Word Witch Wednesday - spring patchwork

So many things going on. I'd like to think I will get everything organized and done this spring. Or, at the very least, get them patched together.

First off, pop on over to Untethered Realms (after you read this post!), and check out my review of Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut. It's the 50th anniversary of the book. My experience reading it now is greatly different than when I did 25 years ago.

I've stalled out on the two novels I've been working on. I'm over 25,000 words into both of them, and I know where they're going. Perhaps that's the problem. There are no more surprises for me. I'm poking away at my pen name's novel, but I have not touched Of Death and Sorrow for a while now. Not even the awesome cover is motivating me.

I have written some new short fiction. My latest sci-fi story was given much love from my local critique group this past Saturday. I fixed it up and submitted it to Daily Science Fiction. (That's the first place I send most of my flash pieces.) I have five other stories out on submission. These shorter tales make me feel like I'm accomplishing something.

While I promised myself to step back from excessive marketing, I have been trying a few different things in group promos with my pen name. Nothing has had much success. I know I just need to get more novels out there.

While researching marketing, I came across a genre new to me that thrilled me. It's called LitRPG. Basically it's a story with all the elements of a game in story form. The main feature being the heroes know they're in a game and they must play by the rules of it. (Think Jumanji.) I've read a few books in this genre, but I had no idea it was a thing, and it's HUGE overseas. LitRPG books sell as well as George R.R. Martin. Is it going to catch on here in America? Maybe.

I've hung the carrot of LitRPG in front me. Just finish the two novels I'm working on and then I can write a new LitRPG story. So many ideas have run through my mind. The stories are usually light, snarky, and hilarious. It's possible I might eat that carrot before finishing the other novels, but I keep telling myself that I have to complete them. Hard work and perseverance are vital for a writer. While I'm not under contract to anyone, I started something that I do need to finish.

But that yummy carrot...

How do you resist eating the carrot?

#IWSG for December 2018

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is the brilliant idea of Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the group is to share doubts and insecurities and to encourage one another. Please visit the other participants and share your support. A kind word goes a long way.

This month's awesome co-hosts are: J.H. Moncrieff, Tonja Drecker , Patsy Collins, and Chrys Fey!

This month's optional question: What are five objects we'd find in your writing space?

1. A big cup of water. I drink A LOT of water. Sometimes I flavor the water, but I don't drink anything else during the day.
2. Paper. Be it notebooks or scraps or whatever is lying about. I've gotten better about writing stuff down so I don't forget.
3. Pencils. I do have lots of pens too, but I write notes in pencil because my brain works faster than my hand, and I need to erase a lot.
4. The TARDIS. Several of them, in fact! A model, a lamp, a stocking, and string lights.
5. My cat. Well, I guess I can't include him as an object. His cat cube is to my right under the window. That's where he spends most days while I'm working.

This month's insecurities: Always it's about time. I just don't have enough of it. I'm far behind on everything I want to do. I know I should change my expectations of what I can do, but I always stretch beyond. On one hand, it's highly motivating. On the other, frustrating. The new year will have to come with some changes or the few white hairs I have will become a whole head of them!

How have you been over the past month? Anyone develop a time turner yet?

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Untethered Realms wants to stuff your e-readers full of great reads this holiday season. Free ebooks and a giveaway! You can find my urban fantasy, Of Blood and Sorrow for free there. Click on the image and enjoy some awesome books.

You're never too old

I'm feeling all my years this month. All those doctors visits I've been having speak of my age and my son turns eight this week! Where is time going?

I just need to remember...

#IWSG for April 2018

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is the brilliant idea of Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the group is to share doubts and insecurities and to encourage one another. Please visit the other participants and share your support. A kind word goes a long way.

This month's awesome co-hosts are: Olga Godim, Chemist Ken, Renee Scattergood, and Tamara Narayan!

April's optional IWSG question: When your writing life is a bit cloudy or filled with rain, what do you do to dig down and keep on writing?

Years ago, I would have given up when things were bad. Yet I always came back to writing. I couldn't help it. I'm a writer through and through. These days, I'm more easily motivated. I read a good book, watch a great show, take a walk, try something new, or talk with supportive writer friends. I will keep on writing even if no one ever reads what I write because I love it. I'll keep writing until the day when I can plug my mind into a computer and just download my stories that way. Though, I'm not certain I'd really want that sort of implant. But that's a question for another day!

This month's insecurities: Time is being pinched. So much to do away from the computer, and I have two big projects I want to work on. I'm trying to multitask these two manuscripts, but one is dominating the other. I let it have its way because I know I must take advantage of the flow when it's strong. Yet I feel guilty about letting the other sit. Both will get done, but not as soon as I'd hoped. And it's driving me batty.

IWSG news: Unfortunately I had to step away from being part of the IWSG admin team. It was a difficult choice, and I agonized over it. I love what the IWSG offers the writing community. It's such an incredible group. And the admins, holy crow! They are hardworking, organized, and awesome. I learned a lot from being part of the team.

Please welcome Shannon Lawrence as the new IWSG team member. She'll be taking over the newsletter. Be sure to send her all your news to celebrate with the group. Good luck and have fun, Shannon!

Word Witch Wednesday - a bunch of tips for making writing life easier

It's been a while since I've done a writing update. I've been busy working on the first draft of Of Gods and Sorrow, the sequel to Of Blood and Sorrow. It feels fantastic to get back into the world and to be writing a novel again. When I write novellas, I keep everything tight and concise. I don't allow myself to wander. With novels, I feel less constrained.

