Wedding Blog and Writing Updates

I am still in a period in my life (and the same goes for the writer-fiance) where real life gets in the way of writing.

Right now he's getting back on the bandwagon with his writing after falling off for awhile during Spring vacation, a friend's wedding, March Madness, etc. I, on the other hand, have hardly been able to get back on the wagon, as evidenced by my sparse blogging. My job and other commitments are still kicking my butt, in addition to the fact that sometimes, when you're plugging along writing and waiting to get finished and start querying, there's just not as much to report on! I'm continuing to survive on an attitude of self-acceptance (or forgiveness?) and hope that when the school year ends I'll have more time to start blogging regularly again.

In the meantime, I have started one new project in an effort to get myself writing more again, even if it isn't about writing and publishing. I have joined Chicago Wedding Guide's Sassy Chicago Bride blog to start blogging about my wedding planning experience and other wedding and engagement related details. If you're interested in that subject, check out http://sassychicagobrides.blogspot.com. My entries can all be found by searching "SassyChiBride." My first entry is a simple introduction to me and the background of my wedding planning (for June 18th, 2011). Also, wedding-related updates and info (for me and others) will be posted on my new Twitter account, @sassychibride.

My personal writing lesson for this is that when life kicks your usual writing in the butt, find other creative outlets to keep you going until you get your desired routine back on the ground. :)

Interview: Anything is Possible with Richard Dedor

Recently I had the opportunity to interview Richard Dedor, the author of Anything is Possible, on his writing, publishing and life philosphies. Richard first rose to fame when he ran for mayor of his home town, Mason City, Iowa, at age 18. Even though he lost, he remained committed to his campaign slogan, The Time is Now, and he continues to live each day dedicated to leading, achieving, and affecting the world around him. Read the interview below for writing and life inspiration, and check his book out on Amazon or at his own website: www.richarddedor.com

Questions:
One part of your life that you are very open about is your decision to run for mayor of Mason City, Iowa, at age 18, finish third, and yet still proclaim that your campaign was victorious. This ties into one of your philosophies that failure equals success. Could you explain more about that philosophy?

I know it sounds simplistic and seven years after the loss, it is pretty easy to be positive about the results, but knowing in my heart that I did all I could at 18 to win, that I wore my heart on my sleeve, that I stayed true to my ideals and my vision, that makes me a winner in my eyes. I also know I had people who didn’t care about politics, especially city politics who were energized by my candidacy which goes to show how important passion is in whatever you do.

You also emphasize the idea of trying anything and everything. How does that open and bold attitude increase one’s chances of success and happiness in life?

When you live life with every option on the table, anything is a possibility. When you start tossing this and that off as options, you limit exponentially the opportunities and possibilities. All we know is what is in front of us – our next choice – our next decision. We have no idea how the next five minutes will impact the next five years of our lives, so I advocate and try to do anything and everything I can. Of course this comes at the price of being overcommitted, so it is definitely a delicate balance.

You write in the opening to your book, Anything is Possible, “The moment to do something is now.” How does this apply to aspiring authors? How does this apply to your life on a daily basis?

I will probably be chastised by my future agent and publisher by what I say next: I am not the best writer out there. I am only personally striving to do a few things as a writer. First I want to get better with each word. I also want my words to challenge me personally. Finally, I want my writing to challenge the reader. But I and other writers can’t do that if we don’t write. A painter can’t sell a painting if they don’t risk it all and brush their first stroke. There is no reason to wait. Absolutely none.

You also state that in the last few years you have met “amazing and inspiring” people. Who is one of the most inspiring people you’ve met and why?

I could list of a whole bunch of people. Jim MacLeran. Nathanael Porembka. Paul Wesselmann. Stephen Barnes. The list goes on and on. Each person is obviously different and has affected me in a different way, but the thing I’ve learned from them all is that I am a unique person of value and I should spend my life sharing my passion with others. I should never let “no” get in my way. And I should certainly not stop myself.

When and why did you decide to write an inspirational book?

