Trail in Rockport Michigan

 

Writing and your health

 This is going to be long but I promise, it does impact writing. One of my biggest problems is balancing/ prioritizing time. I feel guilty when I don’t get certain things done or spend time with someone instead of writing. Over the years I’ve had to learn what matters most. I might be passionate about writing and it makes me happy but so does spending time with my children, that time I will never get back if I let it go. It helps as children get older and more independent but while they were little, they were my top priority. I enjoyed the NaNoWriMo months, it kicked my butt into setting aside time. Something I’ve never been good at. Let alone proper balance.

Not everyone can set aside eight hours or more a day to sit and do nothing other than writing and not get interrupted. Maybe if it’s your full-time job it would be easier to schedule your time to do this. But when you have children, animals, a spouse, a home to care for, and working (working in the medical field it was always twelve-hour shifts), it leaves little time not only for writing but also for self-care.

I started writing for an hour before I would sleep at night, unfortunately, because of that I would dream about my books and wake every so often when I had an idea I wanted to add to it, I didn’t leave it for the later because I knew I wouldn’t remember. I did find I wrote my best at night but I also didn’t have any distractions, at least until certain people found I had free time then and started wanting attention which made it another emotional struggle.

If the struggle wasn’t enough, I pulled my son out of public school to teach him at home which was good timing since covid kicked in and half the time people didn’t know if their kids were going to school or at home online for school. I pulled my son simply because he was falling behind and the school's approach to teaching wasn’t working. The school wanted to sign him up for an IEP which I wasn’t against if it meant he would get more help or the teaching approach would be better applied to his needs. Nothing was going to change and the one-on-one with a special teacher wasn’t happening either, no changes at all other than allowing him more time to finish or dismissing certain grades. That wasn’t going to teach him. My son would cry every morning I tried to take him to school, he hated reading. So I knew I needed to change this. I’m not against schools, some children thrive better but when the only time they get to socialize with other students is taken away and it’s the only thing they enjoy, it's time for changes.

My son is doing much better now and I left the healthcare industry for several reasons. The strange thing I found, even though I’m at home more than before, between lessons, cleaning the house, caring for the pets, and spending time with family. I still hadn’t set aside much time to write. There was also another problem that I take full responsibility for. In 2018 I finally stood in front of a mirror, we don’t have any mirrors in our house. For one reason or another they end up broken or torn off the wall but that’s its own story for another time. I saw my reflection and hadn’t recognized myself. I gained so much weight, no one said anything other than a particular nameless person who called me the “C” word and many other derogatory comments. This isn’t a person I would ever go to for advice so her vicious attacks meant nothing to me either. I might not have let it bother me but I still don’t need to hear it and neither do my children. It was the main reason I didn’t go outside and was stressed because there was a safety issue to it also. For my family, the covid restrictions were a blessing. I had a year of peace to focus on my health, my family, and to spend time outdoors.

However the moment I saw my reflection I realized I let my health go. I was exhausted and hadn’t watched what I ate. I never had an eating disorder, portion control wasn’t the issue either. There were simply healthier foods I could have chosen instead but I picked convenience. After a 12-hour shift, my feet killed me for standing the whole shift and knowing I wasn’t done when I got home. I picked up a meal at Burger King on my way home. I consumed a lot of calories. On my typical day, breakfast was a sausage egg and cheese biscuit of 550 calories, lunch at the hospital ranged from 300-to 900 depending on how much caffeine I consumed, they had several healthy options. Dinner on my way home would be a basic whopper 734, fries 406, drink 213. Those were based on small sizes, most of the time I ordered large and I consumed on average 2 liters of pop a day. I consumed between 2203 to 2803 per day, that didn’t include any snacks I had later. I liked munching chips or pop while I wrote. More often than not I consumed anywhere from 2500 to 4000 calories a day.

Once I left healthcare I was even less active and hadn’t exercised. Before when I worked I came home and sat staying off my feet. Later I bought a Fitbit and found my average steps were 200 per day. I knew I needed to make changes and it wasn’t only for myself but for my family. We needed to get healthier and learn to balance the time we have. We started going for walks in the evening. I stopped drinking sugary drinks. I wanted my kids to know it's okay to have them but keep them in moderation. I found I drank more soft drinks out of boredom than thirst. For a year I drank nothing but water, tea, or lemon juice in my water. I had one day a week we ate out which was fine, I had been keeping track of what I ate all day in a diary, so I would pick the healthiest thing on the menu, at some restaurants it wasn’t easy. Each person needs to find what works for them but I managed to stick to 1200 calories per day and for myself that worked. By 2022 I had lost 75 pounds. I slept better at first which was nice but I have a history of insomnia which always messes with my sleep. I won’t go into that right now since it would be a novella on its own.

Between taking the family for walks in the evening when the weather is nice, or walking on the treadmill myself, having a written schedule helps, even for time to write I’ve had to schedule it in. I found afternoons work best for me, pets are sleeping, and my son gets free time on the computer but is still monitored. I’ve been compared to a helicopter parent, I make no apologies for that. while he plays I write. while I'm writing this he's playing a Roblox game and he likes to make sound effects himself, he’s pretending to be choking on a tree stump, not sure why but he’s creative and using reading and writing skills while playing. He thinks it's just a game but it's promoting reading. Which is great. Not all kids can be set down with a book and be engrossed in it. At his age, I couldn’t get my hands on enough books and I was passionate about reading. I still am. My daughter takes after me on that but both my sons didn’t care for reading so I introduced them to certain games that required reading to complete quests.

My daughter wrote two books and I published them. My youngest wrote a book. I told him to write what he wanted to read about. He did, still working through it but eventually, he could publish it if he wants.

Everything you go through as a person, physically, mentally, and financially affects you, it affects your writing. It's learning from experience and writing from experience. It's more relatable when you have experience, drawing from your life or those you observe. It doesn’t mean you can’t write about things you don’t have experience in. This gives us the chance to research, and visualize ourselves in these circumstances. There is so much from our life experiences to draw from, especially imagination. To come up with a story to write. While I walk, I think about my stories and the direction they are taking as characters.

