The Importance of the “Unexpected” Character
In many, if not most of my books, I end up writing in a character who was totally unplanned, totally a stranger, totally unexpected. I don’t doubt other writers have had this problem because I have talked to many who most certainly have – and we all end up thinking the same thing. “What do I do with this character?”
It’s Not the Sales - It’s the Readers That Count
In our local Mid-Michigan Chapter of Romance Writers of America, we have a little monthly contest called WRITE FOR THE MONEY. We each put $1.00 in an envelope with a little note saying what our writing goal is for the next month. Then at the next meeting those who achieve their goal are put into a drawing for however much money is in the envelope. Thus – “write for the money.”
That term makes me wonder how many people might think authors write “for the money.” Yes, big sales and big money are nice, but a great majority of us will never get rich on what we make from our books. Some authors make barely enough to eat each week, if that. And you know what? For a true writer, that doesn’t matter. I can’t count the number of authors I know who simply write because telling the story is so important to them. Few of them care whether or not they’re making great money. Most of them are simply “born to write,” and they would be writing even if they didn’t make a dime from their books. I fall into that category.
That term makes me wonder how many people might think authors write “for the money.” Yes, big sales and big money are nice, but a great majority of us will never get rich on what we make from our books. Some authors make barely enough to eat each week, if that. And you know what? For a true writer, that doesn’t matter. I can’t count the number of authors I know who simply write because telling the story is so important to them. Few of them care whether or not they’re making great money. Most of them are simply “born to write,” and they would be writing even if they didn’t make a dime from their books. I fall into that category.
When It’s Okay to Procrastinate
Anyone who knows me well, and my Facebook fans who have read my comments and other blogs, know that procrastination is NOT one of my faults. In fact, I don’t know when to quit! I am wearing myself out. I usually write 2 – 6 hours a day and can crank out a 600(+) page book in 2-3 months if I have to. I hate procrastination and can’t stand to let anything sit “undone.” Whatever things I need to get done each day (besides writing) I DO! I don’t like thinking about all the things I need to do or places I need to go or people I need to see. For all the time a procrastinator sits around thinking about what he or she needs to get done, they could have DONE IT and had it over with!
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