to know what someone else is going to feel when they read our books? How are we the authorities on how something we've written will be comprehended by the reader? 

Authors may be the worst people to add warnings to their books, but then, so might readers. What some find intense, others will merely scoff at.

Let's discuss by the three topics above then.

Incest.
This isn't a new trope used in books. It goes way, wayyyyy back to novels published in the 70s even. Before you go bananas, let me say, I can see both sides of the issue here. 1) It's something that happens in real life, ergo, it can be applied to a book for real-world additions. 2) It's disturbing to read about, and the fear is there that it'll incite someone to do something they hadn't considered before. It's a touchy subject, to be sure. If an author writes about it, does that mean they're encouraging it, bringing light to an ugly, or merely writing a story?

Racism.
This also isn't a new topic. I could list several books that were racist in nature, but they've become literary classics all the same. I can, again, see both sides of the issue. Do you want to see through a racist's eyes? Get their viewpoint on things? How their brains work? Maybe. Maybe not. 1) Racism is something that's real. It's a serious problem, but it can be used as a mechanism to show what might be in a racist's mind, giving others a unique insight. 2) It's bothersome to read, and it may fuel the already present racist heart of another, making them think of doing something they'd only considered before reading it. Again, what was the point of the author writing it?

Hate.
This applies to genders, races, siblings, government, etc... An older than time topic. Dystopian worlds were borne from hate of a ruling class or laws. You could also say hate applies to books with rape in them. Both sides have weight. 1) Hate is a true problem in our society, and shining a spotlight on it can be used as an effective fuel for the proverbial fire in a novel plotline. 2) Reading about a character hating on people from any walk of life is hard, and it may, again, reinforce that the reader's mindset is the correct one. Do we care about the point if the book makes us uncomfortable?

Historically, we're strongly influenced by books (again with the search recommended above), but does that mean if we read about it, we're going to act on it?

Has the fine line between reality and fiction blurred, or are we just more attuned to the crossovers now? Do the disclaimers even matter at that point?

What bothers me most about all of this is the mob mentality that's taken hold of the world. When someone writes something that's not considered PC, they're attacked by backers of the antis. While I believe in having an opinion and stating it, isn't that what reviews are for? Why do we feel the need to attack the person (in public, no less) behind the words without understanding (or caring) what it was they were trying to say? Is that really the case, or is something else going on here?

Is this censorship?

I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions on the matter. Remember to be nice and don't name authors or books directly. This isn't a bash-fest.

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

Jo

Utterances - Special Sneak Peek

Happy Thursday, everyone! I actually can't believe I'm here, but I made a blogging schedule, and I'm sticking to it. Expect new life from this blog and a ton of new topics. While I've been out of the blogging world for a hot minute, things are finally settling down around here, and I have a new daily schedule I'm trying to implement. Sure, there will be some hiccups along the way, but I appreciate you all sticking with me through, what I can only describe as, the most difficult year of my life.

Enough of all that for today, though. I have a super awesome surprise for you all. Even though I've been slacking on the blog, I've been doing a ton of writing (as you know, if you've seen the War and Pieces series--1/4 of 312k words is nothing to scoff at). Recently, I've been working on a novel that hits pretty close to home. If you're ready to read a bit, strap in and let's get going. I'm giving you the cover, blurb, and about 600 words of the story. Kindly remember this is the unedited version. Ha! ;)

Title: Utterances
Author: Jo Michaels
Genre: New Adult Paranormal
Length: TBD
Release Date: 2017

Blurb:
Simone spent the last two years by her cancer-ridden mother’s bedside. Taking care of her was the number one priority. When Mom suddenly goes into full remission, Simone is left bobbing in an unfamiliar ocean with a young man named Tristan. What happens next is the stuff of fairy tales—and nightmares.

Shocking, heart-wrenching, and insightful, Utterances will make you question everything you thought you knew about self-sacrifice. Award-winning author Jo Michaels pulls reality and the paranormal together in a way never before seen, intensely examining what we call the human condition by diving into the innermost workings of one young lady’s mind.

