DIS writers - a place for us.

[Ginny Favers]

Whoa it's been a long time!

I don't remember when the last time I updated was. Anyway, my 6th traditionally published YA came out in June-- got nice professional reviews but sales have been kind of flat.

I'm getting ready to work on revisions for the sequel, which is coming out next year. I have the proposal for the third book ready to go, but I am not sure the publisher will buy it if the series tanks.

I've also been working on self-publishing new-adult romances, which is my little fun pet project. I released one late last year, one this April, and am just about to release the third in the series. Self-publishing is turning out to be a lot of fun and a great learning experience.

I've also written two more YA books for traditional, one which is currently on sub with my agent and the other which I'm revising.

I realized that I've written five books this year, and 2 book proposals, in addition to my full-time job. Just hoping that one day all this works pays off, because I'm starting to get burned out!

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Wow that is crazy, you must write all the time.
I can barely do a book a year.
But at least it sounds you have others doing some of the marketing. That must be nice.

 

[Ginny Favers]

Wow that is crazy, you must write all the time.
I can barely do a book a year.
But at least it sounds you have others doing some of the marketing. That must be nice.

No, I can't, I work full-time and have 2 little kids! But I do write every free moment I have-- I do a lot of writing in the lobby of dance class and on my lunch hour.

And no, unfortunately, traditional publishers do NOTHING now for books, unless you happen to be one of their big names.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

It's not that they don't do anything. It's just what they do no longer drives the sales the way it use to. The stores their true strength just does not create enough sales to truelly build a book. Social media is the true driver but that even though it is electronic takes more manpower to work. I agree though from what I see today the author even with a publisher has to do so much more legwork themselves. It's wild that you areckind of doing both.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

No, I can't, I work full-time and have 2 little kids! But I do write every free moment I have-- I do a lot of writing in the lobby of dance class and on my lunch hour.

And no, unfortunately, traditional publishers do NOTHING now for books, unless you happen to be one of their big names.

I wouldn't say they do NOTHING but it's hard to get much publicity these days. I had two books published this summer (both non-fiction) and the publishers did get me some TV, newspaper and radio interviews. In fact, earlier this month I spent about four hours in the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) studios doing morning radio shows, one after the other. It was quite an experience! You sit in a booth with headphones, a microphone and some equipment that they calibrate to your voice and show you how to adjust the sound level in your headphones. Then after a few minutes, the first morning host comes on and introduces you and asks questions. Ten minutes later, he is done, you listen to silence for a few minutes (or run out for a bathroom break!) and then another host comes on, and so on. We started with stations on the east coast (Newfoundland) and finished with stations on the west coast (Vancouver Island). Did some in the far north as well. It does get a bit boring as most of the questions they ask are the same although some went off the planned script and you had to be prepared for anything!

I do think writers need to do more to generate interest in their books than in the past, but I find that the media outlets are more responsive if it is the publisher who contacts them. So that's an advantage.

TP

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

National Authors Day
Hope all is going well for everybody.

 

[Ginny Favers]

There are not many writers on the DIS, I'm thinking. This poor little thread.

Just checking in to say I'm still writing and working on several projects, hoping for good news. My most recent book is in the Scholastic Book Club Teen flyer, so that's cool. Hoping for more sales with it because my publisher was acquired by Harper Collins and it ended up getting swept under the rug. Where is everyone else?

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Still plugging away. So happy to hear you are on scholastic flyer, that is so cool. Putting book number four out this month.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Hope everybody is doing well and plugging away.
If I can tweet or other social media for any of you just message me
Book # 4 is now officially out and I am quite relieved.
I have #5 almost finished.
#5 is the follow-up to Cemetery Girl. I am also in the process of reworking the artwork for Cemetery Girl and adjusting story slightly. Hoping to release both New book and reworking in September. It was first book I wrote and want to lesson the swapping of POV, it is one of the things people mentioned, also additional edits, and some minor changes. Though next book has to have multiple POV because of what happens to main character.
Lastly can't wait to see what happens in Pixar's Inside Out. One of the stories in my other work is very similar in concept, and I am dying to see how close they are. In my story, a girl loses her sorrow after it leaves her body and does not return. Story is not like Pixar where the characters are present, they are mainly in the background, but from the title Inside/Out I am figuring one of them gets out.

 

[surfergirl602]

HI, everyone!!! Wow, it's been ages since I've been on the DIS!!!

We must all catch up. I'm more on facebook now than the boards. Feel free to send me a friend request! Just PM me.

Me? I have signed with a publisher and have several historical romance novels out in digital and print format. In fact, my free copies of my latest book just arrived in the post today and I had a squeeeee moment when they were delivered. The cover is just gorgeous and I am in love! I'm working on my first contemporary romance and it's going well. I hope to have it finished by the end of summer but with all 5 kids home driving me insane it's hard to find writing time.

