Life on This Side of Publication: Part Two- To Publication and Beyond!

Last week I shared my experience in query land. Today, I’ll continue with life ‘after publication’…the reality.

Yep, reality, sounds funny, right? 

Think about it, you’ve spent months, even years, living in ‘fantasy land’, then emerge from your writing cocoon in search of an agent or publisher. You’ve either signed a contract or decided to self-publish.  Your book is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble as an eBook or paperback. You’ve tweeted it, shared it, posted, and hyped it up. Anticipation has been growing and your future fans are lining up with dollars in hand for the big release day. Now all you do is sit back, relax, tell your friends and family they are  now looking at a published author, and watch the money roll in. Right?

WRONG!

This, my friends, is where the REAL WORK BEGINS! Yep, I said it! W-O-R-K!!!

Did I fail to mention a lack of sleep????

Sorry, I jumped ahead of myself again. Let’s back it up a bit….

Amazon Rank for October 4, 2012 - #16 Multicultural Romance  (Peaked at #4)  and #41 in African-American Literature & Fiction (Peaked at #17) - Paid Books #3181 (Peaked at #1717)

First, there are the days leading up to the big release. The contract has been signed, the publication date announced, and editor assigned. Your version of the final manuscript has been submitted and now you wait for the edits to start rolling in. A dead line is given. Then you’re off to the races! What happens next?

First you deal with your editor, your new best friend and avid supporter because they are now invested in the project as much as you are. You accept or reject suggested changes, they make sure the storyline is consistent, all the facts have been checked, and the character’s names have not changed. Once you both are satisfied with the results (and let’s face it, you’re a professional now and a deadline is a deadline!) the manuscript is next sent to the line-editor. Their job it is to check everything again…line-by-line, every period, comma, hyphen, exclamation point…yep, all the extremely technical stuff that you and your editor didn't see. And believe me people, regardless of what level of publication you’re at, whether it’s self-pub and you hire an editor, e-pub and you’re working with editors, or even one of the Big Six-traditionally pubbed where thr is a team of editors...there WILL  be errors that make it into the work, regardless of how many eyes look at it…it’s called human imperfection! (I have read three Nora Robert’s new releases this year, all hardback, and every one of them had errors, be it technical, or even storyline, or   what character’s POV we were supposed to be in, and again, this is in books from a TRADITIONALLY PUBLISHED BESTSELLING AUTHOR!)

Once your book has been sent through the ringer, you now have the final read, your last chance to (hopefully!) find any errors and point them out. Final changes are made, then it’s off to publication!

Now what?

You now must figure out how to promote your work. Unless you have a Nora Roberts budget and backing from the Big Boys, it’s up to you to push your book. Blog tours, promos on Facebook , Twitter, Google+, websites…the list goes on and on. In the end, you get what you put in. The more work you do, the better the results. The less work you do…you got it, no results. The truth of the matter is, you can sit at your computer and talk about, copy/past, share, and tweet all day long, but in the end it’s up to the readers to choose your work. Just because you promoted in twenty spots does not me your going to get at least twenty sales for the day.  

So what do you do?

 Me and my manager, Lady Kayne of  Major Movement Inc.,  at my first official meet/greet as a published  author! 

You keep talking about it, keep promoting, and sell not just your work, but yourself as well.

But that’s not all! In the mist of promoting, you now must continue to write…because hey, one book wasn’t all you planed on publishing, right? Whether you’re writing a series, like I am, or you’re selling standalone novels…writing, plotting, and planning the next story doesn’t stop. If anything, your new readers will be craving more of you work!

Congratulations! You are now a published author with fans!!! And fans need to be sated!

Good luck with finding a happy balance between being an author, promoter, wife/father, and parent… and if you have a nine-to-five job, you’ve got to work to pay your bills, and manage all of this wonderful stuff in between!!!

But guess what, after all the headache, the sleepless nights as you struggle to keep your sales rankings up on Amazon, religiously check your ranking every hour upon the hour, even at two A.M….it’s all worth it in the 

end! 

MJ

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Life on this Side of Publication: Part One- Playing the Query Game

For a while, I never thought I’d have a blog title like this, but it’s a blessing to be able to talk about life on ‘the other side’….

First, let me start with a recap of the past ten months.