Sneak Peek:

Prologue

“…and they lived happily ever after.” Simone closed the book and lifted her eyes to her mother’s still form.

Frail.

Deathly white and blue.

Breathing shallow and erratic.

Tubes sprouted from her arms and neck, and the machines in the room kept up a steady beeping as though trying to create a beautiful melody amid the morbidity of the place.

Yvette was going to die. After fighting so long, the cancer eating her once vibrant body would complete its deadly feast and release her from the pain.

Simone’s eyes watered, and she stood to leave for the evening, eager to wash off the antiseptic scent clinging to her clothes and hair. Carefully, she placed the book of fairy tales in her bag, whispered a promise of something better to read next time as she kissed her mother on the forehead, and shut the door softly.

Chapter 1

Banging ensued as bags were carried through the door and dropped in the foyer on the threadbare mat. Yvette spun around with her arms extended, nearly knocking photos off the walls. “It’s so good to be home.”

Simone laughed. “It’s good to have you home.”

They embraced, and the woman kissed the top of her daughter’s head. “I never thought I’d see this musty old apartment again, that’s for sure.”

“Me either.”

Sniffling, Yvette let go, took a step back, and put her hands on her hips. “I forgot how dismal it is. At least you managed to keep it clean.”

“Of course I did. I’m not a slob. You raised me better than that.” Simone winked and pulled two slim, red, plastic containers out of her purse. “How about you get the movies ready while I order the pizza.”

While her mother danced and whistled her way across the living room, Simone carried the bags down the hall, put them in the master bedroom, and slipped into her own room, shutting the door behind her. Carefully, she pulled the old book out of her bag and ran her fingers over the infinity symbol’s embossed edges. She then slipped the thick tome under her pillow before picking up the phone and dialing the pizza parlor’s number.

When she made it back to the couch, twenty minutes later, dressed in yoga pants and a tank top, she was much more relaxed.

Yvette patted the cushion. “Sit by me. Did you get the pizza ordered?”

Simone nodded as she plopped down and stuck her bare feet on the coffee table.

Her mother frowned.

“What?”

“Have you been putting your nasty toes on my table the whole time I’ve been gone?”

“Mom. Come on. Don’t start on me the first day you’re home.”

One side of her mouth wrinkled back into her cheek a moment before she softened and patted her daughter’s knee. “Okay. You’re right. I shou—”

A knock at the door interrupted the moment.

“I’ll get it. You pour the drinks!” Yvette was off the couch in a fluid movement, ponytail swinging as she bounced toward the entryway.

