Jaye Wells's Blog, page 17

Blue-Blooded Vamp

So it’s Tuesday, and if you spend any amount of time hanging around places where authors congregate, you might know that Tuesday is a very important day for book people. It’s important because it’s the day when most book stores lay out new stock, a.k.a. release day.

This particular Tuesday happens to be the day that many booksellers will likely be laying out my new book.* But it’s not just the release of any Jaye Wells book–it’s the fifth and final book in my Sabina Kane series.

BLUE-BLOODED VAMP represents the culmination of five years of work. Maybe that doesn’t sound like a lot of time to authors who have series with 13 or 20 book, but since this is the first series I’ve ever written, it’s significant to me. I have learned so much about myself and about being a writer and about the craft of writing writing these books. I’m proud of them.

It’s also, I hope, significant to the readers who have followed Sabina and the rest of Team Awesome through a lot of crazy shit. Everything from kung fu battles in convenience stores to surprise orgies to trippy voyages through dream lands and battles with Avenger demons. There’s not a lot they haven’t been through together.

I like to think my readers and I, we’ve been through some stuff together, too. Granted, we’ve never faced down a psychopath who killed our sister together, but book signings can sometimes be kind of stressful and don’t get me started in the treacheries involved in blog tours. Plus, these days with everyone so busy, it’s a gamble and a commitment to give a new writer a try. It’s a commitment to try an untested series. Thank you all for reading the books and talking to your friends about them.

Yeah, BLUE-BLOODED VAMP is a special book to me. It marks the end of one chapter in my writing career and opens the door for a new one. Soon enough, you and me, we’ll have a nice long chat about what’s coming, but for now, I want to sit down together in a cozy spot so I can tell you the end of this epic tale. Thanks for taking the journey with me. It’s been one hell of a godsdamned ride.



BLUE-BLOODED VAMP

By Jaye Wells



The epic conclusion to the amazing Sabina Kane urban fantasy series.

Sabina Kane is on the hunt. Her prey: Cain, the father of the vampire race and the one who murdered her family and her friends. Unfortunately, Cain is hunting Sabina, too.

The one man who holds the key to defeating Cain is, of course, Abel. A mage with secrets to spare and, hopefully, the power to match it. Unfortunately, for Sabina, he’s in Rome and may not want to be found.

Sabina sets out for Italy with her friends, Giguhl and Adam Lazarus, to track down the only man who can get her the revenge she hungers for. But will he help her or oppose her? And just who is Abel, really? Worst of all, when Sabina figures out the goddess Lilith has a plan for her-she realizes this trip is getting deadlier by the minute. As they say: when in Rome-SURVIVE.

Read Ch. 1 here.

Order from Amazon, B&N, Indiebound

*If your bookstore doesn’t have it out today, they might be waiting for the official release date–June 1, but for the most part the big guys are all releasing it to the wild today.

The Rumor Mill

So I have this book coming out on June 1 (June 7 in the UK). Yes, some of you might find it in stores before that date, but that’s the official one.

Since this is the final book in the Sabina Kane series, lots of rumors are swirling around about the story itself and my plans moving forward. Normally, I’m not one to indulge in the scandalous practice of spreading rumors (I’m lying), but in this case I thought I’d share what I’ve heard so you do have to go hunting around for them.

The Official BBV Rumor Compendium

-”I heard that after BBV comes out, Jaye is going to join a secret order of biker nuns.” (via S. Stirrer)

-”If you read page 66 backwards you can summon your very own demon.” (via Jennifer Smith Davis)

-”I heard that a scientist in Antarctica who listened to the audio books w/o headphones resulted in the icecaps melting.” (via David Faulkner)

-”I heard that Jaye Wells is a pen name for the homunculus lovechild of Dan Brown and JK Rowling.” (via F. Knuckle)

-”Embiggen the font size in the ebook of Blue-Blooded Vamp to see a pic of Giguhl’s pitchfork.”  (via S. Skye)

-”I heard if you buy 3 copies of BBV, Jaye Wells will write you in and kill you off in book the next.” (via Derek Hawkins)

-”I also hear in the final scene of this last book, Giguhl’s cat form gets hair back all Mr. Bigglesworth style.” (via Zombie Joe)

