Growing Beyond Rejection

Rejection. It happens to all of us. We hate it. Rejection can test our resolve, create self-doubt, and could lead to depression. And considering agents and publishers are often overwhelmed with submissions, the form letters that writers often receive don't provide desired feedback to propel them forward. 

So, how can writers grow beyond the pain of rejection? Here are a few tips to help you look forward instead of backward.

Give yourself time to grieve, just not too much.

You spent months, maybe years crafting a manuscript you felt ready for submission. Then the swift rejection comes, and it hurts. Instead of that Sally Field, "you like me" Oscars moment, you feel like your work never even garnered the attention of the nominating committee. 

It's okay to grieve for a day or two. Show yourself some compassion, just like you would to a friend if the same shoes were on their feet. Then it's time for action.

Write a letter about how you feel or journal through the experience.

After one recent rejection, I opened my online journal and just let it all out. Taking the time to write or type out your true feelings allows you to express them without judgement or repercussions. 

Take time to write down or journal about your writing strengths. This allows you to focus on the positives. 

Switch gears.

Maybe you need a couple of days away from this manuscript. What can you do in the interim so you come back to the project energized? Write something new. Exercise. Take walks and observe nature. Have breakfast or lunch with a friend. 

Look forward.

If the rejection letter provides feedback, consider those comments. What can you glean from them? Is there still work to do? Put together a plan to accomplish that work. 

Make sure you continue to research new markets where you can submit your manuscript. Revise your query letter so it is ready for those new submissions. 

A rejection doesn't define you or your writing. Growing beyond the rejection by finding an outlet for your feelings and putting together an action plan will put you on a forward path.

 

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and award-winning editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she is a member of SCBWI and lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three adult children. Visit Cheryl's website at https://ccmalandrinos.com or her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

First Quarter Writing Goals Review

It's hard to believe the first quarter of 2024 is almost done. At the beginning of the year, you set your writing goals. Now, it's time to reflect on how you did. Some questions to ask yourself are:

• What did I accomplish?
• How did I handle the obstacles that came my way?
• Are there tasks carrying over into the next quarter?

I also find it helpful to ask the following question: If I had a magic wand, what would my writing life look like? 

Why a magic wand? Because magic wands summon infinite powers. They unleash possibilities. 

Pretend that you're Cinderella toiling away day after day just wishing and hoping for that one thing. Suddenly, Fairy Godmother appears, and she will grant you the one wish you want most. Poof! You are living your dream writing life.

Sometimes, we allow our routines, obstacles, and bad habits to keep us from what we want most. However, if we can imagine it, we can create it. How? By focusing on that one thing. 

As we proceed through the year, we will talk more about this topic. You have the power to make your dreams come true!

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and award-winning editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she is a member of SCBWI and lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three adult children. Visit Cheryl's website at https://ccmalandrinos.com or her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Happy New Year!: Writing Resolutions for 2024

 

The new year is almost here. Maybe you're contemplating your new year's resolutions right now. Many of us set the usual ones: eat healthier, exercise more, reduce stress. It is also a good time to consider your writing resolutions. Though you can do this any time throughout the year, January often inspires and motivates us. 

Here are some resolutions for writers:

Read More

Reading is a more fun way of saying market research. Read, especially in the genre you write, so you can learn what is selling well in your genre and where your book would fit into the market. This will also allow you to check out book covers and titles and how these books are marketed. While there is more to market research than this, reading more books is a good start.

Create a Regular Writing Schedule

Creating a regular writing schedule encourages the discipline of writing. If it didn't work, why would NaNoWriMo be so popular? The reason I don't say create a daily writing schedule is because that might not be realistic for everyone. But, whether you have one day, three days, or seven days available to write each week, sticking to your schedule will encourage you to write more.

Find an Accountability Partner

Often called writing buddies, these fellow writers keep us accountable and help us reach our goals. When I joined a local writing group, we were expected to bring a chapter with us to read each meeting. No one wanted to be the person without a chapter. Regular check-ins with your accountability partner will keep you on track.

What are some writing resolutions you are setting for 2024? How are you planning to succeed in the new year?

