TOPIC: Being a Published Author - In the Beginning...

It's been one heck of a roller coaster ride over the last couple of years since getting THE CALL from my editor and signing with Berkley.

The journey has been a mixed bag of learning experiences - some fun, some unexpected, some downright painful but as I've said to many, I wouldn't trade what's happened for anything on earth. I've been keeping track of the good, the bad and the ugly experiences and over the next few posts will be sharing the things I've learned.

While every author's journey is different, there are probably some common issues we've all had to deal with, or wished we'd known about sooner. And it's my hope that by writing about them those still on the journey to being published or are newly published might find the information useful.

In this first post, I'd like to talk about goal setting and preparing for the day you get THE CALL.

During the early years after I discovered the Romance Writers of Australia, I coasted along enjoying the sense of community of being among other writers and being a writer. Nothing wrong with that but something I didn't do was set achievable goals. I just assumed things would "magically happen" or "fall into place" and "one day" I'd be a published author.

Didn't happen.

It wasn't until I began identifying goals and steps I needed to complete to achieve the goal that I progressed. I've blogged about this before so I won't go into detail other than to say as a writer you need to set yourself some short (a year) and long term (5 years) goals. Work out the things you need to do to make them happen.

A short term goal might be to enter a writing contest to get feedback. The steps involved would be to:

• research a number of contests - USA? (perhaps using Stephanie Smith's Contest Page for Authors) or Australia? New Zealand? UK?
• pick one
• budget for the contest fee (you may have to forego those bars of chocolate - sacrifice is part of this process, sorry (-: )
• polish the entry
• download the entry form/scoring sheets
• set dates to have these things done by (a vital step)
• enter the contest
• analyse feedback

A long term goal might be to attend the RWAmerica conference in 2015. Again identify the steps involved.

• work out your budget
• research the workshops on offer (when the schedule is released - what is the most beneficial for you at this stage in your journey? Will they be craft, career, industry based? A mix?)
• plan ahead to find a roomie (if you want to share costs)
• register
• again, set dates to have these things done by to make sure you achieve these steps
• attend

Besides continuing to write and hone your crafting skills, in preparation for the day you do get THE CALL, you should be thinking about your public face. By that I mean things like developing your website (a must and a basic need for any published author in this day and age), author branding (that I'll deal with in a separate post) and social networking.

Websites
"But I'm not published. Surely I don't need one until that happens?" I've heard this a few times over the years and to be blunt, this line of thought is a little short sighted.

You're going to need a website and developing one BEFORE you're published is a darn good idea. Why? Let me list the reasons...

1. First and foremost, once you publish you'll be on the biggest learning curve since you learned to read as a child. You'll have the whole publishing/editing/marketing and promotion process to grapple with (along with your every day life commitments) and teaching yourself web design or arrange hiring someone to do it for you will take time. It's stressful enough being a newbie author without having to deal with this.
2. If you design your website yourself expect to spend MASSIVE amounts of time learning how to do it and "getting it just right". I created my own website three years before I received THE CALL, using iWeb and a template because I couldn't justify the cost of hiring someone at the time. I changed the template twice and I've tweaked the content, pages, formatting and font numerous times. Updating the home page every month takes time but I can do it now in about an hour. Over three years I've streamlined the process.
3. If you hire a web designer then you need to research a good one by checking out sites you think look good and finding out who did them. Once you've hired someone you're going to have to consult on details and provide content and information for the pages. If you get them to update you have to also provide that content on a regular basis. Time, time, time.
4. When you're querying agents & editors you can include your website as a reference point in your letters. And agents and editors will look it up if they're interested.
5. So will other authors and writers. It boils down to web presence and exposure. If you aren't visible then no one will even know you're there.
6. No content? Then keep your website simple. Home Page. Author Bio Page. Contest Success Page. That's all I had for a couple of years. 

