My Writing Life, Simplified

I realized yesterday that I started writing almost exactly 4 years ago.

I thought about those years and decided it might be fun to break them down.

So here's my life (in mostly chronological order):

Year One:

-Wrote really crappy stuff

-Let family and friends read some of it (much to my embarrassment)

-Learned a lot

Year Two:

-Finished first book

-Sent 2 queries

-Realized it was awful and put it away

(hopefully forever--no one should ever have to read that book!)

-Finished second book

-Queried agents

-Had some requests and a few invitations to rewrite

-Met writing group

-Revised

Year Three:

-Signed with lovely agent

-Began blogging

-Revised more

-Started several new books

-Started tweeting

-Went to my first writing conference with my writing group girls

-Met many writers online and in real life

Year Four:

-Had horrific pregnancy

-Had sick baby

-Finished first draft of third book

-Shelved third book

-Wrote first draft of fourth book

-Went to second writing conference and met my agent

(who is even more lovely in person)

-Let fourth book simmer while working on fifth book

-Made plans to finish fourth and/or fifth book before 2012

And that's where I'm at.

I think if someone told me when I started writing my first book that I'd have to write at least four more before I saw one published I would have been discouraged.

But, looking back, I'm not discouraged at all. It's been a wonderful four years. I've learned a lot and plan to learn a lot more over the next four. And, you know, hopefully sell something someday.

How long have you been writing? How have those years shaped your perception of writing and publishing?

Why You Need Beta Readers

I'm not quite ready to come out of blog hibernation, but I wanted to say hello to everyone because it's been WEEKS. I've been reading some blogs but not commenting much, and I feel really out of the loop. Does anyone have exciting news they want to share?

So my question for today is: do you use beta readers?

I've been wondering how many of you take advantage of this WONDERFUL resource, because during my break I've been rewriting. And rewriting. And rewriting some more.

After weeks of rewriting my manuscript stops looking like that story I thought was so fun and starts looking like a bunch of random words I threw together so I could make it to 40,000 words.

That's when I send the manuscript to my betas. They've only read it once or twice, so to them it doesn't look like a jumble of words, it looks like a book. They can see the places where it needs work and sometimes they can even help me figure out how to fix the problems. Their critiques are awesome and invaluable. I learn something different from every one of them. And while I don't take every little bit of advice they give me, I do use a most of it. They make me a better writer.

But that's not all they do.

They also let me read their manuscripts, and in some ways I learn more from reading their brilliant work, than I do from reading their comments on mine. I'm pretty sure I have some future bestsellers and award-winners among my beta group, seriously.

I know not everyone has this kind of experience. I've read horror stories about beta readers who are unhelpful, overly critical, or just rude. I know I'm lucky that I found my girls before they were snatched up by other writers in need of awesome betas. But here is the thing-- you can be lucky too if you try.

Post an invite on your blog. Trade manuscripts with a few different people and find the ones that you click with. These people will get your writing and you will enjoy reading theirs. There might be some people who don't work for you as beta readers. That's okay too. Just keep looking until you find someone (or several someones) who are perfect for you.

Their might be some genius writers out there who can make a book perfect all by themselves, but I'm not one of them and I'm willing to bet most of us could improve

Do you have beta readers? Do you need to get a few?

Top Ten Reasons Why You Need a Writing Group

First off, thanks for all the congratulations yesterday. You made my day :)

Now here are the top ten reasons you need a writing group:

10. They can critique your work and, unlike your friends and family members, they won't just nod and smile and say, "Oh, this is great!" They'll give you real feedback, and your writing will improve because of it.

9. They can answer questions that regular people can't. Like, what does dystopian mean? or how do I make my novel "high concept"?

8. They can send you their awesome manuscripts to read and feed your creativity.

7. They can sympathize with you when you get rejected.

6. They can celebrate with you when you get an agent, or an editor, or ten weeks on the NYT Bestseller List (We can dream :)

5. They can send you funny and/or useful links

4. They can help your pitiful new blog get started (thanks girls)

3. They can understand why you might rather stay home and write on a Saturday night when your significant other/friends can't.

2. They can keep you motivated to write more, because you don't want to let them down.

1. They can become more than just a writing group

I LOVE my Word Stringers! We met when the beautiful and talented Megan Rebekah decided to start a writing group. She invited people via her blog and the Absolute Write Forums and we came running.

There are 4 of us who have stayed involved and, through some combination of luck and destiny, we get along very well! They are all very talented, but more important than that, they all have DIFFERENT strengths. They were a fantastic resource during the revision process and have been right there with me through everything. We email each other almost every day now, and I love to see what they are up to, read their work, share frustrations, and celebrate with them.

It is awesome to have people to talk to about writing, and though I've never met any of them in person, (they all live on the opposite side of the country from me), they are great friends.

So here they are: (aren't they cute!)

Karen

Megan

Marie

They all have wonderful blogs and I think I've linked to them (crosses fingers) in case you want to check them out (most of you probably already know them--they are blogging queens).

Do you have a writing group? (If not you NEED one!) What do you love most about it?