staring at my screen…
...hoping words will jump into my blocked writing brain…
...wishing everyone around me talking can be muted out.
Well, perfect settings to write are not always there so you need to deal with it, period!
This ebook is a motivational butt kicking adventure where I will add humor to realistic situations you, as a writer, may find yourself in. Along the way, I am sure you’ll learn a thing or two to help tighten your writing and your career. If not, then I’ll refund your money. Oh wait…this is a FREE ebook.
My name is Lea Schizas, mommy of five children and I began writing when I was still in my own mommy’s womb, mistaking the umbilical cord as a neat writing instrument.
My ‘real’ writing career came about one day while in a bookstore. I picked up a Writer’s Digest magazine, entered one of their contests, didn’t win but something more important happened. I finally woke up from my 23-year self-induced coma of taking care of everyone else and began to write once again. Within two months I wrote my first screenplay followed with several writing goals I wanted to accomplish since my Muse juices were all blended into my system now.
This happened in 2000. The reason I am telling you this is to allow you a moment to reflect back when your own calling to write came about. Hold on to that feeling because throughout your writing career you will experience a rollercoaster of ups and downs, perhaps causing you at one point or another to feel the necessity to quit. It will be this reflection of the past that may help you continue as a writer.
Unless you are making money from your writing, don’t quit your day job. Many do, unfortunately, believing once the book is over and done with the green dough will begin floating in. But how are you going to write that book if you’re tossed out of your home, when the electricity is shut off, when your fingers near the frostbite stage after the heating has been switched off…okay, I’m a writer and love to embellish.
But I’ve moved away from the subject of this section…me! It’s not as much as ‘who’ I am but more importantly why I am writing this ebook- because I care. When I first started my career I came along such writers who didn’t share information, who looked at you as though you were going to steal their ideas, who were too afraid to offer you links they possessed in case you got the writing gig over them. I vowed I would never ever be like them. This ebook is offered out of love for the craft and for your writing career. I want to make sure you fully understand what it means to be a writer, to help exorcize some of the negative forces you will encounter.
My name is Lea Schizas, and I’d like to be one of the writers who will help you through your writing career.Knowing the answer to this will help you fight the negative forces that are surely to come, such as:
“Oh, you’re a writer? Like, are you famous? You get a lot of money for writing? Where can I buy your book? Oh, you’re self-published. POD? Is that like a book club or a big publishing house? No? Oh, I get it. You’re trying to be a writer.”
Sound aggravatingly familiar? If not, soon enough you will get one of these comments pop at you at any time so knowing why you write will ease your response…and your nerves.
“I write because I love to write and would love to earn my living as a writer. I do not have high hopes of becoming the next Stephen King or Nora Roberts but the possibility of making it is there and I will try my hardest to achieve it.” This is the response I give. It tells the curious person in-between the lines that when I do make it I will remember your sarcasm and doubt in me and won’t answer the door when you ‘comeaknocking’ disguised as my best friend.
Do you write thinking your first novel being penned right now will make you rich? Oh my! You do, don’t you! Look at me, well, pretend, now shake your head left and right when I ask this again: Do you write thinking your first novel penned right now will make you filthy rich? That’s what I thought.
Having high expectations is grand, we all have them. These are called dreams and dreams are meant to be achieved with hard work. BUT, being realistic will help you detour the disappointments with each rejection letter coming in, with each critique suggesting more and more changes to your manuscript, with reviews going to the opposite side of ‘good’.
Perhaps you just may be one of the lucky ones who will make it big with your first novel, and it’s happened to a few select writers. However, truly believing it and wishing it are two different things. Believing it will cause you heartache in the end if it doesn’t happen. Wishing it will cause you to work a bit harder. That is the difference between believing and wishing.
Some writers write for personal therapeutic reasons. They have no grandeur of being published. Are they considered writers?
What defines a writer? I am sure many of you have your own opinion but seeing how this is my ebook I will give you my opinion for you to agree or disagree with me. Either way, I welcome your input by emailing me at: museitupeditor@yahoo.ca and I’ll make sure to include your comments in one of my future ebooks.