Social Networking
Ho-boy! Another huge subject to tackle BEFORE you publish. The monster that is social networking can be a nightmare, overwhelming and time consuming - no doubt about it. So again, thinking about how you're going to make it work for you. It will also impact and play a part in author branding.

"My editor wants me to do everything." Of course they do. Connecting with your readers is important.

BUT the one thing you need to remember - your primary role is to write books. If you don't produce them, then no amount of social networking is worth squat.

So, again, while you have the time as an unpubbed author, think about all the options available to you and make some decisions on what you might like to try and what you will commit to.

I liked the idea of blogging but I didn't want to create a glorified diary or journal about what I had for lunch or spruke about how many words I'd written that day. Every man and his dog can do that. I wanted a specific purpose for my blog. And there lies the key to blogging - purpose.

Why blog? Why are you blogging?

This was part of my goal setting process. I chose to blog initially for the following reasons:

1. I like writing.
2. I wanted to write posts to help other writers like myself (a way to give back what others had done for me at one time)
3. It was a way to overcome geographic isolation (here in Australia and internationally) and connect with an audience - readers and writers.

Some of those reasons changed after the first year.

• Expand my blog readership.
• Through the promotion of local authors (Australia & New Zealand)
• And to develop a broader network of contacts by interviewing authors from USA.
• Develop it as an avenue to promote my work.

I collected statistics and analysed them. I've developed connections and networks with other authors. I'm achieving my goals, bit by bit.

There are a host of social networking options available to authors - blogging (individual and in groups), Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google +, Goodreads, Shelfari, Author Newsletters, writing articles for magazines, etc.etc. It's all a matter of finding something you want to try and enjoy doing.

It's no good taking the scatter gun approach and doing everything, you won't see effective results that way - ask me how I know, yep, been there, tried that, drove myself mad and had to re-address my approach and purpose for doing it. Better to pick one (or two) and do it/them well.

I've narrowed my focus down to my website, blog, and author newsletters. Doesn't mean I ignore the others entirely, I do frequent Facebook and Goodreads which I enjoy, occasionally I pop in on Twitter but I've decided it's not something I particularly prefer. And, I've learned, if I don't get to the social networking sites of my choice then so be it, it's nothing to stress over.

So, it's important to prepare for the big day, the day many of us have dreamed of for so long. One I thing I'm very glad I did was get things up and running BEFORE I received the Call. I had the time and could poke along at my leisure to develop these things. There was no pressure.

And this freed me up to enjoy what came AFTER THE CALL. I was able to focus on the steps involved in being a published author. Sure there was stress, but a whole lot less than what I would have put myself under if I hadn't.

So, what are your thoughts on these subjects? Does anyone have any tips, hints, lessons learned to share? Anyone with a question they'd like to ask?

Who's That Girl? interview with Tina Marie Clark

Strapped into my blog hotseat is a fellow Romance Writer of Australia member. Please welcome, Tina Marie!

 

Name? Tina Marie Clark.

Tina Marie Clark is the coordinator for the CYA Conference, held annually in Brisbane, Australia. She began CYA Conference in 2006 and CYA Conference has grown to be one of the premier events on the Children’s Young Adult Writing and Illustrating calendar, and will be held on 10th & 11th September 2011. 

Where do you live?

Beautiful Bribie Island, Queensland, Australia.

How long have you been a member of our organisation?

RWAustralia Since 2004, RWAmerica only since 2009. 

What genre/s do you write in?

Children’s (published) , YA, Women’s fiction, Series romance. 

What's your current writing project?

Besides coordinating the CYA Conference, I am completing an edit on a women’s fiction. Its one of those books that have taken forever, and gone on a l-o-n-g journey on its way to the end.

I pitched it in Washington in 2009, then after learning so much at that conference I held onto it, didn’t send ‘fulls’ as requested. I felt it needed more work…and I like to believe I was right.