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and award-winning editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she is a member of SCBWI and lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three adult children. Visit Cheryl's website at https://ccmalandrinos.com or her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

NaNoWriMo Lessons

 

NaNoWriMo is nearly 75% over. Shocking how quickly time goes by. How are you doing with your writing? Did you decide to participate? Did you plot it out or come up with an idea and run with it? 

Admittedly, I've never been a huge fan, but there is so much to gain if you commit to writing for thirty days. 

Planning 

Maybe some writers can have an idea in their heads and run with it. I'm not sure there are many of those out there who are successful. After all these years of being a total panster, I've discovered sometimes you need more than just the idea or a few character sketches.

This year's approach involved following a process of creating a synopsis, scene settings, a list of characters and their story arcs; outlining the plot, subplots, and inciting incidents; and then developing numerous scenes, so that when writing began, the words flowed easier.

Discipline

It can take an average of 30 to 60 days to change a bad habit, and longer than two months to create a habit. When you have only 30 days to reach 50,000 words, you need to hit 1,667 daily or be willing to make up the gap the next day. 

Daily writing has numerous benefits. It helped me write faster than ever before, even if I am still slower than I would like. Other known benefits include:

• Becoming more aware of overused words and phrases
• Learning what your writing style is
• Giving you a sense of accomplishment
• Potentially making you more money

Community

Writing can be a solitary task. Critique groups serve their purpose, but with NaNoWriMo you can have buddies to cheer you on. This is something I encourage you to find even after NaNoWriMo is over. 

Whether you participated this year or not, here's hoping you are developing a plan to increase your productivity in 2024 with daily writing. 

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and award-winning editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she is a member of SCBWI and lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three adult children. Visit Cheryl's website at https://ccmalandrinos.com or her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Writing Inspiration and Check-in

 

Picture credit rawpixel at freepik.com 

How's your writing going? Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this month or any other type of writing event? Though writing can often be a solitary task, the great thing about social media is that writing communities are right at your fingertips. Not all of them are free, but they can help with the isolation writers feel from time to time. 

The other wonderful thing you can find on social media is writing news: new books, writers talking about the representation agreements they just signed, book birthdays, book giveaways, and even writers talking about queries that have gone nowhere.

Now, before you think I'm encouraging you to waste your writing time on internet browsing, I'm only sharing it because we all need to connect with fellow writers from time to time and read some news to inspire us and cheer us on. 

Here are a few of my favorite inspirational quotes about writing. Hope you'll share some of yours.

Write what should not be forgotten. ~ Isabel Allende 

To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong. ~ Joseph Chilton Pearce  

Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers. ~ Isaac Asimov 

A book is a dream you hold in your hand. ~ Neil Gaiman 

What will you write today? What will you write tommorow?

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and award-winning editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she is a member of SCBWI and lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three adult children. Visit Cheryl's website at https://ccmalandrinos.com or her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Marketing Plan for Holiday Season Book Selling

 

Vivian's post about attending book fairs, festivals, and craft shows reminded me that fall is coming, and before we know it, the holidays will be here. It is estimated that one in four books is sold during the holiday season. 

Have you started your holiday season marketing plan? If not, here are some ideas to get you started. 

• Make sure all your book descriptions are current 
• Update your author bio
• Verify links to purchase your books are operational (broken links disappoint potential readers)
• Schedule your social media posts in weekly or monthly blocks
• Plan emails to your readers with giveaways for their loyal readership
• Check your local paper for selling opportunities like craft fairs 
• Prepare a budget for paid advertising
• Order your book supply for events early so that you have them in time 
• Create or order promotional materials for events ahead of time

Making sure you have a plan and ordering books and supplies early will help you have a successful holiday book selling season.  

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three adult children. Visit Cheryl's website at https://ccmalandrinos.com or her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Novel Writing Software

I am a proud panster. Outlines are for high school projects and plotters, but not for me. For years this happy panster has allowed the words to just flow and for the characters to find their way to the end of the story all on their own. 

