Ten Ways to Beat Writer’s Block

with Erica Vetsch and friends!

Happy, happy birthday, SEEKERVILLE! There are so many things that make this place special, and I have to give a shout out to the original Seekers. You ladies are the epitome of what it means to be godly women. The love you have for one another, the way you support, pray for, encourage, exhort, and hold one another accountable, that’s true Christian love in action. And that you carry that out in discipling others in not just writing, but in Christian faith, shows your hearts. Ten years is something wonderful to celebrate, and I hope I’m around when you celebrate TWENTY!  

And now on to our topic for the day. 

Writer’s Block. 

UGH. Dreaded, obstinate, soul-sucking writer’s block. That wall you hit when you sit down to write and realize… “I got nothin’.” How do you break through it? Do you just wait? Is there a formula to follow, a button to push or key to turn?

I wish. 

There are, however, some things you can do to help alleviate the problem of Writer’s Block, and in keeping with the “TEN” theme of the month here on Seekerville, here are ten ways to beat the Keyboard Paralysis that comes with Writer’s Block. 

(Also, in keeping with spirit of #2 on the list, I consulted some of my favorite writer peeps who have lent their expertise to this thorny issue. At the end of the post, you will find their smiling faces and links to find them online. Seriously, check them out. They’re AMAZING authors and even better people!) 

Ten Ways to Beat Writer’s Block

1) Do Something Else/Walk Away

“When I’m stuck on a plot, I go do something else, something completely different from writing. Stroll the farmer’s market, watch birds, bake a pie, do a little cross stitching, pick some wildflowers, solve a logic problem—and let your mind wander.”  Susan Page Davis
“Quit writing. I know. Sounds stupid, but seriously, sometimes you need to take a break. I'm talking short break here, not years. Take a day or two off to regroup and put your mind on something else. Visit a museum. Bury your face in a book. Get outside and go hiking. Sometimes all it takes is a little space.” Michelle Griep 


“Practically speaking, if I need to write and the words seem to be stuck, I try to shake them loose with a little activity. Maybe it’s a walk (I’ve heard that green and blue are creative colors) or just dancing around my house or even doing the dishes. A change of location and some motion can get the creative juices flowing.”  Liz Johnson


“The first thing is to "step away from the computer/laptop/tablet." Just walk away. Even if you're on deadline and the book is due in two hours!  Go for a walk, put on some music that inspires you, and get outside. There's something about the out of doors that sweeps away all those cobwebs in my brain. While I'm walking, I pray for God's help, and then listen to music and think about my storyline and characters. Usually, somewhere after the first mile, I get the inspiration I need.” MaryLu Tyndall

As you can see from the number of replies on this one, it’s a very popular method. Sometimes we need to let our story breathe, let our brains percolate on the problem, and ‘turn the channel’ for a while in our heads without stressing. 

2) Brainstorm with Someone 

“I like to brainstorm one-on-one with another family member. My grandson Caleb is high on my list, along with son Jim, daughter Megan, and husband Jim. I tell them where my plot is bogged down, and they usually have some ideas on how to get things rolling again. I don’t always use their ideas, but it gets the juice flowing again.” Susan Page Davis

“Talk it out--One of the best ways I've found to clear plot hurdles is to leave my own personal brainstorming session and get others involved. It can be your critique partner, your writing mentor, even a supportive family member or friend. Share your story problem and listen to their suggestions, even if they're different than the direction you intended to take. Sometimes, non-writers come up the best ideas!” Amanda Barratt

I love to brainstorm. My daughter is usually my sounding-board in this, as well as a couple of writing friends. Face-to-face brainstorming is always best for me, but in a pinch, email/messaging/face-timing works, too. There’s something about tapping into another person’s creativity that helps release my own.

3) Focus on the Emotions, yours and your characters’

“Focus entirely on emotions, my own and the characters. Nothing about plot, only how I feel, and lay that on top of my character. This usually gets the creativity juices flowing.”
 Peter Leavell 

Even though Peter is the only one to voice this particular method in my entirely unscientific and random-ish poll, I think he’s hit on something vital here. Readers read fiction in order to have a powerful emotional experience. Often when we face writer’s block, it’s because we have either sucked all the emotion out of a scene or story, or we’re too scared to write the emotions we know the scene needs. Either way, examine the emotions in the scene. Tap into the emotion, and the words will come.

4) Kill Your Inner Editor

“Kill your inner editor. Go ahead. It's not a felony. Most often when I can't seem to put a word down on the screen it's because I'm afraid to. I want to put out genius prose and words that make people weep. I expect perfection out of myself. But doggone it, no one is perfect and neither are our words. Just getting something down is better than nothing because you can't edit a blank page. Use your editing time for polishing up those sentences.”  Michelle Griep


Oddly enough, I blogged about this very topic once here on Seekerville here.  

 Years ago, when I first attended a local NaNoWriMo group, the leader had us do the most ridiculous exercise that I felt at the time was an awkward waste…and yet, it turned out to be awesome. We were told to draw a picture of our inner editor on a 3x5 card, then seal it into an envelope (duct tape works great!) with instructions to not let that little monster out until after NaNo was over! As goofy as this sounds, it works! Try it! You have my permission to put your inner editor into a soundproof jail until you have that first draft done.

