Jaire Sims's Blog, page 7

7 Ways You Can Find Inspiration When Writing Block Strikes

When you want to write, inspiration often hits fast and hard. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to maintain that passion and ingenuity all the way through to finish your manuscript. But what happens if you can’t? Or say you’ve completed your first book and are fortunate enough to see it in print, but your publisher or fans are looking for something new from you. But again, what do you do if there are no new ideas? Finding inspiration can be a struggle when writer’s block strikes. But to thrive professionally, you’ll need to find a way to break through and get your ideas out onto the page once more. So to help out, I want to share some ways I explore my thoughts whenever I get stuck.

Shake Things Up

One of the easiest ways to try and loosen your creativity is to change your scenery. Go for a walk, plop yourself on a bench in the park, and see what happens. Maybe head to a coffee shop, nurse a cuppa, and muse.

Or you could try your local library and find out what happens when you surround yourself with literary inspiration.

Sometimes sitting at your writing desk, waiting for anything to happen, won’t yield results, and you need to go out and find them.

Look to Your Books

Who are the authors that inspired you in the first place? They’re likely on your shelf or in your e-reader. Step away from your own writing for a while to revisit the pages that sparked your creativity.

I like to get into some of my favorite books now and again to light the fire inside me. There’s something about reading a fantastic novel that gets you going!

Alternatively, you can pull ideas from old or new reads to generate a story of your own. I’ve spoken about how you can expand upon another author’s idea and make it your own. Maybe there’s a particular character you like, but you’re curious what could happen if you tossed someone like them in a different situation?

What if an author built this incredible setting but barely used it, and you would like to explore a world like it even further? You may even see an inspiring tale about a local citizen doing good in the newspaper that you want to base a new novel around.

You never know where you’ll find a new idea, so don’t be afraid to take a break from your work and explore someone else’s for a bit.

Watch People and See Characters

Pay attention to the faces in the crowd on your sojourns out of the house. People are so interesting, which is why so many of us are drawn to gossip or learning about the lives of others.

When you start seeing genuine interactions without necessarily eavesdropping on people’s private conversations (please don’t do that), you can extrapolate an idea of what’s going on.

From this headcanon, you can develop a new character or story hook. Additionally, when you watch people, you can be truly attentive to their actions. You can use that in your writing to make it more descriptive and build more believable characters.

When people think of authors, they assume they’ve shuttered away in a dusty study, surrounded by books and crumpled pieces of paper, but there’s so much to learn and discover for our stories by exploring beyond the confines of our writing space.

Build Accountability with Others

Dovetailing from the idea that writing need not be an isolating task, you could join a writing group. It is a great way to stay on task by creating some accountability. You have a reason to show up and share. And that doesn’t mean a complete book.

It can be a compelling character, a well-written scene, a new thought you want to feel out with the group – anything. And by sharing with others and hearing their views, you’ll find your way to inspiration more often than not. With fresh eyes come new takes on ideas you’re struggling with, leading to potential breakthroughs.

That’s why I invite students of my course into a Facebook writer’s group, so they have others who share their journey and feel accountable to, supporting them along the way.

So check out Facebook, Reddit, or a site like writershelpingwriters.net to find a community that fits you.

Let Someone Else Prompt You

In my blog and on social media, I’ve written about some of the great tools we have available to us as writers in this wonderful internet age. It makes generating ideas so much easier when all we need to do is cue up a website.

Writing prompts are a brilliant way to get your creative juices flowing, and many online options exist. Sometimes all you need is someone else to toss an idea your way. You’ll get a spark and then take it from there. To name a few, check out sites like:

reedsypromptsScholastic Story StartersThe Story ShackOr follow me on social media, where I create lots of fun writing prompts you can use!The Tried and True

A classic go-to for any author is the act of freewriting. You put your pen to page (or fingers to keyboard) and let your thoughts flow. The remnants of a dream could come up, your ideas on climate change, or some distant memory of that one birthday your mom baked the best cake ever.

It’s like a sort of journaling, except instead of using this as an exercise to reflect, you’re looking for ideas that will inspire intriguing characters, wondrous settings, or an exciting story arc.

The goal is to just let it happen and not worry about results. You could find something, and you could find nothing – don’t put too much pressure on yourself.

Explore Other Media

Sometimes to get out of your head, you need to get away from the craft altogether. Take the time to switch gears and watch a film or TV, or play a video game to see what elements inspire you there (applying the same principle above about reading).

You can visit a local art gallery and take in some of the fine works, seeing imagination breathing through a different medium. Their visuals could take you on a journey into your next story.

Similarly, many people turn to music to let their thoughts wander, getting inspired by the mental image it creates or the lyrics of a song. However you go about it, cut yourself some slack, and take a break from the pages for a bit.

Hopefully, one or two of these suggestions feel right for you. What works for me may not be the solution you need, but if you can find a way to let your mind wander and then capture those thoughts, you’re on the right track.

I will get more into how you can find your next great idea in my webinar and course, should you want some more help from me. Plus, as I mentioned, folks who do take my course have access to a growing community of fellow authors in my private Facebook group.

If you have any other questions or want to suggest your own ideas for overcoming writer’s block, I’d love to hear them! Please reach out to me at jsims@jairesims.com or find me on social media.

The post 7 Ways You Can Find Inspiration When Writing Block Strikes appeared first on Jaire Sims.

What Steps Can You Take To Be a Successful Writer?

There is no simple answer to the question, “How do I become a successful writer?” And there we go, that’s the blog. I am just kidding, obviously! In all seriousness, like in any creative endeavor, all you can do is prepare yourself for the opportunities that come your way so that you can give them your best shot. What does that mean for writing? Here are 6 ideas that can help you towards success as an author.

Write Often

Practice makes perfect is an adage for a reason! You’ll never improve if you don’t write, even just for writing’s sake. So many writers get hung up waiting for the “best idea” or “the right time,” but the fact is, neither of those things matter.

Even if you write a bunch of bogus, terrible short stories or scenes, you’re bound to improve simply through the practice of creating them.

No one needs to see the results, so who cares how or what you write? If you’re stuck for ideas, there are plenty of places to find writing prompts to get the creative juices flowing. However you go about it, just write!

How Can You Write If You’re Not Reading?

Make time to read books in your genre. Not only will it keep you abreast of the zeitgeist, but it does also inspire creativity.

I talk about this in my course and webinar, but just because someone else has written an idea like yours doesn’t preclude you from writing it anyways. Your take will still be unique and exciting, and you can make your own (which could make it better than what you’ve read!)

So long as you’re not committing plagiarism, you’re golden! Plus, you’ll know you’re supporting your fellow authors, which could lead to building relationships, sharing ideas, and even offering reciprocal reviews of your novels, boosting its reach (which I’ll get more into shortly!).

So, pick up an old favorite or explore something new, set goals for yourself to read a new book every month or couple of months, to see what’s out there and inspire yourself.

