How to Become a More Self-Disciplined Writer

All five of my children have learned to play the piano (or are still in the process). While none of them are musical geniuses, I firmly believe learning to play the piano is a gift I’m offering my children. Not only are they getting a solid foundation in music, but even more valuable than that, they’re getting an important lesson in self-discipline.

According to Merriam-Webster, self-discipline is: correction or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement.

There’s just something about learning piano (or any instrument) that forces a person to correct and train oneself for the sake of improvement. It fosters self-discipline, which then carries over into other areas of our life.

Like my children, I also took many years of piano lessons (not that I play well anymore!). But in the process of learning piano (among other activities), I practiced self-discipline over and over. And now self-discipline is one character quality that has helped me enormously in my writing career.

Here are a few lessons I’ve learned about growing in self-discipline as a writer from piano lessons:

Concentrated increments can help us be more productive.

Rather than 5 minute practice sessions scattered throughout the day, my children practice piano in 20 to 30 increments (depending on their level). The larger chunk of time is more productive because they need a few minutes to warm up their fingers before the songs begin to flow.

When we’re writing, we need to give ourselves more than five minutes here or ten minutes there. Yes, some days that may be all we can squeeze in. But usually I spend the first part of my writing time getting back into the swing of the story. It takes some time before the words start flowing. I’ve noticed that on days when I have extended time, I write my best and fastest, especially when I’ve been at it for an hour or two.

I know from personal experience how hard it is to find concentrated writing time. And yet, I would encourage all of us to block out some uninterrupted and extended time every week.

Consistent practice hones our skill.

My children practice piano every day, 6 days a week. Sure, they get occasional breaks. But when they keep up with their songs and scales day after day, what they’re learning sticks better.

When we’re writing, if we take time to write every day, the story stays fresh in our minds. And when we use our writing muscles consistently, we eventually build them up and can write with more ease and speed.

Forcing ourselves to work regardless of feelings develops perseverance.

Sometimes my kids say, “Practicing piano isn’t fun.” In fact, there are plenty of days my kids would like to get out of practicing. It can grow laborious and monotonous. But in order to teach them the value of self-discipline, I don’t allow any excuses. There’s no getting out of it, not for any reason. And even when they’re sick, I say, “If you’re too sick to practice piano (or do schoolwork), then you’re too sick to play.”

We can’t expect to be successful if we wait to write until we’re inspired or only when it’s fun. Regardless of everything else going on, we have to make ourselves sit down at the keyboard, plunk away, and add words—on the days we feel like it AND the days we don’t.

Challenging ourselves beyond our comfort zone leads to growth.

My children like to practice the songs they’ve memorized, the ones that come easy. Sometimes they get stuck on practicing those easy tunes and avoid putting dedicated effort to the new harder ones the teacher assigns them. I remind them the “easy” songs used to be hard. I encourage them to go above and beyond what they teacher has asked them to do. Take the extra step. Press just a little harder.

Growth comes when we challenge ourselves to do more than we think we can. If writing is always “easy”, then maybe we’re not pushing ourselves hard enough—to find original descriptions, to make our plot more complex, etc. Or maybe we need to challenge ourselves to write more words per day. Whatever the area, we can stretch ourselves beyond our comfort zone.

Diligent work helps us progress faster.

During the allotted practice time, I encourage my children to stay focused, not to get up for drinks, or to chat with a sibling. If they dilly-dally during their practice time, then over the course of time, they don’t progress as quickly as they could.

If we set aside concentrated increments and sit down to write consistently, we need to make every second count. Often that requires shutting off the internet, putting on headphones, bending our head down, and not looking up until we reach the end of our “practice time.”

I usually set a timer during my writing time. During a 30 minute span I give myself a goal of writing a certain number of words. I put it on a sticky note. That helps me to stay focused during that time. When the time is up, I challenge myself for another 30 minutes, and so on, giving myself breaks to check email or twitter when I complete my time/goal.

How well did you learn self-discipline when you were growing up? Did anything help develop that quality in you (like piano lessons)? How self-disciplined are you now in your writing?

Marketing 101: Loving & Taking Care of Our Readers

Marketing is part of the job description of the modern author. Whether we’ve gone with self-publishing, small indie press, or the traditional route, all authors must market to one degree or another.

Obviously, if we choose to self-pub or go with a smaller press, we’ll need to shoulder the bulk of marketing and publicity. With a larger traditional publisher, authors will have the publisher’s sales team working for them, getting their books into brick-and-mortar stores, advertising with distributors, and sending it out to major reviewers.

Whatever the route, we have to market. But often the thought of marketing sends us creative-writer-types into convulsions. We like crafting words and telling stories. But knocking on doors and selling books to complete strangers? We’d rather be stripped to the waist, have our head and hands shoved into a pillory, and endure a public whipping.