5) Recognize Your Writer’s Block as Writer’s Fear

“Fear of failure. Anyone who’s ever done something creative has hoped it would be well-received and feared it wouldn’t. And sometimes that fear becomes so overwhelming that the words stop coming altogether. When fear blocks my creativity, I remember one crucial truth. No failure is final. Max Lucado wrote about that, and he would know. Just ask him about the 14 publishers who turned down his first book. But he didn’t give up. He kept trying. And the 15th publisher offered him a contract and changed the landscape of Christian publishing forever. He kept trying, and I will too.” Liz Johnson

This is HUGE! So often, when I face writer’s block, it’s because I am afraid. Afraid that I have written myself into a corner I can’t escape. Fear that people will finally realize I’m a fraud who can’t write her way out of a wet tissue paper bag. Fear that the story is too big, the emotions too grand, for my abilities. Fear that I can’t meet deadlines or reader expectations…fear, fear, fear.  That will stifle your writing quicker than Sugar won the Derby! And most of our fears are lies anyway. Stop listening to lies. Preach the truth to yourself. You are a writer. You are creative. You are able to produce excellent fiction. There. Now go do it!

6) Stop Comparing your work/results negatively with others’

“Sometimes writer’s block comes from comparison, especially when I compare my writing process with how my friends craft their books. Somehow my methods always seem to fall short, and I worry that I’m doing this whole writing thing wrong. And that’s when the words seem to stop. And when that happens, I try to focus on the parable of the talents. Jesus told the story of a master, who gave each of his three servants a different gift. And he expected each servant to use the talent given him. So I remember that my job isn’t to use my friend’s gift. It’s to use mine.” Liz Johnson

Or you could take a totally different spin on comparison… (Trust Peter to do it backwards!)
“I pick up a book I know I’m going to hate. The writing is terrible. The plot is horrid. The characters are insipid. And I read until I fling it against the wall, knowing I can do better. Then I write.” Peter Leavell

Negative comparison will create a desert in your creative soul. You will become a dry, barren, thirsty land, craving what you don’t have. Stop. It. Right. Now. The way God deals with someone else’s words and writing career are HIS business. Carping and whining about it won’t help you. Root out envy. Celebrate with your fellow authors…put yourself in their place only long enough to ask yourself what would you like to hear from others if that writing success milestone was yours? Then go do that thing. Send the congratulatory email, put that ‘props-to-you’ post on Facebook, then get your little hiney back to work on your own project, knowing that God can do great things. Even for you!

7) Quit Stalling

"I don’t believe in writer’s block. To me, calling a problem “writer’s block” is another excuse for stalling—for not writing. I find that putting my butt in the chair, opening the file, and placing my fingers on the keyboard, makes the words come. They don’t always flow like sparkling gems, but words come, and words written are words that can be edited. Coming to a snag in a scene is like finding an unexpected detour while driving. You’re forced to take an unplanned turn, which makes your navigation system recalculate. A technique I use when I’m stuck in a scene is to type a couple of asterisks and move on to a place where I know what’s going to happen. Forward motion is the key. Later, after I’ve had time to think (and I’ve put some space between myself and the page), I come back and reevaluate it. Usually by then I’m ready to move forward." - Cheryl St. John, Write Smart, Write Happy, Writers Digest Books 2/17

Are you paying attention here? Because this is a shaft that drives straight to the heart of a lot of ‘Writer’s Block’ issues. It’s called stalling. Because we don’t want to do the hard work. Because writing is supposed to be FUN, right? And it is. It’s fun, and it’s pea-pickin’ hard work. A lot of people I encounter love being part of the writing world, but they don’t actually write. They talk about writing, they spend money on writing-related things, but they don’t write. They want to ‘have written’ more than they want to write. And they often claim they’ve hit a patch of ‘writer’s block’ because that sounds so bohemian and artsy and writer-ish…but it’s really just another excuse. Don’t be that person. Put your tookis in the chair and put some words on the page!

8) Go Back to the Beginning and Work the Plot

 "There might be a hundred different reasons the words don’t flow. Maybe you didn’t plan the story well enough, so you don’t know where you’re going. Maybe you failed to create enough inherent conflict to sustain the plot. If the story isn’t working for you, take it apart, analyze it, and put it back together. See it as a challenge, a place to improve the story. It’s not time to stop simply because it’s hard. Writing is always hard." - Cheryl St. John, Write Smart, Write Happy, Writers Digest Books 2/17

Often when I hit a sticky patch when words aren’t flowing, it’s because I have sucked all the tension out of my plot. There’s nothing driving the story forward. That’s when I go back to the last place in the story that made sense, that felt right, that had me on the edge of my seat, and I search for where I got off track. This is hard work, because sometimes I have to axe a TON of words, but it is worth it. Once I stop dodging the tension, stop coddling my characters, and really put them through the wringer, the words flow!

