By Janny Butler

In order to produce something of value, you have to have something of value to draw on. But too many of us forget that we have to “fill up our own well” before we can fill anyone else’s. If we’re women with families, this “forgetfulness” gets compounded by our natural tendencies to nurture other people before we take care of ourselves. Therefore, in the interests of keeping our writers’ health insurance premiums low, let’s talk a bit about some pointers for Writer Self-Care.

First, of course, comes common-sense stuff we were all told as kids. Yanno, eat your vegetables, Or at least attempt to have some balance in your diet!

Get enough sleep.

Get enough exercise. I can’t stress this enough. Sometimes the best cure for any kind of block or doldrums is simply a long walk outdoors. The benefits of rambling in the fresh air beat paying high health-club dues any day of the week. In short, get yourself as healthy as you can, stay that way as much as you can.

Second…give yourself a really nice place to write if you can. I don’t mean a private office, necessarily–just someplace, even if it’s the corner of the kitchen, that’s all yours.

A place that surrounds you in good feelings, of one kind or another.

Keep your favorite writing “good luck charms” around you.

You’ll want a good chair to sit in and your supplies within comfortable reach. Have good lighting and a coffeepot/teapot/stash of chocolate around. Comfort foods, great colors, a teeny fridge with bottled water in it…you know what you need. This is the place to give it to yourself.

Third, give yourself permission at times NOT to write, but to read.

Or to see a movie.

Or play with your cat.

Or have a conversation with someone you haven’t talked to in ages.
Sometimes all you need is a shift in perspective. That, too, is “filling up the well.”

For some of us, the best kickstart is reading a good craft book. For some of us, the inspiration comes from reading our favorite author. Not even a lot, maybe just a few pages or a chapter…of someone who can really handle the language and gets our own imaginations firing.

Fourth, try as best you can to silence any negative voices in your head.
If your negative voices are audible–i.e. people who live with you, your family members, etc., are not affirming you in your writing life–this is trickier. Counterbalance them with some positive voices: good critique partners…people who just plain love to read…even people like your hairdresser, your manicurist, the person who delivers your mail. Don’t forget the obvious places to pick up some “writer love.” Librarians tend to love writers, so your local librarian can often become your new best friend. People who read, love to meet people who write, and through them, you can get a chance to cultivate a “fandom”–even if you haven’t sold a lick yet. Some of the best support I ever got, early on, came from baseball moms–especially when they found out I wrote romance!

And, of course, there’s always the support you can gather online….

In short, nurturing the Muse isn’t a mystical, complicated operation that requires a lot of extra equipment–it mostly just requires a little more attention to yourself and keeping yourself well-cared-for. But as we all know, the “little” things usually end up being the ones that make all the difference–and taking care of yourself can make a difference that carries forward far beyond the world of the written word!

Happy Writing!

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Janet W. Butler, a member of ACFW,=20 is a non-fiction book production editor with Our Sunday Visitor, one of the nation’s leading Catholic publishers, by day and a “small soprano” by night. She writes–and sings–from Indiana.

"Do not...talk...about an unfinished manuscript." Shirley McKee

Written by Shirley McKee

There will be a time when you will have opportunities to meet with editors and agents. The Professional Attitude is more important now than at any other time. A meeting with an editor should begin with eye contact and a firm handshake. If you are proposing a book, be able to summarize the book in one or two sentences, including the genre. They will tell you never to be negative, but what I’m going to say will sound negative.

Do not, I repeat, do not talk to editors or agents about an unfinished manuscript. They will immediately be turned off. And for good reason. A professional will begin his or her description by saying, “I have a (genre) complete at approximately (word count) concerning (description briefly).”

You should, as a professional, be able to wrap up your interview in as little as five to ten minutes and, if you have that Professional Attitude, you will most likely get an invitation to send the editor or agent the first couple of chapters, and eventually, the entire manuscript. It’s all in the quality of the writing itself and the way you approach them.

I would add another admonition here. Don’t take your completed manuscript with you and offer it to them. Most editors and agents have flown to your conference and cannot be carrying heavy manuscripts back with them. Part of the professional attitude is consideration. Better to go home and mail the chapters they’ve requested with a notation on the outside of the mailer “Requested Material.” They will thank you for it. Be prepared to answer their questions about your book with brief, concise responses.

Believe me, they are constantly harassed by the unprofessional and will appreciate meeting a writer with the professional attitude.Dress for success, not necessarily tailored, but neat, not gaudy and comfortable. Never ever say “I’m a writer, but I’m not published yet.” Simply say, “I’m a writer.” If they ask, “are you published,” answer, “I’m currently working on a (book, article, whatever) and there are several magazines or publishers interested.” I hope you all will adopt the professional attitude and be published in the very near future.

Professionalism is much more than being paid for writing. It’s an attitude that carries us through each minute of each day. When someone asks what we do, writers should hold our heads high and say, “I’m a professional writer.”

Short Bio:

Shirley McKee is a former police detective and investigative journalist.  Now retired, she teaches creative writing in two Texas school systems and is working on her first mystery novel which is in its final edit.  She has over 400 articles and short stories published in magazines, not to mention her journalism publication.  Her awards number over 1,000.  She loves nothing more than meeting with other writers and sharing ideas and tips.

