Joy E. Rancatore's Blog, page 7

Authors, Be Your First Reader!

You’ve typed The End. Congratulations! Celebrate! Live it up! Now you send it straight to the editor to fix, right? 

Wrong. 

Let it breathe or marinate or whatever term you’d like to use. The length of time for this varies for different writers. Some need to set it aside for months; others a few days. You definitely need some distance from it, but not so much that you spend all your time trying to remember who Frank is who shows up in the bar in chapter 4. 

Authors and Their Books: A Bonding Tale  

Once it’s the right time for you to pick it up again, understand it needs to be you. It’s of utmost importance that you take time with your manuscript without outside influence. Consider this your “bonding” time. 

When a mother has a baby, studies have shown how beneficial it is for the infant to immediately be placed in direct skin-to-skin contact with the mom and left unbothered by medical personnel or others for a while in order for them to bond to one another. It’s a time for quiet, peace, reflection. It’s not a time for loud noises and barking orders and poking and prodding. 

Hopefully I haven’t lost you in this comparison of mine because I can hear your counter to that last paragraph. You’ll see I chose this example intentionally in just a moment. 

True: not every mother and child pair has that blissful, utopia-like experience. If we’re being entirely honest, I’d venture to say most—in the United States, at least—do not. And, yes, most of those children grew up just fine with no weird issues. 

It’s the same with writers and their manuscripts. Many choose to ship it off to friends as soon as that first draft has hit the cold air of reality. And, many of them go on to land book deals and be authors for a long, happy time. 

Why Is This So Important Anyway?  

Here’s the reason I will always urge writers to take this first read and revision seriously. If you don’t know your book, really know it—what makes your characters tick, the purpose behind each scene, the driving and central force in the midst of the entire tale—how on earth do you think someone who didn’t incubate this idea as it grew into a fully developed and living story can know those things? 

Now, critique partners are the most invaluable parts of a writer’s dream team. I will shout that from the rooftops, because I have some pretty doggone incredible ones. It is true that they can help you see some of those things when you can’t see them on your own. Developmental editors specialize in helping authors see how to strengthen the foundation of their story’s structure and shore it up to withstand the gale of any storm to come. 

However, if you don’t know why you wrote what you did the way you did at the time you did, you may find yourself hopping on board with a revision that ends up altering your original intent and making the entire process far more complicated than it otherwise could have been. You should know what aspects of the story are most important and where its central theme lies. If you don’t know these details—or at least have a pretty good idea of them—you may find yourself jumping at whatever suggestions your developmental editor and your critique partners make, regardless of if they are best for the purpose of your story (which is something only you can know). 

When this happens, you will find yourself four revisions in and wondering where on earth you took a wrong turn. Or, you could be even closer to publication and find yourself without much joy when it comes to your story, but you’re not sure why. Perhaps you missed the opportunity to bond with your book baby in the beginning. 

When you deeply understand the soul of your story and the purpose behind it, your readers will feel its heart when they read it.

What Can This Process Look Like? 

I urge you to be your very first reader. Do this without pen in hand. Just read. Soak it in. Enjoy it. Don’t beat yourself up over the bumpy parts. Ignore those typos. You’ll get to them. Just read. 

Now, it’s time to self-edit. This is where writers will be different for sure. Because I can read a page in punctuation marks and notice typos at a glance, I’m going to do this at least twice before I send anything out. The first time should be big picture things that jumped at you on your initial read-through. Maybe a character disappeared mid-way through. Perhaps your timeline is more of a time graph that resembles a porcupine. 

Beyond that, you may realize you have no idea what’s pushing your main character to do the things he’s doing. Believe me when I say, if you don’t know, your reader sure as shootin’ won’t! And that’s something you have to figure out. You don’t necessarily need to have the answer before you send your manuscript to others, but you need to be working on it. You should at least know most of the big questions. 

And then, give it a cursory edit for spelling, agreement, punctuation. At the very least, run it through your spell check. This is just a kindness for whoever is taking the time to read your manuscript for you. Plus, it will result in a far stronger manuscript in the end for you. They will catch far more issues than they would if they had to hack through a jungle of typos to get to them. You’ve got the tools to handle most of those, so do it!

I’d love to hear about your process. Comment below or drop me a line today to share how you approach preparing your manuscript for publication.

Author, are you your story’s first reader? Why or why not?

Reader, what is it about books that linger with you that you love so much? Have you ever read a book where you just felt like the author was opening his or her heart to you?

For more tips and tricks, head over to the Logos & Mythos Press Editing Services page and subscribe for our quarterly newsletter. You’ll also receive my ten-page guide to self-editing and working with an editor for free! We offer manuscript editing services for Indie Authors, so you can learn more about those as well.

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A Day in the Life of an Indie Author: The Introduction

I’ve decided to launch what I hope will be a fun series of once-a-month behind-the-scenes looks at the daily life of an Indie Author. To do this, I thought it might be helpful if I explain a little about what an Indie Author is and what roles one fills. 

What is an Indie Author? 

Simply, an Indie Author is a writer who acts as agent and publisher for his own works and approaches the task as a business. This is typically an author who plans to write and publish multiple books over his lifetime. Some may choose to traditionally publish other works as well. 

How did I choose to take this route to publishing? 

Soon after making this decision in 2017, I wrote a three-part post series on how the Indie route chose me. I really do feel that’s an accurate way to word it, because I realized how many opportunities and jobs I’ve had over the years—many unplanned—gave me the skills I would need to fill each of the roles I have as an Indie. 

Honestly, I have not looked back since then. While I won’t say I would never consider a traditional publishing contract, I have no intention of that at this point. When I set up Logos & Mythos Press, I made a firm six-year plan with further outlines for the ten to fifteen years following those. I have plans of where I would like to go with my own writing and of how I would like to serve and benefit the literary community. 

So, what are these roles I speak of? 

Let’s break it down a bit here. While there are multiple roles I will fill as a mostly one-woman show for right now, some overlap and some could be outsourced. 

Author … Plus 

Any writer, regardless of his publication route, has to … write! I know, I know. That one seems a bit obvious. While that is the first task, it often takes up only a fraction of his time. Often more of his time will be spent creating an author brand and platform and building his audience. 