Then I met Dabble. This online-only novel writing software is available through monthly subscription. Unlike downloadable novel writing software for which you pay a flat fee, your monthly subscription fee allows for constant updates so you don't need to pay to buy updated software in the future. I can't say that I've used Scrivener, Storyist, Squibler or other novel writing software in the past, so I can't compare features.

What made me decide to move forward with a free trial of Dabble?

A) I am re-writing a novel from the beginning, so I know how many plot points, characters, and scenes that need tracking.

B) I want to finish this novel.

We all have to find a way to motivate ourselves to keep writing despite all the distractions in our daily lives. If you've found a way to do that, congratulations! I am still one of those seekers--looking for a way to tune out all the noise around me to get from first page to last. 

Dabble allows me to stay organized and keep all my story notes in one place. You can create scenes, add plot points, create a plot grid, build your world, and keep miscellaneous notes, and then you can write your story. I find managing the writing process this way to be more effective, and I get way more excited about it as I see it come together on the screen.

Does a writer need novel writing software? No. It is a tool just like any other tool in our writer's toolbox. If you're at a point where you're struggle to keep up with all your plot points, characters, and scenes, it might be worth taking a look at one of the many novel writing software programs out there. Just like shoes, one size doesn't fit all. 

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Three Tips to Banish Stress

Your editor is screaming for the changes to the article you promised her two days ago; the kids are yanking on your arm because they are bored; and you still haven’t figured out what’s for supper tonight.

Is it any wonder you have a tension headache?

According to a National Health Interview Study, abut 75% of the population feels stress every two weeks. Stress can affect your eating habits, sleeping patterns, blood pressure, skin appearance, and weight. In extreme cases, it leads to death.

So, what can you do about stress? More than you think.

Stress Trigger #1: I can never accomplish everything on time.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, then you are probably spending too much time thinking instead of doing.

Tip: Create a to-do list. Write down everything you have to do over the next week and view it with a critical eye. Does everything on this list really need to be accomplished next week? Is there something that could wait another week? What tasks have deadlines cannot change?

Prioritize your tasks. Then work on them one at a time. Don’t think about the next thing on your list. Concentrate only on the task at hand.

If you will miss a deadline, don’t pile on additional stress by waiting until the last minute to let the editor know. This will keep you from wasting time worrying over what she’ll say.

Stress Trigger #2: My family believes I dedicate too much time to my writing career.

Finding the perfect balance between your home life and career is never easy, but there are many things you can do to gain the support of your family.

Tip: Have a family meeting. Explain to your family why pursuing a writing career is important to you. Share your dreams with them and what you hope to accomplish.

Ask for their help. You can’t do this on your own. Once you’ve shared your reasons for choosing a writing career, let them know how they can support you.

• Share household chores
• Respect your writing time
• Run errands

This only works, however, if you respect your family time. Create a writing schedule that works best for you and stick to it. At the end of your writing time, shut off the light and close the door. Your family will be more willing to help if they know that once you’re done for the day, they are your top priority.

Stress Trigger #3: I keep putting things off. Then I get stressed trying to finish by the deadline.

Procrastination is an issue for many writers. Reasons for putting things off vary: over commitment, lack of confidence in your abilities, and allowing distractions and interruptions to steal your writing time, to name a few.

Tip: Learn to say “no.” If you over commit, then you will feel stressed and put things off. Frequently turning in projects late can damage your reputation and cost you repeat business. Saying “no” does not make you a rotten person. You are only saying “no” to this one thing. That doesn’t mean you won’t be able to help the next time someone asks.

Self-doubt, fear of failure, and fear of success are actual issues for writers because they deal with rejection. Use positive self-talk and focus on your strengths. Write a list of all your strengths and pin it above your desk. When you wander away from a project, read the list and then get back to work.

Two excellent resources that discuss ways to handle self-doubt and fear are You Are More Than Enough: Every Woman’s Guide to Purpose, Passion & Power by Judi Moreo and Page After Page by Heather Sellers.

Don’t let distractions and interruptions steal your writing time. Schedule a time each day to return phone messages and check email. Your writing time is for writing. Don’t use it to wash the dishes or run errands. Let your family know they are more than welcome to interrupt you for a genuine emergency, but they have to respect your writing time.

