Tricia Drammeh's Blog, page 31

Insecure Writer’s Support Group: Find Your People

Hello, everyone! Today is the first Wednesday of the month, and you know what that means. It’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Today I want to talk about the best way to fight your insecurities and fears. Find Your People.

Everyone, even introverts like myself, have people. Friends. Family. Co-workers. Whatever. There are lots of people in our lives who we rely on for different things and who rely on us as well. As writers, we need to find our people–writerly people who form a community of people we can rely on. Critique groups, Facebook groups, writer’s forums–there are lots of ways to find a sense of community.

When I began writing four years ago, it was a completely solitary endeavor. I had no beta readers, no one to talk craft with, no one with whom to share my struggles. It was several months before I discovered there were other like me–new writers who didn’t know what they were doing, but were determined to do anything to reach their dreams. I joined a local writer’s group, but because of my work schedule and family obligations, I wasn’t able to attend many meetings. When I stumbled upon Authonomy, I finally found the perfect place to interact with other writers. There was always something going on in the forums, always a friendly writer to give advice and encouragement. Through this site, I made lasting friendships I treasure. I haven’t been on Authonomy in ages, but I’m still in contact with most of the people I met there. We send emails, hang out on Facebook, comment on each others’ blog posts, and provide the sort of support that is essential to anyone who wants to be a writer.

So what’s my point? Find some writer friends. Join some groups. There are dozens of places out there where you can connect with writers. ISWG, Authonomy, She Writes, Absolute Write Water Cooler, Facebook groups, and many others. If you’re an insecure writer like most of us are, you’re not alone. Find other insecure writers, find writers who will lift you up, find writers who will give you honest critique and who will tell you the cold, hard truth. Gather a group of friends. Join a community. Find your people.

 

Tagged: insecure writer's support group, iswg

Summer Reads Blog Tour – Week Five, and it’s me!!!

Tricia Drammeh:

And the Summer Reads Blog Tour continues. This week, Andrea Baker offers her recommendations.

Originally posted on Andrea Baker Author:

I can’t believe how quickly these weeks are flying by!

We’re into week five of the tour, and the guest author this week is…..me (if the title hasn’t quite given it away :P )

So, what more can I do but handover….

Summer Reads Blog Tour – Week Five

Andrea Baker

It’s week five already, and it’s time to welcome Andrea Baker. I had the privilege of meeting Andrea a number of years ago on a forum, we became fast friends and have watched each other’s work develop over the years. It’s always amazing for me to look back and see all the changes we’ve been through. Take a peek at not only Andrea’s reads list, but also her books. You won’t be disappointed!

Andrea Baker has had ideas for stories, and poems all of her life, and as a child and teenager, many of these were written in one…

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Book review: Better than Perfect by Tricia Drammeh

Tricia Drammeh:

This fantabulous review by Jane Dougherty made my day. Thank you, Jane. I’m so glad you enjoyed reading Better than Perfect.

Originally posted on Jane Dougherty Writes:

Better than Perfect

Better than Perfect is a fairy tale running parallel with a nightmare. On the face of it, Karlie doesn’t have a lot going for her. Between juggling her college classes, her job, the house she lives in alone since her parents died and keeping an eye on her elderly neighbour, she doesn’t have much time for making herself look gorgeous and hunting for boyfriends. She gets by, but the memory of her parents’ death keeps her curled up in her shell and prevents her from really ‘getting herself a life’.
When things start to happen to Karlie, they happen with a vengeance. A guy in her psychology class with the face of an Adonis starts to notice her. Her neighbour and surrogate grandmother/mother/father/family has her fourteen-year-old twin grandsons to stay for an unspecified time. This is where things start to go wonderfully right and horribly wrong. At…

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Why I Love the Rain

I’ve always enjoyed a summer rain shower and find thunderstorms energizing. When the clouds come rolling in and the wind picks up speed, I’m the first to welcome the first dollop of water that falls from the sky, or the quick burst of driving rain that soaks everything and everyone in its path. Yes, I’m a sucker for rain, so I was only too pleased when we were treated to torrential rains last night, followed by a lovely afternoon shower today.

