Joy E. Rancatore's Blog, page 9

KINND Book Reviews: Why Write Them?

Spend more than a few seconds around books and the quirky individuals who write them, and you will hear a plea for book reviews. As a reader, you may wonder what the big deal is. Are they really that important? Why should you write them? And, how on earth do you do it?

Why are book reviews important?

This might be the simplest question to answer.

For writers whose books can easily and quickly be lost in the shuffle of millions of new titles, the more reviews they receive, the more other readers will see them and the more books they will sell.

Even just a quick click of how many stars is a huge help on sites like Amazon in improving authors’ rankings and visibility.

But, the importance of an actual written review—even if it’s only a few sentences—comes in for your fellow readers. Chances are, when you’re considering purchasing something, you’re going to read a few reviews. If you’re like me, you like to read some with one star, some with five and some in the middle. Reviews help us decide if whatever product we’re considering is right for us, worth the money and exactly what the picture seems to indicate. At the end of the day, a book is a product. Since the decision TO read one book is a choice to NOT read another, readers take their choices seriously.

For whom are book reviews written?

First and foremost, book reviews should be written for other readers.

Up next on the list are the author, the editor and the publisher. Two others that you may not think of are other writers—we read reviews of other books to help us understand what readers of our genre like and don’t like—and YOU! By writing a book review, you will benefit in many ways. You will more deeply internalize what you read and find that those books become more than just a cover you barely remember. I’ll share several other benefits to your writing book reviews in a few minutes.

Why are you leaving a review?

Now, for this question, I have to say it depends on who you are.

Readers

If you are simply a reader who loves books, you may leave a review because you appreciate the time the writers, editors and publishers put into the book. You may want to help other readers in choosing their next book. You may just love to share when you find a book that really speaks to you.

In this case, I want to make it clear that you do not have to leave a review if a book just wasn’t your cup of tea. Most of us have some fairly clear preferences when it comes to what we really enjoy reading. But, you may also be a reader who likes to go outside of those preferences once in a while. Good for you! I applaud your desire to read something different. You may find a new favorite genre, or you may just solidify the fact that you simply can’t make it through that grisly horror story! That is totally okay, and it’s equally okay to not leave a review in that instance. If you do, though, my guidelines will help you in how to leave a helpful and KINND book review.

Writers

For writers, it gets a little more challenging. Many of us remain active in numerous writing communities—online or in our communities. As a result, we frequently read books outside of our preferences out of a desire to support fellow writers. That makes reviewing books more challenging, and we have to learn how to take our points of view out of the equation.

For example, I do not like reading young adult books that have teenage angst and drama oozing out of their pages. It’s just not my thing. I survived the teenage years and have no desire to revisit them in any format! But … I know quite a few authors who write in that genre, and I want to read their work and encourage them.

The other aspect that makes writing book reviews slightly muddled for writers is we have spent a great deal of time—I would be so bold as to argue, too much time—studying the how tos of writing. Our heads are filled with all the rules and thou shalts and thou shalt nots of plot and characterization and development and story structures and arcs and …

You fell asleep, didn’t you? Don’t worry, I was sleeping while I typed that.

The point is, we have a tendency to try to apply whatever latest craft tip we learned onto the book we’re currently reading. While it may be helpful for us to think through how to properly implement these things in our own writing by considering it in others’, a book review may not be the place to expound on all that. We can note some of these details, but they shouldn’t be the focus of our review.

Plus, just because Mr. Q. Writing Guru declared last week that only boring old codgers in three-piece suits should write in third person omniscient point of view does not mean there’s anything wrong with Susie Debut Author’s third person omni book.

Anyway, at the end of the day, our reviews should reflect the same answer to the “Why” question as readers’. We just have a few hedges obstructing our view along the way.

Bloggers/Reviewers

It’s bloggers and reviewers jobs to be honest—brutally if needed—on the books they read. However, I have to say that those who take the brutal part to extremes are overlooking the big picture of reviews. That’s where my outline of a KINND review may help.

A good book critic will also stick to a few genres (at the most) that they genuinely enjoy. They will know those types of books well and write directly to readers who also love that style or would at least like to give it a shot.

What do YOU get out of it?

Expanding on what I mentioned above about internalizing what you read, you get a written record of the books you read—when you read them and what you really thought at the time. If you read more than a couple books a year—and you’re as forgetful as me—having reviews to quickly pull up and refresh your memory can help when you want to share a book recommendation with a friend, but you can’t remember exactly why you thought they’d like it.

Perhaps you read a book when it first released, but it’s just become popular (i.e. someone made a movie based on it) a decade later and you can’t quite remember what you liked or didn’t about it.

Plus, you have a forever list of all the great books you’ve read over the years. Sometimes we read books during certain seasons in our life, and those events and stories become forever connected. Book reviews help you remember the dates of those big life moments.

Finally, you get the satisfaction of knowing you have helped an author stand out a little more in the vast ocean of literature.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. In all the research I’ve been doing about how to and how not to advertise and market, I’ve read countless words about things like market research, target audience and so much more. But, guess what? None of that really matters.

*gasp*

I know that sounded heretical to my marketing guru friends, but hear me out on this.

Ask ten readers how they choose their next book, and I guarantee you at least nine of them will say they listen to “a friend’s recommendation.”

You’re probably thinking, “So what? What’s that got to do with reviews?”

At the end of the day, no matter how strategic an author is when it comes to marketing and advertising, nothing can beat a personal recommendation. Goodreads helps with that. You probably take note of what your friends are reading. After a while, you have a handful who you know are going to give good recommendations or who read similar books to you. Those are the ones you’ll look to when you’re wondering what cover to open next.

So, while authors research and guess and cross our fingers, we’re really hoping for a few great readers who fall as deeply in love with our stories as we have. From there, we have to hope even harder that they’ll pass the word along.

Where should you post your reviews?

Personally, when I read a book that I thought was outstanding, I cannot wait to share it with my reader friends and I want to read more by that author. When I post my review on Goodreads, friends can see what I thought about it. I can even recommend it to specific friends if I want. Then, I can do a quick search to see what else that author has written and add a few more titles to my to-be-read list and maybe even give them a follow. A simple copy-and-paste allows me to share that same review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, BookBub, other purchase sites—like a local independent book store—and my local library site.

Boom!