Well, maybe not. But I had to throw in a teaser for the pillory beating in The Preacher’s Bride (after all, this is a post about marketing!). *Wink*

There are a LOT of creative things writers can do to market their books: giveaways, contests, countdowns, book signings, etc. We should be responsible and seek out innovative strategies. Why wouldn’t we want to do all we can to help make our book stand out?

But there comes a point when marketing begins to feel like overkill, like we’re tooting our own horn. Again. And again. In fact, if you’re like me, when you see authors who keep talking about themselves and their books over and over and over, it gets annoying.

I don’t want to be one of those annoying authors. Do you?

How can we avoid turning our marketing and promotion efforts into a litany to ourselves? Here are three ways:

1. Connect With Readers: Pay attention to what they’re saying on our blogs, facebook, and twitter. Be available. Make sure do the best we can to answer personal emails and messages.

2. Engage Readers: Don’t stand on the sidelines. Instead jump into social media conversations. Ask questions on Facebook or Twitter. Discover what people think or how they feel about issues.

3. Care For Readers: Find ways to let them know we appreciate them. Offer encouragement. Be real and open so they feel comfortable sharing their concerns and problems with us.

In one word: LOVE. Yes, love your readers.

I was recently having a phone conversation with Founder/Senior Designer, Kelli Standish of PulsePoint Design. We were brainstorming website marketing ideas for The Doctor’s Lady (releasing Sept. 1). She gave me a number of fantastic ideas—strategies I plan to implement in the days leading up to my book’s release.

However, in the middle of all our planning she said something profound and very key: “If you love your readers, they’ll promote the heck out of you.”

I’m sure we can all think of an author we’ve met online (or in person), one we’ve grown to admire and respect because of how personable and kind they are. I know it makes a huge impact on me when an author is down-to-earth, chats with me, retweets something I say, leaves a comment on my blog, etc.

I may have already liked that particular author. But my admiration rises even higher when they take the extra effort to connect with me. In fact, I recently wanted to help James Scott Bell get the news out about his newest e-book, Writing Fiction For All Your Worth, simply because he’s connected with me online in such a genuine way.

On the reverse side, our admiration for authors diminishes when they act too busy for us, don’t respond to something we say, or only chat within a certain circle of author friends.

My point is that if we as writers grow to appreciate other writers/authors who connect with us, imagine how much that means to our readers when we make an effort to relate to them.

Marketing 101: Start by loving the readers we already have (including followers on social media sites). We may want more. But first we have learn to take care of those that are already sitting in our stadium. We need to figure out ways to bless and encourage the audience that’s before us.

When we’re loving and taking care of the readers and followers we have, they’ll WANT to support us. They may even go out of their way to help us and shout out the news about our books. They’ll be excited to promote for us, essentially taking a large part of “self” out of self-promotion.

We won’t need to toot our own horns so loudly because our readers will do the tooting for us.

What do you think? Have you supported authors because you’ve learned to like and appreciate them? Is “loving your readers” a good strategy? Or do you think it’s lame? If so, what do you think can work better?

5 Foundational Areas to Focus On For Intentional Growth

I do a lot of posts about the importance of growing in writing skills. Intentional growth has been a critical factor in the success of my writing career.

But what areas should writers focus on for intense growth? With all the advice floating around out there, we can get overwhelmed, even confused.

Of course all of us are at different spots on the writing path. And what one writer needs to work on will likely be different for another.

But . . . if I had to break down the top 5 areas I think writers should focus on, especially early in their writing careers, this would be my list:

1. Strengthening the story:

Believability: Fiction cannot imitate real life; it must transcend it. But in taking stories to the “entertainment” level, motivations must also still be grounded on a logical, progressive, “this-could-really-happen” foundation, even if it’s in a galaxy far-far away.

Complexity: No matter if we write for children or adults, readers long for a story with the kinds of twists and turns that keep them turning the pages. Take the story off the first floor and move it into the labyrinth.

Uniqueness: Reject the predictable and stretch deeper and farther for fresh ideas. While various genres will have taboos (stories/topics that are harder to sell), we can look for ways to push the boundaries, add our unique perspective, and move beyond the familiar.

2. Plotting with greater structure:

Conflict & tension: Adding conflict to every page will increase the tension, pulling the readers' emotions tighter, making it harder for them to put down our books. Physical and emotional conflict are cyclical, like a tornado, constantly spinning faster and wider, until reaching a climax.

Three strand plot lines: Weave the strands like braid. Physical plot—overcoming major outward barriers or defeating an antagonist. Emotional plot—working through inward issues for character growth. Relational plot—conflict between 2 major characters, particularly critical in romances.