-”I heard that in this last book, Jaye Wells goes all G.R.R. Martin and kills all the main characters.” (via Zombie Joe)

-”I also heard that Jaye’s agent’s undergarments went up in flames upon finishing the book.” (via David Faulkner)

-”I hear Giguhl goes on tour with Pussy Willow all “Too Wong Foo” style.” (via Zombie Joe)

-”The rumor I’m hearing is that for every five books you buy you get a free 5th level mischief demon.” (via David Faulkner)

-”I heard this is really not the last book in the Sabina Kane series.” (via Kellie Moody) Nice try.

-”Whilst reading BLUE-BLOODED VAMP, I stopped aging.” (Via Nicola Eldest Sopp) Eat your heart out Ponce de Leon!

-”All the pages of BLUE-BLOODED VAMP are dusted with an aphrodisiac.” (via Arlene Meder)

-”A proofreader, who forgot to take her heart meds, had to be hospitalized after reading it.”  (via E.A. Picket)

-”Erron Zorn and Sabina have a mutant mage/vamp love child with a penchant for dwarves.” (via Synde)

-”If you read page 67 of BLUE-BLOODED VAMP upside-down, the first letters of each line spell out “Pussy Willow is dead.” (via A. Demon)

-”Blue-Blooded Vamp passed the Bechdel Test but failed its Home Ec final.” (via I. Jest)

-”A secret coded message is hidden in the pages of Blue-Blooded Vamp. First to crack it gets a helper monkey.” (via B. Cool)

What rumors have you heard about BLUE-BLOODED VAMP?

 

Craft Thursday: Be More Bendy

Writers aren’t known as the most flexible souls in any sense of the word. First of all, we spend way too much time on our ass, which is horrible for the bendiness. Second, we tend to create these arcane and mysterious rituals that we swear help us stay in touch with the muse or the flow or whatever magical force we credit for our creativity. Here agin, not so flexible. The slightest thing that knock us off our stride.

An example. for years I refused to quit smoking because I swore it made me a better writer. Ridiculous, right? Try telling me that a year ago when I was mainlining nicotine under deadline. I am happy to report that today, I am more than capable of writing lots and lots of great words without the aid of carcinogens. Of course, I’ve replaced them with wine and Oreos, but that’s neither here nor there.

My point is, lack of flexibility can be a good thing when we’re putting our foot down something we believe in. It is not a good thing if it stands in the way of production.

On Monday, I had to go drop my beloved Macbook, Precious, off at the Genius Bar for some triage. Her logic board was on the fritz, which was leading to some terrifying crashes. I can’t imagine the look of loss on my face when the guy told me I’d have to leave her. It was not unlike asking me to leave my child behind. This computer is not just my portal to all of you, it’s also the epicenter of my career.

Luckily, as the wife of a computer dude, I was not without access to another computing device. But it didn’t have all my files and programs loaded on it the way I like them. It didn’t have Twitter or iTunes installed. It didn’t have Scrivener, which is my preferred drafting program. I couldn’t hook it up to the external monitor I prefer to use because it fills my vision with the document I’m working on.

You guys, I was so productive. I had to work at stopping working to go check email and twitter. Instead of getting distracted by trolling iTunes for the perfect song for the scene I was working on, I flipped on a Pandora station and forgot about it. I focused on working for longer stretches than I’ve work in probably months. Holy shit, y’all, I didn’t multitask and it was awesome.

Few things. First, the lesson here is that comfort zones are wonderful, but also safe. If you want to see a change in your work, you’ve got to run far away from safe. Second, if what you’re doing is working for you, then feel free to ignore me. Just be honest with yourself. Third, inflexibility can prevent you from making wonderful discoveries about yourself and your writing.

Of course, the example I gave was pretty mundane. I mean, yes, the means with which we get words on the page is important, but it doesn’t get to the heart of this issue, does it?

How about you try a story that scares the hell out of you? The one you’re worried your family will disown you over. The one that makes your stomach clench but also makes your inner rebel perk up.

What if you stopped insisting that you are a diehard plotter/panster/outliner/scene writer and test out the waters of the complete opposite approach?