Get Support

Outside of constantly writing on your own, you may want some additional support. That can range from taking courses like mine to learning about self-publishing or workshops like those offered by my colleague Amber Byers to boost confidence in your writing and help you get started. Of course, there are plenty of schooling opportunities for creative writing should you want to pursue that path, too.

Sometimes our latent skills aren’t quite enough, or we need the validation of higher learning to reassure ourselves that we can write quality work. Plus, these workshops, classes, and otherwise provide valuable tools to help us better organize our thoughts and structure our process as writers.

The point is, you don’t need to pursue your writing craft alone – there are plenty of people, like me, around to support you along the way!

Make Your Manuscript The Best it Can Be

While this topic is closely related to the idea of getting support, I wanted to give editing its own spotlight because it’s so important! If you’ve finished your first manuscript and want to shop it around to literary agents and publishers or put it online on your own, you MUST let an editor look over your work.

Nothing can define your success or failure as an author like quality editing. That second set of eyes will give you a new perspective on your novel.

It’s an editor’s job to make sure your story flows by pointing out unnecessary developments or encouraging elaboration. They’ll catch dialogue that feels stilted, plot holes that don’t make sense and clean up technical errors through proofreading. With that extra level of polish on your manuscript, you can confidently submit or publish it.

Forget What “No” Means

If you’re going to shop around your book to major publishing houses, get used to hearing or reading “No, thanks” often. Your job is to persevere and keep submitting or go back and adjust your story as needed. Conversely, if you self-publish, it’s easier to get your book out there, but the “No” you need to ignore is from the voice in your own head!

As writers, we’re our own worst enemies, suffering from imposter syndrome or apathy. I almost gave up on writing Getting By, but my support network encouraged me to persevere, and I’m so glad they did.

If you ever want a chance to get your story told, you need to find out how to push through doubts and stay focused on the task of writing. Surround yourself with other writers, get a coach, or develop a disciplined routine. And know that, at the very least, I’m rooting for you!

Tell The World About Your Book

Once your book is published, and on shelves, physically or digitally, your work is not yet done. If you want to become a household name or have any hope of doing book tours, signings, or making the bestseller’s list, you need to market your novel.

If you’re fortunate enough to have a publisher backing you, that helps a lot, but don’t be fooled: Even the most successful writers do self-promotion to ensure people are reading their latest work.

As a self-published author, you need to work twice as hard. In both cases, this means sharing thoughts on social media, writing a blog, or making appearances on podcasts and interviews.

You can also use your social network to help garner favorable reviews for your book by encouraging them to read and review your novel on sites like Goodreads (granted, it’s getting a bit more challenging to assure “legitimate” reviews dominate now that review-bombing is a thing…).

The point is that people won’t know about your book if they don’t know about your book! So let them know about your book in any way you can!

As I said at the start, none of this will guarantee your writing success. But by adhering to healthy, helpful actions like the above, you will increase your chances. One final tidbit to remember is to not compare your journey to that of others. Everyone’s path to writing and success is different, so you can’t define yours by what worked for someone else.

If you want any help, you can find various resources on my site to support you. I’m also open to any thoughts or questions you want to share, so find me on social media or email me at jsims@jairesims.com.

The post What Steps Can You Take To Be a Successful Writer? appeared first on Jaire Sims.

Traditional or Independent: How Do You Want to Publish Your First Book?

After all the time and effort you’ve put into writing, and your manuscript is about done, you have to start thinking about the next step: publishing. Most of us think we can publish our books one of two ways, either traditional or independent, and both have their pros and cons. While I chose to self-publish my debut novel, Getting By, that doesn’t mean it’s the best way to go. Before you make a decision, you need to carefully consider what route best suits the needs of you and your book.

Are You Okay with Letting Go?

When you sign on with a traditional publisher, the first thing you sign away with your manuscript is your rights. A publishing house can change the title, determine the cover’s look, and decide where it’s stocked on shelves despite the genre or tone you had in mind when writing.

Furthermore, they can insist on edits to the story that can completely alter your vision. There is a chance they may be willing to hear you out, or your literary agent could go to bat for you, but that’s a rarity. Thus, the loss of creative control can be a real deal breaker for many.

By self-publishing, you get to control every part of the creative process. You decide on the final product’s look and feel and how to market it. That also means you can write whatever you’d like.

No matter how neat your niche sub-genre is, traditional publishers will likely pass on your work if it’s too niche. So, if you enjoy writing dinosaur murder mystery sci-fi, then as an indie author, you can go for it!

A Certain “Guarantee”

While nothing is truly ever guaranteed in life, at least by signing with a traditional publisher, you will get paid. It doesn’t matter if your book sells gangbusters or tanks; you will get an advance on your work. And at least your book will sell, which is pretty darn cool to experience.

Once it starts selling, you could make some real money in royalties, which you begin earning once sales pay back the publisher’s advance. Unfortunately, royalties aren’t outstanding once you factor in all the fees the publisher and your literary agent take, leaving most with less than 15% in return.

What’s more, these royalty payments are infrequent once you’re earning them, coming maybe twice a year. It makes it hard to budget accordingly, pulling focus from writing your next manuscript (which all this money upfront is supposed to allow you the opportunity to do!) But because you give up so much in the backend, you pay less upfront to get your book out there.

Your publisher takes no money when they sign you yet take on all the collateral of editing your manuscript, designing the cover and layout, handling the marketing, and other incidentals, which admittedly sounds terrific.

Meanwhile, as a self-published author, if you want to edit your manuscript (and you should), a cover designed, posts created for social media, and all that, you’re either highly skilled and can do it yourself, or you’re paying others to handle it for you.

It can get expensive. That said, once your book is out there and people buy it, whether digitally or in print, 80% or even all of the money returns to you.

But there is no guarantee you’ll ever make any of the money you invested back. And speaking of which, you need somewhere to store any physical copies you print, and unless you have a spare room you can convert into a warehouse, you’re paying for storage.

In this case, the payment upfront, the guaranteed sales, and letting someone else handle all the details and storage sounds like a dream if you’re willing to accommodate, as I said above.

Who’s On Your Team?

Now, speaking of controlling your novel, at least as an independent, you can choose the people you work with, from graphic design to marketing experts. You know if you’re hiring the best people for the job of making your book stand out. But like I said, you’re likely going to pay for it.

Conversely, as I touched on, one of the biggest perks of pursuing a traditional publisher is that it comes with a built-in team. Once you sign, the publishing house will have an internal team whose entire job is to make your novel the best it can be (or at least, it should be.)

Capitalism has left a mark on the commercial trade publishing market, meaning to cut costs, publishing houses cut funding, and teams. More and more, complaints come up from published authors that they don’t feel their work is getting the attention it deserves.

That can mean sloppy editing and proofing or a phoned-in marketing plan (as an independent, you have no one to blame but yourself.)

