One Writer's Holiday Gift List

So last week Lisa did a fabulous post on appropriate holiday gifts for writers - jump HERE to check it out, because it's full of really practical ideas. For today's post, I want to riff on that one a little. Like, what does a real writer's Christmas wish list look like? A real writer who's also a nurse practitioner and a mother and a wife? And who just remodeled her kitchen and celebrated a book release or two. You know. Like, say, me...


1. I want someone to do the adulting required to fix my burned-out headlight.

2. I would love a massage and a pedicure. On the same day. Followed up by a gorgeous little cocktail made with a fancy herbal syrup or a liqueur I can't pronounce.

3. No Christmas shopping has been done. Yet. So, if someone could do it for me, that would be awesome.

4. Actually, I think I can handle the shopping, but if someone would wrap the damned presents, I'd be SO happy!

5. More adulting required: My son needs to take his driver's test, so, like, figure out how to schedule it for me, okay? Thanks!

6. Also, if someone could broker a truce between our cat and our dogs, I'd be your friend for life.

7. Amazon Gift Cards. (Because every writer is a reader at heart.)

8. Dish towels that match my new kitchen. (White with primary color accents, in case you need specifics.)

9. Two words: Author Promo. Anything you could do to help would be SO appreciated. Actually, this one should be a lot higher on the list...

10. Peace and happiness, however that works for you.

A couple years ago I went to one of those forced employee training things that administration loves so well, and I took something surprisingly meaningful from it. The organization had decided that instead of treating everyone the way we'd like to be treated, we should treat others the way THEY'D like to be treated. To me, this means paying attention to people and respecting their differences. I'm not perfect at this - far from it, in fact - but that's my goal for this and every other year. It's the least I can do to bring more peace to the world.

Thank you all very much for reading along. Whether you stumbled over my blog posts, picked up one of my books, or did me the great favor of critiquing one of my projects before publication, I'm grateful for your time and attention. And I absolutely wouldn't get far without the friendship and support of other writers, especially the group here at RelentlessWriters. Thanks so much, you guys!

I hope your holidays are joyful, I hope the stressful bits pass quickly, and I hope you get everything on YOUR list. See ya' in 2016!

10 Gifts for Writers They'll Actually Use

Now that you’ve survived pre-Black Friday, Black Friday, pre-Cyber Monday, Cyber Monday and the entire Cyber week, you may find there is still one person on your list that no gadget, game, or gift card seems to fit. I’m talking about the writer in your life. And no doubt, you’ve exhausted the number of different notebooks, journals, coffee mugs, pens, t-shirts, pillows, bookmarks and tote bags, and are wondering, what you could give that would be useful to that dear writer you know. So in no particular order of importance or preference, I’ve listed ten gifts that will not only impress the writer in your life, they'll demonstrate how much you understand and support his or her writing:

1. Scrivener Writing Software–If your novelist or memoirist isn’t already using this software, this might be their next best friend. The software helps a writer outline and structure their manuscript, organize notes and research, and easily manage their book project from start to finish. Downloads of the software run $40-$45. 

2. Single-serving coffee maker–Starbucks or other coffee shop gift cards are always a welcome treat, but writing in those places can sometimes be less than ideal. Not only that, the entire endeavor can end up being more of a distraction and time waster for your writer. So rather than having him go to the café, have the café there at home (pastries and cookies are optional) with a single serving coffee maker. Machines can be pricey, but you can pick up a good one for $100 or less.

3. Kindle or Nook–Most writers are avid readers. While they'll always appreciate print books, they can't carry or house all the books they'd love to read. With an e-reader, they can carry an entire library wherever they go. Right now, holiday sales are going on, and you can pick one up for less than $100.

4. Spotify subscription–Music can not only help a writer get in the mood to write, it can inspire the creation of worlds and characters. Music can illicit emotions that turn into lush settings and atmospheric scenes. An individual premium subscription is $10 a month, but why not treat everyone in your family with a subscription? Until the end of the month, you can get the family plan for the same price.

5. Headphones–A good set of headphones can help free a writer from external distractions and immerse him or her in the world of their characters or focus on the right words for an emotional scene. They are available everywhere, so holiday sales are sure to have them, but do your research first. You can spend very little or a whole lot, depending on your budget, but a decent pair headphones will run around $100.

6. Audible membership–Good readers make good writers but if they’re busy writing and juggling other aspects of their life like jobs, spouses and children, they may not have time to open a book or turn on an e-reader. With Audible, while commuting, working out, or working around the house, they can be reading with their ears. After the trial membership, the monthly fee is $15. 

7. Dragon Speech Recognition software–You can help boost your writer’s productivity with dictation software. It enables a writer to ramble away and create his first draft without letting his inner editor get in the way. This software is especially helpful for writers who are slow typists or who have physical issues that make using a keyboard difficult. Normally, the software costs $150 to $250. Right now the company has download versions on sale for up to 50% off, and you can get it for even less on Amazon.

