To Self-Publish, or Not to Self-Publish—The “Mommy Wars” of the Publishing World

This post was inspired by an article by Terri Guiliano Long, published on May 16 in Indie Reader. The article also appeared that same day in the Huffington Post.

These days, choosing between self-publishing or traditional publishing is becoming a bigger question for authors. With the meteoric rise of e-books comes the opportunity for everybody and their brother to write a book and upload it to online retailers such as Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and others, not to mention selling the books on their own websites.

Self-publishing hard copies is also easier than ever. Amazon’s Createspace is popular with many authors, and even more are finding local printers to turn out paper books to sell at author events.

I say good for them.

Certainly, the days when “vanity publishing”, as it used to be called, is an automatic ticket out of the serious writers pool are mostly gone, but authors who choose to self-publish are still being treated by many as the step-children of the writing world.

Although the stigma is getting smaller, authors are still accused of self-publishing only because traditional publishers have rejected their work, and it was rejected because it was bad. True, and not true. Yes, many authors turn to self-publishing after they’ve received rejection after rejection. But books are not always rejected because they’re bad. Publishing is a business, and books are often rejected for business reasons. Publishers may believe that a book may not sell enough to make their investment worthwhile or they may have reached their quota for how many books they want to publish in that year. Some writers, although they have written a good story, haven’t done their homework and choose a publisher that may not work with the genre of the book, and so they find a polite “no thanks” in their mailbox. None of that means the book isn’t good.

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Flying By the Seat of My Pants

Today’s post is experimental. I almost never write directly on the blog; I write what I want to say in a Word document first. Some days I spend more or less time polishing it than others, but I always do some reviewing and editing.

Not today. Today I have so much to do, and so little energy, that I will either write directly here or not at all.

I had a nice chat with my Daddy on Skype this morning. I told him I was getting ready for work. Work? Daddy was confused. I retired nearly four years ago. But yes, I am working again. A dream job for a writer and voracious reader! I am now working at our tiny town’s awesome indie bookstore, From My Shelf Books ( http://www.wellsborobookstore.com/ ). They moved from a small, basement-level space to a large, airy, building on the best corner of downtown Wellsboro, and I’m happy to say that I recently joined the staff.

Daddy kept insisting that I didn’t really grasp the concept of retirement, if I was preparing to go to “work.” I was finally able to convince him that since the point of retirement is to be able to do what you enjoy, I had a firm grasp on how to spend my “golden years.” (Truth be told, I think I’m only as far as silver years, but that’s beside the point.)

Anyway, the conversation stayed with me, and it brought me back to some thoughts I’d had a while ago. It seems that I never, ever have enough time to do everything I “must” do. I have more books on my to-read list than hours in the coming year. There is a stack of books that either I want to read and review, or I’ve promised others I would review. And I swear, I will get to that biography of Albert Einstein that has been mocking me for the past eleven months.

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The 2012 Version of “Dangling Conversation”

Here we sit, Husband in his easy chair and I in my recliner, our matching laptops resting on our upright knees.

I can’t help but think of the old Simon and Garfunkel song “Dangling Conversation”, but instead of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost, husband reads online newspapers and I concentrate on a book in my Nook app.

Years ago, each of us would have paper newspapers and paper books propped up on our legs or spread out across our laps.

Now, we sit like bookends with laptops, with instant access to information at our fingertips in the background behind our documents.

Husband has a question about something in a newspaper article? In two seconds, Google answers him. I think I detect a factual error in the book I’m reading? Within thirty seconds, I’ve verified that I am, indeed, correct.

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How Do You Define Success as an Author, and How Do You Pay for It?

There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Or, as I like to put it, there’s a price for everything.

In January, I set my writing goals for this year—publish at least one of the two novels I have in first-draft form; find another outlet to get paid for writing essays and articles, since ViewsHound went belly-up; and figure out what I want to do about writing book reviews.

All things being equal, I would love to write a novel that makes all the bestsellers lists. I’d love to go shopping for fancy new clothes to wear as I make the rounds of all the morning news shows promoting my book. It would be so cool if I had to change my phone number to unlisted to avoid the endless number of calls from avid fans. Wouldn’t it be nice to have to decide on how much to charge for speaking fees? (Actually, I have been asked several times what my fee is for reading my kids’ book Tales From Shrimps at day care centers. That is always a rush! [I have no fee; I’m thrilled to be invited.])

But all things are not equal. In the world of writing, as in most other aspects of life, you do not succeed simply by writing a great book. In fact, it seems like writing the book is the easiest part of the journey to becoming a published author.

I participate in several Facebook author/writer groups, some for support and others devoted to sharing the mechanics of self-publishing and marketing techniques. Others emphasize readying books to be submitted to agents and publishers. Blog posts and writing journals and classes abound, offering numerous perspecitives on what writers must, or must not, do (and sometimes, the advice from different sources contradict others).

One of the biggest requirements of achieving success these days is the concept of buliding your platform. An author must have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and all the other latest social media outlets.  Numbers are important. How many followers do you have on your fan page? How many Twitter followers do you have? How many blog hits do you get? What’s your Klout score?

Once your book is published, the number chase turns to rankings. Sales rank on Amazon, paid downloads, free downloads, Goodreads members’ to-read shelves. How many stars does your book get in reviews. The higher these numbers, the more successful you are.

Or are you? More importantly, is that what success means to me?

I see how very hard authors work to attain those numbers. They spend an inordinate amount of time analyzing their numbers and determining how to increase them. And those efforts are built around the time they spend actually writing; working a day job; going to school; and taking care of kids, pets, and sometimes parents. I often wonder when they have time to sleep.

I’m happy to see others achieve whatever measure of success they are working towards; they work hard and they deserve it. But I’m not sure that these measures of success matter to me enough to pay the price, because the price is high.