9) Do Something Else Creative

“Give yourself a creative boost- When the deadline approaches and you're pushing to get words in, sometimes it's easy to let the creative well run dry. Pick up that new novel by an author that inspires you (extra points if it's in a different genre than what you write in.) Watch a movie or TV show that you wouldn't usually pick. The relaxation of focusing on another person's creative output instead of your own, plus immersing yourself in a different media experience, can get those creative wheels rolling smoothly again.” Amanda Barratt 
“I read or watch an entirely different genre than I write, and stumble across a plot line I’d like to incorporate into my work.” Peter Leavell

“Try listening to an audio book. Not just any audio book, but a book you love, a well-written story that moved you.” MaryLu Tyndall

I employ this one, too. In my case, I crochet, sew, cross-stitch, scrapbook, or quilt. I do something creative that is not writing related, and that often triggers a fix to a plot problem or refills my creative reserves. Sometimes I read history books. (Yeah, I know, but for me history books are exciting idea factories.) If you’re feeling creatively exhausted in the word department, get out some colored pencils and a coloring book. Dig out that needlepoint project you buried in the closet. Watch that movie that always makes you cry or laugh. Fill up the tank again.

10) Pray for Inspiration

As mentioned in MaryLu’s advice under point one…prayer. Praying for inspiration and help is never wrong. There are a lot of things that contribute to writer’s block, and some of it has nothing to do with writing at all. Real life can intrude. Family tragedies, natural disasters, financial struggles. And we pray about those things, naturally and with regularity. But God doesn’t want to be God of only part of your life. He wants it all, including the writing. And not just control of the results, but also of the process. That means He wants to hear from us when we’re struggling. Pour out your heart, your desires, your willingness to be led to God. He will hear. You will cast those cares upon Him, knowing He cares for you. Ask Him for fresh words, and then sit down and do the work.

 So, there you have it. Ten ways to beat the dreaded Writer’s Block.  I encourage you to click on the links below and visit the fine authors who helped with the information of this post, and I’d love it if you’d visit www.ericavetsch.com and sign up for my quarterly-ish newsletter! 

Visit Susan here.

   

Visit Michelle here.

  

Visit Liz here.

Visit Cheryl here.

  

Visit Amanda Here

Visit MaryLu here.

Visit Peter here.

I would love to hear from you on how YOU conquer this awful beast called Writer’s Block. 

And I’d love to give away a “Hot off the Presses-Not-Yet-Available-to-the-General-Public” copy of A Child’s Christmas Wish to one commenter! (Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.)

Seekerville wants to thank Erica and friends for joining us today and we'll be giving away an additional copy of A Child's Christmas Wish (when it becomes available) to a second commenter because it's our birthday and we can!

A Child's Christmas Wish

A Baby for Christmas 

The only Christmas gift Oscar Rabb's four-year-old daughter prays for is one the widower can't provide: a baby sibling. And when his neighbor's house burns down, he's willing to open his home to pregnant and widowed Kate Amaker and her in-laws—but not his heart. Even if his little girl's convinced Kate's unborn child is the answer to her wish. 

Kate quickly sees the generous but aloof Oscar has little interest in growing closer to his houseguests. Still, she intends to make the coming Christmas a season to remember for his daughter. And as Oscar starts to open up to her, Kate can't help picturing just how wonderful the holidays—and a future together—might be.

Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. She’s a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota, and she married her total opposite and soul mate! When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time!

You've Got Style!

with guest Erica Vetsch.

 In the not too distant past of this year’s Speedbo, Tina and I were in the #1k1hr Facebook group writing away toward our Speedbo goals, and when I mentioned that I was working on a Style Sheet for my editor, Tina’s cute little ears perked up. A Style Sheet? Seekerville folks would love to hear more about that topic! She promptly invited me to guest post at Seekerville about the ins and outs of Style Sheets for authors, and I gladly accepted!

So, what is a Style Sheet?

A Style Sheet is a list, really. A list of people, places, and details of which you must keep track while writing a novel. If you’ve ever tried to write a novel, you know there are hundreds, if not thousands of details and decisions to oversee, and it’s easy to forget or change some fact between chapter one and chapter twenty. But you can bet your readers will notice and call it to your attention. And while you can’t guarantee that a manuscript is error free, you can sure minimize those mistakes with a handy little Style Sheet. (Some houses call this document a Story Bible, but I don’t like that term, so I don’t use it, but if you come across it, it means Style Sheet.)

For some writers, their Style Sheet is simple. Character’s name, age, hair color, eye color. Bam, done.

For some writers, their Style Sheet includes back-story, timelines, setting descriptions, character photographs, story synopsis, story turning points, and more! 

I suppose, much like the plotting/pantsing debate, the depth and breadth of your Style Sheet reflects your process and preferences as a writer. There’s no wrong way to do it.

For me, my Style Sheet varies based on the project I’m currently working on. The briefest Style Sheet I’ve done is two pages, a list of names and descriptions and a handful of small photographs to illustrate the main characters in the story. This was for my novella The Trail Boss’s Bride. When my editor saw it, she was super happy, and she said she might start asking all her authors to keep and turn in a Style Sheet with their stories. 

The Trail Boss's Bride

The largest, most complex Style Sheet I’ve ever done stands currently at a whopping 33 pages and counting! This particular Style Sheet is for a novella collection I’m coordinating. Seven Brides for Seven Texans is a set of novellas that all take place within one calendar year, written by seven different authors, about seven brothers who must marry in 1874 or lose their inheritance. With so many authors needing to coordinate stories so tightly interwoven and overlapping, keeping track of details is a MUST, which is where a Style Sheet comes in. 