8. Editorial services–Before the author in your life sends off her novel out into the world, whether to an agent or indie publisher or straight to self-publishing, she should have an editor go over it. The cost of these services can vary widely, but bear in mind, the adage “you get what you paid for” absolutely applies here.  

9. Photography services–Part of the writing life involves promotion and marketing, and it starts with a professional headshot. The cost varies for these services, depending on your area and how much you’re willing to spend. Either way, your beloved writer will be so appreciative when she can finally replace the selfie that's on Twitter or on her website. 

10. Writing workshop or webinar– A writing workshop or class provides a great environment for your writer to connect with other writers, receive constructive feedback and get inspired to stay on their writing path.There may be organizations in your area that offer writing workshops and classes. Start with your neighborhood library and local bookstores. Costs can range anywhere from $50 to $350 and depend on a variety of factors, including subject matter, teacher, class length, availability, etc. If there are none happening locally, Writer’s Digest offers online workshops and live webinars throughout the year. Speakers and teachers are usually publishing industry experts. Fees are reasonable, and classes are accessible anywhere your writer lives.   
  

Most of the people who have an idea for a book won’t end up writing it. That’s because they quickly find writing a book is a long road of hard work. So for the writer in your life, the best gifts are the gifts that help them write every day. They convey your support and belief in them, and more importantly, help them achieve their writing goals. 

A day in the life of a writer...

So it's time for NaNoWriMo, that annual event where something on the order of 300,000 writers set themselves the goal of completing a 50,000 word novel in the month of November.

300,000 writers, but I'm not one of them.

I'm tempted, but in the five years since I've been writing more-or-less seriously, it always seems like I've got a big revision project planned for November, rather than drafting something new. I'm a great #NaNo cheerleader, though!

One of the other Relentless Writers was on our Facebook page looking for writing companionship this morning, and my comment was a laundry list of all the reasons I wouldn't be writing today. Which got me thinking about all the things that go into being a working writer, the things that DON'T involve putting words on the page.

With that in mind, here's my to-do list for today...

Quick background...Here at Chez Rancourt we're in the middle of a major remodel, and this week we're having the hardwoods on the main floor refinished. I'm typing this on my son's gaming desktop in the basement, my lovely king-sized Sleep Number bed is set up a couple feet behind me, and the whole place is vibrating with the sound of heavy machinery. Granted, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event (I HOPE!), but it does illustrate how you sometimes have to fit your passion in and around real life...

0400 - I'm awake because my brain hasn't made the leap to standard time. I check my phone - yes, I'm one of those freaks - and see there's a message from a free-lance editor I've been trying to contact. Yay! I lay back down and try to get more sleep, but end up reading the book I've agreed to review.

0600 - The son's alarm goes off. He's in the guest room so I hear it and get up. He just turned sixteen and he's getting ready for his driving test, which means I get to ride in the passenger seat while he drives to school. Riding in the rain at rush hour with a teen driver is not for the faint of heart, however I do appreciate the fact that it's daylight. Thank you, time change. Before we leave the house I reply to the editor, and on the way to school she emails me back. That project moves a step further.

0800 - After dropping the kid off, I drive across town to our veterinarian's office, where Ed the puppy is going to have his manhood revised. Sorry Ed. I get there early and coax the little dude into a kennel, then do some more reading while I wait for the vet to arrive. She assures me they can manage him so I take off, and right about the time I get home she calls to tell me he's freaking out and won't let them near the kennel. Did I mention he's a feisty German Shepherd? I drive back to the vet's but this time I bring my secret weapon, my oldest kid, the Puppy Whisperer. Within about 12 seconds of our arrival, she's got a muzzle on the puppy and things are back on track. I read - I'm only to about the 40% point and the book releases today - and then take my kid out for breakfast as a reward.

1000 - Back home to write a blog post. I download Gimp to the desktop so I can make a thematically appropriate image for the post, and also so I can work on some teaser promos for one of my two upcoming releases. I've got the edits back on one of the releases, but going through them will take longer than I have right now.

From here I'm going to describe how I think things will happen. This is all subject to change...

1200 - I'll pick the oldest up from her volunteer gig at the feral cat rescue and take her to catch the bus for school. Then I'll go to my BFFs house to wait for the furnace guy to show up, since she has to work today. I'll have my laptop with me, and with any luck I'll make some headway on the edits while I'm waiting.

1400 - I should be back home, and I should be editing. I've gotta get this project turned around, because tomorrow I'll be working the day job and the rest of the week will be complicated by the fact that we're going to have to move to my parents' house while they stain the floors. I've got two day jobs, technically. One's about 3/4 time and the other is per diem, and it seems like the busier I am with writing, the more they want me to work. Because that's how life rolls.

1600 - Pick up the Puppy Whisperer from school so she can come with me bring Ed home. I expect we'll all have a mellow evening huddled together in the basement. At least there won't be heavy machinery operating overhead. I'll finish the review book and maybe poke at some edits or work on some teasers. There's always something to do.

