What's Your Standard Writing Day?

It's that time in the book cycle where I'm filling out a gazillion interviews before a book launch (this time it's the launch of the paperback for My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours- 12/31/13) and a common question I seem to get is describe your typical writing day. I like this question because I'm always curious how other authors work. So I'll tell you guys my typical day as a writer and you tell me yours okay? Here goes:

6:15am- get all the rugrats up, fed&dressed, and then off to school by 7:45.
8:00am- breakfast and errands with the littlest rugrat who has afternoon kindergarten. Then home to work on all book marketing related things- contests, promotions, interviews, social media, you name it.
Noon-drop the little off for kindergarten and back home to write like a maniac until it's time for pickup at 2:35.
3:00pm- all the homework/activities and so on, dinner, and kids to bed between 7 and 8.
8:00pm and on- catch up on e-mails and and book marketing related tasks still to do.

So it seems like my time is pretty split between writing and doing promo stuff. Is this how it is for everyone else? I see people say things like they write all day and I wonder how they do it. Maybe someday I'll get to that point but I'm pretty comfortable with my current schedule.

What about you?

Kristina, Miss Author in Action

P.S.- Stop by my contest between now and 1/15/14 on my blog for a chance to win the Fake Boyfriend Prize Pack. Lots of goodies!

Paying your Dues…

Things in publishing seem to be changing super quickly lately. An interesting trend is the fact of how quickly you can move through the publishing process now with ePubbing a book yourself.

I recently read a debut novel by an author that was written and published within three months (give or take). Now I can barely write a book in three months, let alone edit one completely and get it ready for publication. But I know there are lots of other people out there that can.

Even just a few years ago, if someone would have posted on a blog that they were sending a manuscript into editors or agents after that short of time, they probably would have gotten many comments that told them to back off and wait until it’s revised more. And for many people it would have been good advice, since it probably wasn't ready to be submitted—especially if it was the person’s first attempt at writing fiction.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/puppydogbites/3180369007/

There also would have been many comments about how the person should do tons of research on all the different agents and editors out there to make sure they are knowledgeable about the industry.

Then if it did end up getting accepted by an agent, there were likely to be months of revisions, and then if it was accepted by an editor there would be months of even more revisions and then a long wait for it to come out as a finished book.

No way would a book have gotten into the public’s hands in a short three-month’s time. But the rules have completely changed now.

Self-published authors are increasingly getting quicker with their release times to meet their reader’s demands, and having an author debut a book in that amount of time is probably not that uncommon now.

Some of the books might be horrible, but in the case of the book I mentioned, I greatly enjoyed it. And I wasn't alone because it didn't take that book long to become a New York Times bestseller and then eventually get picked up by a traditional publisher and then published with them almost as quickly.

Now, I don’t think this author’s story is the norm, since it’s very hard to get on the New York Times bestseller list no matter what route you take to publication. But it is interesting that you can become so popular, so quickly, without essentially paying your dues as a writer first.

It's very similar to how American Idol, the Voice, etc. can turn someone who has never sung in front of a group into an overnight success. Generally the public likes that feel good story of instant success, probably because everyone wishes it were them in some fashion.

Also on those shows, the people who have had a recording contract before are usually given tons of bad press, because the public feels like they had their shot and didn't make it so it’s time to move onto another person. I think that’s tremendously sad, since people are getting bashed in the media for essentially working hard and never giving up on their dreams of more success.

Since publishing seems to be closely following behind the music industry, I hope that doesn't become a norm with publishing—that you are essentially punished for having one book that doesn't make it. I think on some level it already does happen, since if you have poor sales your publishing company might not pick up another book. But usually there are other routes for you to go. And now that Indie publishing—just like Indie music—is becoming easier to navigate, there’s always that route to go to find success as well.

--Emily, Miss Querylicious

NOW is the Power (or Living in the Moment)

Tip of the Day: Interested in reading novels that take place in video game worlds? For engrossing, try READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline; for cute, try HEIR APPARENT and DEADLY PINK by Vivian Vande Velde; and for creepy and British, try EREBOS by Ursual Poznanski.