Seven Brides for Seven Texans

For the Seven Brides collection, the Style Sheet includes:

1.    The order the stories appear in the collection, along with author, title, and contact info for each author.

2.    A brief overview of the collection (something like back-cover copy.)

3.    A back story timeline of the Hart family leading up to the collection prologue.

4.    A timeline of 1874, the setting of the story, and where each novella fits, along with dates of important events like marriages, cattle drives, community events, etc.

5.    A quick-reference chart of main characters along with birth order, age, hair color, eye color, physical traits, personality traits, etc.

6.    A calendar of 1874.

7.    Character sketches from each of the authors (a couple paragraphs at most) of the heroes, along with photographs of hero and heroine for each novella.

8.    A 1-2 page story synopsis of each novella.

9.    A list of extra characters with a brief description. From the town lawyer to the undertaker to the gossipy dressmaker, these characters make appearances in most all the novellas, so they must remain consistent from one to another. (The list currently stands at 46 different characters.)

10.    A list of businesses and buildings used in the story. Hotels, restaurants, mercantiles, etc.

11.    Photographs of the main ranch house, and the main rooms of the house, so that descriptions can be consistent from one story to the next, as well as a floor plan of the house.

12.    A map of the town.

13.    A map of the ranch with each son’s portion labeled.

As you can see, a Style Sheet/Master Document is essential when writing a continuity series where characters overlap so heavily, but you don’t need to be working on something of this scope to utilize and benefit from a Style Sheet.

How do I make one?

•    Use the method that works for you.

There are lots of ways to create a Style Sheet. Some authors use a spreadsheet. Columns and rows make their organized little hearts sing. Other authors use a word document, writing in paragraphs and lists. Some authors start with the Style Sheet first, and others fill it out after they write the story. You choose the method that makes the most sense to you.

•    Include pertinent details

At the very least, character descriptions should be included, but you feel free to get as detailed as you need to in order to keep track of information throughout your story. Include a list of places used in the story. If your story involves a great deal of research, be sure to include your sources. You never know when your editor might query whether your heroine should be using a sewing machine in 1850 or if your hero really would own a blue pickup truck in 1917. Photographs are helpful, too! 

•    I recommend updating as you go rather than waiting until the end

Creating a Style Sheet is much easier if you do some of the work up front and then add as you go. When plotting a story, I start with a Style Sheet, listing my hero and heroine and the setting, as many details as I know in the beginning.  As I write, sub-characters pop up all the time, a shopkeeper, a deputy, a neighbor, and it is easiest to add them to the Style Sheet at that time. Also, character quirks tend to develop as I write, and halfway through the book I discover that my hero is allergic to strawberries or my heroine is afraid of dogs. Stick those kinds of details into the Style Sheet so you can refer to them later.

What do I do with it when it’s complete?

When you’ve gotten your Style Sheet created and you’ve completed your first draft, print out a copy of the Style Sheet and have it by you as you revise. Use it to make sure that your blue-eyed hero doesn’t have brown eyes by chapter six, or that your heroine who is orphaned in chapter three doesn’t mail a letter off to her mama in Poughkeepsie by chapter ten. 

Once you’ve edited, revised, and cleaned up your manuscript, ready for submission, make sure you’re Style Sheet is all spit-shined, too, as up to date as possible.

And when you turn in that beautiful novel, include a copy of your Style Sheet. This bit of story-shorthand will be invaluable to your content and copy editors! They might even fall upon your with kisses and chocolate! Your editors, who won’t be as familiar with the story as you are, can keep track of unfamiliar details and edit for consistency and continuity without having to scroll back or riffle through screeds of pages to check on a detail. 

They will thank you! 

So what do you think of the Style Sheet? Are you already creating something similar? Do you have any suggestions? 

 

Erica Vetsch is a transplanted Kansan now residing in Minnesota. She loves history and romance, and is blessed to be able to combine the two by writing historical romances. Whenever she’s not immersed in fictional worlds, she’s the company bookkeeper for the family lumber business, mother of two, wife to a man who is her total opposite and soul-mate, and avid museum patron.

His Prairie Sweetheart

  A Home for Her Heart

After being jilted at the altar, Southern belle Savannah Cox seeks a fresh start out West and accepts a teaching position in Minnesota. But between her students' lack of English, the rough surroundings and sheriff Elias Parker's doubts and distrust, Savannah's unprepared for both the job and the climate. However, she's determined to prove she can handle anything her new town throws her way.

Elias gives it a week—or less—before the pretty schoolteacher packs her dainty dresses and hightails it back home. But no matter how many mishaps he has to rescue her from, Savannah doesn't give up. Yet the real test is to come—a brutal blizzard that could finally drive her away, taking his heart with her…

 
Leave a comment today for a chance to win a copy of His Prairie Sweetheart, her debut release with Love Inspired Historical. Winner announced in the next Weekend Edition.

Oh, and just for fun, Erica did a Seekerville Style sample sheet (as though we 13 were characters in a book). ENJOY!! It's all good fun!

