Ceara Comeau's Blog: Lessons From A Struggling Writer - Posts Tagged "writer"
Writer or Artist?
You know the usual greeting when you first meet someone. You exchange salutations and eventually the conversations goes around to, "So what do you do for a living?"
Generally, when I say I am a writer, I get one of two looks. The "You're kidding me, right?" or my personal favorite, "You write? Oh, that's cute." When I first started out on this journey, I felt so insecure about my work that when I got this reaction I didn't feel writing was anything special. I ended up labeling writing as a hobby rather than my passion in life. At the time, it seemed a more reasonable answer to inquiring minds.
Writing not only became mundane for me, but I stopped seeing it as an art form. For years, I would tell people sheepishly that I was a writer and not an artist. But, is there really a difference?
Art comes in all forms whether it be dance, music, painting, or even graphic design. Each form uses its own medium to express something in a creative way. But that's also what unites them; the creation of something new.
I don't need a paintbrush to depict a beautiful Italian scene. I have words. And if put in the right order, I can create anything! So, after twelve years of feeling that my talent is insignificant, I've realized that it is one of the hardest and noblest art forms to take. After all, only a writer can carry you off to worlds beyond your imagination!
Generally, when I say I am a writer, I get one of two looks. The "You're kidding me, right?" or my personal favorite, "You write? Oh, that's cute." When I first started out on this journey, I felt so insecure about my work that when I got this reaction I didn't feel writing was anything special. I ended up labeling writing as a hobby rather than my passion in life. At the time, it seemed a more reasonable answer to inquiring minds.
Writing not only became mundane for me, but I stopped seeing it as an art form. For years, I would tell people sheepishly that I was a writer and not an artist. But, is there really a difference?
Art comes in all forms whether it be dance, music, painting, or even graphic design. Each form uses its own medium to express something in a creative way. But that's also what unites them; the creation of something new.
I don't need a paintbrush to depict a beautiful Italian scene. I have words. And if put in the right order, I can create anything! So, after twelve years of feeling that my talent is insignificant, I've realized that it is one of the hardest and noblest art forms to take. After all, only a writer can carry you off to worlds beyond your imagination!
What's in a Writer?
Just like snowflakes, every person is different. The same goes for writers. Sure, we might write the same genres, but when it comes down to it, our methods of writing are vastly different. The way I write is nothing short of . . . unusual and it’s a process that’s constantly changing depending on what it is I’m writing. So, how do I do it? How do I begin and finish a writing project? Glad you asked! Well, as the ride operator for an insane roller coaster would say, “Please keep your hands and feet inside at all times! Enjoy!”
All stories begin with an idea. For me, those can come from anywhere and at any time. Recently I’ve taken the galaxy that I introduced in one of my latest books, “Memories of Chronosalis”, and decided to expand on the worlds within that galaxy. Eventually, all my books will begin to connect with each other and characters from other books will intermingle. Now, this isn’t to say that my future books will be directly connected, they will (for the most part), be stand-alone. Sounds like a lot of characters and plots, right? Most definitely, but that’s just the easy part.
With my latest project within the “Chronosalis Galaxy”, I’ve been working on a trilogy that has two parts to each book. These parts are from different characters’ perspective. Some go back in time, some hint at the future, and some even have alternate realities! How do I do that? No clue, I listen to my characters. It’s their story after all.
Speaking of my little demons. . .I mean, characters 😉 I often like to joke with people that I have sixteen gods running around in my head. Each one desperate to share their story. Sometimes I get strange looks, other times, I get laughs. But it’s true. In this trilogy, I have sixteen gods plus other characters and each one’s story is vital to the trilogy. To me, all of my characters are real which makes them especially hard to ignore when I’m doing other things (like this post 😊). No, I’m not mentally ill. I’m a writer, it’s what happens. Now, they aren’t the only ones bothering me. Because I have other stories connected to “Chronosalis” other characters pop up now and again. Then I have to figure out what notebook their story is in. This small part of the writing process is just as challenging especially when I’m trying to sleep.
“Man, you have a lot on your mind, Ceara!”
“HA! We’re not even done yet!”
“What? What do you mean? I thought that was you’re writing process!”
Well, truth be told, there’s a LOT more that goes into writing than just. . .writing. In fact, most of that is stuff behind the scenes. For example, I don’t write all day every day. Believe me, I WISH I could do that. But life generally has other plans. No, I’m not talking about work, doctor appointments, or you know, general adulting, I’m talking about other things that make me a published author. For example, marketing, social media, advertising, comic cons, and other writing events. These are all the things that I do aside from just writing. I’m on nearly every form of social media and it gets challenging trying to post things regularly. Sometimes I don’t, mostly because I’m not up to anything worth talking about. I make my own book trailers, my own advertisements. And searching for “affordable” comic cons takes almost an entire day to do. Aside from all that, I update people on my life by writing blog posts like this. And sometimes, it takes me a good month to figure out what I want to talk about. Then, there’s the book reviews which I LOVE doing because I know it helps other authors like myself. I know I don’t have a huge following on YouTube, but as long as I’m helping my author friends, that’s all that matters to me. And you know, it takes at least three hours to do one or maybe two videos because I’m trying to find a place to film and I’m trying to perfect my “script” so the review looks professional.
I do a lot and I don’t generally have a lot of time to spare. When I do, I find myself helping other authors by going over their work. Again, not complaining, I enjoy helping others as much as I can. And when I’m not doing that, I’m reading more than one book at a time to educate myself on different writing styles and perfect my own craft.
“Well, it sounds like it’s overwhelming and too much to handle. Why don’t you just take a break?”