To me there are only two types of writers:The above I mentioned and the ones who seek publication along with the fame and wealth are ‘true writers’. (Note: wealth and fame are the toppings to the cake. They don’t always come but if you do your homework and promote and market yourself you will be surprised one day with a nice big fat royalty check.)
The ones who write, shove their manuscript in their desk drawer, complain they are not cut out to be a writer, find every excuse in the book not to write, brag and brag yet never produce anything…these are ‘wannabe writers’. To be honest, perhaps they should be considered writers with the creative excuses they come up with.
Two simple classifications in my book.Getting published is not the only factor to brand you a ‘writer’. If you have the passion and the strive to get that manuscript finished and subbed to the hundreds and hundreds of publishing houses out there, then you are a writer and achieving publication is simply an added award to your name.
This whole book will contain two important words every writer MUST possess:DETERMINATION & PERSEVERANCE
So be warned, they’ll be popping out at you when you least expect them.
“Asking questions helps you in the long run. Shying away from questions stagnates your process.” - Lea Schizas
The funny thing is you’re probably waiting for me to crack a joke right now but that won’t happen because ideas can be found anywhere and everywhere, even in drawers.
Don’t believe me? Well, here goes:
1- What’s in that drawer? Have you been watching someone at work, at home, at your friend’s home, unlocking and placing something inside then immediately locking it again? Why? Do they have a drawer disorder?
2- Who does the drawer belong to? Did you discover a locked drawer in the attic of the new house you just bought? Curious as to what’s inside? Scared to find out?3- Are you searching for something in particular? Was there rumor floating around that grandma has taken you off the will? Hmm…curious to find out if that’s true or not?
4- What if you opened up the drawer and there was a note addressed to your spouse? Would you open it? What would it contain?
5- What if you opened up the drawer and there was a tiny person in there, and I mean REAL tiny. Where did they come from? What do they want? Why the heck is he/she in your drawer to begin with? Who put them there?
As you can see, from one simple drawer you can allow your imagination to go overboard and have fun with it. You need to open up to new possible and far out story situations at times to find one on a more serious note. For example:
Number 1-3 above each can have an element of mystery to them. That drawer could hold the key to an investigation. Or perhaps the detective is the one hiding some evidence in there to protect someone. What about poor old grandma? Did you discover a plot that someone was preparing to off grandma and point the finger at you?
Don’t be lazy. Use that awesome writer’s imaginative brain of yours and toy around with questions, silly as they may be, something will strike your fancy sooner or later.
1- What was I most afraid of as a child?
2- What stories did I like to read?
3- Who were my friends back then?
4- What was my experience at school?
5- What did I want to be when I grew up?
6- Who were my favorite and worse teachers?
7- Who did I hate and why?
8- Did I have any idols?
9- Did I fantasize about my future? What did I foresee?
10-How has my childhood neighborhood changed?
Again? Okay…go outside and sit at the park or in the front of your house and do nothing but observe your surroundings. Oh yeah, make sure to have a pen and notebook for this exercise:
1- What color is the sky?
2- How do the clouds appear to you? Do they have any shapes? Are they dark? Light?
3- Is there a wind? Does the wind have a particular sound as it whizzes by you? Do you get goose-bumps when it touches you? What is the wind forecasting?
4- Are there any animals around you? Are they making any noises? Where are they? What are they doing?
5- Are there people nearby? How are they standing? What is their body language telling you? Are their arms flinging around in the air giving you the impression they are angry? Do any of them have accents? Do they speak with a shrill, high-pitched voice? Baritone? Describe their physical appearances.
Now, I won’t do all of your homework for you so you can forget about that, but these are just some things to jot down and remember so when you are writing about the outdoors one day you will have on hand something to bring back that day’s memories on your surroundings and the descriptive details you noted.
Okay, okay, just one more then I need to go on to Chapter 3.The old and trusted ‘What if’ factor:
Look straight ahead…yes, now…what do you see? Now ask yourself three questions on this object. For example, I see a vase with flowers in it, so my three questions would be: 1- What if these flowers were meant for someone else?
2- What if I returned them and realized they were meant for my roommate but it was my boyfriend who sent them to her…anonymously.
3- What if my girlfriend went missing?