I think I made the initial decision to write a motivational book seven or eight years ago. I’ve always been an emotional person and the stories of humanity have always touched me and I wanted to do the same. You can do that with fictional characters, but to me, there is nothing like seeing and reading about a real-life person who has either done great things because they were passionate and didn’t quit or to read about someone who had every chance and every reason to quit, but didn’t. I wanted to tell a story like that. In the acknowledgements I say that my greatest achievement in life will be if the people who read the book end up believing that anything is possible.

After you had written Anything is Possible, what influenced your decision to publish your book through CreateSpace?

I submitted the book to various agents and publishers through their stipulated procedures just to gauge the interest level. I’m a rookie writer in the cull-length book sense. I knew I had that against me. I’m young writing a non-fiction book and I knew I had that against me. However, I have thought about this project for seven years and I believe in it so much that I wanted to get it out to start changing lives. My goal isn’t to make it on the New York Times Best Seller list. Of course that would be amazing and awesome and I would certainly enjoy that, but my goal is just to change one person’s life. CreateSpace gave me a perfect and seamless avenue to do that.

In what ways might your book appeal especially to writers?

Any artist knows what it is like to create something and have no one like or appreciate it. We’ve all been there. Building a house is easy in the sense that you have a plan and you stick to the plan and you’re going to get what’s on the blueprint. Writing a book is quite different. You have an outline or a vision, but you just have the hope that the characters or the vision is strong enough to carry you through. This book seeks to get you past that initial, “I can’t possibly write a book.” But the thing is, you are correct in that you can’t write the book. You first have to write a sentence. Then a paragraph. Then a page and a chapter and soon, you have a book. This is the kick in the butt we all need from time to time.

Authors, whether self or traditionally published, are necessarily involved in marketing their work nowadays. What is one marketing technique or tool that you have used that you would recommend?

You definitely have to use social media that is relevant to your subject. You have to talk about it. You have to be passionate about it. Writing a good book is a big deal! Share it wherever you go! Be proud of it. People who are proud and passionate about their work will find success. For me, I have former and future speaking clients and they are really excited that I finally have a book they can take with them and for me, that has been the best marketing.

We writers can sometimes be our own worst enemies, especially when the little devil of doubt sits on our shoulders. How do we “overcome ourselves,” so to speak?

You have to surround yourself with at least one other person who has bought into your vision and will keep you on focused on the end goal. I am glad I had that. Without it, I wouldn’t be talking about the book today. I would have quit writing it. When you have that team around you, they keep you going, they keep you focused, and they can also tell you the honest truth. Plus, they will be there with coffee on the late nights and a beer at the end of the journey.

In your book and work with motivational speaking, and now, what is a final thought you’d like to leave readers with?

Write. Plain and simple – write! I’m in the process of deciding my next project, but through it all, through the searching to find my next inspiration I haven’t quit writing. As I said, my goal is to impact one person; what happens after that for me is just gravy on the mashed potatoes.

Writing, Reviews, and Motivation

It isn't difficult to find evidence of writers bemoaning harsh reviews, arguing over the validity of reviews, or blogging about what motivates them to write. The links I've posted in the previous sentence represent just one example of what is easy to find on the internet.

Why are these things so easy to find? Because we, as writers, really want to write. We love to write. But we doubt ourselves. The little devil of doubt sits on our shoulder whispering, But you have to clean up the living room. Your favorite TV show is on. You can write later. And it often works because we are afraid to fail. Afraid to write and not finish, afraid to write and be told it's not good, even though we know that we must write in order to finish and we must write in order to become better writers.

Harsh reviews of our work only magnify our fears. Yes, we can tell ourselves that everyone, even the best writers get bad reviews. And that is true. Yes, we can remind ourselves of all of the people who have been touched by our work and enjoyed it. But these reminders don't stop the little devil from using bad reviews as another whisper of doubt.

I recently read a quote by John Updike that encompasses these fears, but also gives a motivational answer to them:

"When I write, I aim in my mind not toward New York but a vague spot a little east of Kansas. I think of the books on library shelves, without their jackets, years old, and a countryish teen-aged boy finding them, and having them speak to him. The reviews, the stacks in Brentano's are juist hurdles to get over, to place the books on that shelf."

Find your motivational focus, one that can shut up even that little devil.

And feel free to motivate others by posting your motivation below.