What if you took the advice of that critique partner? You know the one. She glares at you over her horn rimmed glasses and corrects your grammar and thinks she knows everything about the craft. Maybe she does. Maybe you should listen to her instead of getting defensive and silently imagine strangling her with her beaded glasses strap. Or maybe you’ve been listening to your critique group and they’re a bunch of idiots. It happens all the time. We take advice because we lack confidence in ourselves. In that case, you’d need to get out of your comfort zone by being less flexible.

Or hell, maybe you need to be flexible about what you write, period. I started out thinking I would write historical fiction. I had aspirations for being a very serious writer of poetic prose. Clearly I was smoking some literary crack. I had to be honest with myself about who I really am and in what key my voice really sings. So be flexible about your chosen genre. Finding your authentic voice is more important than some marketing term, anyway.

Terrifying, right? Being flexible means leaving the comfort zone behind. But ask yourself this: Does the prospect of falling on your face scare you more than dying without ever really trying?

Go make yourself uncomfortable today.

Craft Thursday: The Hook

Psst!Did you know that my publisher posted Chapter 1 of BLUE-BLOODED VAMP? Go ahead and read it because today’s Craft Thursday post is all about story openings. Go on, we’ll wait for you.

Here’s some reading music for you.

You back?

First, let’s get this out of the way. The way I write openings isn’t necessarily the way you should write them. Genre conventions, author voice and all sorts of other issues dictate what kind of opening a book should have. However, in general most genre fiction books are all about the fast hook.

In media res is a phrase often bandied about by us writer types. It means, “in the middle of things.” Thus, you throw your reader into the story without a lot of context. The unanswered questions and lack of reference points often works to hook them into the story so they can’t help but find out what’s going on.

You’ll notice, of course, that unlike most of the other Sabina Kane novels, our heroine doesn’t actually fight anyone in these two opening scenes. It was a conscious decision based on the fact that a) Sabina has grown as a character over the course of the series and b) she’s recovering from some pretty heavy emotional issues after the end of SILVER-TONGUED DEVIL and I needed the opening to reflect that.

A lot of writers think that to hook a reader you have to have explosions and sirens and all sorts of literary pyrotechnics. I, myself, have been guilty of this thinking. Witness the first scenes of THE MAGE IN BLACK, which featured a kung fu battle in the middle of a mini-mart that culminated in a couple of flambeed vampires, a shotgun battle and an explosion. (BTW that’s still one of my favorite scenes ever).

Over time, though, I’ve realized that you don’t need all that noise to craft a great opening. Violence for violence sake can be fun as hell to write, but without some really excellent tension and character development it’s pretty empty reading. So when I started writing the opening of this book, I focused on creating the promise of action.

The promise of action is a technique where you present an inciting incident that tells the readers, “Look, there’s some really exciting shit coming. You might want to stick around.” Basically, what I’m saying to you, is you have to promise (AND DELIVER) exciting conflicts–both internal and external–for your characters to overcome.

In the first scene of BBV, we have a lot of promise. First, we know that Sabina’s determined to find the man who killed her sister, even, as she says, if it means putting a gun to her friend’s head to get his cooperation. Second, we know that this promise she made to Asclepius is going to bite her in the ass–a major complication in an already complex mission. Third, there is the promise of internal conflict for Sabina, i.e. she’s going to have to learn some hard lessons along the way, including maybe that revenge isn’t the answer.

Mind you, the promise of action doesn’t mean you don’t still need actual action. Sabina isn’t sitting around talking about everything she wants to do. The conflicts are revealed by showing her interact with the people in her world and react to things they say and do.

A quick note on exposition here. BBV is the fifth (and final) book in a series. That means that I had to use some exposition in the first chapter in order to bring readers up to speed on the major facts they needed to know going into this story. Namely, that her sister is dead and that Sabina is set on revenge. There are also a couple of mentions of other characters, like Giguhl, because long-time readers of the series would have been distracted wonder where Sabina’s sidekick was if I hadn’t mentioned him.

For you, however, especially if you’re writing the first book of a series, you need to use as little exposition as possible in your first chapter. The goal is to hit the ground running, keep the reader guessing and promise some really cool shit.