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Come Back, Come Back, Wherever You Are

Ugh. I didn’t expect this. I haven’t written anything since early December, and my head has been nearly bursting with ideas. But I have been going back and forth from this keyboard for hours, and so far, this paragraph is all I’ve been able to put down.

I don’t think I should have let the muse take some time off. I gave her what I thought was an inch and she seems to be miles gone. I’m sure she’s somewhere warmer, on a beach, sipping a mojito. Or maybe she’s opted for something more adventurous, like an African safari. Although, if she comes back telling me she saw the Northern Lights without me, there’s going to be hell to pay.

Or maybe she’s having a romantic tryst. If so, she should come back with plenty of inspiration for me to edit my two WIPs (works-in-progress). Hot nights on the beach, making love in the moonlight, perhaps? Who could she be with? Somebody tall, dark, and handsome? I wonder what his name is. I wonder what he does for a living. It would be nice if he were a cop; although there’s not a big police presence in my thriller, a little more knowledge about police procedure couldn’t hurt.

If she really wants to help me, she could be at a shooting range, learning all she can about handguns. A gun plays a big role in the thriller, and I’ve never touched a gun. I know nothing about which gun to use, how it feels in your hand, how it feels when you pull the trigger, how does the person you shoot fall down. I’m pretty sure I can polish up the romantic parts myself, but I do need help with the gun stuff.

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“In Leah’s Wake” Social Media Whirlwind Tour–Thursday

Announcing the In Leah’s Wake Social Media Whirlwind Tour! Today’s post is an interview with Terri, you don’t want to miss this!

After you take a look at how you can enter for some awesome prizes, scroll on down to meet Terri!

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the In Leah’s Wake eBook edition has dropped to just 99 cents this week.

What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including Amazon gift cards of up to $500 in amount and 5 autographed copies of the book. Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, December 16th, so you don’t miss out.

To Win the Prizes

1. Purchase your copy of In Leah’s Wake for just 99 cents on Amazon or Barnes & Noble
2. Fill-out the form on Novel Publicity to enter for the prizes
3. Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book or a $50 gift card!
4. BONUS: If you leave a comment on this blog post, you have another chance at $100!

…And I can win too!

Over 100 bloggers are participating in this gigantic event, and there are plenty of prizes for us too. The blogger who receives the most votes in the traffic-breaker poll will win a $100 gift card as well. So when you visit Novel Publicity’s site to fill-out the contest entry form, don’t forget to say that I referred you, so I can get a point in the poll.

The Featured Events include:

Monday, Radio Interview with Novel Publicity! We’re kicking-off on the Novel Publicity Free Advice blog. We interviewed Terri on our radio show Sunday night and have embedded the full podcast and blogged about its highlights. Give it a listen and then leave a comment on the blog post. This is a great chance to get to know more about this inspiring and friendly author. One commenter will win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to enter for the other contest prizes while you’re over there!

Tuesday, Twitter sharing contest! A tweet is tiny, only 140 characters. But on Tuesday, it could win you $50. Send the following tweet across the twittersphere, and you just may win a $50 Amazon gift card. An autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake is also up for grabs. The winner will be announced Wednesday morning. Here’s the tweet: In Leah’s Wake has taken the publishing world by storm. Get the book for just 99 cents http://ow.ly/7WP5H #whirlwind

Wednesday, Google+ sharing contest! Yup, there’s yet another awesome opportunity to win a $50 Amazon gift card, and this time it just takes a single click! Visit Google+ and share Emlyn Chand’s most recent post (you’ll see the In Leah’s Wake book cover included with it). On Thursday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. An autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake is also up for grabs. Three chances to win! How about that?

Thursday, Facebook sharing contest! Stop by Novel Publicity’s Facebook page and share their latest post (you’ll see the In Leah’s Wake book cover included with it). It’s ridiculously easy to win! On Friday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. An autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake is also up for grabs.

Friday, special contest on the author’s site! Win a $500 Amazon gift card, simply by leaving a comment on Terri’s most recent blog post. Yup, you read that correctly—$500! How easy is that? An autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake is also up for grabs.

 

Remember, it’s all about the books!

About In Leah’ Wake: The Tyler family had the perfect life – until sixteen-year-old Leah decided she didn’t want to be perfect anymore. While her parents fight to save their daughter from destroying her brilliant future, Leah’s younger sister, Justine, must cope with the damage her out-of-control sibling leaves in her wake. What happens when love just isn’t enough? Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

About the Author: Terri Giuliano Long grew up in the company of stories both of her own making and as written by others. Books offer her a zest for life’s highs and comfort in its lows. She’s all-too-happy to share this love with others as a novelist and a writing teacher at Boston College. She was grateful and thrilled beyond words when her award-winning debut literary novel, In Leah’s Wake, hit the Barnes and Noble and Amazon bestseller lists in August. She owes a lot of wonderful people – big time! – for any success she’s enjoyed! Visit her on her website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.

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“In Leah’s Wake” Whirlwind Social Media Tour–Wednesday

Announcing the In Leah’s Wake Social Media Whirlwind Tour!

Today’s feature is a guest post from Terri! Welcome Terri, I’m honored to have you visit!

Take a look at the chances for some great prizes, and then read on to hear from Terri.

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the In Leah’s Wake eBook edition has dropped to just 99 cents this week.

What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including Amazon gift cards of up to $500 in amount and 5 autographed copies of the book. Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, December 16th, so you don’t miss out.

To Win the Prizes

1. Purchase your copy of In Leah’s Wake for just 99 cents on Amazon or Barnes & Noble
2. Fill-out the form on Novel Publicity to enter for the prizes
3. Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book or a $50 gift card!
4. BONUS: If you leave a comment on this blog post, you have another chance at $100!