Five extra minutes, and we can spread the love of that review all over for readers around the world and make that author and his or her work that much more visible. (For other ways you can help out your favorite authors, check out my post on being an Active Reader!)

Please join me for Part 2 in this series as I explain exactly what each letter in my acrostic stands for and how they can make your reviews both positive and constructive.

Do you write book reviews? Do you want to start? What are some questions you have about how to write reviews? If you’re on Goodreads, please give me a follow! It’s one of my favorite online places to hang out. And, be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter. I will have a special book review guide PDF for my subscribers next week!

The post KINND Book Reviews: Why Write Them? appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Found in Loss

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 tale of Marin’s Ceremony  if you’d like to read more!

After the ceremony sealing her Calling as Shepherdess of the Seas, Marin celebrated with all the peoples and creatures of her realm. She dove to the depths with the Undines, sashayed around the corals with the seahorses and waltzed atop the waves with the dolphins. They returned her to her now-serene rock. As she waved them home, she couldn’t quite feel her smile and sank down along the rock wall onto the moist, cold seat that usually brought her solace.

As the elation drifted slowly from her heart, another emotion replaced it. Maelphaeus’ greatest weapon.

Fear.

When Dhae anoints a new shepherd with his or her Calling, the Darkness of the great enemy begins its vilest assault. It was no different for Marin.

Cannonballs of fear rammed into her now in this opening battle against her soul.

Once embedded within her core, the ammunition came alive. Fear coiled and writhed, making itself larger with every movement—intent on her destruction. The pre-dawn blackness deepened as it enveloped her in its gloom.

Marin released a gasp as the terror opened a chasm to consume her. The beating of her heart slowed as she felt it being crushed—slowly, relentlessly squeezed tighter, ever tighter.

Her lungs failed as she released the last of her breath with an exhale of horror. She rocked forward and crawled to the rock’s edge where she knelt, hands gripping her neck, begging for air to travel inside her once more. She lifted her driftwood-brown eyes heavenward, shooting a silent breathless prayer to Dhae for his salvation.

A glimmer—barely discernible. The heavens heard.

A flash here, a shimmer there. Shooting stars sent messages across the expanse. Others pushed clouds aside, revealing the calming iridescence of the moon’s presence. After the pitch, the glow blinded Marin for a mere moment—long enough to distract her from the ripples approaching. With a flip of his powerful tail, a merman emerged and hoisted himself onto the rock beside her.

Marin was fading. Her eyes’ lights had all but extinguished, and she sank down just in time to meet his waiting arms. Before Fear carried her consciousness away, she experienced two final sensations as he pulled her against his chest.

Marin felt the strength of the waves rippling beneath his skin and heard their crashing in the rhythm of his heart.

His straight blond hair glowed beneath the night’s light, and his eyes shone yellow as he uttered words she could no longer hear. His prayer released, he laid her gently down. Lifting her chin and sealing her mouth with his lips, he breathed the life of the Sea into her. This process requires words not found in English and descriptions not understood by those who speak it.

As Marin would later explain, with his breath, she plunged into the deepest ocean trench before being shot through the water—up, up—breathing in through the briny shots of ocean water rocketing her toward the shimmering surface.

She felt herself cast out into cold and drying air, shocked alive to discover the solid support of her rock beneath her and a face as strong as the Gulf’s Stream, kind as a manatee, breathtaking as the sun rising from the ocean and magnetic as the moon’s pull on the tide. The breath she took lasted long and replenished all those she’d lost in the night. As her lungs had their fill and the rhythm of her heart returned, she felt the sun’s first reaching rays tickle her cheek.

She fell long into the ocean-blue eyes before her and deep into the smile that lit them.

With her fall into RieAnder, the mer-prince of the Gulf, Marin found herself as she shed the scales of her great battle—the enemy’s defeat and her own loss.

A loss of fear.

“ Found in Loss” Copyright © 2019 by Joy E. Rancatore. All Rights Reserved.

What do you think about Marin and RieAnder? Do you have any favorite books that give mermen a voice? I’d love to hear about them! If you enjoyed this story, please head over to my site 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 February’s prompt, “Loss,” 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!

The post Found in Loss appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Why Should You Have a Business Plan?

Before you click away because you don’t plan to open a shop, let me make a case for why everyone should have a business plan—or life plan, if you prefer. First, I think you’ll find my reasons below fit you and your life and where you want to go in it. Second, just because you aren’t launching a business or hoping to sell thousands of copies of books doesn’t mean you don’t have dreams.

A dream is simply a goal waiting to be set and the intentions to achieve it.

So, what do you need to realize it? You guessed it! A plan.

Taking the time to write out your dreams and goals for your life or business may just be the best-spent time you’ll ever have. You will learn more about yourself: your values, your deepest longings, your fears, your worries. You will also find your eyes opened to opportunities all around you.

Friend, if you have a desire that you simply cannot shake, you can make it your reality … but not without careful thought, intentional planning and hard work. 

That’s where your written life plan comes into play. What, exactly, can you expect to receive from a written plan? Your reward will come in the form of focused goals and directed timelines.

Focused Goals

You will not fully understand what is most important to you until you take the time to sit quietly and dig deep within to find it.

You’ve probably noticed I keep mentioning writing your plan. That part is just as important as the thinking aspect.

Daydreams can be great. They teach us things; they broaden our minds, our imaginations.

Daydreams are also like dandelion fluff—they drift away with the gentle puff of reality.

If you want to move from dreams to accomplishment in any area of your life, you need to hold those little seeds of ideas close by, plant them lovingly, weed around them, feed them and then watch them grow into something far more lovely than you had in the beginning.

Think of putting pen to paper as planting. Writing out these dreams, these goals, these desires solidifies them as real, tangible. Reading back over what you come up with is like seeing that tiny shoot peeking through the damp earth, daring to grow—to reach up toward the life-giving sunlight—and to become a focal point for your life’s landscape.

Focus was my word of the year for 2017. I needed it! My goals were all over the place. I wanted to work on this book and that book and this story and that story. Because I had no focus, I was floundering and couldn’t get anything accomplished.

Without focus, your dream will be that seed that flies off and lands in a place where it will never take root.

It will, instead, rot and disintegrate. Don’t let that be the fate of your beautiful dreams.

Write out that giant dream of yours—this is your ultimate goal.

Now the real work begins!

Directed Timelines

Once you have a focused destination in mind, you’ve got to know how to get there and how long it will take you to arrive.