Submission/ Critique Contest with Suzie Townsend of FineLit Print and Elana Johnson Book Contest

Or, as I would like to title this entry: Beat Monday Blues, Win Books and Other Cool Stuff

Back to work Mondays aren't always the happiest of days. But this one is getting a bit brighter with fab new contests.

First, go to Elana Johnson's blog to win one of SEVEN autographed books!

Second, go to Suzette Saxton and Bethany Wiggins' blog, Shooting Stars, to win an agent critique, a tote bag, books or Enstrom's toffee. Yum!

Follow the links to enter. And Good Luck!

Publishing versus Self-Publishing: Be Honest

This week I attended what was titled an "Author's Workshop." To be as clear as possible without identifying specific people/ places, this was not through a writer's conference or event, it was one event among many during a 2-day arts/ humanities festival at a high school. The events were attended by students and I was there as a supervisor. At this particular event the author discussed many things about his background that were of interest to students and writing was just one of them.

Being someone who is interested in both self-publishing and publishing, I was interested in what I might learn. Early in the portion of the talk that had to do with writing, a red flag went off in my mind when I heard the author talk about being in talks with Barnes and Noble over getting the book stocked. The author had made no mention of the book being self-published, but I've never heard of traditional publishers having to convince B&N or other major chains to stock their books. I immediately looked the book up online and saw that it had been published over a year ago through a major self-publishing company.

As the talk continued, the writer made general references to the input one gets on the book cover, the editing process, etc., all with NO mention of the book being self-published. When self-publishing was finally referenced in the final 2 minutes of the talk, the writer intimated that having a self-published copy of the book was something one could send to publishing houses to give them an idea of what the book would look like (technically true, though this tidbit neglects the fact that in 99% of the cases, self-publishing and THEN trying to traditionally publish the same book is actually a strike against it in terms of an agent or publishing house taking it on).

There are prolific writings online regarding the pros and cons of self-publishing versus traditional publishing. Either choice can be a good one depending on what your personal goals for your writing are. However, whichever route you choose, you should be transparent about it, especially when speaking to young people or prospective writers about your choice. Do you need to announce that you're self-published versus traditionally published to everyone you speak to? Not necessarily. But if you're in a position to educate people about the publishing process, then transparency is a necessity. To not be transparent in such a case does a disservice to those seeking information on both the traditional and self-publishing processes.

Apologies, Engagements, and Updates

So, my blogging has become a little sparse lately. I feel bad about that, and I feel a little worse knowing that while I will maintain roughly a blog a week, my posts themselves may be a bit weaker for awhile . . .but I'm going to be honest about why and in doing so let any guilt or self-reprimanding go . . .

The S.O. and I are engaged! I hadn't been expecting it any time soon, but it happened, and, unfortunately for my blog and Twitter, avoiding the work I get paid for by obsessively reading writing tweets and writing blogs has been replaced by bride sites and wedding articles.

The other reason that I haven't blogged as much lately builds on a previous blog. The S.O. and I are in a good position with his writing, but not in a position where there is much new to report on. Recently there were 3 library talks that went well. The libraries advertised his appearance, there were a good number of people who showed at each appearance, the talks went well and books were sold. Now he has a number of librarians who can serve to recommend him and his book to other libraries, which is one new plus. His writing has been steady and the goal is still to finish draft one by the end of February, then revise until it is ready to be sent out to agents, hopefully by the summer of 2010. Kindle sales of the self-published novel have been steady without us paying for advertising. We know that if we paid we could get it ranked in the top 50 or even top 10 temporarily, but we don't have the cash to spend on it right now. As it is, it has been successful overall and did make it into the top 100 a few times in the category of Men's Adventure fiction.

Bottom line: I will continue to share our experiences with getting published as well as other great information, blogs, and links that I find, but you'll have to forgive me if the blog is a bit sparse for awhile. ;)

Writing Addiction

Sometimes it takes something bad to get something good. Sad and cliched, but also true (excuse the also cliched phrase). The S.O. took the stolen laptop as a sign that he needed to get serious- or at least more so- about his writing. Writing would be his new addiction. To that end, he took his beloved Play Station, removed it from his residence, and locked it in an off-site storage locker. One major distraction removed, he is focusing harder than ever on completing novel #2. He has gone from writing a handful of days a week to writing every day. No longer needing to leave the house in order to focus, he stays in and has multiple writing sessions a day.