…And I can win too!

Over 100 bloggers are participating in this gigantic event, and there are plenty of prizes for us too. The blogger who receives the most votes in the traffic-breaker poll will win a $100 gift card as well. So when you visit Novel Publicity’s site to fill-out the contest entry form, don’t forget to say that I referred you, so I can get a point in the poll.

The Featured Events include:

Monday, Radio Interview with Novel Publicity! We’re kicking-off on the Novel Publicity Free Advice blog. We interviewed Terri on our radio show Sunday night and have embedded the full podcast and blogged about its highlights. Give it a listen and then leave a comment on the blog post. This is a great chance to get to know more about this inspiring and friendly author. One commenter will win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to enter for the other contest prizes while you’re over there!

Tuesday, Twitter sharing contest! A tweet is tiny, only 140 characters. But on Tuesday, it could win you $50. Send the following tweet across the twittersphere, and you just may win a $50 Amazon gift card. An autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake is also up for grabs. The winner will be announced Wednesday morning. Here’s the tweet: In Leah’s Wake has taken the publishing world by storm. Get the book for just 99 cents http://ow.ly/7WP5H #whirlwind

Wednesday, Google+ sharing contest! Yup, there’s yet another awesome opportunity to win a $50 Amazon gift card, and this time it just takes a single click! Visit Google+ and share Emlyn Chand’s most recent post (you’ll see the In Leah’s Wake book cover included with it). On Thursday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. An autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake is also up for grabs. Three chances to win! How about that?

Thursday, Facebook sharing contest! Stop by Novel Publicity’s Facebook page and share their latest post (you’ll see the In Leah’s Wake book cover included with it). It’s ridiculously easy to win! On Friday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. An autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake is also up for grabs.

Friday, special contest on the author’s site! Win a $500 Amazon gift card, simply by leaving a comment on Terri’s most recent blog post. Yup, you read that correctly—$500! How easy is that? An autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake is also up for grabs.

Remember, it’s all about the books!

About In Leah’ Wake: The Tyler family had the perfect life – until sixteen-year-old Leah decided she didn’t want to be perfect anymore. While her parents fight to save their daughter from destroying her brilliant future, Leah’s younger sister, Justine, must cope with the damage her out-of-control sibling leaves in her wake. What happens when love just isn’t enough? Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

About the Author: Terri Giuliano Long grew up in the company of stories both of her own making and as written by others. Books offer her a zest for life’s highs and comfort in its lows. She’s all-too-happy to share this love with others as a novelist and a writing teacher at Boston College. She was grateful and thrilled beyond words when her award-winning debut literary novel, In Leah’s Wake, hit the Barnes and Noble and Amazon bestseller lists in August. She owes a lot of wonderful people – big time! – for any success she’s enjoyed! Visit her on her website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.

What’s the Story, Morning Glory?

The Importance of Music and how it Inspired In Leah’s Wake

Although I find it too distracting to listen to music while I write, inspiration for my stories often arises from music. While I was writing In Leah’s Wake, songs brought me into the emotional state necessary to write difficult scenes. Songs set a mood, which helped me envision places, and songs helped me to identify and shape the book’s themes.

The novel opens with Zoe and Will listening to the Van Morrison song “Tupelo Honey,” a sweet love song that gives their relationship context by suggesting happier, better days. “Showdown at Big Sky,” which Will puts on the stereo next, foreshadows the problems on the horizon, and “Face in the Crowd” speaks to the profound loneliness Will feels as he waits up for Leah that night, imaging all the unthinkable horrors that might have befallen his daughter.

Later in the book, the song “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina,” from Evita, gave me a glimpse into Zoe’s fractured emotional state—remorse compelled by abiding love—as she drives home, wondering what to expect next from her rebellious teenage daughter: “I still need your love after all that I’ve done . . . I love you and I hope you love me . . .” “Stardog Champion” from Stardog Champion by Mother Love Bone, suggests power, so appropriate to the post-fight euphoria felt by Todd and Lupo after a showdown with Will.

Often, songs transport me to a place. Listening to Miles Davis one evening brought me, in my mind, to the coffeehouse Zoe visits with the policeman, Jerry Johnson. Music also helps me to clarify themes. One night, on our way home from dinner, my husband, Dave, played the Bruce Springsteen album Greetings From Asbury Park. The song “Growin’ Up” struck a nerve and I insisted on listening to it over and over. I saw Leah, a good kid, just trying to grow up and make her way in the world.

I heard “Champagne Super Nova,” from the Oasis CD What’s the Story? Morning Glory, when I stepped out of the shower one morning. Our house was wired for sound and Dave was playing the new CD he’d just bought. As with “Growin’ Up,” I insisted that he replay the song, and then replay it again. The pivotal scene, where Justine asks Leah for a cigarette and Leah allows her little sister to smoke, blossomed as I listened to the music.

As I wrote, music came to play a defining role in the book, and I would often search for the right music after writing a scene. The Liszt piano solo “Hungarian Rhapsodies” mirrors Zoe’s frenzied mind as she drives home from her motivational workshop, the day after Leah shows up drunk at 3:00 a.m., after a wild party. The same happened with “Paranoid Android,” from Okay Computer by Radiohead, “I’m On Fire,” from the Bruce Springsteen album Born in the USA, “Stardog Champion,” from Stardog Champion by Mother Love Bone, “I Loves You Porgy” from Porgy and Bess, and “Misguided Angel,” from The Trinity Session by the Cowboy Junkies.

Without music, In Leah’s Wake would be a very different – and for me, the writer, much less compelling book.

For those of you who, like me, find inspiration in music, here’s the soundtrack. Enjoy!

