Category: My Writing Experiences

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First Interview as an Author

Interview Stamp

So…I had my first interview as an author, and I’m not even published yet! How did that happen, you ask?

I’m a retired high school teacher. Brandon, one of my past video production students, asked to interview me for a college class assignment. It was a perfect combo. I helped him for his class, and he gave me experience for (hopefully) future interviews. I think he did a great job! (Audio link at bottom.)

At the time of the interview, I hadn’t finished the first draft of my second book, THE INFINITY FACTOR, so we talked more about my first novel, LIGHTHOUSE LANE. Unfortunately, book one hasn’t been picked up by an agent yet. (That’s why I started writing book two.)  Now that I’ve finished THE INFINITY FACTOR, I’m finally posting the interview (recorded back in November). I know. I know. But I had to focus on my writing and editing! In the interview, you might notice I called my new book THE IMMORTALITY FACTOR. Somewhere in the process, I changed the title slightly to THE INFINITY FACTOR. It rolls off the tongue better, don’t you think?

Photo of microphone and headsetWhat is my genre?

Since this interview, I had a revelation. Apparently I’m a romance writer! I think I didn’t want to admit it, since I had a preconceived idea of what that meant. Now I realize there are so many more variations in the romance genre than I knew. Both of my novels follow the typical romance structure such as the meet cute, questioning the relationship, trials and a dark moment, sacrifice, HEA (happily ever after), etc. Also, it’s normal for any book to merge into more than one genre. LIGHTHOUSE LANE, my first novel, is romance merged with historical fiction. THE INFINITY FACTOR, my second novel, is romance merged with low fantasy. Have you seen the new page on my website for THE INFINITY FACTOR? Click the title to check it out!

For you

I hope you take a few minutes to kick back and listen to the audio interview. The link is below. It runs under ten minutes (even though the assignment was for three minutes!) I guess I love to talk about writing. Let me know how you think we did for our first time! Thank you, Brandon, for interviewing me. I thought you did a fantastic job!

Thanks to all my blog readers for following me on this journey. I hope someday you’ll be able to point at a novel on the shelf at a bookstore or library and say, “I know her!” I appreciate your support getting there. And please, ask your reader friends to check out my author website at robinshelley.com where they can sign up to have my blog delivered directly to their email. It has lots of book reviews on some great reads, along with updates on my writing journey. Tell fellow readers I’m also on Facebook and Instagram @author.robin.shelley.

 

Happy Reading (and Listening)!

Robin

microphone draws attention to audio file link

 

Listen to Interview Here 

 

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Books for Writers

The beginning of a new year is a time for reflection for many people. We start to look at things we’d like to accomplish or improve upon over the next 365 days.  Some of you may be thinking of getting creative by writing something:  your family history, a journal/diary, an article, a short story, poetry, song lyrics, or even a novel. If you are leaning toward writing fiction, I have some books I’d like to recommend that may help you wherever you are on your writing journey. I know this won’t apply to many of my blog readers, but as a writer, I feel it is important to share this information with those who may appreciate it.

First, let me talk about three books that are common ones recommended (for good reason) in author alphabetical order.

 

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

 

 

 

On Writing:  A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

 

 

 

The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White

 

 

 

Now let me add a few others I found helpful:

 

Escaping into the Open: The Art of Writing True by Elizabeth Berg

 

 

 

The First 50 Pages by Jeff Gerke

 

 

 

Consider This by Chuck Palahniuk

 

 

This last one by Chuck Palahniuk (author of Fight Club) inspired me to write this blog post. Why? I was astonished at how many notes I took while reading it! I’ve been studying this craft for a long time now, so it took me by surprise that I found so many take-aways.

Palahniuk mixes practical words of wisdom for aspiring writers with hilarious anecdotes from his writing and book tour life. It may not be a book for everyone. Keep in mind, he wrote Fight Club. It didn’t surprise me that some of his stories were a bit raw, but if you find yourself being offended, get over it and push through. You’ll be glad you did. This one is a must have.

