Before I get to today's post I would like to invite all of you to my very first interview. It was conducted by Nina Powers and you can find it on her site. Here is the link http://writingofanovel.blogspot.com/2011/07/unorthodox-interview-with-author-sb.html#comments. I really enjoyed the questions as she came up with some interesting ones. I think you will enjoy my answers. Take a moment, jump over to Nina's site and check it out. Once you're done make sure to come back and finish reading this post.
The other small piece of news is that the countdown is almost over. On Monday, at noon, I will share with you what the big announcement is. I believe you will be excited about this one.
You probably already know this but things change as you make a shift in life. Sometimes those changes are subtle and sometimes they are big. I'm not sure where you would categorize these changes but here are a few.
Pressure:
We, as writers, are always under some sort of pressure. It is often self-inflicted but still there. Then we move to the pressure that comes from submitting our work to agents and publishers. I, like I've been told by many other authors, have discovered a new sort of pressure. That pressure has two faces. The first face is that of writing the second novel. Your first is published so now you have to deliver again but the bar is raised a little higher. The second face of this pressure monster is that of networking. We all need to build our platform but the time of doing that while we focus on writing the next novel only builds on the pressure that we can feel.
Writing:
This is actually a good change because once you get the recognition of having your work published the more confidence you take with you to your next project. It doesn't matter if you are published in a magazine, newspaper, or with a publisher; every time your work is put in print your confidence grows a little. This confidence is shown in our writing as we delve into different areas where we once thought we could not write.
It is always a great thing to explore your craft and build your skills. The confidence we garner with published works builds our momentum to do just that.
Awareness:
This is a big one. I'm not talking about our awareness with anything. I'm talking about others awareness of us. This week alone many of my hometown friends and family found out that I have a novel coming out soon. I was hit with an overwhelming tidal wave of e-mails, Facebook messages and things like that. I have to be honest, my nerves went haywire. It was almost overpowering. I've asked some friends who have had books out for a very long time about this very thing. They told me that the nervous part really doesn't go away; you just get used to it. That made me feel a little better.
I don't think many people discuss this portion of the business. We have to put ourselves out there; that is part of the business. While we get nervous when a group of strangers start asking questions it is our friends and family that really put us on edge.
So what do we do? First, we keep writing because that is the core. Next, we remember that we don't need to do everything in one day. A schedule can help but the peace of mind this thought brings goes a long way. I recommend that we take time out to relax and breathe. The social networks can get crazy and when added with writing (and life) can make the week seem like a blur. Take a moment to exhale, chill and then start back.
The last thing is to always remember that your manuscript it yours. That means that not everyone will enjoy or appreciate it; including family and friends. This can get tough because they are the ones that will make the comments and ask the question that others may not. The thing is they don't know the amount of work that goes into publishing a book. They only see the final result. As the news spreads and more people find out remember that the attention tsunami will pass by; things will settle down and we can go on with our writing in peace. It might get tough and our feelings might get hurt at times but at the end of the day we have our loved ones and our manuscripts to blank out the rest.
WELCOME
Jul 29, 2011
Jul 22, 2011
Review of a Powerful Book
Author: Edward F. Mrkvicka Jr.
With Kelly Helen Mrkvicka
ISBN: 978-1-61777-768-4
Genre: Religion, Reference
Pages: 207
Reviewed By: Brian Knight
Official Premium Promotional Services Rating:
You want the truth about adultery? Here it is in its purest form.
“She means nothing to me. I love you.” “It was just a one time thing; I broke it off.” “You don’t give me what I need.” Any of these statements sound familiar? Maybe you’ve heard some of them or maybe you’ve even said some of them. There are no good reasons for affairs; only excuses. There is no such thing as an innocent affair. We see first hand in ‘No Innocent Affair’ the destructive force adultery truly is.
What the readers will discover as they delve into the pages of “No Innocent Affair” is the ugly truth about adultery. Its destructive nature is not isolated to the spouse of the cheating individual. The destruction expands to their friends, job, family, children and even the soul that resides inside of them. Yes, the consequences of adultery are dire.
How does adultery destroy the one committing this sin and deny that individual access to heaven? What is the difference between forgiveness and repentance? Why is salvation and repentance such a critical aspect of redeeming the individual and assuring eternal life in heaven?