Soundtrack from In Leah’s Wake

“Growin’ Up,” Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ, Bruce Springsteen, Sony Records, 1972

“Tupelo Honey,” Tupelo Honey, Van Morrison, Polydor/Pgd, 1971

“Showdown At Big Sky,” Robbie Robertson, Robbie Robertson, Universal Int’l, 1987

“A Face In The Crowd,” Full Moon Fever, Tom Petty , MCA, 1989

“John Barleycorn,” John Barleycorn Must Die, Traffic, Island Records, 1970

“Not A Pretty Girl,” Not a Pretty Girl, Ani DiFranco, Righteous Babe, 1995

Hungarian Rhapsodies, Franz Liszt, Leslie Howard solo piano, Hyperion, 1999

“Testify,” The Battle of Los Angeles, Rage Against The Machine, Sony Records, 1999

“Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” Evita (Music From The Motion Picture), Madonna, Warner Bros./WEA, 1996

“The Ride of the Valkyries,” Wagner Without Words, Conducted by George Szell, Performed by the Cleveland Orchestra, Sony Records, 1991

“Chase The Blues Away,” Morning Glory: The Tim Buckley Anthology, Tim Buckley, Elektra/ WEZ, 1966

“Champagne Supernova,” (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, Oasis, Sony, 1995

“The Candy Shop,” The Massacre, Fifty Cent, Aftermath, 2005

“Vital Transformation,” Inner Mounting Flame, The Mahavishnu Orchestra Jazz, Sony 1971

“Strawberry Fields Forever,” Magical Mystery Tour, The Beatles, Capitol Records, 1967

“Mozart Violin Concerto No. 5,” Mozart: The Five Violin Concertos by Itzhak Perlman violin, Weiner Philharmoniker and James Levine, Deutsche Grammophon, 1995

“Surrey With The Fringe on Top,” Steamin, Mile Davis, Prestige, 1956

“Come As You Are,” Nevermind, Nirvana, Geffen Records, 1991

“Paranoid Android,” Okay Computer, Radiohead, Capitol Records, 1997

“I’m On Fire,” Born in The USA, Bruce Springsteen, Sony, 1984

“Stardog Champion,” Stardog Champion, Mother Love Bone, Mercury/Universal, 1992

“I Loves You, Porgy,” The Melody At Night With You, Keith Jarrett, EMC Records, 1900

“Hasta Siempre, Witchi-Tai-To, Jan Garbarek and Bobo Stenson Quartet, EMC, 1973 Records

“As The Years Go Passing By,” Born Under a Bad Sign, Albert King, Stax, 1967

“Misguided Angel,” The Trinity Session, Cowboy Junkies, RCA Records, 1988

“Davidian,” Burn My Eyes, Machine Head, Roadrunner Records, 1994

“Here I Am, Lord,” Wonder, Love, and Praise, Daniel Schutte, New Dawn Music, 1981

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I Won NaNo–Now What?

Look, there to your right, see it? The NaNo 2011 winner’s badge!

Thirty days and 50,768 words later, I won NaNo. National Novel Writing Month—actually an international challenge to write a complete 50,000-word novel in thirty days—began again just one month ago. I entered for the second time, and for the first time, I “won” as it is called. Since NaNo is a challenge, not a contest, “winning” means you finish. The only prize is bragging rights, and this year I earned them.

I had champagne chilling, and, metaphorically speaking, shoes for dancing in the streets waiting by the door.

I thought it would be grueling. After all, there was a regular life going on in November, too. My grandson was christened out of town, resulting in several days without writing. Thanksgiving loomed, which is what did me in last year. I had made several commitments to be a host on blog tours of some very deserving books. And I had some personal appearances with my kids’ book Tales From Shrimps, as well as preparations for a big appearance with the book on December 3. This wasn’t going to be easy.

But I stayed strong, ignoring the growing mess in my house, handing over almost all household duties to my husband, almost never cooking.

And sure enough, Wednesday morning at approximately 11:15 a.m., I watched the word counter at the bottom of the page turn past 50,000. I didn’t stop exactly there; not only did I want to reach the word count, I also wanted to completely finish (in first draft form, of course), my entire story. And so I wrote on for several more paragraphs until I could finally type “The End.”

I immediately did a little jig, and jumped on Facebook to declare myself a winner. I was overwhelmed by all the congratulations and good wishes from family and friends, both fellow writers and “just plain” friends. People who have been a part of my life for, well, all of my life. And people who have entered my life in the last year or so since I started actively pursuing a writing career. I was so very touched by their celebration of my victory along with me.

But then, a funny thing happened. I asked my son who was home at the time if he wanted to share some champagne with me. He declined, and…I wasn’t all that disappointed. I felt like I should have been hurt to the core that my own flesh and blood barely noticed my humungous accomplishment, and yet, I wasn’t. In fact, what I really wanted to do was write some more. Not on this NaNo book; that is complete as it is, revisions will start in January. But I had other things waiting to be written—blog posts, a contest due that same day, articles for ViewsHound.

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Interview with Emlyn Chand, Author of Farsighted

Welcome! Today’s post is a first for me—an author interview. I’m excited to introduce you to Emlyn Chand, a multi-talented woman who is an up-and-coming player in the indie publishing world. Emlyn has become well-known as the founder, president, and force of nature behind Novel Publicity, a company that helps prepare books for publishing and/or promote the book after
it’s published.

Today, Emlyn is coming to us as an author herself. Her first book, Farsighted, was released
in e-version a few weeks ago; the print version is slated for release later this month.

It has been a real treat for me and for other NPNers, aka Emlyn’s merry band of clients and other admirers, to be participating in Emlyn’s own journey of book promotion. As the saying goes, the shoe is now on the other foot!

