Tag Archives: Writing process

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Writing Tip #105

Don’t be alarmed if your writing process changes from book to book. As many of you know, I wrote the second half of my first novel, Baby Grand, fast and furiously — 1,000 words a day for six or seven weeks. So, naturally, when it came time to write my current novel, In the Red, I planned on doing it the same way — you know, stick to what works. The plan was to sit my butt in a chair and crank out 1,000 words a day, every day, no exceptions.

And I have. Sort of.

For some reason, I’m finding that the 1Kaday writing process doesn’t seem to be working for this book. Some days I’m on track. Others not so much. Sure, I’m distracted and full of self-doubt, but I was while writing Baby Grand too. That’s not the problem. Things just seem… well, different:

  • The music I used to motivate myself while writing Baby Grand doesn’t work this time around. While a song seemed helpful and inspirational two years ago, now I listen and think, This song reminds me of Baby Grand. In fact, it sort of feels like it belongs there. In that world. It would be like asking Bailino to make an appearance in my current work-in-progress.
  • With Baby Grand, I wrote often at night. With In the Red, I find that I write more during the day — and I like to write out of the house, particularly at Panera Bread.
  • With Baby Grand, I pretty much stuck to a linear process. I wrote the book from beginning to end. Now, I’m all over the place — writing the ending before the middle and then heading back to the beginning.
  • The other day, I wrote and wrote and wrote and ended up netting about 200 words, because I had cut a lot out during the process. If this had been Baby Grand, I would have sat there until I had written a net of 1,000 words. This time, though, I felt it was enough to have netted the 200 and, guilt aside, decided to power down until the next day.

What gives?

With regard to that last point, at first I thought I was just slacking off. But now I’m not so sure. I’m well into In the Red. It seems silly to chastise myself for not sticking to a schedule when whatever it is I AM doing seems to be working: As of this morning, I have about 61,000 words written (227 pages), which somehow I managed to do without my closely monitored 1,000-word-a-day regimen. (Baby Grand was only about 79,000 words when I finished the first draft back in August 2010).

In other words, I’m close, and I’m getting there. And I think in the end that’s all that matters.

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Meet Erica Stanciu

Today’s featured author, Erica Stanciu, holds a special place in my heart. She is the daughter of an old friend who had the gall to get married and move to a land far, far away (Philly, and then Las Vegas) when we were mere teenagers, leaving me to navigate college, adulthood and handball all on my own. It doesn’t surprise me that her little girl (one of three children) has grown into a talented, funny and smart young woman. The apple certainly doesn’t fall very far from the tree.

