Competing and Collaborating Between Authors

Avoiding competition as an author is impossible. As soon as you release a book, you're up against your friends for sales and notoriety. 

Competition among authors is just a part of publishing, but that doesn't mean we're all out to get each other. At least, it shouldn't. 

The writing community is a tight knit group. As we work on projects we ask each other for advice, critiques, and ideas. We help each other with everything from plots to back cover blurbs and pitches. We collaborate on just about everything, and most are eager to offer advice and help. We're excited for each other when we land an agent or publisher, or when we take the leap into self-publishing. 

How does that change once our books go live? 

In a perfect world, it wouldn't change anything. We'd still be thrilled to see one of our friends succeed, even if it means they're doing better than we are. Lots of writers are still extremely supportive of their fellow writers and will lend a hand whenever it's needed. Some aren't, and that's their loss. 

But even for the writers who maintain their excitement for their friends' success, sometimes it's tough not to worry that their success will lessen ours, or even be a bit jealous when their rankings jump ahead of ours. We're human after all. 

The fact is... we're all on the same team. Yes, it might be difficult to swallow when you're still working to get your name out there when a friend seems to skyrocket to stardom out of nowhere. You're looking at it from the point of view of competition, not collaboration. 

Just like when your writer friends encouraged you to keep writing or query that dream agent, every book they sell encourages people to read. If they're writing in the same genre as you, even better! Readers who love their books will want more. Don't hesitate to support the authors you're competing against. Most authors return the favor, but even if they don't, you're still promoting reading and literacy and that is ultimately to your benefit, and everyone else's. Every book sold, whether yours or not, builds a love for reading. That's the point, right? 

I'd love your thoughts. Do you think competition derails efforts at collaborating? 

#TensList: Top Ten Reasons Writers are Crazy

If you know any writers (which you must if you're here), you probably already know that they are usually a bit strange. Well, here's just a few of the reasons why...

#1. 

When you're standing in line at the check out counter or sitting in a restaurant and someone inevitably makes a scene because the line doesn't move or your waiter has disappeared, most people look away and pretend nothing's happening. 

Not writers. We may not outright stare, but we're listening closely and catching all the glorious details out of the corner of our eye. Why? Because we love to make our characters lose it. Sometimes over completely silly things like bad food or poor service. Sometimes at the end of a long line of

tragedies. Most writers, however, tend to be introverts, and don't make a lot of big scenes, so we need inspiration for turning our characters into raving lunatics. Just keep that in mind next time you want to lose your cool in public. There are a lot of writers out there. ;)

#2. 

Ever been stuck in a conversation where the other person just won't stop talking about the most random things? Most people politely listen trying to come up with a polite excuse to escape. What do writers do? Pull out a pen and start taking notes! We love random facts, fun tidbits of knowledge, and bizarre happenings. Why? Because you never know when a story might call for knowledge that there's a guy who's job it is to roam the world weighing a garden gnome to test the effects of gravity at different heights. 

#3. 

People watching is a lost art for most people. It used to be an actual thing back in the day. Now, it's a trick just to get people to put their phones away long enough to walk from their car to the front door. Writers may be some of the few groups left who still love to people watch. Not that we go around staring at people all day... well, not usually. Why do we watch people, though? It's not just to see how they talk and interact with people so we can write more realistic characters and scenes. We might be looking for our next over model too! Be sure to pick your outfits for the day with that in mind. 

#4. 

Conversation skills are important, but writers aren't always the best at this particular talent. We may write great dialog, but we're also highly distractible when immersed in a project, and half our conversations with real people end up starting with things like... "I need you to read something for me." or "How hard do you think it is to drag a body in high heels?" or "Which of these sentences sounds better..." 

#5. 

Speaking of conversations... at least half, probably more, of our conversations take places with people who don't exist. It's not just working out dialog, either. True, I'll repeat pieces of dialog out loud, acting out the voices and intonations to see if I'm getting the right effect, but many writers take it beyond that as well. You get to the point where you find yourself consulting your characters, asking things like, "Would you really do that?" or "How could you do something so awful?" If we zone out while talking to you, don't take it personally. We probably had at least two other conversations going in our head at the same time and forgot which one was taking place in the real world for a second there. 

#6. 

Writers tend to be contradictory by nature. We have this dual concept of ourselves that on one hand we are creative geniuses to some degree, and on the other hand have this crippling fear that we are utter failures. It's boggling, even for us, but a tough one to shake. Please forgive us when we jump around like crazy to celebrate a great idea or contract, then have to be drug out from behind out desks to face actually letting someone read our work.

#7. 

Writers may be the only group of people who are selective perfectionists. Our houses may not get cleaned the week we're trying to finish those last blasted five chapters, appointments may be missed, and we may have forgotten to shower once or twice that week, but by golly... every freakin' word in our manuscript will be absolutely perfect! That will likely be the only thing that's perfect, and even that's a big delusion, but we'll certainly work at it until our fingers go numb. 

