Sara R. Turnquist's Blog, page 40

Who has the time?

I tell you…I MISS writing! But I just haven’t had the time! Make the time, Sara. Yes, I know, I know. But time is a precious commodity…for everyone. And it’s not as easy as you think with three young ones with three different schedules, a house, a husband (who I will say is INCREDIBLY supportive), and the myriad of appointments and other things that make up my life.

When I do schedule time to sit down, I find that my e-mail box is crammed full, there are a dozen e-mails that need to be returned, I have to contact someone’s teacher, I need to catch up on my social media posts, and then there’s the blogging.

Don’t get me wrong. Blogging is such an important part of what I do. Connecting with you and having a place to think “out loud” is valuable to me. I find blogging to be almost a necessary part of processing the things that go on in my writing career and in my life. So, this will remain a constant in my life.

But there are untold stories inside of me, begging…no, dying to get out. They MUST be told. And my fingers fairly ache to tell them. So, where does that time come from?

I recently read Jen Hatmaker’s “For the Love“. It is a book I HIGHLY recommend for any woman who is…well, just for any and every woman out there. She is so transparent and open. It’s refreshing. But, back to my point…she talks about the things we allow into our life as if we put things on and off a balance beam. The important stuff goes on the beam, the unimportant stuff, off the beam. So, we have to be vigilant over our time and priorities as to what we allow on the beam and what we take off.

Seems to me that I need to take a hard look at what all I’ve allowed on my beam. Not that the things are my beam are bad. But they may not be the best things for me. Especially if I’m dying to get these stories out and there is no time for me to write. Something has to give! And the sooner, the better. So, that is my commitment. I will start examining my week, my days, my hours, to find where my schedule can have some give to it, where things need to be re-prioritized, where I can maybe trade good, for better. What about you?

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A letter for the aspiring author

Please note that I am not saying that I have all the answers. In fact, I am still fairly new to the game. But I want to share what information I have gleaned while it is fresh in my mind. I am about a year into the game (having signed my first contract about a year ago now). I think it is important that we share what we have learned and leave the porch light on, so to speak, so that the writers coming behind us can find their way along the path. When I was an aspiring author (and still am, to a large extent), I wondered about what I needed to do, what I needed in my arsenal, and what my day needed to look like. I will try to help you out with those questions as much as I can…

WRITE THE BOOK. First, you need to delve into writing the best book you can. You are likely an aspiring author because you have a story inside of you trying to get out. You have found that inspiration. Get it out on paper. Do what you can to write the best book. This may involve learning how to write. Well how do I learn how to write?

READ BOOKS ABOUT THE CRAFT OF WRITING. Anything by James Scott Bell. Brandilyn Collins is another good one. Some of my favorite books on the craft include “The Emotion Thesaurus” and “Rivet Your Readers With Deep Point of View“. There are tons of books out there on the craft of writing. You just have to get started somewhere.

GO TO CONFERENCES. I cannot say enough about the difference that investing in conferences has made in my writing. Learning from the experts, networking with other writers, having the chance to learn from pitching your work to an agent/editor…these are just a few of the gems that come from going to a good conference. There is likely a conference near you (it may be small, but I recommend starting small). And there are larger conferences in different genres. Before you do go to that conference, invest in Bob Mayer’s “Writer’s Conference Guide: Making the Most of Your Time and Money“. I highly recommend it for first timers.

FIND A CRITIQUE GROUP. If you can, join a writing critique group, even if it’s online. Find a good one. What I mean by that is there should be at least one person in the group that is published. Or else, you may end up in a situation where the blind are leading the blind. Also, some groups can end up tearing down the more talented writers…that’s not what you want. So be on the look-out for that. A good critique group is going to give you feedback, but give it constructively.

MENTOR. As you continue on your journey, see if you can hook up with a mentor. Maybe it will be someone in your critique group who is farther along than you are, maybe it’s someone you come across at a conference. But a mentor is an invaluable resource.