Easy. I can’t. Not even if I wanted to. You see, where I am right now, if I were to take a month off or maybe even three, the momentum that I’ve started with my work would die. I’d have to pick it up again and work even twice as hard to keep it going. See, self-publishing has its rewards, but it also has its problems. I do everything myself, not that I reject help. I absolutely need it, but I don’t have a lot of people in my corner to take on the loads that I have. I do have great help though. My husband comes with me to nearly every event and acts as my assistant (I don’t know what I’d do without him 😉). And my mom is often in the background helping me with advertising and promo when I literally can’t. My dad is one of my beta readers and is VERY good at his job. So I do have help. But there are still things that my “team” can’t help me with that I have to do myself. Am I complaining? Heck no. I love every step of the writing process. The good and the bad. Why? I learn something with every step. Yes, I’m constantly overwhelmed. But I’ve found ways of working around that and silencing the “demons” in my head.
Every artist of every type of medium has a story to tell. How they began their art. What their process is. What goes into it. What their muse is. I bet, if you sit down with artists, writers, musicians and so on, you’ll be amazed at what they go through to achieve their goals!
All stories begin with an idea. For me, those can come from anywhere and at any time. Recently I’ve taken the galaxy that I introduced in one of my latest books, “Memories of Chronosalis”, and decided to expand on the worlds within that galaxy. Eventually, all my books will begin to connect with each other and characters from other books will intermingle. Now, this isn’t to say that my future books will be directly connected, they will (for the most part), be stand-alone. Sounds like a lot of characters and plots, right? Most definitely, but that’s just the easy part.
With my latest project within the “Chronosalis Galaxy”, I’ve been working on a trilogy that has two parts to each book. These parts are from different characters’ perspective. Some go back in time, some hint at the future, and some even have alternate realities! How do I do that? No clue, I listen to my characters. It’s their story after all.
Speaking of my little demons. . .I mean, characters 😉 I often like to joke with people that I have sixteen gods running around in my head. Each one desperate to share their story. Sometimes I get strange looks, other times, I get laughs. But it’s true. In this trilogy, I have sixteen gods plus other characters and each one’s story is vital to the trilogy. To me, all of my characters are real which makes them especially hard to ignore when I’m doing other things (like this post 😊). No, I’m not mentally ill. I’m a writer, it’s what happens. Now, they aren’t the only ones bothering me. Because I have other stories connected to “Chronosalis” other characters pop up now and again. Then I have to figure out what notebook their story is in. This small part of the writing process is just as challenging especially when I’m trying to sleep.
“Man, you have a lot on your mind, Ceara!”
“HA! We’re not even done yet!”
“What? What do you mean? I thought that was you’re writing process!”
Well, truth be told, there’s a LOT more that goes into writing than just. . .writing. In fact, most of that is stuff behind the scenes. For example, I don’t write all day every day. Believe me, I WISH I could do that. But life generally has other plans. No, I’m not talking about work, doctor appointments, or you know, general adulting, I’m talking about other things that make me a published author. For example, marketing, social media, advertising, comic cons, and other writing events. These are all the things that I do aside from just writing. I’m on nearly every form of social media and it gets challenging trying to post things regularly. Sometimes I don’t, mostly because I’m not up to anything worth talking about. I make my own book trailers, my own advertisements. And searching for “affordable” comic cons takes almost an entire day to do. Aside from all that, I update people on my life by writing blog posts like this. And sometimes, it takes me a good month to figure out what I want to talk about. Then, there’s the book reviews which I LOVE doing because I know it helps other authors like myself. I know I don’t have a huge following on YouTube, but as long as I’m helping my author friends, that’s all that matters to me. And you know, it takes at least three hours to do one or maybe two videos because I’m trying to find a place to film and I’m trying to perfect my “script” so the review looks professional.
I do a lot and I don’t generally have a lot of time to spare. When I do, I find myself helping other authors by going over their work. Again, not complaining, I enjoy helping others as much as I can. And when I’m not doing that, I’m reading more than one book at a time to educate myself on different writing styles and perfect my own craft.
“Well, it sounds like it’s overwhelming and too much to handle. Why don’t you just take a break?”
Easy. I can’t. Not even if I wanted to. You see, where I am right now, if I were to take a month off or maybe even three, the momentum that I’ve started with my work would die. I’d have to pick it up again and work even twice as hard to keep it going. See, self-publishing has its rewards, but it also has its problems. I do everything myself, not that I reject help. I absolutely need it, but I don’t have a lot of people in my corner to take on the loads that I have. I do have great help though. My husband comes with me to nearly every event and acts as my assistant (I don’t know what I’d do without him 😉). And my mom is often in the background helping me with advertising and promo when I literally can’t. My dad is one of my beta readers and is VERY good at his job. So I do have help. But there are still things that my “team” can’t help me with that I have to do myself. Am I complaining? Heck no. I love every step of the writing process. The good and the bad. Why? I learn something with every step. Yes, I’m constantly overwhelmed. But I’ve found ways of working around that and silencing the “demons” in my head.
Every artist of every type of medium has a story to tell. How they began their art. What their process is. What goes into it. What their muse is. I bet, if you sit down with artists, writers, musicians and so on, you’ll be amazed at what they go through to achieve their goals!
It Starts With You
It’s been fourteen years since I started my writing journey. So much has changed and yet some things have remained the same. My writing style has changed, concepts have drastically improved, and my characters seem lifelike. But, with all this progress one thing has always held me back from reaching my goal—it’s a little thing I like to call self-doubt. Okay, so it’s not so little, in fact, it’s become a major detriment to my writing career.