I began sending query letters for my manuscript, A Heart Not Easily Broken, at the end of February. For those of you who have gone through that race, you know what a headache it can be. Its tries your patience, creates a crap load of self-doubt, and often you find yourself ready to throw in the towel.  Rejection after rejection pops up in your email, leaving you afraid to even open it.  Honestly, it’s hard to know what type of rejection letter is worse: standard form or one that has a little bit of a personal touch….either way, no is no.

I received both. It was disheartening to continue to have the standard forms instead of the ‘we don’t like it because…’ Who’s to say they even took the time to read the first line of the query letter you put your blood, sweat, and tears into writing?  How easy is it to look at something, decide you don’t have time to read it or the genre itself is not what you’re looking to fill, hit the reply button, and copy/past a rejection letter? Heck, my 10-year-old can do that! Out of the 70+ query letters sent, only four took five minutes out of their day to give me an explanation as to why they didn’t ‘feel’ my story. For that I was grateful.

I know, it sounds weird, but hearing them say why they didn’t like it gave me the fuel I needed to make changes to the next query letter or the story itself and try again.

Patience. Persistence. The will to try again.  (It makes a great mantra!)

Yes, I cried, had bad days, days filled with multiple rejections within hours of each other, as well as some that just flat out made me laugh.  It’s a part of the process. (The one that made me laugh was not a form rejection, it pretty much said, “Um…no.”)

Then one day, I got it…the email from an agent that said, “I’d like to represent you…but….”

Yep, that’s right there was a but.

‘But’…your story was good (she requested to read the full manuscript), BUT, I don’t know how to market this. I can submit it here (not naming the publisher, but I will say it was only to the few publishers who focus on African-American authors), but you’ll have to REDUCE YOUR WORD COUNT and this part, (the catalyst to the life changing event, the heart of the story which is in the middle of the book), will have to be changed to the end so the hero comes riding in on white horse. (Therefore turning the novel into a typical romance story, following all the genre guidelines).

Um…okay…

OR for your story to be submitted to the BIG SIX as Women’s Fiction novel, (which was what I wanted in the first place), you’ll have to add about 20,000 works (Not a problem!!!)….BUT…..You’ll have to change from 1^st person to 3^rd person…regardless of which publisher we submit to.

*Crickets chirping*

The Butterfly Memoirs was built on stories told in a first person narrative. Turning that to a third person would destroy the concept of the series and the one point I was unwilling to negotiate…ever.

I respectfully said, “No thank you.” And kept moving.

Did I have a moment of doubt in my decision? Of course! After all, an AGENT had not only expressed interest in my work, she’d also requested to read the full manuscript and liked it!

As an author seeking publication, you relish the idea of having a professional take a look at your work, and if you’re comfortable enough and are willing to be flexible - albeit to a degree - once you sign a contract, the publisher and editors will at some point suggest, or insist, changes be made to make the storyline better. (If you are in no way willing to be flexible and listen to what others have to say, don’t waste your time…self-publish. But understand it’s an editor’s job to streamline your work, not re-write it. If they feel the need to do that, then most likely they will not accept the job.) By no means am I telling you to give the publisher/editor reign over your work!  It’s your baby, your heart and soul, but they know how to make it work best. If there is something you are not comfortable with in changing/deleting during the editing process, stick to your guns and find an amicable solution. If not, then be aware that publisher/agent/editor may not be the right one for you. Once the contract is signed, it’s like a marriage…all parties involved are looking to get the most out of the arrangement. Being stubborn or unreasonable can lead to divorce.

I will say this, even though I was unwilling to negotiate the change of POV in my writing, I did appreciate the suggestions the agent made and took from it what I was willing to work with, made the adjustments and continued to query.

Two months later, I was at a point where I realized no one would be willing to ‘break the rules’ of general romance writing and publish someone who not only wrote in 1^st Person, but did it from multiple points of views while addressing a very sensitive subject. I was nearing the point of giving up.  Several e-publishers had showed some promise by responding to the query and request a full read. But once they read it, the response was, ‘we don’t have time to put into supporting your project’. 

What does THAT mean? They didn’t have the resources for an editor? They didn’t like the idea the story was a part of a series? They didn’t have the finances to market me? Of course no one gave specifics. Well, at least they replied.

Sigh.