I use writing as therapy. I might write more in the afternoon now before it was at night and now that I’ve gone back to work at night, I’ll find another time to write. It’s easy to be hard on ourselves, the pressure and guilt of where our time belongs. Don’t ever compare yourself with anyone else, especially well-known authors. Because they don’t live your life. My life and experiences are only an example. It’s a matter of finding what works for you. What I will say is important is your health. It's difficult doing something when you're not feeling good even though that can be used as inspiration also. Write and take care of your health.

Getting ready to write for NaNoWriteMo

 Writing a book for Nanowrimo month

 

Writing is a great way to be creative, expressive, and explore. Regardless of whether you achieve your goal or not, the important part is you started. Getting started isn’t easy, especially if you’re thinking of writing a quick novel in a short time frame. At least you can plot out or get an idea before you start in November or the summer writing camps.

The first and main focus is the point of the story. What is it about? What do you want to write about? It's easier to write a story about something that gets you excited. I tend to write the same type that I read. Usually, if I’m reading a book, there are always things I wish other authors had written differently. There’s nothing wrong with the book, it is not my book and I would have written it differently. It's why I love writing because I am in charge of my imagination and this is when you get to put it out there.

Will you be writing about magical creatures, vampires, werewolves, pixies, dragons, warriors, kings, and queens? Possibly a poetry book, a themed one that follows something throughout each poem. Possibly a memoir? Whatever you choose to write, don’t pick the easy-to-write story, pick what you're passionate about. If it’s something you're excited about, that makes it easier to stay motivated and stick to your goals.

If you're unclear about certain topics with the genre you chose, research it. There are plenty of places on the internet to get information and of course, there are always books out there on countless subjects to learn more about. I’ve had people ask me if vampires can have bad breath. I usually tell them, their vampires can have anything they want them to have. I would say yes. If I wake up with bad breath, why not vampires? I’ve also been asked if it's okay to write historical romance with fake characters. If it's fiction historical romance, yes the characters are generally not real. The surroundings, social etiquette, traditions, customs, dates, and events will truly help with the authenticity however the characters living and experiencing their lives are not real people. When the entire book is written about the life of someone who lived it, then it's a memoir. How do I know so much about various genres, especially ones I don’t write myself? Research and plenty of it. I don’t set out to write historical fiction but I do enjoy including it in my stories. This may be something you want to include in your writing or stay away from. It all depends on what you have the desire to write.

So far, figure out what you want to write about, research the genre you want to write about, and other important things to work on. How are you physically going to write it? Using a phone and an attachable keyboard, laptop, desktop computer, or by hand? If by hand, do you have plenty of paper, pencils, pens, erasers near you so you don’t need to hunt these things down when you start? Get comfortable when you write. Sometimes I find myself sitting on the dog bed with the dog writing on my laptop or squished on the corner of the couch with two dogs and my son while they are watching television. I’ve tried writing at night and still sometimes do but I realize I’m not going to get much sleep. Unfortunately, if it’s the only time I get to write then it's worth it for me. I sit on my bed writing when I can. Sometimes finding times to either write or edit takes creativity. If I waited for the perfect time and place to write, it would never happen. If you can go somewhere and write then by all means do it. Everyone needs to find what works for them because life happens. There are always interruptions and other countless things that go on that can affect when you write.

I know many will say it's important to have an outline for a story. I never do. I will use a spreadsheet to keep track of major and minor characters' names, ages, birthdates, characteristics, habits, hobbies, catchphrases, bad habits, how they relate to other characters. Mainly if I don’t know something or need to remember, I can look up a character and all their information is there. If a character is like an extra body in the room then I don’t bother keeping track of them and generally, they don’t get a name unless it’s a personal setting but again, not too worried about the less than minor characters.

Many will swear by an outline. Determining what happens in the beginning, events in the middle, and what leads up to the end of the story and possibly writing out how the end finishes. I don’t do this because I never know what I’m writing or where the storyline is going. I tend to find out along the way and many times my character will take on a life of its own determining it doesn’t want something to happen to change the entire scope of the story. I love being flexible like this and being able to change. It doesn’t mean what you write in an outline is set in stone. It can be changed but if you follow something straight to the line it might be a little more difficult but not impossible.

One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given came from my daughter. I never realized I did this until she pointed it out and she let me know I needed to learn, not to rush my endings. It's true. Take time with your ending. You may choose a better ending or something you’re happier with than the first simply to finish it. The ending is as important as the beginning of the story. Because those last words are the words your reader is going to end on and will be stuck in their minds. The beginning of a story needs a good hook to keep the reader going. No book is nonstop action-packed, but you need to give a reader a reason to read past the first few lines. That is the same with the ending of your book.

Whatever you choose to write for your nano project, remember not to be hard on yourself and to have fun. Writing should be enjoyable, something you love, and not a chore you need to squeeze in. I squeeze in my writing every second I get but it's important not to think down about yourself. I know it's easier said than done. Wanting to feel you accomplished something is difficult but in the long run, if you pace yourself, take pride in what you write, you will have an amazing story you can be proud of. Be proud of the fact you took the time to write, writing isn’t easy but eventually, you will learn what works for you.

Good luck to everyone writing their stories!

Writing with Spreadsheets

 I write my story as I go. I don’t normally layout what is happening in each scene however I will occasionally write something I want to happen at some point during the story. I love using spreadsheets for an issue I do have. I forget my characters' names. Not that it doesn’t fit them, I forget people's names in real life, especially if I hear it once. I have a difficult time remembering names and if I associate it with something, I won’t remember the name. I remember what I associated it with and that’s all. So that technique doesn’t help me.

When I put a character's name in the spreadsheet, I’ll include any relevant information about that character. Their birthday, hair color, eye color, skin tone or texture, who they are friends or related to, where they work, special talents, quirks, allergies, where they were born and raised.

A spreadsheet simply makes this easier to do, especially if I need to look up something I put it in search and it will pop up. I keep a spreadsheet for each book unless it happens to be a series then all of them end up on one which helps me from using a name multiple times for various characters even if they are not a lead.