Questions?

Lookee Here!

Look what just landed on my doorstep!

Only a few more weeks, friends. You’ve preordered your copies, yes? Order from Amazon, B&N, Indiebound

Craft Thursday: Live a Little

I’ve been reading the book IMAGINE: HOW CREATIVITY WORKS by Jonah Lehrer. It’s a fascinating look at how creativity works, even in non-traditionally creative venues. One of the things he discusses is the importance of travel and new experiences to creativity. We often call this “filling the well” and if you ain’t doing it, you’re handicapping yourself and your stories.

Last night, I spent eight hours riding in a cop car. I’ve mentioned here and elsewhere that I’ve been participating in a Citizen’s Police Academy through my city. Part of the program is the opportunity to do a ride along. Now please understand the decision to sign up was not an easy one. A) I’m a writer, not a hero. B) I’m a control freak and the idea of putting myself in a dangerous situation is terrifying. So naturally I had to do it.

I did it because I wanted to know what it’s like. I did it because I want to be able to write convincingly about cops. I did it because I want to be able to describe the adrenaline rush of roaring down the road with sirens blaring to chase down a perp who’s running through a neighborhood. I did it because I was afraid and that means it’s something that needs exploring.

I’ve done lots of things in the service of writing that I never would have had the guts to do otherwise. The desire ot have lot sof experiences to draw from for my fiction is kind of like a passport. Even though I get nervous and doing things out of my comfort zone isn’t always comfortable, I know that ultimately it will benefit both my fiction and my life.

Because guess what–your writing is your life. It’s your life distilled and filtered and morphed and reshaped. If you spend all your time stuck in a high tower and you never speak to real people and you never challenge yourself your fiction will show it.

This is not to diminish the role of imagination in our work. But I’m one of those ridiculous people who thinks a writer can’t live on imagination alone. If you spend all your life with your nose buried in the laptop or the notebook, you’re going to miss the entire ride.

“Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death!” –Auntie Mame.

Not for nothing, but there’s no guarantee writing will bring you fame and fortune. If anything, it’s a guarantee of the opposite. So while you’re pursuing this unattainable dream, maybe you should enjoy yourself a little. Go drive fast cars and get into fist fights and kiss someone who’s all wrong for you. Get your heart pumping. Know what it feels like to have your heart broken. Laugh until you pee a little. Talk to people you have nothing in common with and learn something from them. Do something that scares you.

Yes, put your ass in the chair and write. Let your imagination go wild. But every now and then, leave the chair. Leave the house, for chrissakes. Seek adventure. Your stories and your future self will thank you for it.

Craft Thursday: More Thoughts on The Zone

I’ve been thinking a lot about the post on The Zone last week. I’ve decided there’s more I need to say on the topic, so the next couple of Craft Thursday posts will address this very important topic.

Why is it so important? Because The Zone, aka The Flow, is so critical to creativity. Authors always talk about those moments when they fell liek they are merely a conduit for story. You lose track of time and your fingers fly across the keyboard faster than you could possibly think. It’s like taking dictation for the gods or dancing or meditation.

“When we are involved in [creativity], we feel that we are living more fully than during the rest of life.” –Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, one the world’s formost experts on the concept of Flow.

Here’s a TED Talk by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.

You back? Okay, now that we understand how important it is, let’s discuss how Flow and Zone are also not that important.

WHAT?!? But, Jaye, you just made me watch an 18 minute video on the importance of Flow and how it can give our lives meaning and happiness.

Shh, grasshopper, shh. Yes, The Zone is awesome. I have an almost religious reverence for it and in a lot of ways it’s one of the big reasons writing is a need and a want in my life. The Zone makes you feel like Siddhartha on the mountain at one with the infinite.

However …

There will be a lot of days, A LOT, when you can not get into the Flow. Days when you’re restless and distracted. Days when you had a fight with your wife or your kids are having problems or you’re PMSing and there’s no chocolate in the $%#^#& house.Or maybe you’ve been working on this book for four months straight and it’s still not coming together and you’re just not sure you have the endurance to keep going. You keep trying to get into the Flow, but really you’re barely treading water.