Self-doubt plagues nearly every author at least once in their lifetime (or if you’re in my case, every single day). I’ve hinted at this problem before in other blog posts, so I won’t bore you with the same old story—no, this time, I’m coming clean about just how bad self-doubt affects me.
Let me start at the beginning. It wasn’t until three years ago that I began writing seriously. The eleven years before that I played around with the idea of being a full-time writer one day. Unfortunately, I was consumed with the idea of being friends with everyone and . . . well focusing on things that really didn’t matter. By the time 2016 came around, I remember putting my foot down with myself and saying that writing is my passion and I was going to be more dedicated. For three years I believed my writing was worth it and that my stories had a message the world should hear (don’t worry, this mentality hasn’t change 😉). But these were empty words I kept telling myself and others to hide the growing problem—self-doubt continued to rear its ugly head.
See, during those eleven years of “writing for fun” I just had an expensive hobby; my heart wasn’t really into it. I guess a part of me thought that I’d get my big break magically just like some of the great writers did. Boy, was I delusional! No one’s rise to fame is the same. Some struggle for decades whereas others get that random stroke of luck. With this mindset, my friends and family began thinking I had an expensive hobby too and no one took me seriously because I wasn’t.
So, for the last three years, I’ve put on a mask. One that tells the world I’ll be the next up and coming sci-fi/fantasy author. But behind that, I felt like a fraud. My self-doubt ate away at me day after day until the point where I believed that my writing wasn’t worth it.
And before I go further, I can already hear some of you now (who have read my latest books), “What? Are you crazy? You’re writing is great!”
Haha! Thanks, I seriously appreciate that. But I could have a room full of fans tell me how great my work is and still feel that it’s terrible. (No, I’m not diminishing what the fans are saying. I really do appreciate the support!) It wasn’t until I began working that I realized just how far I allowed self-doubt to control me. Often, my boss asks me if I can work later, which I immediately say yes even though I have so much book-related things I could be doing. I rarely say, “No, I have a lot of editing to do” or “No, I need to get some writing done.” This isn’t because I feel they wouldn’t understand; in fact, they do. They know that my primary reason for working is to help boost my writing career. But when I have to say I need to get writing done, instead of them replying, “Oh, that’s no problem! Just clock out at normal time.” In my self-doubt delusional brain, I hear, “It’s just an expensive hobby,” “We’re paying you to work extra,” “Don’t you want the extra money?”, “This is your real job, it pays the bills”.
Okay, yes, I realize how absurd that sounds, but this is what anxiety and self-doubt do. They create unreasonable scenarios and you feel like what you love doesn’t matter. Well, let me tell you it does!
After I finally opened up the self-doubt wound and peered inside to see what caused it to fester, I saw the root problem. And let me tell you, it’s an easy fix. It’s no secret that I wasn’t an English major. I barely passed English in high school and college. Heck, if your grammar is on point, you’ve probably found a dozen typos, five sentence structure errors, and maybe even a missing comma or two just in this blog post alone. That’s my Achilles Heel. The actual art of writing. Ironic, huh? It’s always been a problem for me and it’s always leading my self-doubt. So, I decided to do something about it. I became determined to learn more about the technical side of writing.
I know this post has been one of my more long-winded “confessions”, but I felt it was something I needed to unload. There are so many other artists, not just writers, who feel the same burden of self-doubt weighing them down. It’s difficult to get out of, but not impossible. It takes time, but it all starts with you. Only you can release yourself from the curse of the artist’s self-doubt. Find the root cause and yank it out of your mind. And remember, you’re not alone in this battle.
Self-doubt plagues nearly every author at least once in their lifetime (or if you’re in my case, every single day). I’ve hinted at this problem before in other blog posts, so I won’t bore you with the same old story—no, this time, I’m coming clean about just how bad self-doubt affects me.
Let me start at the beginning. It wasn’t until three years ago that I began writing seriously. The eleven years before that I played around with the idea of being a full-time writer one day. Unfortunately, I was consumed with the idea of being friends with everyone and . . . well focusing on things that really didn’t matter. By the time 2016 came around, I remember putting my foot down with myself and saying that writing is my passion and I was going to be more dedicated. For three years I believed my writing was worth it and that my stories had a message the world should hear (don’t worry, this mentality hasn’t change 😉). But these were empty words I kept telling myself and others to hide the growing problem—self-doubt continued to rear its ugly head.
See, during those eleven years of “writing for fun” I just had an expensive hobby; my heart wasn’t really into it. I guess a part of me thought that I’d get my big break magically just like some of the great writers did. Boy, was I delusional! No one’s rise to fame is the same. Some struggle for decades whereas others get that random stroke of luck. With this mindset, my friends and family began thinking I had an expensive hobby too and no one took me seriously because I wasn’t.
So, for the last three years, I’ve put on a mask. One that tells the world I’ll be the next up and coming sci-fi/fantasy author. But behind that, I felt like a fraud. My self-doubt ate away at me day after day until the point where I believed that my writing wasn’t worth it.
And before I go further, I can already hear some of you now (who have read my latest books), “What? Are you crazy? You’re writing is great!”
Haha! Thanks, I seriously appreciate that. But I could have a room full of fans tell me how great my work is and still feel that it’s terrible. (No, I’m not diminishing what the fans are saying. I really do appreciate the support!) It wasn’t until I began working that I realized just how far I allowed self-doubt to control me. Often, my boss asks me if I can work later, which I immediately say yes even though I have so much book-related things I could be doing. I rarely say, “No, I have a lot of editing to do” or “No, I need to get some writing done.” This isn’t because I feel they wouldn’t understand; in fact, they do. They know that my primary reason for working is to help boost my writing career. But when I have to say I need to get writing done, instead of them replying, “Oh, that’s no problem! Just clock out at normal time.” In my self-doubt delusional brain, I hear, “It’s just an expensive hobby,” “We’re paying you to work extra,” “Don’t you want the extra money?”, “This is your real job, it pays the bills”.