And the results are rewarding. Not only is he now completing 3 chapters a week on average and set to finish draft #1 by the end of February, but he exhibits pride in himself and his work on a daily basis. In addition, he feels that his re-write of the 2 chapters he lost is better than the original (and I'm sure we've all had a revision experience like that).

What is your bad to good writing story? Or bad to good life story?

Blug Life

From the creator of the infamous "Editing Letter" video, Lara Zielin presents the Bluggie. Check this hilarious video out (especially if you find snuggies, bling, or the song Tik Tok by Ke$ha amusing). Check out Lara's blog for info on how to win your own Bluggie. :)

Bluggie "Infomercial": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OTauBNWNTw&feature=player_embedded

Lost Writing Blues- Call for Story Sharing

I got a heartbreaking email today: while working on his novel, the S.O. walked away from his laptop in a library today to check some information on the internet. Laptop stolen. He only lost 2 chapters of his novel; the rest was backed up online. Unfortunately, he's now a struggling writer facing the cost of a new laptop.

This begs the latest blog question: Do you have a writing horror story? Computer crashed and you lost good work? Lost more than just a few chapters? Share in the comments section!

eBook Architects and our EBook

So, eBook Architects came through for my writer S.O. and I in a big way last week. For $210 we had the galley PDF converted into a file for Smashwords Premium files (available for ALL e-book readers and computers) and a file for Kindle. I also paid $125 for our own ISBN for the e-book file. This is not something we had to do, so we could have had everything for $210. I bought the ISBN for the electronic book (not through eBook Architects) so that in the future, if we parted from AuthorHouse with the paperback/ hardcover editions of the novel, we wouldn't have to worry about the electronic book- the ISBN belongs to us, not another publishing company. We are truly 100% self-publishers of the e-book.

Now comes the hard part: selling. Uploading the documents to Smashwords and Amazon Kindle was relatively easy. However, in the past 7 days, we've only sold 2 copies on Smashwords and had 6 free sample downloads (awesome perk on Smashwords: you can allow anyone to download a portion of your book for free to sample before buying). That means I'll have to invest more time and possibly money into advertising, neither of which I have much of now, but perhaps after the holiday season. Bad news on Amazon front: their system says it will take them 24-72 hours to check you book and make it available for Kindles. It's been a week, and I'm still getting the same message. At the same time, on Smashwords, someone can download a Kindle version of the book. Frustrating.

I will keep readers updated on experiences with sales and marketing, but I do recomment eBook Architects. The owner of the company was VERY easy to work with and saved me a LOT of stress. Hopefully it will pay off monetarily in the future as well. :)

Evolution of a Blog

So, I've been blogging for the past month or so about once a week. Really, I'd like to be blogging more frequently, but as this blog originated to vent the frustrations and celebrate the triumphs of my and my S.O.'s venture into writing and publishing, I've realized that, as with everything in life, there are droughts and floods. My writing has slowed (this week= zero blog entries. sad.) with my own busyness AND simply with a slow period for either frustrations or triumphs. The S.O. is writing. I am waiting to hear about the e-book copy of Novel #1. I follow the blogs of writers and agents. I keep up with my Twitter. Between these different events and circumstances, I'm not always bitten by the writer's bug- a feeling shared by all those out there who are actually working on writing short stories, novels and poetry, too, I'm sure. So here is what I will be attempting during the month of December (and it will take time, folks! No promises of instant success;)):

1) I am going to push myself, like all writers must, to work more on consistency, relevance, and quality of my own blog posts.

2) I am going to pursue interviews with writers, especially new writers, who will have something unique to offer my audience.

3) I am going to pursue guest bloggers from different areas of writing and publishing, which will also bring new, relevant and interesting information to my audience.

4) I am going to seek out requests from my audience on this blog and Twitter regarding what readers would actually like to read about.

As per #4, please comment below or email towriteandpublish@gmail.com regarding any requests for a blog entry or interview.

Thanks!

Thanksgiving for Writing and Publishing

Following in the vein of Nathan Bransford and Lara Zielin, I'd like to take a moment this week to count the things I'm thankful for in writing and publishing.