WRITE THE BOOK. Are you still writing that book? Cause that’s what it’s all about. You have to have the book. It’s all about the book.

LEARN ABOUT QUERYING/QUERY. Query Shark is an amazing resource about how to write a query. Also, be mindful to research the agents/publishers you are wanting to submit to, they each have their own submission guidelines. Some will want a cover letter, some won’t. Some want a formal book proposal, some want just sample chapters. Just be mindful and FOLLOW THEIR GUIDELINES to the letter.

BUILD A WEBSITE/BLOG. You need to start building a PLATFORM. I know that sounds like a big, scary word. But, if you plan on marketing (another scary word) your book, you need to have your own website and, probably, a blog. Instead of delving into everything that makes up a platform, I’ll just focus on why you set up a website and blog. You want a place where your fanbase can come and visit you. You do not own Facebook/Twitter. They can change the rules on you in an instant. You do not want to rely on one of these social media outlets to be your only internet presence. So, set up your own website and start a blog. This is one of the best pieces of advice I can give you about platform.

READ OTHER AUTHOR’S BLOGS. Like mine! Another good blog is Jerry Jenkins. He gives wonderful information about writing, in my opinion. I follow 5 blogs every week and make regular comments on these blogs to get involved in these communities. This is a piece of advice my mentor gave to me.

WRITE THE BOOK. In the end, it’s still about the book. These other things are ways to enhance your experience as a writer/author. But, you cannot forget that it is about your idea, your story, your novel. Never lose sight of that. And there will be days when you don’t feel like spending time with your book, editing, revising, or writing. But it is important to spend that time in your work, creating. Just try to make yourself sit down and start working, once the pump is primed, the juices just might start flowing. You won’t know until you try.

 

 

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Writer’s Workshop: A review from the front

I co-led my first writer’s workshop this past weekend. It was ah-mazing! It was nerve-wracking, exciting, a little stressful (for my perfectionist side), and just a lot of fun!

Meeting other writers. This is always one of my favorite things about these events. Meeting writers in all walks of life. We had a good turn out and I enjoyed meeting these interesting people who are at different places in their journeys in learning more about the craft and toward publication. It was different to be interacting from the perspective of a presenter…I see myself as more a facilitator of the information rather than a teacher (as, by and large, I am more a student myself than anything else).

Disseminating Information. My partner and I had some information to share…information we felt would be helpful to a group of learning writers. We talked about brainstorming (mind-mapping), plotting, outlining, and research. It seemed from the questions and discussion that followed that our information was relevant and well-received.

Guest Speakers. We did have a best selling author speak on layering a scene for a short stint and another author speak about his journey with non-fiction. Having guest speakers is something we intent to continue to do with our workshops. It can only enhance the experience for our attendees…relying on the expertise of others is only wisdom.

What would I do differently? While we wanted to have an information packed session, I do fear that we tried to cover too many topics. We could have selected a couple of the subjects and delved deeper into them for a more thorough session. But, overall, I think we did well with it being our first workshop to put on.

Can I get in on this? Glad you asked! If you are in the middle TN area (northern area), we will hold these workshops periodically. You can follow us on: Clarksville Christian Writers (on Facebook). Our next workshop will be October 25th and will be all about the journey to publication – querying, agents, marketing, and more!

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I have been converted…

…to Scrivener. I held off. I fought tooth and nail. I clung to my LibreOffice Word Processor and minimal usage of Microsoft Word as long as I could. But it was inevitable. As soon as I was exposed to the wonders that this software held for the writer such as I, I could no longer deny that this might very well be the tool for me.

Fancy-Schmancy. First of all, “Fancy” and “Techno-saavy” are not words that ANYONE would use to describe me. These are reasons that I shied away from Scrivener for a while. It just seemed like too many shiny buttons and gadgets for my “level” of techno-ability. I need things that are easy to understand and “user-friendly”. (Just a note here: I am an oddity for my generation in this technolo-don’t. Always have been…probably always will be.)