Pop Quiz!

What do you do if you just can’t get into The Zone?

A. Take a break. You deserve it. Several weeks should do it.

B. Stop writing altogether. You’re a fraud anyway.

C. Keep calm and write on.

You don’t really need me to tell you, do you? If you do, send me $10 and I’ll scream WRITE, DAMN YOU, WRITE! into your voicemail.

The truth is most writers don’t spend the majority of their writing time in The Zone. Perhaps that’s why it’s so special. If it was easy to get there, we wouldn’t appreciate it. So, yeah, it’s not easy –actually it’s probably also not that advisable since it warps your relationship with the real world–to get and stay in the Zone. Regardless, books get written.

They get written because if you’re an author you’re not just an artist, you’re a craftsperson. You’re a word worker, hammering out a story. Those blinding moments of inspiration and that chorus of angels that croons while you’re Flowing are fabulous. But they appear too inconsistently to get the work done.

The work gets done by making a habit of putting your ass in the chair and laying words on the page. I’m not one of those writers who say you’re required to write every day. But you should probably have a reliable habit of some sort. Some people have weekly word goals, some have somewhat regular bouts of word bingeing. Either way, the work has to get done. This obviously gets more important once you get published and have a contractual obligation to finish the book. But even before that, when you’re on the road to Oz, you still have to complete projects.

Completing projects makes you a more experienced writer. And guess what? Being a more experienced writer makes it easier to achieve Flow. Flexing your creative muscles through practice creates a sort of creative muscle memory. Deliberate practice means you’re available and prepared when those flashes of inspiration decide to make an appearance. Plus, you also learn what works best to get you into the Flow. Since I’ve written several books now, it’s easier for me to shut off the internal editor and let my fingers improvise like a Jazz musician. I trust myself more to get the work done because I’ve done it before.

Anyway, the big point is, respect the Flow, but more than that, respect that writing is work.

Until next week, happy writing!

Craft Thursday: Protect Your Zone

Last week I was in Chicago for the Romantic Times Convention. During a panel someone asked how we–Kelley Armstrong, Melissa Marr, Lucienne Diver, Nicole Peeler, Jennifer Estep and myself–handle writer’s block.

First of all, I’ve tackled Writer’s Block here before.

I repeated some of those points during the panel, but I also touched on something I have only recently begun to realize for myself.

If you want to avoid writer’s block, you’ve got to protect your Zone.

I capitalized the Z because the Zone is that important. It’s the sweet spot, the Shangri La, the secret cave where the muse resides. It’s the place where writing feels like meditation and time flits away like bird’s wings on a soft, warm breeze. Doubts fear the Zone. So does the inner editor. There’s no ego there. Basically, the Zone is the orgasm we’re always trying to reach each time we sit down at the keyboard.

Have I oversold it? I don’t believe so. If you do, maybe you have yet to find your Zone.

Regardless, I think a lot of what we call writer’s block is an inability to find the Zone. When we’re blocked, finding it can make us feel a lot like poor Odysseus trying to get home. It’s an epic quest fraught with clawed beasts and Cyclopses and murderous sirens.

Typically the biggest villains blocking our way are Ego and Editor. Ego wants us to believe we’re demigods worthy of worship. Editor tells us we’re shit on the shoe of whichever author we’ve elevated to the status of deity. Both are monsters.



In keeping with the Odysseus metaphor, Editor is Scylla, the fanged beast who makes horrible sounds and consumes any poor soul who dares stray too close to her lair. Across the way, Charybdis is the sucking whirlpool of ego. In the center of these beasts is safe passage to the Zone.

Perfectionism is Scylla’s ambrosia. She finds your fear delicious. Charybdis, on the other hand, grows stronger every time you Google yourself, every time you check your ranking on Amazon.

If you’re ever going to break free of their pull, you’re going to have to learn to steer steady through the rough waters and ignore the waving tentacles in your peripheral vision. In short, you’ve got to protect yourself or you’ll never find your way back to Ithaca.

