Middle Grade Mondays

Authors Reviewing Authors

by Natalie Bright

Writers write and writers read. And most successful writers I know read a lot, which brings me to the question of book reviews.

Should authors be reviewing other authors? The messages are mixed.

Some say no because if you’re going to do a book review, you need to be honest. If you have to give a bad review, why would you want to jeopardize relationships with other authors?  There are professional reviewers who can give honest, unbiased reviews of books. That is their job. The point being, do you want to write novels or post reviews?

The other side argues why wouldn’t you want to help a local author or friend? The gesture will be returned in kind, and everyone wins with the additional promotion. One author told me she only gives blurbs or reviews if she is absolutely blown away by the story and by the writing talent. Most authors post reviews for their friends and the question remains if they’ve taken the time to even read it.

Goodreads

I am beginning to rely on Goodreads more and more. It’s like a humongous book club where everyone loves stories and books, and those that don’t like a book aren’t afraid to say so. I read a lot, and I usually post reviews for stories that I absolutely love. For every book I love there are probably two or three that I couldn’t get past the first chapter, which makes me sad. Does that give me license to trash that author’s work? I don’t think so.

Most certainly eBooks have become an impulse buy and in my opinion, GoodReads offers varied and honest opinions to guide me in my purchases. My eReader is running over and that’s a good thing. It’s a wonderful time to be a book junky.

Subjective Opinions

The shocking realization that publishing is such a highly subjective business and that people are so varied in their personal tastes came to light for me through a contest which is why I’ve learned to take book reviews with a grain of salt. One of my very first middle grade manuscripts was submitted to two different contests with varying results many, many years ago.

The first had a $50 contest fee, and came back with scathing comments. This judge did not like my characters, the setting, with the added notation that this should NEVER be in print even as a manuscript. Seriously, one entire page, single-spaced, of why and how much he detested this story. My investment to learn about story craft came back as hate mail.

The second entry had a $20 fee and won honorable mention! The judge provided solid feedback and even included a copy of her edit checklist sheet. Because of this successful author’s gracious and helpful critique, I kept writing. This particular story is stashed away somewhere, and thank goodness I didn’t obsess over the other contest results too long. Negative energy only distracts me from reaching my goals and stops my writing in its tracks. Don’t let those subjective opinions get you off track to achieving your dreams.

Everything you write makes you an even better writer the next day, week, month, and into years. You’ll be amazed at how your writing changes from just over a months time. Some readers will like your work and some readers may hate it.

Keep writing, keep improving. There are never enough good stories out there, in my opinion.

Thanks for Following our Blog

Good luck and Happy New Years, and thanks to all of you who have followed this blog, WordsmithSix, during the past year. We really appreciate you. Sending out our best wishes that you achieve your writing goals in 2013!

www.nataliebright.com

Goal Setting for Writers

By Natalie Bright

Why Set Goals?

For writers, I think visuals are important. Keeping daily logs on the words you crank out is certainly a necessary target. Other than putting pen to paper, there is so much more to this writing business. And if you want success, you have to take an active part in the entire process. (In a future blog, I’ll talk about ways to measure your progress.)

Be establishing long term goals, you are able to consider the big picture of what you hope to achieve. Will you be working on that same novel five, even ten, years from now?

Goal Setting Worksheet

Our critique group uses a worksheet. Make your goals simple and specific, things that you can actually visualize yourself achieving. Making the New York Times Bestselling list is probably not realistic if you’re a beginning writer.

3 in 24:

Identify 3 times in a 24-hour period to Write.

For example:

1. Wake-up one hour early and write.

2. Skip lunch with coworkers and write only new words on WIP Monday-Thursday.

3. Stay up late at least one hour on Friday, Sat., and Sun. to work on edits or blogs.

Study your list. Can you visualize yourself actually accomplishing these tasks? Can you see yourself with pen in hand or typing at the keyboard at the times and places you’ve chosen? Setting achievable goals equals success.

Realistic Attainable Goals:

Make a list of at least four goals you hope to accomplish within the next year.

Achievable goals would be defined as something you can definitely complete, to measure your progress and give you a sense of accomplishment that your writing career is moving forward. This could be things like writing and polishing an entry for a contest, or completing a submission for an anthology. Be specific; what contest? Don’t know of any? Find one and list it on your goals sheet.

How about a notation to subscribe to a market listing for magazines?  Your goal will be to actively study submission opportunities and submit X number of freelance articles during 2013.

What about your goals in social media and promotion? These are difficult to measure because the connections you make this year may not reap benefits for months, even years from now. I’ve had invitations to speak come from a contacts I made years before at a chance meeting.

You can define specific activities, for example, actively participating on twitter during the next year, setting up a Facebook fan page, or uploading your inspiration to a Pinterest page. Authors are utilizing Pinterest in unique ways and it’s loads of fun.

Dreaming Big

Add to your worksheet one “dream big” goal. List something you hope to achieve that seems totally impossible. Go ahead and put the “NYT Bestselling list” here if that’s what you want more than anything.

I’m excited to announce that my dream big goal from way back in 2010 was realized this past year in 2012: I signed with a literary agent. Don’t be shy or doubt your abilities. Dream away.

Best wishes on reaching your writing goals in 2013, and thanks for following WordsmithSix Blog.

http://www.nataliebright.com