This will take you to our web page where you can download a pdf copy.

 

8 Tips for Having a Successful Writer’s Retreat

Hey, y’all! Erica Vetsch here. First, happy birthday, Seekerville! Eight years! That’s just so fantastic. I can’t tell you how many times I have recommended this community to new writers. On nearly every contest entry I judge, mentoring I do, or writing conversation that comes up, I am spreading the word about this amazing place to learn, grow, be encouraged, fellowship, and have fun. Thank you for helping so many writers live with #NoLimits! Kudos and confetti to you on your birthday!

Since I just returned from a Writer’s Retreat (Or, as I like to call them ‘Talk-your-head-off-with-Mary-Connealy-and-cram-in-some-writing-so-you-don’t-feel-too-guilty’ sessions,) I thought I would talk about Eight Tips for Having a Successful Writer’s Retreat. There are lots of things you can do before you go, while you’re there, and after you get home to help you make retreats a real treat. 

ACFW MN NICE Group Retreat

1. Define what makes a successful retreat. What is your goal for this retreat? Is it reaching a certain WORD COUNT? Is it brainstorming with friends and getting a novel completely outlined?  Is it a time to relax and reflect and refuel? Having a clear goal in mind will help with the rest of the planning.

2. Decide upon the type of retreat you want. Do you want a loose structure where attendees can do what they want, when they want? Do you want scheduled classes and brainstorming sessions? Do you want to include some sight-seeing, or marathon writing sessions, or research trips to museums? How much fellowship vs. how much work time?

3. Decide upon the venue. There are so many options: hotels, retreat centers, campgrounds. You could host it in your home, too. Each venue has pros and cons. Expense, space, level of luxury, food options. Are you going to cook for yourselves, eat out, or does food come as part of the accommodations? Will your family be happy to be invaded by a group of writers talking about writing non-stop? Is wi-fi provided? Do you want it to be provided? How centrally-located is the venue? How spendy is it?

Jaime Jo Wright and Erica at a one day writer's retreat.

4. Decide upon the folks you want to attend. The retreat experience is often made or broken by those who attend. Do you have a handful of close writer friends who share your goals? Do you want to open it up to an entire writing group, critique circle, or organization? Would it be more profitable to you to go on a solitary retreat, or go with just one or two friends? Start small with a handful of folks that you already know you get along with. One difficult or negative voice at a retreat can take down the entire group. If you’re not the one in charge, then go with a mindset to get along with folks and be a good retreater. 

5. Prepare as much as possible beforehand. Determine what you’ll be working on while you are on the retreat. Are you brainstorming a new story, editing, writing a draft? Know in advance so when you get there, you don’t waste time deciding where to start. Pack wisely. Bring the right clothes for the season. If you’re taking turns making meals, shop early. Plan your travel. Flying, driving, sharing a ride? Plan enough time to arrive without feeling stressed. And don’t forget to get things on the home-front squared away so that nothing implodes while you’re gone. If you have small children, arrange for their care. Pre-make meals when you can, lay out clothes for the kids (and maybe your husband) for each day you’ll be gone. Plan a fun activity for them for the evenings. (You might get so good at this the kids will beg you to take retreats more often.)

Writer's weekend at the Blue Belle Inn in St. Ansgar, IA.

6. While you’re at the retreat, be flexible. Remember, things rarely go exactly as planned. Let go of your grand expectations and get realistic. You planned to write forty-thousand words this weekend, but four thousand is probably more in the realm of possibility.  If someone wants to switch up the plan, evaluate the switch and see if this is a hill on which you want to die. There are some times when you have to put your foot down and say, “No, I can’t play right now. I have to write.” But sometimes the change can be a good plan. Evaluate and be willing to be flexible.

7. Be sensitive to others. Respect each others’ space. Respect each others’ personality types. If someone needs quiet to write, but you need music to write, wear your earbuds. If someone wants to go for a walk to clear her head, don’t be offended if your offer to go along with is turned down. Respect each others’ sleep-time. Some folks need lots of sleep, some not as much. Some need quiet and dark to sleep, some folks like the light on and white noise music playing. Some people are natural night-owls and are at their most creative after 10 pm. Be sensitive to your roommate’s needs. Don’t keep them up if they need to sleep. Also, recognize that you’re one of a group of individuals. Don’t expect everything to be just as you would have it at home. Go with the flow and extend grace to each other.

Mary Connealy & Erica at the St. Ansgar Retreat

8. Be prepared to do your share. Are you teaching a class? Have it ready, have handouts done, make sure you know how to work the projector, etc. Are you riding with others to the retreat? Be ready when they show up, and if you’re the driver, arrive when you say you will. If you’re a passenger, chip in for gasoline. Bring what you said you would bring, be responsible for things you signed up for, and be on time for scheduled things. This type of can-do/will-do attitude will ensure that you’re invited to the next retreat.
   
BONUS TIP: After the retreat, evaluate what you think went well, and what you would change. Was the group too big? Was the location good? Was the retreat over- or under-planned? Did you come away refreshed with much accomplished? Did you feel you got bang for your buck? Keep all these things in mind when planning the next retreat.