Three Act Structure: Act I: An inciting incident pushes MC (main character) into a new situation. Act II: MC makes progress toward goal, but complications and higher stakes escalate and threaten to defeat him. Act III: MC experiences setback, climax, then aftermath.

3. Writing by scenes and sequels:

Goals: A scene should play out for a reader like they’re watching a movie. A good rule of thumb: make a scene have more than one reason for being included in the book, preferably multiple reasons. With each scene ask: what are the goals? What’s at stake for the characters?

Transitions: Keep transitions between scenes short—if any is needed at all. Jump-cutting between scenes is a technique that moves us from one scene to the next without any exposition.

Hook: If possible, open the scene with a hook, the critical moment of the scene. Most scenes need very little set-up and whatever is needed can often be woven in. End the scene in such a way that the stakes are high for the MC. Don’t tie it up nice and neat. Make the reader need to keep going.

4. Developing deeper characters:

Physically: Avoid clichéd descriptions. We can’t describe everything. Sprinkle in the things that make the character unique. And then show who the character is through their actions, reactions, and dialog.

Emotionally: Dig deep into a character’s past to find the motivation for their goals and dreams. The more complex and deeper we go, the more realistic our characters will become.

Likeability: In giving our characters problems and adding conflict between characters, it’s easy to tip the scales so that our MC ends up being hard to like. We have to find something redeemable, qualities that readers appreciate, traits that make them heroic—even if in a small way.

5. Tightening excess and unnecessary prose:

Backstory: In the first chapter, only sprinkle in enough to ground the reader in the setting. Then throughout the book, add in pre-story information only as needed and only in small bites.

Exposition: Over-explaining kills the story-flow and treats our readers like ignorant children. Instead we should weave in any necessary exposition and assume our readers are brilliant adults who will catch on without us having to go into detail about everything.

Extra wordage: We can tighten our stories by eliminating unnecessary words. For more ideas, read these posts by my critique partner Keli Gwyn: 12 Weak Words We Can Turn Into Strong Ones, Weasal Words in Our Writing.

My suggestion for growth? Pick ONE area (from the above list) where you are weakest. Read more about that particular skill. Intentionally practice it in your current WIP. At first adding in the new skill may slow you down and feel awkward. But with a little practice, eventually it will become second nature.

In which of the areas listed above are you weakest? Do you make a habit of intentionally practicing new skills? And if so, how?

*Due to the Easter holiday weekend, I will not be posting on Friday this week.

Two Extremes Writers Take & How To Avoid Them

Why do we writers tend to become extreme in our opinions? Are we just passionate by nature and therefore quick to form strong feelings about certain issues?

Recently I got this comment in response to a blog post about growing in our writing skill: “This is such a lame post. Only shills of trad pubs speak like this. Reading how-to writing books and taking classes only make you write the same drivel as anyone else.”

Wow! Talk about strong feelings against reading writing craft books! And of course I don’t agree with the statement. But it made me realize how often we fall into the trap of seeing things in black and white.

So often we take an all or nothing approach when it comes to many issues within the writing industry. When it comes to the issue of learning how to write, here are two extreme approaches I’ve noticed:

Extreme #1: Writers who read how-to books risk writing the same drivel as everyone else.

How often do we hear, “It’s ALL about the story”?

Well, I’m going to go against the grain and say, NO, it’s not ALL about the story. In fact, we can have the best story known to humankind since the beginning of time, but if we don’t know how to tell it in a way that appeals to readers, we might as well keep our fantastic story for our own personal enjoyment on our hard drive.

We have to learn to craft our stories so that others will want to read them. In order to do that our stories need a framework, or structure, much like in building a house. We can’t throw together a bunch of bricks and shingles, slap some paint on it, and hope to have a house—at least one that’s livable.

Rather, we have to follow some basic guidelines, have a solid foundation, erect beams in correct places, put the floor on the bottom and the ceiling on the top. Yes, every house has those basics. Every house NEEDS them to be able to stand.

Books are built too. They have structure. And it’s within the framework of plot acts, character arcs, and scene & sequels that a writer’s creative and unique story-telling ability should shine. Within the hallways and rooms of our stories, we can color, decorate, and bring our special touch to the words.

We don’t risk writing drivel when we learn to craft stories. Instead, we’re being smart about building sturdy books in which readers can “live” with pleasure.

On the other hand, we do risk writing drivel when we try to decorate our stories like Pottery Barn or Better Homes & Garden (copying other writers) when we really should let them reflect our special personalities, interests, and life experiences.

Extreme #2: Writers have to learn all the “rules” before we can have a publishable book.

