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2/9/2019 0 Comments Committed to Writing Other writers have asked me how I get so much writing, blogging, etc. done. This often makes me feel like a fraud—I don’t feel like I’m doing very well. Comparison can be a dangerous thing. Someone is always more successful or less so than we are, at whatever we think of as success.
But I am committed to writing. Whether I sell it or not is a different subject. However, let’s discuss what works for me. First, set aside time. I’m very blessed to not have to work full time. That means I get up in the morning and write, or do writing related business. Let me explain the latter since it comes in many forms. It could be research for a project or for finding an agent or editor, catching up on reading newsletters or blogs focused on writing, working on a student lesson, submitting or querying projects, updating spreadsheets, critiquing for a client or work to find a client, etc. It often includes time spent on social media, although it’s easy to get sidetracked with that so I try to limit it. I also volunteer for a writing organization and may spend some time on that. The writing part can be fiction or short nonfiction and is 99% of the time done on a keyboard. If I’m in the midst of a novel, that’s usually the most compelling project for me to approach. Nonfiction usually includes blog posts for both of my sites, plus occasional articles for pay. On my writing for children site, I also do book recommendations. Of course, writing any of these can require me stopping to research a needed fact or two. This is another place I can get sidetracked... Whatever I’m writing, I may be at the getting words down part or revising what I already wrote. After lunch I return to the computer to do one or more of the above. This schedule is normal five days a week. Saturdays, I may write, or I may do family things. Sundays, we meet with our local church and usually rest and relax the rest of the day. However, I know many others who write after their full-time job is done for the day. They write in the evening and on weekends. Maybe on lunch breaks. So, if you’re working another job, don’t despair that you can’t also make progress on your writing. If you only writes 1000 words a week, that’s 50,000+ words in a year. Second, I’ve given up other things. I used to sew and do a few handcrafts. I haven’t done them in many, many years. Instead, I write. I used to do scrapbooking—I’d like to say I do it occasionally but can’t remember the last time I did so. Yes, of course, I read books—mainly in the genres I write. I even watch TV via Netflix or watch a movie in the evening. I spend time with friends—mainly my fellow writers—and family. And of course, I cook, clean, do laundry, pay bills in partnership with my husband. (Our children are grown.) Third, I’ve made a commitment to myself to write. What helps me stay committed? Love of the written word. Habit. Meeting with other writers. A regular critique group motivates to bring something to share. A scheduled writing time makes me show up with computer in hand and usually a project in mind. As Tony Fahkry says, “Success requires discipline, hard work, perseverance, tenacity, will, courage and faith.” Until I read that quote, I hadn’t thought much about the faith part. Yes, I believe I’m doing what God would have me do. But I have faith that my writing is worth something as well. Here is another writer’s story on being committed: “Three powerful lessons from my 2017 Writing Challenge.” Your path won’t look like mine or hers. But it’s amazing how deciding to commit to writing makes being committed to writing easier.
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 Where did the idea for this book come from?
I attended a program put on by the Clinic for Special Children in Strasburg, PA, where I learned about hereditary diseases that affect only Amish and Mennonite children at birth. That might not seem like a very romantic start for a love story, but once I pictured an Amish midwife delivering a baby at home and added an Englisch (non-Amish) doctor who opposes home births and natural medicine, the story took off. How long did it take you to write this book? The Amish Midwife’s Secret is book 2 in the Love & Promises series, so my due dates were 6 months apart. I didn’t have the full time to write it because I took off on a 3-week mission trip to Africa in October and also had Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday travel during that time. Then in March, I spent two weeks in England and Scotland on a children’s literature tour. I tried to get some writing in, but with so many scheduled activities, I could only write late at night. Tell us about your revisions… I have to confess that I basically turned in a first draft to my editor after a quick read-through and making the corrections my Amish beta reader suggested. When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission? Actually, my agent sold this 3-book series on a proposal. I came up with three blurbs and wrote three sample chapters. My agent read it and made a few suggestions for changes. Obviously, this isn’t the usual process for fiction when you’re starting out. When I sold my first series to