With DETERMINATION and PERSEVERANCE you will find a storyline to work with. Give up and you risk losing an opportunity to gain new characters, new worlds, new situations for your readers to enjoy. After all, there are so many readers out there with different tastes you need to add spice and toppings every so often and offer them something unique and totally in your own writing voice.
Now go open up that drawer and find your storyline.“There are as many stories as there are ideas in your head. You just need to put them down on paper.” - Lea Schizas
So I was helpful and you found a storyline. Great! What? You’re finished? You wrote the whole thing? Well kudos to you. That’s more than some wannabe writers ever accomplish in their writing ‘careers’.
What’s the next step before you consider this a ‘finished’ product, besides your own editing? Get a few extra eyes who know what they’re looking for and have them critique it. Yes, mom and dad love you and probably would love your story but the question is: do they have the writer’s edge knowing what to look for? I didn’t think so. Excuse me? Sure, ask your best friend to read it since he’s been your ‘best’ friend since elementary school and he supports you in everything you do. But is that what you want? Someone to support you and offer praise? If so, you’re doomed… doomed I say.
This is the area all writers must develop a thick skin: to be totally open to critiques and not be offended. I have seen and witnessed many writers who either dropped out of a critique session because of one bad critique, who defended their piece to death, or came back and wrote, “Heck no! I’m not changing a thing!” Um…why did you join a critique group then?
BAD CRITIQUES:Yes, I’ll be the first to admit there are writers out there who are takers and not sharers. They take your critique but don’t fully share one with you. Then you have those who are smart-alecks and want to show off their knowledge and do nothing more than a line by line edit on missing commas. Gee, thanks.
But by far the critique writers I have come across have a slight sarcastic undertone, who pick at every little thing, who question you on every single passage, who force you to take a look at your character because they feel there’s something missing, who hate your setting, who make a point to highlight in red all the show and tell areas in your story. And you know what? THESE are the ones I welcome to take a look at my piece any time. Why? Because they take the time to offer you their opinion on what they feel are areas that could be honed from a reader’s and a writer’s point of view.
One thing you must understand and acknowledge is that you join a critique community or ask for a critique for a reason, to better your manuscript to up its chance of publication. What you take from a critique is up to you but you MUST have an open mind and not be offended by what you read (unless of course you are dealing with a complete moron who has no manners and writes things like “You sure you want to be a writer?”, “This totally sucks”, “I don’t get this. What the hell was this all about? This is garbage”). These writers do not deserve your aggravation. These writers don’t deserve to be yelled at. What these writers need is a diplomatic writer to turn around, thank them for their critique and move on. If the moderator does their job like they’re supposed to, these types of writers will soon enough find their membership deleted…unless they own the site then run…Run…RUn…RUN!!!
Another smart move on your part would be to make sure you get someone who has an idea about the genre you’re writing in. Now picture this:You ask your best friend who is an amazing writer to take a look at your manuscript. You’ve explained to them you write erotic romance and they’re all excited to read something out of their own genre. Hip Hip Wrong!!
“So, Stacy, what do you think?”
“Um…”(note the hesitation in their voice- not a good sign)
“It’s okay, I’m a big girl, just let me have it.”
“I found you used way too much sex and romance.”
“Stacy, it’s an erotic romance book.”
“Yeah, I know, but did you have to use those words? Couldn’t you use ‘his thing’ or just have them get to know one another first before they jumped right into bed?”
You see, folks, Stacy is a children’s writer and was very eager to help out her friend but had no clue what elements are contained in such a genre. Therefore, this type of a critique partner does you absolutely no good. You need to find a person or group who writes in your genre or even a reader who reads in that genre to give you their honest impression on your book. They may not be able to help edit it for you but their honest opinions do count for something because they are ‘knowledgeable’ in that genre.
Do a Google search for ‘writers critique groups’ then go over each one until you connect with one you believe you’d like to try. Anyway, it’s not as if you’re signing a contract to commit to them for the rest of your life. You can divorce them if they don’t meet your expectations. One great critique community I highly recommend is the MuseItUp Club. http://museitupclub.tripod.com Okay, okay, so I own the site, so? It still makes it a great community of writers and if you don’t believe me, just hop on over to the site and have a look.