Look, let’s be honest. Writers have a reputation for being … peculiar, particular, persnickety. I never used to understand why my more experienced writers would issue dire warnings about resisting the urge to self-google (insert hairy palm joke here). I never understood why my successful author friends have these bizarre rituals and strange OCD behaviors about their writing. I never got why they didn’t enjoy the more public aspects of the job more.

Now I get it, and, ironically, it was Romantic Times that brought this lesson home for me.

Don’t get me wrong, I had a blast. I got to catch up with a lot of friends and meet lots of readers. Had some laughs and fun gossip sessions and fascinating discussions about books. But it also exhausted me. I thought maybe it’s just that I’m getting too old for sitting in the bar all night. But I’ve come to suspect something else is at play.

I didn’t protect my Zone.

First of all, I rarely get any writing done during cons. I write on the plane, sure. But once I’m in the hotel, I’m in full book pimp mode. I’m schmoozing and drinking and having deep discussions about how to save books. No bueno, my friends. As much as I enjoy the public side of my job, my first responsibility is to lay words on the page. It’s not just a job, though. It’s a NEED. Writing is as much of a requirement for my health as exercise and a good night’s sleep (lack of both of these can also screw with your Zone, btw). What’s worse, I always lose at least two additional days after cons as I catch up on sleep and let myself recharge.

Second of all, all that talk about The Industry is fucking demoralizing. It’s hard to get excited about writing when everyone’s talking about how books are going the way of the Dodo. When you’re consuming all this constant bad news and dire Chicken Littleism, it’s impossible to feel creative. Cons aren’t the worst perpetrator of this, though. Every time we read industry blogs or loiter on Twitter all day instead of writing, we’re opening ourselves to a constant deluge of shitty energy.

With more demands on our time to promote books, it’s becoming harder to insulate ourselves from the negativity that strips us of our internal compass, the one that leads us to our creative True Norths.

So how do we protect our Zones? I can only tell you the steps I’ve taken.

First, I’ve culled my Twitter and Facebook lists. Anyone who makes my teeth clench or my ass twitch or my trigger finger itchy is gone. Life’s too short. This is the social media equivalent of culling emotional vampires from your real life (something you should also do to protect your Zone).

Second, I’m taking time most days to get the hell away from my computer and go get some fresh air. Three or four times a week, I’ve been taking long walks. While I walk, I listen to audiobooks by people who inspire me–Stephen King’s On Writing or Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird. While I walk, I take time to be thankful that I have a job that allows to go for long walks during the middle of the day. I try to feel grateful, which in turn makes me want to make the most of these opportunities wherever they may lead.

Third, I’ve stopped masturbating my Ego by googling or reading reviews. I’m not saying I’m a saint. What author isn’t a narcissist on some level? Sure, I slip up and read reviews, but I rarely don’t regret it.

Those are the big things. Your things might be different. You might get derailed by the things that help me get in the Zone the fastest. Regardless, it’s up to each of us to be honest about the habits (or people or addictions or rituals) we have that are working against us. It might take a while before what I’m saying makes sense. You might read this and think you’re the special kind of writer who will never hit a block so hard and large that you need a Sherpa to guide you over it. You might not believe in writer’s block at all. That’s fine. But protecting your Zone isn’t just about avoiding the dreaded block. It’s about protecting the magic, cupping your hands around that little, fragile spark. It’s too easy for that flame to flicker or burn out if you let your attention wander.

Protecting your Zone will not make you feel like a rock star. Taking long walks and ignoring the latest viral bullshit online won’t win you any readers. But you know what will?

Writing amazing books.

Protect your Zone from bad touches, friends.

Romantic Times Schedule

Quick update:

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I'm attending the Romantic Times Convention in Chicago this week. If you live in the area, be sure and check out the Giant Book Fait on Saturday, which is open to the public and features hundreds of authors who will be available to delight and amaze you.

Also, if you're attending the convention, I'm bringing a special bit of swag this year. I had these awesome I HEART GIGUHL pins made. I'm bringing a limited supply, so I'm handing them out on a first come first served basis. If you don't find me at one of my panels (listed below) you will probably be able to track me down in the bar.