Feeling Like You “Made It”

Imagine looking at your book on a shelf with the HarperCollins logo on the spine. I mean, they published Game of Thrones, and now they’ve published your novel. You could get a movie or a series based on it! It could become a bestseller! And that sounds incredible, right?

Getting published through a major traditional publishing house comes with substantial clout in the industry. You get a lot of reach and recognition, meaning there’s a better chance at internationally recognized awards, bestseller lists, book tours, signings, and, ideally, demand for more books.

Traditional publishing houses can make a lot of inroads to get your book on shelves and out into the world. But the thing is, you’re possibly a tiny fish in a big pond. Unless your novel becomes a smash hit, it’ll likely be replaced on the shelf at Chapters in a month by your publisher’s subsequent new release.

There’s no real loyalty to keeping your book featured unless it’s making them money. After that, it gets harder and harder to market. That’s why it’s essential to keep hustling your book because a traditional publisher won’t actually do all the marketing work for you (especially if it’s not hot early in the launch.) But still, at least it’s out there.

Getting A Seat at the Table

When you self-publish, you define the success or failure of your novel. It’s all down to your efforts. You don’t have to worry about anyone saying “No” to printing your work – you just do it. There’s no one throwing deadlines at you – you just write as much or little as you feel.

When you’re ready to sell your book, you just make it happen through some digital storefront in less than 48 hours. You have so much freedom over the journey your book takes, but you have to work hard at getting it seen.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easier with a traditional publisher. First, you need to be signed by one. Generally, that means working with a literary agent. It’s their job to help and champion you through the entire writing process and get your manuscript in front of publishing companies, so you don’t have to mail or knock on doors yourself.

While that sounds amazing, prepare yourself. Before you get that one glorious “Yes” (if ever), expect about 100 “No’s” first. Applying to publishing houses is mentally and emotionally exhausting; constantly being told that this piece of art you’ve poured your heart and soul into, that’s full of meaning and can impact someone’s life, isn’t good enough can crush you.

But let’s say you’re lucky and a publisher signs you – what happens then? You sign a contract. A convoluted maze of legalese that, thank goodness, you have a literary agent to read and sign for you.

While the contract means you get paid, it also comes with caveats. Those tight deadlines I mentioned, commitments to touring your book (whether you like it or not), and all kinds of other headaches that could become tricky to navigate depending on what you envision for your career. But hey, you’re published, right?

That means your career is set! Not so fast: Just because they signed you for one book doesn’t mean they’ll want you to write more (especially if the initial foray doesn’t go so well…).

Remember that “no guarantees” thing I mentioned? While that means there are no guarantees for you, publishers want guaranteed hits on their roster. That makes it even harder for a first-time author to break out. Even mid-range authors have difficulty getting their books published by big companies.

Finally, you must keep your wits about you because the industry constantly evolves. Your publisher folds, an agent moves to another company, new editors take over – all of it can get messy, and you, the author, can get left behind in the fallout.

“So, Jaire,” you ask, “which is better?”

Like I said, neither. As you can see, both have challenges and merits. The most important thing to consider as you start wrapping up your manuscript is: What do you want out of it? While it sucks to admit, ego plays a huge role in motivating our decisions as artists.

So you need to decide how to satisfy it. Are fame and fortune your goal? Or do you just want someone who isn’t your mom to read your book and say, “That was great,” when they finish?

Or maybe you don’t want validation at all – you only want to know your book is out there and could make a person feel some catharsis from the read. It’s up to you to decide what you’re going to write and to what end. Once you figure that out, you’ll know what type of publisher is best suited to you.

When I wrote Getting By, I was not too fond of the idea of losing creative control and having someone dictate whether my story was worthy. So here I am: Self-published with an award-winning novel and doing my best to help others learn to self-publish.

It’s been gratifying sharing my story with the world and knowing I can teach others to do the same, so this path works for me. But with my next manuscript, who knows? Maybe the traditional route will be the way to go. That’s the other thing: You can change your mind.

If you are set on self-publishing, though, please check out the free resources and the course I offer. I spent a lot of time and effort on my writing journey, so if I can make the process smoother for you, that would be amazing.

I’m on social media, or you can email me at jsims@jairesims.com if you have any other thoughts or questions about the dichotomous struggle with publishing. Either way, I wish you well on your authorial journey!

The post Traditional or Independent: How Do You Want to Publish Your First Book? appeared first on Jaire Sims.

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You’ve done it. After weeks, months, years – however long – of toil, you’ve finished your manuscript, and it’s time to publish it, right? Woah, not so fast! Some of you likely have heard of editors, but why spend the extra time and money on them? Your word processor has spell check, right? You’ve run it through Grammarly, so that’s enough. Not so much. While those are great tools for catching basic mistakes, a professional editor offers a second set of eyes. So let’s talk about editing.

What Does an Editor Even Do?

Before we go too far, let’s look at the job because it can often be confused with proofing. An editor’s job is to make sure your piece of writing, as a whole, makes sense and is the best it can be. Grammarly will never tell you if a passage is boring, only that you could write it better according to academic standards. In their capable hands, they’ll review the facts of your story, ensure the readability flows, and tweak bits for better impact, amongst other fixes.

For most cases, an editor should be more than enough to review and rework your manuscript with you (though if you can’t afford a writing tool like Grammarly or Hemmingway App, you may want a proofreader, too.)

Now, I’m using the term “editor” broadly, but it’s important to note the different ways editors work. Primarily, I’m describing a substantive editor who looks at your story from a big-picture point of view to ensure it fits together correctly. They’ll catch anything incoherent and suggest a rewrite so that it will make sense.

Similarly, developmental editors look at your story as a whole but provide more in-depth notes. They’ll tackle all the little structural elements page-by-page so that it will be a hit with your target audience and your message comes across clearly. While it’s great to work with both types of editors, if you can only afford one, you may want to forgo developmental editing since substantive editing can dip into it a bit.

Then there’s copyediting and proofing, similar but different. Copyeditors can go line-by-line to make sure each sentence makes factual and grammatical sense, helping with the flow of your writing. And then, a proofreader would give your manuscript that final pass and polish, so there are no spelling mistakes or other errors. While both are valuable areas to focus on, you can likely hire a developmental or substantive editor that can fulfill these needs.

Do I Really Need Editing?

If my intro paragraph wasn’t clear enough: Yes. You can be the best writer, with perfect
grammar and spelling out there. Or, as I said, you can use some of the smart tools built
into most digital solutions.

But once all is said and done, you need someone to offer their objective and sometimes brutal opinion about your story’s structure, flow, and impact. No matter how technically well-written your manuscript is, people will put down the book if there are plot holes or unnecessary detours in the story.

The number of great stories I’ve read that have the occasional typo is a plethora, but the thing is, they were all excellent reads despite that. People remember the story, not that your “the cat said” on page 279 (well, maybe they’ll remember that – it’s kind of funny.)

