The Wednesday Word

Author To Author’s Newsletter                                                    

June 18, 2014

*Note: This edition of the Wednesday Word was published one day late on June 19th due to power outages from severe storms in the North East on June 18th. Thank you for understanding. :)

Virtues of a Writer

 Humility in Writing

Humility: Being able to respect one's own limitations.

Doesn't sound very motivating, does it?

In the writing world, we are told by our peers to put our best foot forward and have no fear. To try, try, try, and never give up. Though it might seem confusing and contradictory, humility can play an essential role in your writing process.

Let's break down that definition a bit and see what value we can derive from it.

Respect.

Respecting yourself is key to any success you seek to achieve in life.

Respect one's own limits.

You know your limits. You know what tires you out or turns you off from the work you love.

Pushing yourself too hard by setting unrealistic expectations for yourself can lead to writer burn out pretty quickly. If your word count goals are dragging you down, take a break. If your promotional activities are too taxing, back off for a while. (Professionally, of course. If you have others depending on you, you need to be clear with them by letting them know what you are going through and notifying them of any changes you plan to make.)

Take a moment to sit down and accurately assess what you can and cannot do on a daily basis. Jumping on every opportunity that comes your way may seem like the road to success, but more often leads to unnecessary burdens that can put quite a damper on your fiery love of writing.

As a writer, I sometimes have trouble following my own advice. There have been plenty of times when I felt burnt out and needed a break. It's normal, you don't need to feel badly about it or let fear of failure consume you.  Respecting yourself enough to have humility means that you're giving yourself what you need in order to succeed.

By respecting your own limits, you can ensure that writing continues to be an enjoyable activity.

Do you have a hard time respecting your own limits?

What activities tend to lead to your own "burn out" as a writer?



By A2A Member and Contributor, Andrea Goodson. http://www.andreagoodson.wordpress.com   

Exciting News for Author to Author Group Members

Sydney Logan Releases Soldier On

Check out Sydney's website for the release of Soldier On this weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

Download Fireworks for Only 99cents

Lindsey Gray has permanently lowered the price of Fireworks to 99 cents! Check it out! http://lindsey-gray.blogspot.com/2014/06/birthday-celebration-fireworks.html

 T.M. Franklin Hosts Blog Tour and Giveaway

The How to Get Ainsley Bishop to Fall in Love with You Blog Tour and Giveaway continues through June 19th.  Up for grabs: TWO signed copies of Ainsley, THREE eBooks of the winners' choice from the TWCS library, a t-shirt, notebook and pen, and some other fun prizes!

Jennifer Garcia to Visit Long Beach Library

If you're in California this weekend, stop by and visit Jennifer at the Long Beach Library this Saturday, the 21st for a signing and panels with Jami Denise, Lorenz Font, and many others!

Jennifer was also chatting books on Hummingbird Place Blog Talk Radio this week. Click here to listen: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/.../2014/06/16/sweet-romances

Wednesday's Weird Word

Frigorific

Something frigorific causes cold or is chilling

Thank you for reading this edition of Author to Author's The Wednesday Word! Visit us again in two weeks for more news and savings to refresh your bookish pleasures! As always, feel free to share and spread the word! Have a wonderful day!

The Wednesday Word

Author To Author’s Newsletter                                                    

April 23, 2014

Virtues of a Writer

Honesty in Writing

Honesty in fiction? Somewhat of a far off concept, don't you think?

Not necessarily.

Welcome to part one in a blog series on the Virtues of a Writer.

Writing fiction can be a difficult task. Creative? Yes. Educational? Unbelievably so. Therapeutic? Of course. Fun? Absolutely!

But is it possible to maintain an element of pure honesty when what you're doing is basically making up people, events, and scenarios and then spending hours upon hours perpetuating the lie?

I believe it is not only possible but also completely essential.

Honesty is an inside job. It isn't just about telling the truth when asked a question. It's about clearly understanding your world and responding in a way that is truthful both to others and yourself.

Using honesty in your writing doesn't mean that you can't write about things that aren't factual or that have never happened. If that were the case we wouldn't have 80% of all the fantastic stories and tales that grace the digital shelves of our beloved eReaders.

To me, using honesty in writing means being true to myself. And, in doing so, being true to the characters, events, and worlds that I have created.