a different publisher, it was a more involved process, so I’ll detail that below. What happened along the way in your submission process? Before I got my first fiction contract, I wrote several inspirational novels in what I hoped would be a series. I took the first 10 pages to the Oregon Christian Writers conference and signed up for editor appointments. Unfortunately, all three agents said the book I’d written was too dark and angsty for the inspirational market (I think that’s changed now). One agent, Mary Sue Seymour said she really liked my voice, and we chatted about my life and goals as a writer. When she found out I lived near Lancaster, PA, and had spent time with the Amish, she asked if I’d ever considered writing Amish romances. She said if I ever decided to, I could send her a query and synopsis. Now most people who get an offer like that would jump on it right away, but I didn’t. I was busy writing educational books, mostly work for hire, and I had tight deadlines. Yet I still dreamed of writing fiction. Five years later (Yes, 5!! So, if you get an opportunity or a revise/resubmit, don’t panic and rush through it.), I sent her the synopsis. She not only remembered me, she wrote back and gave me detailed suggestions for making the synopsis stronger. Once again, she warned me that my ideas were too dark and had me cut out a death I thought was central to the story. I really struggled with that, but I followed her instructions. Now I’m glad I did, because that character became the heroine in the second book in the Sisters & Friends series (Buried Secrets), and many people have told me that’s their favorite story. When I finally finished the synopsis to her satisfaction, she told me to go ahead and write the book. This is a rather backward process, but it worked. I’d send her several chapters, and she’d tell me if I was heading in the right direction. It took about 8 months until I turned in the 85,000 words she’d requested. I sent it to her right before Christmas, and she asked for extra time to read it. In January, she sent it back with edits – 2 words changes and a 1-paragraph addition – BUT she thought it would work better for the category market. Would I be willing to cut it to around 60,000-65,000 words? Gulp! Cutting 20,000 words was torture, but I did it and sent it back. A few days later, she emailed to say she’d sent it out on sub. I didn’t even have time to get nervous, but waiting was difficult. When and how did you get the offer on your book? The book went out in February, and we had our first interest in March. The book needed to go to committee, etc. and while that long process played out over almost two months, we got another offer. The advance was good for a first novel, and they wanted a 3-book deal, so I had to come up with two more book ideas right away. There was only one hitch. They wanted the books to be 75,000 words. Acckk! You’d think I could just go back to the original manuscript and add some words back in, but no, I’d changed the story so much none of that would fit. And I couldn’t just shoehorn in extra description and pad the manuscript. I had to go back and write it again from the beginning. They also had a few things they wanted me to take out or change, so I worked on the story for a few months (along with attending grad school and working full time). I turned it in to my agent in July and was thrilled when she emailed a deal memo for the Sisters & Friends series in early August. After we hammered out some details, I finally signed the contract in October. Since then, I’ve been blessed to sign several other contracts for Amish novels and series, including a 6-book contract with Kensington. Tell us about the editorial process… I detailed the editorial process for my first novel in the previous question. After all that back-and-forth, it seemed strange to send my editor the first draft of The Amish Midwife’s Secret. My editor emailed listing the changes she wanted:
In addition to sending a detailed email and Track Changes in the manuscript, my editor likes to follow up with phone call. I’m an introvert, so phone calls always make me nervous. I’d be happy to work from the emails and skip the call. After the first round of big-picture edits, I often get second-pass edits to clean up a few things that need to be clarified. Then the book heads to the copyeditor, who picks up on little details and inconsistencies. Next, the proofreader does a final pass for typos. From there, it goes to galleys. I get a pdf version of the final book and need to read it for errors. Amazingly, I still find some. Did you get to participate in the cover process? If yes, how? Yes, I did, which I really appreciated. I was even invited to the photo shoots in New York, but unfortunately, I couldn’t attend any of them. My editor went and took snapshots for me. For my other books, I just filled out a sheet with some basic information about the hero and heroine’s looks, and I included pictures of the clothing, hairstyles, and other details to be sure they were correct. After that I had no input; they just sent the final cover design. Although I love all my covers, not all the covers have authentic outfits or hairstyles. With Hachette/Grand Central, though, I provided detailed