There are many great books out there to help aspiring writers. I’ve only listed a few recommended by authors I respect that I’ve also found valuable. A simple search on the internet will bring up many options for you. Read the descriptions to find one that will help you grow as a writer. You can also find titles that specialize, from writing science fiction to chick lit, to self-publishing, to writing query letters, etc.

One word of caution for the new writer: Don’t get so caught up in reading ABOUT writing that you never actually write. Understanding the craft and the publishing business is necessary to get your book out there, but put your writing time first.

Wishing you all a blessed, healthy and productive year ahead!

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Pantsers vs. Planners

I’m a big fan of Writer’s Digest magazine. It’s a great resource for those of us learning to improve our writing skills and to navigate the business of publishing.  A while back, I cut out  a piece from Writer’s Digest about *E.L. Doctorow because I loved his quote:

“[Writing is] like driving a car at night: You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”

Photo by Kane Taylor from Unsplash.com

This is absolutely the way I felt about the writing process of my first book. I had an idea so I started writing, but I had no idea where it was going. It was almost like the characters told me their story and I just wrote it down. I began to worry about how I would end it, but it fell right into place.

People who write like this are called “pantsers,” meaning they write by the seat of their pants. There is no real plan. Other writers organize, pre-write, draw charts, and/or make outlines. They are rightfully called “planners.” Neither is right or wrong, just different.

As amazed as I was at how the ideas kept coming, the pantser experience led me to a lot of editing to do after.  For this novel, I needed a timeline to keep my story and dates consistent, and I had to add additional plot lines to give the story more depth. So now I see some merit in planning. With my next book I am starting with some planning, but I don’t want my creativity to be stifled by sticking to an outline.  I want that amazing feeling again as my characters take me into their lives.

Driving (writing) with the headlights on at night in an unfamiliar place can be scary, but when those beams reveal something wonderful, it’s a great surprise. I think my writing heart parallels E.L. Doctorow’s quote, but the realist in me knows I need some planning. So maybe I’m a pantser with a zipper and a button rather than an elastic waistband. 

For those of you who are writers, which do you consider yourself – a pantser or a planner?

 

 

 

 

Photo by Jasmin Chew from Unsplash.com

 

*E.L. Doctorow (1931-2015) National Book Critics Circle Award-Winner, editor, professor and author of Ragtime, Billy Bathgate, and The March

 

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The mind of an author

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

Ever have a dream you hope you’ll remember in the morning? I had one last night. I woke up amazed at the incredibly vivid sensory details. Before going back to sleep, I thought about what I saw, heard and felt in the dream to try to cement it into my memory so I could recall it in the morning. Gladly, I did remember.

Most of you know I am searching for the right agent for my first completed novel, The Lighthouse Legacy. While I’m doing that, I’m also working through ideas and writing scenes for a new book. Apparently my mind was working on my new book in my sleep. Will the details from my dream make it into the final book? Who knows for sure, but even if they don’t, the dream got me to creatively think in a different way about the developing story.

Most writers will tell you that we can’t wait for inspiration. We have to sit our butts in a chair, write, and find the inspiration. But I sometimes find that trying to force inspiration can mean writing a lot of empty words or going in the wrong direction. Then I have to work backwards and kill my darlings (Stephen King’s writing advice). But even that process moves me forward. It tells me what my story is not. It tells me the characters are whispering in my ear, but I’m not hearing it right. Not yet. Sometimes it means putting the idea on hold to let my subconscious work on it. Then, out of the blue, a breakthrough comes to me. But while I’m waiting, I’m not wasting time. I’m doing things to help my mind find that breakthrough. I’m researching the topic. I’m reading books in my genre or articles on writing and the publishing world. I’m writing my blog. I’m looking for new ideas. I’m adding to a story in progress. I’m sitting quietly, thinking, daydreaming about my characters and the stories they want to tell.