Okay, yes, I realize how absurd that sounds, but this is what anxiety and self-doubt do. They create unreasonable scenarios and you feel like what you love doesn’t matter. Well, let me tell you it does!
After I finally opened up the self-doubt wound and peered inside to see what caused it to fester, I saw the root problem. And let me tell you, it’s an easy fix. It’s no secret that I wasn’t an English major. I barely passed English in high school and college. Heck, if your grammar is on point, you’ve probably found a dozen typos, five sentence structure errors, and maybe even a missing comma or two just in this blog post alone. That’s my Achilles Heel. The actual art of writing. Ironic, huh? It’s always been a problem for me and it’s always leading my self-doubt. So, I decided to do something about it. I became determined to learn more about the technical side of writing.
I know this post has been one of my more long-winded “confessions”, but I felt it was something I needed to unload. There are so many other artists, not just writers, who feel the same burden of self-doubt weighing them down. It’s difficult to get out of, but not impossible. It takes time, but it all starts with you. Only you can release yourself from the curse of the artist’s self-doubt. Find the root cause and yank it out of your mind. And remember, you’re not alone in this battle.
Changes
May has been filled with so many new beginnings for me and my husband. From getting a new car for me (and yes, it’s blue!) to house hunting at the end of this month (which is why this blog post was done at the last second).
But general new life beginnings aren’t the only thing that’s new in my life! Changes in the way I view my writing style have made a drastic change and, dare I say, improvement. I know I’ve spoken about my editing process in the past, probably when I first started this blog, but I’ve never really said anything in great detail. I mainly complained about how difficult the process is, which, to this day, still remains true.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve decided to take a different approach with my editing. Before I’d read my manuscript on my laptop several times and call it good. It’d go off to beta readers and then to my editor. But I finally took advice from my first beta reader (a.k.a my dad) and decided to print out my manuscript and read through it. At first, I honestly humored him. I didn’t understand what he saw when reading my book, but the second I started reading it, I saw what he meant.
Looking at my book from a different perspective gave me an entirely new outlook on the editing process. I read it from a reader’s point of view and I caught so many plot holes and grammatical errors. Had I continued my old way of editing and just read it on a screen, I can guarantee I wouldn’t have seen those errors as some were very small.
So, this month has seriously encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone even more, try new things, whether it be a new car, a new house, or something as simple as a new way of writing. And if I can encourage any new writers out there, I’d say, don’t be afraid to take chances!
But general new life beginnings aren’t the only thing that’s new in my life! Changes in the way I view my writing style have made a drastic change and, dare I say, improvement. I know I’ve spoken about my editing process in the past, probably when I first started this blog, but I’ve never really said anything in great detail. I mainly complained about how difficult the process is, which, to this day, still remains true.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve decided to take a different approach with my editing. Before I’d read my manuscript on my laptop several times and call it good. It’d go off to beta readers and then to my editor. But I finally took advice from my first beta reader (a.k.a my dad) and decided to print out my manuscript and read through it. At first, I honestly humored him. I didn’t understand what he saw when reading my book, but the second I started reading it, I saw what he meant.
Looking at my book from a different perspective gave me an entirely new outlook on the editing process. I read it from a reader’s point of view and I caught so many plot holes and grammatical errors. Had I continued my old way of editing and just read it on a screen, I can guarantee I wouldn’t have seen those errors as some were very small.
So, this month has seriously encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone even more, try new things, whether it be a new car, a new house, or something as simple as a new way of writing. And if I can encourage any new writers out there, I’d say, don’t be afraid to take chances!
Be Kind
Events canceled, sales dropping, and creativity plummeting. For most of us writers and artists, this sounds like a typical day in 2020. We’re all still working on our craft, whatever it may be, but for some of my fellow “vendor” friends, they have had to close up shop as their work was their only means of paying the bills.
I gotta tell you, that was a hard thing to hear from one event this year. And I felt very sad for those individuals. It got me thinking about my own work and what I do. Now, if you’ve been following my blog posts, you probably already know that writing isn’t my main job. It’s something I do on the side. For the longest time, I wanted it to be a full-time thing (which I’m still striving for), but this year has really re-confirmed a valuable lesson. It’s okay to have a 9-5 to support your dreams.
This was the HARDEST lesson for me to learn. And, again with past blogs, I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before. But what I haven’t mentioned is how grateful I am to have this job. I’ve been working in retail part-time for a year and recently have been promoted to a manager position for full-time work. This year has got me realizing just how lucky I am. Yes, some days are better than others, but that’s how it is in life, whether you’re working that 9-5 or working on your craft.
“So, how’s your writing going?” I get asked this question a lot. Some days I guiltily reply, “It’s slow.” (which is code for…writing? What writing? Oh yeah, I do that whole pen and paper thing.”) Then, there are other days, where I’ll be writing several paragraphs down and I’m so proud of myself.
Guys, the world we live in right now is a challenging one, to say the least, regardless of your occupation. What my rambling is trying to convey is…don’t do what I did at the beginning of all this. Be patient with yourself in what your dreams are. It’s okay if your book, painting, or composition isn’t done as quickly as the last one. I guarantee you that no one out there is counting down the seconds until your art is done (unless you have a commission due in a week and you haven’t started sketches…that’s an entirely different story and I can’t help you there). People will understand if you’re a little behind and I’m not saying that because as I write this I feel behind.