#8. 

There's something to be said for becoming an expert on something. It takes a lot of hard work to learn that much about a certain topic. Experts are a writers' best friend, but most writers are not experts on anything, even writing. Sure, there are some writers who become experts on a specific topic while writing a particular piece, but most writers can really only claim to be semi-experts on about a hundred different topics. Why? Book research. We'll research anything under sun, but only enough to make what we're writing believable. We have to get back to writing, after all.

#9. 

We all know that friend who constantly asks you for advice but doesn't listen to a single word you say, right? Sorry, but a lot of writers are that friend when it comes to writing. We constantly ask people's advice about words, phrases, ideas, and concepts. We take in all the comments and suggestions, and then we do whatever the heck we want, which is often exactly what we planned on doing in the first place. It's not that we don't value what other people say. Most of the time, we already knew what we wanted to do, but just needed to talk through it from twelve different sides before we're sure. It's nothing personal. 

#10.

There are times when writers really HATE writing. It's can make us miserable at times, but we still love it. Why? For many writers, it's simply part of who we are. Writing is like an appendage. Even if it hurts or refuses to work properly, we can no more ditch it than we could an arm. Bear with us when we rant about characters and plot holes and endings that fall flat. We may want to quit at times, but we never will because writing is a part of us. 

What are you passionate about that makes you a little crazy?

#Perfectionism and #Writing...

I think a lot of writers will agree that making sure their books are "perfect" is a bit of an obsession. 

We obsess over every word, line, paragraph, chapter... you get the point. We'll research something until our fingers are about to fall off from too many internet searches. Our friends will be sick of hearing about a particular troublesome scene and threaten to throw a book at us if we ask them to read it one more time. 

Having said all of that, I completely agree with Anne Lamott when she said... 

“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life.”

All that obsessing over how we write our books or scenes can really kill a story. When you over think while writing, you second-guess your decisions, which leads to endlessly rewriting particular scenes, changing whole passages to try it another way, or scrapping the whole project. 

Now, yes, sometimes these things have to be done, but not every time you sit down to write. If this is your process, it'll be awfully hard to ever finish a book or story. Every writer has to develop their own process, but here are a few tips I've picked up over the years. 

Tip #1: Whether you like to outline or not, don't limit yourself to sticking to your outline or notes verbatim. If you feel like the story needs to take a left instead of a right, or a U-turn in a whole new direction, go with it. Let your plot develop organically and don't feel like you have to go back to an outline and re-outline after every change. Just write. 

Tip #2: Don't edit while you write. You'll kill your progress if you go back and edit what you've just written. Give yourself some time to let that chapter or scene sit and solidify. Even if you have to reread a chapter or two when you come back so you know where you left off, DON'T EDIT, aside from maybe a few typos. Even when you finish the entire book, don't jump right into editing. Work on something else. Give it at least a week (longer if you can) and come back to it when you have fresh eyes. 

Tip #3: Sending your work out to beta readers (readers who read an early draft in order to give you feedback and suggestions) can be anxiety laden. It always is. Waiting to send it out until your book is perfectly edited and all the holes are filled in just isn't reasonable. Find beta readers you trust to be honest, let them know it's not a perfect story and you need helpful critiques, and hit the send button. There are always problems with a manuscript that you as the author won't be able to see. Waiting until it's perfect just prolongs the inevitable and often leaves you with more revisions to make than you would have had otherwise. 

Tip #4: Give yourself permission to make mistakes. Don't want to put a scene on hold to do a little research? Not sure if what you're writing is possible, but the scene is just begging to be written? Great! Keep writing! You can always go back and correct mistakes. In fact, you usually learn a lot from making those mistakes, and then you don't make them as often in the future. It's tough to get into a writing groove sometimes, and if you're in one, let yourself just get your ideas down on paper and worry about refining later on. 

Tip #5: Accept the fact that your book will never be perfect. That's just how it is. There will always be something you think could have been better, or should have been changed. Reviews will make you doubt scenes or chapters or endings. It will never, ever be completely perfect...and that's okay. 

What perfectionist habits keep you from getting things done? 

Wicked Glory Release Day!!!

RELEASE DAY!!!

Wicked Glory is now available for purchase on Kindle, iBooks, Smashwords, and most other major ebook platforms.

Not familiar with the series? 

Here's the 30 seconds recap...

Wicked Hunger

Born with an insatiable hunger for pain and suffering, Vanessa and Zander Roth struggle to hide the truth of who they really are. Keeping their secrets becomes even harder when Ivy Guerra arrives and stirs their hunger into a frenzy. Will their need to feed on other’s agony turn them into villains, or can they somehow find a way to become the heroes of their own dark story?

Wicked Power

Even after Vanessa and Zander Roth barely survive the Eroi’s attempt to expose them for what they are, they aren’t safe. Sitting balanced on the edge of impending death and unthinkable power, they must turn to the Godlings for help. Their help requires payment, but neither of them knows the true cost. Will David’s training create villains,as they fear, or can they discover their true purpose?