I've been reading PRACTICING THE POWER OF NOW by Eckhart Tolle.

In addition to finding that the words in this book help me to quiet my mind, they also resonate with my writing.

Writing a novel cannot be about getting it published, or awarded, or earning a bestseller label because those are all future goals for the work that you are WRITING NOW. And you should be enjoying the NOW, and experiencing every part of it: the music or silence in the background as you write, the smell of coffee or tea brewing in the kitchen or coffee shop, even the feel of the keyboard/pen against your fingers. Soak it all in as part of the experience of NOW because NOW is really all that exists.

Likewise, if feelings of doubt come into your mind about the future of your writing, the future of your career or book, remember that your thoughts are NOT YOURSELF. You can overcome this doubt by picturing yourself over your head -- like an image of your face hovering -- watching your brain and seeing the negative thoughts passing by like on a close-captioned TV show. And you can decide, "Wow, this channel sucks. Time to change it!" and not listen to it/watch -- just tune it out.

And then tune back into the NOW and enjoy the work you are doing. Because it is you and you choose to do it. Because you love it and you would not be you without writing.

It is a challenge to do, to get into the NOW, just like writing is a challenge each and every time. But if any of this was too easy, we'd get bored.

Right?

Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing

Being an Author is Like Riding a Roller Coaster

Tip of the Day: Check out this blog post from author Susan Kaye Quinn about Penguin purchasing the vanity  publisher, Author Solutions.


We went to Great America on Monday and I've realized that I don't like roller coasters anymore. I'd  loved them since I was a really little kid and first tall enough to ride. I always wanted to go on the biggest ones with the most flips. But maybe it's something with my age (I'm 36 now) but the thought of getting flipped upside down made my head hurt before I ever got near the ride. I did go on a few rides (small. Think pirate ship turning around type stuff) but even on those I had to keep my eyes closed. Luckily, with 4 kids there was always one who didn't want to go on a ride or one who was too short for it so I could keep taking that kid(s) and do smaller stuff while my husband had to do the big rides. :-)

Anyway, all the roller coaster stuff made me think about this career I have as an author. I've had lots of other jobs. Aside from all the random stuff I did as a young teen through graduating college, I've worked in technical support, was a technical writer for years, and an instructor at a university. All of these jobs were pretty stable. You knew what to expect from day to day. There weren't dramatic increases or decreases. My emotions weren't up one day and down another. With being an author there are A LOT of ups and downs. And twists. And flips. Just like a roller coaster.

You never know what's going to happen and each high is great and each low sucks. I've had times where I was notified hey, you were a bestseller this month! And I'm jumping up and down excited. Only to get a scathingly awful review from a major reviewer the next day. I've been given a national reward for one book and then had promo taken away for another book. I've sold foreign and film rights on one book and then gotten dozens of rejections on a different book. And the upside down flips are the worst. I've gotten close with sales a number of times-- revising several books for different editors (going up the big loop) who loved those books only to have something happen, like others on the review board turn it down, and the project gets passed on (coming back down the loop). It can be rough. It's definitely emotionally unlike any other job I've had.

I guess with time you get more used to the ups and downs and they don't bother you so much. Or maybe it's that I keep trying to flatten the track and not get quite so excited about the good stuff and not so devastated about the bad stuff.


I still don't like roller coasters but it's part of the job.

Kristina, Miss Author in Action

Summer Fun???

Tip of the Day: This is a great article about today's society and our lack of wanting to pay for things like music (and books too!).  People think it doesn't hurt to download stuff illegally but think about this-- if an author has 50,000 people download her book illegally and only sells 2,000 copies legitimately, well that author has a good chance of not get another book deal. So even if you absolutely loved that author's book you might not get to read another one from her.