Edward’s passion for the Lord and Christian love for everyone is on full display. This self proclaimed ‘connect-the-dots’ kind of guy hopes to help people know the Lord’s commands and laws as He describes them in the Bible. He accomplishes this through his experience as a lay minister and avid student of the Bible. With each passing page, it is virtually impossible not to reflect on your relationship with your loved ones and, more importantly, the Lord.
‘No Innocent Affair’ is a resource and guide book that is strongly supported and validated by the Bible. This painful and devastating topic is laid bare before our eyes through the use of examples, personal insight and Scripture. The author makes no apologies for the awesome truth that is exposed within the pages of this book but these are truths that all believers and nonbelievers must hear, know and understand. If you’ve ever considered or have had an affair I strongly recommend ‘No Innocent Affair.’ This book can help you make the needed changes in your life to ensure your eternal home is in Heaven and not the pit of fire.
Edward Mrkvicka is the author of ‘The Prayer Promise of Christ’ and ‘Be Not Deceived.’ His new book ‘No Innocent Affair’ will be released on September 20, 2011.
Jul 15, 2011
Countdown to Back-up
Did you, by chance, notice the countdown clock right above this post? Are you slightly curious as to what the announcement will be? I can promise you that it has nothing to do directly with me. Nope, this announcement has everything to do with everyone who follows, subscribes and reads this blog. I believe the countdown will run out at noon on August first. Is that a long time to wait? Yes, for some it is but I promise that it will be worth the wait.
Where have I been this week? I have been busy for one and it might surprise you that I haven't been to extremely busy with writing. Actually I am at the end of my first round of revisions for my second novel which happens to be the major wholesale change so I'm not sure how long it will take me to get through that last bit. Would you believe my schedule is starting to fill up for the next two months? I remember when scheduling the next week was a challenge. I have been asked to be a guest on a number of websites in both August and September. Now that I think about it; I think I will add a schedule on here so you know where I am. Oh that sounded so....pompous of me. That was not my intention at all. I enjoy being on other blogs and I enjoy sharing that experience with you. Just think, you might find a new blog to follow.
A few months back I wrote a post about backing up your work in case something bad happens. I would like to add to that now. A good friend of mine unintentionally deleted his entire blog! He meant to delete just one post I think but instead he deleted his blog all together. For those who don't know; if you delete your blog entirely you cannot get it back. His new blog is currently in the works and should be ready to go in a few days. The lesson from this is that, once we get our blog looking the way we want, we need to download a copy of it to our computers. This will not help if you delete it but if something goes crazy with your blog you can upload your back up and start there.
Have a fun and safe weekend. Also, hang on to your hats because August first is coming!
Where have I been this week? I have been busy for one and it might surprise you that I haven't been to extremely busy with writing. Actually I am at the end of my first round of revisions for my second novel which happens to be the major wholesale change so I'm not sure how long it will take me to get through that last bit. Would you believe my schedule is starting to fill up for the next two months? I remember when scheduling the next week was a challenge. I have been asked to be a guest on a number of websites in both August and September. Now that I think about it; I think I will add a schedule on here so you know where I am. Oh that sounded so....pompous of me. That was not my intention at all. I enjoy being on other blogs and I enjoy sharing that experience with you. Just think, you might find a new blog to follow.
A few months back I wrote a post about backing up your work in case something bad happens. I would like to add to that now. A good friend of mine unintentionally deleted his entire blog! He meant to delete just one post I think but instead he deleted his blog all together. For those who don't know; if you delete your blog entirely you cannot get it back. His new blog is currently in the works and should be ready to go in a few days. The lesson from this is that, once we get our blog looking the way we want, we need to download a copy of it to our computers. This will not help if you delete it but if something goes crazy with your blog you can upload your back up and start there.
Have a fun and safe weekend. Also, hang on to your hats because August first is coming!
Jul 8, 2011
Does Your Writing Evolve?
Some may disagree with this comment but as I continue to write I can't help but to look back and see how my writing is or has changed. Have you done that? Do you do that? Is it even worth doing it? I mean, can we learn anything from comparing our latest work to work we completed months or even years ago?