And that's the bottom line. There's always something to do. In the course of the day, I'll have exercised my people-management skills, my editing brain, my (limited) graphics talent, and (arguably) my humor-writing chops. I'll throw in some parenting and - since the husband has the flu - a little nursing on the side. I will also buy toilet paper, because we're out.

TMI?

But I won't be putting down 1600 words, which is what you need to average daily to make your NaNo goal. Maybe if they ran it in February...

Peace out!
Liv



So what about you? Are you doing NaNoWriMo? What's your secret for balancing work and writing and life?

How to Sell Your Book without Selling Your Soul

Right away I need to tell you something personal. Not the TMI-kind-of-personal, but personal in the sense that this won’t be the typical “how-to” blog post about book marketing. Why? Because sales and marketing turns me off completely and causes my skin to itch. 

 

 

I’m fiscally skeptical to my core, the kind of girl who skips commercials and doesn’t care who designed my shoes. This shouldn’t come as a surprise—I write cyberpunk, so a certain level of anti-establishment goes with the territory.

Perhaps this makes me a poor example. After all, experts say if you want to sell your book, view it as a product, and view the readers as customers. Your job as a published author is to move that product, grow your customer base, and write that next book so there’s more product to sell. The more you write, the more you have to sell, the more customers you’ll get, and the more money you’ll make.

Good advice, right? Yes, of course. But personally, I can’t do it that way. Not without selling my soul in the process.

 

Now here’s something else you need to know about me: despite this deep, dark issue with marketing, I sell books all the time as an associate editor at Henery Press. Even when I’m on break, even on weekends, even after hours...I do it without violating my conscience, and I enjoy it. How? Because I believe in the authors and their books. I think anyone who has the guts to write a novel is pretty darn amazing, and I want to support them.

So here’s my secret to selling books without selling your soul: **BELIEVE IN YOUR IDEAS**



Mr. Robot is a fantastic example of idea-based marketing.

To make it work, you’ll need to separate your identity from the book itself, without breaking away from the ideas behind the book.

Let’s say you write about zombie insects. For whatever reason, creepy-crawly zombies really float your boat. So go forth and find other people who like zombie insects, either in person or online, and strike up a conversation. Just geek out for a while with all those other awesome zombie-insect lovers—people who aren’t going to judge the fact that you think zombie ladybugs are the bomb—your kind of people.

 

If you view your book as a product, you'll feel like a salesperson every time you talk about it. But with idea-based marketing, talking about your book will come naturally as you engage with others about the ideas that inspired your writing in the first place.

The cool thing about idea-based marketing is that you can do it anytime, in any place, across any platform. In-person signings could become lively discussions about topics you enjoy. Tweets could entertain and inspire. Facebook posts could inform and even raise awareness about important events or causes. 

 

You don’t have to have an active product, just an active idea. My sci-fi thriller OPEN SOURCE doesn’t come out until January, but in a sense, I’ve already started marketing and building my audience around its core concepts. The best part is that most of the time it doesn’t feel like marketing, because these are things that really do matter to me. I fully believe in my ideas, and I want to talk with other people about those ideas. It’s a natural outflow of my interests.

One last note: idea-based marketing only works if you MAKE IT EASY TO BUY YOUR BOOK. I won’t go into strategies here, but all your social media profiles should clearly identify your author name, your book title, and provide a buy link (when available). If you make it easy to buy your book, you can spend more time talking with people about the ideas that inspired your book, and less time telling them to go buy it.

 

Maybe book sales will follow, maybe not. But you’ll still have your soul, and that’s a good thing.

ROCK the CON: Pro Tips for Writers Conferences

(by Charlotte Levine Gruber, with Anna Davis)

Next week is the annual DFW Writers Conference. As Dallas area writers, Anna Davis and I thought we'd tackle pros and cons at the "Con."

Wrong kind of con, but still a great film.

My first professional writer’s conference was the DFW Con last year. I'd just completed the first draft of my first manuscript and made one (yes, one) weak polishing attempt. I had a writer friend to help break the ice. While my friend really helped my comfort level, it's often good to go without knowing anyone, forcing you to make new friends.

I've been to three conferences since, and have made several good friends. But the workshops—listening to other writers talk about what worked and what didn't—can help exponentially.

Generally, there are two tracks at conferences: 1) Classes on craft, publishing, and critiquing; and 2) Networking. Professional conferences are most effective when the writer can "work" both tracks. But for many writers, this is a step—or leap—outside of their comfort zone.

Anna and I have divided up tips for those who master track (1) and those who master track (2).



No, these are not the two tracks we want to master...

PRO TIP #1: Research classes ahead of time and plan accordingly.
While many writers are introverts, you'd be hard-pressed to find any of my friends or acquaintances who would call me shy. But at a conference? I'm all about the classes, the workshops, and the critiques. I'm planning my schedule now for the con that takes place in ten days.