Oh man, I am so doing nothing. And by doing nothing I mean doing so much of everything that my head is spinning and I'm dead tired each night so therefore I am doing nothing. Writing-wise that is. Who had the bright idea of giving kids three months off in the summer? They are KILLING me! My everyday is full of sunscreen, walks to the park, the zoo, swimming, crafts, the library, screaming (them, not me), and popsicles (again, them not me. I never could get into popsicles.)

Why is it so so hard this summer? Maybe it's the ages. I have four kids between the ages of 4 and 9 and they want to be doing something every second of the day. I keep trying to wear them out by taking them on long walks all over town, thinking aha, now they'll want to nap! But no such luck. I'm the only one wanting a nap everyday. They just want to move on to the next thing.

SIGH.

And I'm getting such little work done. I'm writing a page here and there. Or e-mailing myself a few notes. And I've been revising the same chapter (ten pages) for THREE WEEKS. That is really really bad.

Tell me writer mommies, how are you getting any work done over summer vacation?

Kristina, Miss Author in Action

Finding Focus

Tip of the Day: While I loved the movie Titanic and want to go see the 3D version no matter how bad of a headache I leave there with, this review on Jezebel is HYSTERICAL.

I really need to focus. STAT. If there is one thing I'm rarely short on it's book ideas. Which isn't an awful problem to have except when it seems like you're getting a little done everywhere versus a lot done in one place. Right now my brain is mulling over the following:

One contemporary YA book fully outlined, 3 chapters written
One contemporary YA book, synopsis written, notes, and first few pages
One sci-fi YA (collaboration with hub), notes and first chapter written
One contemporary middle grade, synopsis and first six chapters written
One contemporary middle grade series outlined, lots of notes, and first chapter of book one half written

And then you know what I went and did this week? Started plotting a super funny adult contemporary book collaboration with another author.

My head is ready to explode. How do you guys deal with having so many books pull you in different directions? I keep telling myself that I need to put things in order, deal with one at a time and just know that I'll get to them all at some point.

Right now, I daily bounce back and forth between the two middle grade books because I'm having so much fun with them but even there, I keep telling myself to pick one and stick with it. But then fit the collaboration projects in there too since there is down time when waiting for the other author to add/respond.

Do you guys go through this? Do you try to write numerous books at one time or do you pick one and stick with it to the end? I guess I read like I write because I'm always reading several books at one time as well.

Any advice? :-) 

Kristina, Miss Author in Action

2011: A Recap Odyssey (or Everyone Else is Doing It, So Why Can't We?*)

*with apologies to The Cranberries

Tip of the Day, Librarian Edition: Books are not coasters. Please do not use them as such. Thank you for your support.

It's that time of year -- the beginning! And time to reflect on the previous year.

In 2011, I read 178 books. To see my favorite four, check out my LiveJournal. Wow. So many great titles came out in 2011. Here's to many more in 2012!

And now for my month-by-month recap of the highlights:

January
--Successfully threw Dad a surprise 80th birthday party
--Sent my newly completed YA to my agent (FASHION)
--Started writing a new YA (the one that would become BLACKOUT)

February
--Got revision notes from agent on FASHION
--Stopped writing BLACKOUT to revise FASHION
--Sent revision back to agent
--Repeat

March
--FASHION goes out on sub
--Traveled to San Francisco to visit sibs; stopped by the legendary Books, Inc. bookstore

April
--Had planned on writing a proposal for BLACKOUT (synopsis and 50 pages), but I liked it so much I kept on writing
--Wedding dress purchased

May
--Rochester Teen Book Fest! Got to hang with awesome authors Selene Castrovilla, Shari Maurer, and many others
--Accepted as a new VOYA reviewer!
--Trip to Rhode Island with librarian friends
--Bridal shower, Paint-Your-Own-Pottery style
--Have received a handful of rejections on FASHION since March
--Still writing BLACKOUT
--Dad breaks his shoulder

June
--Dad-in-law breaks his arms
--Dad breaks his hip
--Try to keep the wedding jitters together despite the broken bones(!)