Simone sighed before pushing off the cushions and heading for the kitchen. As she filled two glasses with ice, tendrils of panic weaved their way up her spine. She checked to make sure her mother was occupied before running down the hall and shoving a hand beneath the pillow, feeling for the book’s leather-bound edges. Satisfied it was there, Simone snuck back up the hall to continue her task—her mind still attached to the feeling of the book on her fingers.

~~~~~~~~~~ End excerpt ~~~~~~~~~

What do you think?

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

Jo

A Complete Guide to Sprinting During NaNoWriMo

Happy Friday, everyone! Whew! Day three of NaNo and I'm sitting at 12.5k words (and I'm not done writing for today).

What's that you ask? How?

Easy.

I've been doing writing sprints.

What the heck is a writing sprint? Great question!

Writing sprints are set amounts of time where a writer produces words as quickly as they can. Once the timer buzzes, they stop and do a word count, then pick up again when the next sprint starts.

Person with the most words gets a round of applause (or sometimes, a prize, depending on the sprinting group--however, this comes with an issue: cheating to win--when there are no prizes, no one has a need to falsify their stats, and nothing needs to be verified).

Sprints (typically) last anywhere from 15-60 minutes. They can be done on any social media site, though the preferred space is usually a designated thread on Facebook.

Brought to my attention by fellow author Ali Winters (thank you, woman!), there's a sprinting page on the NaNoWriMo site that will accommodate individuals as well as groups. Click here to be taken to that page. If you look below, you'll see the two options at the top and a "Dare Me" button near the bottom. I'm the curious sort, so I clicked mine. Below are the results. It changes every time you press it, too. Fun stuff.

I didn't play around with the group sprint button yet, but I have half a mind to get some of my writing buddies together and do just that.

Now, here's how to get the most out of your sprints:

1. Know where your story is going. I like to plan a point about 10k words in that I know I want to get to, and build the prose up to there, but some folks go 2k. Whatever floats your boat, ya know?
2. Write furiously for that half hour. Turn everything else off and be with your words.
3. Give yourself plenty of time between sprints to refresh, go pee, or get coffee.
4. If you can, take your eyes off the page and look elsewhere (or just close them) while you type. This will prevent you from noting and backspacing out misspellings, bad punctuation, or other flubbubs we writers make.
5. Don't burn out. Take long lunch breaks or whatever other break you need when you need it.
6. Try not to write a lot during your lulls (the periods between sprints). Use that time to plan what you'll write when you come back to sprinting or to just veg.
7. Keep something to drink handy. Though you may not need it, it's better to have it and not use it. *grin*

Here's how my sprints are set up:

• In the morning, I set a block of 1-3 hours aside (lately it's been 10AM, 11AM, and NOON). 
• The first 30 minutes of those hours are used for sprinting, and the second 30 are used for tweaking, fixing my crazy misspellings I got from not looking at the screen, and marking things I want to take a closer look at later (during edits). 
• Then I break for a long time (like 2-3 hours--NOON-2 or 3PM).
• More time is set aside for later. Again, 1-3 hours (it's been 8PM, 9PM, and 10PM, but this week is a special one, so that will likely be cut by Monday.)

I'll show you next week's projected schedule so you have a better idea (life things have to happen on different days, but I'm not going to worry about it). I also don't write on weekends. Those are for my family. I refuse to succumb to writer burnout.

M-F

9AM - Sprint for 30 minutes

10AM - Sprint for 30 minutes

11AM - Sprint for 30 minutes

NOON-2PM - BREAK TIME (real break--no looking at my WIP)

3PM - Sprint for 30 minutes

4PM - Sprint for 30 minutes

Thing about it is, it works. I'm averaging 1k words every 30 minutes. If I sprint for 30 minutes, 5 hours a day, I've written 5k words. I know that doesn't seem like a lot, but when you see that counter go down on your NaNo dashboard under "words per day to finish on time," you'll feel like a flipping ROCK STAR.

Any tips to add to the above?

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

Jo

Worth by Numbers and Stars

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Today, I'm just talking. No need for pen and paper, but you might want to bring your inner-voices to the party. If you're ready, let's get going!

So, I saw this image floating around on Facebook this morning, and I shared it because the message was so powerful (see it here).

But, as everything in life, it got me thinking about the author world and how we use numbers to measure our worth. When our books are selling well, we think: Wow, I must be a great author. So many people want to read what I've written!

Then comes the dreaded drop in sales or the horrific one star review.

Just like that, our worth seems to fly out the window on the wings of a fiery demon. We fall into a pit of despair, wondering who we were kidding when we thought we could write a book.