I Put So Much Time and Effort Into This Story Already

As I’ve said before, writing takes time, commitment, and discipline. It feels like so much
work to get your story out of your head and onto the page when you consider all that.
So, the sense of accomplishment of finishing your novel or short or whatever will feel
incredible, and you just want to get it to a publisher.

But trust me, no matter how much time, research, and planning went into the execution, you need someone else to read it. And I don’t mean your mom or dad, who will likely think it’s lovely. Or your friend who, while bright, hasn’t spent years professionally studying the craft and technique of writing. You need an editor. It’s worth the extra time and financial investment because they can catch things you likely didn’t in all your work.

Because when we write out a story, it’s, of course, so important to us, which makes us a
little too close to the work to view it objectively. What may have seemed like the most
brilliant exchange between characters could completely kill the story. It’s an editor’s job
to share that painful fact with you and help improve the final product.

So How Do You Hire An Editor?

It’s relatively straightforward, actually. Like any job, you look one up, start a conversation, and the rest goes from there. But to give you a little more to work with, here are some things you could look out for:

How much experience do they have?Have they edited your genre before?Can they provide samples?Do they work for a company that offers other services for the price?How expensive are they based on all the above?

As someone who self-published, I’ve had a decent amount of experience hiring and working with editors (if you want more detail on the process, please check out what my course offers.)

Ultimately, what I think is just as important as credentials is that you can work well together: You must be on the same page (ha!) and communicate efficiently. The author-editor relationship needs to be a partnership. You’re hiring them to work for you, and with you, so you don’t have to impress them. It’s in their best interest to help your book be the best it can be, so don’t let yourself be intimidated.

Once you’ve hired your editor and they take a look, it’s always a good practice to get another to take a second pass. They can have different goals in mind, whether for development or substance, and could catch little things the first one missed. I did this for Getting By, and I know my novel turned out better for it. Even in my marketing work since publishing my book, I still review the work of the team I hired, catching minor oversights on their part, and they, too, see whatever I miss. In the end, the more eyes, the better!

If you’re finished with your manuscript and ready to get your story out into the world, please, please, please, heed my advice and let an editor or two review it. Trust me; you’ll thank me (and them!) for the extra efforts. Good editing can make or break the success of a novel, so put in the time to find the right fit so your story will be an incredible final product you can share with the world.

If you need more advice on editors or what to connect with the team I worked with, please reach out to me at jsims@jairesims.com. You can also follow me on social media for more tips and suggestions to help you improve your writing.

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Born and raised in Chicago, Jaire Malik Sims is an accomplished scholar with an affinity for writing. From a young age, Jaire struggled to form and maintain deep connections and friendships.

Jaire Sims Full Bio

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What’s An Editor and Do You Need One for Your Novel?

You’ve done it. After weeks, months, years – however long – of toil, you’ve finished your manuscript, and it’s time to publish it, right? Woah, not so fast! Some of you likely have heard of editors, but why spend the extra time and money on them? Your word processor has spell check, right? You’ve run it through Grammarly, so that’s enough. Not so much. While those are great tools for catching basic mistakes, a professional editor offers a second set of eyes. So let’s talk about editing.

What Does an Editor Even Do?

Before we go too far, let’s look at the job because it can often be confused with proofing. An editor’s job is to make sure your piece of writing, as a whole, makes sense and is the best it can be. Grammarly will never tell you if a passage is boring, only that you could write it better according to academic standards. In their capable hands, they’ll review the facts of your story, ensure the readability flows, and tweak bits for better impact, amongst other fixes.

For most cases, an editor should be more than enough to review and rework your manuscript with you (though if you can’t afford a writing tool like Grammarly or Hemmingway App, you may want a proofreader, too.)

Now, I’m using the term “editor” broadly, but it’s important to note the different ways editors work. Primarily, I’m describing a substantive editor who looks at your story from a big-picture point of view to ensure it fits together correctly. They’ll catch anything incoherent and suggest a rewrite so that it will make sense.

Similarly, developmental editors look at your story as a whole but provide more in-depth notes. They’ll tackle all the little structural elements page-by-page so that it will be a hit with your target audience and your message comes across clearly. While it’s great to work with both types of editors, if you can only afford one, you may want to forgo developmental editing since substantive editing can dip into it a bit.

Then there’s copyediting and proofing, similar but different. Copyeditors can go line-by-line to make sure each sentence makes factual and grammatical sense, helping with the flow of your writing. And then, a proofreader would give your manuscript that final pass and polish, so there are no spelling mistakes or other errors. While both are valuable areas to focus on, you can likely hire a developmental or substantive editor that can fulfill these needs.

Do I Really Need Editing?

If my intro paragraph wasn’t clear enough: Yes. You can be the best writer, with perfect
grammar and spelling out there. Or, as I said, you can use some of the smart tools built
into most digital solutions.

But once all is said and done, you need someone to offer their objective and sometimes brutal opinion about your story’s structure, flow, and impact. No matter how technically well-written your manuscript is, people will put down the book if there are plot holes or unnecessary detours in the story.

The number of great stories I’ve read that have the occasional typo is a plethora, but the thing is, they were all excellent reads despite that. People remember the story, not that your “the cat said” on page 279 (well, maybe they’ll remember that – it’s kind of funny.)

I Put So Much Time and Effort Into This Story Already

As I’ve said before, writing takes time, commitment, and discipline. It feels like so much
work to get your story out of your head and onto the page when you consider all that.
So, the sense of accomplishment of finishing your novel or short or whatever will feel
incredible, and you just want to get it to a publisher.

But trust me, no matter how much time, research, and planning went into the execution, you need someone else to read it. And I don’t mean your mom or dad, who will likely think it’s lovely. Or your friend who, while bright, hasn’t spent years professionally studying the craft and technique of writing. You need an editor. It’s worth the extra time and financial investment because they can catch things you likely didn’t in all your work.

Because when we write out a story, it’s, of course, so important to us, which makes us a
little too close to the work to view it objectively. What may have seemed like the most
brilliant exchange between characters could completely kill the story. It’s an editor’s job
to share that painful fact with you and help improve the final product.

So How Do You Hire An Editor?

It’s relatively straightforward, actually. Like any job, you look one up, start a conversation, and the rest goes from there. But to give you a little more to work with, here are some things you could look out for:

How much experience do they have?Have they edited your genre before?Can they provide samples?Do they work for a company that offers other services for the price?How expensive are they based on all the above?

As someone who self-published, I’ve had a decent amount of experience hiring and working with editors (if you want more detail on the process, please check out what my course offers.)

Ultimately, what I think is just as important as credentials is that you can work well together: You must be on the same page (ha!) and communicate efficiently. The author-editor relationship needs to be a partnership. You’re hiring them to work for you, and with you, so you don’t have to impress them. It’s in their best interest to help your book be the best it can be, so don’t let yourself be intimidated.

