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AuthorPreneur: That would be YOU!

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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.

When I’m Feeling Stumped

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

When I’m Feeling Stumped

By Nandy Ekle

I’ll admit it. I’ve been stumped for quite a while. I’ve been stuck with hundreds of beginnings to hundreds of good ideas that fizzled about three pages in. I have been at the point of being embarrassed to bring my WIP to the critique meeting because it’s usually a page and half to three pages that actually sound like a bunch of random words strung together. And then the next meeting I bring a different one and half to three pages of a different drivel.

And then I discovered I was out of new stories on my audible books, and being between paydays, I couldn’t get a new one just yet. Time to re-listen to some of my favorites. And a couple of fiction stories that were a lot of fun to hear again. I listened to Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King, and The Pleasure of My Company by Steve Martin. Both of those are cute, fun, and incredibly brilliant.

So I swiped through my audible library again and my finger stopped on On Writing by Stephen King. Now I’ve probably read that paperback book at least three times, and I liked it enough that I also got the audible version. And I know I’ve listened to the audible more than once. But it’s been a while. So I reloaded it. And I’m so glad I did. As much as I love words, play with words, learn new words, and make up my own words, I’m not sure there’s a word that says exactly how inspiring Mr. King’s book is for me.

And the really fun part is this. I’ve been researching for yet another beginning of another new story. My story is based on an old song that I grew up listening to from my dad’s records. And I’ve had the story completed in my head for a while. However I’ve had to learn a whole new culture just so I can write the starting scene. So I have say that I chose the perfect timing to listen to Mr. King’s On Writing.

I just want everyone out there to hear me. Please read this book. One reading will be enough, but it’s like potato chips. You can never have it just once.

Congratulations. You have just received a post card from the muse.

Avoid the Cliché

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Avoid the Cliché

by Rory C. keel

Teachers of the writing craft are unanimous about avoiding the cliché. Have you heard that one before?

A cliché is the use of phrases or expressions that are overused to the point of losing the desired effect of the intended meaning.

One example might be “Are you a man or a mouse?”

While you may want to express the level of strength or fear in your character to that of a small animal, to use this phrase would show lack of originality in your writing. Try to find other words that will demonstrate the meaning and will bring originality to your writing.

It’s in the Rocks

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Outtakes 259

It’s in the Rocks

by Cait Collins

 

My current novel’s hero is a gemologist and jewelry designer. Like most of us, he has favorite stones. While many people are attracted to high quality gem stones, Sean enjoys what used to be called semi-precious gems. He is drawn to garnets, the quartz colors, topaz, carnelian, and agates. Question is does he believe stones have magic properties?

Throughout the ages, powers and properties have been assigned to gem stones and rocks. A simple example is the wearing of green gems to aid in the search for wealth. So if I were headed to a job interview or a casino, I’d be sure to wear an emerald, green tourmaline, chrome diopside, Helenite, or green jade. I own all but the chrome diopside, and am still a working girl. So should I believe the believers in magic? I don’t know, but I will be wearing a tourmaline ring and bracelet next time I go to the casino. I also keep a bowl of multi-colored tumble stones in an antique jadeite bowl, not because I believe they have ritual powers. I keep them because their varied colors are beautiful and peaceful.

Here are some other examples of gems’ magical properties.

Alexandrite      Love and Luck

Amber             Luck, Healing, Strength, Protection, Beauty, Love

Amethyst        Dreams, Healing, Psychism, Peace, Love, Protection against thieves; Courage, Happiness

Aquamarine     Peace, Courage, Purification

Azurite                        Dreams, Divinations, Healing

Beryl               Love, Healing, Energy, Anti-Gossip

Carnelian         Peace, Protection, Eloquence, Healing, Courage, Sexual Energy

Chalcedony     Peace, Anti-Nightmare, Travel

Citrine             Anti-nightmare, Protection

Coral               Wisdom

Quartz             Protection, Healing, Power

Diamond         Spirituality, Protection, Courage, Peace, Reconciliation, Strength