directions about the clothing, and they followed it exactly. I even sent my Amish friend’s heart-shaped kapp (headcovering) for all 3 book covers in this series. It makes me so happy to see that all the major details are correct, and I think they created gorgeous covers. How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand or on screen (e-book)? For this series, Grand Central made the offer in January 2017 (we also had another offer for the series, so my agent negotiated with both, and we went with the best deal). I signed the contract in March 2017, and the first book came out April 2018. What marketing are you doing for this book? I have an interview with USA Today, a brief TV appearance, and a radio show. My street team is reading the book and will review and help promote it. I have two blog tours scheduled, as well as quite a few guest blogs set up. I have 6 in-person book events coming up. Unfortunately, with this novel releasing so close to winter, I didn’t set up many book signings. I’ll do more when book 3, The Amish Widow’s Rescue, comes out in March 2019. Instead, I’m doing a lot of online events. I have shared book parties with other inspirational authors. I’m part of a lot of book giveaways, especially for the holidays. I’m interacting with several online book clubs and will do some in-person and Skype book events. For me, Facebook is where my target market can be found, so I try to interact a lot on there with my readers. Before each book releases, I hold an Amish Life series in a private Facebook group, Rachel J. Good’s Hitching Post. Anyone who’s interested in learning more about the Amish or wants to hear about the unusual things I discovered while researching for the book is welcome to join. I’ve talking about Amish herbal medicine, Amish pregnancies, babies and midwives, the Special Clinic for Children, and other fun details. The last session was held Monday, November 26 at 8 PM EST, but readers can stop by any time to read the posts. Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication? Persistence is the key in this business. Although I’m mainly talking about my triumphs here, these came after many years of struggle and discouragement. I’ve found over the years that it’s not necessarily the best writers who get published, but the ones who keep picking themselves up and moving on. And even after you get an agent and a book contract, it isn’t all an uphill climb. Publishers close down lines, books get remaindered, and agents die. All of those have happened to me. At the time it seems all is dark, but I’ve discovered that if I keep plodding ahead and trusting God, I find new publishers (even ones willing to take on orphaned books), and a wonderful new agent. And here I want to give a shout-out to my agent, Nicole Resciniti, who’s done some amazing things for my career. Where can you be found online? Website: www.racheljgood.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachelJGood1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Rachel-J-Good/100009699285059 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelj.good Newsletter sign-up: http://bit.ly/1qwci4Q Where can your books be purchased? (Please include links.) Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Amish-Midwifes-Secret-Love-Promises/dp/1538711281 ChristianBooks.com: https://www.christianbook.com/the-amish-midwifes-secret/rachel-good/9781538711286/pd/711286 Other retailers: https://books2read.com/u/bWzJoY *Walmart, Sam’s Club, Meier’s, and Barnes & Noble carry them. If they aren’t there, you can ask them to order them in. 1/15/2019 0 Comments Tips for Character Names I’m sure you’ve read a story where you got confused on who is who. Our job as writers is to minimize that problem as much as possible. Here are some tips: First names should:
Surnames need to:
Where can you find names?
Things to consider:
Of course, any of these tips can be broken for a good reason. What tips would you add about character naming? 12/19/2018 0 Comments New Book - HIS CINDERELLA SWEETHEART Book Blurb
Internationally recognized outdoorsman and business leader Jace McKibbon is not used to feeling helpless, until he sets foot in America’s favorite amusement park, Neverland. When his grieving daughter forms a connection with the young woman playing Cinderella, Jace gratefully places himself in the beautiful princess’s hands. Carolina is in her element helping the little family negotiate the park, and Jace’s sparking blue eyes and rugged good looks don’t hurt. But as much as Carolina loves playing Cinderella at Neverland, she longs for more challenging work in God’s world. Can Jace help Carolina find a fairytale ending? INTERVIEW with author ANNA GRACE Where did the idea for this book come from? I was struck with the image of a little girl desperate to connect with someone who could understand her suffering. The characters of Jace and Carolina filled in later, but the initial scene of Ruthie rushing up to a woman playing Cinderella at an amusement park was the spark for the story. How long did it take you to write this book? I wrote the first draft in about six months, then I set it aside for over a year. I tried to focus on other projects, but this book just kept calling to me. Finally I decided I would