Once you’ve hired your editor and they take a look, it’s always a good practice to get another to take a second pass. They can have different goals in mind, whether for development or substance, and could catch little things the first one missed. I did this for Getting By, and I know my novel turned out better for it. Even in my marketing work since publishing my book, I still review the work of the team I hired, catching minor oversights on their part, and they, too, see whatever I miss. In the end, the more eyes, the better!

If you’re finished with your manuscript and ready to get your story out into the world, please, please, please, heed my advice and let an editor or two review it. Trust me; you’ll thank me (and them!) for the extra efforts. Good editing can make or break the success of a novel, so put in the time to find the right fit so your story will be an incredible final product you can share with the world.

If you need more advice on editors or what to connect with the team I worked with, please reach out to me at jsims@jairesims.com. You can also follow me on social media for more tips and suggestions to help you improve your writing.

The post What’s An Editor and Do You Need One for Your Novel? appeared first on Jaire Sims.

Want a Flexible Way to Earn Income? Make a Course!

Being a writer takes time, discipline, and commitment. But also a lot of patience. As I’ve mentioned, getting paid for your writing can take a while. So in the meantime, you need something that’ll provide income while allowing the flexibility and energy for your writing. One of the recent approaches I’ve taken is to develop an online course and webinar, and I wanted to share that process with you.

Why Create a Course?

I wasn’t sure, at first, if making a course was right for me. As an introverted individual, the idea of presenting to others was intimidating. But at the same time, I love sharing knowledge and helping others, so I was at a bit of a crossroads. Ultimately, with some guidance and support, I found a way to teach that worked for my needs.

The course allows me to support others while also gaining some passive income now that it’s up and running. And that’s the benefit of having it, whether you present live or not. If you have the time and social energy to go online or in-person to instruct, it’s a great way to make some income.

And I recommend recording your presentation because you can develop it into something called “evergreen” content. That is content you create that never goes away and can continually make you money, like an online course recording that people can pay to access after you’ve given the initial presentation. Or, you can approach it as I did and do a recording only.

Most marketing experts will recommend you do a live presentation first, as it helps build a rapport and what is called “social proof” (if real people took your course, then it must be legitimate!), but I had to work around my strengths and reservations. Still, how you approach the process, ending up with an evergreen piece of content that people can continually come back to and take, is a no-brainer.

But What Do I Teach?

Figuring out what you want your course to be about is a subjective process. Where does your relative expertise lay? Thanks to the accessibility presented by the internet, you don’t need to be a Ph.D. with years of experience to get your course off the ground (though that certainly won’t hurt!).

As long as you have a subject you’re passionate and knowledgeable about and can create an exciting presentation from that, you’re good to go. For me, writing and self-publishing was an obvious choice! For you, maybe you know a lot about blog writing or pet care or parenting – it all depends on where you’re at in your life, obviously, and what you feel confident about sharing with the world.

Making a Course

Before you can start earning with your online course or webinar, you need to build it. That is where all your time, effort, and possibly money will go upfront. Making a course is a process. From my experience, this is a general outline of what’s needed:

A subject (as mentioned above)An outline of the topics for each lessonWritten content for your lessonsA slideshow built for the presentationWritten copy for the course’s supplemental materials (workbooks, printed reference sheets, etc.)Design the supplemental materialsIf presenting live, a platform or venue to host the courseIf prerecorded (like mine), compiling the presentation into videos and then hosting said videosA webpage to market the courseEmails to market the courseSocial media copy and design to market the courseA test run of the course (for cheap or free with friends and family or an initial run of students) to get feedback before charging a more substantive price

As I said, it’s a lot but worth the effort. The more thoughtful and polished you can make it, the easier it’ll be to market. Getting my course off the ground took several months, but now it’s live, and people can come and go as they please, taking the course at their own pace. I don’t have to put a lot of thought into it except to market it and respond to any feedback and questions my students have or engage with them in the private Facebook group we share.

Tools That Help

Now, my above outline lays out a lot, and I don’t want to get into every minute detail of the aspects that speak for themselves, like writing the copy for the various components, since all that hinges on whatever subject and process you take. What I can offer, though, is an insight into some accessible tools you can look at to help you in creating your course.

Design

I don’t personally have a knack for graphic design, but maybe you do. If you don’t already have digital art software, here are some ways to create PDFs for your course materials, slideshow, and even social media marketing graphics.

Canva: You’ve probably heard of this one. It’s accessible as it only requires you to sign up for it, and the free plan gives you a decent amount to work with, from design assets to templates for you to build from. Plus, you don’t need to download anything if you don’t want to, as it all works in a browser (though there are apps if you prefer to go mobile!) Once you’ve designed your various elements, you can export them as PDFs or graphics or use the platform for a complete slideshow. GIMP: This is for more advanced users, as it’s essentially a free version of more popular programs like Adobe Photoshop or Affinity Photo. As it’s freeware, it isn’t as smooth, but it does the job of the name-brand design tools. Once downloaded, though, you have access to a robust set of design tools that are more flexible than what Canva has to offer if you’re willing to learn the ins and outs of it. Google Slides: Got your free Google account for Gmail or Google Drive? Great! Then you have access to a fantastic slideshow creation tool for free! No need to purchase a Microsoft Office suite. You can build your slideshow quickly enough with stock imagery and various tools to make the most polished presentation possible. Once done, all you need to do is download it, and you’re ready to go.Email Services

If you’re not already registered with a solid email marketing platform, I definitely recommend you look into it. Sure, you may have a Gmail or Hotmail account, but they don’t let you set up automated marketing broadcasts that you can set and forget. I’ve tried a couple, so here are some I recommend to help you get started.

Mailerlite: While I had initially started on another platform, Mailerlite is where I’ve landed. Its pricing structure is appealing, especially when starting since its free account allows for up to 1000 subscribers. I also found it a bit more straightforward to use for my needs. And like many others, it also offers a landing page builder. If you don’t have your website set up for the course, this can be an alternative solution for marketing it. Mailchimp: One of the most popular platforms, so it’s well-supported. I didn’t find it as intuitive to work with, but it does offer a bit more with some of its packages (though it is also more expensive.) If it jives with you, then use it! That’s what matters. Aweber: This is another platform that offers many of the same features as the others, though one thing worth noting is that they integrate with Canva. So, if you’ve already got a design account there, you can marry the two nicely for developing newsletters or webpage content. Their pricing structure is a bit more flexible, as you can adjust it for your needs, though the free account doesn’t allow for as big an audience as Mailerlite. But again, if it suits your tastes, go for it!Course Platform

Selecting the right way to host and structure your course online is as essential for you as it is for your prospective students. As you have likely figured out, I like doing my research before committing to something, and I did so when determining how I wanted to integrate my course with my website.