We all have lives outside of our projects and 9-5, you just have to remember to be gentle and kind with yourself. After all, your emotions will show in your work!
I gotta tell you, that was a hard thing to hear from one event this year. And I felt very sad for those individuals. It got me thinking about my own work and what I do. Now, if you’ve been following my blog posts, you probably already know that writing isn’t my main job. It’s something I do on the side. For the longest time, I wanted it to be a full-time thing (which I’m still striving for), but this year has really re-confirmed a valuable lesson. It’s okay to have a 9-5 to support your dreams.
This was the HARDEST lesson for me to learn. And, again with past blogs, I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before. But what I haven’t mentioned is how grateful I am to have this job. I’ve been working in retail part-time for a year and recently have been promoted to a manager position for full-time work. This year has got me realizing just how lucky I am. Yes, some days are better than others, but that’s how it is in life, whether you’re working that 9-5 or working on your craft.
“So, how’s your writing going?” I get asked this question a lot. Some days I guiltily reply, “It’s slow.” (which is code for…writing? What writing? Oh yeah, I do that whole pen and paper thing.”) Then, there are other days, where I’ll be writing several paragraphs down and I’m so proud of myself.
Guys, the world we live in right now is a challenging one, to say the least, regardless of your occupation. What my rambling is trying to convey is…don’t do what I did at the beginning of all this. Be patient with yourself in what your dreams are. It’s okay if your book, painting, or composition isn’t done as quickly as the last one. I guarantee you that no one out there is counting down the seconds until your art is done (unless you have a commission due in a week and you haven’t started sketches…that’s an entirely different story and I can’t help you there). People will understand if you’re a little behind and I’m not saying that because as I write this I feel behind.
We all have lives outside of our projects and 9-5, you just have to remember to be gentle and kind with yourself. After all, your emotions will show in your work!
Hand in Hand
A couple of years ago, I created a YouTube channel to review other indie author books. Sadly, life happened and I began to neglect my channel. It wasn’t until a few months ago that I got some serious encouragement/reality check from an unlikely source.
I was working at my 9-5 job and was organizing things in the backroom when my co-worker/manager above me came in. We started to chat a bit about nothing super important and somehow, we got onto the topic of internet videos. (I’m pretty sure the conversation involved Tick Tock as that’s one of his favorite things). Something inside me compelled me to talk to him about my dormant YouTube channel and his eyes pretty much lit up. It was honestly pretty funny. He took a break from work and looked at all my past videos. He then came back to me and said, “You’ve got to keep doing this!”. Even though he isn’t much into books, he thought the book review video concept was pretty amazing. And although his encouragement was super heartwarming and helpful, it’s what he said next that gave me an epiphany.
“You’re fighting against thousands of other writers. It’s a tough thing to do [write]. You can also go somewhere with these videos. I haven’t read your books, but from what I’ve been told [by another coworker], they’re pretty good. I can’t say you’ll become the next best-selling author, but I believe in you.” I can’t remember all that was said, but that is what hit me the most.
Then I started reflecting back on the videos and what he said. He’s right, all writers have it tough and we all need that one person that believes in us whether we become best-selling authors or not. That’s why I’ve decided to resurrect my channel.
I am always hearing (and guilty of saying), “Please review my book!”. Why do I feel guilty for saying it? Because before now, I wasn’t dedicated to helping my fellow author out by reviewing their work loyally. See, as indie authors, we hope people will review our stuff but how often do we actually think of reviewing “Sally” on Facebook who just asked for the same thing of her latest novel?
It was once suggested of me that I review popular books to get my channel huge. And, there’s a very good reason that I don’t. A LOT of people review books like, “Harry Potter”, “Maze Runner”, “Lord of the Rings”, to name a few. Those authors don’t even NEED reviews at this point let alone care to have them. Indie authors who have self-published through Amazon or through independent publishers DO! Most of those people are like me and are still working full-time jobs just trying to make ends meet, while at the same time trying to keep their author dream alive. Does this mean I won’t read popular books? Heck no, in fact, most of my bookshelves are caving in with the number of “popular” books I have.
I want to challenge you this year; this decade even. If you’re an indie author, practice what you preach. Get to know the author behind the book. Look up their website, PURCHASE, the author’s book, and ask them where’s the best way to post your review. Show your fellow indie author you believe in them! If we don’t speak up for our writing minority, who will?
I was working at my 9-5 job and was organizing things in the backroom when my co-worker/manager above me came in. We started to chat a bit about nothing super important and somehow, we got onto the topic of internet videos. (I’m pretty sure the conversation involved Tick Tock as that’s one of his favorite things). Something inside me compelled me to talk to him about my dormant YouTube channel and his eyes pretty much lit up. It was honestly pretty funny. He took a break from work and looked at all my past videos. He then came back to me and said, “You’ve got to keep doing this!”. Even though he isn’t much into books, he thought the book review video concept was pretty amazing. And although his encouragement was super heartwarming and helpful, it’s what he said next that gave me an epiphany.
“You’re fighting against thousands of other writers. It’s a tough thing to do [write]. You can also go somewhere with these videos. I haven’t read your books, but from what I’ve been told [by another coworker], they’re pretty good. I can’t say you’ll become the next best-selling author, but I believe in you.” I can’t remember all that was said, but that is what hit me the most.
Then I started reflecting back on the videos and what he said. He’s right, all writers have it tough and we all need that one person that believes in us whether we become best-selling authors or not. That’s why I’ve decided to resurrect my channel.