Time spent researching the instructors is beneficial. Specific things I look for: publishing credentials, book sales, and genres. This research will help you decide which classes to attend, and will also help you prepare for each class so that you can get the most out of it.

Don't miss a class! Keep track of the schedule during the con.

PRO TIP #2: Use Twitter for Networking.
Here’s the deal: most of us writers just flat-out don’t like networking. We live in our heads because we like it there. But when you sign up for a conference, you’re paying a lot of money and taking time out of your normal schedule, and you don’t want to miss a huge benefit: MEETING OTHER WRITERS.

So in the interest of all that is good and holy about networking, take advantage of Anna's little-known conference secret: Use Twitter.

If you don’t have a Twitter app on your mobile device, GET ONE. Twitter is the business card of the digital age. It beats Facebook hands-down for speed networking situations like conferences and conventions.

If you have Twitter but don’t know how to use it, LEARN. You don’t have to be a Twitter expert. You just need to know how to follow people and how to look up a hashtag (like #DFWCon, for example). 

Knowing how to make lists would help, too. If you create a list for the conference ahead of time, you can easily add new contacts to that list throughout the con. When you go home, completely brain-dead and exhausted, you will have a record of who you met. You will also have a way to get in contact with them again. And you might even have their picture. Twitter is a mysterious and powerful type of networking magic.



Dazzling. Shocking. Twitter can be your best con strategy.

Twitter is a useful tool for all writers, but especially for introverts and others who might struggle with a slew of socially-challenging conditions (anxiety, ADHD, a hatred for small talk, etc.).

Plus, there’s nothing more fun than live-tweeting during a class, seeing someone else’s tweet about the same class (because you both hashtagged the conference and class name), and looking over to see that person with phone in hand, hunkered down, sharing the same experience online but not especially comfortable in social situations. Like you.

Writers: Twitter can be your best #networking tool ever. #GetTwitterNow #IntrovertsUnite #ConTips 

Turbo Mind Booster: Exercise Your Brain

Your brain, like many other parts of your body, requires a constant workout. Sometimes, when you're stuck or facing a wall, the best way to get out is to exercise your brain.

And so, I present to you, Turbo Mind Booster 3000! (Because honestly, doesn't that sound super difficult and exercise-y?)

Exercise One: Restaurant Dialogue

Stuck for dialogue in your MS? Next time you're in a restaurant take a notebook and write down the snippets of conversation that you hear. Nothing is better than hearing real life, candid conversations.

Exercise Two: Brutal Ending

Can't figure out how to start your new WIP? Start from the ending. Write that brutal death of the main character that's been percolating in your brain. Start with that fatal last line. Figure out the overall goal for your MC. Will you keep the ending? Probably not. Will it be utter trash? Maybe, but it will give you direction for when you start.

Exercise Three: Diary of a Journalist

Stuck on how to write your character? Try writing a blog or diary from their perspective. Go through their day to day.

Exercise Four: Group Therapy

Take a few people you know, five to ten and write one sentence about them. Strive for things that make them unique or noteworthy.

Exercise Five: Talk Radio

Record five minutes of a talk radio show. Write the dialogue and add narrative and action as if you were writing a scene.

Exercise Six: Room to Room

Write 300 words about a room in your house. Make sure to pick out things that describe you and your personality.

Exercise Seven: From 1st to 3rd

Take a scene from your WIP and rewrite it. If you're writing in first, try writing it in third and visa-versa.

Exercise Eight: Tabloid Break

Flip through the tabloids at the local grocery store. Choose a story that sticks out in your mind and write it. The story may end up crap, but it'll sort of reset your brain.

If all else fails, hop on a treadmill with your favorite jams and hope that you don't end up like the guy above.

Got any writing exercises and getting away from the writing wall? Leave it in the comments below.

Get Moving!

After reading Bree Despain’s post Beating Deadlines with Healthy Writing Habits on Publishing Crawl and her follow-up post Beating Deadlines with Healthy Writing Habits Part 2: Write Happy! on Janice Hardy’s Fiction University, I was reminded how terribly unhealthy being a writer can be. Food choices, mental and emotional wellbeing, posture and physical fitness all play a role in keeping our writing inspired and our bodies healthy. But this problem isn’t just limited to writers. Anyone sitting at a desk for long periods of time and subjected to stress is at risk (I realize this might include a lot of people ;).

So what are we to do? Bree’s lifestyle choices are a great start! But in case you’re interested or looking for more nifty tidbits (unabashed and shameless self-promotion plug coming up :D) in my book Life: Living in Fulfillment Every Day there are a lot of great tips and techniques to help us achieve a greater sense of wellbeing by upping the happiness factor and decreasing our stress.  By choosing a creative path such as writing, by following our passion and dreams, we’re already well on our way to a fulfilling life, but it’s essential to cut the negative self-talk, manage expectations, and foster balance.