I did RWA 5DI 2010 (Five Days Intensive), and had the wonderful Fiona Brand as my mentor. The edits and rearrangement of the book are almost completed. So it's a tad late for the request that I got back in ‘09 – but hopefully the editors and agents will forgive the delay… 

Basically the story line is: Ashley, an Australian woman, falls in love with a Zimbabwean rancher, and the book is her journey to understanding how the lives of the white Decker family intertwine with the black Ndhlovu family, and their co-dependents on each other. 

Have you entered any writing competitions? Have you found them to be helpful?

I was entering the RWAustralia competitions, and found the feedback very useful and the comments always encouraging.

I did get into the second round of the RWA:Emerald a few years back, which was exciting, but I never made the finals. I entered one or two American competitions, because they were online submissions, and didn’t place or anything there.

From previous competitions comments, I found that this particular book I’m working on doesn’t fit into the typical RWA mold, so it was no use using the competition to gauge how it was coming along as I did when I was writing category books previously. My aim is to get it finished before 5DI in July this year…only a short time left to achieve that one. 

Apple, PC, longhand or other?

Definitely Apple. Mini on the desk, Pro in the laptop case, iphone4 in the hand bag and use of ipad whenever I can ‘steal’ it from hubby and the kids..oh and of course, another ipod in the car just for music and listening to podcasts. 

Name your top 5 authors you like to meet, have lunch with and ask questions of about writing.
Mmm, you didn’t say they had to still be alive so...Dr. Seuss & David Eddings.

Tina (in white) meeting J.D.Robb

The living but unobtainable:  J.K. Rowling.

Those I have met but would love to have more time with to talk to: Nora Roberts, & Janet Evanovich.

I know a wide and varied bunch, but that's my reading style too, any and everything gets read, from comics to epic fantasy series. 

Do you have any routines or things you do to keep motivated when writing?
Routines and I are so not friends. If it wasn’t for my boys having to be at school, we probably wouldn’t have much of a routine at all. But because my life is busy, I have to find  time to write or it doesn’t happen. I have found that the term ‘have lap top will travel’ best fits me as I can work wherever. I sit in the library, at school, at maccas, in the car, anywhere there is room for my laptop and write while I wait for the kids… this ‘free’ time away from my desk is wonderful as I don’t get bogged down in administration items for CYA Conference, its just me and my keyboard.

Keeping motivated, well this book has been a WIP for probably around 8 years now, and I’m still trying to get it right, so I think that I am naturally motivated to finish something that I start. Do I want the book done and dusted? Of course.

Am I still interested in writing the book? No. The writing for me was the fun part, the editing part kills me and takes longer than the writing ever did. But I know I need both done to get a publishable novel.

Actually, I have small ritual that I do when I am writing all over the countryside…I have my themed music on my ipod so I can listen to it and block out the world. But strangely enough, when I work at my desk at home, its often in silence, just me and my story.

I am also motivated to keep writing because of CYA Conference.  I see so many people getting published because of some small way that CYA Conference touched their lives, and I have so many beautiful book babies on my shelf from those people, that its hard not to keep the dream of another book with your name on it on the shelf  alive and well.

Name one hobby you love doing and would be unlikely to ever give up (writing not included).
Gardening. I adore my garden, and growing flowers, propagating plants and spreading the love of it by sharing plants with neighbours. There is something so satisfying about looking out your window, and seeing a beautiful garden, and knowing that you have nurtured those plants from sticks or seeds to the magnificent plants they are now. 

Tina & Cimarron

And lastly, finish these statements...
The actor I would most like to see play one of my heroes is... Morgan Freeman.
My favourite childhood toy was...  my horse Cimarron.
The worst thing about writing is... it takes so much time to serve your apprenticeship before seeing results.
Two things I would pack if I were going to an isolated holiday destination... my hubby and my laptop, in that order!
Three goals I've set myself for this year... 1. Finish this edit by July’s 5DI. 2. Finish another category book 3. Make more time for writing.


You can find Tina on her website, her CYA Conference website, her personal Facebook page and Facebook - CYA Conference page.

