Wandering thoughts from a Random mind!
Okay, so upon trying to figure out what I wanted to blog about I realized I had no clue what I wanted to blog about. Do I just do the same, standard posts. . . why this happens in the literary world, why that happens in the literary world, what to look for when looking for a Publishing house. . . . I could do posts on these, and in the future I probably will but not today! Don't get me wrong, these are some VERY VERY important things to look at when trying to become established and get your foot in the door.
Nope, today I am going to write about. . . I don't really know what I want to write about, but I think I already established that.
As an author one of the most frequent questions I get asked is "How do you come up with something like that?"
Well the answer is, everything inspires me. I go to the grocery store and see an elderly lady shopping for groceries with her husband, I am inspired to add a loving grandmother and grandfather to one of my stories.
Or I see a mother yelling and cussing at her crying three year old and see a story about a teen that really needs some attention because she didn't have a strong motherly figure.
I watch tv and see a Geico commercial and I get inspired to write about a Australian with a pet gecko. My point is, inspiration is everywhere, in everything and everyone. However, just because I see literary inspiration in everything doesn't mean a full story can or will emerge. I have file, upon file, upon file of stories started with no true ending. Some of them are actually only a paragraph long, while others may be a solid thirty pages long. Then they just simply. . . stop.
A misconception with a lot of authors is that we can just sit down and the story magically comes to us, and we can sit down and have a book produced in two days time. Well, for some that may be the case but not so for me. I like to take time researching and studying my characters, getting to know them like a new friend, learning their secrets, fears, desires and wishes.
Yes, I am aware I am talking like these characters are real. Something that you may not know about us authors. . . to us, these characters are very real. Essentially, they are our babies. We grow them, help them learn lessons and eventually we have to let them go. I have been working on my new project for months now, but it has taken be a very long time to get to know this new cast. Why, you may ask. Well, because I worked with my Chosen gang closely for three almost four years. When you spend that much time with someone, you get close to them. They make you angry, they make you cry, and they break your heart. I guess I am a masochist because I enjoy that aspect of my job.
These new characters were being stubborn. They wanted to hide behind my other crew and I refused to allow them to cower. Unfortunately, it was I that was cowering. Scared that once I started with these guys, the others would be lost and/or forgotten. This broke my heart!!!
Thankfully, these characters have finally saddled up and are on their way to becoming close to me, just as close as the others have become. So, when I begin another series, the new guys will have a lot of big shoes to fill!
Each and every character an author creates is apart of the author themselves. It may be a hidden desire to be rebellious, have that perfect family, the hero, the bad guy, the snarky best friend, or the witty side kick! No matter the circumstance, authors pour out their soul into their books, unfortunately not everyone likes them.
Getting bad reviews and low ratings are just part of the territory. However, the way in which we decided to handle those reviews rests completely on our shoulders. We can cry *raises hand guiltily* I've been there. The first negative review devastated me. It doesn't matter that all my previous reviews were 5 stars, I looked at that single little lonely star and thought I was an EPIC failure. What did they mean it sucked and was unoriginal? What do you mean you wanted to slap the main character because she was stupid? UMMMMM, OUCH much. Was that really necessary? I sucked and moped around for a few days. I was sad, then I was hurt, and THEN, oh yes, I was SERIOUSLY PISSED off. I mean how dare they be so hateful and hurtful to MY BABY.... you don't see me coming into your life harshly demeaning your families or putting down your kids calling them stupid!
***Does the whole Z snap thing*** OH GIRL... NO YOU DINN'T!!!! My country girl temper and attitude took over.
In my anger I wrote a very long and shamefully hateful letter. But the more I hovered my cursor over the send button, the more i began to regret my words. Ultimately, I deleted the post and simply stated. Thank you for your honest review and left it at that. That was the hardest thing I've ever had to do!!! So advise to young writers, take bad reviews with a grain of salt. Spin it to a positive. Use them to better your writing and remember, you can't please everyone all the time! It's easier said than done, believe me, I know! :) but for every 1 bad star there are 5 more brightly glowing ones!
OH AND remember if you buy a book go back and review! o.O
Well that's really all I have today! Hope you had fun! Leave comments below please and show me some love.