The temptation to write what sells is present in every author's life. Many times I have found that after hours of note taking and research, while in the full swing of typing out hundreds of words in a scene, a scene that I absolutely love and believe in, then... BOOM!

Next thing I know, I come to a screeching halt.

It is at that moment that this question enters my mind... Is this what my readers will want?

It happens every time, without fail. And without fail, I always have the same answer.

It doesn't matter. If I tweak this to suit someone else's taste, if I change my character's values and beliefs to conform to what someone else expects, then it isn't real.

This is what I believe to be honesty in writing.

My honesty is that while putting my absolute best foot forward and trying as hard as I can to create an entertaining and thoughtful story, I remain true to myself. True to the world I have created in order to pass along whatever message the novel carries.

See, for me, writing isn't just about entertaining others. And please trust me when I say it isn't about making money. If that were the case I would have given up in the first week! Writing is about sending my truth out into the world. It's about sharing an experience that somehow became this amazing story. And if I'm not honest with it, if I'm not honest with myself while doing it, then what is the point?

It is for these reasons that I find true honesty to one's self and one's ideas to be an indispensable element. If I can't take myself seriously, how can I expect anyone else to?

What are your thoughts on honesty in writing?

What other virtues do you find invaluable?



By A2A Member and Contributor, Andrea Goodson. http://www.andreagoodson.wordpress.com   

Exciting News for Author to Author Group Members

The Righteous & The Wicked Are On Sale!

Check out the latest release by April Emerson! The Righteous & The Wicked has been cut to $3.99!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JLT1GSG

 

Join A2A Authors for Some Viking Excitement!

Lissa Bryan and Sandi Layne are watching VIKINGS on History Channel. Not only do they live-tweet the episodes (@LissaBryan & @sandyquill), they do a day-after recap/discussion. Here's the latest from episode four: http://sandyquill.com/.../eye-for-an-eye-vikings-episode-4/

 

R.E. Hargrave Giveaway

 Sign up to win a birthday swag pack from R.E. Hargrave! http://www.rehargrave.com/2014/04/happy-birthday-jayden-masterson.html

Vote in a Book Trailer Contest!

Visit Sherri Hayes and vote for your favorite Finding Anna book trailer! All votes must be submitted by 04/28/2014! http://sherri-hayes.blogspot.com/2014/04/vote-for-your-favorite-book-trailer.html

Cover Reveal for Soldier On

Check out the full and finalized cover of Sydney Logan's new book, Soldier On! http://www.sydneylogan.com/2014/04/unveiling-full-final-cover-of-soldier-on.html

Wednesday's Weird Word

Hoosegow

Old American slang for jail.

Originates from Wild West cowboys!

Thank you for reading this edition of Author to Author's The Wednesday Word! Visit us again in two weeks for more news and savings to refresh your bookish pleasures! As always, feel free to share and spread the word! Have a wonderful day!

The Wednesday Word

Author To Author’s Newsletter                                                    

January 22, 2014

Writing & Publishing Tips

It's All About Perspective...

…And yours is probably pretty screwed up.

But no worries, you’re not alone. So is mine.

This might read like some what of a rant, but here we go…

At some point in time, throughout life, all of us will pass judgement on someone else. Every single one of us. Yes, that includes you. Even if you claim to be the most nonjudgemental person in the world, at some point you WILL pass a judgement on another person. Even if that judgement is you assuming that person to be too judgemental.

This is really okay. Judgements are based upon opinions, standards, morals, and how we were raised. But, most importantly I believe judgements are based upon perspective.

Wherever you happen to be in your adventure of life is going to greatly affect how you see the world.
Whether you are highly successful in your endeavors, or dangling at the end of a very short rope. Your placement in the world, society, and life will create your view.

I’m sure we all have had many people come into our lives who assume that they know much about what transpires in our day-to-day activities. And I must say that 95% of the time, their perspective is either warped, misunderstood, or just blatantly false. But rather than lash out or defend ourselves, as much as we all love to blame people for being wrong about their assumptions, let’s take a moment instead to look at it from their perspective. After all, it’s them not having the ability to place themselves in our shoes that leads to the false assumptions and misunderstandings in the first place, correct?