I am always hearing (and guilty of saying), “Please review my book!”. Why do I feel guilty for saying it? Because before now, I wasn’t dedicated to helping my fellow author out by reviewing their work loyally. See, as indie authors, we hope people will review our stuff but how often do we actually think of reviewing “Sally” on Facebook who just asked for the same thing of her latest novel?
It was once suggested of me that I review popular books to get my channel huge. And, there’s a very good reason that I don’t. A LOT of people review books like, “Harry Potter”, “Maze Runner”, “Lord of the Rings”, to name a few. Those authors don’t even NEED reviews at this point let alone care to have them. Indie authors who have self-published through Amazon or through independent publishers DO! Most of those people are like me and are still working full-time jobs just trying to make ends meet, while at the same time trying to keep their author dream alive. Does this mean I won’t read popular books? Heck no, in fact, most of my bookshelves are caving in with the number of “popular” books I have.
I want to challenge you this year; this decade even. If you’re an indie author, practice what you preach. Get to know the author behind the book. Look up their website, PURCHASE, the author’s book, and ask them where’s the best way to post your review. Show your fellow indie author you believe in them! If we don’t speak up for our writing minority, who will?
A Novelist's Mind
The best part about being a novelist is all the things you can create with absolutely no restrictions. You can write about other worlds, future societies, aliens, magic, and alternate realities. Heck, you can transport your readers to different parts of the country that they’ll probably never see—well with a little help from Google.
But, being a screenplay writer is a whole different ball game. When I first started writing screenplays, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, and I guess to some degree I still feel that way. But I was unfamiliar with terminology and the format, so I started asking filmmaker friends I knew and one told me to write the screenplay how I saw it.
Now, that’s the biggest mistake to say to a novelist with a crazy imagination. Write what I see? Well, I see a castle here, I see fairies over there, oh and I think there’s a dragon in the mix. Hey, I need a school too, think I could land a school? Yeah, that’s pretty much the thought process I had in writing the first round of screenplays, I wrote exactly what I was seeing.
It’s taken me this long to realize that I don’t think that advice, “write what I see” was meant to be taken that literally.
Being a low-budget independent filmmaker, I get the locations that I’m able to. If that means making a town hall look like a school and a fire chief’s office, then that’s what I’m going to do.
And the more I looked at my future screenplays, the more I realized that I had been too specific with the locations I had in mind. I can’t guarantee I’m going to get a specific room in a specific building, but I can, at the very least, write down what I want the room to be used as in the scene. That right there gives me the opportunity to write the screenplays, send them off to the reoccurring leads, and start looking for locations. If one location falls through (as several have in the past with just my pilot episode of Amber Oak), well, I know I just need a room to have the right look.
The screenplay writing journey has definitely been that—a journey. And one I’m definitely not going to give up on, I just have to wear two different hats—one for novels and one for screenplays. In a way, both help with my creativity and they honestly challenge me as a writer.
I have no idea who initially said this quote, but it 100% rings true for me this month:
“You don’t always need a plan, just go!”
But, being a screenplay writer is a whole different ball game. When I first started writing screenplays, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, and I guess to some degree I still feel that way. But I was unfamiliar with terminology and the format, so I started asking filmmaker friends I knew and one told me to write the screenplay how I saw it.
Now, that’s the biggest mistake to say to a novelist with a crazy imagination. Write what I see? Well, I see a castle here, I see fairies over there, oh and I think there’s a dragon in the mix. Hey, I need a school too, think I could land a school? Yeah, that’s pretty much the thought process I had in writing the first round of screenplays, I wrote exactly what I was seeing.
It’s taken me this long to realize that I don’t think that advice, “write what I see” was meant to be taken that literally.
Being a low-budget independent filmmaker, I get the locations that I’m able to. If that means making a town hall look like a school and a fire chief’s office, then that’s what I’m going to do.
And the more I looked at my future screenplays, the more I realized that I had been too specific with the locations I had in mind. I can’t guarantee I’m going to get a specific room in a specific building, but I can, at the very least, write down what I want the room to be used as in the scene. That right there gives me the opportunity to write the screenplays, send them off to the reoccurring leads, and start looking for locations. If one location falls through (as several have in the past with just my pilot episode of Amber Oak), well, I know I just need a room to have the right look.
The screenplay writing journey has definitely been that—a journey. And one I’m definitely not going to give up on, I just have to wear two different hats—one for novels and one for screenplays. In a way, both help with my creativity and they honestly challenge me as a writer.
I have no idea who initially said this quote, but it 100% rings true for me this month:
“You don’t always need a plan, just go!”
Childhood Dreams
Imagine this…
It’s summer of 2006 and you’re driving down a lonely road in the rural town of Acworth, NH. About ten miles back you convinced yourself you were on the right track to your destination. But now, the road has become narrow, a river is to your right, and thick woods to your left. There seems to be no one around for miles to ask for directions. You slow your car down as it bounces over some unexpected potholes. You’re about to find the next available U-turn when you look off to the side and see this grand, beautiful yard. But that’s not what catches your attention. It’s the thirteen-year-old girl who appears to be dancing to the beat of her own drum, literally. You think it's nice that she’s getting fresh air and has no care in the world, but you continue to drive on by, seeking your destination.
That little girl barely noticed you, she didn’t have a care in the world because she was not in this world. She had her headphones in her ears listening to a song that resonated with a story she was writing. And, she wasn’t dancing—she was acting. She was imagining how her characters would respond to a scene while at the same time imagining the actors who’d play the roles in the future live-action movie. This girl had so many dreams—this girl was me!
If you had told me all those years ago that I’d be filming my pilot episode in that very same backyard, I’d have been so confused and probably doubtful, “Who’d care about my Amber Oak stories?” I might have said. If you’ve followed my blogs, you probably have noticed that my writing journey has been a long and bumpy one, and one that will never be over as I am always writing still in some way or another.