Each week during November, I’ll be featuring Emlyn and her adventure as a new author. Today, I start with an interview. I wanted to poke around and see if I could get even just a fleeting glimpse into the complex character she is. Come on and take a peek:

Of course we want to know about Farsighted—What’s the story about? How did you come up with the idea?

Farsighted tells the story of Alex Kosmitoras. Here’s my mini teaser:  Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still “see” things others can’t.  When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider.

Everything started with a single image—my face in these tacky oversized sunglasses reflecting out at me from the car’s side mirror. I was daydreaming while my husband drove us across Michigan for my sister’s wedding. Something about my image really struck me in an almost horrific way. I felt the glasses made me look blind but found it so weird that there was still a clear image within them; it seemed so contradictory. At the time, my book club was reading The Odyssey, which features the blind Theban prophet, Tieresias. I started thinking about what it would be like to have non-visual visions of the future and began forming a modern Tieresias in my mind. Lo and behold, Alex Kosmitoras was born. I didn’t want him to be alone in his psychic subculture, so I found other characters with other powers to keep him company. Thank God for my poor fashion sense.

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Friday Musings—NaNo Progress

All social media sites that I participate in are abuzz this week with NaNo—short for NaNoWriMo, which is, in turn, short for National Novel Writing Month.

Every November, NaNo challenges writers around the world to produce a 50,000-word novel in thirty days. Yep, thirty short days.

Although 50,000 words is shorter than a typical novel, it is still a monumental goal when you try to do it along with the rest of your life: day jobs, children, housework (at least enough to keep the health department at bay), cooking (if you can get someone else to do that for your household, go for it), not to mention Thanksgiving at the end of the month.

And yet, thousands of people across the globe eagerly accept the challenge, yours truly included.

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Friday Musings–Are You Ready for NaNo?

Are you ready for NaNo? I am. At least as ready as I’m going to be.

I did NaNo for the first time last year. I had no clue what was in store for me. I had been writing essays for this blog (actually an earlier version) for several months, and I was waiting for my children’s picture book, Tales From Shrimps www.talesfromshrimps.com, to be released in December. The only time novels ever entered my mind was when I was reading them.

I had heard, over and over and over, that writers needed to write EVERY DAY, SAME TIME, SAME STATION. I wasn’t doing that, so I was feeling pretty inadequate. I was trying to develop some discipline, but it wasn’t working. My writing was sporadic at best. I was writing only when inspiration hit me, and only with a big whack at that.

That’s when I heard of NaNo. About two weeks before it started. I decided on the spot that I was going to participate. I had no idea what I would write about until several days before November 1.

Do you realize how much WORK it is to write a novel? I didn’t, not even after reading for…well, let’s just say since kindergarten and not do the math right now.

You can’t write a novel just by waiting for inspiration. Really. I tried, but no dice. To get that word count up, I had to write every day, for a long time every day.

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Friday Musings–The Benefit of NOT Writing for a While

As some of you might know, I’m writing a novel. I started it last November as part of National Novel Writing Month. I’m about three-quarters the way through it. Recently, though, work on it had become slow. It didn’t seem to be going anywhere. I had a good beginning and an ending that I thought was great, but I couldn’t seem to connect the two in any meaningful way. But I had laid down the law to myself to finish it. I even made the deadline public, here on this blog and in a very well-received article published on www.viewshound.com. I was going to get that book done by the end of August by hook or by crook.

My husband and I took our daughter and grandbabies in without a conscious thought; it’s
what families do. The downside to me, though, was that I no longer had even one square inch of space, or time, to myself.

In the midst of all of this, I grudgingly accepted that I would have to set aside the novel
for a while and take care of the immediately pressing needs in front of me. I was sad; I felt like I was failing myself, and all those people who thought my advice was so good.

Then I read a very profound blog post by Karen Rowe. It started out sounding like a major warning about the dangers of not backing up your work. Karen told of how a recent computer crash wiped out her entire nearly finished book. Not a trace of it existed anywhere. As expected, she was
initially devastated. But her reaction next is nothing short of transforming.

Karen writes of how the experience liberated her. She, too, had been having difficulty with
where her book was going, which increasingly seemed to be nowhere, but she couldn’t let go of it, because, as Karen writes:

I see that I was hanging on too tightly to the IDEA of the book. My Ego was very
attached to its awesomeness. I had been talking about it so long, and had so
much invested that I was having a hard time letting go of it, even though it
wasn’t really working. My book had its own Facebook Fan page, its own Twitter
handle, a following of raving fans, and campaign partners all lined up to help
me with the Launch. It had the best title in the whole wide world. My book was
going to be wildly successful. I couldn’t possibly not write it. What would people
think??

When I read those words, I felt chills. This was how I had been feeling about my book.
Although I had published a children’s picture book last year, writing that had been a happy accident. My novel was what was going to make me a “real” writer. It was all I talked about. I went to writers’ groups. I wrote about writing it on my blog, on Facebook, and on Twitter. Being a writer of a novel had become my new identity.

And I had made PROMISES. To myself, to those writers’ groups, to my Facebook friends and
Twitter followers. I would be a fraud if I didn’t finish it by the deadline that I, alone, had set as if in stone.

But in the short time that it took to read Karen’s blog post, a peace settled on me. The deadline
I had set was arbitrary. I owed nothing to my friends, followers, and readers other than honesty. And the honesty was that at this point in time, I needed to set aside my novel. It’s tempting to say that the reason was the crisis with my daughter, but the truth is I was not going where I needed to go with the novel. I had lost the story, concentrating only on being able to shout to my world
that I FINISHED THE BOOK! I was deliberately throwing down crap just to get to the finish line.

And so I let it go. I gave it a kiss, tucked it to sleep, and said “I’ll be back when the time is right.”