Reducing stress is not only good for your career, it’s good for your health. Take the time to identify what triggers stress in your life and never shy away from asking for professional help if you need it. You owe it to your family and your career to stay healthy.



Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Stop Self-doubt from Stealing Your Time

Self-doubt plagues many writers. Even bestselling authors like Cody McFadyen suffer from it. In an article he wrote for The Tome Traveller's Weblog, he said, “…the day to day act of sitting down and making the words appear … is a doubt-fueled activity.”

The trouble with self-doubt is that it is like an annoying parrot sitting on your shoulder constantly squawking, “You’re not good enough, bra-c-k.” Worse than that, we believe it—which leads us to procrastinate instead of sitting down to write.

Is there anything you can do to stop it?

You bet there is! Let’s talk about how you can silence that squawking parrot and end the cycle of self-doubt that steals your time.

Set Realistic Goals

So much depends on our ability to set realistic goals. We’ve discussed setting goals using the S.M.A.R.T. method in the past.

Unobtainable goals feed self-doubt. Discouraged by disappointing results, you begin to think you’re not up to the task, when the true problem lies in not setting S.M.A.R.T. goals.

Once you begin using the S.M.A.R.T. method, you’ll find how much easier it is to obtain your goals, which motivates you to keep going.

Accept Horrible First Drafts

Whether you’re writing your next article or beginning the first chapter of a novel, the writing will not be perfect. Let the words flow off your fingertips and don’t waste time analyzing each word. If you get stuck, insert a little note to remind you of what you want to place there and move on.

Stopping to analyze your writing encourages self-doubt. Expecting even your first draft to be perfect will stifle creativity, and you will find yourself making excuses not to sit down and write.

Get Rid of Negative Self-talk

If there is one thing I am guilty of, it is negative self-talk. At this point, I don’t even realize what I’m saying, but when I hear my daughter shout in frustration, “Oh, I’m so stupid!” I know exactly where she gets it’s from.

Speaker, author, and life coach Judi Moreo wrote an article titled, "How to Develop Charisma." She states that in order for you to make a change, you have to stop putting yourself down. She suggests using regular positive affirmations to help build your confidence. Instead of saying, “I’m not good enough,” say “I can do this!”

Don’t think you’re guilty of negative self-talk? Carry around a voice recorder for a day or two and record yourself while you write. Listening to it might be an eye-opening experience.

Overcome Your Weaknesses

Many writers are stronger in some areas than others. I used to feel more comfortable writing non-fiction because I struggled with showing versus telling. That didn’t mean, however, that I could not write fiction. I simply had to work harder at it.

Many colleges and universities offer writing courses. In addition, the Internet has opened up the door for writers to take online courses to hone their craft. Improving those areas you struggle with will make you more confident in your abilities.

Ask Others for Constructive Feedback

We are often our own worst critics. Whether you write with a partner or join a critique group, constructive feedback can go a long way to ending that cycle of self-doubt. Local communities and libraries often have writer’s groups. You can also find online groups.

Self-doubt isn’t all bad. It encourages us to improve our work. There is a fine line, however, between letting self-doubt help you and allowing it to control you.

Using the tips found here, you can end the controlling aspects of self-doubt and be more productive than ever.



Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Journey Back to the Archives

We all have a manuscript that gets locked in the drawer and never sees the light of day. That certainly wasn't the plan when you started. You spent days, weeks, and months pouring over your manuscript; writing every chance you got, determined to type "The End" one day.

Then that day came. The story over, the next step in the process involved editing. So, you cut, you polished, you corrected errors, and worked feverishly until your eyes glazed over. 

Excited, you sent your beloved manuscript to a select group of beta readers. Then, you waited and waited, until the hives on your arms had hives because you felt so nervous over what your readers might say. 

Then the feedback emerged. Gasp! How dare they say it isn't ready. The pacing is off? Absurd. The characters seemed one-dimensional? Outrageous. Not enough conflict? Did they even read it? 

Disillusioned, you crammed that manuscript into the back corner of your desk, hid it under a tray of assorted office supplies, and forced yourself to believe it never really existed. 