TOPIC: Kylie Griffin FAQ's

After months of interviewing my friends in RWAustralia, RWNew Zealand and RWAmerica, I thought it was only fair to turn the tables on myself.

Where do you live?

Outback Australia

New South Wales, in an outback rural community (Australia). 

What sort of books do you write?
Broadly speaking - paranormal romance. Breaking it down, I love writing fantasy romance and science fiction romance, with paranormal elements. 

What time of the day do you write? Are you a morning, night-owl or anytime writer?
When I'm teaching full-time I write early in the morning. I get up anywhere between 4-5am and get a few hours in before I head off to work. I'm fresher and much more creative then, than when I get home from being on the go with a classroom full of little kids. If it's school holidays, I like to stay up late and write then. Less interruptions, quieter and I can sleep in the next morning if I've had a late one.

Hugh - sigh...

Are there any particular rituals you do to set the mood / harness your muse?
I like to get a cuppa and brekky first thing in the morning, and while I'm doing that I clear out my emails or post promo's of my upcoming blog posts.

Desktop inspiration!

I also change my desktop picture daily - usually I select a natural scene that encapsulates a setting from my WIP or one of my many hunky guys who resembles my hero.

Once I've done that then I light a scented candle, put up my DO NOT DISTURB sign on the front door and go for it. Sometimes I put on easy listening music, down low so I can't get distracted by the lyrics, but mostly I write in silence. 

Are you a plotter / planner or a pantser? Do you edit as you go or prefer to edit after completion of the ms?
I'm evolving. I started off as a pure panster when I first began writing and found I had a LOT of half written manuscripts sitting in boxes. As I learned more and improved I would have called myself a panster in the fog - you know, you can see the tops of the hills and your destination in the distance (aka some scenes and finale) but still muddle our way through to get there.

Now, thanks to entering a couple of competitions where I had to submit a synopsis with the work (and I haven't actually finished the ms) I'm seeing a need to plan. I won't say full on plot because I don't think I'll ever convert to pure plotting and structure. So, I'm a panstering scener with a final destination and the journey there remains a mystery.

As for editing, I do it as I go. Usually I writer a few chapters at a time then go back and add in detail and layering. Once I finish the whole manuscript I'll send it out to some beta readers for comment then with their comments I'll check for holes and errors and give it that final once over.

Do you have a schedule that you follow for your writing time? Are you a goal setter with your writing?
When I first start a book I set myself word goals to get into the routine of producing work. Once I meet those goals I begin lifting the targets. I'm competitive with myself once I get into that routine. I like to see if I can beat the target and if so, by how much. And once I'm immersed in the whole process those word totals tend to become redundant. I just write until the end.

I do like to write every day, no necessarily on my WIP but something writing related. Keeps the brain ticking over and the creative eye in. 

What writing tools do you favour?
Long hand, computer…I'm definitely a lap top girl. I'm a fast typist. The only time I'll go long hand is if I'm in town shopping and inspiration strikes. Then I'll write on any scrap of paper and put what I've done in my pocket for later.

I do have a notebook beside me in the lounge room and on the bedside table for jotting down ideas. They tend to come to me when my mind is switched off and in neutral watching television or just as I'm drifting off to sleep.

During an editing phase I like a hard copy of my ms sitting in front of me rather than a screen. There's something more tangible about being able to mark it with highlighters (using the Margie Lawson EDITS system) or with red pen line edits. For repetitive words/phrases I use Wordle, a natty tool that counts the number of times you've used each word in your ms. (I discovered this one via Mel Scott - thanks, Mel!)

Lastly, when I'm writing a series I use an A4 spiral bound notebook with sticky-note labels on the edges of pages and turn it into a "Series Bible" - characters & descriptions, terminology, culture, history, places & names, facts, animals & plants, possible ms title lists etc. I also stick in any maps I've created, a synopsis and back cover blurb for easy reference. Anything that pertains to the series that I might need to refer to when I create the next book. It saves me having to flip back through the first one looking for a hair colour or some other hard to find thing. 