I started work on a sequel to The Lighthouse Legacy. Both stories take place in the quaint coastal (fictional) town of Port Morgan, a town readers would enjoy visiting over and over again. It’s like Robin Carr’s town of Virgin River (only on the Carolina coast) crossed with a Mary Kay Andrews beach read. I’ve made progress in this sequel, but I sometimes stories are just not ready to reveal themselves yet. Or maybe it’s me holding it back. It’s hard to put so much time and effort into a sequel when I haven’t found an agent for the first one – yet. Who knows if there will even be any interest in a sequel?

And then one night while watching tv, a new idea hit me. The Netflix show (I won’t mention here) included this family structure that I thought felt familiar. I recognized similarities to a book series I had read. My mind began analyzing what made this structure work. Then I began considering other elements the two had in common that work. It was a great sign that these elements didn’t feel overused and tired yet, but I needed a new angle, my own angle. Something fresh. Next thing I knew, I had a whole storyline (basic at this point, of course) in my head. I shared it with my husband to get his reaction. He gave me one of those looks I don’t see often when I can tell he’s amazed. He knows I’m creative, but it sometimes takes him by surprise. He said, “When did you come up with that?” I explained how the pieces came together, but the funny thing is, at first I wasn’t even aware my mind was working on it. He loved the idea and was excited to talk it out with me to help me flesh it out. Now I’m researching, working on the plot, writing some scenes that I can visualize (I’ll figure out where they go later), and trying to determine the point of view. I have the character names and their background. I’m beginning to know who they are. Now I need them to tell me their story. That’s where my dream from last night comes in. It’s a critical point in the story. My characters have started speaking to me.

Meanwhile, I wouldn’t say the other book (the sequel) is on hold exactly. I’m just letting my subconscious work on it for awhile. When something amazing comes forward in my brain, I’m open to go with it. Or if I find that perfect agent for The Lighthouse Legacy who is interested in a sequel, let me tell you how inspiration can come out of necessity!

The mind of an author is always processing, imagining, creating, pondering, dreaming. So much is going on in our minds while we fit the pieces to our puzzle together. The story sometimes pours out and other times it trickles. Then hours of editing and proofreading come next. Why do I do it? The joy!  The process of creation brings me joy. And hope! It’s that desire to share my creativity with readers, to bring them joy in their lives.

So I keep dreaming and writing. And the search for a literary agent continues.  During this pandemic, I hope you can find that something that brings joy to your life. Sometimes it’s just a matter of perspective. The things that bring joy may be standing right in front of you just waiting to be recognized.

 

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Clear Vision for a New Year

Can you believe it’s the middle of January already? Can you believe it’s 2020? Where does the time go?

 

I took time off from blogging around the holidays, but now it’s time to get back to routines. Looking back at my first blog from last year, I talked about New Year’s resolutions. I tried a new system using a vision and a mission with very specific goals. The vision is the big picture of what I want to accomplish. The mission is how the vision will happen. The mission includes specific small steps to track progress and taking time to reevaluate/reenergize along the way. I don’t know what you want to accomplish this year, but maybe give this technique a try. My system didn’t work perfectly, but it was actually better than I expected. I’m happy with what I accomplished last year. By the second half of the year I noticed my efforts were generating more responses from agents, including requests to see the full manuscript. That was definite progress.

Here’s my example:  My vision is to get my book published through the traditional publishing route. (Nothing wrong with self-publishing, but my dream has always been to get in print through a publishing house that will get my book into bookstores, libraries, various stores like Costco and Walmart, as well as doing online sales.) So, how do I get my book published? I have to get a literary agent. Therefore, my mission is to get a literary agent. (To get published traditionally, the normal route is to get an agent first – a tough thing to do. They are very selective. An agent will only take on your book if they LOVE it and believe in its ability to sell. That’s because they work for free to find the publisher, only getting paid IF they sell it. Publishers know that if an agent has taken on a book, they’ve already screened it. The book has already jumped the first hurdle successfully. Agents also already know what publishers would be interested in my book. So, first I must find the right agent.) Now for the specific steps. What must I do to get an agent? I’ve already done many steps toward that, but here are my specific steps for this year.  Step 1: Continue sending query letters to agents, a minimum of 10 per month. Step 2: Every other week review what queries and manuscripts are out (and follow up). Notice how specific these are.