Travelers have maps with keys to understand them and to determine the length of their journey ahead. Your plan will be your map and key for life.

Perhaps purchasing a house in a better neighborhood would be a good example to use for a life plan. You know you want to move there in ten years. So, how are you going to get there?

First, congratulations—you’ve already set a deadline! For me, this is a huge step that I cannot skip. Like I shared a while ago, setting deadlines enables me to focus. (It’s the journalist in me!)

In writing your business or life plan, you will jot down all the steps you must take in order to achieve your focused goal. This is a vital step because our dreams often feel untouchable. They’re just too lofty for us to picture actually coming true. When we break large goals down into attainable ones, the process becomes a one-bite-at-a-time concept rather than anxiety over how to eat a 7-ton elephant.

Likely, your house-buying goal will require multiple financial goals to achieve. You may also need to build up equity in the home in which you currently reside. Perhaps it needs some updates or additions to make it more marketable. You may even need to change your lifestyle or take a new or extra job.

Once you have all your stepping stones listed out, you can set deadlines for each of those smaller goals. This will give you a timeline to determine if you can make your ultimate deadline or if you need to alter it.

It will also show you that giant goal is achievable after all.

Writing a business plan is similar to writing a story.

Writers have to know where they’re starting and where they’ll end up, then they begin to fill in the gaps with points to help characters arrive where they need to at the right time. Once those details get figured out, an outline gets completed with the heart of the story.

What will your accomplished dream look like?

You may have been silently yelling at your screen this whole time, “But, Joy! Dandelions are WEEDS! Why on earth would you compare my dreams to a weed?!”

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, my friend! Two of my favorite plants just happen to be considered weeds. In my eyes, though, dandelions and thistles are some of the most lovely flowers in God’s grand creation. Their beauty may not be flashy like a rose or a tulip, but they humbly adorn roadsides and meadows, provide useful qualities for those who know how to use them and splash a little color in otherwise drab areas.

Proudly let your humble little dreams splash their colors on those who will appreciate them. All it takes is a plan …

Ready to get started?

What kind of plan do you need to write? Is it a business plan or a life plan? What are your seemingly unattainable dreams right now? I’d love to hear how you break them down and make them a reality! Drop me an email any time.

In the meantime, please subscribe to receive my weekly newsletter. I will be sharing more details about my business plan in the coming months, including details on how I drafted it!

The post Why Should You Have a Business Plan? appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

What My Business Plan Taught Me

January offered me a perfect opportunity to focus on writing a business plan for my aspirations as an Indie Author but also for the Press I plan to launch this year. The process took me much longer than I anticipated, but it was worth every second for all the lessons drafting my business plan taught me.

In the coming months, I’ll be sharing actual pieces of my business plan with you in various ways. For today, though, I will share some of the general lessons I learned.

Thanks to writing my business plan, I developed better focus as I did detailed research into the publishing industry and dug deeper into my personal dreams and motivations, all while performing a serious reality check when it came to the financial and time commitments needed to be a successful Indie Author and Publisher.

Narrowed Focus
Who I am …

Thanks to my background in both journalism and public relations with many years of business writing for others under my belt, I have a decent understanding of mission statements and taglines. I have written and read many over the years—some outstanding ones and some … not so much!

(Let’s just hope I haven’t written any in that last category!)

While these brief snip-its are far from easy to write, they are quite simple in one way.

Mission statements and taglines zoom directly to the heart of a company and quickly relay its focus and purpose.

So, when you take the time to write such a concise piece of the business puzzle, it’s like unlocking a miniature of what the final picture will be.

A few months back, I wrote taglines for me and for my press. You can read all about the process of creating those and my logo in this blog post. (By the way, it happens to be one of my favorite posts of all time!)

Because of the time I had spent thinking through just the right words—and keeping them to only five or six words—writing mission statements came pretty easily.

I hadn’t considered jotting down core values, though. As I got to that part, I found four values that leapt out at me and promise to be guiding beacons through the many business decisions awaiting me in the decades ahead.

What I’m doing …

Through careful planning of projects and publications, I determined the stories and books and projects that are most important to me. I then put each on a timeline of when I want to have them available for my readers.

That made drafting a production schedule a snap!

(Of course, with a production schedule staring me in the face, I better understand just how much time it will take to achieve each goal.)

How I’m going to get there …

By breaking down my larger, ultimate goals into small, bite-size pieces, I can schedule out my work time to complete each task, one by one.

When you look at the big picture of six years’ worth of plans, it’s pretty overwhelming.

Okay—extremely overwhelming.

However, laying it all out this way enables me to pare it down and down and down until I’m focusing my attention on one day at a time, one word at a time, one sentence at a time, one paragraph at a time, one chapter at a time, one book at a time.

Detailed Research

I’m going to be unashamedly honest with you for this part.

(Not that I’m not always honest in my posts, but you know what I mean!)

When I read the part about needing to research and analyze comparable authors and titles, I dreaded it. I know “comps” are important in business, but … ugh!

Where do I even start? How do I know if I’m even comparing apples to apples? Maybe I’m more of a durian fruit, if we’re really being honest.

Well, I pushed myself and refused to ignore these sections because this business is incredibly important to me. Boy, am I glad I did!

I discovered that, not only was the research not nearly as difficult as I expected, it was also quite enjoyable with insightful results.

Between Google searches then blurb reads and review stalking on Goodreads and Amazon, I made my list of authors to learn from, compare myself to (in all the positives of that process) and—maybe even one day—partner with. Over the next couple of months, I have a nice tall stack of books to read. I cannot wait!

Other research included comparable pricing of my books and studying what my similar authors are doing to reach out to their readers—or aren’t doing, as I also realized.

Deeper Digging

With only so much time in the day and so many resources, I also had to dig deep inside of myself to determine what in my business aspirations is most important to me.

I had to think through how I would handle various issues that might arise in the course of the Press and publishing and think through solutions or, better, ways to avoid them altogether.

Another crucial aspect of business planning is determining what sets you apart.

What can I offer that others aren’t? What’s going to make a reader choose my book over a similar title next to it? How am I going to reach the readers that other authors aren’t?

While many of these answers came through in my marketing plans and business structure sections, they also guided and steered my updated approach to my online presence in the coming year.

Checked Reality

What is the reality for an Indie Author these days?

Here comes that honesty again, friends.