Trouble with writing

The most common issue of writing that I hear from everyone is starting the first chapter. Whether it's writing an article, novel, report, or something else. It's a matter of starting that first sentence. We know it needs something to catch someone's attention, especially if we want to keep them hooked or interested in reading further. Unfortunately, not every portion of a book is going to be action-packed and reports never are unless you are giving a memorable speech.

When starting your first sentence in the story, before writing anything. I want you to picture the setting, picture your scene, and what your surroundings look like. This doesn't have to be where you start your story but getting a physical image in your mind can help figure out where you want to start. What are your characters doing? Where do you want your readers to enter the story, after it already started in the middle? Mix it up a little and have it start not quite at the end, possibly a, “maybe I should explain how we wound up in this situation” type beginning. Is there something your reader needs to know before reading the story? Perhaps, skip the start and delve right into the middle of the story. I’ve had several important scenes, determined where they needed to happen, and pieced them together and the beginning became clearer what I needed to write.

If you’re still stumped, I love reading a favorite book or any book by one of my favorite authors. I like how Stephen King starts each of his books. Anne Rice is another favorite of mine. Go to your local library and stand in the fiction section or non-fiction if that is what you happen to be writing. Pick up random books and read the first three sentences. After reading each one, ask yourself what it's saying. Ask if it has your attention, if not how would you reword their beginning to catch your attention. Sometimes reading someone else’s writing can be easier to change than your own.

If you’re still stumped, it could be you are putting too much pressure on yourself. Some people need to sit and write for so many hours a day while others could write something, stop for a year and pick back up where they left off. If you have the itch to write but not quite the story you’re working on. Try a writing exercise. Pick an object near you and describe it in writing. After you write it, see how you started the description.

Writing frustration

Writing might be my passion, but it can also be frustrating. I felt broken and discouraged from writing. I had lost four of my stories that I worked hard on, fully finished and edited. They were ready to be published and sadly I could not find a backup copy. My upload to cloud failed and the backup disk it was on could not be read. I am the type of person who can sit down and write for hours if I’m not interrupted which isn’t easy. When you have a job, schooling, children, animals as you can see the list could be endless for what could cause interruptions.

I stopped writing for quite a while. When I thought about writing again, I bought a new cheap computer for writing only. For some reason at the beginning, it was not letting me safe anything, so after writing 9k words in a story I had lost, it was gone again. I did take that as a sign to quit, but I love writing so much. Even if no one else likes my writing or I find one person who enjoys my writing, I'll feel accomplished. My passion no matter how much I try to discourage it, won't let me stop. I daydream stories and situations. There are characters I want to know more about and to follow them around. I want to stalk my characters.

I have a few of my books published, sadly I need to rewrite a few that were lost. Thankfully, this time the family secrets series is intact however I lost several of my singles. I could continue to be depressed over this, but I choose to see a positive side of it. This gives me a chance to make changes and write from another direction. I’ve restarted the story Innocent several times and I’ve found each time I have rewritten it; I enjoy it more. It isn’t always easy to sit down and type away, sometimes sitting down with the intent of writing clears my mind easier than meditation. It’s one of the reasons I will think about my characters while making coffee or tea. I’ll walk around the house. Once I went up and down our stairs thirty times, nothing more then that and thought, wow, my character Rose would be concerned while her brother Lucian would be laughing at me right now. Anything to get yourself into that frame of mind. Sometimes sitting down isn’t for everyone. There is voice to text that have improved over the years and many write while driving, jogging, playing at the school yard with their kids or pacing around the house. Find what works for you.

There will never be a time where your passion for something cannot irritate the hell out of you. Its okay to be frustrated and even a little angry over what seems to be your driving force.

If you find yourself having self-doubt about your writing, remember the main thing. Writing should be enjoyed, love what you write and if you don’t, start over. Even if its not a good story, did you have fun writing it? Did you enjoy your story? Think about what you might do differently with it. Tweak the characters, change setting, add more detail or possibly less detail. Write down a character’s name and everything you can think about that character, positive and negative, what you like and hate about them. Sometimes this can help you develop your story better when you find out how your character will adapt to the situation they are thrown into.

Right now, I have instrumental music playing, it instantly helps kick my mind into the right frame of mind for writing. Everyone is different. The main point. Don’t give up. If you don’t write your story, then how am I or others ever going to read it? Don’t let it rot away alone in your brain.

Much needed break

          writing may be my passion however when you spend to much time doing something you love it tends to lose its glimmer, at least for myself it had. I became more frustrated with it and with other things going on in life it was to much trying to squeeze in. I had been working at the hospital, then switched to an AFC home. I love caring for others and I take pride in making them comfortable and happy. I had taken almost a full 3 years off from writing even though its been longer than that for my books. Currently I have Mercy which is finally finished with editing and cover is being worked on right now. once that is done I am hoping to have a release date soon.
          I had not been able to recover several books I had on a thumb drive and sadly 2 of them were not saved on anything else so I am currently rewriting them. One of them I felt drawn to more this time rather than last. Most of the beginning is the same however the middle journey and ending is going to be quite different and I'm very happy with it and can't wait to share that with you once its finished. I hope to be much more active on here as well with facebook. I have a twitter account but I find I don't use it. Only posts that go there are occasionally from facebook.

NanoWriMo

For the last several years I've heard about this program that has been going on encouraging people to write, whether you have dreams of being an author or simply enjoy writing and need encouragement to physically do it. There are many positive reasons to participate but there can as with anything have some draw backs to it.

This will be my first year participating. I'll admit a friend of mine talked me into it so for me this is more of an experiment to see how it goes and I plan on reviewing the process and sharing that and my progress as it goes.

I've had several friends who have participated with this program and seem happy or stressed by it. I've never participated mainly because I don't like the idea of rushing your writing. There are many ideas or directions you might have gone and written better if you had taken your time. Many opportunities to write your best might be lost by rushing your writing. It's best to see this as more of a writing exercise rather then trying to get a novel finished by the deadline. If you don't finish on time don't consider it a failure, it only meant you needed more time and there is nothing wrong with that. This is simply to encourage you to make time to write.