Karen’s words made me realize that this temporary separation was not a failure. Instead, it was a sign of strength. I had the courage to stand up straight, throw my shoulders back, and say, “No, I am not currently working on my novel. I will again when the time is right, but for now, I need a break.” I didn’t feel like I was letting anyone down, least of all myself.

It has been a few weeks now. My daughter and her family have taken an apartment near their
home while they wait out the months of restoration ahead of them. It took me and my husband some time to get our house back in order; putting away toys, moving furniture back to their original places, tending our neglected garden.

A few days ago, I sat down with the novel for the first time in over a month. I read the most recent chapters to get back into the story and reacquaint myself with the characters. And then I started writing. Tentatively at first, but I soon found myself in a new rhythm. Not one of just throwing down words, but of working carefully to make the story right. The word count will come later, when the story, the right story, is finished.

I have plenty of writing knowledge. Heck, my undergraduate degree is in writing. I was a business writer and editor many years ago. Since I returned to writing, I have read more blog posts on writing advice than I can count and I follow the success stories of writers I admire. Writing I know. Perspective I didn’t.

Thank you, Karen Rowe, for what has turned out to be the best writing advice I’ve ever read. And, I suspect, some of the best life advice I’m likely to need, also.

 

 

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The Care and Feeding of Those Who Live with Writers

Living with a writer can be a treacherous way of life. Most people who live with a writer did not choose that path, just as most people who jump around in pain from the jellyfish sting they got on their last vacation did not choose that experience, either.

So, what do you do when five, ten, fifteen, or even thirty years later, you discover that the person who sleeps next to you (although not as often since she became a writer), makes you dinner (although not as often since she became a writer), cleans the house (although not as often since she became a writer) and makes mad passionate love with you (although not as often, oh wait, she still does that, but you’re not quite sure why she sometimes calls it “research”),  has, indeed, become a writer?

If you don’t already, you need to learn how to feed and care for yourself as quickly as possible. Your once-sane spouse/partner has turned into as much of a creature as those blood-sucking, shape-shifting, time-travelling characters she now writes about, among many others. She will no longer be doing, or even noticing the need for, any of the household duties she may have previously taken responsibility for.

If you want to eat, start watching the Food Network or get the local pizza delivery shop on speed dial. If you want clean clothes, learn to sort the lights from the darks and which clothes NEVER to put bleach in with. As far as a clean house, well, re-defining what you mean by “clean” is your best bet.

Your writer may often pop out of a sound sleep an

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Today’s Stop on the Social Media Whirlwind Tour for “In Leah’s Wake” is a Twitterview with the Author

If you’ve never read a “Twitterview”, today’s post is a great way to learn all about it. Scroll on down after the list of events to read the transcript of a previous Twitterview with Terri Guiliano Long, the author of “In Leah’s Wake.”

Announcing the In Leah’s Wake Social Media Whirlwind Tour—WooHoo!

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the In Leah’s Wake Kindle edition has dropped to just 99 cents this week.

What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including a Kindle, 5 autographed copies of the book, and multiple Amazon gift cards (1 for $100, 3 for $25, 5 for $10, and 10 for $5 – 19 in all)! Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, August 26^th, so you don’t miss out.

To win the prizes:

1. Purchase your copy of In Leah’s Wake for just 99 cents
2. Fill-out the form on the author’s site to enter for prizes
3. Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book!

And I can win $100 too if you vote for my blog over on the author’s website. The blog host that gets the most votes in this traffic-breaker polls wins, so please cast yours right after purchasing In Leah’s Wake and entering the contests!

The featured events include:

Monday, Blogaganza on Novel Publicity! We’re kicking-off on the Novel Publicity Free Advice blog. We’ll ask the writer 5 fun and random questions to get everyone talking. Leave a comment or question in response to the post, and you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to visit the author’s blog to enter for the other prizes!

Tuesday, Twitter chat with the author! Tweet with us between 4 and 5 PM Eastern Time, using the hashtag #emlyn. We’ll be talking with the author about her favorite books and best writing advice. Bring your questions about In Leah’s Wake and don’t forget to use #emlyn or to follow Terri @tglong. By joining in the tweet chat at the designated time, you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to visit the author’s blog to enter for the other prizes!

Wednesday, Google+ video chat with the author! Join our hangout between 12 and 3 PM Eastern Time to talk with the author and us via video chat. We’ll be gabbing about great books including In Leah’s Wake and about writing. Did you know that Terri is a creative writing instructor at Boston College? She’s got tons of good advice for aspiring writers. By joining in the Google+ video chat at the designated time, you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to visit the author’s blog to enter for the other prizes!

Thursday, Facebook interview with the author! Stop by Novel Publicity’s Facebook page and ask Terri questions. She’s chosen three of her favorite topics to talk about: writing, parenting, and gourmet cooking. Of course, you’re welcome to ask about In Leah’s Wake too. Leave a comment or question as part of the thread, and you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget tolike Terri’s Facebook page or to visit her blog to enter for the other prizes!

Friday, Fun & games based on the book! We want to close this whirlwind social media tour with a gigantic bang, which is why we’ve set-up two interactive book-themed features on the author’s blog. You can take the official Facebook quiz to find out which In Leah’s Wake character is most like you and learn how that character ties into the story. Then try out our crossroads story game. Throughout the course of the narrative, you’ll have several decisions to make. What you choose will affect the outcome of the story. Play as either rebellious teenager Leah or the trampled peacemaker and mother Zoe. Leave a comment or question on any of Terri’s blog entries, and you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to check out the other give-away contests while you’re on Terri’s blog!