You know that picture of celebrity authors walking the red carpet in fabulous gowns after arriving from their castles? I know, I know … but it’s nice to imagine and dream.

The truth is books may seem super expensive these days, but do you know how much of that book’s cost actually goes to the author? Not much at all.

You may know how traditional publishing works. The author signs a contract and gets an advance from the publishing company. Then, they don’t see another penny until the publisher makes up all their upfront costs (including the advance). At that point, it’s a small percentage. Plus, if the author has an agent, that person gets their cut first.

For Indie Authors, we have to hire our editors, cover designers and formatters up front on top of setup fees, ISBN costs, copyrights and so much more (the traditional role of a publisher). Then, for every book that gets sold, we have to subtract the cost of production and shipping, plus a percentage the company that prints them gets. The store that sells them gets their cut, of course. And, there are the daily costs of keeping up websites and emails and domains and such, shipping out Advanced Reader Copies to bookstores, reviewers and book bloggers and let’s not even get started on advertising costs!

And then there are wretched taxes. You do NOT want to get me on that soap box!

Plus, do you have any idea how many books were published in 2018? It’s in the millions. So, how on this giant earth of ours, do I make mine stand out?

Consider my reality properly checked.

Once I got all these numbers that have been swimming in my head down in black and white, the uphill climb ahead became much more clear.

It is most assuredly a risk.

But it’s a risk I’m willing to take because I believe in my stories and—thankfully—so does my family. Now, thanks to the lessons my business plan taught me, I am going into this next stage informed, prepared and properly planned.

LET’S DO THIS!!

Check back in next time to learn why I think every author—and person, in general—should have a business plan!

What about you? Do you have a business plan or a life plan? How do you write yours out? How many years out do you go? How detailed do you get?

In the meantime, tap the button below to subscribe to my weekly newsletter for more behind-the-scenes updates and details and a few thank-you freebies for signing up!

The post What My Business Plan Taught Me appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Why Have an Online Book Club?

This past month has found radio silence from me on some days on social media—most notably on Mondays when I typically host my online book club.

One of the reasons for this is I’ve been focused on three primary tasks:

Drafting and revising my business plan for my press,
Dreaming up a production plan for all the stories raging to get out of my brain and
Determining a writing and work schedule to make it all happen.

Another reason for my absence is a big part of all of the above. I decided to rename my book club and give it far more attention as I move forward in my writing career. Why?

Because I am passionate about the many benefits of book clubs.
Because I love book clubs and the readers in them.
And, because I want to remain connected to readers.

So, I present to you …

Logos & Mythos Book Club

#LAMBookClub

Purpose

Book Clubs are wonderful.

*insert a giant sigh of satisfaction*

Before I started this online book club back in the summer of 2017, I had participated in two traditional ones in two different states where we met monthly in person. I loved both of them and enjoyed the distinct dynamics each had, thanks to the unique membership in them. During both time periods, my children were younger and my husband worked most nights. It was easy for me to put the kiddos to bed and set out some snacks for my friends to come over and discuss that month’s read. It worked well for that time.

However, my kids have grown up a good bit.

With that comes later bedtimes and more out-of-the-house activities. Plus, my life has become much more busy and complicated and makes committing to one book a month more challenging. I don’t have quite as much time to read, so I very strategically choose the books I read because—Alas!—I cannot read all of the ones I want. It just doesn’t make sense for me to give a reading slot to a book I may not really want to read.

It just doesn’t make sense for me to give a reading slot

to a book I may not really want to read.

Joy E. Rancatore

However, I miss the discussion and camaraderie that comes with a book club. It dawned on me back before I started this online book club, that you could have that same experience without everyone reading the same book … or being in the same location!

That’s how the idea for an online book club got started.

How it works

I decided to put up a post once a week where fellow readers could interact in two primary ways:

By sharing great books they’re reading with others.
By asking for recommendations for good reads from others.

When you read a book that makes your lit-loving heart go pitter-patter, don’t you just want to share? Me too!

Do you ever have times when you want to shake things up a bit and read something outside of your regular genre or you just can’t decide what to read yet? Me too!

This weekly post provides an opportunity for both.

Each Monday I put up this post across social media platforms—Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Readers can comment any time during the week to share a great read or to ask for a recommendation. Even if you aren’t able to read multiple books throughout the week, you can still interact and add books to your to-be-read list or share some thoughts on a book you also read or give some suggestions for someone who’s looking for a good read in a genre you’re especially fond of!

Using the special hashtag—#LAMBookClub—you can share my posts or make your own posts, and we can easily find what everyone’s sharing in our book club!

Plus, you can participate and interact from anywhere in the world at whatever time works for you!

Time zones don’t matter in this club!

I also decided in April 2018 to add the monthly Facebook LIVE Book Club event as a chance for me to interact live with some folks about what we’re reading and later with others who can’t make my recording time.

Plans

My desire for Logos and Mythos Book Club is to promote the value of reading and discussing literature. Plus, I want to promote the importance of book clubs by possibly encouraging you to start one or get involved with an existing one in your community.

I wanted to provide an option for others like me who may not have the time to meet in person or may not want to read a set book each month.

And, finally, this all leads into something I hadn’t even considered when I first launched: an opportunity for me, as an author, to interact with book clubs and readers all over the world!

As I have reflected on all this club has come to be and all it can be in the future, I have realized how important book clubs will be to my continued career as a writer and publisher.

Future

As I progress closer and closer to publishing my own books, I’m hoping to incorporate a few more things through this online book club:

Book Club Shoutout: This is something I plan to start but haven’t decided when. While I’m still thinking about all the details of what it will look like, I know I want to highlight clubs all over the world and let them share what they do and how they do it and what books they’re reading. I’m getting excited just thinking about it!
Beta Book Clubs: Sooner than you may think, I’ll be seeking for some Beta Book Clubs. Basically, when my books are super close to publication—but not quite—I will be looking for a willing club to give my book a shot and give me their candid reactions. These clubs will be part of both my reader team and my launch team as they help me smooth out the final wrinkles before the world gets the finished product.
Book Club Chats: Once I have a book out in the world, I look forward to meeting with clubs all over the world to discuss the book with them, answer questions and maybe even read a passage. I will meet in person with some who live near me, but I can meet with many others all over the world, thanks to the technological beauty of the video chat!
Book Club … Book: On top of all the rest of this, I plan to release a nonfiction book all about—you guessed it!—Book Clubs! Stay tuned for questions and opportunities to participate in my research and preparation for writing that book as well as opportunities for your club to be featured! My tentative production plan lists 2020 as my projected release year.