The program says that you start November 1st and the last day to record the amount you have written is November 30th. Some have already started writing their novels, which I understand being nervous whether or not you will finish on time but unfortunately starting your novel before it actually starts defeats the purpose of the writing exercise. According to the site you can enter your title for your book which can be changed at any time and it has a spot to enter a synapsis of your story. It also has an exert but hopefully you don't have that part otherwise it shows you've already started. You can also upload the cover for your book but it's not required. Another problem would be if you published your novel right after submitting your 50k word requirement. Make sure you go through it and edit your book. Look for story flow, are there interruptions, difficult areas to read through, parts readers might not understand what you are saying. character confusion, grammar and spelling are extremely important.

The November event is easy to participate with. It has a page that you put in your goals, keeps track of your progress and does not keep a copy of what you have written so make sure you keep a copy either on thumb drive or somewhere else so that you don't lose what you worked hard on. Simply enter your word count and your set for that day. At the end you enter your entire word count by copy and pasting your novel into the given slot and it counts them up for you. This event isn't looking for edited writing or perfect writing. It's simply to see if you can hit a goal or keep you motivated.

I found after participating with this program it was rather enjoyable however there is not much interaction with other writers. There is a message board but many of the messages get lost in the jumble and your comment, question or encouragement could sit there for a long time. Threads that get started do not leave room for conversation other than the first one started. Nano has a "campnano" that it holds in April and May. Much like the November one, this you are set in a group with 19 other people. It shows their goals and progress but the interaction is much better as there is an area only your cabin can comment into to encourage each other. You will get some who are put in there and for whatever reason never start or participate in anyway. There will be others who genuinely are looking for encouragement and want others tot talk to while going through this process. If your more independent than the November event is more for you however you can get to know people much better in the smaller groups.

The camps are rather nice. You can either finish a piece you are working on, either to finish writing it or to edit it or you can start with a fresh story. You can either pick hours spent writing or word count. The word count is much easier to keep track of, especially if you only have a few minutes each day.

Either way this program has a lot of potential, it does promote its own writers quite a bit when offering advice. At least they are upfront about where the money donated goes. It will be interesting to see how this progresses over the many years to come.

Author Questions

I've always found it interesting why some choose to write stories and what further motivates them to share those with others. Some dream of being an author and others enjoy their stories and like to share them with others who may also enjoy them. The writing process seems overwhelming to some while others it might barely cause them to blink an eye. There are many reasons why someone writes a story but what motivates you? Any professional does well to learn from others in their field and this may help them avoid mistakes that they made or make choices that better enhance their own chances. I've learned a lot and been influenced by certain writers and I hope this influences my writing as well and comes across to my wonderful readers.

It helps to read books even if you are writing your own. This helps show sentence structure, various ideas of how characters interact or how it is written out physically. If an author has a lot of dialog or more action sequences, you learn your preferences for your own writing. Personally, I've read books and wished the authors would have made another choice instead of the one they went with or not putting the author down but I've felt I would write the story differently.

You might simply be looking for a few questions to ask an author when the opportunity presents itself. Either for a blog page, in person interview or many other reasons. I've liked the ones below and they are ones I've been asked myself. Below I've answered some so that you may see my answers and how I respond and how others might respond. When conducting an interview pay close attention to how they respond and this may help you tailor more questions to that person that are more personal or to their career path.

Questions to ask authors:

What their writing process is. How do they get their ideas? How many hours do they work a day on it?

My writing habits are sporadic and last second thinking. I might have general ideas of what I want happening with the characters but most of the time I don't know what I'm writing until I sit down and start writing. Most of the story tends to write itself when I think about the characters that are going to be in it and what their background is. That tends to determine what could happen with them and what situations they might find themselves in. I don't have a set amount of time to write. I do it when I have time and usually that is before I go to sleep at night. I have three kids and my husband take a lot of time along with my job. I work in home healthcare which I enjoy, I love taking care of and looking after others so all these and our furry family members take a lot of time. Life in general dictates itself. My best that I can do is write when I get the chance and if I don't I have to be patient until I get a chance to write again. My home tends to be very noisy so at night will generally be the time I write if it’s going to happen.

What do they consider to be their best accomplishment?

I'm still working on this one and I'm not entirely sure I'll know when it does happen. I've been asked if I consider my kids to be my biggest accomplishment. I'm certainly proud of them but I consider their lives to be their accomplishment. Just the chance that they were the ones to be here, to exist is part of their accomplishment. As far as writing I am happy to have some of my writing published and available to others however I don't quite have that feeling of being accomplished yet but that may never go away since I'm always making further goals for myself to reach.

Who inspired them?

People with talent inspire me. It's hard to limit it to one person. I love listening to music while I write and many singers when I hear them especially when it’s something they really take pride in it comes across in their voice and their hard work I find very inspiring.

Did they always want to write?

I've never considered it a choice. There are days I have a story playing out in my head and it feels like I could explode from the inside out just waiting for the chance to stop what I'm in the middle of or around so I can write. There are times I won't get a chance to until before I go to bed at night. I'll spend the last couple hours when I should be sleeping but I put it off so that I can write. There are thoughts or situations that I can't forget or I can run a conversation between my characters in my head. I love writing because it makes stories come alive that I enjoy, even if no one else does it happens to be something I am incredibly passionate about. I am thankful for those who have been supportive of my writing and have enjoyed my stories.

Also - if you enjoy writing - ask them if he/she has any advice for an aspiring writer.

The best advice I can give is to have pride in your work, don't be in a rush to push your work out there before it's ready. You may end up regretting it or having to start over because you’re constantly fixing mistakes or changes you want in your story that would not have been there if you had taken your time. When you take your time, you can find where your book belongs, who your audience is and what your goals are for your book, where you want to see it take you.

Who is your target reader?

