tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post3243815811574323649..comments2024-03-28T10:41:26.999-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Countdown to a Book 6: From Writer to AuthorDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-59037505673982420992013-03-15T12:20:20.593-06:002013-03-15T12:20:20.593-06:00Morgan, I hear you about real life getting in the ...Morgan, I hear you about real life getting in the way—but then again we're writing about life, so our experiences are important! I always say, in the manner of Ecclesiastes in which to every thing there is a season, that there's a time to record life and a time to live it.Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-1927835697097723982013-03-15T12:09:00.562-06:002013-03-15T12:09:00.562-06:00Unfortunately, I've put writing on the back bu...Unfortunately, I've put writing on the back burner way too often. Things like taxes and family matters have a way of taking precedence whether I like it or not.<br /><br />Morgan Mandel<br />http://www.morganmandel.comMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-80895731595882626672013-03-11T10:05:35.980-06:002013-03-11T10:05:35.980-06:00Linda, that part is fun! Whining on a whole new le...Linda, that part is fun! Whining on a whole new level, lol.Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-1996009054099876522013-03-10T17:13:47.006-06:002013-03-10T17:13:47.006-06:00Ah, yes, that wonderful change to the writing life...Ah, yes, that wonderful change to the writing life. I can hardly wait to say, "What do I do? I'm an author!" :-)Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06686488133905538811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-24639321527431064342013-03-08T15:08:23.213-07:002013-03-08T15:08:23.213-07:00Thanks Heidi. I will take the pain of an overfull,...Thanks Heidi. I will take the pain of an overfull, passionate life over inertia and despondency any day. Balance is my lifelong challenge. Apparently I still need practice!Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-622261491672376212013-03-08T14:36:44.061-07:002013-03-08T14:36:44.061-07:00I feel your pain. All of our pursuits--writing, ed...I feel your pain. All of our pursuits--writing, editing, marketing--should be full-time jobs (not to mention home & hearth!) We just plug away and do what we can! Congrats on your contract.Heidiwriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02593338979995203659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-18487053768749120122013-03-08T12:12:51.633-07:002013-03-08T12:12:51.633-07:00J.A. I am with you on the social media concentrati...J.A. I am with you on the social media concentration. I do use a combination of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn because they reach such different types of audiences, but as my friends add Pinterest and Google+ and others I dig in and hold my ground. One can only handle so much incoming stimulation, after all!Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-78099785934988378652013-03-08T12:01:35.929-07:002013-03-08T12:01:35.929-07:00I love how you have created such a dynamic and ful...I love how you have created such a dynamic and fulfilling writing life with so many activities. Making writing a sort of lifestyle is certainly the way to love it best, I think. And it helps us focus on what we gain from writing, rather than what we have to give up to write.<br /><br />My only suggestion for time spent is to concentrate on as few outlets as possible to reach your goals. For example, for social media I concentrate on one, Twitter. For platform, I concentrate on one, my blog. My novel is not yet published, so this may be naive of me :) But I would go crazy trying to robustly cover several social media outlets at the same time.<br /><br />Best of luck with your continued writing and publishing!<br /><a href="http://www.onewritersmind.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Fictional Planet</a>JA Grier (ee/em/eir)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10733447921892286243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-2440411656650098982013-03-08T10:39:42.155-07:002013-03-08T10:39:42.155-07:00Dani you are always full of great ideas! Pick and ...Dani you are always full of great ideas! Pick and choose, pick and choose, so many beautiful colors on this palette called life!Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-38554251462388393252013-03-08T10:30:43.749-07:002013-03-08T10:30:43.749-07:00Kathryn, it's been a fair treat following your...Kathryn, it's been a fair treat following your real-life story with these monthly posts! Have you thought about adding an e-book based on these to your writing schedule? A free Kindle book about the journey during your novel promotion might be fascinating for lots of writers out there. Okay, I'll go back to my bad girl corner now. LOL.Danihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-12674827019019560912013-03-08T10:16:14.318-07:002013-03-08T10:16:14.318-07:00Chris—"Take more naps" I feel you are ch...Chris—"Take more naps" I feel you are channeling the spirit of my father, lol. No time (and luckily, no need) for that right now.<br /><br />Alison—wow, that's a powerful lyric.<br /><br />Donna, I know that you too used to write resumes; I always used to tell my clients to write a new resume at least every five years to assess your progress. You're right, the plan is fluid, and each stage of the game will foster different choices. Good reason not to burn any bridges, right?Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-41485500855644051622013-03-08T10:11:21.236-07:002013-03-08T10:11:21.236-07:00Terry, thanks for the tips! I definitely will invo...Terry, thanks for the tips! I definitely will invoke the "no alerts to anything" notion. I'm the type of person whose brain can frazzle, so knowing, this, I should just leave e-mail turned off until I get my writing done for the day. Once I start answering e-mil, 2-1/2 hours have sometimes flown past, my brain is cranking on "highmulti-task," and all hopes of writing is shot because I now have to cram in everything else.Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-73995985620306607442013-03-08T09:09:16.685-07:002013-03-08T09:09:16.685-07:00Kathryn, love your honesty here! And your to-do li...Kathryn, love your honesty here! And your to-do list is waaaay too long indeed. :) I look forward to seeing what you cut from your writer's life to write...(hoping for inspiration!. I'm sure you realize that what you cut now will be part of a fluid plan and subject to change, again and again. I'm privileged to follow you on your rocky and smooth road to publication!DonnaGalantihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16936331145444649588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-65933796927215607092013-03-08T08:52:01.981-07:002013-03-08T08:52:01.981-07:00Kathryn,