LearnDash: I settled on this one for my needs. It had a great price, allowed me to integrate videos from Vimeo, my existing payment system, and is easy for students to use. Udemy: I had looked into this system as an option, too. It’s free, which is excellent, but then I found that meant the market was pretty oversaturated, so I was worried no one would see my course. If you want to go the Udemy route, be prepared to advertise heavily to ensure folks find what you’re selling. Otherwise, it’s a solid interface with lots of tools to help you create a great course. Teachable: Another platform that came highly recommended to me is pretty user-friendly and affordable. But I largely found it’s better suited for folks who want to teach face-to-face, and I didn’t like that they charge transaction fees, so make sure you weigh those cons versus the several pros the service offers.

Creating your own course is pretty satisfying, I’ve got to say. While involved, the process was fun, building something I knew I’d like to take. Whatever subject you want to teach, as long as you share something that you wish you knew before getting into whatever it is, you’re likely on the right track.

That drove me: To help people save time and energy from all that I put into getting my novel, Getting By, self-published. If there had been a course like mine available, I would have happily paid for the info because it took SO much time. Do you have questions about putting together a program or have an interest in taking mine? Then please check it out on my site or reach out via email at jsims@jairesims.com. I’d also love to connect on social media, so please say Hello!

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Actionable Tips New Writers Like You Can Take Today!

Where do you start as a writer? How does one “make it” as an author? Good questions with no easy answer. I wondered the same as I got started on my authorial journey. Having loved literature and writing for a long time, I began to dabble with this and that. Eventually, enough people encouraged me, enjoying what I wrote, which built my confidence to the point that I thought I could take on writing my own novel. Getting By is the outcome, but the process was a challenge.

Getting Started as a Writer

Honestly, it may seem reductive, but your best chance at becoming a published author is just to start writing. There really isn’t a magic formula or any program you can take that will guarantee success if you’re not already writing.

As with any creative craft, it’s all about practice! If you want to start your career, I highly recommend you start writing just for the sake of writing and try not to be too precious about what you create. Get out of your head that you need to write your first great novel the first time you apply pen to page (or fingers to keys these days). Otherwise, you’ll flounder with how overwhelming a task you’ve set for yourself.

Write short stories no one will ever read (or, if anyone, a trusted few), pen some poetry, outline a script – whatever sort of writing you want to do, start small with no goal for financial success in mind. From there, your natural talents will grow, and you may begin to discover themes, characters, and stories you WILL want to take further at some point.

Consume the Medium

Whether it’s a novel, video game, film, or poetry, if you’re going to write it, you need to watch or read it! Often, as creatives, we understandably worry about plagiarism and originality, so we avoid consuming the media we enjoy. But in doing so, we do ourselves a great disservice.

Firstly, watching the medium and genres we’re interested in inspires us to pursue our work.Secondly, it helps you keep up with the zeitgeist, so you don’t write the 18th zombie movie of the summer or another young adult fiction novel about the gods of Olympus centered around a boy.Thirdly, we can take those two above thoughts and roll them into something else – adopting an old idea and making it new and yours: Just because it’s been done before doesn’t mean you can’t do it again and possibly better!

We must keep abreast of what is going on in the medium we choose to write. Then we’re not left behind and out of touch with what could attract an audience and sell. Plus, when your profession is to write, some of our books, streaming services, and game purchases can be written off for “research” come tax season.

Develop Strategy

Now, while I did say there aren’t any secret recipes to “get rich quick” as a writer, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t study the craft. From publishing a novel to screenwriting, taking a course can bolster your writing ability. Because, for so long, writing pays little, so you want to manage your time as best you can. And thankfully, most of the courses, from school to online, that I’ve encountered all reinforce time management.

You can learn many tricks like creating quick outlines, drumming up creative ideas, making a schedule, and other shorthand techniques that will help you write more efficiently. Like my course for self-publishing, for example, I wish I knew so much of what I learned BEFORE spending all the time I did getting my novel off the ground by myself.

But if you want to publish your young adult novel, you can learn how to get it started and on a shelf in no time by learning from the mistakes and research I’ve already invested time into for you. Whatever you wish to write, don’t discount the value of investing in your skills to strategize your approach because it will save you tons of time and money in the long run!

Connect with Others

Surround yourself with a community of other writers. Your peers can provide valuable feedback, helping you improve your writing. They can share great deals on courses they find. Plus, every once in a while, someone else could “make it” on their journey and reach down a helping hand to pull others up.

Honestly, you never know who will go where and be able to help (and that person could even be you!) Plus, I find having a group to share your writing with can build accountability, keeping you coming back to that manuscript instead of leaving it stagnant.

When I was writing Getting By, I nearly quit part way through. If it hadn’t been for the support of others, I might not be where I am today in my authorial career. So take every chance you can to build your writing community on sites like goodreads.com, Facebook or Pinterest groups, or even in-person meetups.

As I said, when you get started, there’s no clear direction to becoming a successful writer. The most important thing is, though, that you get started. You’ll never sell your story if you don’t write it! So get started, put some time into research, develop new skills through courses, and find a community that will nurture your craft and confidence.

If you need some more help, please don’t hesitate to check out the resources I offer on my site. We can also connect on social media, where I’m building my own community, and feel free to email me at jsims@jairesims.com.

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How an Introvert Can Earn Money with a Side-Hustle

Big crowds, public spaces, constant conversations – all these things are incredibly draining for me. Why? Because I’m an introvert. And if this sounds familiar, you might also be an introvert. Because of that, socializing can be a chore, whether for fun or work. That’s a reason why writing appeals to me so much. It’s a very calming, solo exercise that allows me to recharge in my own space. But writing doesn’t pay the bills right away, so I needed to find an alternative means of income that suited my particular needs. So I wanted to share some of my findings and see if you can apply some of these side-hustles that fit us introverts.

What are Introverts?

You probably hear the term “introvert” and think of yourself or someone you know that’s shy and doesn’t like to socialize much, keeping to themselves. And that’s largely accurate, but there’s a bit more to it. Because it all comes down to what takes energy from you.

A person can be shy but still be an extrovert, as being around people, and social situations will recharge them. For an introvert, those situations are exhausting. So, generally, folks like me have these tendencies:

We’re anxious in social situations.We tend to spend a lot of time in our heads, thinking or daydreaming.Our time is usually spent alone, but when we socialize, it’s in small groups.We inhibit ourselves, meaning we’re reserved in most situations.

As I said, when we end up socializing, it takes a lot out of us as we struggle with confrontations, and being the center of attention sounds like the worst-case scenario (that’s why I prefer blogging and writing instead of hosting my own podcast!)

So, introverts require alone time to recharge for the next outing or interaction. However, for our purposes, introverts have a bit of a superpower ideal for working on a side-hustle: We often perform better on our own, at our pace.

Before I move on, though, remember that introversion is a spectrum, so every introvert will look and act different – we’re not all socially anxious creatives who hate people.