I primarily write under the category young adult however I view my writing for anyone 13+ I hope to make my stories entertaining for those who are older but also safe for younger readers. I do have situations that are considered adult however they are "alluded to" situation or descriptive flirting.

What are the major themes of your work?

Most of the times it's rather subtle that it gets lost. I always want family and friends to be an important influence. The strong bond and loyalty displayed.

"A major theme is an idea that a writer repeats in his work, making it the most significant idea in a literary work. A minor theme, on the other hand, refers to an idea that appears in a work briefly and gives way to another minor theme."1

Any recent works that you admire

There are several books out there that I appreciate, not quite admire but I certainly enjoyed reading. Miss Peregrine's home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs is the most current series I've read.

What do you think people search for in a book?

Most want to be entertained. I know when I read a book I want it to keep my attention where my mind can wonder to another place and leave where I'm physically at, to forget what is going on around me enough that I get captivated in what happens in the story I'm reading and I feel my readers most likely are the same way. A good book is an amazing escape while still having the chance to either educate or life lessons without it feeling preachy.

If you could work with any author who would it be?

I most likely would never work with another author other than my daughter but then that would only be to help as a developmental editor only. I know how I want my story to go and to have another person’s input would be hard for me. It's not that I don't work well with others or don't appreciate their input but I prefer the way I write and I feel it would be hard to blend the way I write with someone else.

Who is your favorite author and is your writing style like theirs?

My favorite author happens to be Jane Austen however my writing is nothing like hers. I also appreciate Anne Rice, J.K Rowling and Stephen King however my writing isn't like any of theirs either which to me is fine. I love their writing and enjoy the way they tell a story however I enjoy variety more and it’s nice not having all writers be the same. If everyone had the same style and types of writing, then books would be rather boring and it wouldn't matter which author you picked. There are so many kinds of preferences that what one person prefers another person might like the complete opposite so I write the way I do and hope others will enjoy it.

What's your favorite part of a book?

Personally, I love the middle. Books either start up quick or have a slow start into the story but I always like the middle because most of the time you’re not waiting for something to happen, the characters are there and you’re not at the end of the book when you realize an amazing story has ended and it’s done. The middle at least you know there is more. Might sound odd with that but I tend to read slower once I come closer to the end of a story.

When naming your characters, do you give any thought to the actual meaning?

I do carefully choose what names I use however I never go overboard with them. I take into consideration the time period and what names were used during that time. Also, I like to take in the characters’ personality and what their parents would have named them, how it would have affected them and generally last what translation the name might have such as "of peace or fighter." Although some of these meanings can be genuinely thought provoking, I want the characters to make a name for themselves and not a name they need to live up to.

Reveal your secret “author” crush.

This is an easy one for me. Although I've appreciated several authors I would say Jane Austen by far happens to be it for me. The way her characters are developed, the background settings she describes and the way the story is told I feel as if I could be there. Pride & Prejudice happens to be one of my favorites.

Scariest thing you have ever read/written.

I haven't written anything scary however reading Silence of the Lambs, the entire story I found scary.

Name a topic that you refuse to write about.

I write Young Adult Romance which has a wide spectrum however there are some topics that I don't feel fits with my stories. There isn't any topic I wouldn't allude to however at this time many sensitive subjects do not fit my writing.

Your favorite monster/villain.

The Midnight Madam/ Katherine Hawthorne from my Family Secrets series. She's been raised by a mother who would kill her and so would her sister for the same item she wants. She's had such a horrible childhood and over the centuries no one has ever challenged her or made life difficult before until the family she tried to destroy. It wasn't until the McAllisters that she began to second guess herself and then a young woman who she later became obsessed with and started to care for like a daughter that a little humanity came out of her. She's very determined and stubborn but incredibly intelligent. She's been around so long observing people that she knows peoples’ habits and natural inclinations that she can guess what they are going to do before they know what they are doing. Regardless of what happens she stays true to herself.

Imagine your characters are on survivor.  Who will they vote out of the book?

I would say Lucian without fail. I love his character but if he were to stay he would win hands down.

When did you first, without hesitation, call yourself a writer?

I've always loved writing so I never had a problem calling myself a writer. It was much easier than classifying myself as an author. I always felt the title author was a little higher than writer but then being called a writer could entail so many venues.

What’s the earliest memory you have of writing a story?

 Earliest memory would be the 3rd grade. I had called my story New York Gangs and most of it had been how they viewed each other as family and some of the fights they were in. I had never been allowed to watch violent movies or shows and my parents kept me rather shielded from the world around me. My teacher had accused me of plagiarizing the story and lost her temper with me. My mother came in and was upset until later that day when I was at home and I was writing a story on the couch. She came over and read it and said, "wow, you really can write." That has stuck with me since but I've always loved writing and my parents supplied me with all the paper and writing tools that I needed growing up. I had a very active imagination and could visualize quite well which helped me when I wrote and still does now.

What is your least favorite part of the writing process?

The first page of a story. I'll already know the entire story line, characters actions, what's going to happen and how I'll end it or carry it onto another book however it’s that first page that starts it all, the page that draws someone in and helps most decide if they want to bother reading the rest. I have no doubts about my stories, if they are enjoyable or not but I always doubt that beginning because I always feel it’s weak or too strong.

How do you work with an editor without the pride thing getting in the way?

It is probably the most difficult for most writers. If I have confidence in my editor I have no problems at all no matter what problems they bring up. Any time I have my books edited by someone else I have them mark changes so I can go through to see what they've changed. If I have any problems with something I'll ask them for an explanation for why it might have been changed. Because of this it can help me prevent making those mistakes again. I've only had a problem with one editor so far and it was because I had gone through my book after they checked it and found 40 errors added where they changed my words and I could tell they used Microsoft word spelling and grammar without reading through the story itself.

What technology do you use for writing?

I'll write parts on paper or whatever happens to be around me when an idea comes to me or a thought or conversation I want to add. Majority of the time I type on my laptop that I only use for writing. I've used my cell phone more often for leaving notes for myself than I do for making phone calls or anything else.