Wicked Glory

Forced with holding up their end of an impossible bargain, Van and Zander must choose between playing it safe and risking everything. Freedom seems impossible, but can they hold onto who they are long enough to survive?

Ready to go grab your copies? 

Wicked Hunger (FREE on many platforms): Amazon, iBooks, Smashwords

Wicked Power: Amazon, iBooks, Smashwords

Wicked Glory: Amazon, iBooks, Smashwords

And yes, there will be a book 4 ;)

The Story Behind the Story...

Catching up on a few things...

It's been a while since I've blogged... sorry about that! 

The craziness of the last month is finally beginning to die down and I wanted to share the brand new, fabulous cover art for my upcoming contemporary romance, SHARK OUT OF WATER, the second book in the Date Shark series. 

Shark Out of Water is available for pre-order now, and it will release 10/21/14. You can find it on Amazon here. 

Shameless self-promo over, back to the title. 

I wanted to share with you all part of the inspiration behind this story. In book two, readers will follow Guy and Charlotte, rather than Leila and Eli from the first book, though you still get to see what's going on in their lives. 

Readers and bloggers will often ask authors if they based their characters on any real people. Charlotte is not based on a real person, but part of her story came from one really incredible woman. Friends and readers who've been following me for a while know that I've always had a turbulent relationship with my mom. Because of that, when I needed a female role model as a child, it was my grandma that I looked to. 

My grandma, Esther May Shrum, is one of the most amazing people I have ever had the privilege to know. She is currently ninety years old, has been through so much in her life time, from wars and police corruption to illness and loss of loved ones. She has been battling leukemia for the nearly a decade, been through chemo four times and radiation twice, and nearly died recently after side effects of a new cancer drug were almost too much for her to bear. 

Through everything she has been through, she's always faced it with courage and strength. Until a recent fall, she was still out weeding her flower beds and walking to church every Sunday on her own. We thought we were going to lose her recently, but against all odds she pulled through and is doing much better. She faces her trials with grace and refuses to give up. 

My grandma has taught me so much over the years. She was a guide to me as a child when I really didn't have one and she has always been an example to me of what I should want to be when I grow up. I have so much respect for her and I'm so glad my kids have had the chance to spend time with her over the last few years. 

As I wrote this book, I thought of my grandma often, not just because of the trials she's been through, but because I wanted to share a little piece of her strength and courage with my readers through Charlotte and Guy's story. This book is very close to my heart because of that and I truly hope my readers not only enjoy the story, but feel a connection with the characters and maybe draw a little strength from them if they're facing something difficult. 

Who has been the biggest role model in your life? 

Finding Balance

Finding balance isn't easy, and sometimes it takes someone else stepping in to make you realize what needs to change.

I want to be perfectly honest in this post. Balancing family, work, and writing is not easy, and I'm not very good at it. I tend to have an obsessive nature. I get very fixated on whatever I'm doing and ignore other things I shouldn't. Maybe that means I get a lot of writing done, when writing is what I'm focused on, but it usually means I don't take the time I should to spend time with my hubby and kids.


Lately, I've really struggled with that. I went from working full time to only working part time, and it wasn't by choice. I felt a lot of pressure to make up for the income I wasn't getting anymore, but really, that was largely an excuse to allow myself to put off more important things I should have been focusing on.


I was spending too much time on my computer either writing, working on marketing, or wasting time on social media. It was consuming my evenings and being unfair to my family. I really was becoming completely conumed with all of this book stuff and it was causing a lot of problems. My husband and I finally had to sit down and have a discussion about it.


My husband is one of the best people I know. He's is extremely patient and supportive, more than I deserve most of the time. He's stuck by me through a lot of really tough years and he's the reason I haven't given up on many of my aspirations. My argument for spending so much time on my writing has been that it's my job just as much as my regular day job, BUT my day job has set hours. I go home when it's over. Writing has to be the same way.


As much as I love writing, I love my family more. I'll still be writing, but it's going to stay within the confines of my "writing hours" from now on. If I'm not online in the evening or on the weekends anymore, it's because I'm playing video games with my hubby and kids, watching soccer practices and games, trying to teach my daughter to sew without her getting her fingers poked by the needles, or just hanging out.


Finding balance has always been a struggle for me, no matter what aspect of life it is, but it's now my top priority. It's important to be passionate about something, but not to the point of shutting everything else.

INVISIBLE Book Trailer... finally!

I know it's taken me nearly a year, but I finally got a book trailer made for INVISIBLE! Come meet Mason and Olivia and learn a little more about their story. 

Oh yes, and if you'd like to grab a copy, Invisible is currently FREE on Amazon, or you can get Invisible along with 19 other amazing books for only 0.99 in the PANDORA box set, a USA Today Best Seller. 

And when you finish reading, I'd love to here what your think, so please consider leaving a review :)