If I find an agent, I know they will want another book on the way. Therefore, I also have a second mission: to work on book number two. I started it last year but only just started it. The steps? Take time to to daydream about the characters and story. And write! I’m setting a goal of at least 40 pages by the end of February. Hopefully I can do more, but at the early stages it sometimes goes slow as I work out the details and plot.

This technique can work on most goals – losing weight, getting healthier, getting organized, learning a new skill.  Maybe you want to travel more, save more, read more. Making a plan to get to your end goal will help you be more successful than just wishing it would happen. Want to join in? Think about your vision for 2020. (Ah! I didn’t even plan that pun on 20/20 eyesight and vision! But now that I did, my husband was kind enough to make me the 2020 graphic above.) It’s a great year to see your goals clearly! Figure out your mission(s). And lastly, write down the specific steps to completing your mission. In a few months, let’s review how we’re doing together. I believe just having the goals set and reevaluating them helped me accomplish more last year than I would have otherwise. Drop me a note here if you’re going to try it. I hope you find success in all you do this year!

Robin

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Author Sighting – Mary Kay Andrews

As an aspiring author, I am always looking for opportunities to meet and listen to people who have been successful in their writing careers.  Recently I went to a meet and greet for Mary Kay Andrews, a NY Times bestselling author. She has published 26 novels including The Weekenders, The High Tide Club, Hissy Fit and her newest novel that just hit #5 on the NY Times Best Sellers List, Sunset Beach.

How fun to meet the person behind the books you read! I loved listening to Mary Kay (Kathy Hogan Trocheck) talk about what sparked the idea for a plot or a character, how she chose character names, what her writing routine is like, and why she’s made certain choices in her writing style.

It is always a pleasure to hear authors speak. Over the years I have been  blessed to hear Elin Hilderbrand, James Dashner, Mary Higgins Clark, John Berendt . . . and now Mary Kay Andrews. Later this summer I’m excited to hear Jane Green and Dorothea Benton Frank.

Each time I meet a successful author, I’m reminded that he/she is a regular person like me. It reinforces that I can publish my book, too! I just have to have patience and persistence.

Watch for my review of Mary Kay Andrew’s Sunset Beach coming soon.

Hugs to you all!

Robin

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The Genre Game

Hi Shells! Thanks for opening my post today. I hope you are enjoying my blogs. Please share with your friends and family. The more, the merrier! Anyone can go to robinshelley.com and sign up to get my blog sent directly to their email box. Your support is much appreciated!

Over the last few years I’ve been learning about the publishing world so I can make an educated plan of attack to get my book published. To publish in the traditional way (not self-publish), I need to find an agent who believes in  my writing and my book. When approaching agents, one thing they want to know is the book’s genre. That sounds like an easy request, but not all novels are cut and dry. It’s actually a deeper topic than it first appears for identifying my novel, The Lighthouse Legacy.

Let’s start analyzing:  It’s fiction. That’s easy. It has romance in it, but it isn’t a romance book. Still, women readers will be attracted to this story which includes romance. The protagonist strives to overcome his past to become a better person because of the woman he’s falling for. Ahhh, it must be women’s fiction, right? Wrong. Apparently this isn’t the normal formula for women’s fiction. People in the industry argue that women’s fiction must have a female protagonist. Go figure!

Ok, well . . . The Lighthouse Legacy centers around Ryan, a male protagonist, who must break a family cycle to find success in love again. It’s his journey, and yet this multi-generational story is so much more. Ryan arrives in Port Morgan to learn about his grandfather who was a lighthouse keeper there. Through his interest in his family’s past, Ryan meets Kate, a shop owner and local history junkie. She discovers a journal written by Ryan’s grandfather. As they follow up on stories in the journal, Kate and Ryan build a relationship. Together they investigate unanswered questions about a moonshine rivalry during prohibition, his grandfather’s death, and an antique necklace. Meanwhile, when a rich developer wants to force Kate out of business, Ryan tries to fix the situation for her. Plenty for both women and men to enjoy!