How do you keep from resenting your duties and every human’s sleeping requirement when you must stop writing to take care of them?

If I had the opportunity to write nonstop for days I would but I love my family so for me it's not a resentment to spend time with or take care of. I feel to be a good writer you need experience, you need to live life otherwise how can you expect your characters to when you don't? Even if you were to observe others its doing something.

Describe your writing style in ten words or less.

First, I'm going to answer this in more than ten words. We hear this question many times however what exactly is a writing style? Some feel this sets one author aside from another but many writers and authors say they don't have one. Technically we all do even when we write a short paper for school or work. I personally write from a narrative perspective.

"The four major types of essays address these purposes:

Narrative: Telling a Story. In a narrative essay, the writer tells a story about a real-life experience. ...

Descriptive: Painting a Picture. ...

Expository: Just the Facts. ...

Persuasive: Convince Me." 2

Writing style and the voice of the writer is very important.

"Voice is the distinct personality, style, or point of view of a piece of writing or any other creative work. Voice is what Simon Cowell is talking about when he tells "American Idol" contestants to make a song their own and not just do a note-for-note karaoke version." 3

When you hear from your readers, what do they say?

So far, I've been fortunate and heard from some very sweet people who enjoyed my book. I've talked to one person who hated my books but I still had an enjoyable conversation with the person. Many we've talked about the characters in my book and what ones I've enjoyed like my favorite ones which is hard to pick since I felt attached to all of them. What I enjoy more is hearing which characters my readers have enjoyed and who they were attached to and why.

How do you use social media to promote your writing?

It's great when you have friends and family support you, when they talk about your book. Word of mouth is still great but when you are a new author the internet has offered more opportunities we normally would not have had. I've used Myspace in the past to get my name out there, switched over to Facebook and Twitter. From these last two I've gotten to know several wonderful book groups and reading clubs. It not only helps me get my name out there but it also helps me find what people are into and my reading base, what other books they like. From the way those authors have advertised their books I've learned from them. Also by having an author page or with Google blogger it gives my readers and others a chance to get to know me better and hear about my projects and books I'm writing or have published.

Citing sources:

#1 https://literarydevices.net/theme/

#2 www.time4writing.com/writing-resources/types-of-essays/

#3 www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/.../understanding-voice-and-tone-in-writing

Silence of the Lambs author Thomas Harris, Amazon link: http://amzn.to/2j58MeJ

Jane Austen-Pride & Prejudice, Amazon link: http://amzn.to/2iRiHVJ

Simple truth about Writing, writers block and others

Not everyone is going to be the same while writing. Some will say they bled sweat and tears while writing. Others will say it felt the same as banging their head against the wall while some simply said they had no problem and those who accused them of not telling the truth. It all depends on if you want to believe any of this. Truth be told, each writer is different and what works for one might not work for another. Possibly if writing is such a struggle than maybe it’s not for you or possibly you haven't found what works for you yet.

Many focus on word count and others write as it comes to them. That's how I personally write but I do it from scene to scene. I play the story in my head as a movie while I write and sometimes my characters take a turn I wasn't expecting so I go with the flow and see where it takes me. Some writers need a very detailed structure for the story-line to stick with.

Writers block seems to affect so many especially when they see zero words added to their page. Some simply need to turn off the word count until they are finished with their story they want to tell. I don't personally have writers block and it doesn't mean this is a bad thing for others. It might be frustrating, but understanding why you are stuck will help.

When it comes to writers block you will find many answers. The only way of dealing with this is finding what works for you. If leaving the piece you’re working on and messing with something else works for you than do it. Take your time, it’s better to have great writing than something that sounds forced and not something that makes you happy. I do it all the time. I will have several stories going at once depending on the mood I’m in and if I don’t feel like writing I won’t force myself. You will hear from established authors and even ones who are not writers say you should force yourself to write for at least an hour or more a day. It might work for some but others that can be even more stressful. I don’t like to write when I’m stressed out and if I write when I am not in the mood my story tends to take turns I don’t really care for or would not have done. I've even been frustrated enough that I killed my main character and needed to fix it. It is very important to find your own writing style and what works for you.

Find where you feel comfortable writing even if it’s sitting in a beanbag chair, regular office chair or outdoors somewhere. There are many trays that can used to keep your laptop comfortable if you take it outside. Have a drink next to you. I love drinking water when I write, sometimes I’ll have coffee or hot cocoa or even tea at times. Make sure your area is comfortable and safe. A friend of mine loves writing while sitting in the corner of her room. She will have the corner against her back so she is looking into the room and she’s sitting down on a pillow with her laptop in her lap. Sometimes if she really feels like getting into it she will pull out her manual typewriter.

Some need help getting into the mood. that's generally my problem. I have what I want to write down but not in the mood to physically write it. Either by listening to music, television or movie in the background can help with moods. Just make sure it isn’t to interesting you spend more time watching it then writing. For my problem I use a voice writer so I can speak out loud and it records me. 
There are writing exercises that you can do. Look at an object and describe it in writing. If there are two objects near each other describe how they met each other or a situation if they were at war, in love or hated each other. It gets the mind thinking which is better than forcing yourself to write, especially if you are not in the mood and not liking what your doing will only increase frustration. Writing should be enjoyable, something you love to do, not hate.                                

Getting accepted by a publisher is exciting news but I can't begin to tell you how often I've found people who regretted the contract later because they did not read the fine print or were surprised by a section that superseded the contract in hand and they lost their rights to their writing. I cannot stress enough to everyone, please read the entire contract. Take time to think it over. Seek out the assistance of an attorney or lawyer to get their opinion of the contract. Don't sign something that you do not understand even if they have explained it to you. The contract that is in physical form must be understood and yes, each part can be broken down so you can understand it but don't simply take someone's word for it. Do your research! If you can research words and other minor things for your book why not your contract?