What on earth are those? The brand is who the author is at his core. This is typically summed up in his tagline and is made clear to visitors on his website’s homepage. That same message, surrounded by the same colors and font choices and photos, follows the author across each of his social media accounts. Does he write one genre or multiple genres? If he writes multiple and chooses to do so under different names, that requires multiple platforms. 

So, what do I mean by platform? Simply, any public presence an author maintains is part of his platform. This can include a website (I should probably add web design and maintenance to this list somewhere!), a blog, all social media accounts, a podcast, a vlog, online courses, speaking topics, other services and any other offerings directly related to his core as an author. Each of these takes time to maintain, update and run. 

Because books rarely bring in enough revenue to buy more than a case of ramen (and not the fancy kind), authors need another way to make money. Most authors have day jobs; many have found ways to work from home alongside their writing. I offer editing services and am branching out into speaking. 

As an Indie Author, I also have the task of building the brand and platform for my press. Now, not all Indie Authors decide to set up a publishing company or press as a separate entity like I have. Many do have a press name they use as their publisher; some simply use their own name. Even if they have a press name, they don’t necessarily have a separate website devoted to that. Since I set that up to be more than just a name behind my own books, I do have two separate platforms. I did choose to keep my branding very similar. My taglines are similar, and I use most of the same colors and fonts. My logo is also the same. My reasons behind all that would probably be best reserved for a whole other post, though. 

Editor 

Every writer needs to be an editor as well. Self-editing is a must in our business. Even though we should all work with other editors, the editing must begin with the author. When I re-launched my manuscript editing services and targeted them specifically at other Indie Authors, I wrote a brief guide to self-editing and working with an editor that I give to my editing newsletter subscribers for free. This concept is at the heart of that guide. 

An Indie Author also has the opportunity to have final say in the editing process. So, while he should absolutely hire an editor (the first on the list of outsourced team members to hire, in my opinion), he maintains the final decision on all changes. 

First Reader and Critic 

Two more often overlooked roles every writer needs to fill are that of first reader and critic. I urge writers all the time to be their first readers. This allows bonding time with their story and prepares them to best receive critiques and editing and beta reader feedback. 

Through the process, an author also must think like a critic. What I mean by that is, a writer has to consider all the possible ways an outsider can criticize the characters, plot, theme, writing, etc. The purpose for this is not to make one’s self crazy by trying to make everyone happy, but to determine what is most important and vital to a story and what is not. Also, it prepares the author mentally and emotionally to react to the criticisms that will inevitably come. 

Agent/Marketer/PR Manager 

Once more, every author—regardless of publication route—must fill these roles to varying degrees. Sure, many traditionally published authors have agents; but they had to serve as an agent of sorts to get that agent. When it comes to marketing these days, it’s a rare phenomenon to find a publisher who doesn’t expect its authors to do at least some of their marketing. While most publishers will have a PR department to handle press releases and launch details and the like, their authors still need to be aware of what the company will do for them. If some public relations aspects are not being handled, they may or may not be able to pick up that slack. Even things like maintaining a social media presence may or may not be handled by a publisher. Most often it’s something that the publisher doesn’t necessarily handle, but it’s something they have specific dos and don’ts for. That requires the author to have a thorough understanding of his contract. 

An Indie Author holds each of these roles, unless he is able to outsource some or all of them as well. When it comes to the agent side, it is most wise to have a lawyer. Just in case a traditional publisher or film production company comes calling, the author needs to have someone who can handle contracts. They also need someone who can advise on intellectual property, copyright and legacy details, in addition to the more complex legal issues that pop up in this business. 

For marketing and public relations, an author needs everything from graphics to promote books, events, promotions and other offerings to a plan with which to do so. They need a list of contacts for book reviewers, bookstores, libraries and other influencers in the literary community. And then, they need to contact them! 

Another aspect to all this includes making submissions for book awards or for speaking opportunities at book festivals and other events. 

Secretary or Assistant 

Closely tied with the previous grouping, a secretary or assistant helps with answering emails, maintaining a social media presence and keeping up with deadlines and scheduled events or obligations. While these roles often include many more tasks, this is a simple overview of the biggest ones. 

Publisher 

An Indie Author puts his name behind his work, literally. He (or his company, if he has properly started one) stands behind his production in name and legality. He is also the final word on everything from the content to the cover (the design of which is also most often outsourced) to the title to the tone of the marketing campaign. Plus, he’s the one who has to upload the files for printing and e-distribution, fill out all the metadata fields, apply for copyrights, assign ISBNs and handle Library of Congress details. 

CEO 

An Indie Author is an entrepreneur—or, to borrow a favorite term, an authorpreneur. Every author should adopt this mindset, though. They should understand that the works they produce are theirs and, as such, they should be completely aware of what rights they do hold and what a publishing company may retain. They need to be cognizant of their copyrights and intellectual property rights and any rights they can pass on to posterity. 

An author is also responsible for his own taxes and accounting. This is why it’s a necessity to hire a CPA. Things like sales tax and self-employment taxes can really hurt an author who isn’t prepared or doesn’t have a professional to turn to. 

Project Manager 

And, finally, with all of these roles to fulfill, an Indie Author must be able to be a project manager—or hire someone (like an assistant) to do that. At any one point, he could have multiple projects in the works, all at various stages of outlining, drafting, revising, editing, formatting, publishing and marketing. He will have various people working for him on things like editing and formatting and cover design, at the very least. And, he will have a multitude of deadlines and events to stay on top of. 

On top of all of that, as previously mentioned, it’s a unicorn of an author who can actually make a living on his writing alone. As a result, he’s got a full- or part-time job to do and/or freelance jobs, such as teaching, coaching, designing, formatting, editing or other writing. And, let’s not forget friends, family, community responsibilities and life in general. 

What roles do I handle? 

Right now, I outsource some of my editing and all my cover design work. I have an outstanding CPA who gave me incredible advice when I set up my business and will be my best friend next tax season. The QWERTY Writing Life Podcast and writing craft book series is a joint effort by Mea Smith and me. Other than that, I’m it! For now, anyway. I do look forward to the day I can hire a virtual assistant. At the moment, though, the financial prospects of that happening are far, far down the road. 

Thankfully, I feel equipped to handle everything I’m doing at the moment. Most of this ability came from the many jobs I’ve had over the years. Each unexpected job that landed in my lap—whether I really wanted it or not at the time—gave me a new tool for my toolbox. 