Then one day I received an email from a very enthusiastic owner of an e-publisher whose acquiring editor had not only read the manuscript, she’d fallen in love with it. Was I available? My first question was of course, did I have to change to 3^rd person. The answer: NO! Man do I love my publisher! Thank you 5 Prince Publishing!!!

 As I said before, signing a contract with a publisher, whether big or small, is like a marriage. I am fortunate to be able to say my ‘marriage’ has been one of great benefit to all parties involved. I love my editor! June is a wonderful woman who has expressed as much love of this project as I have. She in no way has been hard to work with, is very supportive, and willing to listen to my questions and suggestions. She’s pointed out things in my manuscript that I, even as the author, missed completely, even after 4 years of re-writes! That is exactly how an editor/author relationship should be!

Stop by next week for part two of this blog: Life on This Side of Publication: Part Two - To Publication and Beyond!

             

MJ

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The Next Big Thing! and my FIRST FIVE STAR REVIEW!!!!!

I woke up this morning to let my dogs outside and checked my phone. There was a message on Facebook from a reader saying that she’d read my book and written a book review….my first review….My finger shaking, I logged on to my Goodreads author account and read….omg….My mouth dropped open and my eyes watered….That type of response was well worth the four years it took for me to see my book from beginning to publication! It’s a rather long review, but here’s the first portion:

"A Heart Not Easily Broken by M.J. Kane was truly a wonderful romantic well written read. This novel is the first of many of Ms. Kane's...'The Butterfly Memoirs' and I enjoyed it...and that being ...'change...the shedding of the old and bringing out the new.' This was definitely a page turner...even though I had read several excerpts... from some of the chapters... but starting with Chapter one till the end you will find this novel a captivating excellent read. How this author was able to do this was simply a work of art. (Read the entire review)

So I guess that means I really have earned the title of “The Next Big Thing!” Thank you to Carmen DeSousa and Deidra Ds Green for considering me for this title! Now… to answer the questions:

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

When Ebony’s attempt at a brief fling turns into more, despite negative reactions from friends and family, she finds juggling love, family, and career are nothing compared to the ultimate betrayal she endures.

What genre does this book fall under?

Interracial Romance, Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

It took 30 days to research and develop my charters and book outline. To write the first draft took another 30 days.

What other books would you compare this story to within the same genre?

I can’t compare my work to anyone else. I’ve strived to create my writing voice and style to bring a fresh voice to the Romance genre.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Life. My personal emotional growth and evolution was the catalyst. My desire to see a heroine the everyday woman can empathize with, who is strong, yet endures a tragic situation and is still able to come through the trial changed for the better is the theme of my Butterfly Memoirs series. I also felt finding men who experience the same type of growth and developments were passed over in the Romance genre. I strive to focus on both character’s development.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

While this book is about an interracial couple, the focus is not on the color of skin. It’s about finding love and support where you least expect it. No matter what the color of our skin, all face the same type of issues. It’s how we deal with those issues that define us.

Now to tag a few authors, both aspiring and published! Keep your eyes open for these talented authors!

Candace Shaw

Sharon C. Cooper

Ann Swann

Sara Barnard

Abby Jones

Erika M. Szabo

Minnie Lahongrias

MJ

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A Heart Not Easily Broken Release Party!!!

Yes! It's finally here! The release of my debut novel, A HEART NOT EASILY BROKEN!

Four years....

That's how long it took me to take a suggested hobby and turn it into more than I ever expected it to be...

Thank you to my family, all of my friends, old, and the new ones I've met along the way, for your support!!!! I would never have gotten this far if it wasn't for your undying love and support!

So without further ado...(because I swear this sounds like I'm standing on a stage accepting an award...ROTFL!) I present....

Ebony is a smart, sexy, career-oriented black woman who wants nothing more than a summer fling with a man who challenges her mind and body. What she doesn’t expect is a blond haired, blue-eyed bass player—who won’t take “no” for an answer—to accept the challenge. 

When Ebony’s attempt at a brief fling turns into more, despite negative reactions from friends and family, she finds juggling love, family, and career are nothing compared to the ultimate betrayal she endures. Now her dreams spiral into lies and secrets that threaten her future and her best friend’s trust. 

Amazon     Barnes & Nobel     Smashwords   iTunes (coming soon!) 