I don't know really that's why am presenting it to you. I can tell you that I don't compare anything to my very first manuscript because that was simply horrible. I learned a great deal writing it but I'm pretty sure that one will never see the light of day. I've found myself comparing my latest novel to my last on a number of occasions. It's not over anything major but the comparison is still there. I wonder if I will compare the third to the one I'm writing now or to both past novels.
What am I comparing? Before I started writing this novel I made it a goal to attempt and build more of the setting and establish more depth to the characters during the first writing instead of fleshing it out during the revisions. That was a challenge because I instantly made a comparison between how fast I wrote the first draft of my first novel to this one which was going much slower. Of course the pace, flow and other aspects of the story itself was different from the first but that's not exactly what I'm talking about.
A big comparison came about when I began the first round of revisions. No, I'm not done with that round yet but I am getting close. The first novel looked like I bleed all over it from beginning to end which didn't surprise me because all my past work, to that point, looked much the same. The revisions for my current novel are much different. They seem to be sporadic throughout the novel. That doesn't mean I don't catch some misspelled words or messed up sentences throughout. No, I'm talking about major revisions. You know, the kind that changes a whole scene or paragraph. These major revisions seem to pop up in clusters throughout. Does this mean my writing is evolving?
I'm not sure about that. I think it means I'm getting more of my thoughts and ideas on the paper during the first draft. I believe the revisions are showing that. Then again, I could right my third novel and bleed all over it...who really knows. I do know that, as authors, we should always attempt to push ourselves and the only way to know if we are pushing our abilities is to compare it to what we did in the past. That may provide a solid gauge for us to use. Again, I'm not sure if our writing evolves or just improves. Is improving the same as evolving?
How do you gauge your writing? Do you ever compare it to your past writing?
I don't know really that's why am presenting it to you. I can tell you that I don't compare anything to my very first manuscript because that was simply horrible. I learned a great deal writing it but I'm pretty sure that one will never see the light of day. I've found myself comparing my latest novel to my last on a number of occasions. It's not over anything major but the comparison is still there. I wonder if I will compare the third to the one I'm writing now or to both past novels.
What am I comparing? Before I started writing this novel I made it a goal to attempt and build more of the setting and establish more depth to the characters during the first writing instead of fleshing it out during the revisions. That was a challenge because I instantly made a comparison between how fast I wrote the first draft of my first novel to this one which was going much slower. Of course the pace, flow and other aspects of the story itself was different from the first but that's not exactly what I'm talking about.
A big comparison came about when I began the first round of revisions. No, I'm not done with that round yet but I am getting close. The first novel looked like I bleed all over it from beginning to end which didn't surprise me because all my past work, to that point, looked much the same. The revisions for my current novel are much different. They seem to be sporadic throughout the novel. That doesn't mean I don't catch some misspelled words or messed up sentences throughout. No, I'm talking about major revisions. You know, the kind that changes a whole scene or paragraph. These major revisions seem to pop up in clusters throughout. Does this mean my writing is evolving?
I'm not sure about that. I think it means I'm getting more of my thoughts and ideas on the paper during the first draft. I believe the revisions are showing that. Then again, I could right my third novel and bleed all over it...who really knows. I do know that, as authors, we should always attempt to push ourselves and the only way to know if we are pushing our abilities is to compare it to what we did in the past. That may provide a solid gauge for us to use. Again, I'm not sure if our writing evolves or just improves. Is improving the same as evolving?
How do you gauge your writing? Do you ever compare it to your past writing?
Jul 5, 2011
Introducing......
It includes a welcome page, contact page, and some other pages that you would expect to see on an author's website; however, I also included a 'Did You Know' page. I originally slated this page as a journal of sorts but I got an idea that changed that. From time to time I will update that page with facts that pertain to an aspect from the book(s) plus a few odds and ins about the publishing process. I'm having fun adding things to that page and I hope you enjoy reading it.
The other major item on the site is the link to my Facebook Fan Page. I am still tweaking the fan page but I believe it is well under way. I have 17 Likes so far but I need 8 more to the magic number of 25. Once I hit that mark I will be able to do more with the page. Under each of the pages I included a comment gadget. I did this so you can easily leave me a message about anything you see on the site. It is my hope that this will generate conversations and things of that nature.
Please take a moment and visit my new author site and if you could help me get to 25 I would greatly appreciate it. Now, without further adieu, I give to you ---> SB Knight.com.
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