“There’s an old folk saying that goes: whenever you delete a sentence from
your NaNoWriMo novel, a NaNoWriMo angel loses its wings and plummets,
screaming, to the ground. Where it will likely require medical attention.”
― Chris Baty
“There is no perfect time to write. There is only now.” – Barbara Kingsolver
NaNoWriMo.org
Natalie Bright
This year I officially registered to write a novel in the month of November. Several of my critique group members are also attempting to do this, so I’m motivated first of all by the fact that I’ll have to tell them how far along my book has come. We meet again next week.
Also I’m inspired to work by the fact that this book idea has been on my mind for several years, and it’s going to be such a relief to actually have a first draft down on paper. Staying in the chair for long periods of time with my fingers on the keyboard is the hardest thing for me. Maybe NaNoWriMo will be the motivation I need.
The progress graph on the NaNoWriMo website is fantastic. It’s encouraging to be able to update my word count, see the progress, but it’s self-defeating at the same time. Saturday, the day we were supposed to double-up on word count, was a total bust for me. I had three places to be, errands to run, plus two teenagers texting me, which resulted in zero words. There are those days when life takes over and nobody cares about your novel in progress.
TRICKS AND TOOLS
Here we are seven days into writing a 50,000 word novel in a month and I am definitely not where I had planned to be. The good news is that I’ve discovered some pleasant surprises in this experience. The story really flows when you FORCE yourself to focus. It has been a struggle to block out the real word and stay at it until I have my 1500 words or more a day. If I stay at it during lunch, I can crank out 1000 words. I’ve been able to type the rest during shorter sessions here and there, whenever I could manage.
To speed things up for me, I cleaned off the white board next to my desk and wrote character names and setting details. This is book two of a series set in the Texas frontier and it totally stops my forward momentum when I have to look up the name of the trading post on main. Having those details that will be carried throughout the series at hand really saves time.
Is there anything you have done to help with the flow of words for NaNoWriMo? Please share.
I’m thankful for a new week. Carry on writers!
TWEETS AND HASHTAGS
By Natalie Bright
Twitter is the birthplace of the hashtag. Jack Dorsey (@jack) sent the first tweet on March 21, 2006:
“just setting up my twttr”
Dorsey and his business associates were searching for a way to text on their cell phones, and the word “Twitter” defined exactly what they hoped to achieve.
Twitter has since evolved into an invaluable social media tool for communication and information sharing. The hashtag, pound sign (#) followed by short subject links, has become a way to organize that information.
Today Twitter boasts 200 million users with 140 million daily tweets. It’s an active social media gathering place.
For writers, you can include your tweet as part of the community or group conversation by using hashtags. Your tweet will the become a part of the online chat and is now a searchable link.
For example, tag you might tag posts with:
#writinglife
#kidlit (the genre you write)
#readromance (to link to readers or your genre)
#books
#mystery
#crimefiction
For researchers, discover and follow specific subjects, and find information you need by searching hashtags specific to your needs or genre.
I see a lot of hashtags with broad appeal that are popular and trending, but why not boost your tweets on a local level? Within your city, state, or a tri-state area, you can connect with new fans of your work by using specific hashtags. Spark a conversation, or perhaps build relationships that can turn into a business venture down the line. Do this by using hashtags for local public places, the city names, or topics specific to your book.
To learn more about which hashtags are currently trending and are the most popular, go the hashtags.org and where they also offer analytics for your business.
One of the consistently popular hasgtags on the list: #DWTS and yes, I am a fan. I enjoy watching Dancing with the Stars and reading everybody’s tweets during commercial breaks.
Social media doesn’t have to be stressful. It can be fun work and a great way to build your writing platform.
Tweet me @natNKB – what are some of your favorite hashtags?
Cultures Unlike Us
We had an interesting discussion about cultures that are so very different from us at a recent critique group meeting.
Bullfighting
The discussion began because one among us is researching the Matador and the history of bull fighting for a story. She shared some of what she had learned. The centuries old tradition can be traced as far back as ancient Rome where man–against-animal events were held. Bullfighting is a blood sport deeply entwined into the cultures of Spain, Portugal, and many South American countries. Matadors enjoy celebrity status and the showmanship is very entertaining. A special breed of cattle are bred especially for the bullfighting ring.
Food in the Eyes of the Hungry
Our discussion turned to cultures different from us and their food. It was pointed out that some cultures think “food” when they see a dog, which is considered a delicacy in many Asian cultures. These dogs are bred specifically for the purpose of feeding people.