Also make sure you understand what type of publisher you have been accepted by, either vanity (you pay them), P.O.D (Print on demand, a lot of bookstores don’t accept these) Hybrid Publisher (you advertise yourself, some require you edit your own books, they do the rest), Traditional publisher (they do everything but still expect you to participate at times) These are only a few and limited descriptions but it is very important to know what they expect of you and what you expect from them. Keep in touch and work with your publisher. Update them on how you are doing especially if they are a larger publisher or you tend to get lost in the cracks.

I consider writing my first career. Second would be anything that happens to promote my writing. The reality is that many writers have two careers or jobs simply because writing doesn’t always pay the bills. I will always write because I love to, I obsess over it at times and I feel happy writing. The secondary job although has more likelihood of never being returned to, my writing always will. Currently I work in private healthcare. I’ve had many jobs over the years and learned from them. A few I picked up because I wanted to know what it was like and even based my characters in that field. At least this way I would get it accurately portrayed for the character. Below I have a link to twenty authors who kept day jobs while they wrote.

When an author has their book published there is so much work that goes into it before the book is made available to the public. There are the many hours an author spends dreaming or thinking about the story, getting it written down so it is no longer only a thought. There are a lot of changes that happen once the story is finished and a lot of editing. Getting your writing copywritten to protect your hard work. There is the cover art for the book, the back description so people know what the story is about. Getting a library of congress control number and an ISBN (ISBN is the acronym for International Standard Book Number. This 10 or 13-digit number identifies a specific book, an edition of a book, or a book-like product (such as an audiobook). Since 1970 each published book has a unique ISBN. In 2007, assigned ISBNs changed from 10 digits to 13.)

There is also coordinating various websites and other places the book may be made available to for a release date. Depending on the type of advertising that may be done with the books release will be arranged. It may be sent wide spread to various bookstores large and small to let them know it is available, to various library or reading groups. There are a lot of publishing companies. Self publishing, vanity press, Pod publishing, Hybrid publishing, Traditional publishing. If you’re an established author your royalties and how your book is advertised will be different. 
New authors who have not established themselves, they have a lot to prove simply because they are a higher financial risk. Even if you get picked up by a traditional publisher this does not mean your book will be in bookstores or it might be available as an e-book through large brick and mortar stores until you increase demand for your book. Publishers lose the most amount of money when they take the risk of taking on new authors. This is why many of them are fillers. The top four publishing companies are Simon & Schuster (a subsidiary of CBS Corporation), HarperCollins (a subsidiary of NewsCorp), Penguin Random House (a subsidiary of Bertelsmann and Pearson), Hachette Livre. With the countless submissions they receive, even if you are fortunate to get picked up by one that doesn’t mean you will have an advertising budget however their website does generate a lot of visitors so they might come across your book. Many times, it is better to be picked up by a smaller publisher for more personal care. However even these have to be careful because they invest so much into your book financially when they know if you begin to sell you will leave taking another offer. While this is usually in your best interest it leaves them building your reputation and promoting your book to having nothing in the end for all of that work. If you go with a smaller publisher work out a plan that if your book does become successful that you can adjust your royalties and other offers. Many are willing to adjust especially since they were the ones who helped you get to this point. 
I've seen this many times when a small publisher advertises their company, an author will get angry with them wondering why they are advertising themselves and not the authors book. Long after the author is gone, that company still needs to be known for authors to apply with them. They need to build their reputation up so that they get the foot traffic large publishers have. By advertising themselves they bring attention to everyone they have rather then a few who may or may not leave in a short period of time.

This isn’t to discourage anyone from writing, making sure you love what you’re doing and don’t expect to get rich when picked up by a publisher. It’s better to be realistic then expect the moon and be disappointed later because you didn’t get it. There is always that chance you could be the break out author, determination and stubbornness goes a long way.

This is a big thing and I cannot stress it enough. Work with your publisher. If they want to coordinate with you for events and you plan on doing something but don’t tell them until short notice. There isn’t much they can do. Your publisher has a budget, even large publishers have budgets. Let’s say you arrange a book signing. Instead of only announcing you’ll need books, give at least three months or more warning if you can. The longer you give the longer they have to assist you. A small advertisement in the paper, events listed on Facebook with a paid for ad. Book marks with your book and info to hand out for free to advertise for your readers, posters or many other things. Let them know what you are planning and if you know what you need, let them know. Many publishers want to be involved, if you have an agent do the same with them.

A cover can make or break your book. The publisher wants to make money or again they lose, so they will have done their research for what will be best for the cover of your book. Some will ask for input but ultimately majority of publishers pick for you. This is the same for editing, have faith in your publisher. Your friends and family may have their opinions however they are not your publisher and second guessing or wanting your way instead of listening to your publisher is insulting. Most of the time you will frustrate your publisher and they will wish they hadn’t picked your book up or wondered why you went with a publisher in the first place. Bottom line is that publishers risk money on books they need to sell. If they mess up they lose a lot. If you caused them to lose they still get stuck with the bill.

When the publisher advertises on billboards, television, radio spots, internet and other various venues. Depending on the price, this will determine where ads for your book go. They may be slated for certain areas but not until your book is a good seller. If your publisher puts out $5k advertising your book and it only sells $200 because your unknown. They’ve lost a lot of money. Now imagine if this happens with other authors who have amazing books but because they are not known or do not have a strong following the cost begins to get pretty high and have in the past put publishers out of business, many with debts left over they are still stuck paying.

When you get paid an advance, this will eventually come out of your royalties. An advance is not a sign on bonus. It is an "advancement" on your royalties. The higher end you get some publishers may offer special bonus's but not until you are like Stephen King, Anne Rice or Rick Riordan writing level.

 Experienced copy editors might be able to edit about 10 pages per hour, which would mean they make $0.014 per word if they charge an hourly rate of $35. That makes $1,120 for an 80,000-word manuscript. According to the EFA, basic copy-editing for an average-length manuscript would cost $960-2,560.

The main thing with writing is to enjoy and have fun.  I’ve included a few articles associated with the publishing field I found helpful.