July
--Wedding!
--Send what I have of BLACKOUT to my agent
--Agent gets back to me that she doesn't love BLACKOUT and offers revision feedback
--FASHION has pretty much come back with a dozen rejections; editors "like the writing but contemporary realistic fiction is a hard sell right now"
--Revise BLACKOUT, a darker book of a speculative nature that I hope will resonate better with editors in this market

August
--Continue revising BLACKOUT

September
--Send revised BLACKOUT's first 60 pages to my agent
--European honeymoon!
--Read part of a novel on our new-to-us iPad with its Kindle ap on the airplane for my first time

October
--My agent still doesn't connect to BLACKOUT; after two years and two books that haven't sold, we amicably part ways
--Writing Retreat Weekend with Emily and Tina in Frankenmuth, MI!
--I sub FASHION to a few more editors on my own
--Decide to have BLACKOUT polished and ready to query new agents by December 1.

November
--Plow through revisions of BLACKOUT, excited to complete this book

December
--Send queries to agents on BLACKOUT
--A mix of rejections and requests for pages come from the queries
--Get a request from an editor for the full of FASHION
--Mom gets her MLS! Sibs come into town to celebrate
--Get a Nook for Christmas! Download and read my first full novel on an eReader.

Wow, it feels like a lot has happened when I put the whole year out there like that. Phew! Here's hoping for a busy, fun, successful 2012 to all of our blog readers!

Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing

Wedding Weekend (or It's a Nice Day to Start Again*)

*With apologies to Billy Idol

Tip of the Day: Go to your local library for some air-conditioning this summer!

These past six days have been crazy busy, so I'll leave you with this:



I think I need to write some wedding shenanigans into a future book....

Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing

Forever 29

Tip of the Day: candy parties are tons of fun! But try to plan your portions well, otherwise, you’ll be stuck with tons of candy that’s hard to resist the week after the party :)

Last week I had my big 30th birthday. I didn’t have any big life changing moments happen with the change of the decade, but for some reason it has made me very reflective over the last week. Apparently, turning 30 makes you want to evaluate your life: see where you’ve been and make a plan of where you are going.

I’ve heard that your 20s are mostly spent idealizing where you want to go with your life and your 30s are for being practical. If that’s the case then I guess my 30s should be spent realizing that my dream of being a published author isn’t very practical. Not only is it getting even harder to become a reality with publishers having stricter guidelines for the books they are purchasing, but it’s also not the most responsible or stable career choice.

But only being 30 for a week, I have to say that I never, ever want to be practical like that.

I always want to be a dreamer and live in a world where everything is possible. One where people can work hard and make the impossible a reality. Where no one gives up on their dreams just because it gets hard.

I know it’s not very practical, but I really don’t care. It’s not like I’m being irresponsible with pursuing this dream. I’m not homeless or being forced to write my manuscript on napkins...atleast yet. But I don’t ever want to get to the point that I give up on something, just because it’s the practical thing to do.

So for that reason, I guess I’ll always be Forever 29!

--Emily, Miss Querylicious

Is the grass THAT greener? Thoughts about writing FT

Tip of the Day: Easy A looks like a really good movie for those of us writing books for teens! I may see it this weekend.

This week I read a post on a message board by an author who was feeling frustrated about going to work that day when she wanted to be writing.

I remember those days well. I can specifically remember sitting on the couch with my laptop, trying to catch up on e-mails and do any blogging before I left for work at 8:30. There would be moments when I'd look out the window at my backyard and think, I want to stay home! Why can't I stay home?

It's hard to believe it's been 9 months since I quit the day job.

Most days I love it. I really do. I wrote three books this year, two of which have already sold and been revised. More writing time is obviously a wonderful thing. I also love being more available to my family. I love having more time for things like exercise and occasionally, sleep! But I have to admit, there are things I miss about having a day job. (Granted, I could also do a list of things I don't miss as well, like the commute!)

Anyway, for those who are still at the day job, I thought I'd share the things I miss about working, to help you feel a little better.