finish it with the intention of creating a fun book for my teenage daughter and her friends to enjoy. The final edits only took three months. I’m a teacher, so I was home for the summer and would get up before my family everyday and chip away at it. Tell us about your revisions… Honestly the revisions were really fun. I felt like I was trying to figure out how the characters wanted the story to be told. When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission? I read through the book carefully and came up with a list of problems, everything from character inconsistencies to words I overused. Then I just forced myself to go down the list and correct all the problems. I gave the manuscript to my mom to read, and once I had her seal of approval I started looking for publishers. What happened along the way in your submission process? This is my first published novel. I’ve been facing rejection for years and was hesitant to put this book out there. But I really love this novel and felt like it would appeal to readers. I researched a number of small publishers and thought Clean Reads might be a good fit. When and how did you get the offer on your book? It was about 9:30 on a Friday evening. My husband and I had just gotten home after going to a play at the high school where we both teach. I don’t know why but I decided to check the email on my phone. When I saw I had a response from Clean Reads, I assumed it would be a rejection. I almost didn’t open the email, but took a deep breath and told myself to deal with it. And there was a brief note from the editor saying she loved my book and had attached a contract! I was dancing around the kitchen, laughing and yelling. Then I called my mom, and continued with the laughing and yelling. Tell us about the editorial process… The Clean Reads editors had some great ideas about how to word things more clearly, and helped sharpen the focus of the book. The biggest wrench in the system came when I found out that Disney would not allow me to use their name in the book. I freaked out for a good twenty-four hours when I got the official-looking letter with mouse ears stating that I would not be allowed to use Disneyland as a setting. I brainstormed with my family, and finally came up with Neverland as a setting. That was actually freeing, because I didn’t need to worry about getting all the Disneyland details right. Did you get to participate in the cover process? If yes, how? The cover process was one of my favorite parts. The designer, Cora Bignardi, sent a beautiful cover, but it didn’t fit with the characters. I went to the designer’s pinterest page and looked at all of her covers, then let her know what type of image I thought would work. Stephanie Taylor (owner and Chief editor of Clean Reads) weighed in on the process. Cora ultimately came up with this gorgeous cover. I couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out. How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand or on screen (e-book)? Just nine short months! It’s hard to believe I went from someone struggling to get published to a working author in less than a year. What marketing are you doing for this book? There’s so much to do! I thought it would be difficult, but I love these characters and am excited to share them with others. I’m focused on asking friends and family members to read and review the book on Amazon. A funny detour on that road has been my high school students. In a sincere effort to be helpful they keep going on to Amazon and saying His Cinderella Sweetheart is the best thing since the Sumerians invented writing, way better than Shakespeare, the best romance novel ever written. I have to ask them, gently, to take their lavish praise down. I like my book, but there have been better things written in the last 5000 years. I’m also reaching out to bloggers and asking them to read and review my book (Thank you!) And finally, I am in the process of making an audio book. Years ago I was an actress, and have always loved reading out loud. Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication? This book really wanted to be written. From the inspiration to the final product, I’ve always felt like I was just helping this story get told. I loved the process and am excited to share it with others. Where can you be found online? Website: MudandGraceStyle.com Twitter: @AnnaEmilyGrace Facebook: Anna Grace Author Instagram: mud.and.grace Where can your books be purchased? Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/His-Cinderella-Sweetheart-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B07KG8Z66N/ Clean Reads: http://cleanreads.com/catalog/adult/his-cinderella-sweetheart-a-contemporary-romance Author Bio Anna Grace lives on a small farm outside of Eugene, Oregon. She spends her time writing, rock climbing, keeping up with her family, attempting to keep up with the garden, and wrangling goats. She writes about honest fashion for active women at MudandGraceStyle.com. 12/14/2018 0 Comments Getting Started Writing Your Novel I recently read a new writer asking, “How do you get started writing your book?” Many answers were of the “just start” to “write every day” variety. But I don’t think those answers went deep enough. Or maybe far enough back.