As I plan out this once-a-month post, you’ll read more about each of these tasks and discover what a day in the life of an Indie Author can look like. I hope you’ll join me! 

What questions do you have about this crazy business of mine? What would you like to know about the life of an author? Are you excited about this series?

With all I have going on, I decided it may be beneficial to me—and to you, my blog follower—for me to set up a posting schedule , so I know ahead of time what I’ll be writing about each week. In the past, I’ve gone whichever way the wind blew me ; but , as my life becomes bus ier and more complex , I realized I needed to simplify something. I wasn’t willing to stop blogging because I truly enjoy it, so we’re going to give this a shot! My current plan is to write a monthly post for this day-in-the-life series, one geared toward my fellow Indie Authors, one #BlogBattle-inspired short story and one reading-focused one. Occasionally, we’ll have a fifth post in a month ; so that’s when I’ll let the wind blow!

It is my desire that every post has something for everyone. Even if I’m writing for other writers, I try to include takeaway value for my faithful readers, too. If you ever have questions or suggestions for me, please drop me a line. I love to hear from you! To make sure you never miss a post—and to receive other weekly extras, like reading tips and writing tips, occasional exclusives and various freebies, including a few for subscribing—join my Fellowship of newsletter subscribers today. Just click the big red link! 

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The Mountain that Stole a Heart

This story continues a series of short fiction exploring some of the Faerie Shepherds and Shepherdesses within my fantasy world. Read below the story for further explanation and head over to   the Tales of the Faerie Shepherds  if you’d like to read more!

This is how I’ll die. 

Intake—sharp air coursing throughout, biting all in its path. Blood pumps, an audible whooshing; its rapids dancing within. My heart … my heart beats louder than ever, faster, harder. It breaks free of my chest—its home … once. 

The rock face—the moment previous, a welcome savior—now cuts me, bruises, awakens. 

Nothing stable beneath my feet. Dirt, debris, rock droppings cascade away from searching toes—frantic for firm ground. 

Muscles weaken—shake. 

Hands sweat—slip. 

Grips loosen—slide. 

My mountain’s failed me. Turned. 

Rejected. Renounced. 

I look up as air swooshes on every side and bid farewell to the heart I freely left behind. 

I gave my heart to the mountain … and it took it. 

“ The Mountain that Stole a Heart” Copyright © 2019 by Joy E. Rancatore. All Rights Reserved.

What do you think about this world of mine that I’m building? If you enjoyed this story, please head over to read the entire Tales of the Faerie Shepherds series .

This month’s story flowed from the inspiration of a delightful monthly online writing prompt, #BlogBattle. As you will read on their site, “Blog Battle is a monthly writing prompt meant to inspire writers and entertain readers.” To read several outstanding stories inspired by July’s prompt, “Stable,” head on over to the BlogBattlers site!

You may just find a new favorite author to follow!

For more detailed weekly updates on my writing process behind this short story as well as my other works, please subscribe to my newsletter!

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How to Force a Submission from Your Challenges

Whatever we choose to do with our lives, we will face challenges, obstacles and roadblocks. These are the opponents in our cage. 

We should long to do whatever we’ve chosen to the best of our ability, if it’s something we’re truly passionate about. Often the challenges we face have only one intent—to get us to tap out. 

Today I’m writing to myself—who I’ve been and who I want to be. In the process, I hope to write to you as well. What I have to say can apply to anyone—writer or not—in any line of work or season of life and to anyone who desires to stand on a higher level in their chosen profession or life focus. 

My passion is writing. I have made multiple decisions and choices over the past twenty years, as I’ve pursued that passion. Each of those led me to who I am now—an Indie Author who started her own Press to publish her work and co-written work now and others’ works in the future. 

With these decisions came many challenges. I thought I’d share a few of mine with you today, in the hope that my experiences can encourage you and urge you to keep holding on and fighting back against your challenge opponents. 

[Sidenote: If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m a fan of MMA.] 

If an opponent were easy to beat, why would we want to bother? 

I’ll never forget the months following Hurricane Katrina. At that time, I worked for The Mississippi Press. Our offices were completely flooded, so we worked out of the Mobile Press, our sister paper, for a while. It was an incredibly emotional time for anyone who lived along the Gulf Coast of the United States. This was my first fulltime job right after college. I was super green and struggling to figure out the whole adult thing on top of having an incredibly demanding job. That was before the massive hurricane disrupted our world. 

One day, all of the devastation and loss and hurt and confusion crashed over me like one of the waves the hurricane blew over land. I sat down with a couple of my colleagues and one of our editors. I voiced my concern that I wasn’t cut out for this after all. Although I can’t remember exactly what he said to us that day, I do remember the feeling of calm and assurance he cast over us and the encouragement he gave me to keep going. One day at a time; one story at a time. 

Journalism was a hard profession, no doubt; but I embraced the challenge of that truth that day. 

Often the worthiest undertakings are also the hardest. It’s up to us to choose whether to stick with them and push through or to give up and find another way to spend our time in this life. 

We can either let others’ doubts dominate us, or we can escape their hold and keep fighting. 

Journalism was a male-dominated profession for many years. I had the great opportunity to be hired by two outstanding editors who brought in three young women right out of college because they saw the talent in us, the fire in us and the potential in us. Those two men believed in us, so we believed in ourselves. 

Each reporter had his or her own beat. Part of mine included a local police station I needed to visit each day for their reports. The first day I walked in to meet with those detectives and the police chief, I was scared crazy and immediately noticed their smirks and uncertainty of having to work with me. But, I did my best not to let my feelings show and refused to let their lack of faith in my abilities get to me. I stood tall, gave firm handshakes, answered questions, asked my own and joked with them. 

Not long into my time at that newspaper, I had senior reporters compliment me on how well I had done in breaking in to that station and getting more detailed reports from them than some of my predecessors (who were male, I might add) had. 

My secret? I knew they were skeptical of the news media. I knew they were doubly skeptical of the abilities of a young woman. So, I chose to earn their trust and do my very best in reporting their news. As a result, I was the one they called for everything. Whenever anything happened, they called me first. I got information the bigger news outlets nearby didn’t get. This has happened in other jobs as well. 

I’ve seen the doubt and even condescension in the eyes of men or older, more experienced people when I’ve taken certain jobs. Instead of getting upset and bemoaning the fact that they would look at me that way, I pumped myself up to face the challenge and proved them wrong. Every. Single. Time. 