Very zen-like and balanced.

But that’s not all. Once we get our mind psyched and in to the game, we also have to achieve a symbiotic relationship with our wonderful, luscious bodies.

I go to the gym three times a week. I lift weights for an hour then swim my cardio for thirty minutes. I do this Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. I teach yoga Monday and Wednesday evenings and play either floor hockey (fall/winter) or baseball and volleyball (spring/summer) on Tuesday or Thursday evenings. The rest of the time, I write, run errands, nap, catch up on social media, look after my children, manage a household … you know, life stuff. One might consider me active.

Apparently not.

Here’s an article that might just blow you away and make you reconsider your lifestyle choices.

It said what?

Here’s a wee excerpt:

“How bad is sitting?

Growing evidence suggests that inactivity is a cause of obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and other metabolic diseases. This is the case even for those who meet general exercise guidelines, meaning exercising for an hour 3-5 times per week may not offset the negative health effects of being sedentary the rest of the day. In addition, sitting or being sedentary appears to still cause these issues when individuals follow a good nutrition plan.
Think of exercise as what you do for an hour to optimize your health. Movement is what you do throughout the day just to maintain basic metabolic health. The key is that it must be done daily.”

Damn.

Bad sitting. Bad.

Here I was thinking I was doing everything right, but apart from those very active ‘moments,’ I’m pretty sedentary. I sneak in as much writing time as I can. Usually Tuesdays and Thursdays are spent sitting at my chair from 9:00am – 9:00pm with breaks for water (both intake and outtake ;) and food scattered throughout. Saturdays and Sundays I’m usually wiped out and enjoy hanging around with the family, mostly sitting or reclining.



Ah, the weekend!

The Core3 article outlines a goal of 10,000 steps a day. A DAY! Even after two hours at the gym I’m not even close to hitting that target!

So, what’s a girl to do?
Grab the leash, enlist the dog, and get moving.

My Razz.

Walking. Often. For as little as fifteen minutes every hour or so helps knock down that daunting task to more manageable levels. It requires motivation, sure. Effort, absolutely. But, I’m not going to let my dreams of writing crash and burn because I couldn’t get up off the chair and move a little more every day. In order to do what we love, for as long as we can, we need to be healthy—body, mind, and soul.

So, what do you think? Are you ready to join me?

In gratitude,
Marissa xo

Where Do You Get Your Ideas?

Where do you get your ideas?

I'm a writer. People ask me that. And when they ask, I want to do this...

Yeah Ke$ha, I don't know either.

Because tearing my hair out is easier than trying to explain how I come up with my ideas. Take my current project...

Jack rides his bike from Portland to Seattle in January because his maybe-ex-boyfriend's mom is in the hospital and he doesn't want to accept the gift of an airplane ticket. Will his stubborn streak end things for good, or can he and Gregory find a way to rekindle their love?

As hard as it is to summarize a 200 page story in fifty words, it's even harder to explain how I came up with it in the first place. Most people who aren't writers (or artists, or musicians, or participants in any other kind of creative endeavor) think we must carry around some magical fountain from which all good things flow.

Instead, I feel more like a pug doing bicep curls. The initial concept - whether it's a photograph or a song lyric or a mental image - comes from...somewhere...and then it's all heavy lifting while I figure out the story's shape. 

Because really, when it comes right down to it, there are only seven types of stories in the world. According to a guy named Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch, you can tell a story that's

• man against man
• man against nature
• man against himself
• man against God
• man against society
• man caught in the middle
• man and woman

Of course, if those are a little abstract, here's another way of looking at the same list...(also from the post by Len Wilson

• Overcoming the monster
• Rags to riches
• The quest
• Voyage and return
• Comedies
• Tragedies
• Rebirth

So really, all you have to do is pick something from one of these lists, come up with a couple characters, and you're golden.

Hold on, Adam. Wait till I get to my point.

The thing is, especially when you're writing genre fiction, the tropes - some would say clichés - do govern a lot of your choices. How many fantasy novels can you think of that involve a quest? How many romances start with a friends-to-lovers premise? The trick is taking a standard story structure and giving it a fresh spin. 

In Save the Cat, Blake Snyder even titled a chapter Give Me the Same Thing...Only Different. So, you know, take something you've heard before and put it in a different century or a different country or a different planet. (I swear someday I'm going to rewrite Wuthering Heights with Heathcliffe as an L.A. biker. Don't steal that. It's my idea. Mine.)

As Mr. Snyder puts it...

“You can be near the cliché, you can dance around it, you can run right up to it, and almost embrace it. But at the last second you must turn away.”

While it may be exceedingly unlikely that you'll come up with a truly unique idea, the game is to take something that's been done a thousand times before and make it your own. And when you do that, well...

Happy Dance!