For many of us--including yours truly--this is the story of our first novel. Often referred to as the practice novel, this is our first real endeavor in writing a full-length manuscript. Sometimes we aren't ready to hear the truth about it. Sometimes, we haven't matured enough in our writing to create a marketable novel. That doesn't mean we should give up. It also doesn't mean all of it is worthless. 

No matter how much time has passed, open the drawer, lift the tray, and pull out that manuscript. Even if you decide it's not worth salvaging as a whole, can you find pieces to develop into a fresh story? Is there a favorite character that you can breathe new life into? 

Take a journey back to the archives of your writing. Things will look differently. Perhaps your next novel hides within those pages in your desk drawer.

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

5 Tips for Coordinating a Virtual Book Tour

Coordinating a virtual book tour can intimidate an author. It takes organization and time management skills to get the most out of your tour. You’re also looking to build relationships with bloggers and readers so they support you throughout your career. Let’s look at five tips for coordinating a virtual book tour.

Be Organized

I managed nearly 100 authors spanning over 125 books when I coordinated virtual book tours. Those years taught me the importance of organization.

• Have your marketing materials together before you solicit tour hosts.
• Use an Excel Spreadsheet or Google Sheets to maintain a database of all review, interview, and guest post requests. Create a column to show whether you mailed the printed copy out, so you can follow up with the blogger in a week to make sure it arrived.
• Pre-order thank you cards or create an electronic thank you message prior to the tour so you can thank your hosts once the tour ends.

Include a Note with Printed Books

Bloggers can receive dozens of books to review each month. Losing track of a book happens. Do yourself, and the reviewer, a favor by including a note and printed marketing material in the envelope. This will avoid confusion for the tour host as to where the book comes from and if the review is time sensitive.

When I mail out my books, I include a personal note to the blogger, mentioning the book tour and the date they agreed to host me. I also ask for a prompt email if they cannot keep the scheduled date.

Complete to-do Items Early

Tracking down missing to-do items creates frustration for a virtual book tour host. Don’t be that last-minute author.

Plan your schedule so you can complete and return to-do items a minimum of two weeks prior to your tour stop. This will give the blogger time to review your submission to be sure its complete and to ask for clarification when necessary. Not only will this give your host the chance to schedule it ahead of time, once your next book comes out they will be more willing to host you again.

Leave Comments at Your Blog Stops

We all lead busy lives, but if you want to show your tour hosts how much you appreciate what they do, take a few moments to leave a comment on the day your interview, guest post, or review appears on their blog. Interact with readers who leave comments. They are often bloggers, too, so nurturing those relationships is important.

No comments? Try not to get discouraged. That doesn’t mean lack of interest. Sometimes people just have nothing to say. However, always thank your host.

Promote Your Virtual Book Tour

Why go through all the effort to coordinate a virtual book tour if you will not promote it? Even those authors who pay a company to coordinate a virtual book tour should have a hand in promoting their tour stops because it expands your reach.

Blogger Jodi hosts Author Sam on her blog. Blogger Jodi promotes the tour stop to her social media accounts of 3,000 friends/followers. Author Sam promotes the tour stops to his social media accounts of 5,000 friends/followers. Now, Author Sam has reached 8,000 people instead of just 3,000; plus when their people share the post Author Sam’s reach increases again.

Virtual book tours are fun, but they require time and work to be successful. Following these tips will make it easier.

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

How to Practice Intentional Writing

Have you ever seen the Christmas Spectacular starring the Radio City Rockettes in New York City? We have had the pleasure of watching it several times over the last decade. One thing that amazes me is that every time we have seen the Rockettes perform, each number is spot on. Each performer is right where she should be. They dance or sing in time with the music. I've never seen a mistake ... and, believe me, at this point I look for one.

As a former dancer, I appreciate and stand in awe of the amount of practice the Rockettes dedicate themselves to in order to pull off such an outstanding performance multiple times a day for two months. And, while dancing might come naturally to these performers, just like any athlete, certain moves or numbers may present challenges. Dance, like any sport, requires intentional practice.

Just like a dancer, writers can also be intentional with their craft. But, what does that mean, and why is it important?