About In Leah’s Wake: The Tyler family had the perfect life – until sixteen-year-old Leah decided she didn’t want to be perfect anymore. While Zoe and Will fight to save their daughter from destroying her brilliant future, Leah’s younger sister, Justine, must cope with the damage her out-of-control sibling leaves in her wake. Will this family survive? What happens when love just isn’t enough? Jodi Picoult fans will love this beautifully written and absorbing novel.

 

 

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Today’s Stop on the “In Leah’s Wake” Social Media Whirlwind Tour–An Interview with the Author

In addition to today’s event listed below, you’ll find an interview with Terri Guiliano Long a little further down. It’s worth a look!

Announcing the In Leah’s Wake Social Media Whirlwind Tour—WooHoo!

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the In Leah’s Wake Kindle edition has dropped to just 99 cents this week.

What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including a Kindle, 5 autographed copies of the book, and multiple Amazon gift cards (1 for $100, 3 for $25, 5 for $10, and 10 for $5 – 19 in all)! Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, August 26^th, so you don’t miss out.

To win the prizes:

1. Purchase your copy of In Leah’s Wake for just 99 cents
2. Fill-out the form on the author’s site to enter for prizes
3. Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book!

And I can win $100 too if you vote for my blog over on the author’s website. The blog host that gets the most votes in this traffic-breaker polls wins, so please cast yours right after purchasing In Leah’s Wake and entering the contests!

The featured events include:

Monday, Blogaganza on Novel Publicity! We’re kicking-off on the Novel Publicity Free Advice blog. We’ll ask the writer 5 fun and random questions to get everyone talking. Leave a comment or question in response to the post, and you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to visit the author’s blog to enter for the other prizes!

Tuesday, Twitter chat with the author! Tweet with us between 4 and 5 PM Eastern Time, using the hashtag #emlyn. We’ll be talking with the author about her favorite books and best writing advice. Bring your questions about In Leah’s Wake and don’t forget to use #emlyn or to follow Terri @tglong. By joining in the tweet chat at the designated time, you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to visit the author’s blog to enter for the other prizes!

Wednesday, Google+ video chat with the author! Join our hangout between 12 and 3 PM Eastern Time to talk with the author and us via video chat. We’ll be gabbing about great books including In Leah’s Wake and about writing. Did you know that Terri is a creative writing instructor at Boston College? She’s got tons of good advice for aspiring writers. By joining in the Google+ video chat at the designated time, you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to visit the author’s blog to enter for the other prizes!

Thursday, Facebook interview with the author! Stop by Novel Publicity’s Facebook page and ask Terri questions. She’s chosen three of her favorite topics to talk about: writing, parenting, and gourmet cooking. Of course, you’re welcome to ask about In Leah’s Wake too. Leave a comment or question as part of the thread, and you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget tolike Terri’s Facebook page or to visit her blog to enter for the other prizes!

Friday, Fun & games based on the book! We want to close this whirlwind social media tour with a gigantic bang, which is why we’ve set-up two interactive book-themed features on the author’s blog. You can take the official Facebook quiz to find out which In Leah’s Wake character is most like you and learn how that character ties into the story. Then try out our crossroads story game. Throughout the course of the narrative, you’ll have several decisions to make. What you choose will affect the outcome of the story. Play as either rebellious teenager Leah or the trampled peacemaker and mother Zoe. Leave a comment or question on any of Terri’s blog entries, and you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to check out the other give-away contests while you’re on Terri’s blog!

About In Leah’s Wake: The Tyler family had the perfect life – until sixteen-year-old Leah decided she didn’t want to be perfect anymore. While Zoe and Will fight to save their daughter from destroying her brilliant future, Leah’s younger sister, Justine, must cope with the damage her out-of-control sibling leaves in her wake. Will this family survive? What happens when love just isn’t enough? Jodi Picoult fans will love this beautifully written and absorbing novel.

 

 

An interview with Terri Giuliano Long, author of In Leah’s Wake

*Questions courtesy of BookBundlz

Terri’s book was voted the 2011 book club pick of the year by the BookBundlz staff and community!

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“In Leah’s Wake” Social Media Whirlwind Tour–An Excerpt from the Book

Announcing the In Leah’s Wake Social Media Whirlwind Tour—WooHoo!

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the In Leah’s Wake Kindle edition has dropped to just 99 cents this week.

What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including a Kindle, 5 autographed copies of the book, and multiple Amazon gift cards (1 for $100, 3 for $25, 5 for $10, and 10 for $5 – 19 in all)! Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, August 26^th, so you don’t miss out.

To win the prizes:

1. Purchase your copy of In Leah’s Wake for just 99 cents
2. Fill-out the form on the author’s site to enter for prizes
3. Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book!

And I can win $100 too if you vote for my blog over on the author’s website. The blog host that gets the most votes in this traffic-breaker polls wins, so please cast yours right after purchasing In Leah’s Wake and entering the contests!

The featured events include:

Monday, Blogaganza on Novel Publicity! We’re kicking-off on the Novel Publicity Free Advice blog. We’ll ask the writer 5 fun and random questions to get everyone talking. Leave a comment or question in response to the post, and you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to visit the author’s blog to enter for the other prizes!

Tuesday, Twitter chat with the author! Tweet with us between 4 and 5 PM Eastern Time, using the hashtag #emlyn. We’ll be talking with the author about her favorite books and best writing advice. Bring your questions about In Leah’s Wake and don’t forget to use #emlyn or to follow Terri @tglong. By joining in the tweet chat at the designated time, you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to visit the author’s blog to enter for the other prizes!

Wednesday, Google+ video chat with the author! Join our hangout between 12 and 3 PM Eastern Time to talk with the author and us via video chat. We’ll be gabbing about great books including In Leah’s Wake and about writing. Did you know that Terri is a creative writing instructor at Boston College? She’s got tons of good advice for aspiring writers. By joining in the Google+ video chat at the designated time, you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to visit the author’s blog to enter for the other prizes!