FREE Trial. Can I hear an “Amen”? Now they’re singing my song. Free trial with a rather in-depth tutorial – even better. Now, I’m doing my slow walk on the fast track to learning Scrivener.

What’s so cool about Scrivener? There are many unique features about Scrivener that I won’t go into, but the way they let you organize information is definitely one of them. My novel is divided up by chapter and scene and I can attach information about that scene such as POV character, level of progress, and other miscellaneous information that I can see at a glance on an on-screen cork board. The other thing I will find so useful about Scrivener, I think, is that it gives me the ability to keep all of my research in one place – pictures, documents, links, etc. So, instead of having multiple files in a folder in my dropbox, all of my research will be accessible through “binder” when I’m in my manuscript.

“The Lady Bornekova” Sequel. This is the first novel that has been transferred into Scrivener. (I was about 5 chapters into the novel in LibreOffice.) Already, I am LOVING working in Scrivener. I can’t quite bring myself to transfer my completed works…but just barely. The transfer was pretty painless. But I fear a whole novel would be a bit more laborious.

All in all, I am looking forward to discovering and utilizing even more of the features available with Scrivener. No doubt you’ll hear more about it in the future! From someone who thought they would never be able to work anything more complicated than the most basic word processor, I’m out there and giving it a go!

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Books, books, everywhere!

I am in a state of being overwhelmed. There is so much to do! As always, I have the house, the kids, you know…life. But my list of “to do’s” with my books keeps growing…

The Lady Bornekova. The book has been out now for a couple of months and I am excited to see some numbers come next month (the end of the quarter). It has been a wild ride, has it not? But I have very much enjoyed being on this journey with you and sharing these steps that went into making up this road.

The General’s Wife. Now through one of three editors, “The General’s Wife” is well into the process toward publication. I am eagerly anticipating the “fun stuff”…you know, the book cover, the banners, the other things that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and give you goose bumps. But this part of the process can be fun too – watching your work of art being honed and fine tuned.

. As many of you know, I recently attended a huge conference, the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) Conference in Dallas. It was phenomenal! While there, I had the opportunity to pitch this novel to an agent. She was interested and wanted to see the full manuscript. But suggested some tweeks in the first and second chapters. Plus, I am still folding in feedback from my Beta Readers. All in all, it needs some TLC.

Trail of Fears.  This novel also got pitched to two interested agents. One wanted a proposal and sample chapters and the other wanted a synopsis and sample chapters (different agents just want different things). The second agent seemed a lot more interested, she said the novel was “hitting all the right notes”. Overall, the agent meetings went well and I came out well pleased.

The Lady Bornekova’s Sequel. I know several of you have asked about the sequel. I’m well on my way into the novel. But, as you can see, there are many projects in the pipeline, so to speak. And I want to make sure I have the time and energy to focus on this work undistracted. These characters have become so near and dear to my heart (as all my characters really are) and I want to do them justice.

That just leaves one novel, “Off to War”. I just recently finished folding in my Beta Reader feedback and have one more to go. So, it’s sitting and “resting” for now. I mean, it’s not as if I don’t have enough to keep me busy. I also have another project in research mode and will be trying some new organizing and brainstorming methods I learned at the conference with this next project.

At any rate, that’s me. I hope as we head into fall, you are enjoying the weather and decorations we are seeing pop up on porches and in living rooms around us. My home was filled with the enticing smell of pumpkin bread yesterday. Yes, it is fall here too.

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Here I go again on my own…

Well, not quite on my own…but you get it. I’m singing the song lyrics in my head. The point I’m trying to make is that I’m back in the game…exactly where I was when I started this blog. My next manuscript is under contract and I’m in that editing phase…or should I say waiting phase. There is so much waiting involved with this particular portion of the publishing process.