Often, it’s the fights we’d rather not take that teach us the most. 

When I moved and took a job in public relations instead of journalism, I found myself disheartened. That wasn’t the profession I wanted, but it was the one that opened up to me. From there, much of the work I did from home after the birth of my first child fell under the cloaks of PR or customer service. At times, I hated certain tasks. 

However, once I embarked on the journey toward becoming an Indie Author, I discovered something I hadn’t expected. Every job I’d ever had—many I’d never wanted and even complained about—had prepared me for this chosen profession. I had learned things and acquired skills I never would have had otherwise. 

A win or loss often gets decided within the fighter’s mind. 

Self-doubt, fear of failure or success, often crippling uncertainty of our worth or ability—these are real challenges. Most athletes embrace the fact that it’s the mental as much as the physical that determines their readiness to stand against an opponent. I found this article about MMA Mental Toughness Training to be fascinating and applicable across the divide between creative and physical pursuits. 

I first set out to pursue the title “author” back in 2010. Everything I did, I doubted. I was scared to death of failure, but even more of success. So, I put the pen away and gave up. 

I wasn’t mentally ready. 

In 2016, I decided to try again, but I first had to face—and dominate—the giant opponents of Fear and Self-doubt. Once I did, I found out I could be unstoppable—as long as I remember that is a step I will need to take over and over throughout my career as an author. 

When I work on a new story or prepare to release a blog post or gear up for the launch of a book or speak to a group, I will face these opponents. When they get me in a hold that feels irreversible, I’ve got to dig deep within my mind for this mental strength in order to evaluate my situation, recall my training and find a way to escape and reverse that opponent’s hold. 

You can face a self-proclaimed superior opponent—and not tap out. 

Though rare these days in the worldwide literary community, disdain for or condescension toward self-publishing still exists. My choice for that particular challenge? To be better. 

I resolved to show professionalism in all I do and to strive to set every aspect of my business up properly from the beginning, to make wise choices as I go and to produce my very best work at each stage. 

I desire to publish work as good as, if not better than, others’. I also choose to believe in my dreams and in my God-given abilities enough to work harder to achieve them than I’ve worked on anything else in my life. Instead of submitting to the few who aren’t so willing to consider an Indie Author, I choose to prove them wrong. 

How can this apply to you? 

Perhaps you’re not a writer, but you’ve chosen some path—parent, blogger, chef, architect, doctor. Whatever your choice, I’m sure you face challenges too. Perhaps it’s family who won’t support what you do. Maybe you have your eyes set on climbing the ladder, but it seems an awfully steep incline. Or it could be your choice that’s the problem. You may have not found your passion yet. 

Regardless of the challenge in the cage with you, I urge you to face it. Do the mental and physical preparation you need to face it. Don’t shy away from it. Believe in yourself and your training. Look for an opportunity to force its submission or go for the TKO. 

Fight on, my friend!

What challenges do you face? Have you faced and defeated other challenges in your past? Perhaps a look back can give you the motivation you need to press forward.

I’d love to hear about some creative ways you’ve forced a submission from the challenges in your life. Share away!

Do you think it’s harder to face an outside challenge—one coming at you from others—or an inner one? I think sometimes we’re our own worst enemies. I know I am mine!

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Five Lessons from a Writing Conference

This past weekend, I attended the tenth annual Berries, Bridges and Books Writers Conference, put on by the Creative Minds Writers Group in Ponchatoula, La. It was a day full of encouragement, lessons learned and connections made. 

As I reflected on the speakers and conversations, I finally narrowed my experience down to five lessons from a writing conference. 

Lesson One: I am not alone. 

It’s true that writing can be a solitary, often lonely profession. However, thanks to how the internet has shrunk our world, most writers have global connections. Even with that, we do still crave that in–person connection with others who share our struggles and goals. This is where a conference or course or group or festival helps immensely. Standing face to face and sharing with fellow writers fuels both our creativity tanks and our encouragement tanks. It is through this contact that we also see ourselves in others.

Every writer—from the best-selling one on all the popular lists to those selling to diehard fans in his own community—starts with a blank slate. No one knows us. Our words haven’t touched anyone yet. We haven’t pitched ourselves to agents, publishers or readers. We all begin with our imaginations and a drive to create. 

As we push forward with something we have created and begin the process of pitching ourselves, sharing our words and making ourselves known, it’s terrifying. The comforting aspect of that is we are not alone. Every writer had to press through that fear. As I listened to the speakers, I was reminded of something through their candid stories. Each one of them was once unknown, but each one boldly believed in their stories enough to share them. 

Lesson Two: The days are long, but the years are short. 

Though none of the speakers said it exactly this way, they each put in their dues in the writing world. They worked hard. They had starts and stops. I would venture to guess each one of them had moments in their early days when they wondered if they’d ever make it. 

It reminded me of a common saying amongst moms of young children. “The days are long, but the years are short.” While you’re in the drudgery of changing diapers and keeping up with frequent feedings and potty training and temper tantrums and each new challenge that children present as they grow, those days are impossibly long. They frequently feel unending. However, when you have a moment to breath and reflect, you suddenly realize you’re a decade in and you have fewer years ahead before they’ll be moving out on their own. 

A writer’s journey is similar. Those days when thirty measly words were hard-fought for or we had to rewrite chapter three completely for the tenth time or we embarked on yet another round of revisions feel just as unending. We watch writer friends reach The End before we do or land an agent or a publishing contract or publish three of their own books before we’ve finished our first. Those days feel like eons, and we feel as though we’ve fallen into one of our fantasy worlds where time doesn’t work like it does in the real world. 

The thing is, though, each of those speakers persisted. They kept going. They trudged through even the longest days and now they see how much they accomplished over a few short years. The key lies in their persistence, their belief in their words, their hard work and the fact that each of them were ready when opportunities came their way. 

Lesson Three: We all have something to share and something to learn. 

In conversations throughout the day, I learned something from each person. Through some of those same conversations, I found more of my own voice and put some substance to the bones of what I’ve already started to share with others. As a result, I have a clearer vision for some projects I’ve got planned for the coming year. 

It is such a rewarding experience to be part of a community where every member has something to contribute, and we’re stronger when we share with one another. 

Lesson Four: The publishing world is small, and the way we present ourselves follows us. 