As you know from this post: My Writing Success: The ONE Thing That Helped Me Most, I strongly encourage writers to study fiction how-to books, put into practice basic techniques, and learn what constitutes salable fiction in today’s market.

However, I think many of us, particularly those with perfectionistic tendencies, get caught up in the need to make our stories technically perfect. We get so focused on writing without dialog tags, trimming exposition, eliminating adverbs, formatting the manuscript, and a myriad of “rules” that we lose ourselves and the beauty of story-telling in the process.

To carry on the house-decorating analogy, we end up with an interior that lacks vibrancy. Maybe we trim so much that our stories have as much warmth as a sterile convalescent home. Or maybe we add so much that our books resemble gaudy, over-decorated Victorian parlors. We get fixed on the details, the minutae, instead of the bigger picture.

The Preacher’s Bride wasn’t technically perfect when I landed my agent and book contract. But I’d taken the time (years) to study fiction-writing basics. My structure was solid. And within that framework was a gripping story.

My Summary: We can go from one extreme to the other. On the one side we can give the story TOO much freedom (and not enough structure). And on the other side, we can let the rules have TOO much control (and forget the story).

My encouragement is to find a middle ground. Know the basics of fiction-writing, the elements that comprise well-crafted stories. But also tell the best story possible without worrying that everything is perfect.

What’s your opinion? Is it ALL about the story? Are writers at risk of writing drivel when they read fiction how-to books? And if you think writers need structure, how can we avoid letting the “rules” have too much control over our stories?

Can Reading Great Books Really Help Writers Grow?

I talk about growth a lot on my blog. In fact, if you haven’t noticed, I'm pretty passionate about it. I want to keep growing in my writing skill. I continuously challenge myself to improve. It’s my hope to encourage you to do the same.

There are numerous ways writers can grow. Obviously, first and foremost we need to be consistently writing. In fact, I recommend that beginners write the first book for themselves, enjoy the process, and let creativity have full freedom. We often don’t know what we need to learn until we start putting words on the page.

However, the act of writing in and of itself is not enough to help us grow. Eventually, we need to couple it with learning.

If we’re learning how to cook, we have to step in the kitchen and begin with basics. But if we hope to grow in skill, we need to pull out cookbooks, turn on the cooking channel, and go beyond boxed macaroni and hotdogs. We have to experiment, try new recipes, and get help from those who are further along. We’ll have trial and errors, sometimes food only worthy for the dog dish. But eventually, with the combination of practice and learning, we’ll be able to create edible, even palatable dishes.

Writers have to move beyond just the act of writing if we hope to improve our skills. We can read how-to books, go to conferences, participate in online workshops and classes, and get feedback from critique partners or contests.

But what about learning from the books we read? I’ve heard some writers argue that THE best way to learn how to write is by reading “great books.” Some writers believe we need to read voraciously and widely within and outside of our genres in order to grow.

Is reading “great books” really the best way for writers to learn the craft? Will reading voraciously really make us better writers?

I believe reading “great books” can be one way to help us grow. And I also believe reading voraciously can help us too. But . . . most writers DON’T grow from their reading experiences and here are few reasons why:

1. Great books can teach us only if we’re willing to become a student.

My kids and I recently finished The Bronze Bow by Newbery Medal author Elizabeth George Speare. As we were reading I was particularly aware of the way she developed character arcs and used symbolism.

I made a point of studying her techniques and discussing them with my children. But how many of us consciously study books when we read them? Most of the time we read for pleasure and our brains don’t stop to analyze writing techniques. If we hope to learn from the masters, we have to intentionally become a student.

2. The act of reading well doesn’t transfer into the act of writing well.

As I’ve said before, the effortlessness of reading does not easily transfer to the painstaking-process of putting words on paper. Just because someone is a voracious reader doesn’t mean they will be able to write well. Fellow blogger Julie Nilson said this in a recent comment: “The WORST manuscript I ever read was by a high school lit teacher (really!), so it's not like she hasn't read great writing.”

3. The definition of what constitutes “great books” is subjective.

I’m a part of a literature discussion group. We read plenty of "great books"—classics, myths, and award-winning authors. Among these “great books" we have a wide variety of responses. I'm always amazed when I think a book is completely worthless and someone else loves it, or vice versa.

In compiling reading programs for my children over the years, I’ve run across numerous lists (i.e. One Hundred Great Books, Books Everyone Should Read, etc.). While there might be some overlap, the lists are always different and ever-changing.

How do we decide which books are "great" and worthy to be our teachers? Is it even possible to come to a consensus? Should we even try?

4. Many of the past “great books” use out-dated writing techniques.

If I emulated the style of writing in Little Women or Treasure Island (both of which I’ve read), I would have no hope for publication in today’s market. The writing styles of a hundred, fifty, even ten years ago have changed. While I may be able to learn something about what constitutes good story-telling from the classics, that doesn’t mean I’ll be able to learn how to write commercially viable fiction from them.