Is your writing space messy, organized or somewhere in between? Are you prepared to show evidence of your claim with a desk photo?

My cave...

 My writing space can be all that, but my OC side (obsessive compulsive) likes it to be mostly organised. And yes, here's my desk - I waited nearly 15years to find the "right" one - a recycled timber with imitation leather top. Sigh.

You can see my "Series Bible" for the Light Blade series (the one Berkley just recently bought) on the right hand side, it's bright pink. It goes with me where ever I take my laptop.

You can also see the ever present coffee cup, a small rock that has the word CREATE carved into it near my lamp and on the wall are inspirational sayings as well as a tiny picture of my great Grandma Griffin above the left hand corner of my laptop (I use her surname as my author surname to keep it in the family, it just happens to match my genre as well), and a photo of my agent and editor (I like to see them when I'm corresponding via emails or talking to them over the phone). 

What books are due to be released?
VENGEANCE BORN: A Novel of the Light Blade (Book1) is out in the USA in Feb.2012 with Berkley.
Book 2 & 3 in this series haven't had definite dates set yet. 

Who is your agent? Who is your editor?
I'm represented by the incredible Elaine Spencer of The Knight Agency. At Berkley Publishing the wonderful Leis Pederson is my editor. 

Are you a member of any writing organisations or groups?
Yes, and I can't tell you how much I enjoy being with such supportive and encouraging people within these organisations.
Romance Writers of Australia
Romance Writers of New Zealand
Romance Writers of America®
Science Fiction Romance Brigade
Romance Writers of Australia (paranormal e-loop)
2010 RWA Golden Heart® "Unsinkables" e-loop 

Where can I find out more information about you?
I have a website, this blog and a Facebook page. 

Can readers email you?
Absolutely, I love getting emails from readers.

You can contact me on - kyliegriffin71 (at) optusnet (dot) com (dot) au - and you can expect a response within a day or a couple of weeks depending on what deadlines are coming up.

If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comments section of this post and I'll do my best to answer them.

Top Picks for 2010

Top 10 Books I Read in 2010...(in no particular order)

RAPTURE - Jacqueline Frank
PLEASURE UNBOUND - Larissa Ione
ABANDON THE NIGHT - Joss Ware
BEYOND THE NIGHT - Joss Ware
EMBRACE THE NIGHT ETERNAL - Joss Ware
THE BETTER PART OF DARKNESS - Kelly Gay
UNDER FIRE - Jo Davis
SWEET SURRENDER - Maya Banks
BRANDED SANCTUARY - Joey W.Hill
BEYOND THE SHADOWS - Jess Granger

*Interesting to note all but one of these are new authors for me.

Top 10 Guest Authors on my blog in 2010...(based on stats & in no particular order)

Helene Young

Helene Young (Australian romantic suspense)
Joss Ware (apocalyptic paranormal romance)
Christina Phillips (ancient historical romance)
Tracey O'Hara (dark urban fantasy)
Erica Hayes (urban fantasy) x 2
Mel Teshco (erotic paranormal romance)
Cathryn Brunet (erotic contemporary/paranormal romance)
Maree Anderson (erotic paranormal romance)
Nalini Singh (paranormal romance)

Top 10 Personal Milestones in 2010...(in no particular order)
Publishing with Berkley (& working with my editor Leis Pederson)
Finding my super/wonderful/amazing agent - Elaine Spencer at The Knight Agency

RWA Golden Heart®

Winning an RWA Golden Heart® (paranormal romance section)
Meeting many of the 2010 GH "Unsinkables" in Orlando, Florida
Winning the WHRWA Emily contest & "The Best of the Best" (which led to Leis Pederson requesting my work!)
Placing in 6 of the 8 RWA® contests I entered
Attending the trifecta of romance writers' conferences in USA, Australia & New Zealand
Pitching at all three conferences
Fulfilling my writing goals for 2010
Growing my blog

Top 10 Popular Posts of 2010...(based on stats & in no particular order)
Winter Rose Finalist
Guest Author: Christina Phillips
Guest Author: Helene Young
Guest Author: Nalini Singh
Guest Author: Tracy O'Hara
Poison Kissed: Erica Hayes
Agents, Editors & Book Deals...oh my!
Guest Author: Mel Teshco
Rotorua, NZ
Have You Read A Good Sci-Fi Romance Lately?