1. I get lonely! I'm very much an introvert, but still - working in an office with people and having those water cooler conversations? I miss that!! Not to mention going out to lunch at least once a week.

2. It is SO easy to squander the day away. I watch a little bit of Good Morning America, but I turn the TV off at 8:00 at the latest, so it's not that. It's the dang internet! When I'm into a story I love, it's easier to ignore the lure of the internet, but right now, when I'm playing around, trying to find a story to sink my teeth into, it's hard. And I really don't like the fact that at the end of a day when I didn't do much but play on the internet, I have nothing to show for it. I'm trying to be better about getting off the computer and reading a book if I'm really struggling with writing. Because at least reading a book is time well spent.

3. The routine a day job brings. Yes, there is less time to get things done, but there is something really nice about routine. I'm trying to make my own, and I think it's getting better, but still, it's hard.

4. And of course, the regular paycheck, and the contributions on my behalf into a retirement fund.

Whatever we're doing - writing full-time, working while writing too, parenting while writing - I think we have to realize that there is no *perfect* situation. We just have to do the best with what we have, and be  thankful for those good writing days, whenever they come.

Whatever your writing situation is - do you wish you could change it somehow?

~Lisa, Miss Crafting a Career

A Busy Day at the Library (or What Can I Do, My Dear, To Catch Your Ear?*)

*with apologies to The Music Man

Tip of the Day: Get ready for the Rochester Children's Book Festival: Sat, Nov. 6th, 10AM-4PM. FREE at Monroe Community College. Amazing authors and illustrators will be there.

I recently read another one of those agent blog posts that is like "A Day in the Life of a Literary Agent" and I thought I'd do A Day in the Life of a YA Librarian -- except to do that one must also understand that due to budgets, etc, I am actually the YA/Circulation/Programming Librarian.

Here's a "typical" Tuesday:

9AM -- Arrive at library, boot up PC, head out to YA area before we open (10AM) to fix up displays, straighten shelves, etc.

9:30 -- Field questions from business office staff regarding cash register receipts/payroll/time tickets that are lost/missing/incorrect

10 -- Check voicemails and emails, make reply calls and emails. Get interrupted by Page Supervisor with questions/comments regarding staffing/hiring. Get interrupted by other librarians in the back office regarding patrons/reference/programs/teen volunteers. Forget that I was answering emails and get pulled into filling out Procurement Requests for art contest materials, and calling staff to cover Circ shifts for next week as I hurriedly work on the Circ Desk schedules. Oh, and get phone calls from Circ Desk with questions re: problem accounts, schedules, etc.

12 -- Lunch time! Oh wait, I didn't finish answering those emails!

12:20 -- Go to lunch, usually somewhere that I can read uninterrupted (a.k.a. my car).

1-5PM -- Go to Children's Center for my Reference Desk shift. During this time I will: (a) straighten children's book displays; (b) answer reference questions for kids, teens, and adults, find them materials and place holds; (c) skim through VOYA, Publishers Weekly, blogs, etc., and add more YA books to my order cart; (d) skim through professional journals like American Libraries and Public Libraries; (e) sort through job applications for an open Circ position; (f) sort through program applications and make a note to call performers the next day from my cube; (g) sign kids onto the computers and type in "pbskids.com" and "miniclips.com" for them; (h) check my To Do List and realize I don't have enough time left to do anything on it (create book lists, design program flyers, etc.).

5-5:10 -- Debrief with the night shift librarian on what's been going on, and head back to my cube.

5:10-5:30 -- Clean up the piles of papers I've created and accumulated while at the desk, debrief with remaining staff in the back office, make phone calls that can't wait until tomorrow, reply to emails from my boss.

5:31 -- Head out.

Phew! I'm tired! But the days usually fly by and I just love being around the books and kids excited about them!

Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing

The Black Abyss of Writing

Tip of the Day: make sure to check out the new 2011 Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market book. Not only is it a great resource, but the lovely Carmela Martino wrote a great article about group blogs, which includes some quotes from us!