My Summary: Yes, we can learn how to write better by reading other books—if we’re intentional. But reading fiction is not THE only way or even necessarily THE best way. It can comprise part of our learning process. But we need more than “great books” and voracious reading to help us become better writers.

We need a well-rounded writing apprenticeship that involves a variety of learning experiences.

Your turn! What's your opinion? What place do you give "great books" in your writing education? Do you think reading "great books" or reading voraciously is the best way to learn? Or do you give more credence to other methods of learning?

How Can Writers Know if Their Work is Ready for E-Publication?

E-publishing is growing in popularity. With the ease and low cost of getting a book into digital format and the lure of retaining the larger share of profits, e-publishing (as a self-publishing option) is a tempting choice for many writers.

Currently, anyone, anywhere, with any type of printed word can take a shot at e-publishing. And while I’m all for freedom of expression, and artistic license, and doing what’s right for you, and all that good stuff, sometimes I can’t help wondering if maybe we’re taking self-publishing freedom a bit too far.

Should we as writers develop a few general standards by which we measure our readiness for e-publication? In other words, how can we know if our work is ready for any publication, particularly e-pub when we don’t have some of the checks and balances that traditional publication provides?

Recently, fiction-writing guru James Scott Bell decided to venture into e-publishing. He’s the author of the widely popular Writer’s Digest books: Plot & Structure, Revision & Self-Editing, and Art of War for Writers. His newest writing book, Writing Fiction For All You’re Worth, just released. And wouldn’t you know it, he published it himself in e-book format. And he also recently self-published his e-book, Watch Your Back, a collection of suspense stories.

Because I respect Jim for his writing wisdom, and because I was curious about his venture into e-publishing, I asked him a couple questions. (For more of Jim's thoughts see this post: The Eilser Sanction.)

Me: If you were just starting out as a relatively unknown debut author, would you try e-pub? Why or why not?

JSB: First of all, I would not rush into anything, be it e-publishing or querying agents. I would first do everything I knew to make sure I'd written the best book possible. Most of the time that is not going to be a first novel. You have to become a real writer, being able to do more than one book, and making each book better than the last. Learning to write requires an apprenticeship of years, and just because you CAN put something out as an e-book doesn't mean you SHOULD.

The traditional route has the advantage of telling you a lot about your writing. It teaches you discipline and professionalism and how to create works that are marketable. All good.

Getting a good agent to be your partner is also a major plus in a writing career.

So, no, I wouldn't rush to e-publish. I'd spend time writing, going to some conferences, being in a critique group, and above all those things, learning to write.

Me: Without the checks and balances that traditional publication provides, what are some ways writers can know if their work is ready for e-publication?

JSB: That is indeed one of the good things about the traditional route. But then again, there ARE some very good novels that should be published but aren't.

How to tell if yours is one?

One gauge is a group of beta readers. In my early years I used the managers of an indie bookstore I loved (sadly, gone the way of so many other stores) and friends who were readers (not necessarily writers). I'd give out 5 manuscripts minimum. If I got back some of the same comments, I'd know that aspect would need work.

If I was just starting out, I'd do it this way. I'd first do back cover copy to see if my idea gripped people. I'd have some people over for dinner and pitch them the story, then sign them up for Amway. On second thought, maybe just pitch the story. See if you get an "Oooh" factor. You could do that with a few ideas, in fact.

The reason for this is you can have a nicely written but low concept or low stakes novel. And a book needs concept and/or stakes to be worth doing.

Now write it. Then test it. Then pay for a good edit.

Is your book ready now? Remember William Goldman's axiom about Hollywood: No one knows anything. So, in the end, you make the call...you know as much or more about it than anybody else.

My summary:

We need to develop personal standards for our own work and set them high. Remember most writers are blind to their own faults. So if we’re thinking about venturing into e-publication on our own we must have beta readers, critique partners, and professional editors. In other words, we need trusted, critical feedback from many sources.

After having been through rigorous traditional in-house editing process for my books, I cannot stress enough the importance of getting qualified and objective feedback. My books have numerous (a dozen or more) sets of eyes read and comb through them before they hit the shelves. We should expect no less from ourselves with e-publication.

By the way, if you want help in taking your writing craft to the next level, I strongly suggest picking up one of Jim’s books. In fact, his e-book WRITING FICTION FOR ALL YOU'RE WORTH is available for $2.99 on Amazon. I bought my copy last week and love it!

So, what do you think? How can writers set high standards for themselves no matter what publishing route they choose? Have you set standards for yourself? If so, what are they?