Recounting 2009

I belong to a fantastic e-loop known as the BI50D's, a sub-loop of RWNZ e-loop. We're a small group of writers who initially started it up to get a book finished in time to enter the RWNZ Clendon Award. One of the things we did recently was to recount what we had achieved over the 12 months.
Sometimes we forget in the struggle to get published the importance of acknowledging and celebrating what steps we have made in our journey.
This year, despite working a full time teaching job, I proudly achieved the following in my "spare" time...

*finished another book

*designed a website

*started a blog site

*gained representation with an agent

*lost representation with an agent (this is a positive as I learnt so much with her)

*finalled & placed with 90% of the entries I put in comp's this year (big achievements here were winning the Valerie Parv Award & Clendon Award, multi-placing in the VPA & Emerald)

*edited 2 books

*started a new book

(only goal I didn't achieve was *attended the RWA awards dinner with Hugh Jackman - and boy, did he miss out on a great night - LOL)
Not a bad list considering. Most of these I achieved because I set goals and made decisions on how to attain them, with, of course, support and encouragement from my fellow BI50D'ers. Can't do it without them :-) .
I've already started on next years goals...(I'm sure the list will grow!)
*enter 4 US romance writing competitions (ie.Golden Heart, the Emily & 2 others)
I also want to:
*find representation by another agent
*finish 3 more books (draft & 1 polished)
*help judge in RWOz writing comp's
So, what goals have you achieved in 2009? And what ones are you setting for 2010?

Book in A Week / Month.

Are you one of those people who respond well to deadlines or accountability or do you enjoy the challenge of earning self-imposed incentives?
If you are then perhaps Book in A Week/Month is for you.
What is BIAW or BIAM? Writing with accountability. Some use it as a chance to begin a new book, others to finish one, some to edit one already complete. Doesn’t matter what as long as it’s something writing related. It’s also a chance to get into a regular work habit and be held accountable.
Sound familiar? Yes, the process mirrors the deadlines set by agents and editors. The only difference is that you set your weekly goals – whether it be a daily or weekly word count, editing X amount of chapters, setting aside 30mins a day to write, aiming to write so many times a week, whatever you feel you’re capable of.
Most times you post your goal on the loop at the start of the week then you account for yourself daily or at the end of the week. It’s certainly great training to see what you are capable of as far as work production, efficient use of time and discipline.
I like to participate in the RWNZ BI50D e-loop. We’re a smallish group of writers who use the time to get a book ready for the RWNZ Clendon Award . We encourage and support one another, an important part of the RWNZ BI50D’s process. Since we formed the group a few years ago, we’ve had a number of us final in the Clendon, something we might not have done if we hadn’t “finished the damn book”.
All the loopies set weekly goals and report in daily. Usually I work with a weekly word count and reward myself at the end of the week if I achieve it – I’m a big fan of the dangly carrot theory and have discovered I’m more motivated and challenged if I’m held accountable.
Incentives have ranged from a block of chocolate, to reading a book off my To Be Read pile or a night out to dinner (I tend to save that one for when I get close to finishing my book).
If you think you’d like to try something like this then check out your writing groups or e-loops and give it a go. Both the ROMAUS e-loop and RWNZ Book in 50 Days e-loop offer this opportunity to members. RWNZ BI50D is starting up on October 1st.
May your fingers fly over the keyboard – happy writing!