The social media experts say that you should balance where you spend your time based both on: the media formats you prefer and by where your audience is.
Since my audience could be anywhere, I’ve got a bit of what I like to call the “little mermaid” syndrome — I want to be where the people are.
I’ve been here, sharing writing tips and writerly musings since 2015, I’ve been resharing my Thursday posts in video format over on Youtube since 2017.
And now for those of you who’d rather just listen, instead of reading these posts or watching my talking head?
I’m turning my vlog into a podcast!
I’ve already got 6 seasons worth of material for you to enjoy and consume, on your favorite podcast app.
Check out my new tab: Podcast or head over to my FiresideFM host page to get the link for your favorite podcast app.
For the first time since I found the PitchWars community, I’m really not entering.
Between work stress, life stress, and not having anything new, it’s just not going to happen for me this year.
I haven’t even looked at any of the blogs in the mentor blog-hop.
I mean, I haven’t put away the manuscript I submitted both of the last two years, but it’s just getting minor tweaks between rounds of queries.
And it’s not that I stopped writing. I’ve mentioned that middle-grade adventure that I’m almost excited about.
Yet, here I am, listening to my writer groups filled with people all their nervous and excited and stressing over mentors, reminding me the time when my manuscript was new and shiny and full of hope. Before I had to polish the smudges weekly to see that hope shine back at me.
Are you entering PitchWars?
I wish you all the best. That your manuscript starts to shine.
I hope you can find the right mentor, the one that gets your story and knows exactly what it needs to grow. Better pacing? New plot twists? Cutting characters?
A lot of work is in store for those that are chosen.
For those of you that aren’t?
New beta-readers and critique partners await, with writing boot camps and editing methodologies ready to be selected.
For me, accountability is key for me moving forward with my writing. So, here’s my irregularly scheduled check-in post, to let you know what I’ve been up to!
1. Query novel #1 at least 3 times every other week until I get an agent
(unless I’m revising it)
Well, thanks to that little caveat, I’ve only missed about 3 times this year. Because every time I hear back on a query, I take another look at my pages…
For reals, though. I’m planning on sending out another 3-8 queries in the next few weeks on WIP #1.
Although, from checking my SPAM folder with a hitherto now unknown diligence, I now know that the Nigerian Prince scam isn’t actually an urban legend. They come in ever 3-6 weeks, like clockwork.
2. Move forward with my picture book
I’ve done no research or revisions. I need to decide if I’m moving forward on this. It’s a sweet bedtime story, with little to make it stand out.
Plan? Find some picture book writers and see what they think: does it stand out, how should I edit it, or back to the drawing boards.
3. Revise at least one of my shelved rough drafts
Nope. But the year isn’t over? I don’t *think* I can count revising my WIP #1, again…
4. Write something NEW during NaNoWriMo
Well, I’ve got something new in my head. Working on getting a story ready, so I’m pretty sure I’m gonna write something new. I’m just hoping it’s more than 5,000 words.
I may start it early, but 50,000 in anything new should be reasonable for this goal.
5. Keep blogging and decide if vlogging is worth it
I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job at the blogging thing and I’m slowly building a vlogging audience.
My blog is growing – I average over 100 views a week thanks to viewers like you. I started a new Query Corner feature, that’s up to 25 queries already. I’m looking into a published author spotlight feature, so look out for that!
Plus, my vlog is growing – I average 25 views per post – eventually. Not amazing, but I remember when my blog was there.
I joined a couple blogger groups, but I’m not sure if I’m the right demographic
7. Read an average of 2 books a month
BAM! Got this one.
I’ve been ranking them on GoodReads – and sometimes on Amazon. No bonus points for reviewing them, but I’ve already read 23 books this year – putting me 1 away from my yearly target.
* Bonus – Networking!
Okay, this one wasn’t a written goal, but I’m giving myself points for attending 3 different writers groups in the last 2 months, joining 2 of them, and reading my work aloud to an audience. Plus volunteering to help judge a writing contest.
Note to self: Remember to make time to write your fiction. Not just blogging, networking, and all the rest…
This week has been spent packing, painting, and making seemingly endless to-do lists.
I’m partially moving to be closer to friends and family, partially to be closer to my new job (that I took partially BECAUSE of it’s proximity to the aforementioned friends and family), and partially because it’s cheaper there than it is where I am now.
That’s a lot of change.
I think it’s going to be a good thing.
Getting Away From The Status Quo
In life, if you don’t make changes, you end up doing the same thing, day-after-day, year-after-year. If you want to reach your dreams, you need to be actively working towards them, changing your life to get you there. Wishes are only useful for the direction they give you.
Enter a caption
In writing, if you don’t read and practice and learn how to use criticism to grow, your writing won’t improve.
In your stories, your reader cares about change. Stories are about things HAPPENING and that means change. Sure, there are some stories about daily living, but something, even if it’s internal growth or understanding, should happen. “May you live in interesting times” might be a curse, but that’s where stories are.
Trying Something New
You weren’t born knowing what your favorite food was, you had to try it to find it.
Just because one writing style, one point of view, one tense comes naturally to you, doesn’t mean that a different style can’t compliment your writing better! If you don’t try something, you’ll never know.
Whether they like it or not, your main character is probably going to have to step outside their comfort zone if they want to fix the problem caused by the ‘inciting incident’ (assuming a traditional style novel, and most non-traditional).
Embrace The Unknown
This new thing you’re trying might be a complete disaster. You might make every mistake in the book–and invent a few new ones along the way.
You won’t know til you try.
OR
This new thing may be just the thing you didn’t know you were looking for. Sometimes the ‘mistakes’ you make are just how you figure out what comes next.
Less esoterically? There’s a program I used at my old job that I learned how to use by breaking it. Repeatedly. And having to unbreak it was how I learned the ins and the outs.
And now, at my new job? My current task is to switch most of the projects to use this program.
What changes have you made that turned into a complete disaster?
What changes have you made that turned out better than you could have ever dreamt?
To celebrate 13 weeks of winter, Hàlön Chronicles will be conducting one interview a week for 13 weeks. Join us on the hashtag #13Winterviews, or check out our right-side blog hop to sneak a peek at all the wonderful authors and artists I’ll be interviewing in the coming weeks. Hosted by: K. J. Harrowick Without…
