Every writer loves a good twist. The moment where a reader sits up a little straighter. The moment a quiet assumption shatters. The goal is always the same. Surprise them. Do not betray them. A twist is not chaos. It is clarity arriving with perfect timing. When done well it feels like light flooding into a dark room. Suddenly everything that came before makes sense. The reader might gasp. They might toss the book across…
Posts tagged as “ambition”
I entered a writing contest recently. I was not chasing prestige. I was not trying to prove anything. I already won an award years ago with my debut novel, which is still wild to me considering it had enough formatting issues to make an editor burst into tears. This time I was mostly in it for the prize money. I am an indie author with bills, after all. If my work could give me a…
There’s a certain narrative that floats around the writing community like gospel: Be patient. Wait for the right deal. Don’t rush into publishing. Good things take time. And sure, good things do take time—but how much time is too much? How long are we supposed to sit in limbo, manuscripts in hand, waiting for the elusive green light that signals we’re “worthy” of being read? Because here’s the truth: Some writers wait forever. Some never…
It’s been a while since last I graced your screen. Things have been incredibly busy and Time just slipped away from me. However, I am on vacation for the next several days and the first thing I wanted to be sure to do is check in here and make sure that you know I’m still around. I’m currently juggling multiple non-writing projects in addition to working on my third novel.I’ve also made some decisions with…
While organizing my closets in preparation for a huge new project, I came across the same 18-gallon tote that I’ve been moving from place to place for quite some time. Sure it’s set up a bit different now. It was once a large cardboard box before I decided that all cardboard needed to be replaced with plastic totes. But, the contents have not changed. The tote contains dozens of spiral notebooks and even loose pages…
Allow me to preface this by saying that I didn’t realize things would end quite this way. When I began discussing Expanded Distribution several posts ago, I had not yet actually experienced it firsthand. In fact, it was because of my own research into options for Expanded Distribution that the topic became of great interest to me, and I decided to submit both Duality and Vitae into the program AFTER I began discussing it here.…
Though this shouldn’t need to be said I’ll say it anyway… This is my blog. These are my thoughts and opinions. This isn’t gospel, nor is it carved in stone. I am sharing what I’ve learned and experienced with you. Your own experience might be completely different and it isn’t necessary for you to agree. Now… I’ve discussed before the things that we, as independent authors, must do to aid in the creation and maintenance…
Disclaimer: This is NOT a sponsored post. None of the companies responsible for the products mentioned here have given me a damn thing in exchange for a mention or review. These services are used by me, loved by me, and will continue to be my go-to for the foreseeable future. There has been a fair bit of discussion online within Twitter’s Writing Community asking for suggestions to help in the creation of ads. As I mentioned…
Those of us within the Writing Community of Twitter, as well as the writing community as a whole, transcend myriad categories that vary depending on the stage of our writing careers, whether we’re independent authors or signed to an agent and/or publisher, genre – you name it. At the moment, I am an independent author. In my specific situation, because it can differ for other indy writers, this means that I am solely responsible for…
The publication date for Vitae is fast approaching. No, I’m not quite ready to disclose when that’ll be. Trust me, though, you’ll know as soon as I’ve finalized the date. What I am willing to share with you right now, though, is the final cover. I’ve gone back and forth quite a bit with the design. Admittedly, most of the changes would likely only be noticed by me or by those who pay attention to…