 

What do you think about an online book club? Have you been part of something like this before? What are some things you’re excited about with our Logos & Mythos Book Club and what suggestions do you have to make it even better?

I can’t wait to hear all your thoughts! In the meantime, I would love for you to join my Fellowship of newsletter subscribers. Over the next few months, I’ve got many exciting new details to share about my press and about publishing my first books. My subscribers will be the first to know it all!

The post Why Have an Online Book Club? appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

How Book Clubs Bring Authors & Readers Together

When I say “author,” what comes to your mind? 
Do you hear the clicking of a typewriter drifting from the open window of a cabin in the woods? When you zoom in through the window, do you see a room with a crumpled paper-littered floor, a half-empty decanter next to a slightly brown-bottomed glass and smoke rising from a nearby ash tray?

If so, you’re not the only one.

Authors have historically been these islands drifting on the sea of their own philosophy. That, or these little groups, closed off with their pipes and drams, debating spiritedly over the merits of various types of fiction.
For all our technological advances and global citizenship, we writers haven’t changed a whole lot. These days it’s hashtag games and Twitter chats and secret online groups—all of which I love and am thankful for, as you know.
However … that same international accessibility makes it far more possible and—I would declare—necessary for authors to reach out to and connect with readers. 

No writer is an island.

Joy E. Rancatore

Certain contracts and genres seem to put the brakes on this newfound advantage—much more on that at another time, as it’s a topic that’s still sifting in my mind—however, those authors are missing out and, I fear, will be left behind.

So, how can authors best catch hold of these brave new opportunities? Possibilities abound! I’m going to focus on what I believe will be the most mutually beneficial venue—book clubs.

Within these clubs, an even larger literary community exists. For each active book club member, there are at least two dear friends just as passionate about reading. For every two of them are two more, and so the influence spreads.

Let me give you an example.

Said my dear friend Megan to me nine years ago, “You should read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society with your book club. You’ll love it!”

A few nights later, “Hey guys! What about this book with the weird title for next month? My friend loved it, and the library had a kit. Here are copies for everyone.”

One month later, “Wow!” In other words, a great book club discussion followed.

The following weeks to friends at church, at the gym, on the phone, on Facebook, “My book club just read this book you have to check out! Let me tell you all about it!”
Get the picture, authors?
I’ve probably established that focusing on clubs is beneficial to authors, but what’s in it for the readers?
Great question!
And, that’s where many authors—particularly Indie Authors—are flipping the industry on its head. We’re breaking out of our cabins and running out to interact with the readers for whom we write. We want to experience the reactions of others to our words. Sure, we cried when we had to kill that character. We laughed so loud we woke our cat when we wrote that scene. We fell head over heels in love with that character, too. We want to watch those same reactions in the reader. We want to see when those emotions don’t come through, too.

Let us experience our words through your eyes, and we will become better writers for you.

Joy E. Rancatore

When book clubs and authors come together, readers get to ask their questions about the book, the characters and the author’s inspiration.
Readers may be surprised at who influenced that character or what so-and-so really meant when they said this or where they went after their fight or how the author envisioned they found closure after they went their separate ways.
Did you know some authors hide Easter eggs in their books of their own life? Names, birthdates, real life experiences.

Through the magic of science and technology, your book club can host a favorite author virtually and ask all those burning questions and learn even more details about the books in which you invest your time.

We can give you discussion guides with a personal note from us. Together, we can make the reading experience far more immersive and make it feel more like the partnership it’s always been.
You see …

Authors and readers comprise two halves of a beautiful whole—like the two covers that fold together to cradle the precious words between.

Joy E. Rancatore

It’s about time we strengthen our bindings through the power of interactive book clubs. 

What about you? Are you part of a book club? Have you ever hosted a chat with an author? I want to hear all about it! Virtual or in person? What did you ask?

Authors, have you ever visited with a book club? How was it? What was the best part for you?

Now’s a great time to subscribe to my weekly newsletter. Join me for exclusive content (including a short story only available to my subscribers), behind-the-scenes details and photos and so much more!

The post How Book Clubs Bring Authors & Readers Together appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

What Is a Book Club … and How Can It Benefit You?

What is a Book Club?

Now, this may seem like a simple question, especially for you. If you’re reading this post on my tiny little corner of the web, chances are pretty strong you’re a fairly avid reader who’s likely been involved in a book club at some point.

Or one of my family members. (Love you guys!)  

Maybe, just maybe, I’ll give you something new today about book clubs or—at the very least—spark an excitement in you. 

To dive right in, here’s my completely non-academic definition for you on what a book club is:

A Book Club is a regular meeting of a group of people

coming together around a literary focal point

for a common purpose.

Seems pretty straightforward and solid, right?

Well …

Let’s break it down:

“Regular”

So, a book club meets monthly on the same day, same time, same location?

Not necessarily. For some groups, “regular” could mean bimonthly, quarterly, twice a year or something else altogether. The time may be adjustable based on the members’ schedules. Some groups may meet in one spot every time—like a library or a church or a local business with a community room. Others rotate meeting at members’ houses. Some may even meet at local parks or restaurants.

“Meeting”

Then, a book club is a formal affair with minutes kept and attendance scrutinized?

Perhaps.

*Joy looks off into space as she pictures a room full of men in three-piece suits, puffing on pipes and sloshing their whisky during a particularly animated discussion of the literary merits of Chaucer.*

Okay, I’m back.

Not usually. Book clubs tend to be much more informal, though they don’t have to be. Have you watched The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society yet? It is so good, you must watch it! After you read the book, of course. Anyway, that little group took their discussions and readings quite seriously, and I adore them for it!

“Group of People”

How many folks are we talking here?

I would say you need at least two. Although Gollum/Sméagol would probably have a highly entertaining meeting on his own! I’d pay big to watch their discussion about the ending to The Return of the King.

“We hates it! We hates it!”

“Poor Sm éagol!”

Back to the number a “group” connotes … I wouldn’t be so bold as to declare a maximum number of people in a book club, but they do tend to be on the smaller side. Although, how cool would it be if we packed out the Saints’ Superdome to chat about a book?

“Who dat say dey gonna read dem books?!?!” (And that’s how Joy was thrown out of New Orleans.)