I penned this haiku-type poem a week or so ago, and tonight seems like the perfect time to share:

Mountain Storm

Dark storm rushes in

Obliterating sunlight

Corpulent clouds burst

Swaying, bowing down

Trees pay homage to the storm’s

Dominating force

This is one of my all-time favorite songs. Like the Rain by Clint Black…

 

Tagged: clint black, haiku, like the rain, nature, poems, poetry, rain, tricia drammeh

A Sad Anniversary

Today’s Throwback Thursday post is running a little late. It’s almost midnight here in my neck of the woods. I almost didn’t write this post, but it seems wrong to let this day disintegrate without paying tribute to Rudy, our wonderful, faithful, loving companion. Rudy was put to rest two years ago today. I wrote the following haiku the morning after we said goodbye to my very best friend in the world. Through eyes swollen with grief and misery, I wrote this very brief tribute:

I open my eyes

And a bleak, sad day unfolds

I miss you, Rudy

There isn’t a single day that goes by that I don’t think about and miss Rudy. He was my little angel. I miss you, Rudy. I’ll love you always.

 

Tagged: animal companions, best friends, dogs, farewell, grief, haiku, poem, poetry, rudy, tbt, throwback thursday, tricia drammeh

An Epiphany

Tricia Drammeh:

This brilliant post is by Jane Dougherty, an extremely talented novelist and poet. I love her approach to writing and promotion (or not promoting, as the case may be). I’ve been raking myself over the coals lately, berating myself for not promoting my books. This post is exactly what I needed today, and I hope it helps you too.

Originally posted on Jane Dougherty Writes:

Today I made a decision. Not of great moment to anybody else, but important to me. I have decided that there are many important things in life, and pimping a hypothetical author platform isn’t one of them. I thought that as I watched a glorious Purple Emperor choosing a suitable flower on the promenade next to the river.

©Rosenzweig (talk)

Usually these are the moments when I find myself teasing out the words of a poem. Not this morning. My attention was drawn from the butterfly to a pirate emerging from the riverbank clutching a bouquet of buddleia spires. He collected his crutch from beneath the mulberry tree where he’d left it and came over to have a word. The flowers were for a lady friend who had been a musician until an accident left her right arm paralysed.
He’s a lively-eyed old gentleman pirate who can talk non-stop…

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That Sneaky Mary Sue

Most writers have heard the term “Mary Sue.” It’s often used to describe those picture perfect characters who do and say all the right things. Mary Sue is smart, beautiful (but modest about it, of course), and people are drawn to her. Good grades come easy for her, but she’d never admit it. That would be bragging, and Mary Sue never brags. She’s kind, thoughtful, and lends an ear to anyone who needs to talk. She’s never irritable or has PMS, or thinks uncharitable thoughts about anyone. In fact, her biggest “flaw” is that she’s so kind, she can’t conceive of unkindness in others. She’s such a loyal friend, she can’t imagine that anyone could betray her even when the signs are so freaking obvious, you begin to wonder halfway through the book if Mary Sue is slightly stupid after all.

Recently, Mary Sue has become super sneaky. She wears many disguises, but the savvy reader isn’t fooled. Let’s have a look at the many faces of Mary Sue:

Amazing Transformation Mary Sue often begins as gangly, but suddenly grows into those long legs and becomes a raging beauty the guys drool over. Strangely, Mary Sue still doesn’t notice the guys seem to like her, and she drifts through life oblivious to her amazing looks. Amazing Transformation Mary Sue has been known to turn a lifeless ponytail into waist-long, golden tresses with the flick of her wrist. When she trades in her glasses for contacts, she suddenly becoming a stunning beauty right before our very eyes. Who needs character development, right?

Clumsy Mary Sue is clutzy, but not in an awkward sort of way. Her clumsiness is just adorable, like a newborn calf trying to stand up for the first time. In fact, all of Clumsy Mary Sue’s flaws are adorable. Really, they aren’t flaws at all, just endearing features that are supposed to help the reader identify with someone as cute and sweet and perfect as Clumsy Mary Sue. Plus all her super-cute weaknesses give the romantic hero an excuse to save her, which if you play your cards right, can be the WHOLE plot for your book.