The writer knew the theme of what she wanted to write, but seemingly not much more. Here’s what I think is important: LEARN THE BASICS OF THE CRAFT Plot, characterization, dialogue, scenes, setting, narration, pacing, transitions, action, backstory, flashbacks, theme, main character’s goal(s), secondary characters, conflict, tension, cliffhanger chapter endings, varied sentence structure, etc. Do you understand these concepts/ideas at some level? Do you know that stories have a beginning, middle, and end? Do you know what a story arc is? Do you know the audience and genre where your book idea would fit? Do you know the average word count for those types of books? Most of us don’t know these things naturally, although some of it is absorbed by enthusiastic reading. But there are lots of resources out there to learn the basic craft of writing: books, articles, blog posts, online classes, face-to-face classes, conferences, workshops, and writing groups. I think the best of these include writing exercises. It may not feel like making progress writing your book, but practicing writing a conversation, an event, a scene, a beginning, etc. can teach so much. And if you have an instructor or mentor who tells you what you (and others) are doing right and wrong, even better. PLAN “You write a book by deciding first what you’re going to write and how you’re going to write it.” – Jeff Goins Here are what I think are important steps to planning (not in any particular order as it can change for each book project):
Some people outline at this stage. I am not an outliner. You can see my process here. And here’s a good article on outlining: “7 Steps to Creating a Flexible Outline for Any Story” by K.M. Weiland BEGIN WRITING Pick a circumstance that your character is involved in—often the moment where everything changes—and start writing. Will this be the first chapter of your story? Possibly, possibly not. But it is a way to get your first draft going. When you’re ready to start your story, read this blog post that has lots of resources. And check out “Novel writing basics: 10 steps to an unputdownable book.” KEEP WRITING Some do so by setting goals. Will you write five days a week? On the weekends? Will you have word count or page count goals? Or perhaps you’ll have a time related goal—e.g. I’ll write for an hour a day. There’s no right or wrong answer, but scheduling a time and place you’ll write is important. Don’t worry about the progress someone else is making, just keeping moving forward. Write, write, write, and write until you reach the end. Then celebrate your accomplishment! For more advice on my site for new writers, go here. 11/29/2018 0 Comments Fall Book Release - HOPE FOR TOMORROW Michelle De Bruin’s new book came out from Mantle Rock Publishing in September.
Book Blurb: When Logan De Witt learns of his father’s sudden death, he returns home to the family’s dairy farm. During his stay, he discovers his mother’s struggle with finances and his younger sister’s struggle with grief. Concern for his family presses Logan to make the difficult decision to leave his career as a pastor and stay on the farm. As a way to make some extra money, he agrees to board the teacher for their local school. Karen Millerson arrives from Chicago ready to teach high school but her position is eliminated so she accepts the role of country school teacher. Eager to put her family’s ugly past behind her, Karen begins a new career to replace the trust she lost in her own father who had been in ministry when she was a child. Logan and Karen both sense a call from the Lord to serve him, but neither of them expected that one day they would do it together. Can Karen learn to trust again? Will Logan lay aside his grief in exchange for God’s purpose for his life? Where did the idea for this book come from? The idea for this book came from my family history and Dutch heritage. I also wanted to help people know how to handle loss and grief well. How long did it take you to write this book? Three years. Tell us about your revisions… I worked with a freelance editor. She helped me develop the characters and strengthen the plot line. When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission? When the freelance editor and I had reached the last chapter. What happened along the way in your submission process? An agent expressed interest in my manuscript but decided not to offer representation. I had taken a class with Kathy Cretsinger through ACFW and remembered that she owned a publishing company. I met their requirements for submission so sent them a sample. When and how did you get the offer on your book? I received an offer in February 2018. Kathy e-mailed me. Tell us about the editorial process… The editorial process was good. My manuscript was originally 97,000 words but the publisher preferred manuscripts between 80,000 and 85,000 words. The editor helped me make the best cuts. Did you get to participate in the cover process? Yes. The publisher sent me a questionnaire about my characters and what I would like to see on the cover of my book. How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand or on screen (e-book)? 8 months. What marketing are you doing for this book? Participating in Facebook parties, appearing on blogs, telling local bookstores and churches about it, and selling at craft shows. Where can you be found online? Website: https://michelledebruin.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelleDAuthor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleDeBruinsAuthorPage/ Author Bio: Michelle De Bruin is a worship leader and spiritual services provider. She lives in Iowa with her husband and two teenage sons. A romantic at heart, Michelle is always looking for glimpses of God’s love through the window of a good story. Where can your book be purchased? Amazon (ebook and paperback): https://www.amazon.com/Hope-Tomorrow-Michelle-Bruin/dp/1945094583 Barnes and Noble (paperback): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hope-for-tomorrow-michelle-de-bruin/1129589055 |
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SM Ford writes inspirational fiction for adults, although teens may find the stories of interest, too. She also loves assisting other writers on their journeys. Archives
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