Sunnyasalark: Ayn, have you used the same characters in more than one novel

AynHunt: Yes, Sunny. I’ve used Jessica and Miss Emily several times

Sunnyasalark: Is that romance or mystery, Ayn?

AynHunt: In The Haunting and Unwilling Killers

AynHunt: ghost stories

MargeeBee: Do you enjoy writing a series novel?

Sunnyasalark: How did you bring the characters into the new novel?

AynHunt: Yes, Margee. I fall in love with my characters and don’t want to let go

AynHunt: Unwilling Killers and The Haunting are both series

Sunnyasalark: What characters did you reuse and how?

AynHunt: I wrote them as stand-alone’s, but with the same characters involved in different mysteries

AynHunt: Jessica is a 34 year old widow who goes to Galveston to get over the death of her husband

MargeeBee: Was her husband murdered?

AynHunt: and her aunt and aunt’s best friends have opened up a pi firm specializing I

AynHunt: paranormal dead cases

AynHunt: They are in the 80’s so Jessica goes along to protect them in investigation

AynHunt: No, her husband was a cop killed in the line of duty

Sunnyasalark: OH, that is interesting

MargeeBee: that sounds wonderful

AynHunt: I plan to continue the series someday, but not right away

Sunnyasalark: Questions or comments, my friends?

Chapter One  2/22/2009 08:15 PM

AynHunt: In the meantime I wrote a romance under Ayn Amorelli which is published

Sunnyasalark: Contract Bride?

AynHunt: and an historical romance which is at the publishers awaiting their decision

AynHunt: Yes, Sunny. Contract Bride

AynHunt: I also teach writing on line, so have been doing 2 classes of that

Miztinny: That title is intriguing

AynHunt: Thank you, Miz

AynHunt: It was a best seller

Medievalbk: (Paranormal pi gets you ectoplasm on your gumshoe.)

Miztinny: congratulations

IntrestnFindings: congratulations Ayn

AynHunt: published by Blackvelvetseductions.com

AynHunt: Thank you, Interest

IntrestnFindings: your welcome

Sunnyasalark: How did you compile the Contract Bride novel? Was that by outlined or?

AynHunt: I never outline, Sunny. I’m a pantzer

AynHunt: I never know how a book is going to come out ahead of time

Sunnyasalark: So, you write with the ideas in your head as you go.

AynHunt: That’s part of the fun of writing for me

AynHunt: Pretty much, Sunny. I sometimes write rough notes as I go, but that’s about all

Miztinny: That’s it write then write the synopsis

MargeeBee: Did you find it difficult to get a publisher?

Sunnyasalark: Questions for our author Ayn Hunt.

AynHunt: No, I ‘ve been lucky. The first time I sent it out, blackvelvetseductions sent me the contract for it

AynHunt: I don’t have an agent

Sunnyasalark: Do you do your own editing or does the publisher provide it?

MargeeBee: that’s great Ayn

AynHunt: Thank you, Margee. But I’ve been lucky

Sunnyasalark: Questions for our author, Ayn Hunt

IntrestnFindings: LOL so you don’t have to make a wall of query no’s like I did?

AynHunt: I have a friend, a retired English teacher who edits my stories before I send them out

MargeeBee: I think it’s because you write well — not just luck

Sunnyasalark: Ayn Hunt, author, is our guest.

Beysshoes: Q : please talk about the copy write symbol and its usage

Sunnyasalark: Questions welcome

AynHunt: What about it, Beys?

Charandjimarewe2: yes..please do

MargeeBee: good editing is a good help too

Beysshoes: does it mean anything legal? can anyone just use it to attach to their writings?

AynHunt: The supreme court said once something is written on a computer, it has an automatic copyright given to the originator

Charandjimarewe2: ©

Beysshoes: ©

AynHunt: But the publisher should also take out a copy write in the writer’s name, just to make sure

Charandjimarewe2: use Alt..0169

AynHunt: That’s how it’s worked for my 4 published books so far

Charandjimarewe2: ©

Sunny: Introducing our million seller, Holly Jacobs

Holly: Okay, so I feel a bit presumptuous with the title of this. Although, the geek in me was truly excited when I did the math last year and realized more than a million of my books had sold worldwide, an

Sunny: Its amazing Holly

Holly: and realized more than a million of my books had sold worldwide, and I was even happier when I made it past the million and a half mark last royalty statement. Holly: That worldwide is a big part of the number. That and the fact that Harlequin is truly a global entity. I just did an article on Harlequin’s overseas distribution.

Holly: . They sell books in more than a hundred countries. I’ve had books come out in only about a quarter of them so far.

Tinny: Don’t keep us in suspense What did you write that sold 1 M?
Holly: The global distribution really helps! <g> I’m still getting new royalties from foreign markets on my first Harlequin release, I Waxed My Legs for This?…it came out in 2001.