Devise a plan to help you succeed

It's easy to just plop into your chair for 15 minutes and write something. It's not always easy to discipline yourself to do it regularly. It's also not likely you will go from writing sporadically to writing regularly as quick as snapping your fingers. Figure out a plan that works for your schedule to encourage you to write regularly. For example, the first week you could write with a prompt for two days. The second week you could write with a prompt for three days. The following week you could complete a short story over four days, and so on, until you create that regular habit of sitting down to write on a consistent basis.

Hone your craft

Just like a dancer practices over and again until she is satisfied with her performance, writers can be intentional about honing their craft. Choose a skill you wish to improve. You'll find plenty of online resources to help. You can also read a book on the subject or take a class. Then put what you learned to work by writing. A beta reader or an editor can help you gauge your progress.

Eliminate distractions

You can be intentional about eliminating distractions, too. How stellar of a performance would you expect from a dancer who stops in the middle of practice each time her cellphone rings? Trust me, it won't be pretty.

I'll be honest, this area is my largest struggle. Social media, household chores, and a litany of other things drag me away from writing all the time. Identify what distracts you and reduce or eliminate those distractions. Some days, I simply have to pick up my laptop and drive to a place without Wi-Fi so I can focus on writing.

When you sit down to list your 2020 writing goals, consider what you want your writing career to look like by the end of December. Approaching the new year with well thought out intentions will help you succeed.

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

A Time for Thanksgiving

So many days pass where I forget how truly blessed I am. That's why it's important to take a step back this week and consider the daily blessings that can easily be taken for granted.

1. My faith grounds me during those days of struggle. I can't say I smile through the storm, but knowing God's grace and love carry me through even the worst of days comforts me.
2. My family offers me love, acceptance, and strength when I have convinced myself I can't continue on the path I've chosen.
3. My career as a real estate professional allows me to help dozens of people. Most have become great friends.
4. My career as a writer creates the opportunity to reach young people across the globe. 
5. The support of friends and colleagues helps to quell doubt. 

No matter where tomorrow finds you, I hope Thanksgiving is filled with a multitude of blessings. Please share something you are grateful for this year. We would love to hear about it.

Tips to Bust through Holiday Stress and Keep Writing

Look around you. The holiday season is already in full swing. There are gifts to buy, a house to decorate, guests to entertain, and a family to make memories with. Oh, and you still have to find time to dedicate to your writing career. Impossible? Not if you plan it right. Here are tips from time management experts.

Plan Ahead

Dr. Donald Wetmore, President of the Productivity Institute, says we know the holidays add more to our plate than just the regular routines. Plan ahead and schedule tasks and events with greater care. Then things get accomplished sooner, rather than later, and at a pace you can handle.

Delegate

With the holidays, it’s easy to try and do too much yourself. Wetmore suggests you decide which is more important to you, “do it” or “it gets done.” Even without a writing career to nurture, there isn’t enough time do everything. Admit you need help and seek out a few of Santa’s elves — also known as your spouse and/or children — to help with the cleaning, shopping, and decorating.

Get Enough Sleep

It’s tempting to wake up before the kids each morning and then put in a few hours after they’ve gone to bed each night, but when you burn the candles at both ends you are less productive and become more irritable. It's important to get the sleep you need. Just think of how much more creative you’ll be with a full night’s rest.

Keep it Simple

This isn’t the last holiday season you and your family will experience, so don’t feel like you have to do it all. Here are a few tips that Susie Michelle Cortright, Founder and Publisher of Momscape, and freelance writer Marlene Biondo had to offer their readers:

• Narrow down your Christmas card list
• Take advantage of free gift wrapping services
• Choose one gift theme for everyone on your list
• Limit parties or consider having a pre-holiday or post-holiday get together

What is one of my favorite tips? Make suppertime less complicated around the holidays by preparing casseroles or slow cooker meals. Leftovers help to make the next day's lunch easier, too. Less time in the kitchen can also mean more writing time.

The holidays should be a joyful and fun-filled time spent with family and friends. With careful planning, you can experience all the peace of the season and keep writing, too.

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Take Your Time and Do it Right

As head coach of UCLA's basketball team, John Wooden won ten NCAA national championships in a twelve-year period. Well known for the short inspirational messages he used to encourage his players, some consider the above quote to be one of his finest pieces of advice.

