Writing 101: Should You Ever Give Up?

I was inspired by a hashtag that I just happened to notice when I went to write this post, but it's a thought I've had before. It's easy advice to say "don't ever give up!" "follow your dreams!" and all that other inspirational nonsense, but it can be hell to live it. It's also unrealistic. Should you ever give up? Well yeah, maybe. 

A World Full of Books

This past year, 2012, which is nearly over (but not quite), more than 2 million new books have already been published. Just this year. In the United States alone, approximately 400,000 books have been published this year (10 Awful Truths About Publishing). That's wonderful, a great testament to the popularity of reading and literature. We are preserving a record. We are creating entertainment.

Judgment: Now Available!

Judgment (Deck of Lies, #4) is now available for Amazon kindle! The book will be available for Nook and other devices later this week, so keep checking back for links. 

Cashing Out

Do I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

How can I, when the truth will destroy us all? Now that I’ve started telling lies, I can’t stop. Not until all this is over, and I’m free of the family that never felt like mine. Maybe it’s wrong. Maybe I’m a bad person.

But it’s definitely the only way I’m ever going to escape them. I have to take the opportunity, no matter how terrible it is…don’t I?

Writing 101: No Writer is an Island

When I was very young, and dreaming of becoming a writer, I had a vision in my head of what it would be like. I would sit in a very quiet and serene room, all by myself, just creating brilliant words all day long. Now I know that sort of thing isn't possible -- and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want it if it was. If you're self-publishing, you're doing a whole lot of work all on your own...but you probably aren't actually alone. Sometimes, it's hard to remember that the people around you are always contributing, too.

Hey, There Are Other People Here

Plenty of self-published authors don't live alone. They may have pets, or kids, spouses or roommates. All of these animals and people are capable of affecting the way you write your book. The people closest to writers are usually a big influence; certain characteristics from your mate may seep into the characters you put on the page. But they influence and affect you in other ways, too, and their contributions can't be overlooked. 

• Space

The people who share your space with you make a difference, both good and bad. Make sure they understand that you need your own space to work and write, and really shouldn't be disturbed. And tell them how much they mean to you, from time to time. When the people closest to you are supportive of your efforts, you'll feel a lot less stressed about self-publishing.

• Time

You need your friends and family members to give you the space to write, and that means you've got to give them something, too. Don't forget to make time for the other members of your household and others who are close to you. Do not spend all of your free time writing, though it is compelling to do so. Make time to maintain a social life, or at least something like it, and always take some time just for yourself while you're at it. Everyone has to recharge and reset, and you cannot think about writing all of the time. You'll burn yourself out, and make yourself nuts. 

• Sharing

The people in your immediate household are your best sounding board. Ask them to read your work, bounce ideas off of them, get their input and their help. They're going to be much more gentle with you than any reviewer, and they're a wonderful first test for any ideas you have. If you're thinking of something that sounds really out-of-the-box, check it against those close to you and see how they react. 

There are other people in your life, and they can tell you that living with a writer isn't easy. Talk to them to let them know your needs, but don't forget to ask about their needs as well. Use them, appreciate them and get support from them. Your writing will be better for it, and your relationships will be a little less strained when you're slaving away at the keyboard.

Facing Death

"More twists and revelations will come right at your face."

"This book is spooky and creepy (in a good way) which makes it a  really great mystery read!"

Little Book Star has reviewed Death (Deck of Lies, #3). Read the entire review before you get your copy of Judgment (Deck of Lies, #4) this week!

Writing 101: How Do You Know When You're Done?

Write "the end" as many times as you like -- it doesn't necessarily mean that you're all done with your book. Many writers, in fact, spend more time editing and re-writing than they ever spend on creating that first draft. It's really easy to get caught up in perfecting a book, to go back to it again and again...and that makes it really hard to release your book so others can actually read it. How do you know when you're done, and when a book is really ready to be released? The answer is actually pretty simple. 

 When Enough is Enough

Some scenes just won't go away, even after you put them on the page. Some scenes demand to be re-written, perfected, over and over again. And it's easy to get caught up in that. Every writer wants to produce a perfect book. But at some point, you've got to stop typing, stop reading, and finally say done. 

You're the only one who knows when you finally get to that point, and it changes with every single book. When are you done writing that tricky scene? When you finally stop thinking about it. Writers re-write scenes because they can't get them out of their heads; they keep playing, and re-playing inside the mind, and changes have to be made. When you finally get that out of your head, then you're finally done. When you're done re-thinking, second-guessing and re-working, then you're finally done. If it stops keeping you up at night, stops distracting you during the day, stops haunting you when you're supposed to be doing other things, then just stop. You're done messing with it. 

When your head space is calm and quiet, it's because the work is finally done. It's because enough is finally enough. Don't go back to the book and look for more work. Trust yourself, and put it out there. You'll learn more by publishing than by proofreading for that seventh time.

Compelled to Read Justice

"What could oh so easily have been just another fish out of water story full of trite and tired cliché is instead a well thought out and cleverly written page turner."

"Jade Varden is an excellent storyteller with a deft hand at flowing prose. The story is compelling and interesting."

Justice (Deck of Lies, #1) has been reviewed at Twisted Sense. Read the full review, and then get the book free as part of the Stuffed Full of Lies weekend.

Indie Author of November

Verdict Book Reviews has picked me as their indie author of the month of November! Visit the blog to see the post, and find out exactly why I got picked.

Stuffed Full of Lies

Judgment, the fourth and final book in the Deck of Lies series, will be in online bookstores Tuesday, November 27. That's only three days away! 

It gives you just enough time to catch up on all the lies before the series ends. For the rest of this weekend, the first three books in the series will be FREE when you buy them at Smashwords. Get them in any electronic format, and get stuffed full of lies. 

To get Justice (Deck of Lies, #1), use the code PA47C

To get The Tower (Deck of Lies, #2), use the code PW83B

To get Death (Deck of Lies, #3), use the code PM25K