Available in eBook, but paperback is coming soon! Don't have an eReader  yet? Don't worry! There are FREE KINDLE APPS for your laptop, iPad, Tablet, and Smartphones? There's even one that allows you to read on your browser!

Don't forget the blog tour! For blog stop information and information about the contest, check this link for details!!!! Drop by, say hi and don't forget to comment! (See contest rules! Every comment gives you the opportunity to win!)

Today's stops are: 

Celebrating Authors

Warrier Princess Romance Writer

My Writing Journey

Chicks Who Love to Read

Oh yeah, there's a PARTY OVER AT MY PLACE!!! Well, my Facebook Author Page that is! Drop by and say hi! I'll be there from 8pm-10pm EST! See you there! 

MJ

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Announcing the Blog Tour for A Heart Not Easily Broken!

Looking for Free Kindle Apps? Click here! 

I am proud to announce the official blog tour to celebrate the release of my debut novel, A Heart Not Easily Broken!!!

Starting the day of the eBook release, September 20, 2012, there will be numerous interviews over various blog sites on the web. The tour will end September 28^th, 2012. Follow the tour to learn about me, how I started writing, why I write, the creation of the characters and the Butterfly Memoirs series! Along the way there will be character interviews, deleted scenes, and sneak peeks into the novel itself!

But wait, there's more!

I will also be holding my FIRST CONTEST!!!  And who doesn’t love a contest!

In appreciation for all of the support I’ve received during my writing journey, I want say thank you for the encouraging comments and feedback! As a bonus for taking the time to visit these blogs - and showing the blog host some love - I will be giving away an AUTOGRAPHED COPY of the paperback version of A Heart Not Easily Broken!

That’s right! For all of you who still love the smell of a paperback book, feeling the weight of it in your hand, and having it displayed on your book shelf, someone is going to win one!

(But if you can't wait until October 4th to get that paper back, download a FREE KINDLE APP and grab your eBook copy today!!!!)

The contest rules and directions will be posted on both this site as well as the home for The Butterfly Memoirs Series. I will be shouting out reminders daily as well has posting all the host links so that if you miss a day you will still be able to catch up!

By the way, if you don’t have an eReader and would like to purchase the book the day it releases in eBook format, don’t fear!!! Did you know that you can download FREE KINDLE APPS for your laptop, iPad, Tablet, and Smartphones? There's even one that allows you to read on your browser! And they are all FREE!! Follow this link and find out how you can get one of these free applications, then got to Amazon and purchase the novel! (On release day, Septmeber 20th!)  I promise you’ll be glad you did!

Until later, Happy Reading!

MJ

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The Lucky 7 MEME Award- Yay!

Today my blog was nominated for the Lucky 7 MEME award by my dear friend and fellow author, Sharon Cooper. Thank you so much for thinking of me, and congratulations on your new book coming out this month, Something New. Be sure to stop by her blog and take a sneak peak at the excerpt !

 So, here are the rules to this award:

·         Go to page 77 of your manuscript (or any part of your written work)

·         Go to line 7

·         Copy the next 7 lines, sentences, or paragraphs into your post

·         Give the award to 7 more writers and let them know!

So, I happily give the honors to the following authors/bloggers:

Debbie Brown: amethyesteyesauthor.com

Zee Monodee: ZeeMonodee- Author's Corner

Darin Calhoun: DarinCalhoune.com 

Stacy Green: stacygreenauthor.com

Abigail Tinuviel: Worlds Before the Door

Donna McBroom-Theriot: My Life. One Story at a Time

Kirkus MacGowen: Diapers, Bookmarks, and Pipe Dreams

Well, first comes the fun part, sharing an excerpt of the story. A Heart Not Easily Broken is currently in the querying stage.  If you haven't read the first chapter, stop by and check it out to familiarize yourself with the main characters, Ebony Campbell and Brian Young. 

Now, on to page 77, line 7, and the next seven paragraphs. Enjoy! 

A day spent with no strings, no commitment, no expectations, and no sex. Just two adults enjoying each other’s company in a public setting. After all, in order to become friends, you needed to spend time together.

He’d be there. I’d show up. That’s it.

I headed upstairs, grabbed my phone, and sent him a text message. Deciding what to wear should not have been hard, yet I found myself unable to decide on shorts or jeans. I didn’t want to wear the same thing twice.