The E-Publishing Outlook for Average Authors:My E-Book Sales

Like most of you, lately I’ve been paying attention to all the hype on e-publishing versus traditional publishing. We’ve been getting the perspective of best-selling authors, like Eisler and Hocking. And sure, we can listen to their thoughts and advice.

But what does e-publishing mean for non-millionaire authors—which is what most of us are (including myself).

I recently got this comment, “For many writers, especially polished and seasoned writers, e-publishing is the best way to go . . . I can't honestly think of a good reason for a writer to NOT e-publish at the moment. Even if you have a print contract you should e-publish.”

The comment sums up what many people believe, that e-publishing is the becoming THE best publishing option, the way to make the most money. But is it really? Especially for average authors?

In light of all that’s happening in the publishing world, I asked my publisher for my sales figures. From what I could tell, the e-book version of The Preacher’s Bride seemed to be doing well.

When I got the numbers from my publisher, I was shocked to find out how low my e-book sales were compared to my print sales. My e-book sales comprise less than one percent of my overall sales so far.

LESS than ONE percent.

For an author with a wide-spread web presence, I had expected my e-book sales to have a larger share of my sales figures.

Sure, maybe I’d have more e-book sales if the price dropped from $9.68 to $2.99. But how much more? Is price really the determining factor for how well an e-book sells, or are there other factors that come into play?

Here are just a few things average writers should consider before taking the e-publishing plunge:

1. Who is the primary audience of your book? And are they buying e-readers and e-books?

I write inspirational historical romances. The majority of my readers are women in the 40-60 age range. In fact, I get handwritten notes from ladies who write in cursive, who don’t have email, who might not even have computers. They’d most certainly never be interested in the latest Kindle version of my book.

When we’re immersed in the writing industry and the blogosphere, we’re surrounded by fellow writers and industry professionals who all have the latest reading devices. But in reality, the large majority of readers still buy regular books.

If I’d only gone the e-publishing route, especially as a debut author, look at the 99 percent of my readership I would have missed. Of course times are changing. But I still don’t foresee middle-aged women and older shifting to Kindles any time soon.

The point? Know your audience. Are they online? Are they computer savvy? Do they like modern technology? Or do they prefer the tried-and-true?

2. How big is your established readership? And would they be willing and able to make the switch to e-books?

Can e-publishing be successful for “polished or seasoned” authors who already have a couple of books under their belt and have an established readership?

After I finish my current 3-book contract with my publisher, what if decide to head out on my own and try e-publishing instead of the traditional route? Since I already have a growing readership that loves my books, wouldn’t they be willing to follow me over into a new format?

Obviously most of my fans prefer paper books. In other words, paper readers and e-book readers are still very distinct among many demographic groups.

The point? We’ll likely lose a large percentage of our paper fans if we strictly e-publish. We’ll probably have to develop a new, different readership, similar to what happens when authors switch genres.

3. How much time, energy, and savvy can you devote to marketing?

If you follow me on Twitter, Facebook or my blog, you’ll probably agree that I’m quite active and put a pretty high emphasis on developing an online platform. I’ve worked hard to develop a wide web presence.

With my online presence combined with all the time, energy, and savvy I’ve put into marketing my debut book, you can understand my surprise that my e-books statistics aren’t higher. Imagine what the sales could look like for a writer with a significantly smaller online platform.

We certainly can't turn our noses up at the fact that established publishing houses offer fiction authors (especially debut writers) their platform. They have many, many readers who trust their brand and the books they produce. Though we do all we can to grow our platforms, we can't discount the sales that come simply by being connected to a well reputed publisher.

The point? E-publishing millionaire Amanda Hocking summed it up: “The amount of time and energy I put into marketing is exhausting. I am continuously overwhelmed by the amount of work I have to do that isn't writing a book. I hardly have time to write anymore, which sucks and terrifies me . . . . Just because I sell a million books self-publishing, it doesn't mean everybody will. In fact, more people will sell less than 100 copies of their books self-publishing than will sell 10,000 books. ”

Your turn! Have you considered e-publishing? Do you think it’s been slightly glamorized with all of the recent hoopla? Or can it be a successful option for the average writer? Why or why not?

Come back Wednesday as I chat with James Scott Bell about his venture into e-publishing and his thoughts on how writers can know if their work is ready for e-publication.

3 Tips For Finding Something To Say When You're Out of Ideas

I was recently browsing through one of my Twitter columns, looking at all of the great writing links. And I couldn’t help thinking, with all the information out there, what do I have to contribute that’s different from what others are already saying?

There are over 200,000,000 blogs. What could I possibly have to say that hasn’t been said?

Whenever I do a post about blogging, I hear comments like, “I’ve run out of things to say” or “I don’t know what to blog about” or “I’m still trying to figure out the direction to take my blog.”