The Waiting. First you have to give the editors time to read the book and give their input and comments. Then you have your round. And then they get it again to look over what you did. Back and forth it goes (hopefully not too much) until the editor and you are both happy. Then it goes to another editor…

Another Editor? If you remember from my journey with “The Lady Bornekova”, at this publishing house, the manuscript goes through three rounds of editing – content edits, line edits, and proofing edits. What’s the difference you ask…good question. Content editors are more concerned with the, well, content of the manuscript. Did you have any loose ends? Were there things that jarred the reader? They may make some minor grammatical corrections for flow, but their main job is believability, flow, and (again) content. The line editor is more concerned with grammar. And the proofing editor is sort of the last line of defense, if you will, for the publisher and for you before the book goes to galleys. This is where all of the editing and writing is looked at carefully to make sure nothing is out of place. Then the book goes to galleys and then to publication.

Sounds boring. Maybe it is a little bit. From the outside. For me, it’s rather interesting. And it can turn into a bit of work. I actually enjoy the input and constructive feedback from editors. I know that it only makes my work stronger. I feel the same way about the feedback I get from my Beta Readers. Does it offend me when they tell me a certain area needs work? No…I need that. I’d rather them tell me than the whole manuscript be turned down for publication because there were weak parts.

At the end of the day, all the input, poured through your (the author’s) filter, is valuable.

 

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Why go to a Writers Conference?

Sorry it’s been so long since I blogged…life has really gotten ahold of me. Between children being sick and me being sick and getting geared up for the conference, these last couple of weeks have flown by and I’ve barely had time to breathe! But today is the day…I’m catching a flight out of this town and headed to Dallas for the biggest writers conference I have been to yet – the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) Conference. I am excited, I am nervous, I am soooo overwhelmed!

The Right Focus. I’ve learned one thing from my conference experience (which, admittedly, has been very limited) – you have to go in with the right focus. You have to have goals…goals that fit in with your career goals as a writer and goals that fit in with who you are as a person.

Pitching? The opportunity to pitch to agents/editors is amazing and I am so grateful for it, but that is not truly the right focus for going to a conference. If that were the case, I would spend all my time in my room, perfecting my pitch.

Learning? I am excited to learn more about my craft through classes, seminars, workshops, and panels. But that, too, is not the primary focus. I intend to be every bit the sponge I can be, but if this were my sole reason for going, I would, again, be in my room, capturing all I learned through notes after each class, workshop, etc.

Then what is it? I have learned that the right intent going into a conference, is to plan to network. To just be in the presence of others who share a common interest with you is refreshing and inspiring. But the people at the conference that I will meet and form friendships with can become valuable in my journey as a writer/author. Other writers/authors are valuable for sharpening my own skills, for support, for connections I can’t make on my own. We make up a community. And it’s time I got on board.

Networking. I will be honest and admit that that networking is not my strong suit. I always score equal extrovert/introvert on every personality test I take, so I’m in a rather strange place there. I get my energy from being with people, but I tend to be a little on the shy side at first. (Go figure!) But for such as this, it’s imperative that I be willing to stretch myself out of my comfort zone. This will determine how much I get out of the conference. And what I walk away with.

What you’re NOT hearing me say is that pitching or learning is NOT important – they are. And they are very compelling reasons to go to a writers conference and parts that I say “give it your all”. But they should not be, in my opinion, your one goal in going to the conference. They are part of your overarching goal list, but should not be at the top of that list.

So, for those of you that are going to be there, I look forward to seeing you! For those of you who are thinking about a conference, go at it! Enjoy! But most of all, get to know other people in your field…you never know…

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Gearing up for another conference…

Well, here we go again…I’m gearing up for another conference. Another pitch to an agent, another round of classes about marketing and craft and publishing, another round of presenters and panels, a whole new set of authors to network with…a whole new batch of things on my to do list…

Read Bob Mayer’s “Writer’s Conference Guide: Getting the Most Out of Your Time and Money” Now, this will be my third conference. So, why am I needing a book about making the most out of a conference? Shouldn’t I know that by now? Well, I thought it would be good to see if I could learn something from an expert. Bob Mayer has been to many, many conference both as an attendee and as a presenter. He has seen it from both sides. There are definitely things I can learn from him. And I did learn as I read the book. I feel much more prepared and better organized going in. I would recommend this book to anyone. I mean, you’re paying quite a bit in some cases to go to a conference, I would spend the $2 on the kindle version of this book to get the most out of that higher price tag conference. And this one coming up is MUCH bigger than the previous two I went to.