Badass Mary Sue seems to be the opposite of our sweet and adorably Clumsy Mary Sue, but don’t be fooled. This Mary Sue always has the best martial arts skills, and even when she’s outnumbered, she still comes out on top. She always has time for a smart ass quip and wields sarcasm like a mighty sword.  Badass Mary Sue takes everything in stride. She’s really tired from all her asskicking , but someone has got to do it, so it might as well be her. After all, no one does it better than Badass Mary Sue. Badass Mary Sue is usually too busy for character development, so she just karate chops and high kicks her way from one action scene to the next.

In defense of Mary Sue: Sometimes a Mary Sue character can be fun to mess with. After all, someone who has always had it easy often crumbles under the pressure when things get too tough. Character development can happen when that Mary Sue character receives a wakeup call that “Hey, bad luck is calling for you.” When she watches her whole life fall apart, reacts badly, perseveres, learns her lesson, grows up, and overcomes adversity—that’s character growth. And, this can be satisfying to watch.

But, beware! If you’re going to create a Mary Sue character for the sake of bringing her to her knees and building her back up, there needs to be REAL character development. A character who suddenly realizes she’s not hideously ugly because her new rich, cute, perfect boyfriend told her she’s not hideously ugly—this is NOT character growth. This is a girl who has no self-esteem or self-worth beyond her relationship with her new boyfriend. Character development is not getting highlights or learning to get blood stains out of clothing after your latest demon-slaying spree.

Basically, writing a Mary Sue is a sort of wish fulfillment for the author. If you’ve always been shy, you can either create an outgoing character who is everything you wish you could be, or you can write a shy character and grant her everything you were never able to achieve due to your own shyness. Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily. Our neurosis can often inspire us to create unforgettable characters. Just be aware of Mary Sue and her many guises. Don’t let this sneaky gal sweet talk, manipulate, or (in the case of badass Mary Sue) dropkick her way into your manuscript.

How do you feel about Mary Sue characters? Have you ever written one? How do you avoid writing a Mary Sue?

Tagged: amazing transformation mary sue, badass mary sue, characterization, characters, fiction, mary sue, tricia drammeh, unbelievable characters, unlikable characters, writing

Self-pub authors beware! There are scammers afoot.

Tricia Drammeh:

So many scams out there that target new authors. Be careful out there!

Originally posted on Maegan Provan, Author:

On March 31st, 2013, I posted an entry entitled “Reviews, Truths and Extortion” talking about a first time author getting a message from a reader claiming that the book in question with practically unreadable due to typos and grammatical errors. The reader said that if the author would pay her, the reader would edit the book and rate the book 5 stars. At the time, that was something that was completely new to me. I had never heard anyone attempt to do something like that before. Of course, that same reader picked up my book and after my post, gave it a bad review. Now, I’m not saying that Celine is completely flawless, because I know it’s not. However, the timing of that review put a pin in my stance. I am hearing more and more about this as I grow and talk to more people within our…

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TBT: What Can Your Publisher Do For You?

It’s Throwback Thursday once again and time for me to post a blast from the past. This week’s TBT post harks back to July 2013. I’m not going to post the entire thing, but I am reposting most of it. Why? Because it’s my blog and I can do whatever I want. Because this post is as true today as it was when I wrote it. It’s something I wish I would have read before I ever wrote my first query. I hope this will help aspiring, new, and not-so-new authors. For those of you who have already read this post, please bear with me. Maybe you’ll enjoy reading it again. For those who haven’t read it, I’m looking forward to your comments. Enjoy!

What Can Your Publisher Do For You?

For those of you who are new to my blog, I’m a little gun-shy when it comes to publishers, particularly new small presses. I’ve even heard some unsettling stories about the more established smaller publishers. After having my own bad experience with a new small press, I’m a bit cautious.