With chanting like that, discussion could get a little challenging!

“Coming Together”

But, we’ve got to meet face-to-face, right?

Back in the good ol’ days, yes. Although, Book-Club-by-Letter sounds fascinating! (And, there she goes to jot down another Shiny New Idea!)

Today, we have Skype and Facebook LIVE and so much more.

“Literary Focal Point”

Well, at least we’re agreed that we’re all reading the same book.

Actually …

Oh, come on!

Hear me out … the traditional format for a book club requires the group to choose one book that everyone reads and then discusses. But, there are other options with this too.

They could choose to hear presentations from one or two members each time where they share what book they’ve recently read. They could also choose to take a genre and each read a different book within it to report on. Same thing with an author or a subject time period or a specific region for the authors.

The possibilities are endless!

“Common Purpose”

Neither common nor a purpose, right?

It could be common. Of course, it could also be unique.

Don’t worry. We’re pretty safe with purpose … though what that purpose is becomes the question. Right off the bat, I’m sure you’d say the purpose of a book club would be to share a good book with others. While that’s true, I believe the best book clubs run far deeper.

To be honest, the purpose of a book club could vary from member to member. Some may desire the personal enrichment that comes from regularly reading literature. Others want to broaden their exposure to various types of books. Some find both a purpose and a release through attending.

Let me give you an example from my own life to show you what I mean.

Soon after my oldest child was born, I started my first book club. We were a ladies-only group and most of us were new moms with little kiddos under foot. This became our escape—our monthly chance to foster our mutual love of reading while we got some much-needed adult time away from the little creatures that clung to us all day long. Each of us had some sort of literary background—some with degrees; all with a lifelong love of reading.

For us, our common purpose was to have an outlet for our interests with likeminded friends who were trudging through the same season of life at the same time.

How can it benefit you?

Now that we’ve established exactly what a book club is—HA!—how can one benefit you?

Honestly, this is a “let-me-count-the-ways” situation for me; but I’ve whittled my list down to five for you today.

· Brain Exercise

Do you ever play those games that exercise your brain? I love those things!

Active participation in a group like a book club—with their lively, often deep discussions—can do the same thing for you.

· Broader Literary Experiences

Most readers get rather stuck in a book rut. We read through the entire Louis L’Amour shelf at our library. We hop aboard the whodunit train with Agatha Christie, Mary Higgins Clark and others. We make sure to steer clear of the nonfiction section.

Whatever our preference (or aversion), we tend to camp there. While there’s nothing wrong with having a favorite genre, I’m bold enough to say there’s quite a bit wrong with never reading something different or—dare I say—out of our comfort zone.

When you’re part of a group that reads together, chances are (unless you’re the Sherlock Holmes-Only Reading Group) you each have a different preferred genre or two.

Put you all together, and you’ve got a well-rounded bookshelf, my friend!

· Built-in Literary Community

One of my passions—which you will hear much more about in the coming weeks and months—centers around the promotion of a literary community.

I won’t take much of your reading time now to go more in-depth with this topic, except to say every reader is part of a literary community whether they realize it or not. Some are a party-of-one member; however, when they join a book club—Voila!—built-in literary community!

· Community

We all crave community. Many of us find this most within our local church. We get it with our family and friends. Some find it at their gym or country club or neighborhood bar where everybody knows their name.

Book clubs pull people together with a common interest and offer them an opportunity to get to know one another in surprisingly deep ways. After all, you can’t discuss Jane Eyre without diving deep inside your own psyche.

· Friends and Memories for Life

And, tying on with that last one, the people with whom you experience the classics or discover a brand new favorite author or bemoan the letdown of an over-hyped new release will be your friends for life.

The memories of the laughter and tears you share over books will stick with you long after you’ve all moved to various corners of the globe or taken up new positions at work or transitioned to a different season of life.

That’s true of the two traditional in-person book clubs I’ve had the great privilege of being part of; and it’s equally true of the online book club I’ve slowly started via my social media networks. (More on that in just a moment.)

Where do I sign up?

If you’re not already involved with a book club, I’d venture a guess that there are several already in your community. Check out your local library, coffee shops or local businesses.

Don’t have one nearby? Start your own!

You do have another option … find an online reader community. You’ve got tons of ways to do that, but I suggest you check out Goodreads—one of my favorite websites of all time. It’s a giant book club itself, but you can also find smaller, more specific clubs within their groups.

Oh, and give me a follow while you’re there!

Last, but—I believe—far from least, is my own online book club. If you’ve followed me for a while by subscribing to my newsletter or through social media, you will know what I’m talking about. If not, you can catch all the previous chats on my Facebook page!

If you’ve hung out on my social media pages or happened to catch the January Book Club, you might also know that the club’s getting a tiny facelift for the new year.

I will be re-launching it in a few short weeks with a new name and even more excitement and purpose than I had in the beginning. Won’t you join me for the unveiling?

What about you? Have you ever been part of a book club? Are you part of one now? I would love to hear all about it—the good, the bad, the wine of choice. Comment below or shoot me an email any time. I love to chat!

Now’s the perfect time to subscribe to my weekly newsletter. I’m adding surveys to the mix so I can learn more about you and your reading preferences. Join me for exclusive content (including a short story only available to my subscribers), behind-the-scenes details and photos and so much more!

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Hope’s Colours

The following is a short story that will one day be part of a much larger series of books surrounding Elspeth, Shepherdess of the Fae. You can read a longer tale of Elspeth in The Crux Anthology as well as further short pieces surrounding other characters on my Tales of the Faerie Shepherds Page.

 

Leaves and branches bowed before the wind’s ominous whispers. Raisie shivered as its ill feelings spiraled around her. Shutting her emerald eyes, she tipped her face up toward the hiding sun above, willing its rays to warm her. As the Darkness had gathered all around her own little garden and rumours of its might across the realms poured in on the wings of the butterflies, birds, bees—and even in the forced smiles of her kin, the other Faeries—this icy pang had grown within her core where it had settled and taken hold of her heart, her dreams and her thoughts.

No warmth responded to her internal pleas, so Raisie bowed her head and sighed before moving amongst her flowers. Long ago, when the great gifts were handed down from Dhae, Creator of all, her line of Flower Faeries had been granted the Power of the Rainbow. From her fingertips flowed the creative force of Colour. The hues of her flowers in this tiny, hidden garden rested unmatched in all the other realms.

