My Writing Advice.

I keep getting asked a certain batch of questions by friends, neighbors, etc etc etc....

"Oh em gee, you're books are getting published? Well, maybe I should write a book! Yeah, that'll be fun! I'll write a book and get published, too! What's your advice? How do I get published, too?"

Well....while that statement (which I hear more often than not, if you can believe it) is, um, flatteringly insulting...it's hard for me to pinpoint exactly what one has to do in order to get a book published. After all, I only recently managed to get my books published, and I still attribute that success to the fact that I found an editor patient enough to weed through my poor habits and excessive description tendencies to see the gem (story) within. So....maybe I'm not the most appropriate person in the world to answer that question.

But...for the sake of writing a good blog entry today, I will. So, lets start at the beginning. I mean, the first step towards getting published is writing a book. Beginning to end. Don't query it until it is finished, no matter how tempted you might be to do otherwise. Because agents and editors prefer to see this....

Instead of what most of us have, which is this....



Yeah, you thought we didn't know about the clusterf*ck that is your desk? Um, no. We knew. And we have one, too. Neat writers scare me. Really. I have too many stories going on in my head to stay tidy all the time. Really. And if you stay tidy all the time, then please just punch yourself in the face for me, I'm too tired to do it now.

So here is my next piece of advice: When you are done writing the book, edit it. Then edit it again. Then edit it seven more times. Then let someone else read it. Maybe 6 someones. Then edit it 5 more times (This is advice I give because I learned the hard way...I did not follow this advice. And that is why my editor deserves sainthood. Mmm, kay?). THEN, when the book is so polished and gleaming, it makes you flinch to look at it...you can write a query letter, and start querying agents and publishers. Just remember, when you get one of these:

(Because we all know you will get one. I've gotten hundreds. Unless you are Stephenie Meyer or Brad Pitt, don't think for a second you are above, or too talented to recieve, a lovely heart-crushing rejection.) A few of mine made me cry. One actually pissed me off to the point that I retaliated, for which I am extremely apologetic for...as nobody's mother deserves to be told to do those kinds of things, whether they are whores or not. But, I digress, you WILL receive a rejection. And when you do, you should not do this:

Or this....

Or especially this...

Because then you are no better than all of the people who said you couldn't do it. And we all know you're better than that, right? Okay, so.....if you get so many rejections that you could actually wall paper your office with them, then stop. Put the book in a drawer. And start another book. You're not giving up on the first book, you're just moving forward. You can revisit that book at any time. Hell, maybe what happened to me will happen to you, and an editor will buy one of your books, read about the drawer-book on your blog or website, and ask to read it. Who knows! But keep moving forward. Don't bank your whole career on one book. Keep writing......more and more and more and more....never stop perfecting your craft. That's my motto. I may be getting published, but I am not anywhere near the top of my game, and probably won't ever be. Keep writing. Got it? Write it down.

Keep writing.

Okay, so here are a few tidbits that I can offer the aspiring writer that might bring luck and/or creativity to your writing. Now, some of these are weird. I can admit that. But hey...I am weird. If you follow my blog, you have long since figured that out. And the truth of the matter is, most of the writers I know are weird. We're a strange bunch! We make up worlds and characters and story lines all the time! I would much rather sit with my laptop writing a story than hang with real people. Sorry. It's harsh, but true. The proof is in the pudding...I write great stories to read. Sooo...its a sacrifice. Anyway, here are some tips I can give my fellow writers to get those creative juices flowing...

Find a lucky writing tee shirt. This is what mine looks like. I often wear it with a beat up, raggedy green cardigan and some pajama pants, but you can pair it with whatever you would like. Whatever floats your boat, baby. I have to tell you, when I am wearing this shirt, I write some seriously good shizzle. I'm not exaggerating.

Okay, this one is strange. I can't talk my way out of that at all. I have a strange fascination with owls. I have myself convinced that they are good luck. In the few years that I've been collecting tacky, retro, owl decor...good things have happened. I have this odd belief that if I am either surrounded by, or wearing, an owl...I will do the opposite of my natural instinct, and speak eloquently. I will NOT say stupid things, and I will be wise. Who knows if it works, but I have owls all over my house now because its become my obsession. Find yourself a good luck charm, and use it. Even if it is total bogus, sometimes clinging to something can make you feel secure and magical, and if nothing else, those are two things that feel good...so hey, it's a win win.