Preparing Synopses. I plan to have synopses for my remaining un-contracted, un-published pieces so that if I run across an interested agent/editor, I can hand them one. But they can always use polishing. So that’s something I need to get to. A synopsis is basically a summary of the main storyline of your novel. And, yes, in most cases it is a spoiler in that it gives away the whole storyline including the ending. You need to be willing to give away all your secrets when you meet with an agent/editor. I have heard authors/others in the publishing industry refer to a long blurb of your book as a synopsis, but usually synopsis (or FULL synopsis) refers to this full-length, all of the story given away kind of thing.

Getting My Pitch Ready. I have had very successful pitching experiences thus far. And have learned a lot from them. So, not only am I applying what I learned from those agents, I am learning from the “First Timers Loop”. I’m actually going to the ACFW Conference. A really big conference. And because it is so big (read “intimidating”), they have a e-mail group called “First Timers Loop” where they share all kinds of helpful information on writing synopses, packing, pitching and whatnot. There’s even been someone willing to look at our elevator pitches and critique them. (For the non-writers or newbie writers out there, an “elevator pitch” is a 1-3 sentence pitch you can ideally deliver as you ride an elevator three floors.)

Writing a Cover Letter. This is not my strong suit. I hate cover letters. But a couple of the agents I requested appointments with require them. So, I’ll gear up and smile and trudge on, learning as I go. A cover letter goes in front of your query or writing sample when you submit to an agent either through the mail or via e-mail or, apparently, in person even. It contains information such as a pitch for your book, word count, genre, target audience, info about you (the author), and the like. Of course, with all the niceties you learned in business class – “Dear Mr. or Mrs. Whoever, Thank you for your time….Sincerely….”

Putting my packing list together. I am the definition of an over-packer. Seriously. Ask anyone. I’m really trying not to do that as I will be flying to Dallas and don’t want to overload my suitcase. But there is so much I have to take for the conference…like an evening dress for the Gala, a dress for the Genre dinner (dress like you stepped out of one of your books…that’s right, folks, I’m dressing in a Medieval dress, just like I stepped out of “The Lady Bornekova”).

So, what are you pitching? I am pitching “Trail of Fears” again. It is my most recent work and so the one I am most in the right head space for. Still, I plan to reread it again before the conference as I haven’t read it for some time. So, I’ll make sure to take all my stuff on “Trail of Fears”, a smile, and my winning personality

All in all, I’m pretty excited about the conference. I just need to get through the bulk of the work to get ready while still being mindful to work on “The General’s Wife” as it’s being slated for publication and I don’t want that date to slide at all. I’m in pre-edits for that book right now. So, I need to keep up. Wish me luck!!

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BIG News!!!

Hey, all! Thanks for dropping in today to hear my BIG news! Well, you may remember (if you’ve been following the blog) that I queried (sent in) a manuscript to be reviewed for possible publication. And the great news is…my publisher (Clean Reads) has offered me a contract on “THE GENERAL’S WIFE”. You may have noticed over in the left hand side of the screen that “The General’s Wife” has been changed from “Seeking Publication” to “Publication in Process”.

THE GENERAL’S WIFE. This was actually the first novel I wrote. The very first scene was written back when I was in college and the manuscript was shelved not long after. I would take it out ever so often and write more, tweak it here and there and whatnot. Finally, a couple of years after graduating, I got serious about finishing the novel.

