So You Want to Be an Author?

Guest post by Sara R. Turnquist
 
I’m here today because of my novel, Hope in Cripple Creek. I remember the day it went up for sale in the wee hours of the morning...I know, I was up at 2 a.m. checking on Amazon. It was there. And over the next 36 hours, I had many texts and e-mails from friends and family members congratulating me and wondering what it must be like for an author on book premier day. Or what it must be like to be a writer in general. It's never too late to find out.
 
Make the time for it. This is the most crucial thing about writing. You must carve out and protect the time. And you must practice writing. Work on short stories. Share them with your significant other and close loved ones who won't judge you but will give you some good feedback. If you don't have a clue what to write about, search for "writing prompts" and get ideas that way.
 
Join a Writing Group. Find a critique group that meets regularly. Preferably one that is led by a published author. And gather enough courage to participate by bringing in scenes or short stories to share with the group and open yourself for helpful critique. That is the only way to improve...by allowing iron to sharpen iron.
 
Go to a conference...or several. Conferences are like crash courses for writers and then some. You get to sit in on sessions about the craft of writing and you have the opportunity (in most cases) to pitch to an agent or editor or mentor. This is a rather unique experience and one I would encourage you to take every advantage of. Even if you don't feel ready. Make it a Q&A session or a practice session to ease into the idea of pitching. You can find a whole plethora of conferences here: http://www.westbowpress.com/authorhub/resources/events/default.aspx
 
Take an online class. I made the decision to join a national writing organization. I joined the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and they host a monthly online class that I participate in. It is perfect for me. They focus on a different topic each month and there are one to two lessons a week (not overwhelming, but just enough to keep the juices flowing). It keeps me on my toes.
 
Look for other opportunities to learn/network/connect. My critique group hosts workshops every few months that I participate in. I also joined a local chapter of the ACFW, which meets monthly. Additionally, I do what I can to interact with other authors via social media whether they are other authors that work with my publisher or other authors in the ACFW (they even have a Facebook group for several different genres, so I can connect with ACFW authors in my genre).
 
I believe that there are people born with certain talents and aptitudes. So, some people have more of a bend toward writing than others, and even some have more passion for it than others (and passion counts for a lot). But no matter your aptitude, natural talent, or passion, there is always room for growth and learning when it comes to the craft of writing.

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Sara R. Turnquist Bio
Sara is originally from Middle Tennessee where she currently resides with her family. Graduating with a B.S. in Biology, she first pursued a career in the field of Zoo Education. She also enjoyed a short stint working in the field of Sleep Medicine. However, her great love of the written word drew her to write. She is an avid reader and enjoys reading and writing clean Historical Romance. Her travels have also served to inspire her writing. Sara is the author of The Lady Bornekova, The General’s Wife, Off to War, and Hope in Cripple Creek. She is also a member of ACFW. Website: http://saraturnquist.com

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Hope in Cripple Creek

Tragedy strikes Katherine Matthews and the small town of Cripple Creek, Colorado. An epidemic teams her with an old enemy, Wyatt Sullivan, the town’s doctor. In the midst of desperation and death, Katherine has decisions to make. But she has no idea to what extent they will affect her daily life and livelihood.

The town is turned upside-down when the gold miners go on strike. The owners bring in outside reinforcements, ready to break the resolve of the Western Federation of Miners. Everything in an upheaval, Katherine faces a crisis of faith and hard choices. Will life ever be normal again?

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