Josie: wow that’s awesome Holly

Sunny: That sounds humorous, Holly

Holly: So, I’ve been thinking about this topic since Shirley asked me to come chat with you. How did I do it?

Holly: I think the first thing to realize is that as the author, I have no control over so much of the process. I can’t MAKE people buy my books (I wish I could! LOL).

Holly: . I can’t make overseas publisher option one of my books. I can’t…well, there’s a lot I can’t do. So, what can I do?

Holly: When I’m asked for writing tips, my first and best tip is always the same…write. Write every day.

Holly: I think, in order to make a living at your writing, you have to make writing part of the rhythm of your life. So, write every day. Treat it like a profession, even before you sell.

Holly: Set goals. Okay, let me clarify. Set realistic goals.

Holly: If you say, I’m going to write twenty pages a day, but you’ve never been more than a two page a day writer, you’re setting yourself up for failure.

Holly: Set a reasonable goal. I tend to write at least five pages a day. 35 pages a week.

Holly: . If I want my weekend off (and most weeks I do) I try for seven pages a day on the week days.

Holly: When the lines I started writing for had longer word counts, but no more time to write them, I changed my font from a proportional one (courier) to a non-proportional font (TNR).

Holly: When I wrote my 5/7 pages, they were really more like 7/9.

Holly: . Basically, I’m tricking myself into writing more, but not telling my brain we are! LOL My brain is easily fooled!

Holly: These are important tips because, in order to sell a lot of books…you have to write a lot of books! LOL

Holly: I know these sound basic, but really, the secret to my sales are pretty simple. Write. Write a lot.

Sunny: ? How many books did you write before success?

Holly: I’ve sold 42 books since the late nineties. That’s not counting the fifty-ish short stories, or the many articles/essays.

Holly: I write. That definitely is the biggest part of my sales.

Holly: OKAY, THAT WAS PART OF THE PRE-WRITTEN STUFF. BEFORE I WROTE FOR HARLEQUIN,

Holly: I WROTE FOR SOME VERY SMALL PRESSES/LINES…IMAJINN BOOKS, PRECIOUS GEMS.

Holly: ANYONE WITH ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR?

Pam_Reese: wonderful points so far

Sunny: ? Where do you get ideas for new novels?

Holly: PAM, THANKS. THE THING IS, THERE REALLY IS NO SECRET HANDSHAKE. THAT FOREIGN DISTRIBUTION THING MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

Neva: No question… other than how to stop being ‘green’ with jealousy

Holly: I HAD A BOOK OUT IN THE UK IN DECEMBER, AND I HAVE ANOTHER OUT IN POLAND IN MARCH.

Holly: THOSE JUST HAPPEN…NO WRITING ON MY PART. LOL

Sunny: Foreign sales worth grabbing

marna: I am a painter actually. but I think that the idea of making painting a part of every day is the same.

Holly: SUNNY, MY IDEAS…WELL, THEY COME FROM EVERYWHERE. A SONG. A CONVERSATION. AN ARTICLE IN A MAGAZINE OR THE PAPER.

LGVernon: Holly, did your small press work figure in to your landing contracts with bigger houses or an agent?

Holly: MARNA, I THINK ANY ART NEEDS TO BE A PART OF THE RHYTHM OF YOUR LIFE.

Holly: FOR ME, WRITING IS LIKE BREATHING. IT’S JUST PART OF WHAT I DO.

Sunny: ? Has writing been a part of most of your life?

marna: Yes.. painting is the same for me. And I have had some success, but very little, how do you push yourself to outreach

Holly: VERNON, I DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH, IF ANYTHING IT HAD TO DO. (AND WE’RE IGNORING TYPOS TONIGHT…NO PROBLEM! LOL)

LGVernon: Thank God for small favors. The typo police would haul me off, otherwise.

LGVernon: And please call me Linda. Vernon is some guy with a pocket protector and time on his hands.

Holly: SUNNY, I DIDN’T START WRITING UNTIL MY YOUNGEST WAS GETTING READY FOR SCHOOL…I FIGURED OUT I NEEDED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH MY LIFE AND AS A LIFELING READER, THIS WAS IT.

Holly: LINDA, I JUST DO IT. I DON’T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT THE NEXT STEP…I CONCENTRATE ON THIS PAGE…THIS CHAPTER…THIS BOOK. THE NEXT ONE WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF. LIKE I SAID, I CAN’T CONTROL

Holly: NEW CONTRACTS OR EVEN GAINING READERS. I CAN ONLY CONTROL MY WORK…MY WORDS.

LGVernon: Speaking of control—how do you prioritize your ideas–you must have a million of them.

Krys: ?

Holly: REALIZING MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR ME. ADD TO THAT, I’M A MEAN BOSS! LOL

Holly: LINDA, I DON’T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THAT. SOMETIMES CIRCUMSTANCES PRIORITIZES MY IDEAS FOR ME.

Holly: FOR INSTANCE, THIS NEW TRILOGY. I WANT TO DO MORE, AND THEY SEEM TO BE APPEALING TO READERS, SO COMING UP WITH AN IDEA FOR THAT SETTING BECAME THE PRIORITY.