1) I'm thankful for the Blogosphere- for bloggers like Kristin Nelson and Nathan Bransford, for blogs like GLA and Publetariat, for all of this dialogue and information that helps me learn more about the writing and publishing world.

2) I'm thankful for Twitter, for putting me in contact with tons of other fabulous individuals (like Joanna Penn of thecreativepenn, Maria Schneider of Editor Unleashed, and Henry Baum of selfpubreview, to name a few) in the writing world and giving me a daily news feed of hot topics in the writing world.

3) I'm thankful for the infinite hope in the possibilities of writing.

4) I'm thankful for an infinite list of moving, inspiring, heart wrenching, and absolutely entertaining books.

5) I'm thankful for literary agents who exist to help authors achieve their dreams.

6) I'm thankful for sites and individuals (aforementioned Publetariat and Henry Baum's Self Publishing Review among them, plus tweets from Indieauthor) for the information and encouragement they give to self-published writers and those interested in self-publishing and self-published books.

7) I'm thankful for the rare moments when I dream and actually do my own writing.

8) I'm thankful that my S.O. is plugging away at his writing.

9) I'm thankful for those that follow my blog and Twitter account and give me encouragement through comments or simply being a follower.

10) I'm thankful for anything that I am able to give to others interested in writing and publishing.

Writing, Reviews, Blogging, Etc.

Latest update on all things writing and promoting the self-published novel:

1) eBook Architects, which I previously wrote about, is scheduled to have both a Kindle copy and a Smashwords premium copy (that can be sold to and read on Sony eReaders, through Barnes and Noble, etc.) of the S.O.'s self-published novel ready for launch on Dec. 7th. Exciting!

2) He is plugging away on the 2nd novel. He is a little over half way done. Once finished, the novel will undergo significant revisions before being sent out to agents for traditional publishing. Goal for Ready-to-Send-Out= Summer 2010.

3) Today I emailed Odyssey Reviews and Front Street Reviews to see if they have the interest/ room in their queue for reviewing said self-published novel. It was published in 2008 and is still selling well, but every bit of free advertising/ positive review helps! I haven't been able to help out much with marketing lately, so getting these two emails out felt really good. I will also be looking for reader review blogs whose owners would be interested in reading the book and reviewing it for their blogs.

Kindle and eBook Marketing

To all who are HTML saavy or starting from scratch creating a digital file for their book, I commend you and envy your knowledge and wherewithal.

I, on the other hand, have finally come to the conclusion that 1) I don't have the time and won't have the time, any time soon, to learn to do a Kindle-friendly conversion of a PDF file. Nor will my significant other, who is more concerned (as he should be) with writing his next novel. AND 2) I can't in good conscience NOT have a digital file of the S.O.'s novel on the market, especially around holiday time.

I don't expect everyone to agree with me about the debatable necessity of having one's novel available in some electronic form, but from all that I have read in both the self-publishing and traditional publishing world, there are just too many people now reading on Kindles or Sony E-Readers, etc., to ignore. Some of them, popular literary agent Nathan Bransford included, argue that for those addicted to their Kindles (e-readers, etc.), the choice is no longer between hard copy or electronic format. It's electronic format or they won't bother to read it.

For the above reasons, I have decided to shell out some pocket cash to have eBook Architects convert my PDF to a Kindle-friendly format. The prices can run between $120 and $220, generally, for a work of fiction. Is it worth it? Will we even earn that back?? Hopefully, because that would mean good sales figures. :) I will keep you, readers, posted on our experience with it.

And the Winner is . . .

Congrats to Karrie Kreme of Crumblidge, Maplechusetts! Thanks to all the creative, donut-y entries! "Karrie Kreme," Lara should be contacting you for mailing information soon! To all, keep reading and writing!

Free Book Contest! This Week Only!

Are you interested in winning an autographed copy of Lara Zielin's Donut Days? If so, leave a comment below with your name, city and state, or pets name, BUT alter them to make them as donut-y as possible. A delicious but calorie-free exercise in creativity for readers and writers. :)

You can leave the comment in response to this post or the Interview post below. If the ID you select won't let you officially change your name, or if you don't have an ID and choose the Anonymous selection, just leave your donut-alter-ego in the comment itself. Enjoy!