The place where the magic happens is when you make YOUR friends-to-lovers story absolutely unique. Where you take an old Harlequin Romance blurb & rework it as  a m/m romance (& I totally just stole that idea from Josh Lanyon's fantastic book, Man, Oh Man: Writing Quality M/M Fiction). Where you "borrow" from Shakespeare or People Magazine or a story your college roommate told you.

Ideas are EVERYWHERE, people, and my own ideas don't come from anyplace special. I keep my eyes, ears, and heart open, and when it all comes together...

Boom!

So where do you get your ideas from? I'd love to hear from you...

Peace,
Liv

Gratuitous Prince. Because, Prince.

Hiding In Plain Sight - Thoughts about author pen names

So the romance teakettle was in a bit of a tempest last week when Jane Litte from the Dear Author review blog announced she was also indie author Jen Frederick.

Jump HERE to read her statement, detailing her reasons for keeping the pseudonym separate from her Dear Author persona.

Jump HERE to read an anonymous post on The Passive Voice blog, detailing why her rationalizations might be kind of bogus.

This is a tremendously complicated issue. I can totally see why Jane Litte would want to keep her roles separate by using different names. I can also understand why the anonymous blogger (who kept their own identity private for fear of retaliation by Ms. Litte or her allies) felt betrayed when it turned out that the Jen Frederick they knew from a private author discussion board was actually a prominent reviewer.

I can respect Ms. Litte for the stand she took in support of Ellora's Cave authors. She hasn't backed down, even though she's now the subject of a lawsuit brought by the publisher. On the other hand, I've seen her and her reviewers get into some pretty petty bitchfests with other authors, which makes me question their credibility.

Like I said, it's complicated.

Whether she's a hero or a villain or somewhere in between, Jane Litte is a smart and successful businesswoman, and her Jen Frederick pen name is going to be a lot more prominent when that movie deal goes through.

So why use a pen name?

Ms. Litte says she "partitioned off the fiction writing from the blogging, to keep (her) writing identity private" because "it was important that DA (Dear Author) remain its own, inviolate entity." She did it to keep her writing life separate from her day job, and of all the reasons to choose a pen name, I think this is the strongest.

Liv Rancourt is my pen name, and I chose to use it because I didn't want people doing google searches for Amy Caldwell, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, to find pages of hits for vampire porn (as my children affectionately call my first book). When I started out as a writer, I had kids in Catholic school and sang in the church choir. I wanted the freedom to write on any topic without worrying what people who knew me in those contexts would think. I don't care so much any more, but back then I needed the barrier.

Now, if you're thinking about writing under a pen name so you can get back at the guy who broke your heart in high school or the Ice Queen who beat you out for a promotion, you should probably take a hard look at your motivation. As it says at the bottom of this post from WritingWorld.com, using a pseudonym won't protect you from legal action if the axes you choose to grind fall into libelous territory.

Building your brand.

Another reason for choosing a pen name is to compartmentalize, to give each genre you write in a separate identity. An easy example is romance writer Nora Roberts and thriller/suspense writer JD Robb. Same person, different genres, different personas.

Choosing separate pen names allows you to develop a clear brand for each one, which can help attract readers. The biggest downside involved is the amount of work involved in developing and maintaining two separate author brands - separate twitter profiles and Facebook pages and blogs and oh boy I might have a seizure just thinking about it.

It's possible to craft your brand on a level above genre - basing it on humor, or tough-talking characters, or a specific setting or socioeconomic level. Janet Evanovich, for example, writes funny, quick-thinking heroines, whether she's doing Stephanie Plum mysteries or Lizzy & Deisel paranormal stories or Kate O'Hare spy thrillers. Because she's so consistent, readers know what to expect from Ms. Janet, regardless of the genre of the story. (Jump HERE for a thoughtful post by Belinda Pollard on whether you need separate pen names for different genres.)

Building your brand - the reprise.

• Say your surname is made up entirely of consonants. You might want to consider a pen name.
• Say your name is undeniably feminine - Maybelle Valentine, for example - and you write political thrillers. You might want to consider a pen name. 
• Say your parents, Tom and Mary King, named you Stephen. You also might want to consider a pen name.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. There are circumstances where the name on your birth certificate should stay there, while you put something different on your published work. The tricky bit is figuring out what name to use.

The name should resonate with you and should be accessible for your readers. It's got to be something you can live with, because for the foreseeable future you're  going to be seeing and hearing it nearly every day. It should fit within the expectations for the genre you want to write. Ms. Valentine from the example above might be a hard sell as a thriller writer, but she'd fit in fine writing cozy romances.

There are all kinds of places to get ideas for pen names. Liv Rancourt is a close variation of my great aunt's name, Livia Rancourt. You might find a family name that would work, or a list of names in a source like the phone book might give you ideas. Wait, except we don't really have phone books any more. Use google then. You can do anything with google.

More seriously, here's another great post by Belinda Pollard with ideas for how to choose a pen name.