Five minutes passed with no reply. Could he have changed his mind about going? Or worse, found someone else willing to jump at the opportunity to spend the evening with him? Maybe I shouldn’t have waited to decide.

I grabbed my phone and flopped onto the bed unable to ignore the pain of disappointment. I was about to send a message to cancel when my phone chimed.

glad u changed ur mind. c u there.

An unexpected feeling of warmth spread through me from head to toe.

Thank god Ebony was at a decision making point in the story and not in the middle of some random thought! Her decision leads to the novel's first kiss, which is told from Brian's POV. To read a snippet of that scene, visit this blog post on fellow author, Carmen DeSousa's, blog post, Ah, the first kiss, is there anything better, and you'll find it and other great first-kiss scenes! 

 For more information about A Heart Not Easily Broken and The Butterfly Memoirs, visit the Butterfly Blog and follow on Twitter. 


As always, thanks for stopping by! 

MJ

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Character Descriptions - Creating a Picture With Words

Fat? Skinny? Tall or Short? What category does your character fit in?

Some of us have over-active imaginations which allow us to 'see' what a character looks like. Translating that picture in our heads to paper should be easy, right? Not always. What about when you have several characters floating in and out of scenes throughout the manuscript?

 How do you hammer out each description while ensuring none of them are alike? It takes planning, plain and simple.

One of my favorite things to do is have a working picture chart for each major and minor character for quick reference. I got this idea from a critique partner and I will never write without one again. My favorite place to look for character references are on the Internet, movies, and television. When developing a new character, I already have an idea of their physical attributes, the sound of their voice, and the way their body moves. Finding a picture I can study makes a world of difference when writing a full character description. If you only go by what you imagine, there will be things missing, such as, subtle quirks like the way a character stands, a twitch of the mouth, or that hidden mole. Your eye may not notice at first glance, but after studying a photo, you can add an extra layer of 'life' to the character.

Let me demonstrate.

In A Heart Not Easily Broken, there is a chapter where Ebony Campbell, the heroine, has the opportunity to study her future love interest, Brian Young, from a distance. He's standing in her back yard trimming the grass along the fences edge with a weed whacker and not wearing a shirt.

Here's the way that scene was written without having a visual reference to refer too (rough draft):

          Brian stood with his weed whacker, swinging it along side the fence. My eyes widened; the man was shirtless. The man had an incredibly strong looking back. His shorts hung off his hips and made his underwear visible, while a damp shirt hung from his belt buckle. Hmm, boxers or briefs? Sweat ran down his back to his shorts. 
          None of that compared to the way he looked when he turned around to one of the guys working with him. His body was free of body fat, with a little hair on his chest. Tight abs shown a ripple of muscles so tight I could barely see his belly button. 
          Brian's tanned skin reminded me of a Greek statue, he must work outside a lot. His baseball cap was turned backward, hiding the blond curly hair I'd seen at the club. His damp hair hung below its edge, showing off his square facial structure and the angle of his nose. His blue eyes were bright.
          Brian was unbelievably sexy.

Could you visualize what Ebony sees? I'm sure you were able to get a decent idea. Brian's working outside, he's sweating, it's hot, and Ebony's attracted to him. But how about the version found in the book? (after a  picture reference, a thesaurus, a multitude of edits, rewrites, and an over active imagination!) This is what I finished with:

           Brian stood with his weed whacker, swinging it in a controlled arch along the fence. My eyes widened; the man was shirtless. The man had an incredibly strong looking back. His shorts hung loosely from his hips, exposing the top of his underwear from the weight of the sweat-stained shirt stuffed under his belt. Hmm, boxers or briefs? Sweat ran in heavy rivets down his shoulder blades, trickling to the already damp shorts. 
          None of that compared to the way he looked when he turned around to speak to one of the guys working with him. His long torso, free of unwanted body fat, sported a light sprinkling of blond hair between his pecks. A tight abdomen showed every cut of muscle I’d seen in high school biology textbooks. His abs were tight, his belly button nearly nonexistent. 
          Brian’s bronzed skin reminded me of a Greek statue, a testament of many hours spent working outside. His backward baseball cap hid the thick blond curls I’d seen at the club. The damp ringlets hung below its rim, accentuating his square facial structure and the shape of his nose. His blue eyes seemed to glow from deep within his skin. 
         Brian was unbelievably sexy.