During my research to identify the genre, I kept believing my novel was women’s fiction. I went looking for well-written and well-received books that would prove that women’s fiction can have a male protagonist. That’s how I stumbled upon Sand Dollar: A Story of Undying Love by Sebastian Cole. Unfortunately he doesn’t label his book as women’s fiction. He considers his book romantic fantasy. So does that mean my novel is romantic reality? Is there such a genre? Silly, right? It just shows how hard it is to wrap my head around this genre debate.

After reading Sand Dollar and writing The Lighthouse Legacy, I don’t see why male protagonists aren’t in more stories with romantic elements. A male character can be strong while also having a vulnerable side due to love. After all, isn’t that what women are looking for in a mate?

Yes, the industry looks for a female protagonist for women’s fiction, but I continue to wonder why it can’t include male protagonists who are made better by a good woman. Don’t most women think their guy is a better man because of her influence in his life? Wouldn’t women want to read about a man who overcomes for his woman?

 What do you think? Can women’s fiction have a male protagonist?  Would that turn you off or doesn’t it matter to you? Let me know your thoughts.

Finally, after much deliberation, I’ve decided my book isn’t women’s fiction.  Nope. It’s upmarket fiction with a crossover to the women’s fiction market (at least until someone in the industry tells me otherwise!)  Upmarket novels lie somewhere between the commercial and literary genres. These books appeal to readers who want a high quality and complexity of writing but also look for strong characters and plot. 

Okay, I’ll stop my ranting now.  But since I read it for research, my next post will be the book review of Sand Dollar: A Story of Undying Love by Sebastian Cole. Look for it coming to your email box soon!

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Welcome to my dream team!

Hi friends! Welcome to all my new blog followers! Like stores sometimes do a soft opening before opening to the public, I did a soft start of my website and blog this summer. You might call this past week my hard opening.  It was an exciting step for me as I invited all my Facebook friends to come along for the ride. I had an overwhelming response!  It truly blessed me to see such an outpouring from friends willing to take a moment out of their busy lives to sign up for my blog. And if you’ve been with me since the beginning, welcome back! Thank you all for supporting me as I work toward a dream of being a published author.

I hope you got a chance to look around on the website (robinshelley.com) while you were signing up for the blog.  Feel free to check out earlier blog posts you may have missed.  You can also peek at the story line of my first book, The Lighthouse Legacy. Hopefully it will get you excited about following my journey to get it published.  I’m excited to get it out there for all of you to enjoy!

Photo by Vlad Bagacian on Unsplash

Although I could go the self-publishing route, I prefer to connect with traditional publishers. That is one long road to walk.  Let me give you a glimpse into the world of traditional publishing and my journey ahead. 

Completing a novel was only the start. I realized that if I wanted people to enjoy it, I had to learn how the publishing industry works. Now I’m putting that knowledge to work.

I am currently focusing on finding a literary agent that is as excited about The Lighthouse Legacy as I am.  It takes a lot of research to find the right agents to approach.  I email query letters including sample pages and then I wait. Patience and persistence are key.  Agents can get hundreds of these emails each week.  Therefore, my letter and the story has to catch their attention.  It’s about persistence to find that special agent who emotionally connects with the story and sees its potential. 

Here’s where you come in.  If an agent has some interest, he/she will likely look to see if I have a social media presence.  Seeing my website, reading the blog and noting the number of followers I have may sway them to invest more time in my book by asking to see the whole manuscript.  When an agent asks for the manuscript, it may take weeks or even months for him/her to find the time to read it.  If an agent decides to take on my project, then we discuss representation.  If we agree that we want to work together, then the agent begins searching for a publisher for the book. 

When a publisher buys the book, it still goes through more preparation before it’s printed, marketed and distributed, taking another year or two to hit the store shelves.  Now when I pick up a book at a store, I appreciate all the time and work it represents by a whole team of people.