Learning and perfecting the craft of writing is important. So is learning the business side of publishing. Choosing a great title for your story is key. But how many times have you asked a friend,

"Hey, have you read the new one by (fill in the blank with the author of your choice)?"

The name you choose to publish under is the thing most readers remember. It'll be tied to their memories of your work, and it's a symbol of trust that you will both entertain and connect with them on an emotional level. In writing, as in every other part of life, you should think real carefully before doing something that betrays somebody's trust.

Peace,
Liv

What about you? Do you have a pen name? Why? Do you have any thoughts on the Jane Little/Jen Frederick brouhaha?

Living on the Edge: Writers as Outsiders

Are writers supposed to live on the fringes of society? I mean, as writers and artists, we regularly ponder horrific existential truths that would scare the pants off regular people. We’ve tapped into something huge, man. Something beyond everyday reality, an existence in the margins. Just makes sense we'd be outsiders, right?



Reality Bites (1994)

I’ve been percolating on this sentiment for weeks, but couldn’t really put words to it until I read poet Tony Hoagland’s recent column in The Writer. “I was living a vagabond life, encountering a lot of people who were living outside of all the systems,” writes Tony of his younger days. “That’s very important for writers, because we really are the outsiders, and we have to maintain our outside perspective…We really can’t speak truthfully or with that renegade precision that turns over rocks unless we know how to navigate between the systems and not to be co-opted by any of their resident vocabularies.”


Poet Tony Hoagland

I read Tony’s column while on a roadtrip with family and friends to New Mexico for Spring Break. It could’ve been my altitude sickness or the peculiar Native American landmarks, but his words resonated with me. A vagabond life…Renegade precision that turns over rocks…I don’t know about you, but something about that description gets me all fired up.

Almost every writer I’ve met views the world differently from the mainstream. For some of us it takes years to claim the role—pretending we fit in, trying to be normal, yet seeing things that others don’t (then shutting up about it, so as not to disturb the status quo). But somewhere along the line we'll sit down over a keyboard with reverence, take a deep breath, and start writing. When that happens, watch out. We’ll turn over rocks with renegade precision like warriors—word warriors—armed with smoking-hot vocab and deadly syntax.

Which leads me to my next point: is there something more substantial than gratuitous self-identification to this concept of writers as outsiders? Is there a purpose?

Yes and yes.

As writers, we put words to emotions and sensations that others feel but can’t articulate, so that when someone reads it, they think, “Yes—that’s exactly it. That’s how I feel.” This can happen in millions of ways in every genre. Stephen King once said that fiction is the truth inside the lie. When writers wrap a story around real emotions, readers identify with that story because they’ve also felt those same core emotions. It can be cathartic for both writer and reader.

Besides serving as emotional conduits, writers are also in the unique position of pointing out societal failings. Most people learn quickly in life not to speak of those little things (and sometimes really big things) in our culture that don’t ring true. Writers and artists have the ability to expose these discrepancies. Why? Because we’re outsiders. We know the lay of the land, but we see it from a different perspective.

So raise your coffee mugs and take up your keyboards, because right now someone out there might need you to flip over a rock or two. You’re a writer, baby. Get to work.

 

Take My Advice

Struggling to write this one sums up my writing efforts during the past few weeks.  Inspired by fellow Relentless Writer, Janice M. Wilson's post:  NEW SHIRT, NEW SHOES, NEW STORY, I dusted off one of the old stories and tried to get it going again.

In trying to relight the fire of the story, I also decided to "take my writing seriously" and do things like read Stephen King's On Writing and do an outline.  Since I'm trying to write a mystery, my thought process was based on that King ethic that if I'm going to have something happen later, I sure as heck better set it up at the beginning of the story.  I also did the whole "kill your darlings" thing to streamline certain relationships and iron out timeline issues I've struggled with through the whole story.

And let me just put this on the record:  THIS IS THE MOST FRUSTRATING THING I'VE EVER DONE!

I want to burn the whole thing like love letters in a fire filled barrel on Valentine's Day.  Since it takes place in a small community of New Jersey McMansions (thus far, last night I wondered what would happen if I moved it to Seattle), I want to burn all the houses down and collect the insurance money.  The latter is what someone did to get his footing in real estate, but I guess you can witness that whenever this story gets out of my damn head.  I even forgot I had that part set up in my head as something to use.  Hence why I'm trying to outline.

Now that the embers of my frustration are cooling, I can say that I am in love with this story again, as I am with my other story.  I unearthed a couple things that became my darlings and got rid of a lot of stuff I just had no interest in and didn't seem like it would payoff for the audience.

But now to set some deadlines.

And how's your writing going in 2015?

Letting the Smart People Talk - Inspiring TED Talks

Here at RelentlessWriters we generally talk technique, publishing, or promotion - some aspect of the writing craft that's relevant to writers from across the spectrum. Today's post is going to be a little different, because instead of me telling you what I've learned through my writing journey, I'm going to let some experts do the heavy lifting for me. So pull up a comfortable seat, pop some popcorn, and check out these TED Talks from three very diverse voices..