The truth is, filming had been something I always wanted to do. In fact, when my mom found out how to self-publish my work when I was 15, I was honestly indifferent. Publishing didn’t matter to me so much as imagining the people who’d become the characters in my head. I found so much joy in my friends helping me act out scenes.
As I get ready to start filming this coming weekend, I reflect back even on the journey of getting into film. It was bumpy as well and I’ve faced so many challenges already. But the support from my friends, family, and even cast has been so encouraging. Even though I’ve been planning this for months, it feels so surreal to me. The characters aren’t imaginary anymore, they’re real.
Ever since I finished the last “Amber Oak” book, something had been nagging at me, I’d work on other stories and it’d be fun for a while, but I still kept thinking back on Amber and what she’d be doing right now. I’d ask myself the “what if's” and two summers ago I could almost hear her say to me, “My story isn’t done yet, it’s just beginning!”
I’ve met a LOT of people on this long journey to making Amber become real. And every single one of them helped me in their own way. So, to those who gave me my “wings” and to those who taught me how to use them…Thank you!
It’s summer of 2006 and you’re driving down a lonely road in the rural town of Acworth, NH. About ten miles back you convinced yourself you were on the right track to your destination. But now, the road has become narrow, a river is to your right, and thick woods to your left. There seems to be no one around for miles to ask for directions. You slow your car down as it bounces over some unexpected potholes. You’re about to find the next available U-turn when you look off to the side and see this grand, beautiful yard. But that’s not what catches your attention. It’s the thirteen-year-old girl who appears to be dancing to the beat of her own drum, literally. You think it's nice that she’s getting fresh air and has no care in the world, but you continue to drive on by, seeking your destination.
That little girl barely noticed you, she didn’t have a care in the world because she was not in this world. She had her headphones in her ears listening to a song that resonated with a story she was writing. And, she wasn’t dancing—she was acting. She was imagining how her characters would respond to a scene while at the same time imagining the actors who’d play the roles in the future live-action movie. This girl had so many dreams—this girl was me!
If you had told me all those years ago that I’d be filming my pilot episode in that very same backyard, I’d have been so confused and probably doubtful, “Who’d care about my Amber Oak stories?” I might have said. If you’ve followed my blogs, you probably have noticed that my writing journey has been a long and bumpy one, and one that will never be over as I am always writing still in some way or another.
The truth is, filming had been something I always wanted to do. In fact, when my mom found out how to self-publish my work when I was 15, I was honestly indifferent. Publishing didn’t matter to me so much as imagining the people who’d become the characters in my head. I found so much joy in my friends helping me act out scenes.
As I get ready to start filming this coming weekend, I reflect back even on the journey of getting into film. It was bumpy as well and I’ve faced so many challenges already. But the support from my friends, family, and even cast has been so encouraging. Even though I’ve been planning this for months, it feels so surreal to me. The characters aren’t imaginary anymore, they’re real.
Ever since I finished the last “Amber Oak” book, something had been nagging at me, I’d work on other stories and it’d be fun for a while, but I still kept thinking back on Amber and what she’d be doing right now. I’d ask myself the “what if's” and two summers ago I could almost hear her say to me, “My story isn’t done yet, it’s just beginning!”
I’ve met a LOT of people on this long journey to making Amber become real. And every single one of them helped me in their own way. So, to those who gave me my “wings” and to those who taught me how to use them…Thank you!
Childhood Dreams
Imagine this…
It’s summer of 2006 and you’re driving down a lonely road in the rural town of Acworth, NH. About ten miles back you convinced yourself you were on the right track to your destination. But now, the road has become narrow, a river is to your right, and thick woods to your left. There seems to be no one around for miles to ask for directions. You slow your car down as it bounces over some unexpected potholes. You’re about to find the next available U-turn when you look off to the side and see this grand, beautiful yard. But that’s not what catches your attention. It’s the thirteen-year-old girl who appears to be dancing to the beat of her own drum, literally. You think it's nice that she’s getting fresh air and has no care in the world, but you continue to drive on by, seeking your destination.
That little girl barely noticed you, she didn’t have a care in the world because she was not in this world. She had her headphones in her ears listening to a song that resonated with a story she was writing. And, she wasn’t dancing—she was acting. She was imagining how her characters would respond to a scene while at the same time imagining the actors who’d play the roles in the future live-action movie. This girl had so many dreams—this girl was me!
If you had told me all those years ago that I’d be filming my pilot episode in that very same backyard, I’d have been so confused and probably doubtful, “Who’d care about my Amber Oak stories?” I might have said. If you’ve followed my blogs, you probably have noticed that my writing journey has been a long and bumpy one, and one that will never be over as I am always writing still in some way or another.
The truth is, filming had been something I always wanted to do. In fact, when my mom found out how to self-publish my work when I was 15, I was honestly indifferent. Publishing didn’t matter to me so much as imagining the people who’d become the characters in my head. I found so much joy in my friends helping me act out scenes.
As I get ready to start filming this coming weekend, I reflect back even on the journey of getting into film. It was bumpy as well and I’ve faced so many challenges already. But the support from my friends, family, and even cast has been so encouraging. Even though I’ve been planning this for months, it feels so surreal to me. The characters aren’t imaginary anymore, they’re real.
Ever since I finished the last “Amber Oak” book, something had been nagging at me, I’d work on other stories and it’d be fun for a while, but I still kept thinking back on Amber and what she’d be doing right now. I’d ask myself the “what if's” and two summers ago I could almost hear her say to me, “My story isn’t done yet, it’s just beginning!”