In her earlier millenia, the Faerie would float and flit carefree and proud through the rows around her as she danced and sang out every colour she could imagine to dress each plant in turn. Her hair flashed in the sun’s light then, the brightest red ever seen upon the head of a being—human, Faerie or other. It would dance around her head of its own accord, as she coloured the garden within the hedgerow, and continued to wave happily as she conversed with her friends and aided in other daily tasks. Laughter trickled from her then as swiftly as waters flow from the falls.

These days, her hair hung lifeless, lighter than ever. Smiles did not appear often on her face; her lips had lost the feel of laughter upon them; and her shoulders sagged under the weight of the burdens they bore. The Evil and Darkness felt too great, too matchless; and the Hope of the Light had faded within Raisie’s soul. She walked now between the rows, her fingertips lightly brushing petals in her passing, leaving behind dark and dreary colours spreading out from her wake.

Her darkened thoughts discovered interruption in the form of a lighter Faerie’s glowing form. She stepped in front of Raisie and earned a gasp from the preoccupied Colour-giver. Her brightness shone all around, but her expression was stern and concerned as she stood, cross-armed, in the midst of the path. She tapped a dainty toe in the earth as she waited for Raisie to reach her.

“Look behind you, Raisie. Take in the darkness you’re spreading these days. You are a Light Faerie. Create like one.”

Lailiana’s silver hair fanned out and floated around her as she spoke and, though her tone was firm, a kind urging lifted up each word as her eyes covered Raisie with care and affection.

Raisie again lowered her lashes as she considered the earth beneath them—the earth they cared for and nurtured. Once her thoughts formed into a verbal response, they came softly, cautiously.

“What can beings as small as we do against the Evil Force growing ever stronger across all of Creation?”

Clouds of softness and strength passed across Lailiana’s face as she reached out to gently lift Raisie’s pale chin until their eyes met.

“Nothing,” came the simple response. Though a smile wrapped it up and promised more as Lailiana continued. “Nothing but put one foot in front of the other every day. Tend our flowers and breathe our gifted beauty into them. And, believe. Believe that all the prophecies—the promises—will come to be and that we will be willing to give aid when they do; when we’re called upon.”

Lailiana took the Colour-giver’s hands into her own then. “No matter the call. No matter the task. No matter … ”

Fear lingered on the edges of Raisie’s eyes, though determination and Hope spread like the brightening colours behind her as she finished, “No matter the cost.”

“Hope’s Colours” Copyright © 2019 by Joy E. Rancatore. All Rights Reserved.

I’d love to hear what you think about Raisie and Lailiana! This is the first time I’ve shared a tale specifically surrounding a Faerie, but their tales have been building in my imagination for a couple of years. Thank you for reading!

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 January’s prompt, “Flower,” head on over to the BlogBattlers site!

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

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Intentions for 2019

Last week I took you through my reflections on the past year and included a recap of my last two Words of the Year. This week, I’m looking forward! Here is a quick overview of my intentions for 2019, beginning with my Word of the Year.

2019: PERSEVERANCE

It is my goal to start my publishing company this year and to publish at least one book. My biggest obstacle to this happening is financing. But … I am putting plans into place that will go into practice this month that will push these goals into action. Like all those powerful “P” words?

(Anyone else replaying the Friends episode where Joey’s filming that WWI movie?)

My first post of 2018 focused on why I prefer the term goals to resolutions. Check it out here if you’d like to see my thoughts from a year ago. At the end of the day, what it comes down to in my mind is planning.

Resolutions lose their luster;

Goals … given proper planning and purpose …

glow ever brighter.

Joy E. Rancatore

Ultimately, I know all my plans are dependent upon God’s will. Last year, I was greatly reminded how his timing is far more perfect than any timeline I could ever create. At the end of this year, if all my hopes and goals fall through, I know there is a reason … and it’s a good one. So, whatever God’s plans end up being for me, I will persevere—whether I have to change my expectations and goals along the way or not.

Here are a few of my top intentions for 2019. This is only the tip of the iceberg for what I have planned. Also, I’m sharing primarily “big picture” goals with you. Beneath each of these, I have my own extended list of mini goals to—in theory—help me reach the bigger ones.

Family


Communication: This was an area I really let slide last year. I had great intentions, but didn’t stick with them. In order for me to succeed in this career I’ve launched, I need my family’s support. I can’t have that support, though, if I’m not communicating with them about the time I need to work or about my plans for our future. This business is for my family, after all!
Time: As I mentioned last week, I really failed in this aspect in 2018. I was not the wife and mother I needed to be, so family time needs to take priority this year.


Business


Plan: During these first few weeks of 2019, I will be fine-tuning and finalizing both a business plan and a writing/revising/editing/formatting/publishing/marketing schedule.
Finance: Money always seems to be an issue, doesn’t it? While my top intention is to launch the press and publish this year, I cannot do that if I don’t have the finances. But this intention isn’t about the money, exactly; it’s about not freaking out or allowing myself to get depressed if the dollars and cents don’t align in order for me to reach these goals this year. It will happen, and I am going to slowly—penny by penny, if I have to—work toward it until it does.
Clients: I look forward to adding many more author clients this year. I want to help them polish their words and make them shine! If you’re interested in the editing services I provide, check out my Services page and drop me a line with any questions you may have.
Patreon: This is part of my finance plan, and one I am in the very early stages of formulating. I’m excited about catching the eye of a few patrons willing to help me launch my press. More details to come!
Logos & Mythos Press: A large part of this year’s business goals are to officially set up my company, launch its website and learn how to manage and balance both my press brand and my author brand.
Website: I plan to update my website while increasing its ease of use and adding a few exciting elements. Feedback appreciated!
Social Media Focus: In looking back on 2018, I noticed a number of things about my use of social media and picked up on a few things that were working and a few that weren’t. I’ve also got some exciting ideas I want to implement this year that—I truly believe—will take me to the next level of connecting with more outstanding readers. (Can you feel my excitement?)


Writing


Complete revisions and editing for both the novel and novella.
Submit a short story this month to a literary magazine.
Continue to write a short story each month as part of the #BlogBattle challenge and as part of my Tales of the Faerie Shepherds series , which is assisting me in my world-building for this larger fantasy series.
Complete and revise/edit the short stories that accompany my novel.
Remain open to other opportunities.
Co-write at least two nonfiction books. (More details to come! I’m also working on a writing-related project with a friend that might just knock your socks off!)
Outline and begin writing a systematic theology for the family and 1-2 other nonfiction books.
Work on a couple of children’s picture books I began years ago, with one possible release toward the end of this year.