Now, I want you to look at those last five words in the sentence above: "We could write a book."

Rethink your stance right now.

You did write a book. Countless hours of your life were spent writing, editing, re-editing, editing again, formatting, and marketing that book.

Countless hours.

There are so many people in the world who say, "I have a book in me."

Do you know the difference between you and them?

You didn't talk about how you can write a book; you did it. Blood, sweat, and tears flowed from you to the page. Not once did you stop, throw down your pen/close your laptop, and give up.

No. You kept going, pushing through the doubt demons and naysayers. You published that book.

Fast-forward fifty years into the future. Your children are grown and have a couple of kids. Out there, in the book world, your words are still going strong. Even if no one is buying them, they're still existing.

It's your legacy. You've made yourself a little bit immortal. Even if people hate your story, they haven't written a book, and they won't live through the pages forever. Take every opinion with a grain of salt.

So, I leave you with this:

Don't measure yourself against your sales numbers or star ratings. Put it all in a new perspective, and remember, you did it when others wouldn't. Even if you feel like crap about it today, it will still be there tomorrow, ready to carry your words through the millenniums. Be proud (it's okay to celebrate your own accomplishments--that doesn't mean you're narcissistic).

Scream into the ether just once today:

"I am f*ck*ng AWESOME! I wrote a book!"

If you're feeling froggy, I also encourage you to jump like the woman in the image above.

Huge thanks to Chelsea Starling for giving me the first part of that battle cry!

How do you get over the measuring of yourself? Plan to scream today? Tell me about it.

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

Jo

Submission to Publishers? A List of Eleven

Happy Thursday, everyone! I know how difficult it is sometimes to take the leap to traditional publishing and/or finding that perfect agent. Many of the folks I know are Indie and love it. They wouldn't change a thing. However, if you're interested in finding a publisher, here are ten that are taking submissions now (and aren't Author Solutions). As always, remember to read over ANY contract offered to you. When in doubt, CONSULT AN ATTORNEY. With those things in the back of your mind, let's get to the list!

I'm not putting my stamp of approval on any of these publishers because I don't know them from a hole in the ground. This is only meant to be a list for your perusal. As always, keep your babies (books) safe from predators.

You do NOT need an agent to submit to these houses right now.

Winter Solstice - Solstice Publishing
They're taking New Adult (and all sub-genres) submissions.
See the guidelines here.

Ichthus Publications
They want Christian fiction only.
Guidelines (their website) here.

Harper Collins Christian
Theology, biblical studies, and so forth.
See the whole list here.

Crossbooks
Another seeking Christian fiction, biblical studies, and children's bible stories.
Check it out here.

Tinder Press
Fiction. Seems like all genres. Must not be published.
Guidelines can be found here.

Forest Avenue Press
Looking to publish two literary fiction novels (no short story collections).
Submit by following these guidelines.

JMS Books
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, all of that (LGBT). These fiction genres: romance, YA (must be over 10k words), erotica, erotic romance.
See their guidelines here.

Leap Books
They want novellas for their SHINE line! Commercial YA with romantic elements.
Guidelines are here.

Bibliomotion
Trade business novels with high commercial appeal. Yeah, that means non-fiction.
Submit using guides here.

Vinspire Publishing
Ethnic Romance, Historical Romance, Amish Romance, Romantic Suspense. That's the whole list.
See their guide for submission here.

Sinful Press
You have very limited time here. Erotic novels 60-100k words in length.
Check it out here.

There you have it! If you're gonna take the leap, good luck!

Do any of these appeal to you? Are you planning to submit? Tell me about it.

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

Jo

How Writers Can Use Google Chrome Remote Desktop

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, you get a digital goodie that's all about productivity and collaboration. So, sit back, grab a cup of Jo, and let's get rolling!

I'm sure you're all familiar with Google Chrome, right? Well, if you don't use that, this post isn't for you. But, if you do, and you have an iOS device...

Google Chrome Remote Desktop is now available for your Apple device. It's free, and you can get it here.

Why am I so excited about it? Well, as you may know, I recently published a book titled Fractured Glass with four other ladies. When it came time to edit the novel, we had a ton of back and forth between myself and Tia Silverthorne Bach (the editors). It was difficult to collaborate with the miles between us.

The Remote Desktop app would've allowed us to share our desktops and edit that novel together. It would've cut our editing time in half (at least), and given us the opportunity to make decisions about structure and consistency on the fly. Those two things set us back a couple of times.