So, take off your judgey face…

 

(This is your judgey face.)

 

…and take some time to reflect.

If there are people out there who seem to think that they know what is best for you, what you should be doing instead of what you are doing, or simply can’t seem to believe or understand a situation you are going through, perhaps if we try to see things from their point of view, not only will we understand them better, but we might just set a great example as to how they should try to see things as well.

So, problem solved. Right?

Wrong.

Unfortunately, the judgement doesn’t stop here. Presumptuous expectations seem to reach on into the fictional world as well.

No?

Oh, come on. Admit it, you judge the actions of every fictional character you read about. In fact, I’m willing to bet you might just be judging this post right now. You’re probably silently judging the author as well, thinking to yourself “Well, why would they say that?” or in a book, “I could have come up with a different ending that suited the story better.”

And you know what, you’re right. You probably could have. The great thing about fiction and novels is that they tell a story, a complicated story, from one person’s perspective. Now if that same story were told by another author, one with different life experiences than the first, the story might take place differently.

This is what is absolutely wonderful about books! That one can tell the same story that a million other authors have already told, yet it will be different and unique, set apart from all the others. This is also what connects fiction to real life.

In Riverbend, I have a character, Lena, who struggles endlessly with grief and trust. Some readers love her character while other have left reviews complaining about her being too weak or “whiney”.

Well, guess what?

We aren’t all Lara Croft from Tomb Raider, ok? Some women are weak at times. Some people are vulnerable. Not every woman is some super human, kick butt chick who doesn’t care about anything.

I am already prepared for the opinions I will receive about Avery from my WIP, To Be Loved. She is young, confused, and well, let’s just say kind of an idiot. But isn’t that the whole point? That we are all kind of an idiot at some point in time? That we find our way through life and we enjoy reading about characters who must do the same?

I hope so. I hope there isn’t an entire group of people out there who have it all figured out, have all the answers, and here I am left out in the cold.

Anyway, back to the point. Some readers don’t like that my character Lena is vulnerable and confused. But I’m willing to bet that all has to do with their perspective on life. Try not to take it to heart when a reader doesn't unconditionally love one of your characters. The judgements they make actually greatly reflect their personality. Which is really kind of cool. Because that means that somehow, our writing has brought a part of that reader’s personality to light and in print on our book pages.

Yeah, I think that’s kind of neat.

But hey, that’s just my perspective.

By Author to Author Member and Contributor, Andrea Goodson. You can learn more about Andrea on her website, www.andreagoodson.wordpress.com

Exciting News for Author to Author Group Members

Release of Eire's Viking

Sandi Layne is about to release the sequel to Eire's Captive Moon. Make sure you get your hands on a copy of Eire's Viking. This is happening....TOMORROW! Don't miss it! http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/118

Signed Books Now Available

Author R.E. Hargrave has made signed books available to readers via direct order! Take a look! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-ksYYtDCM3xvtY2k0lBA6e7VwV_MUZ_7wPzN4SwjcdQ/viewform

Wednesday's Weird Word

Deliquescent

Something with the ability to dissolve or melt away substances.

Thank you for reading this week's edition of Author to Author's The Wednesday Word! Visit us again in two weeks for more news and savings to refresh your bookish pleasures! As always, feel free to share and spread the word! Have a wonderful holiday!

The Wednesday Word

Author To Author’s Newsletter                                                    

December 4, 2013

Writing & Publishing Tips

 

Hello, December!

The holiday season is officially upon us. No doubt we will all be very busy in the coming weeks with festivities, get-togethers, family visits, and of course, shopping!

As if we won't be busy enough with all of the day to day activities that the upcoming holidays require of us, our jobs as authors can also take on a different form during the next few weeks.

What can you do as an author to help get your readers in the holiday spirit?

There's plenty, none of which may seem as though they will get attention in the midst of the holiday madness. However, you might be surprised by what a few simple actions on your part can do to spread some festive cheer among your readers and perhaps even add a few new members to your existing audience.