SO WHAT’S THIS BOOK ABOUT ANYWAY? You can certainly read my blurb about the book here. I became fascinated by the Ptolemaic Period during a history class at some point in my youth. It was a seed that was planted that I never really thought much about until much later when the main characters came into being. Placing them in this period in history just made sense to me.

WHEN CAN WE EXPECT TO READ THIS BOOK? It takes about 6-8 months with this publisher to go from signed contract to eBook release. So, you can hope to see the book come out sometime February-April 2016. This is still a fairly short time window for contract to debut. As I understand it, with the larger, more traditional publishers, it can take 18 months-2 years.

Well, that’s all I have for now. I’ll be in pre-edits for the next week or so. I look forward to it and dread it at the same time. Editing…not my best friend, but such a crucial part of the process. I’m looking forward to sharing more as we go along!

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Spotlight on “The Brightest and Best” by Olivia Newport

Hello, Readers! Today I am hosting author Olivia Newport on my blog! She and I have a couple of things in common – our love of Historical Fiction and our membership in the ACFW. Speaking of which, the ACFW Conference is coming up mid-September. I will be there…so excited!! So, without further ado, here’s Olivia:

Meet Olivia! Olivia Newport’s novels twist through time to find where faith and passions meet. She lives in stunning Colorado, where daylilies grow as tall as she is. Her past work includes the Avenue of Dreams series set in 1890s Chicago; the Valley of Choice series of intertwining contemporary and historical Amish stories; Hidden Falls, a digital-first contemporary small-town series; and the Amish Turns of Time series exploring real historical moments of Amish values.

I’m always interested in what inspires authors…so tell us, Olivia, what was your inspiration for your book, Brightest and Best?  This book comes out under the banner of Amish Turns of Time. I’ve had a blast in these stories exploring events in Amish history that illustrate points in time when the Amish made significant decisions that affected the development of their churches. In this case, the question was emerging laws that required the Amish to educate their children in a way that conflicted with their central values. This journey started almost a hundred years ago and endured until they took their case to the Supreme Court in 1972. Brightest and Best intentionally conflates some events to bring the driving themes together in one story.

Interesting. What are some of the more historically significant events behind your story? My research turned up some articulate, impassioned arguments by Amish writers about why they could not separate education of their children from the practice of their faith. While the non-Amish world was pressing for more standardized education, including keeping kids in school longer,  the Amish believed that true education cultivates humility, simple living, and living according to the will of God. They were preparing children not for success in this life but for eternity. For many decades, Amish children attended school with non-Amish children. It was only when public schools became larger, offered more varied curriculum, and required students to remain in school past the eighth grade that the conflicts began.

Do you have any current projects you’re working on? Care to share? I’m putting the finishing touches on a manuscript called Hope in the Land, a Depression-era story that highlights the pivotal role Amish women played in the stability of their households in an economic time when so many people across the country were losing their grasp on hope. Hope in the Land will come out in the spring of 2016.

Brightest and Best  by Olivia Newport:

Ella Hilty’s deepest desire is to marry Gideon Wittmer and be a mother to his three children. But before the betrothal and ceremony take place, Ella’s 1918 Ohio Amish community gets caught in a storm of controversy when English government authorities dictate that Amish children must attend consolidated public schools rather than their one-room schoolhouse. 

English schoolteacher Margaret Simpson had given up thoughts of marriage years ago, and she’s content with her peaceful life. But a budding romance and conflict with the neighboring Amish community lead Margaret down a path that she never expected.

Citing freedom of religion rights, Amish parents stand their ground against progressive English laws that threaten to erode their culture and beliefs beyond recognition, but their stance doesn’t come without consequences. Where is the balance between submission to God and submission to a God-ordained government that endangers the church?

Soon Margaret puts her last chance for romance at risk for the only choice her conscience can abide, and all eyes turn to Ella to bring unity to the Amish and understanding to the English.

Find Olivia:  http://www.olivianewport.com/

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