Spwinklie Blogkin

Interview with Debut Author Lara Zielin

As promised, below is the first author interview on this blog. Lara Zielin is the author of Donut Days, a YA novel enjoyed by adults as well as teenagers. Donut Days follows its heroine, Emma Goiner, as she navigates the perils of high school friendships, first loves, the pursuit of her love of journalism and choosing an appropriate college in which to pursue her dream, and trying to make sense of her own beliefs against the tricky backdrop of her family's evangelical Christian faith. The original and fun setting for all of this is the Crispy Dream donut camp, a throng of local people and travelers camping out to welcome the opening of a Crispy Dream franchise in her town. Below Lara answers questions about writing, the life of a newly-published author, and, of course, donuts. Read to the end for an opportunity to win an autographed copy of Donut Days.

In reading your novel, blog, and some interviews, it's pretty clear that you like donuts. Do you have a fave flavor?

It’s true—I love donuts, and it’s only gotten worse since I published DONUT DAYS. I have yet to meet a donut I didn’t like, and this poses myriad problems, especially for my waistline. This Halloween, I even dressed up as a donut. I think this is bordering on obsession, but I’m okay with that since at least I’m not obsessed with, you know, collecting eyeballs or something.

What's the best and/ or most unusual donut you've ever tried?

I haven’t tried that many unusual donuts, but Voodoo Doughnut in Portland seems to have the market cornered on awesome donut flavors I’d like to try. I mean, they have one with Butterfinger crumbles on it! I also heard about a French toast donut (::drools on floor::) and I personally would love for someone to make a Nutella and peanut butter donut. Like, where the peanut butter would be baked into the dough and Nutella could be the filling. Not that I’ve thought about it much. I just … came up with that idea spontaneously. Um, yeah.

This is your first fiction book published. What has been one of the most fun parts of being a newly published author?

Blogs like this! I’m not actually being snarky and sarcastic. It’s true! I have connected with such a wide range of wonderful people over this fandangled thing they call the interwebs. Some people have even read my book as a result. I know, crazy, right? I’m actually so impressed with how organized writers and reviewers are as a collective whole. And I’ve loved meeting other YA authors and readers. Hooray for this series of connected tubes!

There have been a number of articles published recently on how authors cope with negative book reviews (in recent news, Alice Hoffman, Alain de Botton). Although Donut Days has been widely praised, have you had to deal with any negative book reviews? What outlets did you use/ How did you cope with these?

My very good friend Ellen Baker was published about a year and a half before DONUT DAYS came out, and I remember her taking bad reviews to heart. And at the time I was all like, “Oh, Ellen, don’t let them get you down. It’s totally okay. You can’t control them, you can only control your reaction…” on and on, ad nauseum.

I’m really surprised Ellen didn’t hit me, because that advice pretty much sucks. When it’s your book, your baby, something you’ve put your heart and soul into, it really hurts when someone doesn’t jump up and down and absolutely gush about how much they want to name their firstborn after you.

Nowadays, I think better advice would be to take the energy spent on fretting about book reviews and pour it into connecting with other authors, or promoting your book, or finding people who love it. It’s okay to feel badly—because it hurts. And then it feels really good to turn that hurt into something that’s totally productive and sells more copies.

You have recently been touring the Midwest on a book tour. How did it go?

So! Awesome! I went to fabulous and friendly independent bookstores like the Red Balloon in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Northern Lights in Duluth, Minnesota, and I was able to drop in on some book clubs as well.

The thing that’s so great about book tours is meeting people in person who have read what you wrote and say that it resonated with them in one way or another.

Also really cool? Is seeing copies of your book stacked along the bookshelf alongside other authors. It makes being published so totally real. It also makes the other parts of a self-funded book tour (sleeping in the lumpy bunk-bed of a friend’s daughter, eating McDonald’s, spending your life’s savings on gas) totally worth it.

The online writing culture can be filled with both positivity and negativity. What is one piece of encouragement or positive advice that you can give to burgeoning writers?

Some people are born to write. And some people are very, very good at their craft the moment their pen touches paper. The planets align, the heavens open, and light shines upon their brilliant prose.