Name: Erica Stanciu
Name of book: Electrify Me
Book genre: Fantasy
Date published: December 12, 2011
Publisher: Amazon.com (self-published)
What is your day job? I hold down the fort we call home.
What is your book about? A young princess, by the name of Kaiya Fraust, is forced on a journey where she travels to different kingdoms who wield elemental powers. Along the way, she finds demons, dragons, relics, and mysterious figures who want her for themselves.
Why did you want to write this book? I was reading a book one day and hated the ending. A friend suggested I write my own book so I did. Four months later, Electrify Me was born.
What would you say is the most challenging part of writing a book? The editing. It’s necessary, but so tedious at the same time. I’m pretty sure I have my book memorized after reading it five times just to make sure it was mistake-free.
Did you conduct any kind of research in order to write Electrify Me? My research came from reading fantasy novels for thirteen years. That helped me create the setting, characters, their powers, and the different animals you see throughout the story.
What motivates you to write? To have my characters come alive in the pages of a book (or an e-reader). I have a feeling of constant restlessness until the next scene is down on paper. Even my dreams consist of the characters and what they should be doing.
Did you experience writer’s block? I experienced writer’s block towards the end. The best way for me to overcome it is start a short story. It takes my mind away from the other characters for a bit. When I eventually come back to my original story, my mind feels refreshed and ready to tackle the novel once again.
How long did it take you to write this book? Three months to write it, and two months to edit.
Why did you decide to self-publish? I received a handful of rejections and started to feel stuck. I poured my heart into a story only to wait six weeks for an agency to say, “We’re not taking on any new clients. Have a good day.” Instead of throwing a pity party and retiring my manuscript, I decided that self-publishing was the best route for me.
Was the self-publishing process easier or more difficult than you thought it would be? Amazon makes it very easy to self-publish. They walk you through the steps to convert your work into the proper form. The rest is just submitting and waiting. It’s actually not difficult at all.
How did you decide on your book cover concept? Well, my mother, the coolest person alive, helped me design it. She’s a genius when it comes to Photoshop. The concept of silver eyes and a bolt of lightning was created, because I think simplicity intrigues readers.
What is the biggest misconception about writing a book? Almost everyone has an idea for a great novel, but actually setting scenes, creating dialogue and writing amazing plot twists takes real time and effort. Not many people have the time and patience for something like that. It’s a very hard process, but rewarding once the novel is finished.
What was your favorite aspect of the writing process for this book? Writing the scenes where the readers will say, “No way! I can’t believe that happened.” I get so excited putting those thoughts into words that it sometimes feels like my fingers are tripping over each other.
What tools/methods have you employed to promote your book? I’ve been honing my writing skills on Wattpad.com, a website where authors can post their work and have it read by people for no cost. In eight months, I have gathered more than four thousand fans who have been my biggest supporters (besides my family). A lot of them bought my book and told their friends to buy it. Promoting takes time and energy that can leave you drained, but don’t give up. Create a website, promote on blogs, use social media, and eventually you’ll see the sales skyrocket.
How has life changed for you since the publication of your book? I’ve realized that becoming an author is my true goal in life. Writing is a passion of mine that I can’t go a day without doing. Self-publishing really helped me realize that.
Do you find yourself obsessively checking sales stats? I have to admit that I do. I set a goal for the first month of publication, and I won’t stop looking obsessively until I reach that goal.
Are there plans to write another book? Electrify Me is going to be a four-book series, and I’m currently writing the second one.
My favorite last question: Oprah once famously said that there is no such thing as luck, without preparation and a moment of opportunity. Would you agree or disagree with regard to your own success as a writer? I completely agree. There were many opportunities that presented themselves to me, but I wouldn’t have been ready to take the plunge without the proper preparation.

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Meet Julia Suzuki

Today’s Debut Author Q&A (yes, a day late, I know, I know…) is full of mystique. Not sure if that was the author’s intention, but her succinct, short answers kind of set the stage for her children’s fantasy set in a land known as Dragor.

Name: Julia Suzuki
Name of book: Land of Dragor (Yoshiko and the Gift of Charms)
Book genre: Fantasy/Children’s fiction
Date published: May 2011
Publisher: SB Publishing
What is your day job? Running JuliaSuzuki.com
What is your book about? The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton. It’s a magical escape to a fantasy land with great characters.
Why did you want to write this book? I had a burning desire to write it that surpassed all other goals.
What would you say is the most challenging part of writing a book? Editing it and believing you have got it right.
Did you conduct any kind of research in order to write this book? Yes, I studied gemology and the world’s chakra energy points.
What motivates you to write? Turning a dream and vision of something into a reality on paper that others then share.
Did you experience writer’s block? No, I didn’t ever experience it. Only tiredness stopped me.
How long did it take you to write this book? 1.5 years
Why did you decide to self-publish? I just felt as a first time author it was the best way to prove myself, for it can be hard and slow to get a publisher, and I believe in the story so it was my chosen route.
Was the self-publishing process easier or more difficult than you thought it would be? I have achieved what I set out to so far.
What is the biggest misconception about writing a book? That everyone will like what you like. They won’t.
What was your favorite aspect of the writing process for this book? Creating the nitty-gritty parts of the characters. I love that.
What tools/methods have you employed to promote your book? A social media agency and a PR agent. I would advise both.
How has life changed for you since the publication of your book? It hasn’t really, as I am as busy as ever.
Do you plan on writing another book? Yes, and have done the first three chapters to Book 2.
My favorite last question: Oprah once famously said that there is no such thing as luck, without preparation and a moment of opportunity. Would you agree or disagree with regard to your own success as a writer? I agree totally with regard to success in anything in life.