Questions: Have you been on a retreat before? Did it go well? Would you do it again? What tips do you have for making a retreat successful? 

Erica Vetsch is a transplanted Kansan now residing in Minnesota. She loves history and romance, and is blessed to be able to combine the two by writing historical romances. Whenever she’s not immersed in fictional worlds, she’s the company bookkeeper for the family lumber business, mother of two, wife to a man who is her total opposite and soul-mate, and avid museum patron.

•    Erica's Goodreads
•    Erica's Books on Amazon
•    Erica's Facebook Page
•    Erica's Newsletter
•    Erica's Pinterest Boards
•    Erica's Twitter
•    Erica's Website

 
 

 Anything he can do, I can do better. At least that was what Cassie Bucknell thought before she pinned on Ben Wilder’s badge and took to patrolling the streets of Cactus Creek, Texas. Cassie has been in love with Ben since primer school, but Ben treats her like a little sister. When they are picked to swap jobs for a month as part of the annual Cactus Creek Challenge in their Texas hometown, the schoolhouse is thrown into an uproar, the jail becomes a temporary bank vault, and Cassie and Ben square off in a battle of wills that becomes a battle for their hearts. 


The Cactus Creek Challenge is available on Amazon here!
 

The prequel to The Cactus Creek Challenge: The Legend of Obadiah Wilder is FREE for kindle! Download it now!


And I’m giving away a print copy of The Cactus Creek Challenge to someone who leaves a comment! Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.

The Courage To Be Brave

Today's Guest Blogger Erica Vetsch

Did you know that signing up for Speedbo, or writing any fiction, means you’re courageous? I know. If I was asked to name a few of my best attributes (not that anyone has ever asked me this) I don’t know that courage would rank very high.

COURAGE: [kur-ij, kuhr-] noun. The quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain,  etc.,  without fear;  bravery.

The above definition comes to us courtesy of Dictionary.com, and I agree with it for the most part, but there’s one phrase that I don’t think is true. It’s the part that says “Without Fear.” I once read a definition of courage that went something like that. “Courage doesn’t mean you’re not afraid. It means you stuff your fear into your hat and then sit on your hat.” That suits me better, because if the qualification for being courageous meant being ‘without fear’ then I would never attain courage.

But, being a novelist requires a certain level of courage, because writing fiction is creativity at its most basic, and creativity is all about courage. Don’t believe me? Read on!

Novel writing requires risk-taking.

1.       Trying something new and unknown is scary. If this is your first attempt at fiction, the doubts can crowd in louder than Jayhawk fans at a home game at Allen Field House. (That’s loud, BTW.) Why did I think I could write? What if nobody ever reads this? What if I don’t have the writing chops to translate my idea into a story? Even if you’ve written a hundred novels, each time you sit down to create a new story, a new character, a new chapter, you’re launching into the unknown. It’s a risk, every time. Pitfalls abound. Will you be able to do it again? Is this the time when your creativity dries up? Can you create something fresh and new?

2.       Fear of failure…however you define failure…is a part of the writing process.  Nobody likes to fail, not even in the privacy of their own head. What if nobody likes what I read? What if I never land an agent? What if I’m only kidding myself about this writing thing? What if this is the time when my agent/publisher/readers realize I’m not really a writer after all? Even the most seasoned writer feels these doubts.

The Legend of Obadiah Wilder free ebook at amazon

Novel writing requires vulnerability.

1.       Writing is deeply personal. When you write, you’re opening up the deepest, most sensitive, most defenseless part of yourself. You’re inviting people into your thoughts. You’re letting people read your mind. If that isn’t scary, then nothing is! You have to muster the courage to be honest about what you think and the way you see the world, and brave enough to let someone else in on it.

2.       Others may or may not like what you’ve created, which can feel like an assault on your character. Not only are you allowing someone else to judge your work, but they are free to spread their opinion far and wide. If there is anything more humbling for an author than the amazon.com review process, I don’t know what it would be. People you’ve never met can say whatever they want about your work, accurate or not, and in some cases whether they’ve even read it or not. And some of it is great! But some of it is not so very great. At times like these, it takes courage to follow the advice of the inestimable Allie Pleiter, who once said “Don’t engage theloonies.”  (If you haven’t read Allie’s guest post here on Seekerville, hie thee to this page forthwith!) 

Novel writing requires having expectations and also letting those expectations go.

1.       We need to have expectations, otherwise we belong to that set of people who don’t write, they just talk about writing. That group that wants to “Have written.” You don’t have to be brave to belong to that group. It’s safe. But safe won’t accomplish your dreams. So set some goals, invest in those contests and workshops and conferences and writing how-to books.  Query that agent, pitch to that editor, evaluate your career and map out a plan to get from where you are to where you want to be. Have the courage to aim high and the grit to work at those goals.

Erica has fantastic fingernails!!
She's also on Coffeecups and Camisoles!

2.       But on the flipside, we need to let go of expectations. This might be the most courage-testing task of all for a writer.  How do we not hold tightly to something we want so very much? How do we not live and die on whether an agent likes our proposal, or whether an editor will ask for a full manuscript? By having the courage to not focus on the outcome and focus on the process instead. By having the courage to let those creativity-paralyzing hopes go and write free for the sheer love of writing, the love of story, the love of creating.