Making time for writing is hard for everyone, but now I’m in the flip side of this and I have all the time in the world for writing. And I’m finding out that sometimes when you have too much of a good thing, it can get overwhelming too. Kind of like you are swimming around in a black abyss and don't know which direction to go.

Lisa wrote a great blog entry awhile ago about how hard it is to turn your writing brain off. I couldn’t agree with this more. But now I’m finding out it can be just as hard to turn it on. At least effectively.

When you go to a day job you have people around and you get there at a certain time and you leave at a certain time. It’s a lot easier to trick your brain into thinking you should be working. But when you are in your home, it can get challenging to motivate yourself. Maybe it’s just me and my procrastinator brain that never likes to get anything done until it absolutely has to be done, but sometimes when I sit down to write, nothing happens, even if I’ve been thinking about my story for hours. It’s like I need to clock in to actually be productive. Trick my brain into thinking, “Hey Kiddo, you shouldn’t be staring at the blank screen or re-alphabetizing your books, but actually working.”

When I had a day job, there was a lot less time, so it was easier to get focused. Which is probably why I’ve always been much more productive when I have a busier schedule.

So I’ve made a pact to do that very thing for the next few weeks. I’m going to figuratively clock in a certain number of hours each week and then clock out when I’m done. And in between, I’m going to fill it with as much stuff as possible that’s not writing related.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

In the meantime, I’m going to be trying to figure out why when writing the quote above I immediately thought to call myself Kiddo.

--Emily, Miss Querylicious

Keep Reading, Please! (or I Will Follow Her, Follow Her Wherever She May Go!*)

*with apologies to Little Peggy March

Tip of the Day: Lactose intolerant? Going low-fat? Don't underestimate the power of Haagen Dazs sorbets. YUM! (Mango, raspberry, peach, strawberry!)

I was chatting with Tina the other day and expressed my concern that perhaps people who have been reading A2A since its inception in 2008, when we we claimed readers would be following the careers of five writers in five different stages, might think that is not really what's happening.

Why would I think that?

Um, because I've been Subbing for Pubbing for 2.5 years maybe? Ha! How's that for writer growth?

Over that time, I've had two MGs on sub, polished another YA (that neither agent loved but oh well, it was fun to write and my friends like it!), started rewriting my first YA, and am done with the draft of a new fun YA.

And I haven't sold anything yet.

Am I stagnating, I wondered, in the world of Subbing for Pubbing? Yes, I want to sell a book, but I am OK with being here -- but blog readers are like "What is going on with that girl?"

Tina, wise and thoughtful girl that she is, said no; that it was important for other writers to see that it is a long journey, that we each do have different paths, and that as long as I keep writing and really am Subbing for Pubbing, others can revel in the fact that there is nothing wrong with it taking time to sell.

And you know what? She's right. For those who hae followed me on this journey so far, the experience will only be sweeter when I DO sell and you can all celebrate with me. I've read that the average length of time to sell a book is 7 years from when a writer first seriously pursues publication. I started writing kidlit in 2004, and began subbing for pubbing to agents and some editors in 2006, so I'm around the 5 year mark. That gives me two more years to be average. And you know what? As much as I want to sell a book, I'm OK with that.

I hope you are too, readers, and you'll keep sticking it out with me!

Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing

Outdoor Attraction (or Locked Inside?)

Tip of the Day: Want to laugh? Check out Bravo's Work of Art.



It's July 14th, which means I have 16 days remaining in my self-imposed deadline to complete my WIP. I think I have about 70 pages more to write. That doesn't mean I can't spend time...researching reality TV shows like the one in my WIP by watching Bravo and Food Network, right?



Hmmm...funny, my pages aren't being written while I research!



So I move out to my lovely backyard during the perfect temperature hours after work, sit on the deck with my laptop and write. No distractions out there, right? Nope...not until these guys show up:

How can I not watch them picking their way through the grass and chasing each other at dusk?