Now, this isn’t to say all publishers are bad. There have been lots of times I wished I would have made a better choice in terms of choosing a publisher–that I would have chosen a BETTER publisher. I wish I would have managed to snag an agent to help me navigate the world of contracts and subsidiary rights. I wish I would have fallen in with a publisher who had clout in the industry, who could get my book on bookstore shelves, who worked tirelessly to get my book noticed. If you can find a publisher who can do all that for you, GO FOR IT!!!

A GOOD publisher is always worth considering. But a BAD publisher can ruin your book and destroy your career. Trust me.

Not everyone who claims to be a publisher is reputable or experienced. Not everyone who claims to be a publisher knows how to format, edit, or market your book. Some of these wanna-be publishers can’t format, edit, or market any better than you can.

Ask yourself these questions:

Are you willing to sign away your rights and your royalties just to avoid a few hours of hassle?
Is it worth the risk of being stuck with a substandard product just because you’re afraid to format?
Is a free book cover and free editing a benefit to you if you end up with a bad cover and a poorly edited book?

Unless you’ve found a publisher who can offer you something you cannot do for yourself, there is no reason NOT to consider self-publishing. You can do your own formatting, hire your own editor, and commission your own cover. You can do many of these things at little cost to you. You can upload a book to Kindle, Smashwords, and Createspace for FREE. You can get your own book on Barnes & Noble and most of the online sites.

If you decide to sign away your rights or royalties, a publisher needs to offer more than amateur editing and formatting. Anyone can do those things.

What should your publisher be doing for you?

Your publisher should provide professional editing.Your publisher should employ editors who have worked in the industry. A fiction editor should have experience editing novels–being the editor for his university’s newsletter does not qualify him as a professional. Reading a lot of books isn’t enough. Having an advanced degree in English Literature or Creative Writing isn’t good enough either. A professional editor should have edited many books (not only his own). He should edit with an eye toward not only what it grammatically correct, but what is appropriate for the genre and age group you are writing for. Plot, voice, characterization, structure, pacing… there’s so much more to editing than just cleaning up errant commas.
Your publisher should know the business. Marketing novels is different from selling cars, banking, teaching, or even writing. If your publisher has had lots of careers before following his starry-eyed dream of starting his own publishing company, he’s probably a well-rounded person–but probably not a good publisher.
Your publisher should have clout in the industry. Like any other business where sales and marketing are involved, it helps to know people. If your publisher is a one-man operation and is brand new to the industry, he’ll have just as much luck as you will when he cold-calls bookstores and asks them to shelf your book. But, if your publisher is established and has a good reputation, that can only help your book, You should be proud to tell people who you’re published with.
Your publisher should have a marketing plan for your book. Nowadays, even the Big Publishers expect their authors to do some self-promotion. But, if you’re expected to do all your own promotion and marketing, is it worth it to even have a publisher? Marketing is one of the most difficult aspects of publishing. Your publisher should help with that, even if it’s just a spot on their website, a periodic feature on their Social Media pages, a publicity tour, blog tour, or a press release. You should expect something.
Your publisher should be organized and reliable. If your publisher says something will happen, it should happen. You should have a set-in-stone release date long before your book is due to release. You should have someone within the company you can go to with questions, who you trust to follow through and give you the correct information.
Your publisher should know what sells. Your publisher should employ people who have not only an artistic eye when it comes to commissioning book covers, but they should also know the industry. They should know which types of covers are appealing to the intended audience for your book. They should know different genres require different packaging and different marketing.
You publisher should help you get reviews. At the very least, your publisher should provide a PDF and a Kindle compatible version of your book to provide to reviewers. This copy should be error free and perfectly formatted. If possible, your publisher should also provide paperback copies for reviewers who request it. It’s really hard to find reviewers, so the more formats your publisher will provide, the better. Some publishers will contact reviewers for you–if you have a publisher who will do this, you’re very fortunate indeed.
Your publisher should be a full time publisher with employees who receive regular paychecks. Hey, everyone has to start somewhere, right? Most businesses start off as husband-wife or father-son teams. There’s nothing wrong with that. But, a one-man or two-man show is exponentially more unstable than an established business with a staff. If your publisher has a staff, there will be employees who specialize in different aspects of the publishing process. And, there will be someone who can take over if an employee gets sick or quits. If your publisher consists of a husband-wife team, what happens if someone has an extended illness? Or, if there’s a divorce? If your publisher is a one-man show who enlists contract employees, what happens if the contract employee gets a better job offer halfway through editing your book? Or, holds your manuscript hostage because he hasn’t received payment in a while? Oh, yes. All these scenarios are not only possible–they’ve happened. The publisher should be a full time business, not a hobby that takes backseat to the owner’s other obligations.
The publisher should have pride in authorship and concern for their reputation. If you’ve signed with a company, the staff has strong motivation to do a good job–it’s called a paycheck. If your publisher is a one-man operation who plays publisher in his spare time, he might not be as motivated to do a good job. Most people have pride in something they put their name on, but not everyone does. For some publishers, changing their company name (or their own name) is an easy solution to earning a bad reputation. If one business doesn’t work out, they’ll simply start another. Be sure your publisher has a good reputation and has an interest in maintaining it.