"How do we get so pulled astray fro...Kathryn,<br /><br />"How do we get so pulled astray from that which we love?"<br /><br />I'm definitely the wrong person to ask that question of (even if it is rhetorical). One of my favorite hymn lines, because it cuts deeply into my marrow, is: "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love ." I figure, if I so easily wander from Him, steadfastness and consistency in anything else is bound to take a mighty effort. (Though, thankfully, there is great joy in the journey.)alisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17481879917467051418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-43212796387376616162013-03-08T08:24:15.372-07:002013-03-08T08:24:15.372-07:00Kathryn, way too many things on your plate ... and...Kathryn, way too many things on your plate ... and deadlines? Avoid deadlines like the plague ... okay, here's my advice ... cut down the to-do list, take more naps ... and write when you feel like it.Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-41489858613098826522013-03-08T08:11:00.804-07:002013-03-08T08:11:00.804-07:00When I'm busy, I just order a month's wort...When I'm busy, I just order a month's worth of the 30 hour days. <br /><br />I don't spend much time on Social Media. Maybe 30 minutes, all told. NEVER set any device to alert you to incoming anything. And I tend to do most of it in the early hours, over coffee, when my writing brain isn't working anyway.<br /><br />I don't have nearly as many obstacles to writing since I'm moving away from 'traditional' publishers. My deadlines are flexible, but that requires discipline. <br /><br />I've cut out most television. Love the DVR so I can watch "fast". But no matter what, I have that "write 1000 words" on my to do list, and it's not so daunting that I can't find the time to get close. My rock-bottom goal is 5000 words a week. <br /><br />Then again, I'm not working a day job, no kids at home, and a husband who doesn't mind if I say, "I need to get more words done--dinner's on your own." <br /><br />Terry <br /><a href="http://terryodell.com/terrysplace" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br />Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-8906858530505146312013-03-08T07:12:31.804-07:002013-03-08T07:12:31.804-07:00Janet: Yes it is fun! I wouldn't trade this ex...Janet: Yes it is fun! I wouldn't trade this experience for anything; all of my efforts over the past twelve years, indeed over my whole life, have brought me to this point. But the meaning is in having the opportunity to share my stories, and in order to continue to create those, I can see that I'll need new strategies to maintain focus. But I will! It's all good.Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-39852574517863184532013-03-08T07:03:32.975-07:002013-03-08T07:03:32.975-07:00Linda, I hear you. I read an amazing interview wit...Linda, I hear you. I read an amazing interview with Gillian Flynn's agent about the significant role social media played in creating buzz for her bestseller Gone Girl. But it's not because Flynn hung out on social media pimping her work; it was because she wrote a book that people wanted to discuss on social media. Big difference.<br /><br />Right now, though, I could tell you about five different huge opportunities for my novel that would have passed me by if I wasn't tuned in to social media. And, of course, increasing my social media platform is one of my tasks as I ready for publication. So while it's a time suck, right now it feels necessary.<br /><br />As with anything, it's all about that elusive balance.Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-64436688270364180672013-03-08T06:44:01.769-07:002013-03-08T06:44:01.769-07:00Wow, you are busy! But, isn't it fun. I guess ...Wow, you are busy! But, isn't it fun. I guess you could say I am still a writer, but I'm working on getting my work published - someday!Janethttp://creativewritingintheblackberrypatch.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-39959899949868486682013-03-08T06:34:23.761-07:002013-03-08T06:34:23.761-07:00Hi Catherine. When I first discovered the importa...Hi Catherine. When I first discovered the importance of social media, I spent way more trying trying to learn everything I could about it than I did about writing. One night I had a dream. I was drinking "something that had no substance" a glass of water. I woke up and knew I was spending too much time on something that was not THE thing. I still struggle with it.Linda Lochridge Hoenigsberghttp://www.lindalochridge.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-62355877332447021212013-03-08T06:32:41.330-07:002013-03-08T06:32:41.330-07:00Alison: Thank you so much for your comment. Sharin...Alison: Thank you so much for your comment. Sharing a personal truth—especially of the "personal downfall" variety—always makes my gut quiver a bit. (I'll set aside parenthetically that this may be because I'm not doing enough the that working out stuff.) I've come to trust my discomfort as an indication that this is the real stuff I need to be writing about, uncomfortable as it is. So it means a lot that, in kind, you are willing to publicly relate. How do we get so pulled astray from that which we love?Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-16909352454008882202013-03-08T05:20:44.690-07:002013-03-08T05:20:44.690-07:00Kathryn,
"Turns out that for an author, wri...Kathryn, <br /><br />"Turns out that for an author, writing isn't optional." This is exactly brilliant and quote worthy.<br /><br />I, for one, am very grateful that you've carved space in your days to write this series you are posting here. And this post, in particular, serves as a clarion call for me. Thank you.alisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17481879917467051418noreply@blogger.com