Phew! Chapter three is done.“I've never come across a critique I hated. Perhaps I've raised an eyebrow or two but hated? Never. I simply ignored the ones not to my liking.” - Lea Schizas
So you sub once a year. Well congrats. By the time you’re a hundred and one some editor out there may actually respond to you and accept something. Now by then, they may have come up with some sort of new technology that will allow you to actually read as you did in your younger days, say like when you were fifty?
I can hear a few of you saying, “But I write novels and that takes time.” This I totally understand, however, taking a break here and there to write shorter pieces of work to begin branding yourself as a writer is a smart move. Don’t place all your pens in the same pen holder. You know what I mean.
What do I mean? Okay, let’s say:Your book is an historical fiction based in a specific country. To have written such a novel means you must have done some sort of research either for a certain time period, a historical character/architecture, or on that particular country itself. Dish that info out from that second desk drawer, in that blue duo-tang right under the heavy dictionary above it. Right in that folder you have a short non-fiction piece to write and submit to various online or print magazines. Perhaps one aimed at a travel magazine to showcase a country’s historical past and accompany an article they may have on the present state of affairs there.
Now let’s assume you're writing a children’s book, a middle grader to be precise. Look at the underlying theme you are trying to tell the child. Is it about fear? Is it about making friends? Watching out for bullies? What? Turn around now and write either a nonfiction article on this topic or write another shorter fiction piece highlighting only this topic. If you’ve got more than one subject in your book, hey, that’s great. That means you’ll have a busload of articles and new shorter stories to write.
Why the big deal in subbing? You want to build your media kit, you want to have credits to show when you finally do submit that one book you’ve been writing all these years. Editors nowadays will take you more seriously if you show them you’ve been actively writing and submitting. Don’t ask me why, it just impresses them. It’s similar to getting a loan from a bank: you need to have money for them to give you money. Go figure.
From these articles and shorter stories, you begin to gather a readership, those who will recognize your name and be in the front line to buy your book when it comes out.Assaulting A Writer’s Thinking by Lea Schizas
This is why it’s important to begin churning those extras, besides your novel, to begin the promotional part in your career.
There are hundreds if not thousands of online ezines and newsletters to submit to along with the print magazines. Again, do a Google search for 'writers newsletters/ezines” and you'll be amazed at what comes up.
“My mom once told me I am the person I am because of who I am. Now, I still don't get it but I am developing the person I want to be and that's what I learned from my dear mom.” - Lea Schizas
Ah, technology, ya gotta love it. We now have the option of pressing anywhere from one to a zillion buttons before, and if, we get to speak to a ‘real’ person. And just when you thought you had their exclusive and undying attention, they place you on hold. Oh well, no one said advancing in this century was going to be easy, just the way no one said being a writer was a breeze.
So let’s break down our telephone dialogue in the title:“Hello?”
What a simple greeting yet one so many writers are afraid of. It’s called ‘cold calling’ bookstores to try and place your book on their bookshelves, or editors to find updates on your sub from ten years ago, or to arrange a meeting with an agent who promised to call you right back...a year ago.
I have to admit I used to be afraid of the ‘Hello?’ scenario, too, until last year. Don’t ask me why last year and not two or three years ago. I believe last year is when I finally sat myself down and had a talk with ‘me’, mind you, making sure at all times the curtains were closed so the neighbors wouldn’t call the loony bin and lock me up.
Last year was my euphoria, my writing ‘climax’ where I finally took my whole being as a writer and felt like a ‘writer’, from head to toe. How does this feel? Confidant, sure of what I want, wanting to succeed, wanting to get my good name out there, realizing that editors and agents are people just like me, not any better just people I need…
“Hello?...Hi, my name is Lea Schizas and I’m an award-winning author and editor.”“Hi, my na…”
Do you feel as though you’re being bounced left and right and not heading anywhere? Ever wonder why that’s so? Could it be something you’re not doing? Maybe it’s something you are doing?
NOT DOING: Maybe you’re not being really clear to everyone that between so and so a time you are writing and will not pick up the phone.
Maybe you’re not understanding the above rule yourself and find yourself spending more time in the laundry room or with the vacuum in tow.Maybe you haven’t read all that there is on the various ways to get published nowadays and that’s why you’re not subbing. You may be confused.