But, if you're writing a novel with a second person, this app could be of even more use. Tell me you wouldn't love to be able to co-edit right in MS Word! Yeah, that's what I'm saying. You can both be writing your novel at the same time.

As a disclaimer, I'm not being paid to tell you about this (I never am), and I'm not sure how many people can share at once with this app. I just heard about it over the last week.

When you click on the link above, it'll give you screenshots to show you how the app works, and you can read the reviews of users taking advantage. It's sitting at four stars, which means it can't be terrible or difficult to use.

So, if you're someone who likes to try new things that may save you time, check it out. If not, just keep doing what you're doing. Like I said, I just found out about it. Once I get some use under my belt, I'll be back to let you all know my thoughts about how it works/doesn't work. So, we'll see!

Do you use it? How? Has it helped you? If not, will you give it a shot?

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

Jo

UtopYA Con 2014 Fan Invasion Author Signing Event

Happy Friday, everyone! Well, it's time for the weekend and two days off. I heard that sigh of relief from you all! *grin* Today, I'm gonna take a moment to tell you about a very special event happening at UtopYA in June. An Explorer Package (general admission) is currently $75.00, a Superstar Package (VIP access) is currently $95.00, and a ticket to get into the Awards only is currently $55.00. But, on Friday, June 20, 2014, from 6pm-9pm, UtopYA Con is holding a Fan Invasion event. Price of admission? Free if you bring a new or gently used children's book to donate to Book 'Em; otherwise, it's just $5. All proceeds from this event will go to Book 'Em.

I know! They've lost their minds! How awesome is that?

You can find out more here.

However, there will be a ton of great authors to meet and greet, and get your copies of their books signed!

Which authors are participating? These:

See anyone you know on there? *grin* Yes, I'm up there; but so are a ton of the authors you've gotten to know right here on the blog through the awesome author interviews I've been doing. Still to come: Amy Evans, Eva Pohler, and Elizabeth Kirke! Yup, meet them here, then meet them there.

Heck yeah! You can come say hello to me and get your copy of any (or all) of my books signed! Share the banner with your friends, grab a children's book, and come meet us all!

Join us for a ton of fun! I look forward to seeing you at the event.

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

Jo

Book Reviews and Paying it Forward

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. Today I'd like to talk a little bit about your book reviews and what you can do for those folks who take the time to read and write a bit about your book. So, grab your mouse and let's get going!

Now, we all know how badly those one and/or two star reviews sting. But we read them, right? Please tell me you're reading them. Why do we subject ourselves to that? Well, if you're an author, it's likely because you want to learn what you did poorly, what you did well, and how you can improve upon future books.

Am I telling you to rip apart your manuscript and start from scratch because one person says how much they hated your book?

No.

What I'm saying is this: If the reviewer takes the time to detail what they liked and didn't like about your book, you should take the time to read what they said and consider it very carefully. When it matters most, is when more than one person says the same thing.

We all know you can't please all of the people all of the time; but you can listen to what your reviewer is saying and not assume they're trolls who are marking your book down in order to boost their own.

So listen to what your readers say.

On to what you can do to show your appreciation for those who review your books!

Go to Amazon's Author Central and click on Customer Reviews. Scan down and see how many of them you marked as "helpful" when you first saw them (you can say you don't look, but we all know you do). If you didn't mark anything, go to the book's page and start clicking. I'm not telling you to do this with all the reviews, but if you want potential buyers to see the good reviews, mark them as helpful.

This does two things: It jumps the good reviews to the top of the review list on your book's Amazon splash page, and it increases the reviewer's ranking. Why does this matter? Well, if I see a review by a top 1000 reviewer on a book, I'm much more likely to listen to what that person has to say. If they rave about the book, I'm also more likely to buy it. While you're helping the reviewer, you're also kinda helping yourself.

Go to Goodreads and check for new reviews. "Like" the new ones. If you feel so inclined, take a moment and write a note to the reviewer thanking them for their time and effort.

I know I'm the exception to the rule, but I usually apologize to a reviewer if they found my book lacking because I feel badly about wasting their time on something they didn't enjoy. Besides, it keeps the friendly lines of communication open between us. No need to be an asshat.