My book is currently on sale now!!!!!!!!!
XOXO my lovelies!
http://www.amazon.com/Risen-Chosen-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00DX6XLWM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374601187&sr=8-1&keywords=Christine+James
Nope, today I am going to write about. . . I don't really know what I want to write about, but I think I already established that.
As an author one of the most frequent questions I get asked is "How do you come up with something like that?"
Well the answer is, everything inspires me. I go to the grocery store and see an elderly lady shopping for groceries with her husband, I am inspired to add a loving grandmother and grandfather to one of my stories.
Or I see a mother yelling and cussing at her crying three year old and see a story about a teen that really needs some attention because she didn't have a strong motherly figure.
I watch tv and see a Geico commercial and I get inspired to write about a Australian with a pet gecko. My point is, inspiration is everywhere, in everything and everyone. However, just because I see literary inspiration in everything doesn't mean a full story can or will emerge. I have file, upon file, upon file of stories started with no true ending. Some of them are actually only a paragraph long, while others may be a solid thirty pages long. Then they just simply. . . stop.
A misconception with a lot of authors is that we can just sit down and the story magically comes to us, and we can sit down and have a book produced in two days time. Well, for some that may be the case but not so for me. I like to take time researching and studying my characters, getting to know them like a new friend, learning their secrets, fears, desires and wishes.
Yes, I am aware I am talking like these characters are real. Something that you may not know about us authors. . . to us, these characters are very real. Essentially, they are our babies. We grow them, help them learn lessons and eventually we have to let them go. I have been working on my new project for months now, but it has taken be a very long time to get to know this new cast. Why, you may ask. Well, because I worked with my Chosen gang closely for three almost four years. When you spend that much time with someone, you get close to them. They make you angry, they make you cry, and they break your heart. I guess I am a masochist because I enjoy that aspect of my job.
These new characters were being stubborn. They wanted to hide behind my other crew and I refused to allow them to cower. Unfortunately, it was I that was cowering. Scared that once I started with these guys, the others would be lost and/or forgotten. This broke my heart!!!
Thankfully, these characters have finally saddled up and are on their way to becoming close to me, just as close as the others have become. So, when I begin another series, the new guys will have a lot of big shoes to fill!
Each and every character an author creates is apart of the author themselves. It may be a hidden desire to be rebellious, have that perfect family, the hero, the bad guy, the snarky best friend, or the witty side kick! No matter the circumstance, authors pour out their soul into their books, unfortunately not everyone likes them.
Getting bad reviews and low ratings are just part of the territory. However, the way in which we decided to handle those reviews rests completely on our shoulders. We can cry *raises hand guiltily* I've been there. The first negative review devastated me. It doesn't matter that all my previous reviews were 5 stars, I looked at that single little lonely star and thought I was an EPIC failure. What did they mean it sucked and was unoriginal? What do you mean you wanted to slap the main character because she was stupid? UMMMMM, OUCH much. Was that really necessary? I sucked and moped around for a few days. I was sad, then I was hurt, and THEN, oh yes, I was SERIOUSLY PISSED off. I mean how dare they be so hateful and hurtful to MY BABY.... you don't see me coming into your life harshly demeaning your families or putting down your kids calling them stupid!
***Does the whole Z snap thing*** OH GIRL... NO YOU DINN'T!!!! My country girl temper and attitude took over.
In my anger I wrote a very long and shamefully hateful letter. But the more I hovered my cursor over the send button, the more i began to regret my words. Ultimately, I deleted the post and simply stated. Thank you for your honest review and left it at that. That was the hardest thing I've ever had to do!!! So advise to young writers, take bad reviews with a grain of salt. Spin it to a positive. Use them to better your writing and remember, you can't please everyone all the time! It's easier said than done, believe me, I know! :) but for every 1 bad star there are 5 more brightly glowing ones!
OH AND remember if you buy a book go back and review! o.O
Well that's really all I have today! Hope you had fun! Leave comments below please and show me some love.
My book is currently on sale now!!!!!!!!!
XOXO my lovelies!
http://www.amazon.com/Risen-Chosen-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00DX6XLWM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374601187&sr=8-1&keywords=Christine+James
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