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Writing Tip #57

Don’t think about editing. Or marketing. Just write. It’s tempting when you’re piecing together your story to think about things that are down the road, like how on earth you’re going to sell this book or what classification or genre it falls into or whether or not you’ll be able to secure an agent or publisher. Sure, all those things are important, but they’re concerns for another time. Right now, it’s important to get those ideas down, to make those characters come alive, to immerse yourself fully in the writing process, because, let’s face it, none of those other things will matter very much if the book isn’t the very best it can be. So stop worrying whether your book is a crime thriller or legal thriller or if you should self-publish or traditionally publish. Right now, your characters need you. And you should be there for them.

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Meet Belinda Frisch

Are you a lover of the horror genre? Today’s featured debut author is Belinda Frisch who has woven a scary tale involving a Ouija board — that lone is enough to make me want to hide under the bed. :)

Name: Belinda Frisch

Name of book: Dead Spell

Book genre: Horror

Date published: March 2011

Publisher: Create Space

What is your day job? I am a Certified Professional Coder (medical)

What is your book about? Brea Miller is straddling the social lines of her small town high school. Her mother is a control freak, her father moved away under mysterious circumstances years ago, and her best friend, Harmony, is haunted by Tom, the evil spirit that came through her Ouija board. When Harmony dies, Brea becomes the target, and she must figure out who Tom is and what he wants before she is next.

Oooh, that sounds cool! What would you say was the most challenging part of writing this book? Completing the rough draft. I tend to be overly analytical and revise as I go which makes a lot of unnecessary re-work. It’s a bad habit that I think I’ve almost broken.

What motivates you to write? The desire to write is innate. I dream up stories all the time which provides its own motivation.

Did you ever experience writer’s block? I have never had writer’s block. My biggest problem is too many stories and not enough time.

How long did it take you to write this book? About a year, but I work full-time.

Why did you decide to self-publish this book? I did a blog post on this, actually. The short answer is, it was the right thing to do based on the book, the characters, and the content. The longer answer is here.

What is the biggest misconception about writing a book? That it will make you rich.

What was your favorite aspect of the writing process? My favorite aspect was creating the characters. Harmony was an amalgamation that took me back to some of the best and worst memories from childhood. Reliving those emotions was unintentionally therapeutic.

What tools/methods have you employed to promote your book? I have a blog that I update regularly. I use Facebook, Twitter, and Kindle Boards. I did several interviews, provided reviewers with copies of my book, and many of my wonderfully supportive, fellow “indies” have spread the word through reviews and their own social networking.

What advice would you give to writers regarding promotion? You get what you give. I’m not encouraging false, quid pro quo reviewing, but if you really love someone else’s work, you should promote it. Chances are that if you run in the same circles, your book will appeal to them, too. Word of mouth is the best advertisement. Be courteous, helpful, and genuine. The return on kindness is great.

Oprah has famously said that there is no such thing as luck, without preparation and a moment of opportunity. Would you agree or disagree with regard to your own success as a writer? I don’t think luck plays much into writing. You have to be diligent, hard working, and definitely prepared. It’s a popular misconception that being a writer is a gold rush. For an independent debut novelist, the road is long and hard. It takes dedication to successfully navigate it.

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Meet Author Sonia Rumzi

Today, I chat with Debut Author Sonia Rumzi, whose first novel is titled, Simple Conversation. Her second novel, Caring for Eleanor, will be published this summer by Heart Press.

Name: Sonia Rumzi

Name of book: Simple Conversation

Book genre: Women’s Fiction

Date Published: February 14, 2011

Publisher: Heart Press

What is your day job? I used to be a cardiovascular technologist. Now I’m a full time writer.

What is your book about? An older woman finding love at last.

What was the most challenging part of the writing process for you? Keeping the tenses straight, the rare to none use of adverbs and having a timeline.