 

[scarscar93]

I've had this thread tagged forever but have yet to join in the conversation.

I'm Cat, a rising college senior majoring in English with the goal of earning an MFA in fiction writing. I'm mostly interested in writing YA fiction, with a focus on contemporary. I also have quite a few pinterest boards for each book idea I've had, but have been trying my best to iron out one at a time.

Anyone else planning to do Camp NaNoWriMo next month? It'll be my first time trying to crank out a book in a month. Kinda nervous, but gotta start somewhere and some time.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

HI, everyone!!! Wow, it's been ages since I've been on the DIS!!!

We must all catch up. I'm more on facebook now than the boards. Feel free to send me a friend request! Just PM me.

Me? I have signed with a publisher and have several historical romance novels out in digital and print format. In fact, my free copies of my latest book just arrived in the post today and I had a squeeeee moment when they were delivered. The cover is just gorgeous and I am in love! I'm working on my first contemporary romance and it's going well. I hope to have it finished by the end of summer but with all 5 kids home driving me insane it's hard to find writing time.

So happy for you.

 

[YoYoAurora]

Congratulations to everyone who published, and keep going to all who are writing, published or not! I haven't published anything in a long time, and am ready to get back into the fray. I'm editing several short stories and one novel before sending them off to an editor. I also write a cooking column for a local magazine and have been asked to write an article on social media trends for their next issue.

Cat, I'm doing Camp NaNoWriMo in July. In April, I started out in a randomly assigned cabin where the participants did nothing. I was the only one who was updating word counts or making comments. I moved to another cabin of serious writers. We write in different genres, yet their sharing and support made the difference for me. We've continued our writing confabs outside of Camp and NaNoWriMo, including sharing excerpts and short stories for review and editing. Most of us are back in the same cabin for July. Woohoo!

 

[Ginny Favers]

Hey everyone! I'm excited to see this thread is moving along a little Congrats Cogswel_Cogs and Melissa! Welcome, Cat!

I am trying to do CampNaNoWriMo this month, too! I'm only doing 30,000 words to try to finish up a YA novel I started earlier this year. But I have vacation during that time so I'll be away from the computer!

Oh, also, I sold another YA novel. It'll be my 8th. It's not coming out until Fall of 2016, though. Traditionally publishing takes soooo long. But I'm really excited about this one-- it's a dark, twisty contemporary. My new publisher sent me a pile of other titles they published, so I've been busy reading through a whole bunch of new books, as a bonus!

 

[YoYoAurora]

So, for those who are doing Camp NaNoWriMo this month, how is it going so far? For me, it's going slow, but steady.

@Ginny Favers, congratulations on publishing your 8th YA novel! Woohoo!

 

[Feralpeg]

I'm still writing picture books. I have 3 on MeGenius. Much easier to get an e book published, so I will continue in that direction.

Glad to see others finding a way to get their work out there.

 

[LilyWDW]

Hope you all don't mind a newbie jumping in a bit.

I have just recently started my first novel and have been working on a set of short stories. For years now I have been writing on an online RP forum so I have some experience, just nothing "formal". All of my work is Urban Fantasy as that is what I really just enjoy. Heck, I've been writing in that genre for 18 years now so I was doing it before it became popular (makes me sound so Hipster if I say that though lol).

At the end of the month is Gen Con here in Indy and I am doing a bunch of writing seminars as a part of it. Hoping to learn a lot as I have been struggling. It's like I have the story in my mind but can't seem to get it on to paper the same way I picture it. Ugh! Drives me insane, that is for sure.

 

[scarscar93]

So, for those who are doing Camp NaNoWriMo this month, how is it going so far? For me, it's going slow, but steady.

I'm cheating so hard on my word count to finish my current WIP. My total is around 13k right now, but I clocked in just over 3k in the first two days

 

[YoYoAurora]

I'm cheating so hard on my word count to finish my current WIP. My total is around 13k right now, but I clocked in just over 3k in the first two days

Just keep plugging away. You'll get there!

I've gone through several NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNoWriMo sessions. I've learned to just sit and write for a while every day. Some days, it's a struggle to make my word count goal; other days, it's way too easy to hit my target. What helps me is making myself hit the target for the day, every day.

Since it's Saturday, I have more distractions than usual. I'll get my word quota completed by mid-afternoon so I can go to the ball game and fireworks show tonight.

Enjoy the weekend! And for those DIS Writers who are celebrating the Fourth of July, have a very happy and safe Independence Day!

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I won a National Magazine Writing Gold Medal Award last month (Canadian) for an article I did on miscarriage and pregnancy loss in Today's Parent. Very exciting! I have been nominated before but this is my first time winning. Hoping this will help me get some more magazine work as that field gets tougher and tougher.