Thursday, Facebook interview with the author! Stop by Novel Publicity’s Facebook page and ask Terri questions. She’s chosen three of her favorite topics to talk about: writing, parenting, and gourmet cooking. Of course, you’re welcome to ask about In Leah’s Wake too. Leave a comment or question as part of the thread, and you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget tolike Terri’s Facebook page or to visit her blog to enter for the other prizes!

Friday, Fun & games based on the book! We want to close this whirlwind social media tour with a gigantic bang, which is why we’ve set-up two interactive book-themed features on the author’s blog. You can take the official Facebook quiz to find out which In Leah’s Wake character is most like you and learn how that character ties into the story. Then try out our crossroads story game. Throughout the course of the narrative, you’ll have several decisions to make. What you choose will affect the outcome of the story. Play as either rebellious teenager Leah or the trampled peacemaker and mother Zoe. Leave a comment or question on any of Terri’s blog entries, and you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to check out the other give-away contests while you’re on Terri’s blog!

About In Leah’s Wake: The Tyler family had the perfect life – until sixteen-year-old Leah decided she didn’t want to be perfect anymore. While Zoe and Will fight to save their daughter from destroying her brilliant future, Leah’s younger sister, Justine, must cope with the damage her out-of-control sibling leaves in her wake. Will this family survive? What happens when love just isn’t enough? Jodi Picoult fans will love this beautifully written and absorbing novel.

An excerpt from In Leah’s Wake

The prologue and first chapter

“. . . little heart of mine, believe me, everyone is really responsible to all men for all men and for everything. I don‘t know how to explain it to you, but I feel it is so, painfully even. And how is it we went on living, getting angry and not knowing?“

Fyodor Dostoevsky

The Grand Inquisitor

Prologue

March

Justine strikes a pose before the full-length mirror hanging on her closet door. Chin up, hands by her sides. She draws a breath. “My dear. . .” she begins, and stops mid-sentence. Wrinkles her nose. She’s got it all wrong. She’s too—Too stiff. Too grownup. Toosomething.

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Today Starts the Social Media Whirlwind Tour for “In Leah’s Wake” by Terri Guiliano Long

Announcing the In Leah’s Wake Social Media Whirlwind Tour—WooHoo!

Today is the first day of this week-long event promoting “In Leah’s Wake.” Read through the schedule of events and find out how you can enter to win some great prizes! Make sure to stop by here tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday for a special feature each day.

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the In Leah’s Wake Kindle edition has dropped to just 99 cents this week. What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including a Kindle, 5 autographed copies of the book, and multiple Amazon gift cards (1 for $100, 3 for $25, 5 for $10, and 10 for $5 – 19 in all)! Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, August 26^th, so you don’t miss out.

To win the prizes:

1. Purchase your copy of In Leah’s Wake for just 99 cents
2. Fill-out the form on the author’s site to enter for prizes
3. Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book!

And I can win $100 too if you vote for my blog over on the author’s website. The blog host that gets the most votes in this traffic-breaker polls wins, so please cast yours right after purchasing In Leah’s Wake and entering the contests!

Today’s featured event is:

Monday, Blogaganza on Novel Publicity! We’re kicking-off on the Novel Publicity Free Advice blog. We’ll ask the writer 5 fun and random questions to get everyone talking. Leave a comment or question in response to the post, and you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to visit the author’s blog to enter for the other prizes!

Can’t make it today? Upcoming featured events include:

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Friday Musings–Presents for Everybody!

I’ve come across some great websites and activities this past week. Take a look and see if there’s something that catches your eye!

In no particular order:

Remember it’s Karmic Friday at Facebook today.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/novelpublicity. Join the chain by leaving the link to your Facebook author page as a comment to Novel Publicity’s opening status. Make sure to read the rules first, this great feature has become so big that FB is chasing some people for “spamming”! Silly me, I’m one of them! I didn’t understand the directions very well (old brain trying to learn new tricks!), and FB banned me for two weeks! Anyway, it’s a terrific way to let people discover your author page and your work, and you’ll discover some real gems, too. 

Even if you’re not a writer and/or don’t have a FB author page, click on the links in the chain and you’ll find a bonanza of great books in all kinds of genres. Some of the best books I’ve read this summer have come from looking at everyone’s page. Go on, get going!

 

Next week is the Social Media Whirlwind Tour for In Leah’s Wake by Terri Guiliano Long.

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the In Leah’s Wake Kindle edition has dropped to just 99 cents next week. What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including a Kindle, 5 autographed copies of the book, and multiple Amazon gift cards (1 for $100, 3 for $25, 5 for $10, and 10 for $5 – 19 in all)! Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, August 26^th, so you don’t miss out.

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Read All About It!

Today I’m being twitterviewed by Novel Publicity!  Come join us at 4 p.m. #emlyn. Learn all my deep, dark writing secrets!!

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Friday Musings–You Can’t Keep a Good Writer Down

Yesterday, I dragged myself through the day, working on my novel, ever so slowly. And then I pushed to go to the new writers’ group at our local bookstore, From My Shelf Books. I was feeling the effects of my gross overreaction to a wasp sting the night before.

I have a strong phobia about getting anaphylactic shock. Almost entirely groundless and totally irrational, I know, but that’s the very definition of a phobia.

Starting a new medication, especially antibiotics, can send me into a mild to moderate anxiety attack. Bug bites and bee stings put me right into a full-blown attack. The fear of antibiotics is somewhat understandable; I have had allergic reactions to penicillin and sulfa. Not the throat-closing, near-death kind of reaction, but enough to set off my very low anxiety threshold. I have no excuse for the bug bite/bee sting reaction, but nonetheless, there it is.

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