Emerald           Love, Money, Mental powers, Exorcism, Eyesight

Garnet             Healing, Strength

Jade                 Longevity, Wisdom, Prosperity

Lapis Lazuli    Joy, Fidelity

Moonstone     Sleep, Youth, Dieting

Onyx               Protection, Defensive Magic

Opal                Beauty, Money, Luck

Ruby               Wealth, Power, Joy

Sapphire          Meditation, Peace, Power, Money

Tiger’s-Eye     Energy, Luck

Topaz             Weight-loss, Money

Tourmaline      Friendship, Health, Courage

These are a few of the stones suggested to have magical powers. Powers and properties can be enhanced or changed depending on the color of the stone.

So let’s say your character is fixated on health and longevity. Which gems would he carry on his person? What about wealth and power? Or wisdom? Do believers carry their talismans openly or are they hidden beneath layers of clothing?

Are there stones that have negative energies? The Hope Diamond comes to mind. The beautiful blue diamond is reported to be bad luck as some of its owners have died while the gem was in their possession. And opals are said to be bad luck for those who dare to wear opals if it is not their birthstone. A treasure of Columbian emeralds brought wealth to the Atocha divers, but treasure came with a price.

Based on this limited information, imagine the possibilities of having a gem as a character in one of your stories. You can even give the jewel a name. It might make the stone more powerful and energized.

Singing and Dancing in the Rain

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Outtakes 258

Singing and Dancing in the Rain

by Cait Collins

 

The Texas Panhandle is flat as far as the eye can see, but about 25 or 30 miles south of Amarillo, the grassy Plains drop off into Palo Duro Canyon. It’s amazing the abrupt change in the landscape.

Palo Duro Canyon is the second largest canyon system in the United States, second only to the Grand Canyon. Much of the canyon is privately owned and not open to the public. But Palo Duro Canyon State Park is operated by the State of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. It’s a beautiful place to camp, hike, and enjoy nature. It is also the home of the Pioneer Amphitheatre and the musical drama T*E*X*A*S.

I don’t go every year, but I do attend a performance every few years. Last Friday evening, my nephew, his three kids, and I braved threatening weather to see the play. We were about half way to the canyon when rain drops began splashing against the windshield. The shower was brief, so we had hopes everything would be great. No such luck. It misted, sprinkled, or rained from the middle of the first act to the end of the show. We were wet and chilled, but the show was still stunning. The thunder and lightning only added to the spectacle.

I am always impressed with the talent and professionalism of the cast and crew. No matter the weather or the adversities, these gifted men, women, and children adhere to the old adage, “The show must go on”. They were as wet and cold as the members of the audience, but they smiled and thanked the theater-goers for attending.

My question is how do we as writers maintain our professionalism when faced with rejection, criticism, and lack of support? Do we write nasty blogs about the agent or editor who rejected a query? Do we toss the manuscript into the trash? Or refuse to work on another piece for months because no one understands our artistic musings?

I won’t say writing is easy or always fun, but if we choose to be writers, then shouldn’t we also choose to be professional? Do we want an agent to remember that we accepted his rejection graciously? Of course we do. But if we storm off we will be remembered but not in a positive way.

I choose to be a writer; therefore, I must also choose to act in a manner that makes a positive impression on those I meet. The bottom line is attitude and actions can make or break a career.

I wonder how they used to do it?

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I wonder how they used to do it?

Rory C. Keel

I thought I would write a few observations. We are surrounded by such a diverse assortment of super technology. For example, we have smart phones that are so powerful they can interrupt a personal, face-to-face conversation with an individual, and allow us to talk, text and send pictures simultaneously around the globe to multiple unseen individuals.

Computers are now a way of life. They check our spelling and grammar and make learning the many beautiful loops of cursive penmanship once taught in schools obsolete. And what is a pen anyway?