Taking risks, being vulnerable, having expectations…these all require great amounts of courage. The courage to stare down that blinking cursor and put into words the vivid images in your head. The courage to slash and cut and rewrite and edit your story. The…GULP…courage to let someone else read and evaluate your work. The courage to take a critique. The courage to change and grow and get better at your craft, and the courage to stand behind what you’ve written.

So as we are nearing the end of Speedbo 2015, congratulate yourself on your risk taking, on your willingness to be vulnerable, on your guts to set some goals and work toward them. Congratulate yourself on your bravery!

You. Are. Courageous.

Then, of course, stop padiddlin’ around and get back to writing! It’s Speedbo, after all!

Leave a comment to get your name in the drawing for a copy of The Homestead Brides Collection-Autographed by all NINE Authors!  

The Homestead Brides Collection--Nine novellas...Nine Authors...all fun. Including THREE SEEKERS AND ERICA!!!

Mary Connealy, DiAnn Mills, Erica Vetsch, Kathleen Y'Barbo, Darlene Franklin, Carla Olson Gade, Ruth Logan Herne, Pam Hillman, Becca Whitham

Promises of free land lured thousands to stake their claim to the vast American plains. 

They built make-do homes and put all they had into improving the land. 

Readers will enjoy nine adventures as God helps homesteaders find someone with whom to share the dream—the work—and the love.

Erica Vetsch is a transplanted Kansan now residing in Minnesota. She loves history and romance, and is blessed to be able to combine the two by writing historical romances. Whenever she’s not immersed in fictional worlds, she’s the company bookkeeper for the family lumber business, mother of two, wife to a man who is her total opposite and soul-mate, and avid museum patron.

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Seven Things That Will Make Your Editor Happy

with guest Erica Vetsch.

Happy Birthday, Seekerville! I can’t believe it’s been SEVEN years already! Thank you for having me back again. It’s an honor!

Last time I was here, things got real. I was in a pretty raw and lonely place, and I wrote about what happens to a published author when that next contract doesn’t come…when they’re writing in the weeds. (You can read the post by clicking HERE) I wanted to thank you all very much for your support and encouragement following that post.  

Since the airing of that blog-post, I’m happy to report that there has been a nice uptick in my writing activity. (You can read about the happy news HERE) So, now that I’m back under deadline, and in keeping with Seekerville’s SEVENTH birthday, I thought I’d share with you seven things that make an editor happy…and we ALL want to make our editors happy, right?

1.    Write the book you said you would.

If your editor has contracted a Historical Romance story from you, don’t turn in an epic sci-fi/fantasy piece that you just couldn’t get out of your head. While most editors understand that writers are creative people with lots of ideas, when you’ve signed on the dotted line to deliver a certain product, that’s the product you should deliver. Anything else gums up the works. Publishing houses work far in advance of a books’ release with marketing copy, retail placements, advertising spots, etc. They cannot, and most likely will not switch gears just because you chose to chase a wild hare.

My publishing house has a brand (historical romance) and I have a brand (historical romance) and if I should turn in to them a manuscript that was anything else, they would be, shall we say, less than pleased. So write the book you promised them. 

Barbour Editor, Annie Tipton & Erica

2.    Meet your deadlines 

As mentioned above, publishing houses and editors work to a schedule. Lots of people, not just your editor, are counting on you to deliver the completed manuscript when promised. However, it is the editor who catches the flack from marketing, sales, publicity, printing, copy editing, cover art, etc. when you are late. Editors lose sleep. A sleep-deprived and pressured editor, when deciding to whom they will issue the next contract, is more likely to give it to the author who has consistently met the deadlines. 

***Bonus points for turning in a quality manuscript ahead of deadline.***

Editors understand that life happens, and that there can be legitimate reasons for not making a deadline, but as much as possible, follow through on the promise you made when signing your contract. Deliver the goods on time. Which brings us to the next point.

Erica with Barbour Senior Editor Rebecca Germany

3.    Communicate – no dead air

When I received my first contract back at the 2008 ACFW Conference, I met with my brand new editor, JoAnne Simmons. I don’t remember a lot about that meeting (I was still riding high in euphoria) but I do remember asking her one question. 

“What is one thing your new authors do that you wish they wouldn’t?”

The one thing she said, and which was seconded by another editor, Rebecca Germany, who was there at the time, was that authors feel they can’t or shouldn’t communicate too much with their editor. They didn’t want to be a problem child.

While there is some truth to that—you don’t want to bombard your editor with emails about the minutiae of your life—it far worse NOT to communicate with your editor about issues related to your manuscript and contract. If you are struggling to meet a deadline, if you don’t understand an editorial comment, if you don’t like your cover art, etc. yet you never say so, how are they going to be able to help?

This is also where an agent is invaluable. Oftentimes, you can talk to your agent first, and they will filter what you’re going through and see if it needs to be passed along to the editor. 

The key here is to communicate and not shut down.