Unfortunately, I am not one of those people.

True, I love to write—and becoming a writer was the only thing I ever wanted to do when I grew up. But here’s the truth: It’s taken me a long time to get to that place where my writing can be stomached by anyone but me—and maybe my parents.

I know I’m a writer. I know that I’ve come a long way. But sometimes I pick up a book and my heart despairs a little bit because it’s so astoundingly good, and I realize I might never in my life write like that.

It’s a spectrum, see? Some people, like me, have the writing bug bad, and it’s only through great struggle and practice that we ever get to the place where our stuff is any good. Other people have the bug and just—well, their talent scale might be dipping a bit more in the red. Their work is just really freakishly awesome right off the bat.

If, like me, you’re on the “great struggle” side of the spectrum, then I say keep at it, and don’t stop writing. Also, read like there’s no tomorrow. I truly believe my writing has been greatly helped by the fact that I read good books, especially good YA!


What can we look forward to seeing from you next?

I am currently editing my second novel, PROMGATE, with Putnam, the same folks who published DONUT DAYS. The book centers around the fallout when a pregnant teen is elected prom queen in a small Midwestern town. It’s loosely based on events that happened in my Wisconsin high school when I was a student there, and it’s due out in summer 2011.


Are you interested in winning an autographed copy of Lara Zielin's Donut Days? If so, leave a comment below with your name, city and state, or pets name, BUT alter them to make them as donut-y as possible. A delicious but calorie-free exercise in creativity for readers and writers.

P.S. If the ID you select won't let you officially change your name, or if you don't have an ID and choose the Anonymous selection, just leave your donut-alter-ego in the comment itself.

Author Reviews and Interviews

Dear readers and writers,

Due to my own interest in emerging and established authors, and my interest in sharing what I learn with others, I have begun contacting certain writers whose books I have read, or who have an interesting story, to request interviews that I will be able to post periodically. If you know (or are) an emerging author who would like to be interviewed, please contact me through my profile email on this blog.

With that said, please check out To Write and Publish tomorrow for an interview with debut author Lara Zielin!

You are a Writer, and other positive stuff

Today I was reading Janet Reid's most recent post, Less than Zero, she railed about a person whom she had met at a conference who referenced himself as not being a "real writer" because his novel was published through one of those "book printing mills." I'm not sure if he's referencing self-publishing, vanity publishing or what here, but the point is that because he wasn't published by a larger, traditional publisher, he felt that he didn't qualify as a "real writer" yet, even though he'd written and published a whole novel!

I love Janet's response: "Don't let anyone, particularly some snotty so-called publishing professional, demean this achievement. You've written a novel = you're a writer."

The reason this particular post struck me was because too often the online blogosphere (and real world) devolves into negativity. Writing is TOUGH world; anyone reading this blog knows that. Sometimes, traditionally published writers or publishers will tear down self-published writers as a whole. Because there is a lot of poor writing that gets self-published, they'll stereotype all self-published writers as second-rate writers- even in the midst of this ever-changing publishing world! Sometimes, you'll see people who have written and published a novel saying that you're not really a writer until you've published something in some form.

Here's food-for-thought: Emily Dickinson published NO poems during her lifetime. None. Nada. Nil. She wrote poems for herself, shared some with family or friends, and after she passed away, her neatly-written and bound collections were found, and the world discovered this now canonical writer. Was she a writer before she was published? If a tree falls in the world and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound? I say YES!

If you write regularly, whether for private or public consumption, for free or for profit, if you love fluent, concise, florid, creative, or purely functional words, and you try to create your own fluent, concise, florid, creative, or purely functional words, you ARE a writer!

And if someone wants to nitpick with you before you've been published, traditionally published, or met some other goal that hangs menacingly over your head threatening to validate or invalidate your status as a writer, remember Richard Bach's words, “A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit.”

Backword Book Contest Winners

Okay . . . I'm a little late on this one, which is doubly embarrassing since I'm one of the winners- THIS is evidence of how crazy my life's been lately!

The Backword Book Contest winners for blog entries on self-publishing was published Oct. 2nd. There are 13 awesome entries listed. Check them all out, including my original entry if you care to.

Backword Book Contest Winners