Visual descriptive, right? Both had the same idea, but the second one took the time to describe every single detail Ebony saw. Because of this, the reader is guaranteed to feel one of two things, 'wow, it's hot, he's sweaty, and could use a shower', or since your deep in Ebony's POV, your right a long with her thinking the sight of a hard working man tunes her on!

Perfect character descriptions do not usually appear while writing your rough draft. A Heart Not Easily Broken had so many rewrites and drafts I stopped counting at number eight, and believe me, there were still a few after that. But with each scene, I forced myself to take the time to write the descriptions of the characters in as much detail as possible. It didn't matter who's POV the description came from.

Since my books are written in first POV, one of the first things I had to learn was how to have a person describe themselves without it sounding clinical.

Here's an example of Ebony describing herself physically when comparing herself to her best friend, Yasmine:

Not so creative writing (first draft):

          Yasmine's light colored skin, skinny body, long legs and small breast suited her personality. There were times I wished my body was like hers. It would make shopping for clothes easier. I had a body like my Nana did when she was my age. If I looked at her photo albums, I looked just like her . We both had brown skin, shapely hips, big butts, and large breast. 

Oh man was THAT boring!

Now, here is the book version:

          Yasmine’s high-yellow complexion, slender ballet dancer body, long legs, and B-cups breasts suited her personality.  There were times I wished my body was more like hers, though. It would make shopping for clothes a lot easier. As it was, I had been blessed with the shapely figure my Nana called 'bootylicious'.  According to her, and her photo albums, I looked just like her when she was my age, with caramel-colored skin, perfectly proportioned hips, a butt that drew major attention, and D-cup breasts, making it hard for a man to look me straight in the eye.

So much better, and (if you are a lady!) can probably visualize yourself as either character, right?

A word of advice: when writing a characters description (especially if being done from first person POV), it's best to have them compare themselves to others, or stare into the mirror and describe what they do or don't like, as a suggestion. Having them say, "I have long hair, brown eyes, and dark skin," is not being creative. "My hair reached the top of my bra strap, my eyes were coals of molten like my mothers. I had her rich coco-colored skin, too," sounds much better. Okay, I threw that one together, but hopefully you get the point.

So, with visual aid (come on guys and gals, searching for that perfect pic can be fun!), lots of imagination, and the ever handy thesaurus, you can write descriptive scenes, too!

Until next time, WRITE WELL!!!!

MJ

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I'm Getting Published! (or My New Years Resolution!)

No, I’m not getting published…yet, but I’m putting it out in the universe!

Have you ever done that? Wanted something so bad you think about it, dream it, and talk about it all the time? Has it ever worked for you? A few years ago my husband introduced me to that concept. I'll admit, I am stubborn, hard headed, and often resist change and trying something new. Then one day I took his advice and did it. Man, talk about a life changing experience! As a result, I’ve experienced positive results so I can attest to the fact the saying is true: “Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.”

That goes for both positive and negative thoughts. If you dwell on every negative thing that could happen in a situation, guess what, it will because that’s what you concentrate on. Why? Because you don’t take the steps to find a way to make what you want happen. Flip the switch from negative to positive and the results will surprise you. Changing your focus from what won’t happen, and putting your time and energy in what ‘will happen’ makes a huge difference. Determination to see your goal reached will help you succeed.

So, along with losing weight - isn’t that on EVERYBODY’S New Years Resolution list? – I’m thinking publication. Do I have my sights stuck on traditional publication? Mmm… not so much. The publishing industry is fickle; too much old school thinking. Today is a new day, literally. 2012 holds so many publishing options it’s not necessary to get stuck in the old ways. There’s E-publishing, Self-Publishing by way of ‘vanity’ publishing, or publishing by way of Amazon.

Decisions, decisions, decisions. I know I’m going to see my book on Amazon…now it’s a matter of how it’ll get there.

And here’s where patience and research comes in.

Since I’m putting all of my positive energy out there, let me share the list of things I want to happen this year, as far as my writing career is concerned:

• Be published by a publishing company.
• Sell a lot of books of course!
• Be interviewed by local radio and television stations.
• Participate in the Writer’s Conference in my city. 
• Continue to make wonderful connections with other authors and readers.