Romantic Times Event Schedule

Thursday, April 12:

10-11 AM

URBAN FANTASY: TRENDS — WHAT'S HOT, WHAT'S NOT & WHAT'S NEXT IN UF PANELISTS: Kelley Armstrong, Jennifer Estep, Melissa Marr, Nicole Peeler, Jaye Wells MODERATOR: Lucienne Diver (The Knight Agency)

Location: Florence

Friday, April 13

1:30-2:30 PM

SEVEN MINUTES IN URBAN FANTASY HEAVEN HOSTS: Richelle Mead, Suzanne McLeod, Kristin Painter, Nicole Peeler, Jeanne Stein, Jaye Wells

Location: International 5

Saturday, April 14

10:45 AM – 2 PM

GIANT BOOK FAIR (open to the public!)

Location: Entry Level, Grand Ballroom

You can download a copy of the Convention schedule by clicking here, and that also contains instructions for those of you who want to visit for the free book fair.

 

Craft Thursday: Own It

Note: I'm leaving tomorrow for the ROmantic TImes Convention in Chicago, so I'm posting Craft Thursday early. Next week, we'll return to our regular posting schedule.

___

A couple of weeks ago, I was having a conversation over coffee with a writer friend. I'd been talking about this dress I saw and loved, but admitted I wasn't sure I could pull it off. She looked me in the eye and said, "You've got to own that shit."

Since that conversation, her words have been loitering in my mind. I've been wondering if I'm doing enough owning of the shit in general. Sometimes I avoid making decisions about my career because it's scary to take control. Sometimes I let the things I don't control overwhelm me and use them as an excuse to see after the things I do control.

I'm not trying to give you the impression that I am paralyzed. Far from it. I am generally a pretty ambitious, outspoken chick. But like everyone I have moments of insecurity and doubt.

I used to have these moments a lot when I was trying to find out if I had the chops to be a published author. Somehow, I managed to overcome those doubts and keep at it until someone said yes. I'm not sure why it happened for me and not someone else, but I think owning my role in the process was a big part of it.

"I'd write a novel if I had the time."

"I should write today but I have to take the kids to soccer practice."

"I could write on my day off, but I'm tired."

Do any of these sound familiar? If so, you've got yourself an ownership problem.

The hard truth: No one is going to knock on your door and hand you a book contract. No one is going to spot you in the mall and say, "Hey! You look like you might be an amazing writer. I'm going to write you this check for a million dollars in case you ever get around to writing that book."

NO ONE OWES YOU A CAREER.

You own how much effort you put into writing. You own how much you seek out critique. You own how often you submit. You own that shit, friend.

It's scary to admit that. Terrifying to accept that you might declare your desire and never achieve it and that it might be your own fault if you don't. Ownership means you don't blame anyone else if you don't get there. Ownership says, I might fail, I might succeed, but, damn it,  I'm going to do everything in my power to TRY.

So what exactly does owning it look like?

A. Own that writing is a priority. Even if you have to give up watching The Voice or My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding. Even if it means getting up an hour early or going to bed an hour late or writing during lunch or your kids's soccer practice. The minute you make it a priority, you will find time you didn't even know you were wasting.

B. Own that you are a novice, and that the only way to improve is to practice your craft.

C. Own that seeking out critique is one of the most effective ways to improve your skills. Only showing work to people guaranteed to say nice things is a form of avoidance.

D. Own that rejections are not personal. It only takes one yes. Are you going to give up before you get it?

E. Own that the struggle of aspiring to be an author is part of the training for being a professional. You think a few form rejections are hard? How in the hell are you going to handle hundreds of complete strangers giving your work one star online? Or having a person call you out in public because they feel betrayed by a decision you made for one of their favorite characters? Or having your integrity challenged on a blog because someone took exception to something in one of your stories? Don't rush through the training. You'll be so much more prepared if you allow your scaly, defensive skin to grow first.

F. Own that you chose this path. No one foisted this dream on you. You might fail, you might succeed. But guaranteed you will learn things about yourself on this quest, and that, my friends, is the true treasure.

G. Own that you get to define success. I've said before that if being rich and famous is the definition of success, 95% of all authors are complete failures. Don't doom yourself to fail. Redefine success for yourself. Did you write today? Success! Are you improving with each story you write? Success!

How about you guys? How do you own it?