1.) Have a Holiday Sale

This is easy enough to accomplish. Choose a few dates on which a novel or two of yours will be available at a discounted price. We are all looking for deals around the holidays and your readers will be thankful for the discount you are offering. Don't forget to advertise it so that you can reach as many people as possible. Work within your budget, you don't have to purchase internet ads to get attention for your sale. Spread the word to readers, other authors, and as many bloggers as you can. Most of these people will be glad to pass on the savings to their audience. Don't forget to include links and preformatted code for those willing to share. They are doing you a favor and you should make their job as easy as possible.

2.) Host a Giveaway

If people love saving money, they love freebies even more! Giveaways are a fun and easy way to gain new readership and simply make someone else's day a little brighter. Sites like www.rafflecopter.com and social media make it easy to handle a large number of entrants. As with a sale, spread the word through authors, readers, and bloggers in your network.

3.) Publish a Christmas Story

This might be a bit last minute for this year, but that doesn't mean you can't get started on a nice Christmas novella for next year while you are in the cozy holiday mood! Many readers enjoy Christmas stories that carry a sweet and heartfelt theme. Otherwise, why would Hallmark be so successful in the many ooey-gooey, make-your-heart-melt, holiday-themed movies produced each year? Don't lie to yourself, you know you love them too!

Lastly, and this one might be difficult even if it sounds easy...

4.) Be Merry!

The holidays can bring quite a bit of stress into our lives. Financial issues, family troubles, and simply being busy can drain you. Don't let that shine through to your readers. Try to remember that many people go through rough times during the holidays, your positive attitude and sense of fun might impact the mood of those around or connected to you. Spreading a positive message of cheerfulness might just make one of your readers have a better day. This is not only beneficial to you as an author, but as a human being as well. Helping others, no matter how small the act, always brings with it a sense of accomplishment. Doing the right thing never feels wrong. Don't be a scrooge!

 

By Author to Author Member and Contributor, Andrea Goodson. You can learn more about Andrea on her website, www.andreagoodson.wordpress.com

Exciting News for Author to Author Group Members

Sydney Logan's Giveaway & New Release

Sydney Logan has published another holiday story! The Little Drummer Boy is currently available on Amazon! Visit Sydney's website to enter her giveaway for a $10.00 Amazon gift card and a hand-crafted bracelet! The contest closes December 6th, so get moving! http://www.sydneylogan.com/2013/11/giveaway-little-drummer-boy-by-sydney.html

Win a Kindle Paperwhite

Authors Sydney Logan and T.M Franklin are hosting a giveaway for a Kindle Paperwhite or a $100.00 Amazon Giftcard! Visit their websites to enter, the contest goes until December 6th! www.tmfranklin.com www.sydneylogan.com

 

Malfunction Erotica Hosts Giveaway

Enter to win one of over 50 prizes! visit the website for your chance to win! http://houseofmalfunction.com/2013/12/01/malfunction-erotica-c-w-book-reviews-xmas-giveaway-2013/

Wednesday's Weird Word

Banausic

Definition: Mundane or simply functional.

Savvy Savings

Riverbend: The Collection

99 Cents

By Andrea Goodson

http://www.amazon.com/Riverbend-Collection-Andrea-Goodson-ebook/dp/B00FE5BTLK


Holiday Hijinx

99 Cent

By Roxy Queen

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GZ01RRO

Thank you for reading this week's edition of Author to Author's, The Wednesday Word! Visit us again next week for more news and savings to refresh your bookish pleasures! As always, feel free to share and spread the word!

The Wednesday Word - September 18, 2013

Author To Author’s Newsletter                                                    

September 18, 2013

Writing & Publishing Tips

Picking a Title

Finding the right title for my books is something I spend a lot of time contemplating. Often a title doesn’t come to me for a particular book until I sit down to write the book blurb for my publisher.

Need and Truth, books two and three in my Finding Anna series, were like this. The right title wasn’t coming to me no matter how many minutes—hours—I spent thinking about it. I was at a total loss. I was discussing Finding Anna, Book 2 with my editor one day, and she suggested I go ahead and write book summaries for marketing, and see if a title came to me. Sure enough, after I finished, I noticed a theme. Need. Could she be what he needed? Could he be what she needed? Could they find what they needed in each other?