Word count of famous authors. http://writerswrite.co.za/the-daily-word-counts-of-39-famous-authors-1

Why traditional vs. self publishing. https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2016/mar/21/for-me-traditional-publishing-means-poverty-but-self-publish-no-way

https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-most-significant-costs-in-book-publishing-and-distribution

20 authors who worked other jobs while writing. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-anthony-jones/famous-author-day-jobs_b_5724482.html

Obsession over characters

I never thought I would be the type of writer who would have a muse. Certain people do inspire me for perseverance or personality but this one has really stuck with me and had inspired me to write a couple of books. I feel I know his personality so well to the point he truly is real to me and that makes the character I write about that much more relatable. It’s also one of the reasons I don’t like to get to know actors/ actresses outside of their role because many times it ruins it finding out what they are like. It’s the character they portrayed and not really the person playing the role I’m addicted to.

Whether the character is from a movie, book or one I’ve created myself. I have found myself getting not just addicted but obsessed with a character. I know I’m not alone when I see many forms of fan fiction or the simple fact that merchandise sold with that character on it finds its way into others homes.

There are many reasons personally why I get obsessed with characters and it isn’t only the ones I’ve created for my own stories. I loved the Harry Potter series simply because we were fortunate as an audience to see the same actors play them and grow along with the characters themselves, at least in the movies. As far as the books are concerned there is so much of their personal lives you feel as though you are along for the journey as a friendly observer and you see how everything affects them. What difficulty they’ve had to overcome not just physically but emotionally. J.K Rowling developed her characters quite well that they really reflect and come across as real people even though they are fictional.

Other characters I’ve been addicted to were either their personality, what the writer had the character endure during their written life or simply a look/expression the actor/ actress gives while acting. I always make it a point to read the book and see the movie. I might not like the changes they make in the movie from the authors original perspective but sometimes they can give it a different angle. Almost like fan fiction and see how the outcome would be if a few things were changed. Sadly, in some there are massive changes it’s no longer after the original content at all other than in name. Cassandra Claire is an example of this with her Mortal Instruments series. I enjoyed the book and the first movie but could not get myself to follow along with the television series.

I do want to note I am obsessed with the character and not the person portraying them and I don't at all encourage or endorse stalking of the actual person portraying the character.

One of the book series I loved is from Darren Chan, Cirque Du Freak. I loved the movie and the books. There are 12 books in the series and well worth the read. I loved the story he created however the writing style isn't one of my favorites. From his book series, I became addicted to the character Larten. I would imagine or dream him in other situations and events. This would also be considered fan fiction. Only difference is that I don't write fan fiction on paper or share my thoughts about story lines however I do enjoy reading what others have written when it comes to fan fiction.

A goal of mine is that I need some kind of connection or even to the point of being addicted to my own characters that I write. I know I won’t like all but there needs to be some quality to each. I have a few who I am addicted to simply because of the way they think, treat others, adventurous determination or stubbornness. If I don’t feel the connection with the I have a hard time believing my readers would either.

Writing and cheating

I've been asked a lot of basic questions about writing however this would be a first and it came from an eleven-year-old. She pointed out how many actors like to research for their roles they play. I've heard this also either going under cover as an officer, going to a strip club, spending time at bars or working certain jobs to gain perspective. Even writers are always mentioning research especially those in Mystery, homicide or geological location or time period for a setting.

The question asked is that if there is a romance in the story and you get into the characters’ heads, do you feel like your cheating because you’re creating an intimate relationship between characters. Is fantasizing about this considered cheating.

I thought it was a good question and one I'm sure depending on who you ask will give you a very different answer from a direct yes, explanation for or against or the opposite a direct no. I can only answer for myself on this one and not for anyone else. The way that I write about my characters I don't feel I'm cheating in any way. I know more personal detail but it is only because I happen to be writing it. I’m not physically going out trying to recreate these connections that I write about.

When I write about a character I know what pet peeves they have, personal likes and dislikes, their family background. How they interact with someone. When you have a friend or family member that you know incredibly well you would know these personal things about them. Even to the point if someone walked through the room without saying a word but was smiling you could know something was bothering them when anyone else would have thought they were fine. It's the small details. People normally share information about dating and their lives so we get to know them this way.

When it comes to research, I’ve experienced relationships myself, dealt with friends and observed from a distance others. I consider this research also. I like to sit in the mall some times to see how people interact with each other and majority of the time from human nature I know how they will react and from seeing it so many times. I write for all age groups so I do keep a lot of what my characters do behind closed doors. I might elude to something however detail I leave out. When they fall in love I think of relationships I’ve experienced or what I would want myself.

There are terms such as book boyfriend, fiancée or even husband. Personally, I’ve never gone that far. I might obsess over a personality or see this character as someone I would have made friends with but never on such a personal level as dating my own characters. I feel the same way towards those who portray characters. I might love the way they character is handled by some more so than others but I am not falling in love with the person playing the role. I’m not against anyone who feels this way or have crushes on characters. Having a crush is a way telling you what you would like to find in a perspective relationship. Hopefully it’s a healthy one but then most know the difference between fiction and reality. If you have a crush on a vampire it’s not that you disregard life and want to die but you may admire or respect a quality this character has. Many have a different perspective on life because of being a creature. This can be taken so many ways depending on what is involved, authors intent and what readers understand from it. If there is a subject involving a character you are unsure of and think it could be possibly abusive, research it and find out the facts. It doesn't mean you need to watch a sex video but there is text information. 

Example of this would be with grey series. I was given the book as a gift. I tried to read it and couldn't get past a few chapters. I felt I was reading something a child wrote about a very adult situation. It was trying to portray love however in an abusive manner without regard to the well being of the other character, The BDSM was not accurate and by ignoring her saying to stop or using safe word it is clearly rape. whether or not the author intended on this or not it is disturbing and sadly people have wanted the same relationship. If the man was poor and not rich people would not be looking at it the same. Some are simply looking for the right to watch it without feeling they are watching pornography. Of course you will find many various opinions on this as well however I do feel the authors need to be respectful towards their audience. That book is geared towards adults and the author would have to be asked herself what she was thinking and if she felt she was cheating by creating this. I couldn't speak for her.