Throughout the whole day, only one brief interaction I had was not entirely positive. That one-minute conversation reminded me that the publishing world is really a tiny place these days. In that moment I heard bitterness toward a beacon in our literary community, and it made me decide that was a person I didn’t care to support in the future. I made an inner recommitment as I listened to always be professional and positive and kind. 

As many of us learned from a young age: if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all. That one moment we let ourselves speak ill of others or be anything but approachable and kind, we have lost a connection in the community. Perhaps that connection is a tiny voice at that moment, but who knows where their future lies. 

Lesson Five: The Writing Community is an encouraging, giving, caring group. 

That interaction was a mere blip on an incredibly positive day, though. The Writing Community continues to be one of the most positive and encouraging groups I’ve ever been part of. Nine times out of ten, writers go above and beyond to help one another and cheer one another on. Most writers are humble enough to admit we don’t know everything and can always learn something. And, because of that, we often realize the person we can learn from is sitting right next to us. 

What about you? Have you had a chance to attend a writing conference? What lessons did you learn? Was it a positive experience?

If you’re a reader, what interactions have you had with authors? Have you ever attended a book signing or chat with an author? Was it a positive experience? Did you find that person approachable and kind?

If you’re a writer and you’ve never been to a conference or something similar, I encourage you to put the Berries, Bridges & Books Conference on your list for next summer. If you live too far away, find a similar event in your area and make a plan to attend!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Lunar Corona

This story continues a series of short fiction exploring some of the Faerie Shepherds and Shepherdesses within my fantasy world. Read below the story for further explanation and head over to   the Tales of the Faerie Shepherds  if you’d like to read more!

It was a night of stillness and shimmer. The lunar corona’s glimmer surrounded the moon’s orb with its circular frame in such a way that it appeared like some giant cat’s eye hanging in the sky, keeping watch over Arabeth. 

She rested the exhaustion of her head against the windowframe. Her fiery ringlets hung in disarray about her face. The night pressed against her milky skin, adding to the heaviness beneath which she drooped. 

The Cait Sith, feline faeries, were active tonight, so she needn’t fear. Tonight Arabeth could rest in peace. Auntie had gifted her their protection before her birth. 

During visits with her Auntie each harvest moon, Arabeth heard tales of the Realms, the Faeries, their Shepherds and all creatures seen—but mostly unseen. Auntie shared prophecies and pieces of visions as she was ready to hear them. 

As her eyes shuttered closed, Arabeth glimpsed the cat shapes surrounding her and heard their purred protection. She saw their dancing shapes turning around and leaping within the corona. She felt the softness in the Cait Sith who shifted her down onto her pillow and felt the comforting peace of Fia’s presence curled into her side, as he radiated warmth and surety through his deeply rumbling purr. 

Before the sound lulled her into sleep’s fullest release, Arabeth received another flash of a much brighter solar corona. It blinded her dreaming vision and sent horror coursing through her before the comfort of Auntie’s voice rose from deep within its resulting darkness. 

“Fear not, Bright One. Eail and I will lead the charge of that Greatest Battle.”

“ Lunar Corona” Copyright © 2019 by Joy E. Rancatore. All Rights Reserved.

What do you think about this world of mine that I’m building? If you enjoyed this story, please head over to read the entire Tales of the Faerie Shepherds series .

This month’s story flowed from the inspiration of a delightful monthly online writing prompt, #BlogBattle. As you will read on their site, “Blog Battle is a monthly writing prompt meant to inspire writers and entertain readers.” To read several outstanding stories inspired by June’s prompt, “Corona,” head on over to the BlogBattlers site!

You may just find a new favorite author to follow!

For more detailed weekly updates on my writing process behind this short story as well as my other works, please subscribe to my newsletter!

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Regarding Cats, Coffee & Colophons

I decided to shake things up a little here on the blog and write something different from what I typically do. This post will be a glimpse into the past few months of my life. If you don’t receive my weekly newsletter (you can correct that by clicking here) or follow me on all my social pages, you may not know what I’ve been up, where my book is in the publishing process or why I’ve been a little less consistent here than I would like. 

2019 has been my year of PERSEVERANCE. That was my word of the year, and I’m so thankful it was.

Perseverance means sticking to a goal, despite all challenges or discouragements or detours, until you reach the intended destination. While that end may not always look exactly as you originally thought it would, the mindset to get there and to accept it if it is slightly different, is the same—a dogged determination to see a task through to its conclusion. 

I welcomed this year with an acceptance of the fact that my desire to publish this year may or may not happen. The costs involved with starting a small business and setting out to publish your own books are heavy enough to weigh on anyone’s mind and too large to fund from loose change lurking beneath the couch cushions. I decided to plow ahead with my September release date in mind, not knowing for certain if I would reach it. 

Things began to happen. 

Tasks began to be checked off. Opportunities presented themselves. Financing began to fall into place. 

I didn’t think I’d ever finish revisions—but I did. I didn’t think I’d ever finish edits—but I did. That brings us to this week when I have finally—FINALLY—finished formatting. Let me just say, that process of taking a Word document and turning it into a book manuscript is not for the faint of heart. I had stops and starts. I thought I’d finished it a little over a week ago, only to learn I’d used the wrong margin sizes. It was almost enough to make me throw in the towel. Almost. It takes a great deal of perseverance. 

[Also, fun fact: I wrote that paragraph as you just read it on Monday night—before I had actually finished—because I was determined that I would. There’s power in claiming something as a given by writing it in the past tense, my friend.] 

During this time, I also legally set up Logos & Mythos Press and publicly revealed it to the world through our website. My critique partner and I launched our weekly podcast—QWERTY Writing Life. We also wrote the first draft of the first in our series of writing craft books. And, I’m super close to some huge reveals for Any Good Thing, including the cover, the preorder and release dates and some little glimpses into the book. 

The past few months have been more than a little insane. As I look back, I’m amazed at how much we’ve accomplished. As I look forward to the rest of this year—launching my debut novel and my debut co-authored nonfiction book, sharing both with the world and continuing our podcast and my blog—I could easily grab for a paper bag and decide it’s all too much. But, that’s not what this year is about. This year is about pressing forward. Continuing a pursuit of this dream and putting in the hard work and long hours to achieve it. 

I’m not going to do everything perfectly, but I will persevere. 

In case you’ve forgotten at this point, the title of this post is “Regarding Cats, Coffee and Colophons.” I have not mentioned any of those yet, so you’re right to wonder if I’ve finally lost my last marbles. Believe it or not, each of our C words directly relates to perseverance. 