I review a lot of books. I notice the authors who take the time to mark my reviews helpful; and, I'm not ashamed to say, if I go looking for a new book to read and review, I'll go to their books first. I also appreciate those authors who pay it forward by sharing the reviews of others' books, take the time to comment with a simple "thanks for taking the time to write a review for my book" on my blog post, and who share the love once I use my time to write them a review.

Yes, I give preferential treatment to folks who pay it forward. I'm not ashamed to admit that. Authors, think about the reviewers of your work, do your best to help them out, and put away your pride or feelings of awesomeness to take a moment to show your gratitude.

If you're an author, do you always mark reviews helpful? If you're a reviewer, does it bug you when authors are nonchalant about your review?

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

Jo

Meet 20 of the Authors of UtopYA Con 2014

Happy hump-day, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm excited to talk about something wonderful that you'll notice happening on the blog over the next nine months. I'll be playing host to twenty lovely ladies that are attending UtopYA in June of 2014. Each one of them is an author and will be doing an interview, then a guest post, and will be featured on the blog sidebar for two weeks. This will consume every Monday from now until the con begins on June 20th.

I do hope you'll be joining us at UtopYA Con 2014! After all, you'll know twenty of the authors after this rush (twenty-one if you count me). *wink*

Without further ado, I give you the list!

M.R. Polish – September 16 through September 29
Felicia Tatum – September 30 through October 13
Allyson Gottlieb – October 14 through October 27
Tania Penn – October 28 through November 10
N.L. Greene – November 11 through November 24
Megan Curd – November 25 through December 8
Bethany Lopez – December 9 through December 22
Kristina Circelli – December 23 through January 5
Michelle Nicole – January 6 through January 19
Casey Bond – January 20 through February 2
Ripley Patton – February 3 through February 16
Carlyle Labuschagne – February 17 through March 2
Alison Pensy – March 3 through March 16
Rachel Harris – March 17 through March 30
C.A. Kunz – March 31 through April 13
S.G. Daniels – April 14 through April 27
Amy Evans – April 28 through May 11
Eva Pohler – May 12 through May 25
Elizabeth Kirke – May 26 through June 8
Tia Silverthorne Bach – June 9 through June 20

Anyone you know up there? Be sure you come back and check out the interviews (ya'll know I ask the hard questions!), guest posts, and books these lovelies have to offer. After all, you never know what'll happen next when you get a group of authors together; much less Young Adult and New Adult writers.

Come on back tomorrow for more of our regularly scheduled program. I may get deep and philosophical with you all. I may bring you a book review. Again, anything could happen!

Who are you excited to know more about?

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

Jo

Showing vs. Telling - When Telling is Okay

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! I hope you're all looking forward to the weekend as much as I am. I see so much in reviews about showing vs telling. Today, I'm going to explain why telling is okay now and then, how to gauge when to do it, and when not to. So, grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

I wrote a post a while back on tension. This is the meat and potatoes of my discussion today. If you haven't read it, do that now so you understand what I mean when I say 5 or 1.

Every chapter of your book should hit at least a 2 or 3 on the tension scale. A 5 should be reserved for those special chapters where you want your reader to bite their nails. Never should you fall below a 1. So what does this have to do with showing and telling?

When you want your reader to feel what's happening on the page, show them everything about the scene: Lay of the land, emotions of the MC, action taking place, what could happen, what is happening, and actions/reactions of other characters.

But to get to that place, sometimes it's okay to tell. While you don't want long passages of filler, you may want to move things along without bogging your reader down in excessive description. I've discussed this before; here's the link: Descriptions - How Much is Too Much?

When the tension is high, launch into those descriptions in vivid detail. Every scene should be rated on the tension scale and adjusted accordingly. A reader won't tolerate scenes with a rating of 0; so, if you find such a scene, either cut it or re-write it.

But, when getting to those moments that bring your scene to the most tense point, you can tell rather than show. The ebb and flow of your story is natural, and should be allowed to happen.

Remember! You can please some of the people, some of the time; but you can't please all of the people, all of the time. In a group of ten, some will love it, others will hate it. Don't let opinions drag you down. After all, there will be people who loathe even the most popular books.

I hope this helps you in some tiny way.