Maybe you’re listening to too many ‘experts’, like me. Think for yourself. You know what you want to achieve and that’s to get published. So start thinking for yourself and stop listening to others. In the same breath, however, just to play devil’s advocate here, listening to sound advice and making up your own mind is what you should be doing to enhance your career. Confused yet?
WHAT YOU’RE DOING:Maybe you’re just worried about rejections. Rejections are a part of a writer’s life and the sooner you realize this the quicker this fear will leave you. Think of rejections as a good thing as hard or as silly as this may sound. Having a rejection come in means you are a determined writer who is diligently sending out subs. So take a minute right now and totally congratulate yourself for this accomplishment. It’s more than what wannabe writers do.
Read those rejections carefully. Are there personal notes from the Editor in charge? I can tell you that personal notes aren’t usually had, so for this Editor to have taken his/her time and jot something down to you means a lot. You just have to decipher what that ‘lot’ is.
Maybe you are just being too hard on yourself. Some writers don’t get published as quickly as others. Keep plugging away. Your time will come but in the meantime, go over your manuscript to see if you’ve missed some points to strengthen and give it more oomph.
Maybe you’re just not writing often enough. Although it’s been said a schedule is good to keep to, perhaps you’re just one of those writers who works better without a schedule. Make sure to jot something down everyday. Whether it’s a word, a paragraph or a whole chapter, that’s not as important as having written something down each day and make yourself feel accomplished. The more accomplished you feel the more words will flow out of you. Be confident. You can do it.
Maybe you’re just stuck because you’re always wearing your editor’s hat and not allowing the writer in you to finish that story. Get it down, typos and all, and then worry about editing once the whole thing has ‘The End’ in place.
Let me ask you…what are you holding back for? For whom are you holding back from? Is your conscious telling you you’re moving too fast in your career? Is this a race? No! Move as quickly or as slowly as you feel necessary. Don’t push yourself to exhaustion. Just have realistic goals. And every writer should have goals.
My goals when I first started writing again was to get my name out there, to have a book published, to start my own newsletter and website, all within five years. I achieved this within four years and that just boasted my ego to get more things done. I realized I could do it.
But each goal was realistic. I did not say five books within a year, get a Pulitzer, nor was I pushing myself. I worked constantly at promoting myself by writing articles and short stories and subbing them. Yes, most were to free ezines but that didn’t matter, not to me at least. I would rather have readers reading my stuff in the beginning and getting to know me than having them collect dust. Once my career was off and running, I began to pick and choose where I sent my stuff. And all of those published articles were sent to Article Banks to be picked up by other ezines and used.
Why you ask? Because they contain my bio and my links and this brings me extra traffic and readers to my sites. And what’s the name of the game? Promotion and marketing of oneself as a writer. DETERMINATION!
So don’t hold back. Get your writing name out there. Start today.“If I listened to others in the beginning on how I wasn't going to cut it as a writer, then I would have been giving up something that is very dear to me – my own self-worth and what I believe and feel I can or cannot do.” - Lea Schizas
No, this chapter has nothing to do with Brittany Spears’ song. Mistakes are a part of life and we shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves. But when you continuously make the same mistake, well, there’s something wrong there.
GOALS:I spoke to you about the importance of setting goals. So what’s keeping you from jotting down your goals? It’s not a New Year’s resolution to go to the gym and lose weight. This is your career we’re talking about. Start thinking of writing as your business. If you don’t take care of your business don’t expect the neighbor to do it for you.
Start branding yourself like my dear friend Carolyn Howard-Johnson keeps preaching. You are the only one who knows who you are so make sure others, like your present and future readers, know all about you.
How? Have you written a book? Do you have a website? Do you send out a newsletter? Then place these links and info in your email signature. I can’t believe how many writers out there don’t take advantage of this FREE promotional and marketing element.
Get yourself business cards with your name, email address, and a link back to your site or book’s website. Promote yourself. Don’t be shy.REJECTIONS:
Get over it and move on.
CONTRACTS:
Got stuck with a publishing contract you hate? Were you so excited that someone was eager to give you a contract you just signed it without having a second pair of eyes, like a contract lawyer, look it over? Bad, real bad. First rule of thumb for writers, make sure to read every single word in a contract before you sign on that dotted line. Last thing you need is to sign away your life’s work without realizing it.
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