Let me tell you a story about my cat. Tolkien is no ordinary feline. He came to me before his first birthday. I was his fourth address and possibly his first true home. Now, Tolkien had not been abused to my knowledge, but he also hadn’t been able to live as high a quality of life as he could have. 

After disconcerting and increasingly frequent yowls while he ate, Tolkien ate less and less and grew more and more skinny. He would have days like this and then bounce back for a couple of weeks. After a while those time frames swapped, and I knew I had to take him to the vet. 

Tolkien was diagnosed with feline stomatitis. 

Basically, his gums were severely inflamed, causing him extreme pain especially when he ate. He wasn’t able to yawn completely because it was clearly too painful for him to stretch his jaw. It was heartbreaking to see the sweet baby try to get a good yawn out and often end in a howl instead. He didn’t really like to be petted, especially around his head—which makes perfect sense once I realized the severe pain he was in. 

The problem with this disease is there’s no clear cause and no definitive cure. Thankfully, Tolkien had an outstanding veterinarian who wouldn’t give up until he did all he could. We started with medicine. We bought special pureed cat food in the hopes that he could actually eat something. Finally, after two surgeries that left only four teeth behind, we felt we might have turned a corner. 

Every few weeks, he’d have a painful day or two when he couldn’t eat. For the most part, though, he was far more active. The week after his second surgery, Tolkien curled up in my lap for the first time. I fell in love with him the first night I met him, but that was the first time I thought he could feel the same for me. At somewhere around six months post-surgery, Tolkien stopped having painful days. He doesn’t yowl anymore when he eats. He can leap all over the house—on top of the refrigerator, up into our highest windowsills, from the piano to the mantle and back, across the living room from table to sofa—without crying. He plays with our younger dog, batting at her, chasing her and giving her a run for her money. 

He sleeps with me some nights. At first, he’d stay at the far bottom of the bed, not even touching me. Slowly he graduated to laying on my feet, then my legs. Finally a month or so ago, he tucked in within finger’s reach. He likes to be petted more now than he used to and loves having his chin scratched, especially since it no longer pains him. 

And, he’s got the widest yawn of any cat I’ve ever seen. 

So, what’s this got to do with writing and my past few months? Perseverance, of course. 

We weren’t sure what to do when we got the diagnosis. It didn’t sound good, and the thoughts of the vet bills were scary—especially for a young family still struggling to get out from under debt in order to work toward starting our own businesses over the next several years. My husband agreed to persevere in our decision to do all we could for him. He was still just a kitten, and our vet had a plan. The doctor persevered in his determination to seek out advice from more experienced professionals and from journals and case studies. He stuck to his guns and kept the four teeth in to give our sweet baby a better quality of life for the long run than he would with no teeth to support his gums and jaw. 

And then there was Tolkien. Even when I could tell he was in excruciating pain, he tried to play. He wanted to chase the string and bat at the mousie. And, finally, once he no longer lived under that constant onslaught of pain, he pressed forward to try to be part of his forever family. He realized he’d reached his final destination. Four addresses were enough. This one was for keeps, and the four nutsy humans and the two crazy dogs might just be a family for him after all. He even loves family camping trips. 

When I’ve been at my most exhausted or frustrated, that’s when Tolkien chooses to come lay on my papers as I run over them with red ink or to curl up in my lap as I type or learn to format. He encourages me to persevere.

He inspects my work, gives me condescending looks when I’m not working up to appropriate standards and sniffs my coffee to make sure it’s strong enough to carry me through the next task on the list. When I was almost ready to throw in the towel on formatting my book myself, he sat over me as I worked at the table. He snuffed at the books I poured over, ruler in hand, as I tried to figure out the right margin settings. He oversaw my research into the font I really wanted to use in my book—which became a driving force behind persevering in formatting my way. He was laying nearby when I wrote the colophon (the description of and history behind the fonts used in a book) that I had been so excited to include for me … and the one other person out there who actually reads them. 

So, as I push ahead into the second half of 2019, it’s with my cat, coffee and colophon alongside.

Whatever comes in the months ahead, we will persevere and charge headlong into each challenge as it comes. On December 31, I hope to turn back for just a moment to smile on all we’ve accomplished this year before we plunge into whatever great things await in 2020.

What examples of perseverance have you had in your life? What end are you pressing forward toward and what challenges are you facing with this determination? Do you have a special encourager in your life—furry or otherwise? 

Interested in seeing more behind-the-scenes pictures and reading about the publishing process? Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter by clicking below! 

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Why Podcast?

Podcaster—that’s a new title I’ve added to my resumé, and I’m pretty excited about it. This past Tuesday, the QWERTY Writing Life Podcast went live. Mea Smith and I co-host this weekly broadcast geared toward creative people who are seeking to take their passions and pursue them in a public way. It’s no small task to take the things close to your heart and soul and throw them out to the world to judge and rip to shreds. We’ve been through all the angst involved with taking those first big steps and we’re still going through it. So, why podcast about it? 

Our words helped each other. 

Mea and I went to college together and were roommates for part of those years. We took creative writing together then and always had fun creating things together or alongside one another. With graduation into the real world, we went separate ways and lost touch until 2016 when we reconnected at the most logical place. The zoo. 

Across from the prairie dogs’ tunnels, we caught up with our lives over the previous decade and started talking about books, which inevitably led to talk of writing. 

It turns out, Mea and I were both in the exact same place as far as readiness to launch out into the wide world of publication pursuit. 

That readiness in itself is quite a process, and we’d been through a similar timeline for ours. We’d had stops and starts but were both ready to run full steam ahead. Thanks to our timely reunion, we got to start that race together. 

It was that togetherness that made the journey so much less overwhelming. We solidified our writing relationship by attending the Mississippi Book Festival together in August 2016. On the drive there and back together, we shared our goals and brainstormed our writing projects. We even talked about how much fun it would be to have a podcast! 

From that point on, we had regular phone chats about our individual writing plans and continued brainstorming sessions. As we talked one day, we told each other, “This is some good stuff! I wish we had people like us to listen to!” And then we realized we could be those people. 

We realized our chats could help others as well. 

Creative people—writers, painters, photographers, you name it—pour their hearts and souls into their work. 