Some Great Side-Hustles

Now, with all that in mind, there are some great jobs an introvert can take on. Like me, your skillsets or interests may not align with all of them, but I wanted to share some that work for me and others that would be interesting for others. The important part is that you can do most of these things from the comfort of your safe space.

Blogging

So, this is obviously one I’ve taken on for my means. I thoroughly enjoy the process of writing and finding a space to share my thoughts with others, so it just makes sense! Blogging is also so easy to step into because all you need is a website, topics, and the willingness to write. You can invest in certain software pieces, but you can also write for free using Google Docs.

As you build an audience, you can start generating income through affiliating with other sites or drawing attention to other products or services you offer, as I do with my novel, Getting By, or my online course.

Freelance Writing

I covered this more thoroughly in my last blog post, but it applies as a great way to work on something you’re passionate about. It has various avenues for profit, like self-publishing or submitting to online publications, and it lets you work from home, a cafe – wherever you’d like!

Authors like me get the added benefit of regular practice and stretching their creativity this way. And again, it has a low-cost barrier of entry for tools. So long as you have a Google account, which is free, then you get access to Google Docs.

Proofreading

Some writers have a superb eye for cleaning up their work. You can put that skill to use and offer your services to other writers or businesses. Some small business owners want to write a blog and have great ideas but need help cleaning up the content. Or authors like myself turn to proofreaders and editors to give our manuscripts a once-over, which is invaluable. If you like helping people polish their written work, this is an excellent avenue to pursue.

Book Reviewing

If, like me, you enjoy reading, this is a great excuse to keep to yourself and get paid to do it. You can join several services to become a reviewer for free and get yourself started, like on Goodreads. But sites like Reedsy have spots for professional reviewers, or you can also look into local and online publications that want reviewers.

Graphic Design

For myself, I’m not a designer – for Getting By, the self-publishing company I worked with created the cover for me. However, I used to draw regularly, and while I don’t do so much anymore, visual art still interests me. So if you love art design and have a developed talent for it, then it’s not hard to freelance as a designer.

Many people need creative assets for their businesses, and you can easily get on sites like Fiverr to put yourself out there. Plus, if you don’t have the money to invest in the bigger software applications, Canva provides an affordable alternative if you’re a starting designer.

Podcasting

Now, I’m not one to talk about myself or present things very often, so podcasting isn’t ideal for me. However, some introverts aren’t exhausted by that idea. If that’s you, then great! Podcasts have lots of potential to earn income through affiliate marketing as you build an audience.

And like blogging, it’s pretty simple to get into, though you will need a decent recording setup if you want the final product to sound its best. Thankfully there are affordable options for technical gear and free editing software like Audacity or GarageBand you can use in your process. Building the audience is tricky, but with an exciting show and enough perseverance, anyone can work towards it.

Web Design

Again, another skill I’m not terribly proficient in. While I have some modest understanding of how my site runs and how to keep it up to date, I definitely call in some help for larger tasks. If you’re more technically savvy than me, though, putting yourself out there as a web designer lets you work for clients with minimal in-person contact, and if you’re good at it, it can be very profitable. Once again, working through Fiverr is a good way to get yourself freelance work.

Online Course Instructing

Creating a course is one of my recent endeavors. I knew I learned a lot from my experience in self-publishing Getting By. So, I began to think that I could help others by imparting that knowledge and maybe earn some extra income on the side to help profit from my passion for writing and supporting other authors.

If you have a skillset or in-depth knowledge that you feel others can benefit from learning, like any of the ones I’ve mentioned so far, then you could create a course or webinar. Courses especially take some work to get off the ground, but you can charge modestly for your efforts to get a solid return on the investment. Plus, if social interaction is challenging for you, you can do like I did and record your lessons rather than lecturing live.

Social Media Managing

I enjoy using Facebook and see the value in other social media platforms, but they can be hard to keep up with. Some people out there love getting on social media, though. Even some introverts!

For those people, you could apply yourself to being a social media manager if you understand the marketing strategies involved and want to help people build their following. And it’s not that socially taxing since you’re not directly interacting with people live. You can take your time and think out your responses in your own time.

House Sitting

Sometimes you don’t want to stay cooped up in your own home all the time. Thankfully, you can apply yourself to being a house sitter and sometimes have a sort of getaway. Plus, the bonus with house sitting is combining it with any other work-from-home opportunities I’ve discussed already! Sure, you’ll need to keep things tidy, grab the mail, and maybe feed a family pet now and again, but you’d probably be doing all that at your own home anyways, with no one paying you – so why not?

Dog Walking

Another great way to get out of the house but keep to yourself is becoming a dog walker. If you’re great with animals but maybe can’t have one of your own, then this is a wonderful solution. A few hours a day or week is all it takes to get out for some fresh air with some canine companions. And, like with house sitting, you can still work on other projects between walking appointments.

Lawn Care

There’s a particular niche available if you like gardening, as some people don’t have time to maintain their own yards but can’t afford an elaborate landscaping service. That’s where you can step in if you like spending time outside and putting in some manual labor when the weather allows for it. You’ll need to interact with your clients, like with any of the above tasks, but essentially you can do your own thing while tending to someone’s lawn care.

My list is by no means exhaustive. Ultimately, thanks to the internet, there are many, many opportunities for introverts to find work and have complete control over their schedules and lifestyle.

If you’re interested in my work, please check out my young adult novel, Getting By. Or, if you’re an aspiring writer, my course may interest you, offering you the info you need to self-publish a story of your own. Otherwise, please reach out and connect with me, on either social media or email me at jsims@jairesims.com.

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Write Short Fiction You Love and Get Paid Doing it in 2022

If you can’t tell, I love writing, so I naturally sought out ways to get paid for my work and passion. Until I settled on writing and self-publishing my young adult work of fiction, Getting By, a few other options came up in my research. As a fiction writer, it’s actually easier to find outlets willing to publish short stories than for most other story writers. Maybe it’s because more people are looking to escape from reality than read about factual stories and the like? Whatever the case, the point is you could get paid for your creativity, so let’s take a look
at how to write short fiction and get paid doing it.

Getting Started

If you’ve been writing for a while, you likely have an approach to generating ideas quickly. However, if you’re newer to writing, a little extra help doesn’t hurt. In my course, I share some different methods I use for coming up with story ideas, and they work great when creating short works. These include things like:

● Writing prompts
● Rewriting an established work (for inspiration – not plagiarism!)
● Observing real life all around you

Once you get your idea, it’s time to write, and you’ll want to work quickly. I say this because the more time you spend, the less the payout for your effort becomes. That’s not to say, put out sloppy work. In most cases, your name will still be on the piece, which is excellent marketing. But you’ll want to use your time wisely.