For starters, check out this thoughtful & funny piece about the importance of story by filmmaker Andrew Stanton. He wrote movies like Finding Nemo and Toy Story...so yeah, he knows what he's talking about...



Elizabeth Gilbert has some really brilliant - and encouraging - things to say about creativity and the creative process.



Keep showing up, y'all. 


And finally, this piece by Amanda Palmer gave me a whole lot to think about. She's got some challenging things to say about the intersection between art, the media, and social connection.



I hope you enjoy all three of these talks. If anything strikes you as particularly relevant, please feel free to share your ideas on the comments.
Peace,
Liv

Circling the Drain of Self-doubt

Today we're going to have a little chat about perseverance.

Who am I? Well, probably no one you've ever heard of. 

Yet. 

But I am an expert on my best friends, fear and self-doubt. So I thought this might be a good topic for me to tackle, and tell you the story all about how my writing career got flipped turned upside down.

Picture it: 2010.....an emotionally charged new mom with little sleep, and a traveling husband, decided to write a book. Friends and family encouraged her, said her words were great, and she should try and get it published. Naive mom decided, yes, this sounds like a great idea. If friends and family love it, the rest of the world surely would as well.

Well, let's just say reality hit me hard. Rejections ate my soul. And many times I wanted to give up. But there's something special about the writing community, and once they grab hold of you, they don't let go. They don't let you give up. They become your friends who pull you off ledges, reel you in from the sea of self-loathing, and make you keep going. Because while friends and family may be supportive and encouraging, writing friends understand what you're going through on a level no one else ever will.

How does one obtain said writerly friends? Lots of ways. Join local chapters of associations, writers guilds, enter online contests, find writing forums. Some of my best friends have come from Twitter and writing contests online. And if it weren't for them, I wouldn't be here today writing this blog post. Let's face it, friends are cheaper than therapy and a hospital stay from alcohol poisoning. 

But sometimes, fear and self-doubt still turn up like bad pennies or exes. And no matter how many times my friends talk me down from the walls, my writing life looks like this:

It's hard when you pour your heart and soul into words on a page, characters who live in your head finally make it to paper and the world just doesn't love them as much as you do. Trying to find a home for your book babies is a harsh business. And it plays with our head and hearts.

It's hard to stay motivated when you're facing a pile of rejections. How many times can you hear, well just write another book. Often times success doesn't happen with your first book. Or even second or third. I've heard stories of people who wrote ten or fifteen books before ever landing an agent or publishing contract.

These stories never made me feel as encouraged as people probably meant them to be. Instead it turned me into:

Did you know there's an actual scientific name for the hysteria I possess?

Suddenly, I was never going to ever get published. Everything I ever wrote sucked, and I would just sell insurance for the rest of my life. Because I was going on book number five and still unpublished and unagented. 

Granted, the more books I wrote, the better my writing had become and more requests came my way. Over the years I've learned more about my craft, honed my skills, made tons of amazing friends and even mentored others just starting out. And suddenly, things didn't seem so bad. 

Then one day one of my best writerly friends encouraged me to try writing a short story for her publisher who had a call for an anthology. She suggested I take a break from writing my usual stuff and just try writing something completely different. So I set out to write a short for a sexy anthology about uniformed heroes. I thought, why not. 

While I sat waiting to hear back on the anthology, she encouraged me to write a novella for one of this publisher's other special lines called Naughty Fairytales. My mainstay had always been science fiction and fantasy so I thought, well yeah I could totally write a sexy fairytale. So I did. And wrote one in a few days and subbed that.

And low and behold, that email came from the publisher and they wanted my short story for their anthology. Then they wanted my naughty fairytale too. And I totally sat at my computer looking something like this:

Suddenly I'm scrambling to set myself up a pen name and a whole new persona for my new writerly life writing sexy fun-time stories. I'm still trying to find an agent for my more mainstream novels. But now a whole new world has opened up for me on the side writing more romantic and fun sexy stories to pass the time. So sometimes you have to shake things up. Try something new. Success isn't always what you think it may be.

There will be many hills and valleys. Many highs and lows. But the key to it all is perseverance. 

For some, reaching their dreams may happen over night. Sometimes it's all about being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes it's knowing people. Sometimes it's just dumb luck. Often times it's hard work and just never giving up.

So if you're at that point where you want to throw in the towel....maybe throw in the towel on one thing, but pick up another towel and snap that one around for a little while. Sometimes you just have to go in a different direction to achieve a goal. Will I give up on my other persona? Never. I'm just detouring and enjoying this new ride for a little while.

And now, February 13, 2015 my very first book is getting published with Evernight Publishing. My naughty fairytale, UNBEARABLE will see the light of day. 

And on February 27th my short story will be out in the Uniformed Hero anthology!

So, if you're feeling down and out about life in the writing lane, don't give up. Remember: