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APODS – Support by Amanda Cabot

At last! We’ve reached the final step of APODS: Support. Some of that support is external, but you may be surprised to learn that a large part is internal.

Although writing is by its very nature a solitary profession, there are times when we need help if we’re going to reach “The End.” That’s why it’s important – I’d go so far as to say essential – to have external support. Typically, that support comes in two forms: personal and professional.

Personal – These are your cheerleaders, the people who encourage you on bad days, who celebrate your successes, who are there whenever you need the reminder that you’re a real writer. They may not be writers – in fact, most often they are not – but they’re the ones you can count on to cheer you when writing isn’t going well.

Professional – I’m a firm believer that every serious writer should be a member of a group of professional writers. Ideally, the organization has in-person meetings that you can attend, but if that’s not possible, find one with an active email loop.

Your professional support group is more than a group of cheerleaders, although they should cheer your successes. What they provide that the personal support group cannot is writing-related advice. They’re the ones who’ll brainstorm with you when you hit a mental wall. They’ll read a passage and tell you what works and what doesn’t. They’ll buoy you when you face rejection, suggesting other agents or publishers. They’re the proverbial shoulders to cry on, and they’re invaluable.

But, as valuable as external support is, it’s only one part of the picture. You, the author, need to support yourself. After all, no one else is going to write your book. Although there are many times when you’ll need internal support, we’re going to discuss the two most common.

The Muse is MIA

It happens. You’re excited about the book, but then the wellspring of ideas dries up. Or, as a fellow author says, there’s nothing in the well but kitty litter. Not good. So, what do you do?

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Take time out. Step away from the computer, leave your office or writing space, and do something totally different. Go for a walk; read a book; watch a favorite movie. Your goal here is to let your subconscious work while the rest of you plays.
Talk to the animals. This is the time to find a confidante who won’t talk back to you, who won’t offer suggestions. While you’re grooming your dog or petting your cat, explain the problem. Tell it what’s happening in the book and what isn’t happening. Note: you need to be talking aloud, not simply thinking. There’s probably some scientific explanation of why verbalizing a problem helps solve it; all I know is that it’s an effective technique. What do you do if you’re like me and don’t have a pet? Talk to an inanimate object. The key here is to have a non-judgmental audience that can’t walk away.

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You’ve Received a Rejection

Again, this happens. I won’t sugarcoat it. Rejection hurts, and if you receive enough rejections, you may consider abandoning the whole idea of writing. Don’t do that.

I’ve been known to say there’s no problem so big that chocolate can’t fix it. That is admittedly an exaggeration, but it’s worth considering. While you’re bingeing on Godiva, I recommend the following:

Remember that grieving is a process. It’s only natural to grieve when you receive a rejection. After all, your story isn’t simply words stored in cyberspace. It’s part of you. Recognize that you’ll go through the same predictable stages as if you’d lost a loved one:
- Shock
- Anger
- Resistance
- Acceptance
- Hope

Understanding the SARAH model can help you cope with your feelings and avoid damaging your future. Never, ever, ever respond to rejection when you’re still in Shock or Anger. It’s one thing to call someone in your personal support group and bemoan the sheer idiocy of the editor’s reaction to your story, quite another to vent those feelings to the editor.

Open your “what’s special about me” envelope. You have one of those, don’t you? If not, you need to start one right now. Every time someone compliments your writing, save the comment. It doesn’t have to be an effusive endorsement. It might be nothing more than, “That line of dialogue is terrific.” All that matters is that it’s a positive affirmation of you as a writer. Whether you keep a printed copy of the compliments or store them electronically isn’t important. What is important is to keep the affirmations readily accessible for those times when you need to be supported.

When You Reach “The End”

Eventually, if you’ve persisted, you’ll reach “The End,” and your manuscript will be complete. What’s next? I recommend the Two Cs.

Celebrations – Without a doubt, you should celebrate having finished your manuscript. This is the time to gather with your support groups and rejoice in the knowledge that you’ve accomplished something that’s only a dream for many others. You’ve finished a book. Wonderful, fabulous, spectacular. Time for fireworks, champagne, and another pound of Godiva.
Commencement – “The End” of a book should not be the end. Instead, once you’ve finished celebrating, it’s time to begin a new story. You’re a writer. You’ve proven that by reaching “The End.”

Amanda Cabot is no stranger to getting to “The End.” She juggled a sixty-hour a week job with nonnegotiable deadlines and building a house long-distance at the same time that she wrote two books a year. Whether or not she kept her sanity during that time is debatable. Amanda is the best-selling author of over thirty novels, eight novellas, four non-fiction books, and what she describes as enough technical articles to cure insomnia in a medium-sized city.

Her most recent release is A Tender Hope, the third in the Cimarron Creek trilogy.

Amanda Cabot, Cimarron Creek Trilogy — A Tender Hope, by Amanda Cabot

You can find Amanda at:

www.amandacabot.com
https://www.facebook.com/amanda.j.cabot
https://twitter

Writers Beware of the Legal Pitfalls: Negligent Publication

Negligent publication is an issue unique to books that provide directions, instructions, self-help (especially medical), how-to information, and other guidance. Although a lot less common than suits for defamation and infringement, there are publishers who have been surprised by liability claims that they are liable because people were injured following advice published in their books.

Cases

Even though the First Amendment guaranty of freedom of the press makes it difficult for injured readers to hold publishers liable for their losses, cases such as these have been brought and occasionally won.

Soldier of Fortune

Perhaps you’ve heard of the notorious 1992 Soldier of Fortune case (more of an “unreasonable risk” case than an “ordinary negligence” case), where the family of a man murdered by a hired assassin obtained a $4 million verdict against Soldier of Fortune magazine for publishing the advertisement by which the assassin was hired.

Travel

Other cases less famous include: Fodor’s Travel Publications sued, unsuccessfully, for not warning readers of the dangerous surf conditions on a Hawaiian beach; G.P. Putnam’s was sued, unsuccessfully, for misidentification of a poisonous mushroom in its The Encyclopedia of Mushrooms, which caused two plaintiffs to become severely ill; and Rand McNally was sued, successfully, for publishing a science textbook that contained an experiment that seriously injured a student.

Good Practice

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As a matter of good practice, especially where you can’t eliminate risks (for example, you can’t guaranty that a person beginning an exercise
program described in your book won’t pull a muscle or have a heart attack), include conspicuous warnings that inform the reader of inherent risks and
disclaimers that deny your responsibility and require readers to be responsible for the results of their actions. If the notice is not just a scary warning, but truly smart advice (“check with your physician before beginning this or any other exercise regimen”), you can prevent problems from even occurring…the best defense of all.”

Please use this article as an educational resource only, it is not meant to provide legal advice.

Publish Don’t Perish — Tip #2: Never Give Up!

If writing is your passion, never give up! So many things may get in the way — time or the lack of it, discouragement, the need to earn a living, life …. The list goes on and on, especially if your goal is to be published by a traditional publisher. Your support group can provide you with the extra push you may need for Tip #2 — Never give up!

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Candee Fick talked about the time issue in her article, So Little Time to Conquer this Mountain where she shares her tips and strategies in her busy life and offers a very helpful tool, The Author Toolbox. This article is about perseverance, keeping that goal in sight so that we never give up.

As writers, we all deal with discouragement whether we are trying to get published, or are already successfully published. Our journeys may be different, but the difficulties are similar if not the same. In today’s publishing industry, the age of the ebook and ease at which someone can get published independently has changed the course of the industry.

Why do we write? For me, it’s a passion for story. There is a story I can’t get out of my mind until I put it on paper. That’s how Hidden Bloodlines started — it was a story that perpetuated itself for two years before I attended my first writers conference in Estes Park, Colorado. As an attorney and dietitian with multiple articles and one published nonfiction book, writing was my life, but my passion was fiction — a story to share. However, I quickly learned that writing fiction is a totally different “animal” than nonfiction. It is a different art and it was important that I learn the craft. Future articles in the Publish Don’t Perish Series will talk about this craft and how to achieve the necessary skills for success.

For those interested in becoming published by a traditional publishing house, the road may be long and bumpy with uncertain forks. For those who don’t want to wait the years most likely involved with a traditional publisher, you may want to go the Indy way. Regardless of which avenue you choose, when you reach that publication goal , it doesn’t end. There are millions of books out there and you may ask, “How will anyone find me? Can I make a living writing? How successful can I be? Is it even worth it?” The Publish Don’t Perish Series in Thyme for Writers will help you discern the path that’s right for you. It will hopefully answer your many questions and help you avoid time consuming mistakes. I for one made mistakes that cost me years. Keep your eyes open for future posts that will steer you clear of these mistakes and make your road smoother. Remember, Tip #2 is critical — NEVER GIVE UP!

What is getting in your way of writing?

Sage: Get Under the Skin of Your Story by Kathryn Ross

Turkey time!

Have you brought home the bird yet? We’ve just about reached our “free” turkey with earned points from our grocery receipts at the local market. We’ll bring home a frozen 20 pounder and wrestle with it in the sink to rinse, clean out the innards, season and plop in a roasting pan with pats of butter slathered over it.

Hours later, the house smells amazing and our tummies rumble with anticipation for succulent gobble-ready slices on our plate, the traditional companion to stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce.

This year, though, I’m considering the addition of a leafy twist for added substance and spice in my turkey prep. Not that my old stand-by recipe of garlic salt, pepper, and butter isn’t enough. But with the sliding of sage leaves between the skin and meat, greater potential for lip smacking satisfaction is released as the efficacy of the herb permeates the bird with flavor.

Though primarily used today in the kitchen, sage, a member of the mint family, had been used for thousands of years in the sick room. Greeks and Romans discovered its medicinal qualities in the curing of snake bites, as well as a tonic for colds, fever, constipation, and even seizures. Add to that its effective uses promoting hair growth and whiter teeth, sage has lived up to its Latin name, salvia—meaning, to save—for centuries.

Why should a man die who has sage in his garden? Ancient Proverb

When it comes to the strong, spicy flavor of sage, a little goes a long way. Use dry sage leaves sparingly to add import to poultry, pork, and beef. Steep sage tea for a battery of health benefits. Tie dried leaves together and burn them, releasing a cleansing smoke to change the ionic composition of the air, which can reduce stress and improve energy.

In considering how to add sage to my turkey, tea, and tonics, I wonder what the equivalent of a sage injection into my writing might produce.

Sage is defined as a plant, we know, but the word is also defined as wisdom in discernment and prudence. If my writing is so flavored, I know I am prepping my words with greater substance to draw out the full potential of my work for better efficacy upon my readers.

Good writers are wise writers. They act the part of a sage injecting words of health and wellness into their work—like sliding those sage leaves between the turkey’s skin and meat in key places. Sage-spicy words of substance permeate the whole manuscript with greater reader impact, producing sticky stories for lasting satisfaction.

I’ve read many books—fiction and non-fiction—that left me unsatisfied and disappointed because they did not explore their topic deeply enough. The lack of permeated flavor made the book easy to forget and of no effect on my life or thinking at all.

Kathryn Ross, cinnamon, writers, spice, fall recipes, editors, healing, manuscript, When Cinnamon Bark, clove, peppermint, Christmas, Thanksgiving, spice, words, peppermint oil, The Gatekeeper's Key, lemon oil — The Write Spice: Writing Tips for Flavorful Words by Kathryn Ross

The Christian writer must pen words that are sage—salvia, lifesaving—whether it’s in a romance novel or a treatise on a biblical principle, chapter and verse. Don’t just season the surface. Get under the skin of the story and develop deep themes for a truly satisfying, memorable, and possibly life altering read.

Apply this sage advice to develop the full potential of your work. Wrestle with your turkey, so to speak. Cleanse it. Rip out the innards that need to be tossed. Revise and edit your work, slipping in wisdom and discernment between the lines like sage leaves between the skin and meat. In this way, you’ll draw out the fullest potential of your work and distinguish yourself, not just as a storyteller who entertains, but a sage who brings lasting health to hearts and minds.

Journal Prompt: What is the thematic-virtue story you want to tell with your current manuscript? Does it reflect biblical values, discernment, and prudence? What sage injections between the lines of plot and dialogue should you add? What depth of meaning and purpose can you draw out to produce a healthful, lasting impression upon your reader?

clove, lemon oil, cinnamon, garden, harvestwriters, spice, fall recipes, editors, healing, manuscript — The Write Spice: Writing Tips for Flavorful Words By Kathryn Ross

Writer-speaker, Kathryn Ross, ignites a love of literature and learning through Pageant Wagon Publishing. She writes and publishes homeschool enrichment and Christian living books for home, church, and school. In addition, she shepherds writers through the steps book development and production. Her passion to equip women and families in developing a Family Literacy Lifestyle, produces readers and thinkers who can engage the world from a biblical worldview. She blogs and podcasts at TheWritersReverie.com and PageantWagonPublishing.com. Connect with Miss Kathy on Facebook.

The Write Spice: Writing Tips for Flavorful Words Nutmeg: Poisoned Prose and Toxic Tales By Kathryn Ross

It’s that time of year again! When the leaves turn, and I wake to crisp air in the morning, my pantry gets a clean sweep and restocking. I’ve stuffed it chock-full of spices, sprinkles, sugars, flours, fruits, candies, nuts, and specialty ingredients for seasonal baking over the next three months. I plan my holiday recipes with experiments in October, so I can decide the winners and losers for Thanksgiving and Christmas giving.

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Pumpkin cans stacked next to complimentary spices stand at the ready to mix and pour into pumpkin what-all. From pies to puddings, to sauces to scones to cakes to breads to souffle, pumpkin baking in the oven scents the home with tangible comfort. The sense of smell ignites stories of Autumns long ago when childhood wonder at the change of season opened a world of delights that only October brought. Can you smell the fragrant stories of bygone fall days:

Trips to apple orchards and pumpkin patches
Crunching dried leaves under our feet before raking them into piles
Pulling the sweaters out and wrapping up cozy in the evening
Cringing in fright when that giant orb spider weaves his web outside the front window
Carving pumpkins, painting pumpkins; pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins!

Though pumpkin itself lacks flavor on its own, a generous blend of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg is vital to every pumpkin recipe. In fact, this blend of spices, commonly referred to as pumpkin pie spice, adds seasonal flavor to any fall dish.

Each of these spices should be measured with care, though. For instance—more cinnamon than clove, less ginger than cinnamon, and a sparse touch of nutmeg are best. The just right amount pleases the palate. Too much, though, ruins the plate.

And one of those spices, used in excess, is actually toxic.

Nutmeg, the pungent, sweet, warm spice from the dried seeds of the nutmeg tree, though an important element of pumpkin pie spice, when taken alone and in excess acts as poison. A tragic chapter in the story of nutmeg is its 19th century use to induce abortions. In fact, when taken in large amounts it may cause anxiety, drunkenness, confusion, headaches, nausea, allergic reactions, dermatitis, and episodes of hallucinations and psychosis. This type of nutmeg overdose most often happens as an accident in children or on purpose with teenagers experimenting with substance abuse.

This toxic use of a valuable and tasty spice reminds me of how our words, used well and in properly measured amounts, can delight and amplify the satisfaction of a story, well told. Our words can be used to bless or abused to poison. This is true in relation to the technical elements of writing and composition—how we measure out our words with attention to grammar and syntax. But it also relates to the subjects we choose to write about and how we use words to influence readers and culture for good or for ill.

In such times as these, words are wielded as weapons by irresponsible writers, filling print and online platforms with toxic spices. Like a nutmeg overdose. The power of words to poison minds and destroy the reputations of others has become the toxic spice of choice in popular media and entertainment.

As a writer, I feel a higher sense of calling in the words I write. My pen must be an antidote to nutmeg-like toxic-level words stirred into the current events’ mix. When I blend my word spices responsibly—with just the right amount of nutmeg balanced with companion cinnamon, ginger, and clove—I set an example of how to add spice to an otherwise bland squash and enrich a nutritious meal or sweet desert.

I hope to do so with my ready supply of baking ingredients in my pantry this season, as well as the measured words I write and speak. And, I have found the perfect spice blend to the purpose in Philippians 4:8 NLT:

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

My prayer for you is that your word-mix in this present season be finely measured. For all of us who seek to be God flavors in the earth, may the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in the sight of the Lord—and health to all who taste of it. (Psalm 19:14)

Publish Don’t Perish – 65 Tips

Today is the start of a new series, Publish Don’t Perish — 65 Tips, in honor of my parents’ 65th wedding anniversary. Sixty-five years ago today, my parents were married. But wait, isn’t today Halloween? Well, yes, but 65 years ago Halloween was not celebrated on Sundays, the day my parents said, “I do.”

Happy 65th Wedding Anniversary — Love you!

Sixty-five years…WOW! With almost 50% of marriages ending in divorce or separation, there is much to learn from this incredible couple after 65 years of marriage. Fortunately, I am blessed in more ways than I can count because they are my parents. For purposes of this series, we’ll focus on what they provided me and continue to provide me in Tip #1: Support.

Types of Support

There are many types of support, including financial, emotional, and personal assistance to name a few. Our family has been blessed by my parents who have supported each and every one of their children and grandchildren throughout all of their lives in more ways than I can count.

I have a passion for writing, and a writer’s life can be a lonely life. It’s critical to surround yourself with those who will come along side and support you in your endeavors with encouragement, laughter, shared tears, a break… . We all need cheerleaders in the ups and downs along the journey to publication — success doesn’t come over night in the life of a writer, and life itself is usually not a bed of roses.

My parents supported me throughout each stage of my life with every type of support and encouraged me to keep writing. Thank you, Mom and Dad! You continue to be my biggest fans!

Support throughout each stage of my life. Thank you Mom and Dad!

Other Writers

What better group to obtain support than other writers who understand and have experienced similar ups and downs. It’s one of the reasons I started Thyme for Writers in 2017. Over these past couple of years, I’ve had the opportunity to share the experiences and helpful hints provided by this remarkable group. After all, it’s not healthy to write in a vacuum.

Many of the tips gleaned in this series, will come from what I have learned from my incredible parents and other writers. In the meantime, rally your support team — family, friends and fellow writers who keep us pumped up and moving on.

What type of support have you found most helpful?

APODS — Discipline by Amanda Cabot

When your goal is “Getting to the End,” it doesn’t matter how much analysis, prioritization, and organization you’ve done if you’re not willing to take the next step and discipline yourself to write.

I know, I know. No one likes the word “discipline,” so let’s call this the “Just DO It!” step. It’s not necessarily easy, but this is a case of practice making perfect.

8 Suggestions

Here are eight suggestions I’ve found useful when trying to get to “The End.”

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Schedule a time to write every day and then WRITE during that time. It may seem difficult at first, but like exercise, the more you do it, the easier it becomes.
Remember that five minutes of writing is better than none. No matter how busy we are, every one of us can find five minutes each day. I challenge you to find those five minutes and use them. Chances are, you’ll write far longer than five minutes, but even if five minutes of writing is all you accomplish, you’ll have taken the first steps toward making daily writing a habit. And that’s a habit we all need.
Remind yourself that writing is your #1 priority. Now’s the time to dust off those signs that you developed during the prioritization step and post them everywhere you’re likely to be distracted. It may seem juvenile, but visual reminders are powerful.
Do whatever it takes to meet your weekly goals. Again, this sounds difficult, and it may be at first, but the more often you meet your goals, the more energized you’ll be and the closer you’ll be to reaching “The End.”
Optimize your research time. Writers tend to fall into two camps: those who love research and those who hate it. It doesn’t matter where you are on that spectrum. The key is to spend the minimum amount of time gathering the information you need. One technique I use is to avoid doing detailed research during the first draft of a book. Instead, I keep a list of the questions I have – things like “how long does it take to ride a horse from San Antonio to Austin?” When I finish the first draft, I have a better idea of whether I really, really, really need to know that. And, if I do, I can look for the answer to that question at the same time that I’m researching all the other points I listed during the first draft. That’s more efficient than stopping to investigate each point and possibly heading down the proverbial rabbit holes.
Remind friends that you are working. I doubt your friends would stop in for a visit or want to have a lengthy chat during the workday if you were at an office, but the fact that many writers work at home makes us more vulnerable to friendly distractions. Now is the time to politely but firmly tell friends and neighbors that you’re working and can’t be disturbed.
Use voice mail. This is a corollary to the previous point. I consider answering machines and caller ID among the essentials of life and answer calls during my working hours only if they’re from my publisher. Sorry, robo calls. You don’t get answered EVER, but you do get reported to the Do Not Call Registry.
Consider email, texting, and internet surfing a reward. Again, the goal is to keep your focus on the manuscript and avoid everything that prevents you from writing. A number of my writer friends have discovered the same thing I have, namely that if we check email before we begin to write, we’re much less productive. The reason is simple: whatever was in those email messages, no matter how trivial, is competing for space in your brain and lessening your focus. Don’t lose your focus on what’s important: your manuscript.

I won’t sugarcoat it. Discipline is hard, but the rewards are worth the effort. Just DO it!

Her most recent release is A Tender Hope, the third in the Cimarron Creek trilogy.

You can find Amanda at:

www.amandacabot.com
https://www.facebook.com/amanda.j.cabot
https://twitter

Writers Beware of the Legal Pitfalls: Defamation, Privacy, and Publicity

A general challenge of publishers (which definitely applies to Indy publishers) originates from the changing boundaries of the laws of publicity, libel, and privacy. Contracts typically contain indemnification clauses protecting the publisher’s interests in this regard.

If you publish statements that are false and defamatory, or even private facts that are embarrassing to someone, you can be sued. In this litigious and highly proprietary time, more and more references to individuals (deceased or living) are bringing claims of breach of privacy, defamation, or violation of publicity rights.

These issues primarily face nonfiction publishers, but that doesn’t prevent those publishing fiction to be affected. Let’s take a look at each of these areas.

Please use this article as an educational resource only, it is not meant to provide legal advice.

Defamation

Generally “defamation” is a false statement of fact
about a living individual (though in certain jurisdictions it may apply to deceased individuals and, periodically, to corporate entities) that holds the person up to scorn or ridicule. Note that the law allows more leeway when discussing public figures.

Privacy Rights

An individuals’ privacy rights is a related issue. Typically, this area is more of a challenge to magazine and newspaper publishers because of the nature of the fast paced reporting which may cause the re lease of facts that should not be made public, including financial, medical, or other highly personal information.

The reality is that all publishers of nonfiction must be wary of disclosing personal information of a sensitive or embarrassing nature. (And this is in the United States, where the rules are relatively liberal; beware of disclosing personal information about foreigners or about Americans in works published outside the United States.) Where any such information is about to be published, consult with your lawyers to be sure you aren’t at risk of violating a criminal or civil statute here or abroad.

Publicity Rights

Publicity is closely related to the right of privacy. (This is technically a subset of the “right of privacy” which, in legal terms, incorporates four related rights: publicity, intrusion, privacy, and false light.) Generally, the right of publicity prevents the commercial exploitation of the value of an individual’s likeness and name. Not only are celebrities protected by this right, but it protects others whose appearances and names have real commercial value. It also prevents the use of anyone’s likeness or name in trade or advertising without their permission.

Are you with a traditional publisher or are you Indy? If you’re with a traditional publisher, check your contract. If you are an Indy publisher, what steps do you take to protect yourself?

Next month we’ll take a look at negligent publication.

The Writing Life and Choices of an Otherworldly Writer — Roulf Burrell

In this last part of Jane Choate’s interview with Roulf Burrell, we will get a glimpse into the writing life of an amazing otherworldly writer and the reasons behind certain choices.

What is your writing schedule like?

dining, Highlands, North Carolina, Recipe — Coffee Shops

Ouch! It’s getting personal. I write in spurts and have a hard time beginning. It helps to go to libraries or coffee shops where I have nothing else to do. I also write at my church, as my wife works in the children’s ministry.

Sometimes, new ideas pop into my head, and as I jot them down, I slip into expanding them rather than finishing my prior work. Or some bad news regarding the beginner’s chances in the publishing industry claws its way out of this month’s media “click-bait” graveyard, and I’m left wondering, “Why bother? I have the same chance of success as having lightning strike me.” But like a dry cleaner pulling an all-nighter, I press on.

What do you do for promotion?

I have a website—www.RoulfBurrell.com. WordPress (my website management system) has been an educational challenge technically and fun artistically, though I find it awkward placing myself out there as an interesting topic.

Websites and media platforms are all part of the marketing arm for authors today. Marketing and science fiction blend well, as both relate an aggressive form of a gravity well commonly known as a black hole.

What compels you to write?

After trying my hand at many things, I finally met my match – in a good way. I get the same kick out of painting and constructing with words I imagine Michelangelo got out of the hammer, a chisel and a rock.

What can you share regarding self publishing?