So, if you ask me how the book’s going, I’ll probably say, “It’s going.”  It just means I’m working through the process, being patient and persistent, and dreaming up ideas for the next book!  I’ll let you all know when I have any big news. Meanwhile it helps keep me encouraged knowing you’re all out there cheering me on!  Thank you! Don’t forget to comment on posts that interest you. And please – tell your friends.  The more, the merrier!

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Writing Inspiration Box

Do you tear pages out of magazines or newspapers?  With articles, pictures, quotes and project ideas piled everywhere, I wondered why I bothered. Would I ever look at them again?  I mean, really. They pile up in every room. Mixed in with my writing inspiration were clippings for craft projects, information on travel destinations I hope to see some day, pictures of rooms that inspire me to redecorate, and so on. It was a jumbled mess. And I’m certainly not going to sift through piles of this stuff when I need inspiration.

Then I got the idea for my writing inspiration box. First I bought a small pack of pretty folders. I labeled the obvious topics on them:  Décor, Travel, Recipes, etc. I gathered up all my piles and began sorting. Some things went directly to the trash. I’d already tried it, it was outdated, or my tastes had simply changed. I set the writing inspirational clippings together in a different pile since I noticed most of these were small. I had a different idea for them.

Continue reading “Writing Inspiration Box”

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Reflections on a Garage Sale

Last weekend I brought a few things to my daughter’s house for our garage sale (or tag sale, depending on where you live). I didn’t have much to add since I purged my house just before our move last December. Still, when you move into a new place, not everything “fits.” Maybe a piece doesn’t fit the new space or it’s out of place with the new décor. After all, moving to a new home is the perfect opportunity to change things up a bit. So, into the sale they go!

Looking around the house for garage sale items usually means cleaning out those closets, searching through drawers, and finding boxes stashed away in the basement or garage. It always amazes me how I can find a bunch of things for the sale, and the next day when I walk by the same spot, I find more. It reminds me of editing a novel. No matter how many times I revise, I can always find something else to edit the next time. (Yes, I did just make a correlation between the writing process and garage sales. Impressed?)

Editing is an age-old problem of writers:  It isn’t the fun part. It has to be done. But when is it enough? How many times do you need to edit a Continue reading “Reflections on a Garage Sale”

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And so it begins…

I am so excited!  I just got this author website up and running, I’m writing my first blog post, and I’m preparing to pitch my book to several agents at a writer’s conference in about two weeks.  My author life just jumped into hyper-drive.

A new chapter in my life has begun.  Although I’ve been writing for a lifetime, I recently retired from my career and started giving my writing the time it needs and deserves.  I kept getting the same questions from friends and colleagues:  What are you going to do when you retire?  What are you going to do with all that free time?  The funny thing is, I’m just as busy now.  I’ve been able to spend more time with my family as well as with my computer in my home office writing away.  I’m as happy as a clam. (Such a strange saying.  Does anyone really know if a clam is happy?) Continue reading “And so it begins…”

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“The first sentence can’t be written until the final sentence is written.” -Joyce Carol Oates, Writer’s Digest

I recently finished my first book, The Lighthouse Legacy.  I mean, really finished it.  I thought it was finished about two years ago, but I was never happy with the opening.  Convincing myself that it was fine, I began sending a few query letters out to agents.  It was then that it hit me.  If an agent requested my first 50 pages, those first 50 pages just weren’t good enough to get a manuscript request.  I had to do something.  So . . . I sat on it.  You know, I did nothing.  I knew it needed work, but I didn’t know what to do with it.

A few weeks ago I participated in a beach glass jewelry making class offered at the local public library.  A day later it dawned on me that my character could do the same, and it would set up the rest of my story perfectly!  So like Joyce Carol Oates said, “The first sentence can’t be written until the final sentence is written.”  Apparently that was true for me, at least for this book.  The final sentence was written long before the beginning scene took shape. You never know when or where inspiration will hit.  If you are a writer and are struggling with your beginning, hopefully you’ll find it without waiting as long as I did.

We all like happy endings, but I’m happy I’ve found my beginning!

Happy writing and reading,

Robin