A visitor from Belgium told me that grocery stores in Europe have horse meat for sale in their meat market along side beef, pork, and chicken. She rarely buys beef because it’s so expensive in her native country.
As an owner of a cow/calf operation in the Texas Panhandle, the ranch horse and the cow dog are our working partners in the ranching industry. Our business is feeding hungry people with Texas Angus beef raised on native grasslands. The American culture has included beef and pork as a mainstay for centuries. I could never plan a menu around a juicy hunk of horse or dog meat. What about having a character eat something odd or cook something they’d never eat themselves? Interesting premise!
Writers and Their Research
One of the things I love about my WordsmithSix writers critique group is how non-judgemental we are. Our discussions cover a wide range of topics, and it’s great fun to dig deep into the issues that impact our stories. We greet each new subject matter with hyper curiosity. We question everything, and since we’ve been meeting for over five years now, we have very open and informative discussion. Visitors to our group are sometimes shocked at our musings.
To get to the heart of the story and to dig deep into our character’s motivation, can writers greet their research without bias? Does our background and beliefs get in the way?
Writing onward…
SOUNDING OFF on Facebook
As the final weeks wind down towards the US Presidential election, emotions are running high. More people, than ever before, are involved in the political process. In today’s world, people are not satisfied with sounding off around the dinner table to family and friends, they have this overwhelming need to blast it on social media as well.
As a writer and AuthorPreneur, are those few statements of venting worth offending current and future readers of your work? Is declaring your opinion worth the detriment to your business and livelihood?
GO BOLD IF YOU’RE GOING
At an Oklahoma Writer’s Federation conference in Oklahoma City, I attended an informative session by C.Hope Clark, blogger and author. She made some interesting comments about this very topic which gave me pause to consider.
Social media reaches a worldwide audience. If you are active on Facebook, Twitter, Blogspot, Google+, or maybe you guest blog on a regular basis, most likely you have followers from all cultural backgrounds. Everyone has a political opinion. Besides political leanings, more than likely, you have readers who are atheists, wiccans, Baptists, Methodists, and Catholics. They probably feel strongly, one way or the other, about any topic you could name.
As a business owner and professional author, trying to sell your book to as many readers as possible, why would you want to offend anyone?
On the other side of this topic (and there’s ALWAYS another side), you may want the attention. You may host a political blog and you want to be deluged with controversial comments and the arguments. If that’s the case, Ms. Clark says to declare your position loudly. If you’re going to say it, say it loud, say it bad, and say it bold, just don’t be offended by the results.
WORDSMITH SIX
When we started the WordsmithSix Blog, we agreed on several ground rules and one of those was to not sound off on anything religious or political or otherwise. You won’t see anything offensive here. Our hope is that this blog inspires and informs writers from all walks of life, wherever you are or whatever your world views.
Back to politics and Facebook, I get likes and comments from extreme liberals directly followed by comments from extreme conservatives, and everyone in between. I like that. It makes for an interesting mix of people I call friends, and I hope ALL of my followers will buy lots and lots of books.
Writing Onward (in a non-offensive way)
Four Years from Now
Natalie Bright
Are you advancing towards your writing goals this year? We are fast approaching a new year. Have you thought about what you hope to achieve in 2017?
OLYMPIC SIZED GOALS
Joanna Penn, with TheCreativePenn.com podcast, challenged her listeners to think about their goals in four year increments. How can you define your writing career this year, while the 2016 Olympics occurred in Rio? In 2020, the Olympics will be held in Tokyo. Where will your writing career be by then?
This makes perfect sense to me because the wheels of publishing moves so very slow. It’s difficult to realize tangible measurement year by year, but when you look at your accomplishments over a longer period you can see some results. Consider financial goals, completion of a series, or rough drafts of several stand alone novels that have been inside your head. Can you accomplish those goals in four years time? Of course you can!
FOUR YEARS AGO
Four years ago, in the Fall of 2012, I cut my hours to a part-time day job and signed with a literary agent who shopped my middle grade westerns. I’ll never forget that same week I worked the Scholastic book fair at my son’s intermediate school. I noticed that historical titles were missing from the bookfair shelves. It was concerning because the year before there had been an entire section. I asked the librarian about it, and she explained, “They just didn’t send me many this year.” That was the year dystopian, vampires, and with the release of the movie, Hunger Games ruled. My cause for concern turned out to be reality four years later. The stories I loved writing had gone nowhere through traditional publishing route. During that time I hadn’t stopped writing though. In fact I completed three more novels, but it felt like everything had come to a screeching halt.