The bottom line is that most of us struggle with what to say on our blogs. How do we keep on coming up with interesting posts, day in and day out?

I think the blogging dilemma is similar to what happens when we write our books. There are millions of books out there. If we come up with a unique plot or character or conflict—chances are high that someone else has already used them at some point or another.

How do we come up with a book (no matter the genre) that is completely different from something anyone, anywhere has ever written? That’s pretty tough to do. Maybe we can come up with a really “unique” story for our first book. Maybe our second, even our third. But then what?

I’m currently working on writing the third book of my 3-Book contract. After I turn in my completed manuscript to my publisher, I’ll need to come up with ideas for my next proposal. Likely, I’ll try to find at least three more book ideas with the hope that my publisher will offer me another 3-Book contract.

As I’ve started thinking about future book ideas, and as I try to find settings or plots that haven’t been used, I realize that most topics have already been covered. How then can I hope to write books that are different from the masses already out there?

With books and with blogging, we struggle to find unique content. Sure, we should keep striving to find brand new ideas. But even when we do find something, we likely won’t be the first to tackle the topic. So then what? Do we quit blogging? Stop writing?

Of course not. But we may need to adjust how we view the whole process of coming up with ideas. Here are three methods I employ for my writing and blogging:

1. Look for a fresh spin.

Maybe a thousand people have already blogged about the query system. I could have added to the masses with a simple post about the pros and cons of querying or how to write a query letter. But I decided to take a new twist: Is the Query System Dying?

We can take familiar topics but look for new angles, dig deep for the controversy, seek out the conversation starters, find the specific areas where we’re struggling (because it’s likely others are struggling too).

2. Tell it from your unique perspective.

Uniqueness doesn’t depend on content so much as voice. We could take any old topic and make it into something different simply by telling the post or story through our distinct and colorful inflections, experiences, personality, life-experiences, beliefs, and style.

I could list examples of many bloggers who write with distinct voices. One example is Paul Greci on his blog Northwriter. He’s an avid outdoorsman living in Alaska and his posts reflect his unique life experiences.

I believe voice is simply a compilation of all the things that make us a unique individual. When we dig deep and find out who we are, then we can strip away the facades and write from our inner core.

3. Unleash your creativity.

Sometimes we get into the habit of writing in a box—we get stuck in the same old patterns. We need to give ourselves permission try new techniques, brainstorm, go further into the recesses of our minds.

Clichéd writing happens most often when we move too quickly and haphazardly through our writing time. When I’m struggling to find something creative, the first few things that come to my mind are usually clichés. If I reject them and search harder, that’s when I move into a more creative mindset.

Have you ever struggled to come up with interesting post ideas? What about trying to find unique content for your books? Is it really possible to find new ideas or is it more about we present them?

4 Ways to Make Your Writing Schedule Work

One of the questions I get asked most frequently is: “How do you find time to write? You homeschool and have five kids. How do you do it?”

I recently got an email from a writer mom with two young children. She said: “My first manuscript is being read by several major publishers and just awaiting their response . . . but I'm actually a bit concerned about getting my writing time in. When do you make the time to write? With all you have going on, what does your schedule look like on any given day?”

Her concern is a very real one. As we move toward publication and beyond, our writing work increases. But our other jobs and responsibilities don’t go away. Most of us can’t quit our “day jobs” whatever those might be. The reality is that a large percentage of novelists will only make part time monetary compensation for the full time work they put into writing, editing and marketing their books.

Whatever the case, writers have to learn to balance multiple roles and workloads. I’m still learning how to do that. Like many writers, I have to squeeze in writing time around other things.

On a typical day, I wake up early, long before my family arises. I try to get a jump start on the day’s writing work. Then once the kids are awake, I pack up until later in the afternoon. I generally spend about one and a half to two hours every afternoon on my WIP. Whatever word count I don’t get done during that time, I finish after the kids are in bed.

In order to make this kind of writing schedule work, here are four things I’ve had to learn how to do:

1. Scale-back:

I’ve gradually scaled-back on my commitments, outside activities, and involvements. The fact is, we can’t be everywhere, doing everything, and still have time for writing. There are just WAY too many great things for our kids and families to do. But do we need to do so much? Maybe the scaling back is a blessing in disguise that can lead to a slower pace and more time at home.

2. Simplify:

In having five children, I’ve had to learn to simply life as much as possible: meals, closets, clothes, shopping, housework, etc. If we choose to live simply, we can eliminate some of the stress that comes when we buy too much, have too much, and try to do too much.