How can we apply Wooden's advice to our writing?

Focused on completing a project and submitting it to a publisher, writers can forget the importance of taking the time to do it right — yours truly stands guilty as charged. Expect cruddy first drafts. We frequently hear, just get it out. While that is true, don't rush editing.

Not all writers are fans of editing. You're forced to kill your darlings, tighten your prose, remove passive voice, switch out weak adverbs for strong verbs, and a litany of other instructions that threaten to make your head ache. Self-editing is a learned art form. I'm still in class. It's way more rewarding to edit someone else's manuscript.

Speaking of working with editors, this might shock you: if your editor asks you to go over a chapter for the third time, it's because she believes so much in your story she wants it to be even better than you think it can be. The word choice, the sentence structure, and the way a chapter ends can be the difference between a reader turning the page and putting a book down unfinished. An editor is part of a team dedicated to preparing your manuscript for publication.

So, what can an author do to help?

Don't rush self-editing

My technique is:

• Take the cruddy first draft and pretend it doesn't exist for a month.
• First round of edits: read it aloud to pick up inconsistencies and typos.
• Second round of edits: improve word choice, correct grammar, and reduce repetition.
• Third round of edits: focus on punctuation to make sure it's right.
• Ignore the final draft for a day or two and then read it aloud again to make sure you didn't miss any glaring errors.

Write a great query letter

The dreaded query letter. Can you imagine my eyes rolling into my head? Writer's Digest has a great list of dos and don'ts for this. You can find it here. Two hundred fifty to three hundred fifty words doesn't leave a lot of room for error. Practice makes perfect.

Once your manuscript is accepted, be open-minded

Publishers understand this is your baby. When a publisher accepts your manuscript, they see its potential. Be open to your editor's suggestions. Step back and be objective. Embrace the process, even when it seems to take a long time. That time will be well worth it!

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Editing Resources for Writers

Whether I am editing my own work or someone else's, there are resources and tools I've come to rely on. Here is a list of some that are kept close by.

Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, co-founders of the Writers Helping Writers site, have released a series of thesauruses to help writers find the right words or phrases to make their writing come alive and to make their characters real and memorable to readers. Now in its second edition, The Emotion Thesaurus discusses different types of emotions and the body language someone might use when experiencing a certain emotion or trying to suppress it.

Tired of people saying you need to "show, don't tell?" Looking for new ways to describe characters and their actions? Then Master Lists for Writers can help. It will also assist you with plot and setting ideas, dialogue, character names, and more.

I've owned a copy of Roget's Thesaurus since high school. (I won't tell you how long ago that was.) This third edition of Roget's Super Thesaurus from 2003 added new entries and expanded on some existing ones. It also contains sample sentences.

These three little books still get pulled from the bookshelf when I need them. Stephen King once recommended all aspiring writers take the time to read The Elements of Style. As I sat down to write this article, I realized updated versions of the first two had been released since I purchased my copies. Guess who is running out to grab them? 

ProWritingAid is an online editing tool I use regularly to easily find overused words and readability issues. 

I hope you find this list helpful. Now, it's time for you to share. What are editing resources and tools you use?

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Vacation Inspiration

For some of us, writing is as much a visual experience as it is a physical task of putting pen to paper or typing on a keyboard. Thankfully, modern technology has enabled us to capture moments that can inspire our writing.

Here are a few photos from our recent vacation and ideas they inspired.

1. A whirlwind romance culminates with a proposal near this elegant fountain.

2. A summer romance comes to a surprising end when one half of a couple invites the other on a walk through this beautiful garden only to find out that he is breaking it off to return home to another person.

  

1. A young elf lives in this enchanted cottage with her family where she struggles to find her place in the world.

2. A brother and sister step inside this abandoned cottage and find themselves transported back to 18th century America. 

1. A newly hired ecologist finds herself in danger when she discovers her employer is performing illegal experiments on endangered species.

2. Three friends are separated from their families during a hiking trip. 

What are some ideas these photos inspire for you? 