When the darkness brings out the mosquitoes, I move inside, to my new writing room. And there is where I actually do get most of my pages written. Maybe it's finally having a writing space of my own. Maybe it's knowing that the writing room is a place to be to write. Whatever the reason, and as much as the deck writing is a nice way to enjoy the summer while writing, the cute woods animals just beckon me to stare.



What focuses you in your writing?



Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing

What I Haven't Read (or What's Old is New Again)

Tip of the Day: My libary's summer reading is online this year -- check to see if yours is too!

Tina's post last week got me thinking about "classic" books that everyone has read -- but me. While I did read and enjoy THE CATCHER IN THE RYE, here's what I haven't read:

--anything by Jane Austen (I tried P&P once but only made it in like 5 pages)
--A WRINKLE IN TIME (though I loved WHEN YOU REACH ME and swore I'd read AWIT right after....)
--anything by Agatha Christie (her books are still on the middle school's summer reading list in my town)
--ENDER'S GAME (though my manpanion read it as an adult)

I know there are more, but these are ones that come up regularly.

To put things in perspective, I've read 81 books so far this year (I read 200 last year, and about 160 the year before), so I read constantly. But it takes a lot for me to pick up a non-new book since the new stuff is what I hear buzz about and what I need to be able to recommend for book lists and teen readers who stop into the library.

I also feel like I want to be on top of the "what's new and popular?" bandwagon, not going back to catch up on popular stuff I missed. Like, I never owned a real Cabbage Patch Kid as a child but I wouldn't get one now; instead I'd stock up on those plastic bracelets that look like animals when they aren't stretched out (what are they called?).

Still, I really should read at least AWIT and EG before the year is out, right?

Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing

Writing, you are always on my mind

Tip of the day: Need a book to read? Here's a 40% off coupon for Borders - go buy a YA or MG book you've been dying to read!

Most of the time, I love being an author. I love writing, I love hearing from readers, I love talking with other authors.

But one of the things I don't like very much is that it's really hard to turn the job of author "off."

If I'm not writing, I'm thinking about the book I'm working on. Or I'm thinking about what I should be doing promotion-wise. Or I'm thinking about how I need ideas for the next book. Or a million other things.

The problem is, I rarely take a day off. Because Saturdays and Sundays are good writing days since I get up early and my family sleeps in, so I can get a few hours of good writing in during that time. I may not do much else the rest of the weekend, unless I'm on a deadline, but nonetheless, I'm still doing some work 7 days a week.

I'm beginning to realize that this is not a good way to live. I have to start designating "days off" for myself, and stick to it! It's hard though, at least for me. Because even if I say - okay, no working today (which of course I do tell myself from time to time), it's hard to turn the brain completely off. It likes to drift... back to the story, back to the characters, back to the world I've chosen to leave behind.

I think I need to take more longer vacations, because that's when I can really relax and leave it all behind. Fortunately, we have one coming up soon, at the happiest place on earth. I can't wait!!!

So, I'm wondering. Is this just me? Do you have the ability to shut it all off and really take a break from the job of writer?

~Lisa, Miss Crafting a Career

More on Success

Tip of the Day: Kate was talking on Monday about the need for more funny YA books. I found this great list of funny YA books here.

I was all set to blog about something entirely different today and then I read Deena's post from yesterday. And it was great! The line that I liked the most was the last one: "And with or without a publishing contract, I am a YA/MG novelist." And it's true. I've read a bunch of Deena's books and she is most certainly a YA/MG novelist (a great one at that!). And I love that she says it proudly to the world. Here's why. I remember before selling that first book I never told people I was a fiction writer. Like, I thought I wouldn't be believed if I didn't have a book in my hand to show as proof or something. My own family (not my husband but everyone else) didn't have a clue that I even wrote fiction books until I told them I signed with a literary agent. Why did I do that? I don't know but I know a lot of writers do that when instead we should be open and tell people. And then you think after you sell that first book you'll be forever content because you finally made it after all that hard work, and don't get me wrong, it is awesome. But then, at least for me, I find I'm always comparing myself to other authors now. I want to sell more books. Sell more foreign rights. Sell movie rights. I want to sell a series. It just goes on and on and on. So when do you officially call yourself a "success"? What's the line? I'm going to agree with Deena on this topic-- we each have to make our own definitions of success. Kristina, Miss See Me on the Shelves

