Writing

What Kinds of Books Do I Read?

by

I read all kinds of stuff, in all kinds of formats. I own thousands of books: hardcover, paperback, and ebooks on my Kindle. I subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, and definitely receive a great value for my subscription.

Here’s the thing. I received a credit from Amazon that linked me to a page with all kinds of books I could apply the credit to. How does a person decide what book to buy?

I suspect I have a serious issue–okay, I know I have several of them, but I’m talking about the issue relating to my preference for some writers over others. The genre of the book doesn’t matter to me, so long as the writer’s voice sucks me in. Sure, I prefer mysteries, suspense and thriller novels, and all kinds of women’s fiction–including romance. So, why could I not stop reading the first few pages of the first two books I looked at?

Neither book is the type I’d normally read, which is why I looked at them. Stepping outside the box, you know? Here they are, you tell me why I found both authors’ voices gripping:

By the way, my favorite book of all time is the Scarlet Pimpernel. (See? I told you I had issues.)

New England Crime Bake 2018

by

I just spent a terrific weekend in Boston at the New England Crime Bake, a writers conference co-sponsored by the New England Chapters of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, organizations of which I am a member.

All I can say is, Wow!

Wonderful guest of honor: Walter Mosley. Excellent presenters and panelists, including Gayle Lynds. So much to process and share.

Give me a few days to gather my thoughts and I’ll have more info and details for you. In the meantime, you can use #crimebake on Social Media to see photos and other good stuff posted my my fellow attendees.

3 Reasons to Join a Writer’s Group

by

The older I get, and the longer I write, the more convinced I become that writer’s groups are an essential component of a writer’s life, success, and mental well-being. Why?

-1- Writer’s groups provide a sense of community, of belonging. Although my professional background has always been in sales and marketing, I have never felt comfortable in large crowds of people (unless I was teaching). Until I walked into my first writer’s meeting in Boston in the late 1980s. There’s nothing that compares to being in a roomful of other creative people. When I’m with other writers, even those I don’t know, I no longer feel just a step out of sync with everyone.

-2- Writer’s groups offer a wealth of information you can’t get anywhere else. Not only do the members of writer’s groups provide you with objective, factual information about the craft of writing and the publishing world, they share their personal impressions and perceptions. Let’s face it, little about storytelling and writing is set in stone. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes, and preferences. But listening to divergent opinions and insights, and blending the ingredients into a recipe that works for you, is an essential element of growth as a writer.

-3- Finally, writer’s groups provide inspiration and motivation, propelling you on to accomplish great things. Why? Because they hold you accountable. If you’re a member of a writer’s group, you keep writing. And that’s the most important benefit of all. I don’t care what you write, so long as you write, you’ll get where you need to be.

The first book I completed was [what I considered] a romance. A couple of mystery publishers agreed. Unfortunately, the romance publishers thought it was more of a mystery. Despite my confusion, and disappointment, I kept writing.Why? Because. It’s just something I do.

I wrote chapters that never saw daylight. I began writing magazine articles. And a business newspaper column. I wrote short stories. I journaled.

Eventually, I wrote and published a mystery novel and a non-fiction business book. Then I began writing continuing education (CE) courses in the insurance industry (where I worked my “day” job). Then, I was recruited to write insurance CE textbooks for multiple national CE providers/publishers.

My goal was always to be a published writer who supports herself with her writing. Be careful what you ask for, kids, because you  just might get it! Seven years ago, I realized my dream, and began making more money than I ever had. I SHOULD have asked to be a published fiction writer who supports herself with her writing and hits the bestseller list over and over…

Anyway, I now find myself in a position where I whittled my client list down to two, and I spend part of my day writing insurance stuff. I know most people find it boring, but I love it. I spend the rest of my day writing fiction. In fact, right now, I have a fiction novel (the first in a series) on the desks of both an agent and an editor–both of whom I met at a writer’s conference in April!

Only time will tell if I ever hit the best seller list, but I’m writing. And getting paid for it. And working from home without having to wear makeup, a suit, or–thank God!–pantyhose.

You can write your own version of what I consider my success story. Please, join a writer’s group. Write. Stick with it. Your hard work will pay off.

P.S. I’m a member of both the national and regional chapters of the following organizations: Romance Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime. And here is a link to lots of other writer’s organizations.

 

 

What Does Summer Mean to You?

by

Call me a creature of the sunlight. Like a little kid, I wake up as soon as dawn chases the darkness away in the morning–regardless of what the clock says. Summer is mornings, freshness, new beginnings.

The vivid colors of the trees, flowers, and sky paint pictures I remember once the winter turns them sodden and blurry. Sometimes I think to snap an actual photo. Usually, I don’t.

I collect sea shells, herbs for drying, and long walks once life cools down in the evening. I love bare feet, shirts without sleeves, windows thrown open to the wind.

To me, summer means Freedom.

What does summer mean to you?

Tip #4 for Keeping on Track with Your Writing

by

In this final of 4 blog posts with tips for keeping on track with your writing, I want to tell you about the many free database programs available to keep all your book files in a central location.

Many businesses use these database and project management programs for team collaboration and monitoring the numerous projects they have going. Well, we freelancers can use many of these programs as well, even if we don’t employ other people. Some of us go solo during the writing process, but others of us have teams that consist of critique partners, agents, and fellow writers who assist with the process.

I was introduced to Basecamp by a client of mine, a very large company that does business in all 50 states. It has many employees and, as you can imagine, multiple departments that handle different kinds of projects. I began using the free edition of Basecamp and then upgraded so I could use it to work on more than one book at a time.

In fact, when I co-wrote a mystery novel with another write last year, we used Basecamp to keep all our stuff organized. Herb had separate folders where he  uploaded his chapters and research, as I did, but we each had access to the folders. (If you didn’t want to give access to someone, you can do that, too.) We also created a folder where we could upload photos. He lives on the west coast and I live in New England, and each of our lead characters did, too. So uploading  photos was essential for helping our writing partner see what our characters’ part of the world looks like. We also used the program to message each other in real time and had the ability to email files to the central repository, as well.

I currently use Freedcamp, for personal reasons that have nothing to do with any dissatisfaction with any other program and everything to do with meeting my personal preferences for management more closely. Each writer is different, so you may like another database program better.

The best thing about using these programs is that you can keep your actual book manuscript, notes, research files, photos–basically everything to do with your book–in a single location that can be accessed from anywhere–by as many people as you grant access to. You can have several projects running at once, too. Right now, I have three books going at the same time. One completed book is sitting on the desk of both an agent and a publisher so my project is idle, I’m about 60% of the way through the first draft of another, and I’m in the outlining phase of a third.  I’m using the program differently for each of the three book projects, but I still go to the same place when it’s time to work.

The program includes a separate calendar for each project. As I write my WIP, I enter the chapter and scene number in it to keep track of where my characters are–and on what dates and times the scenes take place. The program also includes a task function that works separately for each project and it reminds me as I approach deadlines. I’ll be reminded when it’s time to check with the agent and publisher (assuming they haven’t called me with good news before then!), so I can put that on a back burner in my mind. (Or try to, anyway.)

The free version of Freedcamp I’m using allows me to have an unlimited number of projects and I chose it for that reason, plus its ease of use. If you’re a techie, you might find another product management database more to your liking. Here’s a link to just one of the online articles that provides you with a list of free programs. If you do a search, you can find plenty of other articles that compare them.

I hope this information proves helpful!