4.    Study the craft

A contract is not a sign that you have made it. A contract is a sign that your growth as a writer needs to continue. Your editor will appreciate it if they see you are working hard on becoming a better writer, studying the craft, trying new techniques, strengthening your weaknesses and maximizing your strengths. It has been my pleasure to see my editors do the same things. I sat near one of my editors a few years ago in a day-long workshop given by Donald Maass. I was impressed that she would be there in order to help make her writers better, to learn what they were learning.  Read books on writing, read great fiction, hang out at Seekerville and glean all the wisdom and knowledge that is given so freely by these industry pros. Attend conferences and workshops. Never assume you’ve ‘made it’ when it comes to being a writer. Your editor will appreciate both the effort and the humility this kind of studious approach takes.

Author and editor Aaron McCarver with Erica.

5.    Edit your manuscript before you send it in 

 “There’s no such thing as good writing, only good rewriting.” (Robert Graves) is a mantra to which editors around the globe ascribe. And authors should, too. Every manuscript benefits from editing, and it is your job to do as much of this up front before your editor ever sees it as you possibly can.

The editing process will look different for each author, but every manuscript needs editing. I know some authors who edit what they wrote the day before, and then write new stuff. I know some who write the first half to two-thirds of a manuscript, then go back and edit it before writing the ending of the book. Some write the whole thing and send it to readers, some send chapters to crit partners, and some let the manuscript rest between the writing and the editing, but ALL good writers edit their manuscript before they send it in to their publishing house. 

This means you have to use your time wisely. You have to plan to finish the creative draft/first draft/rough draft in plenty of time to allow for your editing process. Clean up your messy draft and make it as beautiful as you can before you turn it in. Your editor will thank you if you don’t make them do the work you should’ve done first.

6.    Gladly and graciously receive edits.

This is a big one. Perhaps as big or bigger than turning in your manuscript on time.

Hopefully, by the time you’ve gotten to the point of receiving a contract, you are used to having others evaluate your work. You’ve entered contests, participated in critiques, had beta readers, something, so when you receive your first edit letter, you are not completely thrown for a loop.

Determine in your heart beforehand that when you receive edits, you will be glad and gracious. Does this mean that it might not sting a little? No. Does it mean you will agree with everything your editor says? No. Does it mean that you absolutely have to take every suggestion and edit? No. Does it mean you should rise up in righteous anger and refuse to alter your precious baby by so much as one dangling participle? NO!

You and your editor are on the same team. You have the same goal. You both want to turn out the best book possible that will resonate with readers and result in a quality product that is a credit to both you and your publishing house. Your editor is a pro who can be objective about your work in a way you could never be.

Your attitude needs to exude humility, eagerness to be part of a team, and a willingness to learn and cooperate. This will make your editor VERY happy.

Keep in mind Proverbs 1: 5-7

A wise man will hear and increase in learning,
And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
 To understand a proverb and a figure,
The words of the wise and their riddles.
 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

7.    Do your part with social media

I know. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Goodreads, Blogging, Pinterest. SO. MUCH. MEDIA. How do you keep up with all of them?

The straight-truth answer is…you don’t. You can’t. You cannot keep up with every type of social media option available. It is a physical impossibility. You certainly can’t keep up with even the majority and still write books.

But editors in this brave new world of Internet Marketing require their authors to do at least some connecting through social media.

And it’s something of which you shouldn’t be afraid. And happily, most social media is FREE. Take advantage of it.

The key is to find one or two methods that YOU enjoy, and engage readers there. I happen to enjoy blogging and Facebook, but not twitter or instagram so much. So you will find me posting several times per day on Facebook, both my personal page and my author page, and blogging once a week on my group blog Coffee Cups & Camisoles. I’m finding my way around Pinterest and enjoying that, too.

If you work at some form of social media, your editors and publishers will appreciate your efforts and even in some cases come alongside you to help.

So there you have it, seven things guaranteed to make your editors happy people. Happy editors mean happy writers which mean happy readers. And isn’t that what we all want?


Anything else you'd like to add?











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Author Bio: Erica Vetsch is a transplanted Kansan now residing in Minnesota. She loves history and romance, and is blessed to be able to combine the two in her historical romances. Whenever she’s not immersed in fictional worlds, she’s the bookkeeper for the family lumber business, mother of two, wife to a man who is her total opposite and soul-mate, and an avid museum patron.
 
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Now available for pre-order!  

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Watch as God lights the way of love, despite the resolve of three Colorado men. A collapsing mine shaft made David Mackenzie blind and bitter, but Karen Worth will not give up on her unconditional love for him. Disillusioned by love, Sam Mackenzie reluctantly escorts a jobless and homeless Eldora Carter plus three orphaned cross country. And just when that challenge seems too overwhelming, an avalanche descends. . . . Pastor Silas Hamilton falls for Willow Starr, an actress bound for New York City. But he’s fairly sure the love between a pastor and an actress could never survive. . .could it?

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Through nine historical romance adventures, readers will journey along with individuals who are ready to stake a claim and plant their dreams on a piece of the great American plains. While fighting land disputes, helping neighbors, and tackling the challenges of nature the homesteaders are placed in the path of other dreamers with whom romance sparks. And God has His hand in orchestrating each unique meeting.

(Note this collection also features Mary Connealy, Pam Hillman, and Ruth Logan Herne!)