We sit in dark rooms like hermits, wearing our pajamas,  tangled hair and unshaven, and faces with no makeup, and with the push of a button circle the globe. We gather information on places we would love to go, and things we want to do–if we ever got dressed and left our home.

The sun is no longer needed to determine which direction is north, south, east or west. Grown men who stubbornly refuse to listen to their zealous wives give them directions will react, without hesitation, to the soft and sultry female voice of a GPS system, accepting every command without question.

With vehicles that can automatically parallel park, the useful skills needed in backing automobiles are forgotten, and the rearview mirror that automatically adjusts to the lighting, is relegated to review our hair, lipstick, or to check for pimples.

The aeronautics industry is also awe-inspiring. The kid down the block that used to chase the other children, dive-bombing them with his remote control airplane, is still in his backyard chasing the Taliban on the other side of the world with remote war drones.

Speed has not always been a friend to avionics. The world’s fastest commercial passenger jet, the Concord, is now retired. The expense of chasing itself around the world was too high. Crossing the International Date Line, it could arrive at its destination tomorrow, and come back yesterday.

The truly amazing thing about all the technology that we experience today is that it causes us to ask questions. But the most frequent question I hear today is not, “How will we do things in the future?” but, “I wonder how they used to do it?”

As an exercise, write about a few things in your past that have changed.

Roryckeel.com

MY CHARACTER LEFT ME

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MY CHARACTER LEFT ME

By Natalie Bright

Writing an entire novel is the most wonderful, soul-changing, frustrating, dreaded task you’ll ever tackle. In fact, I once said that I’d never writer a book. My articles and short stories were enough for me.

Several years ago I started a lovely historical story with a 16 year old protagonist targeted to YA market. The suggestion was made that I consider dropping her age to 12 or 13. I rewrote it, and now I have two 7,000+ word manuscripts. I never finished either. Both versions seem wrong, leaving me uninspired and frustrated. Where did my main character go? Will she ever emerge again?

Write.

SHE’S BACK…

These past several months, this character has been nagging me a lot. She still holds much mystery for me and I must know more about her and the time of her life. The historical period continues to hold much intrigue. I see her as a young girl, on the verge of being woman. I see her being involved in a forbidden love, so a 13 year old is not going to work. YES! I SEE her and she’s getting clearer every day. As to her exact age, I haven’t a clue. Both versions are a muddle in my head.

Note to self: Don’t question the why. I have a beginning and I have an ending. I need to make a list of possible conflict that she must overcome. I will write the scenes in my head, no matter the order. Make it to the end. With the help of my WordsmithSix group, we’ll make it tidy and tight.

Write more.

CRITIQUE THAT MAY STEER YOU WRONG

I’m not saying that it was a waste of my time to rewrite the book with a younger protagonist. Maybe it will help me see the main character and her journey more clearly. At this point, who am I trying to please? The answer: me.

Take writing advice with a grain of salt. In the end you’re the author and only you can make the final decision. Absolutely, make that scary leap and let other people read your work before you publish. I know that you’ve dug to the depths of your soul and sweated over your pages for months and months, perhaps years.

Step back. Listen carefully to your trusted beta readers. Consider all of the possibilities, but in the end you have the final say.

LET’S BEGIN AGAIN

I’m starting over. For the third pass I’ll use elements from both versions. My gut is telling me this story has potential. Hopefully, I can find the heart of the story and it will emerge from the mess I’ve made. This will be a great project for NaNoMo in November, and I’m going to reach the end this time. Phew. I feel so much better about this. Thanks for listening, WordsmithSix!

Just.

Keep.

Writing.

 

Story Exploded

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

Story Exploded

By Nandy Ekle

It happened again. I woke up listening to a voice telling me an adventure. As the words scrolled across the great movie screen in my head, I realized that would make an amazing story. Probably ten or fifteen pages, a nice juicy short story at best.