If you find a good publisher, sign. Let someone else take over the burden of editing, formatting, and marketing. But, if an inexperienced press without a proven track record wants your book, your best bet is to either continue to search for the publisher of your dreams, or self-publish. Don’t settle. Your book deserves better.

Tagged: advice for new authors, bad publishers, help for authors, self-publishing, small press, small publishers, tbt, throwback thursday, tricia drammeh, warnings for authors, what can your publisher do for you

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Today is my very first blog post for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Blog Hop. I found out about this wonderful group from blogger, Melissa Janda. (Thanks, Melissa) Since I’m new to the group, I’m going to fill everyone in on what this is all about and why I decided to join. If you’re interested in signing up, you can click the picture below to find out more.

 

What is IWSG?

According to their website, their purpose is to provide a “safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds.” They offer encouragement to struggling writers and offer a forum where writers can get help from those who have been there. As part of the blog hop, writers have an opportunity to visit other writers’ blogs and hopefully gain some new followers on their own blogs. It’s a win-win for everyone. But, IWSG is so much more! They offer writing and publishing tips, as well as provide a list of resources for those who are self-publishing. Their website is full of fantastic information.

What do you have to do in order to join?

Just sign up. It’s as simple as that. Provide a link to your blog and they’ll add it to the list. On the first Wednesday of the month, you’ll display the IWSG badge and link back to the site. Writers will visit your blog, you’ll visit their blogs, and everyone will make new friends.

Why did I join?

Because I’m an insecure writer. I just published my fourth book, so you’d think I’d be past all the doubts and insecurities that plague the struggling, aspiring writer, right? Not so. Like many writers, I struggle with self doubt. I worry about whether or not I’ll ever be able to make a living doing what I love most. I worry about whether or not people will like what I’ve written. When I’m battling a nasty case of writer’s block, I sometimes fear my creative juices will never flow again. So, yes. I’m insecure.

But, I didn’t join IWSG to overcome my insecurities. I joined the group so I could celebrate my hangups and fears with others. Sound strange? Hear me out.

If you’re feeling miserable, if your fears are preventing you from completing your novel, if you’re too insecure to share your work with others, then you’re allowing your insecurity to hold you back. If insecurity is preventing you from moving forward, it’s time to get to the root of your fears. One way to do this is to talk about it, or write about it in a blog post just like this one. Surround yourself with people who will lift you up. Join IWSG.

Insecurity is not always a bad thing, though. Insecurity keeps us pushing to do better, to be better. Think about it–if we were all perfectly secure in our writing abilities, no one would seek editors to perfect our work. No one would learn or grow. Feeling a little insecure means we care about our craft. We want our work to be the best it can be, so we worry and second-guess ourselves. There’s nothing wrong with that as long as we harness those insecurities and use them to take our writing to a new level.

For those of you who are new to my blog, welcome! Leave a comment and link back to your blog so I can stop by and visit. For those who are frequent flyers, thank you for sticking with me through all my insecure moments. If IWSG sounds like something you might be interested in, why not check it out?

 

Tagged: blog hop, insecure writer's support group, insecurities, IWSG, tricia drammeh