While you’re writing, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind:
● Genre
While you’re writing a work of fiction, that doesn’t mean, say, The New Yorker will publish your young adult fantasy horror story. If you have a specific publication in mind, you’ll need to know what genre of content they’re interested in publishing before you spend all your time writing something you can’t sell.
● Word count
Look into the publications you want to write for sooner rather than later, as most have a max and minimum word count you’ll need to observe, like Daily Science Fiction, which prefers content from 100-1500 words.
● Style
Nearly as important as the genre is your writing style. This one needs some more research, requiring you to do some reading to get a sense of the tone or voice in most stories a publication prints. Again, if your style doesn’t gel with theirs, it won’t sell.
● Formatting
As much as you hope the content will speak for itself, editors will likely look the other way if the formatting doesn’t come off professional and clean. While some publications will share their expectations, not all of them do, unfortunately. In most cases, you’ll want to use the accepted short story standards like:
● A basic font like Arial, Times New Roman, or something similar typed in 12-point.
● 1-inch margins and standard tab indents on your paragraphs.
● Double-spacing the manuscript but DON’T use two spaces after your punctuation.
● Including a cover page with your contact info top left, while your title and byline are centered on the page.
● An approximate word count on your first page, usually in the top right, and a header on every page with your story’s title, surname, and page numbers (again, top right.)

Where Do I Submit My Story?

So, you’ve written your short story, but now you need to get it published. That is the hardest part in many ways, and it varies between publications. Many magazines, journals, newspapers, anthologies, and more will take your story, but it’s tricky to find the right one.

What’s more, some pay better than others though they could be tougher to get into. You have to research to see what their submission guidelines entail, too. While I mentioned word count and formatting, you need to know when they accept submissions since not all are constantly looking for new content.

Some of my top recommendations, however, would be:
● The New Yorker
I grant you this one is a big swing, but the accolade of having your story printed in its pages looks stellar on the resume.
● Daily Science Fiction
If you love to explore possible futures and alien worlds through science fiction, then this is the place to try to get your stories.
● FIYAH
A black-owned magazine that focuses on speculative fiction by and about Black people is a fantastic place for the still marginalized voices of the BIPOC community to be heard.
● Write City Magazine
This publication is hosted in my home city of Chicago. It offers an excellent, accessible platform and helpful guidelines to ensure your story gets published and has ties to the Chicago Writers Association.
● Black Warrior Review
What draws me to this publication is their interest in truly unique and, as they put it, “weird” works, which is one aspect I love about specific pieces of fiction: Challenging our preconceptions.

Now, another option I suggest is similar to the self-publishing route. You can format and “print” quality copies of your stories as ebooks on your own website, selling them for a few dollars at a time. It isn’t much and requires a lot of work to market them, so people FIND your work, but it is accessible to nearly anyone with the will.

Amazon has its platform, KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing), and it is an excellent source for fledgling writers. It’s another accessible pseudo-self-publishing avenue and gets them onto a platform as ebooks, where they’re more likely to be seen and purchased. Note that Amazon will take a cut of the profits, but you’re still making the majority.

Finally, you can look into selling them to radio, podcasts, and even film producers who are looking for a story to tell on their shows. It also provides authors a unique perspective on their work, as it takes on a new life, in a way. Also, like magazines and online publications, you generally sell the rights first, so you don’t have to wait on prospective readers to pay the bills.

How Much Does it Pay?

It’s tough to say how much a writer can earn by submitting to publications like those I suggested above. The amount of time you put into the work, from research to writing, is a major factor. Thankfully, when most ask for short, they mean short. One thousand words don’t take that long to type out once you get going. Again, the trick is to have that log of ideas to start from so you’re not writing from scratch each time.

Some places, like Asimov’s Science Fiction, pay by the word (8-10 cents per, in this case), while others pay for the whole piece outright, as Flash Fiction Online does (at $80 per.) But sometimes, it’s worth it to take a lower-paying option if it means your work is more likely to get printed. Because, in the end, it’s still writing practice, something you can point to as tangible proof that you’re a published author, and you’ll still get paid something.

Get Yourself Out There

In the end, writers have a surprising amount of options to earn active or passive income by creating works of short fiction. But it does require you to hustle. From researching the publications, their requirements, the rights, and then writing the pieces themselves, it takes a while for you to see a genuine payoff. But once you get into a routine, it can all come together, and it’s a great means of getting your authorial debut.

Maybe you want to have complete control over your work and share it with the world. If you haven’t seen it yet, I offer a great guide on how to get yourself self-published that you can download from my site. I provide an in-depth course on the process you can check out. And I welcome questions and opportunities to connect with writers of all levels. You can follow me on social media or email me at jsims@jairesims.com.

The post Write Short Fiction You Love and Get Paid Doing it in 2022 appeared first on Jaire Sims.

Job Search: How I Found My Next Job During Covid

In September 2020, I was laid off from my full-time job due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to being laid off, I was unsatisfied with my job and was actively looking for another employment opportunity. Although I would have preferred to land my next job while employed, being laid off gave me more time to find a better job.

However, I knew finding another job would likely be harder than ever for me. Millions of other people were being laid off because of the pandemic, so the job market wasn’t great. In addition, being on the autism spectrum has made it difficult for me to find quality employment. So I decided to go about my job search a little differently this time. Here is how I found my next job during a pandemic.

Job Search Assistance

After several months of actively applying for jobs on my own, I decided to get professional assistance for the first time. In March 2021, I reached out to a career coach from FindMyProfession.com.

Previously, I received their assistance to revamp my resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile while I looking was looking for another job before being laid off. This time, I wanted their assistance to help me find my next job. For 8 weeks, I had a one-hour session every week with my career coach, who I communicated with via Zoom. At the time, I was receiving unemployment benefits, which I partly used to pay for these sessions.

My career coach was incredibly helpful during our one-on-one sessions. After communicating my history and challenges with finding employment, my career coach focused on improving each specific weakness I wanted to address. In addition, she helped me confirm the types of job opportunities I would enjoy and be good at performing. She also provided useful tips to help me find suitable jobs online, customize my resume to each job I applied, network effectively on LinkedIn, and appropriately answer job interview questions.

With her assistance, I was able to get more interviews during our sessions. Shortly after I concluded my service with my coach, I was hired by another employer. I do believe the guidance I received during my sessions played a significant part in my hiring.

What’s Next For Me?

Although it was unfortunate that I lost my job due to the pandemic, I realized my situation could have been worse. I was unemployed once again, but I no longer had to work at a job I didn’t like. I was also able to hire someone to help me find a better job without having to worry about other expenses. I’ve worked at my new job for almost a year now and, so far, it’s better than any job I’ve worked in the past.

However, my experience of being laid off made me more determine to start taking control of my own financial future. As I continue to work at my new job, I plan to start creating my own streams of stable income. Eventually, I would like to build one or more sources of income to support myself without solely relying on an employer for income.

The post Job Search: How I Found My Next Job During Covid appeared first on Jaire Sims.