What is Success? (or "You're the Best! Around!"*)

*With apologies to Joe Esposito

Tip of the Day: Write outside during nice weather for a change of scenery and fresh inspiration -- and to make you feel like you're not missing the summer by sitting at your PC.

"Success" means different things to different people. To me, it means accomplishing the goals that I've set for myself, the goals that I have control over.

In writing, it means taking myself and my work seriously. It means creating work that says what I mean to convey, creating work that entertains my CPs and reader friends.

It does not mean signing a publishing contract.

Yes, I WANT a contract! I would LOVE a contract. Don't get me wrong here, people! I may be waxing rare sentimentalities here, but I haven't lost my mind. :)

But as far as being a success at my writing, a contract is not a measure.

And this weekend, when my manpanion's band Filthy Funk played two super hot sets at the Rochester International Jazz Festival, played the best they have ever played for 1000 people, they succeeded.

No, they don't have a contract with a record label for their fabulous self-produced CD, but whoever saw them in action would never deny that on Friday night, they were a huge, rocking success.

Watch a song from the performance here and here.

Yes, they would also like a record deal for in order to spread their music to more of the masses, but with or without it, they are musicians. And with or without a publishing contract, I am a YA/MG novelist.

www.filthyfunk.net

Keep on working and success will come!

Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing

Sittin' in the Waiting Room (or I'm Gonna Fight for What I Wanna Be*)

*With apologies to Fugazi

Tip of the Day: Check out my manpanion's labor or love: his band's debut music video Breathe!

I am going to take this moment to publicly announce that I am still patiently** waiting to hear back on my wonderful revisions on my MG novel that my lovely agent subbed this past fall and winter.

I know industry pros in editor world are working hard, and are overworked and understaffed, but here's a little hint from my little blog to the universe that it's been plenty of time for us to hear back, no matter what the outcome.

And no matter what the outcome, I am working on my next awesome book, a YA, and will sub that and then a next book and a next book. Because eventually I WILL hear back and it will be good news and all of this time in the waiting room will have been worth it.

What are all of you waiting for?

Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing

**Relatively speaking

The things you can learn on Wikipedia!

Tip of the Day: Wikipedia is sometimes not your friend :( Boo.

In an attempt to be more organized this summer, I actually had a blog post and idea ready to go today. But then my husband sent me a text message this morning, and quite frankly it was too funny not to share.

We are in the process of moving to another state. With that comes all the packing, planning, and the fun of finding a new place to live. We originally had an apartment lined up, but as I’ve gotten further into the job search, we discovered we might have to move a bit farther out from the city to be halfway between both of our jobs. So this morning, my husband was researching one of those small towns on Wikipedia, and came across this gem of a paragraph in the town’s local history section:

“Recently, scientists have discovered a time portal under a local farmers porch that leads to the Middle Ages on Planet 3GHJ8 in another dimension. This dimension is still being searched upon, it may either be the 8th or 9th dimension.”

Now I like to consider myself open-minded. As an avid reader, I love to suspend reality and believe anything is possible when reading a good book. But my hunch is telling me, someone is playing a joke on the good readers of Wikipedia.

And it is funny. It certainly gave me a good laugh this morning.

But it was also a great reminder that sometimes not everything you read on Wikipedia is fact. And for those of us that use Wikipedia as a resource (which face it all of us have done at one time or another when looking up a small bit of info. It’s just so darn easy and convenient not too), it’s nice to remember to go to other sources as well!

--Emily, Miss Querylicious

Picture borrowed from: http://imagine8.wordpress.com/2009/03/27/weak-pedia/