An Author's Many Hats

As an author, you will wear many hats along your writing journey, and each one represents a different task. Before I jumped into the writing world, I didn't realize how many expectations there were (and how many different jobs that needed to be done). 

Thinking Cap - Use this to plot and draft your story. You may need it to get your character out of a jam.

Research Cap - This hat is for all the research and interviews that you'll need along the way. (I picked a replica of Indiana Jones' hat. He's the right combination of research and adventure.)

Hard Hat - This is your working hat. You need this to build your draft and for your many rounds of editing and critiques.

Genre-specific - This is a must for mystery writers. And you may need a magnifying glass to complete the look. This is for adding plot twists, red herrings, and clues.

Marketing Hat - Marketing and promotion are huge jobs. It takes a lot of time and energy to set up blog tours, interviews, events, and social media sites. You'll find that you wear this one more than you ever thought.

Business Hat - You need this for all of your accounting and paperwork tasks. I wear mine for tracking mileage, collecting receipts, filing sales tax, completing forms, and tracking sales. It's also my analytical hat for reviewing sales numbers and web/social media metrics.

Party Hat - You need this for the celebrations! And I hope there are many along your writing journey.

How Much Writing Did You Do Last Week?

Last week, I wrote a job description, an advertisement, seven performance reviews, my progress notes, and a strategy plan. I did get the edits completed on my novella, and I wrote three blog posts. But I didn't have any progress on my mystery WIP.

There are weeks when work and life get in the way. I try to write (or edit) something daily. But stuff happens, and my writing schedule doesn't go as planned. Here are some thoughts that I think are important for writers as they progress on their journey. 

Find Like Souls - I love that my writing friend, Barb Goffman, is a Facebook motivator,. She reminds me and others on social media that we should be writing. Get busy and stay focused. Sometimes, I need a jolt or a kick.

My author friend Alan Orloff told me about BIC-FOK (Butt in Chair - Fingers on Keyboard), and he's right. That's how writing gets done. Close the internet browser and write. 

My writing pals are great sources of information and inspiration. I'm in two critique groups and three writing groups. The members are so supportive and generous with their time. I also get recharged when I'm around them. If you don't have a peer group, find one. They are invaluable.

You're Not Alone - I need to remind myself of that from time to time. You need to network, socialize, and support other authors. Find a group that supports your writing efforts. They understand the frustrations and roadblocks. They'll lift you up when you get bad news, and they'll help you celebrate your victories. 

It's More Than Writing - Book marketing is work. (Writing and editing are hard too.) A lot of time and energy (and what feels like blood, sweat, and tears) goes into polishing your story or novel and then letting everyone know it exists. And I can't tell you how many hours I spent on social media platforms, book promos, blog tours, interviews, and events. (I logged 2,400 miles last year. I'm at 1,985 so far this year.) There is always a lot to do, and if you want to be a professional writer, you need to juggle and find the right balance for you.

Don't Beat Yourself Up - If you want to be published, don't give up. Persistence and patience are key traits. And don't be too hard on yourself. Set realistic goals and strive to meet them. Learn what you can from feedback and move on. 

9 Writing Blogs You Should Check Out

I was going through my Twitter feed of writing/book promotion blogs that I read regularly and decided that I should share. Here are 9 that you should check out. They are great resources for information and ideas. In no particular order, here they are...

1. Morgan Wright's Literary Avenue

2. Rachel Thompson's Bad Redhead Media

3. Career Writers

4. Wicked Cozy Authors

5. Jungle Red Writers

6. Kris Spisak

7. Colleen M. Story's Writing and Wellness

8. Jane Friedman

9. Victoria Griffin

What would you add to the list?

My TBR Pile and Other Bookish Things This Weekend

This is one of my TBR (to be read) piles. I did a good job of moving through it, and then I came back from several book festivals this spring with bags of new additions (and editions). But that's not going to stop me from heading over to the Chesterfield Countywide Friends of the Library Really Big Book Sale this afternoon. I'm looking forward to what I can find. (And I may have to start another TBR pile. What's one more.) And I'm still working on my Goodreads reading challenge. I hit the half-way point before June. Whooo hooo!