2016 Rio: What a Party!
In 2016 I made the difficult decision to mix it up yet again and researched Indie Publishing. Seriously, I feel so relieved to be back in control again. There have been so many changes since I first self-published a book in 2010. Moving onward.
Let us know what goals you hope to achieve in the next four years. We will see you right back here by Tokyo 2020!
“Who wants to become a writer? And why? Because it’s the answer to everything. … It’s the streaming reason for living. To note, to pin down, to build up, to create, to be astonished at nothing, to cherish the oddities, to let nothing go down the drain, to make something, to make a great flower out of life, even if it’s a cactus.”
—Enid Bagnold
Set Your Creation FREE
By Natalie Bright
This thing you’ve created—be it blog, picture book, or novel—becomes real. And real things, on occasion, must be set free.
By setting your words free, I don’t mean submitting your work for publication. I’m talking about letting your creation take on new forms and being open to new opportunities.
In my case perhaps a magazine article, which was rejected, can become something else. I had this great piece about a horse trainer, some photos by a professional photographer and an interesting hook about a rescue horse and second chances. The idea struck me: the story would make a great photo-illustrated picture book. One book became two, then three, and then four—that makes a series. Why didn’t I see it before?
There were some delays, a few road blocks that had to be resolved, but the Rescue Animal Series is finally real! Book 1, Lizzy and Little Bit, was released on Amazon last week. Book 2, FLASH, was launched this past weekend. To date, I have 15 possible titles in the series. It’s just a matter of work and persistence, and allowing the story to develop. It all began as a rejected magazine article.
Sometimes on the way to the dream,
You get lost
And find a better one.
Now is as Good a Time as Any: Writing Your Family
Natalie Bright
I spoke at my hometown library this last week. The Dimmitt Book Club meets at the Rhoades Memorial Library every month. We talked about the changing tide of books for writers and readers, and hopefully, inspired a few people to write their family. I heard several wonderful stories about the people from my hometown.
After a show of hands, about three indicated that they owned eReaders. (As I shared with the group, the two things that sold me on an eReader is that I can make the words bigger and I can read in the dark while my hubby sleeps.)
According to a recent Pew Research Center stats, half of American adults either own a tablet or an e-Reader. In 2014, 12 million devices were sold. It’s no surprise that Amazon Kindle has the largest share of the market, with 75% of all eBooks sold in the US. Other countries are close behind the eBook craze with markets opening up in India, Germany, Indonesia, and Brazil.
For people who love stories, like Book Clubs, this is an amazing time for readers. Original material is in high demand, which makes this an amazing time for writers as well. The irony of our time is that while eBooks continue to gain a solid hold, it’s never been easier for anyone to create a book for print.
Family Stories
Many of you have thought about writing the stories you heard from your childhood, or putting your family genealogy research to paper. I think today, more and more people are interested in family stories and the history of their communities. Family historians and genealogist can bring community and family members to life through the written word, and reveal them as real flesh and blood souls. With the ease of self-publishing options, you can write it and have something in hand you’d be proud to hand out at the next family reunion (or sell it to your cousins to cover your costs).
A Million Ways
Whatever you think a family memoir or collection of stories might be, forget those preconceived notions. Through the ease of self-publishing options, you can create whatever you want. I shared several of my favorite examples of family memoirs and personal reflections that have been turned into published works. I’ve listed them below:
PATCHWORK PRINCIPLES by Jerry and Martha McClenagan. A heartwarming collection of life lessons featuring original quilt designs hand made by Martha. (Infinity Publishing)
TEN SISTERS by Doris Wenzel. Unique POV from ten sisters who each wrote a chapter about the day they were taken from their mother and adopted out to different families. (Mayhaven Press)
TAKE TWO & BUTTER ‘EM WHILE THEY’RE HOT, by Barbara Sewell. Heirloom Recipes & Kitchen wisdom from her grandmother. “If you want some hot bread and free advice, step into my grandmother’s kitchen.” I love this collection of recipes and wisdom.
GROWING UP IN THE BRADFORD OIL FIELDS by Jim Messer. (Xlibris) Written for his children, Mr. Messer reflects on memories growing up with a father who was an oil field shooter. A fascinating look at how they stored, transported, and ignited nitroglycerin during the completion process of fracing wells in the 1930s.
A WOMAN TENDERFOOT by Grace Gallatin Seton Thompson. Published in 1900, this Rocky Mountain adventure is written by a Victorian woman who did the unthinkable: she accompanied her husband into the wilderness of U.S. and Canada. What I wouldn’t give to have some of this detail about clothing, food prep, adventure, and life from my own grandmother.