One of the first decisions any author faces today is whether to try and publish with a traditional publisher, or self-publish. And the pros and cons to each could fill another article. But for me, the issue boiled down to rejection and control.

Dr. Seuss’s first book was rejected 27 times. He became so disillusioned he had decided to take his manuscript home and burn it, when he ran into an old school acquaintance – a children’s book editor. I don’t believe I would ever survive such a process, so I’ll take another alternative, if offered.

Thyme for Writers, books, journey, writer, author, novel — A BOOK IS MORE THAN A STORY

Control is my other issue. With self-publishing, I control all the factors. But that means I’m responsible for any and all failures, as well as successes. I must edit for internal consistency. Edit again for grammar. Find my own beta-readers. I have to design a cover, or pay for an artist to do it. A table of contents must be made, chapters separated, the text formatted and converted, images added.

I’m sure you have enjoyed this journey with author, Roulf Burrell, as much as I have. If you’re a writer, what compels you to write? If your goal is publication, which avenue would you choose to take and why?

More Through the Eyes of An Otherworldly Writer — Roulf Burrell

This week I’m please to share Part 2 of Roulf Burrell’s interview with Jane Choate — More Through the Eyes of An Otherworldly Writer. If you enjoyed Part 1 (and I’m sure you did), you will no doubt enjoy Part 2 with this amazing fantasy/scifi writer.

How do you imbue out of this world characters with human characteristics we can relate to?

By staying with the universals. Life of all types needs to consume energy, wants to reproduce, faces the end of its existence. Most creatures and aliens still take in the world around them, interpret the data, think and feel about it, then act correspondingly. Fiction changes these elements in fun and educational ways.

Do you see plot or characterization as more important? Or are they fairly equal in your writing?

Is the front wheel or the back wheel of a bike more important? Without both, I’m not going anywhere. I love good characters, but I’d rather watch a James Bond film where action abounds, than My Dinner with Andre–boring talk. Besides, the sci-fi/fantasy genre tends to be plot driven. Plot moves the action; it’s the back tire to which we chain the pedals. Think of the old Twilight Zone episodes. You had characters, but they weren’t that deep. A man with a gambling problem. We don’t know why. A boxer who doesn’t want to take a dive. Episodes didn’t feature their past histories but a surprise plot twist that cast events in a different, sometimes bizarre perspective. I lean in that direction.

Which is more important — the front wheel or the back wheel?

What role does humor play in your books? (I know there has to be a lot of humor!)

Webster defines humor, in part, as, “appealing to the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous.” Humor provides entertainment, a needed laugh. Practically, humor assists story tension by granting a needed pause. A smile breaks up dramatic events that would lose their tension if held too long.

What do you see as your biggest strength in writing?

The ability to say a common thing in an uncommon way. From Saint Augustine to Groucho Marx, I’ve spent years collecting picturesque or unique phrases. I practice crafting my own phrases by varying their components slightly. I once became so dissatisfied with my boring description of the sunrise, I forced myself to create 100 different ways of describing the sun coming up, even a couple from the Sun’s point of view.

sunrise, Colorado, creative — A New Start

You belong to a Christian writers group. What role does your faith play in your writing?

My faith is as central to my personality as the fact I am a male or was raised in the Midwest of America. It’s foundational to my thinking and feeling; my humor, my creativity, my word choice or my plots. It shaped who I have become, so it’s reflected in what I say and do, or don’t do. So I don’t try to add my faith to my writing in a conscious way. As C. S. Lewis said, “The world doesn’t need more Christian authors. It needs more authors who are Christians.” I content myself to tell stories and trust my faith will show through.

What are your favorite otherworldly characters? Next week we’ll take a closer look at the writing life of Roulf Burrell. Stay tuned… .

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Cases

Soldier of Fortune

Travel

Good Practice

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Types of Support

Other Writers

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8 Suggestions

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Defamation

Privacy Rights

Publicity Rights

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What is your writing schedule like?

What do you do for promotion?

What compels you to write?

What can you share regarding self publishing?

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How do you imbue out of this world characters with human characteristics we can relate to?

Do you see plot or characterization as more important? Or are they fairly equal in your writing?

What role does humor play in your books? (I know there has to be a lot of humor!)

What do you see as your biggest strength in writing?

You belong to a Christian writers group. What role does your faith play in your writing?

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