Personal


Institute a day off. As a work-at-home, homeschooling mama, I haven’t had a day off in … about 11 years. While I can’t exactly take a “day off” from keeping children alive, I do plan to take a day off from any kind of work—freelance, school prep, blogging, etc.
Take better care of myself. I’ll be honest, I’ve never been good at the whole self-care thing … and it’s showing. I have had some health issues rising this past year, and it’s high time I start caring for the body God gave me. This includes the standard better diet and increased exercise—Hello, PiYo! Remember me?—but it also calls for a little extra time with a brush or lotion or other such things. And, most importantly, I need to take steps to decrease my anxiety and depression. For me, this begins with my time spent in God’s word, which is part of why I’ll be reading through the Bible again this year. Let me know if you’d like to join me!


Wrapping up …

As you can see, I’ve got a thing or two on my mind these days! Whether all of these goals will be the same in June, only time will tell. It is possible that I’m setting too many goals, but I decided to just go for it. I know which ones are top priority and the order in which I’ll tackle them. From there, I’ll determine if it’s all possible or only partially possible. Either way, I will PERSEVERE!

What about you?

I would love to hear your intentions for 2019. What goals do you have in your sights? What is the biggest thing you hope to accomplish this year? Do you have a Word of the Year? I started that in 2017 before I even knew it was a thing, but apparently it is because I’m seeing it all over the place these days.

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Reflections on 2018

 

 

In a few days, it will be a whole new year—again. Each year goes by faster than the last, and that’s why I think it is supremely important to reflect on the past year’s accomplishments and failures and then look forward to new or updated goals in the new year.

This week I’m looking back, and next week I’ll look ahead.
Accomplishments:
By the Words

Met many, many incredible authors from around the world and developed close relationships with quite a few. It’s a true joy to share this journey together, to support and encourage one another and to lean on one another when we need to. Plus, I have the four most amazing critique partners any writer could ever dream of. Mea , Kelsey, Tauri and Devon , you ladies make me shine and give me the courage to continue. For that, I’m eternally grateful. It is a high honor to read each of your stories and to watch your processes. Each one of you is incredibly gifted, and I look forward to filling my shelves with all your books!
Entered one short story competition and won 2nd place and a spot in The Crux Anthology .
Became a Goodreads Author .
Signed my first book and got to see this anthology on the shelves of my local library.
Determined taglines to focus my “brand” or purpose as an author, a blogger and future Press owner.
Decided the direction and goals of my Press.
Started a monthly online book club via Facebook LIVE .

By the Numbers

1 novel, 1 novella, 10 short stories, 51 blog posts, 58 newsletters, 11 videos and countless revisions
Followers: 1,980 Twitter, 163 Facebook, 345 Instagram, 207 friends/33 followers Goodreads, 69 Pinterest, 82 LinkedIn

Failures

Freelance Fiasco: I won’t go into details, but I made the single worst business decision possible this year and hope to never repeat it. I’m nearing the end of it and pray for wisdom in the future to make wiser agreements.
Family: I have not been the wife and mom I should be. Time and again, I have taken time from them to complete something else. Juggling all I do requires saying no to things; my goal is to choose more wisely in what I say no to—and what I say yes to!
Feelings: Twice recently I have let responses affect me far more adversely than I ever should. Writers have to have thick skin. It is a necessity. This is something I have had for many years, thanks to my background in journalism; however, writing fiction is a whole other beast. Fiction is a writer’s heart and soul sliced out, refined and served raw. When these words are cut apart, they pierce far deeper. While these two experiences taught me a great deal, they primarily opened my eyes to the fact that I now need to develop a new skin. And, I will!
Fear and worry: This year has been both a dream come true and one of the hardest I’ve ever had. I’ve battled fears and worries nearly constantly this year. They’ve run the gamut from finances to the future to whether I’m balancing my time properly to whether the words I’m releasing are the right ones. While I will always fret about something, I must learn not to let those worries consume me. After all, God has shown me more times than I can count that everything happens in his perfect timing. He knows my path to publication, and I simply need to trust in him.

Lessons Learned

Marketing: Thanks in great part to my experience with the release of The Crux Anthology, I got to gently dip my toes into the wild ocean of book marketing. I’ve observed many incredible authors who I greatly admire through their 2018 book launches. Each of them have taught me invaluable lessons. I’m inspired by such creative and smart business people!
Handling Bullies: Several times this year, I’ve witnessed fellow writers fall victim to cowardly bullies on social media. I have watched some handle it with true grace and class and others, not quite as much. It is inevitable that one of these sad people will one day set out to sink their fangs in me. I hope the lessons I’ve learned through my observations will help me respond rightly.
Collaborating: In the coming year, I will be collaborating on at least two projects. This year has been about keeping my eyes open for opportunities like these, and I’m incredibly excited to learn more in 2019 and to share all the brilliant details with you!
Thinking Before Posting: Adding to my list of observations, I’ve seen numerous examples of how NOT to Tweet or post or review. I’m sure you can think of a few, too!

Words of the Year

Two years ago I started claiming a Word of the Year, and it has become one of the best practices I could have. Here’s a recap of my 2017 and 2018 words and how they have helped me reach certain goals.

2017: FOCUS In fine-tuning my writing purpose, I found my initial starting point. Once I got that, every starting point that followed became easier to identify. I chose my focus and stuck to it, completing my first book—a narrative non-fiction.
2018: COMPLETION I did find myself floundering a bit again as I released my first large project and dabbled in a few different ones before reminding myself of a very important fact: a well-defined and successful starting point is worth less than a hill of beans if I never follow through to its completion. I completed initial drafts on a novel and novella and have followed through with the completion of multiple rounds of revisions on the novel. I’ve also completed and published six short stories, some of which you can read for free on my Tales of the Faerie Shepherds page.

I hope you’ll join me back here next week for my 2019 Word of the Year and some Intentions for the upcoming year.

 

What about you? Have you taken a moment to look back at 2018 and soak in the accomplishments, failures and lessons learned? I’d love to hear about it! I have many exciting plans for 2019 and would love to share them all with you. Please consider subscribing to my weekly email newsletter so you never miss a thing!

 

 

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