LETTERS FOR COACH by Libby Cleveland. Author Coop Action Printing, Lubbock Texas. A collection of letters from players to their favorite coach.
SO GREAT A HERITAGE by Kathie Jackson. A collection of letters by her father who was an army Chaplain. She sprinkled this book with details of the war in between letters to home.
OIL PEOPLE by Natalie Bright. Nonfiction targeted to upper middle grades about the varied workforce used in the discovery, production and refining of oil. Lists the many products we use every day. Self-published 2010 based on my husband’s work as a petroleum geologist, and now available on Amazon as an eBook.
“A Cowboy’s Christmas Blessing” WEST TEXAS CHRISTMAS STORIES. Based on an old ranch hand on a college friend’s ranch, I wrote the story as an exercise for a writing class, and years later it was selected for this anthology published by TCU Press. Never delete those story ideas. You never where they might find a home in the future. This great collection contains both fiction and nonfiction about West Texas.
Writer’s Secrets for Non-Writers: You CAN do This!
Libraries of Tomorrow
The library in my hometown continues to thrive. I used to spend every Saturday there while my mother did the weeks laundry around the corner. I’m glad to know that the folks in Dimmitt continue to use the facility.
In addition to several groups using the meeting room and a Tuesday reading program for children, the Dimmitt library features a lighted glass case of collections from local patrons. This month were porcelain tea pots from England. The previous month featured Elvis memorabilia. Librarians are thinking outside the box to keep their facilities vibrant even in today’s eBook revolution.
Now, Take a Deep Breath. Whether you’re a multi-published author or first-time writer, be open to the possibilities of your creation and WRITE. Don’t forget to schedule a talk at your hometown library after you get that book finished.
AuthorPreneur: That would be YOU!
By Natalie Bright
Entrepreneur: the process of designing, launching and running a new business.
We are familiar with the term entrepreneurs as it relates to the business world. It reminds me of people who are identified as creators, designers, and innovators. As I define them, the person who brings people together to coordinate efforts towards a common outcome. As more and more opportunities are realized for writers to publish their own work, the Indie published Authorpreneur has emerged.
“Do first. Believe second.” SETH GODIN
THE KEY IS YOU
As it relates to your writing, you are that key person. No one feels more passionately about your book than you. There’s not another person who cares more about your writing career or your readers than you. No one.
I’ve met so many writers with brilliant ideas, but they are afraid to take that first leap. They refuse to write the words that are burning a hole in their soul. “I’ve had this idea for many, many years. I’ll tell you, and you can write it.” NO! YOU write it.
Seriously. I’ve got more than enough ideas in my head, that I’ll never live long enough to write them all. I’ve come to the realization that I may never see them published either.
YOUR CREATIVE TEAM
Authorpreneurs have the power to bring a creative team together.
I have discovered that the entire creative process is fun for me: from the first story spark to imagining the world of my characters, building files of research notes, writing, editing, coordinating photo shoots, designing promo materials, and finding markets. I love bringing together creative minds and realizing the results of our efforts.
Based on my experience, there are some parts of Indie Publishing that don’t appeal to me. What I don’t like is formatting. I don’t like being a book store and filling book orders. I’ve found the good news! In today’s publishing world there are people who I can hire to do the stuff I hate.
There are definitely some snags along the way; every entrepreneur has them. Successful business gurus don’t mind the bumps; they just keep going.
A NEW JOURNEY
Six years ago, with a leap and a prayer, I pitched my idea for an historical middle grade novel at conferences. It was the scariest thing I’d ever done, but this character would not leave me alone. I wanted a wider audience than I could achieve on my own as a self-pub title. My dream was to see that book at Scholastic book fairs in schools across the country. I wrote a five book series, plus an extensive marketing plan, however that book did not sell to a traditional publishing house through a literary agent.
It’s time to move on to Plan B. I still feel passionate about this character, even after six years. I’m not giving up yet.
The next leap is alone as an Authorpreneur. Back to square one, but not really. I’ve learned so much along the way and I kept writing.
I am reminded of the first day of a creative writing course taught by NYTimes and USA Today bestselling author, Jodi Thomas. That was 13 years ago. She told us,
“A successful writer is willing to do that
which an unsuccessful writer is not willing to do.”
It’s a slight bend in the road and maybe a hill or two…the writing journey continues.
Wordsmith Six 