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of Little Shepherd, A Christmas Kindness, Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving, and Amos Faces His Bully. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Editing — It Makes All the Difference

As a reviewer, I’ve read hundreds of books in a variety of genres. While not every book has been my favorite, what leaves me feeling most disappointed is when I think to myself, “This could have been a great book… if only it had been edited more thoroughly.”

I once read a series of children’s books. I enjoyed the message and loved the characters, but the sheer number of typographical errors distracted me.

A famous author wrote an amazing mystery novel. Do you know what I remember most? In one chapter, the bad guys had kidnapped the hero and taken his belt. In the following chapter, the hero used the belt — the one he no longer had — as a tool to assist in his escape.

In another book, the main character’s mother’s name changed several times and one of the character’s cars was green early in the book, but silver later on.

Now, I’ll admit, I’m not as good at editing my writing as I am at spotting errors in the work of others, but the editing phase of completing a manuscript can’t be rushed. In addition, a critique group and a third party editor will catch errors and inconsistencies you will miss.

Here is how I approach editing my writing. After sending a manuscript to my critique group, I review the feedback and make necessary changes. Then, I let the manuscript sit for at least a week. I go back and perform three rounds of edits: one to pick up typos, one to focus on grammar, and the last to check for inconsistencies. Finally, it's off to an editor to polish it for submission.

Years ago, I interviewed a woman who had been in the entertainment industry for decades. She had written a book about her father, an award-winning composer. Finding a publisher proved difficult. She told me breaking into publishing was more of a challenge than catching a break in entertainment.

In such a market, taking the time to edit your book thoroughly will make a huge difference. Proper editing can turn a good book into a great one.

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of Little Shepherd, A Christmas Kindness, Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving, and Amos Faces His Bully. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Writing through the Hazy Days of Summer

Summer will soon be upon many of us. For some, that means the regular schedules have eased a bit, there are fewer activities, school is out, and vacation brain has settled in. For a writer, this can come with a few challenges:

1. Spend the day at the beach or write
2. Take the kids to the park or write
3. Tackle spring cleaning because you were too busy before or write

Can you see how this leads to not being productive? 

It doesn't need to be that way. Here are three tips to keep you writing through the summer.

Get up Early

Ugh! I said it. Better to get the hard one out of the way first. I'm not a morning person. Let me stay up until 3 AM and sleep until 10 AM. I'll be happy. The problem is that by the end of the day, I'm dragging. Who wants to be creative when they are exhausted? 

Think about what time your family rises and get up an hour earlier. Brew your coffee or tea and spend the first hour writing. You'll be surprised how much you can accomplish.

Find a New Writing Spot

Writing from home is convenient. What often happens, however, is we take up our writing time with household chores or getting distracted by our children who aren't usually around in the middle of the day. 

Pick up your laptop or pen and paper and find a writing spot outside of your house for a few hours. We are lucky to have several local cafes here, but the library or a park would also be a great spot. 

Join a Writing Group

Our writing group has been an immeasurable help in encouraging me to write more regularly. Not only are we required to bring a writing sample each month, being around other writers is a huge source of motivation. For tips on how to find a local group, click here.

If you're still struggling, here are a few writing prompts to try:

• My dream vacation is...
• I became a writer because...
• My favorite thing about our city/town is...

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of Little Shepherd, A Christmas Kindness, Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving, and Amos Faces His Bully. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

What Are Your Writing Challenges?

When you visit the 4RV blog, you're bound to find helpful writing and marketing tips. We strive to provide information to develop your skills and grow your writing business. Here are some of my favorite articles:

To Comma or Not to Comma

Emotions Are Universal

How to Get the Most Out of a Conference

What is a Cover’s Sole Purpose?

Copywriting Your Work

Marketing Tools: Composing an Author Bio

Websites That Work Part 1 and Part 2

Writing a Sharp 1^st Draft

Writing Success – Do You Really Have the Power?

But, maybe you have a burning question. Maybe it's something we've talked about and you are looking for more in-depth information. 

Please share your questions in the comments below and we will share our answers in future posts.

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of Little Shepherd, A Christmas Kindness, Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving, and Amos Faces His Bully. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com