As a “pantser” (one who writes “by the seat of their pants”), trying not to do so much planning that all the fun turns into a fill-in-the blank, essay-ish type of work, I took out my trusty computer, opened the word processor and let my fingers transcribe the scenes playing out in my head.

And then I came to a decision-making moment. Sometimes this is where I get locked down, waiting for the characters to tell me what comes next. Most of the time I can see the scenes clearly, but the transitions between the scenes is the muddy white noise part of the brain-feed movie going on. So I have to think for a minute. This is usually not wise if I want a short story because a lot can happen in a decision-making moment.

In this story I began to see twists and turns multiply to look like a roller coaster gone haywire. The hidden truths I will build to are good ones. In fact, I broke out in goosebumps and giggled like an insane madwoman every time a new twist popped up.

Research. I needed to research a couple of things I knew nothing about. And I had to research some things I knew a little about, and one or two things I completely understood, but wanted to find a way to connect to the new things I would be learning. And all the while a new secret would wink at me and I would giggle a little more.

So now I look at my “short story” and realize it’s a good tale, but it exploded into an outright novel. Only, I absolutely don’t want to say it out loud because the muse will pack up and leave me holding a paper cutout of my character in one hand and an dry ink pen in the other.

So, for the moment, we will continue to call this a short story.

Congratulations. You have just received a post card from the muse.

Malapropism

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Malapropism

by Adam Huddleston

 

Here’s another quick literary term to add to your repertoire: malapropism. It is defined as the use of an incorrect word (with a similar sound) for a correct one.

Why would you do this?

It can be used to show that the speaker is confused, upset, or otherwise impaired. It is important to understand that in order to be effective, the two words must be similar in sound or structure.

For example, in “Much Ado About Nothing” a character states: “Our watch, sir, have indeed comprehended two auspicious persons.” In this case, the speaker substituted comprehended for apprehended.

I hope this helps in your writing!

A Glimpse of the Past

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Outtakes 256

A Glimpse of the Past

by Cait Collins

 

I’ve come to realize how pampered I am. The boiler system for my apartment complex broke down and we’ve been without hot water for several days. Frustrating, absolutely. I’m so used to turning on the tap and out comes an unlimited amount of hot water. But for the past few days, I’ve had to get up half an hour early to heat water for a bath and to wash my hair. The inconvenience caused me to think about times when hot, running water was not available.

Think about early settlers who had to dig a well, draw the water, and build a fire to heat the water. Imagine a 100 degree Texas Panhandle afternoon, stoking the fireplace just to have hot water. It gives new meaning to Saturday night baths.

Our forefathers were made of sterner stuff. No grocery stores to provide fresh produce and butchered meat. Of course not. They tilled the soil, planted seeds, and nurtured the growing plants. The harvest was canned or preserved to provide food during the moths between the harvests. As a child, I helped weed our garden. We’d buy vegetables from roadside stands, and mom would rope all of us into shelling peas and snapping beans. She’d can or freeze the prepared veggies. She made pickles, jams, and jelly. I think of the hours my mother spent making sure her family had good food to eat.

I wish I’d listened to the stories of hog butchering and wringing a chicken’s neck. Or grinding meat into sausage and stuffing the ground meat into casings. Maybe if I had listened, I would better appreciate what I have now.

And maybe, I could use that knowledge to spice up some characters. Think about the hermit who has chosen to live in an area where there is no indoor plumbing, no electricity, and no running water. The closest water is the creek that’s a couple of hundred yards away. In the winter, snow is melted for drinking water. How would I describe him? How would I structure his day? What made him decide to live without modern conveniences? There are so many possibilities for this scenario.

I do not long for the good old days. I like my creature comforts. That doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate my forefathers and their “can do” attitudes. It makes me wonder what they’d think of their children. I’ll also admit I’ve been pretty grump these past few mornings. But there is a silver lining to the inconvenience. At least I didn’t have to haul the water from the nearest playa lake. Man, I don’t even want to think about that.