Interesting goals, but all are attainable…if I set my mind to it and follow the steps I’ve learned along the way. Can’t wait to see what my end of the year blog will say. I will definitely follow up to see what I have been able to achieve.

But for now, I continue to push forward. The question I’ve asked myself since completing A Heart Not Easily Broken is this: My MS is done…now what?

One of the most valuable lesions I’ve learned from my critique partners is to not wait to start writing the next book, especially when writing a series. Why? First of all, no matter what publishing route you take, readers will want to know when the next book will be available. Publishers and agents will be interested in the fact your writing a series, because lets face it, series can lead to more sales verses stand alone titles. Before investing in you, and your product, they will want to sample the next book to be sure of the continuity of your storytelling as well as characters. It’s always best to have a second book available upon request. The last thing you want to do is be pushed for time to get something down on paper and have it lack the fire and spirit of the novel that caught their attention. Think about it: when you query, you never do it with the first draft of your story. You’ve gone over it with a fine tooth comb to tighten up the prose as much as possible. That takes weeks, months even. Publishers won’t give you that kind of time to see results. If you lose their interest, they will move on. Why give them that chance? 

I haven’t waited around. After taking two days of down time to clear my head and spend time with the family, I dived back in and started writing the second book in The Butterfly Memoirs: Jaded. This wasn’t the writing by the seat of my pants kind of writing. Completing my first novel taught me a lot about my writing technique, planning, outlining, and scheduling. As a result, it took me twenty days to write the first draft. That was ten days less than the thirty days it took to write the first book.

What did I do differently?

First of all, I took time during the second and third edits of the first book to work on the deep character profiles and story outline. I didn’t rush through the process, only took time to muse over the story as a way to take a break from the first book. Doing so allowed me to go back to edits with a clear head. Having the second books out line completed paid off. There was no down time needed to muse over my characters or decide what type of story I wanted to tell. The day before I started writing chapter one, I found all the pictures I needed for scene references, character references, and put my charts together. From there, I wrote, wrote, and wrote some more.

Another thing I did differently was write my first draft on my laptop instead of by hand. LOL, I heard the gasps out there. When writing my first novel, I used the old school method of writing by hand. As a result I have three-hundred and fifty handwritten pages of my first draft. I wrote like a crazy person, any and everywhere I had a chance. In my car at the red light, while waiting for the kids to come out of after school rehearsals, and yes, even in the bathroom. The second draft was done while transposing the work to my laptop. A third draft was done on the laptop.

This time around, I opted not to write the first draft by hand. Since this first draft was written on my laptop it cut down the places I could write. Writing at the red light was not an option, and doing it with the laptop in my lap in the car while waiting for the kids was not comfortable. So, I had to start a schedule.

Schedule, I loath, but I’ll be darned if my hubby wasn’t right. It really does work!

My mornings start with routine house leaning three days a week. That is followed with checking in on my social networking sites – shout outs, promotions, and making new friends. After that, I allow myself two hours to put in some serious work before the kids get home. After that comes evening family responsibilities, homework and dinner. After eight P.M., if I have a thought or a scene that wasn’t finished in the time allowed, I put in another hour or two. Ten P.M. is my cut off time. It’s time to give my brain a break, watch T.V., or go to bed.

Two days out of the week are dedicated writing days. Light attention is paid to house cleaning, and one hour of social networking. After that, it’s on. I enter my writing cave and stay there for hours, taking a break every two hours to stretch, eat, check in online, or lay down to rest my eyes and brain. By three P.M., I’m done for the day. After six hours of straight writing/editing I am usually pretty productive.  Depending on the depth of emotion of the chapter, or the material to be covered at that point in the story, I may write one to three chapters in a day, an average of thirty pages, or about seven-thousand words. That’s on a really good day.

Is my schedule perfect? Nope, and it’s not set in stone. But I can truly say for the last few weeks it has worked wonders. I’m not mentally worn out, my house is cleaner, and my family happier. Not to mention there are less burnt dinners. LOL! If I stay on this path, I’m sure I will find reasons to continue putting my positive thoughts into the universe and see the results I’m looking for.

So, what are your writing goals for 2012? What dreams do you wish to see fulfilled? What path are you taking to make it happen? I told you mine, now share!

Happy writing!

MJ

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