This is going to be a bookish weekend for me. I'm working on questions for our panel for the Suffolk Mystery Authors Festival in August. We're doing a presentation on the "Many Hats Authors Wear." If you haven't been to this festival, add it to your list. It's one of my favorites. There are so many mystery writers and fun events in one afternoon. 

I'm wrapping up some programming details for our Sisters in Crime - Central Virginia chapter and polishing my short story submission for our next anthology. This one is southern themed, and it should be lots of fun. 

My dog novella, "Moving on" is almost finished. I'm going to do one more read through and send it off for editing. It's going to be in To Fetch a Thief later this year with stories from three other talented writers.

And last, but not least, I'm wrapping up revisions to my new cozy mystery set outside of Charlottesville, Virginia.

I hope you've got big plans for the weekend that include books. Drop me a comment and let me know what's in your TBR pile.

ABCs for Writers

Here's my list of ABCs for Writers. What would you add?

Analytics - Use your web, blog, and social media analytics to help you see which of your marketing efforts are working.

Blog - Make sure your blog is on your website and use your posts to drive traffic to your website.

Critique Group - Find a group or a writing partner to help you refine your work. Honest feedback is priceless.

Due Dates - Make sure you adhere to deadlines. It's important for professional writers to meet their commitments. 

Editors - You need an editor to polish your work and get it ready for publication. Don't scrimp on the editing.

Facebook Author Page - Create an author page to highlight your work and activities. A fan page has more analytics that will help you track your analytics.

Goodreads - Create a Goodreads author page. This site provides you access to a lot of readers, bloggers, and reviewers. Join interesting groups to interact with other readers.

Headshot - Make sure that you have a professional headshot that you can use on your book, website, and social media sites. This is a good investment for your writing career.

Imagination - Your imagination is your gift. Do activities to increase your creativity. 

Judgmental - Don't be too hard on yourself. You are probably your worst critic. Set goals. Try your best. Learn from mistakes and move on.

Knuckle down - Stay focused. Keep your goals in mind. The only way to be a writer is to write. My friend Alan Orloff calls his process BICFOK - Butt in Chair; Fingers on Keyboard.

Learn - Stay curious and ask questions. Seek learning opportunities (There are tons of low cost/free courses online.)

Marketing Budget - Decide what you can spend to market your book. Create a plan and track your results. And keep a list of what works and what doesn't.

Networking - Writing is a solitary task. Make sure you have regular contact with other writers (in person or online) to share celebrations, ideas, and bumps in the road. We're all in this together.

Organization - Make sure you keep your workspace (physical and computer) organized. Delete what you don't need. You need to be able to find stuff.

Proofread - Proofread! Proofread! Proofread! I can't say it enough. And then find another set of eyes to read your manuscript.

Quality - People notice lack of quality (e.g. formatting issues, typos, grammatical errors). You'll lose readers. And once you've lost them, they rarely come back. Invest in an editor and a proofreader.

Reading - Make sure to read everything you can get your hands on. Plus, if you're a writer, you're doing research.

Social Media - Decide which social media platforms work for you AND your readers. Build your following on those sites.

Time - Guard your writing time. Life is busy, and you have lots of commitments, but you have to make time if you want to be a writer. Try to write something every day.

Updates - Make sure that your computer is updated/patched regularly to protect your system AND your work. Make sure that you backup your work. 

Visit - Visit lots of places and try new things. You'll never know where you'll get a story idea. And take pictures for your social media sites.

Writing - Work on your craft. Go to seminars and take online courses. Try some author workshops. Improve your craft any chance you get.

XOXO - Thank your readers and fans. Appreciate those who buy your books or help you. Show some love on your social media sites.

Yum! - Take a break once in a while and celebrate. Treat yourself to your favorite thing. (Mine is dark chocolate.)

Zzzzz - Make sure you get enough rest. If you burn out, you can't be effective.

"Just So Crazy" - What Words Do You Overuse?

I recently took a story to critique group, and after the discussion, I realized I had used certain words like "just" and "little dog" way too many times. I can't tell you how many times I read through my work. I didn't catch them. My fellow writers used "just," "so," and "crazy" so many times that became the meeting mantra. 