What book gave you too much description or plodded along with chapters ranking 0?

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

Jo

20 Ways to Plot Ideas - Part One of Two

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and are sitting with your muses for the writing days ahead. Today, I'm gonna tell you ten ways you can get great plot ideas. I hit on this a bit before when I gave you a little bit on How to find an Idea.This will be a lot more in depth. Don't worry, ten more will come tomorrow! So grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

1. Fire in Your Belly
I've breached this first one in the past. It's all about what fires you up. What issues get you all riled up? Pick one and apply some pressure. If you care, your reader will care. But be sure and turn it into a story that people can identify with. No one likes a long lecture.

2. Listen to Music
Sometimes music is just the thing to get your creative juices flowing. Listen to the words and close your eyes. Picture scenes in your head and write a few down.

3. Visualize Scenes
Before you begin writing for the day, take a few moments and watch a little movie in your head. Think of an issue, character, or situation you'd like to hit upon. Free write for at least an hour. Don't think about plot, structure, or punctuation/grammar. Put it away and don't look at it again for a few days. After that, go back and give it a read through. See what makes you smile. Cut it out and use it.

4. Pick up a Newspaper
See what's going on in the world at large. Twist it around and use it as a plot. Those six people who got arrested for cooking meth in their house? They must have a background! Who better to write on a compelling story like that than you?

5. Fetishes/Obsessions
Think about what people are into. Is it a weird predisposition to wear other peoples' shoes? How about a desire to collect things (hoarding)? What could they collect? If you're a fantasy author, this could be pixies they keep in jars; and the MC could be willing to do anything to get that next, rare one.

6. Thought Web
Back when I was talking about Blog Topics and Where they Come From, I discussed thought webs. This technique works for novels, too! Choose a word and go nuts!

7. Jobs
Start with a job and work your way around what the person in that profession must be dealing with. Maybe the stress leads down a path of self-destruction, maybe it leads down the road of homicide. Perhaps that job has made everyone crazy because of a bug in the ventilation system. Your imagination is the only thing holding you back with this path to plot.

8. Change the Genre
Alice in Wonderland and Snow White have been redone so many times! Why? There's a great plot there that's begging for a makeover! Grab a book and think about how it can be changed to suit a new genre. Make The Princess and the Pea a Sci-Fi story, change the names, outcome, and situation. At the very least, it'll give you direction.

9. I really want to write...
Take twenty minutes out of your day and grab a sheet of loose-leaf. Start with "I really want to write about..." and fill in the rest with what your heart desires to put on paper. Let it take its own direction. Don't force it.

10. Borrow
Do you have a favorite novel? Borrow the plot line. Change everything but the plot. Give characters the personalities you always wanted them to have and write about it. Remember, there are few original plots. It's what happens from point A to point B that's different.

I hope this gets you writing if you were in a slump.

What do you do to get plot ideas?

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

Jo

Writing Through It

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! I hope you all had an awesome Memorial Day weekend. Having a Monday off is tough, but it did help me process some thoughts I've had concerning this blog. We'll be delving into punctuation this week and I wanted you all to have a head's up because, running in tandem, will be a contest for you to win some very cool prizes both here and over at INDIE Books Gone Wild. Today, I'm going to stress scheduling. Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

If you're at at-home writer with kids, your summer just got difficult. I beg you to do some re-scheduling. Lighten your writing load for the summer. As long as you're writing every day (some of you, like me, are sans weekends because of family, anyway) you'll still have forward progress. Keep that.

As I suggested in the post over on ChaBooCha, schedule your day down to the hour. Here are a couple of the images from that post:

As you can see, I had a lot of writing time. That's going to be cut by half because of the summer. I've rearranged my own schedules to only write for three hours in the afternoon.

You really should go read the post and see how scheduling can help you maximize your writing output. If you're writing at the same time every day you shouldn't come upon writer's block. Just make sure the people around you know you're not to be disturbed while you're working. They can give you three hours a day; it won't kill them.

Don't let the summer overwhelm you. Keep doing what you can to retain your writerly brain and write through it.

Do you schedule like this? Why/why not?

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

Jo