Writing tip #1: When working on your first draft, don't be afraid to ramble on. Don't let your inner editor chain you down. Anything you don't want can be cut later. You might find you like some of those longer descriptions and extended scenes.

My writing has slowed recently. I've found I can't stare at the screen as long or I'll get headaches. When my critique partners and betas send me their manuscripts, I wondered why they always have their documents zoomed in at like 120% or 150%. I stubbornly put them back to 100% every time. My stubborn self was wrong. Now as I'm writing, I zoom in to 120%, and I get less eye strain and no more headaches.

Writing tip #2: Zooming in with documents does help ease eye strain. It's also important to take regular breaks from the computer and rest your eyes doing something else. Keeping well hydrated will help as well. And those bathroom breaks resulting from that can count as resting your eyes!

Putting your butt in the chair and your hands on the keyboard does get you writing. Yet it doesn't help you get up when you need to later. My body get stiff if I'm lost in my worlds for too long. I'm not as young as I once was.

Writing tip #3: Stretch. I'm not going to tell you to go out and exercise, but stretching your muscles will not only take away your stiffness, it will help the blood get flowing to your beautifully creative mind. I take about 30 to 40 minutes every day just before lunch to stretch and use my little hand weights. It wakes up my body and my afternoon writing session benefits from it.

Writing tip #4: That time as I'm stretching is the only time during my writing work day that I allow myself to turn on the TV or a podcast. Eliminating distractions like that while I'm writing allows me to better concentrate. Plus, it makes for a good motivator to do the stretching if I have a show recorded I want to watch. (Con Man aired on SyFy Channel this past Saturday night. I'm watching that this week as I stretch! Mmm, Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion.)

My writing life changes with each story and every new year. I'm excited to see where it will take me next.

Do you have any writing life tips to share? I'd love to hear them.

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An IWSG reminder:

Be sure when you leave a comment, your profile leads back to your blog. If it links to Google+, make sure you have your blog listed in your ‘About’ section. We encountered a lot of comments that we could not return because that person’s gravatar was not linked to a blog. And since some people comment with a name but it’s their blog name on the IWSG list, that makes it extra challenging. If you’d like your link title modified or changed on the IWSG list, we have set up a IWSG Google Document where you can request that change.

Plus the Show Your Writer Insecurity Contest is October 4, so get those photos ready!

Don't forget we're always excited to celebrate good news with our IWSG members. Email me at christinerains [dot] writer @ gmail [dot] com with your news, and I'll include in the next newsletter.

Word Witch Wednesday - The Quest to Perfect the Newsletter

I've been trying different strategies when it comes to my newsletter (NL), and I'm forever researching them. I've even signed up for dozens of them. Probably more than 100. Yeah, you can imagine how my inbox looks!

But it is very helpful in seeing how authors set up their NLs, what works and what doesn't, and what motivates subscribers to keep reading.

Here's the info I gathered:

- authors who send out their NLs daily offer little more than "buy my or my friends' books"

- authors who send out their NLs weekly have more exclusive content, but still are mainly just advertising books

- authors who send out their NLs monthly (or less) feature the most personal content and news

- almost all authors offer something free to new subscribers

- a few authors offer something for free in every NL while more hold giveaways

- giveaways for gift cards get more responses than giveaways for books

- most authors only offer excerpts or first chapters when a new release comes out

- less than half talk about what they're writing now

- less than half have a NL and a blog

- less than 10% of authors talk about what's going on their lives

My preferences as a reader:

- I don't like the daily NLs, and I especially don't like the NLs where the author is advertising another author's books and says nothing at all about what they personally are doing

- I will enter giveaways, but only for books if I like the author's work

- I read NLs most often when they offer something special or personal like their experience at a recent signing, a family trip, or a regular feature that isn't focused on books

What I have tried as an author:

- I offered up a free ebook to new subscribers. It's not much of a motivator, and I would prefer to sell the book instead. After my poll on Monday, I have decided to write a short story that will be exclusive to new subscribers.

- I've tried drip campaigns (a series of NLs sent every week). Subscribers do not respond better or worse to them. I get the same amount of opens and clicks for the campaigns as I do normally.

- I sent out one NL recently that offered no giveaways or freebies. I had the most amount of unsubscribes I've ever gotten and my first spam complaint.

- I've tried numerous NL swaps. They did not bring me more subscribers or sales.

What I am going to try this year:

- I will pull back on how frequently I send out my NL. My next one comes out on March 17th, and then I won't send out another until mid-April. Monthly (except on special occasions) seems like the best way to go for me.

- I will try to always have a giveaway or freebie involved, whether it be one I'm participating in or a link to an author's I like.

- I want to add in personal news and/or a feature, but I still want to keep the NL separate from my blog. They are not the same thing, and I won't treat them as such.

Do you have a newsletter? Do you subscribe to any? What do you like and don't like about them?

I Want To Know Your Opinion

Do you subscribe to authors' newsletters? Why? What motivates you to sign up?

I've been striving to increase my subscribers. Giveaways attract new readers, but then there's a bunch of unsubscribes when they don't win or if you don't offer another giveaway in the next newsletter.

Right now, I offer new subscribers an ebook (The 13th Floor Complete Collection) as a thank you for signing up. I'd prefer to have readers buy the book, though.

I've been considering writing a new short story or novelette and offering that exclusively to new subscribers. I want my readers to know they're special, and I hope this lets them know they are. That way they'll stick around.

I want to know what you think. Would a new and exclusive story motivate you to sign up for an author's newsletter? What do you think is the best way to appeal to subscribers?