I’ve met a LOT of people on this long journey to making Amber become real. And every single one of them helped me in their own way. So, to those who gave me my “wings” and to those who taught me how to use them…Thank you!
It’s summer of 2006 and you’re driving down a lonely road in the rural town of Acworth, NH. About ten miles back you convinced yourself you were on the right track to your destination. But now, the road has become narrow, a river is to your right, and thick woods to your left. There seems to be no one around for miles to ask for directions. You slow your car down as it bounces over some unexpected potholes. You’re about to find the next available U-turn when you look off to the side and see this grand, beautiful yard. But that’s not what catches your attention. It’s the thirteen-year-old girl who appears to be dancing to the beat of her own drum, literally. You think it's nice that she’s getting fresh air and has no care in the world, but you continue to drive on by, seeking your destination.
That little girl barely noticed you, she didn’t have a care in the world because she was not in this world. She had her headphones in her ears listening to a song that resonated with a story she was writing. And, she wasn’t dancing—she was acting. She was imagining how her characters would respond to a scene while at the same time imagining the actors who’d play the roles in the future live-action movie. This girl had so many dreams—this girl was me!
If you had told me all those years ago that I’d be filming my pilot episode in that very same backyard, I’d have been so confused and probably doubtful, “Who’d care about my Amber Oak stories?” I might have said. If you’ve followed my blogs, you probably have noticed that my writing journey has been a long and bumpy one, and one that will never be over as I am always writing still in some way or another.
The truth is, filming had been something I always wanted to do. In fact, when my mom found out how to self-publish my work when I was 15, I was honestly indifferent. Publishing didn’t matter to me so much as imagining the people who’d become the characters in my head. I found so much joy in my friends helping me act out scenes.
As I get ready to start filming this coming weekend, I reflect back even on the journey of getting into film. It was bumpy as well and I’ve faced so many challenges already. But the support from my friends, family, and even cast has been so encouraging. Even though I’ve been planning this for months, it feels so surreal to me. The characters aren’t imaginary anymore, they’re real.
Ever since I finished the last “Amber Oak” book, something had been nagging at me, I’d work on other stories and it’d be fun for a while, but I still kept thinking back on Amber and what she’d be doing right now. I’d ask myself the “what if's” and two summers ago I could almost hear her say to me, “My story isn’t done yet, it’s just beginning!”
I’ve met a LOT of people on this long journey to making Amber become real. And every single one of them helped me in their own way. So, to those who gave me my “wings” and to those who taught me how to use them…Thank you!
Be Your Own Actor
Well, the first episode of Amber Oak is a wrap and the premiere dates are set. I gotta say, now that things are winding down, I’m so happy to get back to writing. Of course, mainly writing scripts, but to be honest it feels like I’m taking a little vacation. Lately, I’ve been getting so many ideas for future Amber Oak scripts and some ideas for the third book in the trilogy. It may have a lot to do with the amount of creative inspiration I’ve been around.
I’ve always said that people inspire me and that stands true to this date. I have been around so many actors with this first episode and seeing them put their all into the character they portrayed—even adding to their character—that’s been so inspiring to me! With the scripts we have planned for next year, I started thinking to myself, how would the actor act this out or can I see them acting this way?
I think that a part of this new endeavor isn’t just writing scripts or trying to take the story and put it into script form, but also how I think the actor would act the scene out. Whenever I used to write stories, I would always imagine the most famous actors I could think of and wonder how they’d work the scene. Now, I’m doing the same thing, but it’s a tiny bit different than I expected. Sometimes the dialogue that I write sounds different in my head than when I have someone say it, and in a way that helps me iron out my writing a bit better. When I was younger, my dad would always tell me to read my stories aloud to hear if there were any inconsistencies or issues. I never had the patience for that, but now, I’m forced to think heavier on the dialogue than anything else. There have even been times on set where the actors look over a line that they’ve memorized and say, “Wait, did I memorize this line wrong?” and come to find out, I just wrote it in a weird way.
So, all this to say—to my fellow writers and aspiring writers…regardless of what kind of story you are writing, make sure your writing makes sense. It’s great to imagine famous celebrities acting out our worlds, but it makes it a whole lot easier if the writing (particularly dialogue) flows smoothly. So, be your own actor and act out that scene! 😊
I’ve always said that people inspire me and that stands true to this date. I have been around so many actors with this first episode and seeing them put their all into the character they portrayed—even adding to their character—that’s been so inspiring to me! With the scripts we have planned for next year, I started thinking to myself, how would the actor act this out or can I see them acting this way?
I think that a part of this new endeavor isn’t just writing scripts or trying to take the story and put it into script form, but also how I think the actor would act the scene out. Whenever I used to write stories, I would always imagine the most famous actors I could think of and wonder how they’d work the scene. Now, I’m doing the same thing, but it’s a tiny bit different than I expected. Sometimes the dialogue that I write sounds different in my head than when I have someone say it, and in a way that helps me iron out my writing a bit better. When I was younger, my dad would always tell me to read my stories aloud to hear if there were any inconsistencies or issues. I never had the patience for that, but now, I’m forced to think heavier on the dialogue than anything else. There have even been times on set where the actors look over a line that they’ve memorized and say, “Wait, did I memorize this line wrong?” and come to find out, I just wrote it in a weird way.
So, all this to say—to my fellow writers and aspiring writers…regardless of what kind of story you are writing, make sure your writing makes sense. It’s great to imagine famous celebrities acting out our worlds, but it makes it a whole lot easier if the writing (particularly dialogue) flows smoothly. So, be your own actor and act out that scene! 😊