3. Sacrifice:

We really can’t make more writing time unless we’re willing to sacrifice. The sacrifice will look different for all of us. Maybe we’ll have to give up TV, sleep, traveling, golf, ladies’ night out, etc. Anytime we sacrifice, we experience pain and loss. In other words, the process of giving up other pleasures won’t be easy. But most of us will have to make those tough choices in order to have more writing time.

4. Support:

I've had to learn to rely on the support of my husband, children, and friends. Although I’m very independent, I’ve realized that I really do need the help of those around me in order to make more writing time. I involve my kids in the housework and in “babysitting” their younger siblings. And my husband helps me carve out uninterrupted writing time on Saturdays and a couple of evenings a week.

Are you juggling multiple responsibilities and trying to write? Do you struggle to find enough time to write? What are some things you do to make your writing schedule work?

5 Ways to Persevere Through Blogging Slumps

Anyone who’s blogged long enough will eventually hit a slump—a point where we get tired of blogging and wonder if we should quit.

Perhaps we're weary of the hard work regular posting requires. Maybe we can’t think of anything interesting to say anymore. We may even decide blogging is an emotional and physical drain.

Whatever the case, we all hit slumps. I have. I’ve thought of giving up more than once. And I’ve talked to plenty of other bloggers who’ve experienced blogging-fatigue too.

However, if we give in to the fatigue and fall away after putting effort into establishing a foundation of followers, we’ll make more work for ourselves in the long run. When we decide to pick back up again, we'll likely have to start over rebuilding all we lost.

In all reality, the best thing for writers hoping to use blogging as a platform is to persevere through the slumps. But how can we keep at it, especially when we’re burned out, have nothing to say, or just are plain sick of blogging?

Here are five methods I use to persevere through my blogging slumps:

1. Set a blog schedule and stick to it.

I made a decision to blog three times a week. I picked specific days of the week along with a set time. Then rain or shine, I stick to the schedule. Your plan doesn’t have to look like mine. You might blog on Tuesdays and Thursdays, twice a week. Maybe you’ll blog only once per week (I don’t recommend going much less than that). The key is finding something that works.

When we have a plan, we’re more likely to stay on track than if we leave our blogging to whim. (And actually the same thing is true of our daily or weekly writing schedule!) In fact, we can view our blog as part of the job of having a professional writing career. When it’s time to work, we show up.

2. Keep an “Ideas File.”

I have a blog notebook. Every time I run across an idea for a post, I jot it down. I brainstorm post ideas when I’m fixing a meal or cleaning the toilet and scribble thoughts in my notebook. I also have an email folder. I toss blog questions, interesting comments, emails, or anything that could generate a post into that file.

I’ve also realized that in order to generate relevant posts, I need to keep up with what’s going on in the publishing industry. When I see interesting facts or opinions, I use my blog as a place to try to understand how I feel about the issues—knowing others are likely to feel the same way.

3. Write posts ahead and schedule them.

As part of my Saturday writing time, I block out some time for working on blog posts for the upcoming week. I write them in a Word document, save them on my hard drive. Then I copy and paste them into a blog post. I’ve found this method allows for more flexibility and protection.

Once I have the three posts written and edited, then I schedule them all out for the week so that they automatically post on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 6:00 am. This allows me to take the time during the week to respond to comments and focus on other social media efforts, rather than scrambling at the last minute to write a post.

4. Take mini-breaks from time to time.

We all need vacations from our work. Instead of allowing ourselves to get to a point where we feel like giving up, we should build in breaks to prevent some of the intense burnout.

I usually take my breaks around American holidays—Thanksgiving, Christmas, 4th of July, etc. I’ve found that when I take the time off, I come back with renewed energy. We can even use those breaks to re-evaluate the direction we want to go with our blogs, what we hope to accomplish, etc.

5. Remind ourselves that the effort will pay off.

Sometimes none of the above helps, especially during times when we’re particularly tired or overwhelmed. It’s then I remind myself I made a commitment to having a professional writing career and that blogging is just part of the job. I tell myself it’s not going to be easy, that it’s a lot of hard work, and that I can’t quit just because I’m having a bad week.

And even though blogging won’t always be fun or easy, the rewards are countless. I recently got an email from writer Tonya VanWinkle. She said she'd stumbled upon my blog, found helpful information in various posts, and liked the sidebar photos of readers holding my book.

Then Tonya said this: "I would read your blog posts you would say something or ask a question that made me think . . . It is because of your responses to me, your ability to connect with your readers and fellow writers that made me think, I should really read her book. It wasn't the normal things like the cover, the blurb, the 1st sentence, the reviews...it was you. All you. I hope and I pray that as you continue to grow and write that you will keep that connection strong, because I believe it will take you far."

Your turn! Have you ever been tempted to quit blogging during a slump? What are some things you do to push yourself through those slumps?