Get yourself a good writing partner, with whom you feel the following things: Mutual respect, friendship, trust, common goals & interests, and the desire & ability to boost each other up when needed. I haven't always had these things in writing partners, nor have I always provided those things as a writing partner, so I've learned through trail and error. Someone at the conference I went to last October said that an author can only get so far without a writing partner. There needs to be someone there, helping you, guiding you, correcting you, cheering you on...otherwise, you'll never make it through the painful (and yes, getting published is PAINFUL. Anyone who thinks it's easy can suck it. Seriously.) world of publishing. I knew I'd found the right partner when I caught myself feeling excited and happy and proud of her successes, instead of feeling frustrated or resentful or jealous. I wanted her to succeed as much as I wanted my own success. I wholeheartedly encourage all writers to find a partner worth keeping around.

Cheese. Get yourself some good cheese, and settle in for the long haul. No writer can crank out a book worthy of the NYT bestseller list (which I hope to achieve someday...*Sigh*) over the course of a week. Or two. Even three. I have to say, and I may warrant some criticism, but...that whole NaNoWriMo (wrinting a novel in a month challenge) is absolute garbage. Maybe some authors can do it, and if they can...they are better and more skilled than me. Because there is no way in H-E-double hockey sticks that I could do it. Period. So....my advice to writers is: Get yourself a good snackie. Sit down with your computer, and settle in for the long haul, baby. Books take time. And time calls for cheese. Period.

Fuel. Every writer needs fuel, and since I am no Steinbeck, I have no desire to fuel my writing with liquor. Nor do I fuel it with coffee, though I think my writing partner has coffee coarsing through her veins right now, because she has so many deadlines, its staggering. However....I am not a coffee drinker. I am, however, an avid Dier Wild Cherry Pepsi drinker. Not Diet Pepsi. No way, man. Ick. Not regular soda. Ew. To syrupy. However....hand me a can of the aforementioned drink (Nectar of the Gods--as it is known in my house), and I will purr like a kitten for you. Oh, and stay up all night writing awesome romance novels. It's a win win.

Get yourself some inspiration. Now, I prefer this pic of my boyfriend, Gerard, because he looks like a greek statue, and also because it makes me want to pee my pants. However, your inspiration should be whatever pushes your plow. If it is Brad Pitt...go for it. If it is Vin Diesel, do it. If it is kittens hanging from trees, by all means. (Though I have to say, that's pretty sad.) Find your inspiration, and post it all over your office or workspace. I was inspired to base the character of Henry Tobler (The What If Guy, available August 5th, from Entangled Publishing) on the way Gerard Butler looked in the movie "The Bounty Hunter". You know what I mean...shaggy, unshaven, fitted plaid shirts.....*sigh*squee* Anyway, he inspired Henry Toblers looks, so I surrounded myself with pictures of Mr. Butler, and now I am getting published. Coincidence? I think not. Thank you, Gerry.

And last, but never, ever least.....

Read. Never, ever, ever stop reading. If you are writing so much and so often that you're not reading, you are doing too much. Never stop reading other authors work. Never stop learning about new concepts and genres. Never stop learning new methods and ways of articulating yourself. Never stop learning your craft! I designate writing time into my day every day, even when I am feeling overwhelmed and too busy to do anything else but write. I read when I put my youngest down for a nap, and I read every night for at least 15 minutes. This is my own time to decompress. Without it, I would be lost...not only mentally, but also because I have to continue to learn. I can't learn, if I'm not reading. Period. An author who doesn't make the time to read books and the work of other authors, is a writer whose career will be short lived. And you can take that advice to the bank.

Well....

I guess that's almost all the advice I have to give. Oh, wait! Except--and this is the piece of advice my writing partner, otherwise known as.... 

....keeps telling me--

FIND A BALANCE.

If you're a wife, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, father, mother, employee, daughter, son, etc etc etc....find a balance. This is an area I am still working on. I have gained a lot of weight over this past year, as I've been so focused on my work, that working out has gone by the wayside. So, I've recommitted myself to the dreaded treadmill, and I am struggling to find the balance between my writing, my reading, my beloved children, my nerdy hubby, and my home. So find the balance. Because, as thrilled as I am that my career is finally taking off...no career is worth letting your time with your loved ones slip through your fingers. Find the balance. Maybe we can find it together.

Wow.....that was deep. I don't get deep here on my blog often, do I? Well, sorry folks. It won't stick. I prefer being irreverant and rude. I feel like I need to belch or trip over something to cut up the tension.

Okay, that's better. Much better.

Alright. Go forth and write amazing books, my writer friends.

Brooke Moss.