Create a list of your overused words and phrases and use your search feature to find them. Most of the time, they can be eliminated or changed to another word that improves your writing. Also search for "was/were" and other "be" verbs. Many of these sentences can be restructured with stronger, action verbs. Look at all of your adverbs ("-ly" words). Most of these can be cut. 

I'm southern, and I do this a lot. Remove prepositions after verbs (e.g. jump up, click on, or open up). It should be jump, click, or open. 

Here's my list. What would you add to it?

• Absolutely
• Completely
• Etc.
• Finally
• Get
• Got
• Just
• Literally
• Really
• So
• Some
• That
• There
• Totally
• Very

Computer and Data Security for Authors

I returned from a rainy week in Orlando to buckets of rain in Central Virginia. I went to an IT conference and heard about all kinds of new technology. One of the highlights was when I had liquid nitrogen ice cream. Literally, too cool. The smoky fog (and probably all the rain outside) gave me flashbacks to the "Creature from the Black Lagoon" and "Swamp Thing."

While I was there, I had the pleasure of attending Dr. Eric Cole's keynote presentation on IT Security. Many of the key points relate to authors. It's important to protect your data and your devices.

He reminded the audience that most people buy security/alarm systems AFTER a break in. Security should be a constant thought in order to defend against hacks and attacks. You need to be prepared.

As a user, you need to be aware of passwords. Don't use the same one for everything. You're giving a hacker the keys to the kingdom. Be careful what you click on and what attachments you open. You are one click away from being compromised.

The risks of compromise will always be there. You need to minimize or mitigate these risks. Don't click on strange links. Make sure that your security settings on your device are set.

Regular patching is important to ensure that known vulnerabilities are corrected. Make sure that your PC/laptop gets its regular updates. 

Know the value of your data. And know where your critical files are. He talked about his million dollar laptop. He has files and client work on his device. Add up the value of what you've stored. Data is king. What would it cost you if you lost that document. Regular backups are important.

Also, free doesn't always mean "free." Games, apps, and services that are free are often mining or monitoring your data. Read the user agreements before you access them. And watch your children's free games. Many of them monitor or share your location. 

If you're traveling to parts of the world where hacking is rampant, he suggested taking a "throw-away" device for use there. Don't access your critical information (e.g. banking, etc.). Don't use the device when you return. 

Security often becomes an after-thought in today's busy world. Be careful. The chances of being hacked are high. Be prepared and do what you can to mitigate the risks.

My Best Plotting Happens While Driving...

I do a lot of presentations and workshops about mysteries and writing, and one of the most frequently asked questions is, "Where do you get your ideas from?"

And my answer is always, "Everywhere." I'll read something or see a TV show that sparks an idea. (I record a lot of history, science, and home renovation show. Mythbusters is a wealth of information for mystery/thriller writers.) I've keep a notebook with me. I am always jotting down snippets of conversations, a cool name, or something unusual. I used to save newspaper clippings and magazine articles. Now, I add interesting pictures and links to my Pinterest boards.

Sometimes, a story or a plot line starts with an interesting location or event. I noodle on it for a while and come up with a plotline for a novel or a short story. When I visit places, I take pictures, so I can describe it later.

I usually outline my writing. I color code areas where humor, romance, and mysteries appear, so I can see if I spread them out enough. I tend to do my best plotting while I'm driving. There is a fairly straight stretch of interstate on my way home from the city. I've plotted many a mystery or murder during that commute. 

Google Maps is a great tool to find locations and to see what they look like. Is there a lake near that housing development? Does that road go through a specific town? Are their fields or mountains nearby? Where is a great place to hide a body? 

The Internet can be a big distraction. I went online to check something and ended up watching cute puppy videos. But it is a FABULOUS reservoir of information. It makes getting in touch with SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) so much easier. Twitter is great for putting out ideas and receiving feedback from others. I've posted questions, and people in the know are always kind enough to respond. 

I know that I'm going to have to explain my Google searches one day. Honestly, I was just checking on that kind of poison for a mystery that I'm writing.

Life is full of experiences that make their way into my writing. Be observant. You'll never know what you'll encounter.