Red Zone, my newest novel, was the exact opposite. I knew even before I started writing what the title would be. The hero, Gage Daniels, is a professional football player. I knew I wanted to utilize a football reference in the title, I just had to find the one that would be the best fit. It’s a romantic suspense novel, and I wanted something that would reflect that. In football, the red zone is the stretch of field between the twenty yard line, and the end zone. They are the last yards that stand between the offense putting points on the board. It’s the part of the field that either makes or breaks a team. They pull together and score, or they fall apart, and lose the precious opportunity.

Every story is different, but for me, it’s important to take the time to find the right title for a book. It should say something about the story whether it be the overall theme, or something more vague. Either way, the title should mean something, and shouldn’t be rushed. It’s better to take the time to find a title that works, than to pick something generic that has no meaning.

By Author to Author Member and Contributor, Sherri Hayes. You can learn more about Sherri and her book at http://www.sherrihayesauthor.com/

Exciting News for Author to Author Group Members

Lissa Bryan Hosts Ghost Story Contest

To celebrate the one year Book Birthday of Lissa Bryan's, Ghost Writer, she is hosting a ghost story contest! Visit Lissa's blog for information on how to enter, rules, and bust out your notebook and pen! There are some fantastic prizes at stake! The winner will be chosen on Halloween! http://www.lissabryan.com/2013/09/ghost-story-contest.html

Andrea Goodson to Rerelease The Riverbend Trilogy

It's almost Riverbend's first Book Birthday! In celebration, Andrea Goodson is rereleasing the entire trilogy, Riverbend, Rapid Water, and Waking Tide, as a one-book boxed set the week of October 6th! Any bloggers interested in reviewing the entire collection prior to rerelease are invited to contact Andrea via Facebook or Website for an ARC. www.andreagoodson.wordpress.com

Sydney Logan's 2000 Likes Giveaway

Sydney Logan has hit 2000 Likes on her Facebook page! She is still celebrating and hosting an amazing giveaway with books and swag from some awesome authors! Visit her website to enter! http://www.sydneylogan.com/p/giveaways.html

 

Fall into Reading Giveaway!

Stay tuned to Author to Author's Blog for the upcoming Fall Into Reading Giveaway! Enter for a chance to win a $25.00 Giftcard! Giveaway takes place September 22-29. Don't miss it! www.author-to-author-blog.blogspot.com    

Sherri Hayes Hosts Newsletter Contest

Want a chance to win a bookmark from Sherri's book, Behind Closed Doors? Visit her blog and sign up for her newsletter to enter! While you're there take a look around and explore some of her other work...that is if you like sensual romance. Who doesn't? http://sherri-hayes.blogspot.com/2013/09/weekly-update-contest-announcement.html?zx=71f71efc3854ef20

Allie Jean and T.M. Franklin Host Vine Challenge

Are you an Instagram junkie? Don't feel bad, most of use are! Take a look at Allie Jean and T.M. Franklin's websites to enter the Vine Challenge and win a prize pack of books! The contest runs September 12th to October 17th! http://alliejean.net/ and http://www.tmfranklin.com/

Allie Jean To Release New Book Trailer

Author Allie Jean is all set to release the book trailer of Book 2 in The Dreamer series...tomorrow! Visit her website to watch! http://alliejean.net

Lorenz Font Releases Tormented

The second book in Lorenz Font's The Gates Legacy has been released! Check out Lorenz's website to read the summary and check out the first book in her series, Hunted! http://lorenzfont.com

Wednesday's Weird Word

Borborygmus

This one sounds as though it should be from the world of Harry Potter!

Definition: Medical term, referring to a rumbling in the gut. Origin: French, Latin, Greek

Savvy Savings

We seem to be running low on coupons this week, but take a look at the ultra low-priced reads hand picked by A2A members on Kindle! *covers are never posted without permission from the author*

Katrina, The Beginning by Elizabeth Lorraine

4 STARS $0.99

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004K1EVY6/

Gingerbread Man by Maggie Shayne

4.5 STARS FREE

http://www.amazon.com/Gingerbread-Man-ebook/dp/B00EHI1MDK/

Out in the Country by Kate Hewitt

4 STARS FREE

http://www.amazon.com/Out-In-The-Country-ebook/dp/B008EV1C9U/ref

Thank you for reading this week's edition of Author to Author's, The Wednesday Word! Visit us again next week for more news and savings to refresh your bookish pleasures! As always, feel free to share and spread the word!