When an author offers up a book, it is forged in the depths of their being and passed through the fires of critiques. 

To present that finished product to the world and open it up to the criticism and misrepresentation that will come is, quite honestly, terrifying. So, when a creative individual makes the decision to move from a private life of creativity to a public one—whether it’s simply opening themselves up to friends and family, accepting an opportunity for a gallery showing or ramping up to a production they hope to turn into a career—they need support. Our desire is that our words on the QWERTY Writing Life Podcast will give them just that. 

We want to be candid, real and transparent as we send support and encouragement for that journey out into the wide world of all our creative brothers and sisters. 

In our minds, we see this podcast as something that can really flourish and be this tiny seed that grows into a mighty tree. But, even if it only affects and encourages one fellow creative, that’s worth it to us. 

But, we’re not stopping there. 

Because our driving desire is to help others, we’re not stopping with a podcast. QWERTY Writing Life stands for much more. Perhaps as you’re reading this, Mea and I are writing the first draft of our first in a series of writing craft books. These books aren’t planned to reinvent the wheel; they’re chosen to cover the topics we couldn’t find sufficient compiled resources on. Over the next several years, we will be pulling from our personal experiences, our trial and error and our lightbulb moments to present books that can guide other fledgling writers on their journeys toward, through and beyond publication. 

Away from the airwaves and beyond the pages, Mea and I have big plans. None of them are solidified yet, and most are still a ways off; but they all stem from that desire to help, to guide, to share. We want to see others succeed and we want to share the tools we’ve got in our arsenal to do that. 

What makes QWERTY Writing Life different? 

With more than 700,000 podcasts available—yep, that is the right number of zeros—what do we really have to offer? What makes us different? 

Those are the same questions I asked myself when it came to blogging and to writing books. Do I really have anything new or different to add? The answer to that question is yes—and no. 

We may not always have some brand new insight to dazzle the world with, but we will always bring our unique perspective in our personal style wrapped in one-of-a-kind packaging. 

I’ve found that when I consider something from another person’s perspective—a viewpoint I can’t have because it’s unique to them—I do discover new insights or at least understand a different way to approach the task at hand or the answer to the question that’s been troubling me. 

When we first got down to the brass tacks of actually planning out this podcast, this was one of the first questions we asked ourselves. Mea and I love to listen to podcasts and have quite a few favorites between us. We have dear friends who have a wonderful show, and some of the biggest influencers in our creative lives are podcasters. The natural reaction to “Let’s start a podcast!” was, “Who, us?” 

So, we talked through all we do have to offer and what our personal goals and desires were for this endeavor and then we discussed how we would be different from all the incredible voices out there. We decided on a few specific aspects that our podcast had to follow. Because I’m incredibly cheesy, I’m laying them out, A to E! 

Aim for brevity. 

Mea and I are your typical crazy-busy working mamas. You will likely find me grading my kids’ schoolwork (homeschool mom!) and Mea inputting grades (college administrative assistant!) while texting each other about the next week’s show topics and our social media posting plan for the week while also penciling in a meal plan for our families so we can make a list for a grocery visit later in the day and mentally rewriting scenes from our WIPs in our heads. These mamas ain’t got a lot of time for concentrated listening. 

So, we knew our show had to be under thirty minutes. Quick, concise and to the point. 

Be kid-friendly. 

Did I mention we’re both moms? You probably guessed that we’re rarely out of our little ones’ reach. [Anyone else picturing the meme of the kids’ fingers reaching under the bathroom door?] 

While our show isn’t created for kids, we wanted it to be created for other parents or caregivers who are always surrounded by kids. So, we won’t be discussing *ahem* special scenes in books or using colorful language we wouldn’t use in front of our own children. 

So, don’t worry about headphone cords getting tangled in the laundry! Listen away wherever you are! 

Contain candid chats that we, as creative friends, would have with one another. 

Our tagline says it all: candid chats about our creative lives. We want to be real with you guys. These are real chats between creative friends, and we want them to be ongoing conversations that include our listeners. 

We want to hear from others about what’s working and what’s not. We want to hear questions and answers. And, we may not always have the answers to some of the questions, but—with a growing group of friends—I bet someone will! 

Drive listeners to take action while keeping up a dependable show format. 

With all the focus on two friends chatting, we did not want this show to be a droning on and on of two people who want to hear their gums flap. No sir! We demand action in ourselves and in our listeners! So, each episode will end with our QWERTY challenge—an opportunity to take what we’ve discussed and implement it into your own works that week. 

Each show will open with us sharing our creative thing from the past week, perhaps a photo shoot or a craft with our kids or a trip to an art museum. Then, we’ll hop right in to our topic and close with the challenge. That’s what you’ll get each week! 

We like knowing what we’re getting ourselves into with a show, and we figured you might like that too. 

Also, it goes back to the busy mama thing; if there’s no takeaway value for us in something that requires our time, we have to shift priority to something that has that.  

Entertain on every outlet we can. 

And, the final big desire for us was to be available wherever listeners are. That’s why we decided to record in video format. Yes, it’s an extra step and took an extra commitment of time and finances; but we know a lot of people prefer to watch a video. Others like to listen in during a commute or while doing household chores or yard work. Whichever your preference and wherever you look for podcasts or videos, we wanted to be there. 

If we’re not on your favorite outlet, let us know and we’ll do our best to get there! 

What about you? Do you listen to podcasts or watch vlogs? Does QWERTY Writing Life sound interesting to you? We’d love to have you check us out on all our online places. Subscribe for notifications.

Please hang out and chat with us, too! Ask us your questions; we’ll tell you no lies … and may even have an answer! If we don’t, we’ll sure try to find it! 

Main QWERTY page with links to everything  

Meet the QWERTY co-hosts 

QWERTY YouTube Channel 

QWERTY Podcast Hub 

Google Play Music Link 

ITunes Link 

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THE CRUX Turns Six Months!

Believe it or not, The Crux Anthology just hit a pretty big milestone—six months out in the wide world of literature! Last week I got to video chat with Rachael Ritchey, editor and compiler for this collection of SciFi and fantasy short stories. I had a great time talking all things Crux, including some of her inspiration for the contest and the entire project. Our conversation led to some sneak peeks inside this book and some other works inspired by them. We talked about the importance of reviews, which you know is dear to my heart. And, we shared more about the choice of Compassion International to receive all profits from the anthology.

On top of all this, we’ve got a HUGE giveaway going on! No entries required or hoops to jump through. Just a 100% FREE e-copy of The Crux Anthology from us to you! Hurry though! This offer ends at the end of May 2019! Though it’s not a requirement, of course, we sure would love a KINND review from you once you’ve enjoyed it!

So, without further ado, I’m going to send you over to Rachael’s post because she’s got the video with time stamps for every topic we covered—because she’s just that amazing! Click on The Crux to head to a way cooler realm than mine.

Thank you for celebrating with us! And, thank you to Rachael for chatting with me and for all the incredible graphics we get to enjoy today!

In addition to being the fearless leader of The Crux Crew and being an incredible author of her own fantasy series, Rachael is an outstanding designer. If you’re looking for someone to help with cover design or interior formatting, she’s your gal!

I am thankful to be working with her on my own book cover right now. She’s made me cry several times (in the very best of ways)! More than that, she’s super patient and kind and genuinely desires to help fellow authors. If you want to stay current on all the goings-on with my upcoming debut novel, Any Good Thing, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter!

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Why Start a Press?

Last week I launched the website for Logos & Mythos Press. This public declaration of my future intentions comes after about a year and a half of behind-the-scenes work. The most frequent question I receive when I tell people I’m setting up my own publishing company is “Why? Why set up a Press?”  

I decided at the end of 2017 to take the Indie Author route to publishing. After a lot of research into the process and soul-searching about my own goals and dreams and desires, I decided to build my own Press. Here are some of my reasons.

Professionalism 

Anywhere books are for sale, you’ll find all sorts of information about them. How many pages they have. When they were published. Who published them. 

While it is completely acceptable for the author’s name to go on the publisher line, I decided at the beginning that I wanted more there. As I thought through the publisher name I would use, I started paying closer attention to this information on books. What I discovered was, some authors are using great company names. The thing was, when I went to look up the press they’d listed, I found nothing. 

I may be one of the few to check into this, but I know I’m not entirely alone. So, I want readers (or potential readers) to be able to find out more about Logos & Mythos Press. It’s not just a name. It’s a business—an LLC to be exact. And, under the umbrella of my press name, I have other projects and services that aren’t as visible on my author website. 

[Insert shameless plug for the QWERTY Writing Life Podcast (launching June 4, 2019) and the QWERTY writing craft book series (releasing Fall 2019)! Plus, don’t forget I am a book editor, now focused primarily on my fellow Indie Authors. Check out all the details!] 

Credibility 

In a saturated marketplace, authors need to stand out. From the beginning, my goal has been to be professional in everything I do. I want to be taken seriously. I’m not just here for a book or two. I’m here for life. This is my chosen profession. I love literature. I love the literary community. I love readers and other writers. I am here for the long haul and want to make sure others know I am. 

That’s why you’ll notice a few of the choices I make on this publishing journey may be slightly outside of the norm for both self-published and traditional authors. I’m doing as much research as I can, observing what the big companies are doing, what readers seem to like and what others have shown works. In small but intentional ways, I will be producing my work in a way that shows I am committed to my craft and serious about my longevity in the literary world. 

I’m here to add to the millenia-old tapestry of literature, and I take that responsibility seriously. 

Legalities 

Filing my business as an LLC allows me certain opportunities from a legal and financial standpoint. Keeping bank accounts and such under my LLC relieves any worry about my family coming under attack from crazy sue-happy people. Of course, at this point in the venture, it would be easy to focus on all the fees and taxes and hoops required of a small business attempting to set up properly, but I’ll keep reminding myself of the need to obey the law (while mumbling and grumbling under my breath). 

Marketing 

If you ask a room full of authors what their least favorite part of the job is, chances are high you’ll get a unified chorus of “marketing.” It feels weird to ask people to buy your books. It just does. I mean, we come up with cute, fun graphics and cheesy comments to do it. We make it as fun as we can, but it’s still asking people to take some of their hard-earned money and take a chance on us and our words. It’s hard! 

As a publisher, I’m expected to market the books I produce. Somehow, it doesn’t feel quite so uncomfortable and awkward. Yes, as an Indie Author, I will market myself; but I’ll also have a publishing company behind my books marketing for me as well. That’s a great feeling. 

And, while (for the foreseeable future) I’ll be the one writing that marketing copy, it just makes it easier to write in third person as if I’m marketing one of my other authors’ work instead of my own. Basically, I’m tricking my own brain into coming up with less awkward marketing copy. 

Promoting 

Although our industry leans a great deal to one side with vast numbers of indie-published authors emerging every week, much of the process remains stuck in a traditional mindset. If you hope to appear at speaking events, conferences and festivals, it’s the publisher who’s got to act. Want to get your book reviewed by credible reviewers or have your book considered for one of a zillion awards? Publisher. 

Thankfully, I’ve got a publisher! I believe having the press name behind submissions and requests will open at least a few doors that would have originally remained closed to me as an Indie Author.  

Future opportunities 

If you’ve followed my journey for a while, you’ll know I’m full of plans and dreams. Logos & Mythos Press will produce more than just books by me. In fact, plans are in place for my first co-authored book to launch later this year. I’ve got two co-authors right now and cannot wait to see how far our books go. Beyond that, I’d like to one day have a literary magazine and publish other authors’ work. While those two things are much further down the road, I’m building the foundation for them now by setting up a solid business. 

This model goes beyond me, too. Logos & Mythos Press will be a family business that I will pass down to my own children, should they want it. Currently, my oldest shows interest in marketing and design work and my youngest has written more books than I have. So, I think this will be an investment in their future as well as my own. 

Underneath the umbrella of the Press, I have my editing services. From both this aspect and one of the co-authored series, I plan to produce courses or retreats or coaching. I’m full of ideas and plans. Thanks to this business, I will be able to tackle many of them with professionalism and credibility. I cannot wait to see where Logos & Mythos Press takes me!

Thank you for joining me on this new venture. It’s already been an amazing journey, and I know the road ahead is full of unexpected delights!

Now that I’ve written a post with the “why” of the press, I’m considering writing a series on the “hows.” What questions would you like me to answer? It could be anything from the business setup process itself to the production of the books to the steps to get from concept to book-on-shelf. I’ll do my best to answer them!

If you’ve started your own Press, I’d love to hear about it! Drop your site link in the comments and tell us what you’ve learned on the journey!

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