What motivates you to write? Love of words, but mostly a rainy day.

Did you experience writer’s block? I have not yet experienced writer’s block. Maybe because I am new to the experience, my ideas are still flowing without reservation. I do have days where I do not want to write though, and I have to discipline myself to write a few pages regardless.

How long did it take you to write this book? Two years.

What is the biggest misconception about writing a book? That you do not have to rewrite. Some people think that they do not need to write and rewrite for editing purposes. It does not happen overnight. The writing itself may come easily, but the editing and the re-writing process is the work.

What was your favorite aspect of the writing process for this book? The first flush of the idea was so exciting, so I put it down on paper as soon as I could. Even though the rewriting was hard, I loved it, giving me an opportunity to refine my work.

What tools/methods have you employed to promote your book? What advice would you give to writers regarding promotion? This may not be a popular notion, but I have done little promotion except for my website. My goal is to keep writing, keep publishing, lower my prices and get it into the hands of as many people as possible. This is good advice from other successful Indies.

Oprah has famously said that there is no such thing as luck, without preparation and a moment of opportunity. Would you agree or disagree with regard to your own success as a writer? No such thing as luck. If luck was all it took, then hard work would be out the window. Hard nosed, steady patience and work is what matters. Writing takes patience and time. I have both.

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Meet Brenda Sedore

Yes, it’s Tuesday, and that means another installment of Debut Author Q&A. This week, I feature Brenda Sedore, who was born in the wine country of Northern California which started her lifelong love of the grape. She moved to Canada as a teenager and eventually ended up in wine country again. It’s probably no surprise that wine is a large part of her debut novel, A Snake in Paradise.

Name: Brenda Sedore

Name of book: A Snake in Paradise

Book genre: Romance/Italy Travel

Date Published: November 15, 2010

Self-publisher: Imagine Press

What is your day job? Accounts receivable supervisor

What is your book about? Aja Rain flees to Italy for peace and quiet after an accident where she nearly castrates her ex-boyfriend. She becomes a media sensation when all she wants to do is move on with her life. Italy is full of hot Italian men, but Aja is afraid to trust her heart again. Pietro and Marco are impossible to resist. How can she choose between them? Everything is thrown into turmoil when she realizes Stephen, the ex, has followed her across the ocean, determined to get his revenge. Aja thought she would be safe and protected with her new friends in Italy. She couldn’t have been more wrong.

What was the most challenging part of the writing process? Sitting down every day to write after working the day job all day and being mentally exhausted.

What motivates you to write? All the stories crowding my head.

Did you experience writer’s block? No, I’ve never experienced it. I usually start with journaling and then reading over the last chapter before each writing session. That gets me into the flow.

How long did it take you to write this book? Technically about 8 months. But about a year elapsed between starting it and getting to work on it again. I went through a divorce and had to put it on the backburner for a while. And, no, the premise isn’t a result. Or is it? :)

Why did you decide to self-publish this book? I went with self-publishing because I wanted full control and didn’t want to give most of my royalties away. I have the computer skills needed and my husband, also an author, is a wonderful editor.

What is the biggest misconception about writing a book? That you’ll write one and instantly find success. It’s bloody brutal work at the best of times. But when you see your first sales start rolling in and realize people actually like your work, that’s brilliant!

What was your favorite aspect of the writing process for this book? I loved the editing part. When I went back over it, I fell in love with the book all over again. I love cleaning up loose ends, too.

Oprah has famously said that there is no such thing as luck, without preparation and a moment of opportunity. Would you agree or disagree with regard to your own success as a writer? Oh absolutely. You have to be aligned and have done the work in order to grab the luck as it shows up. That said, there’s probably almost as much luck as there is hard work and talent. Just take a look at the famous people out there. For every one of them, there are probably a thousand people out there 10 times more talented. But they were the ones who were discovered.

You can follow Brenda on Twitter and through her author page on Facebook.

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Meet Author Mik Wilkens

Today’s Debut Author Q&A is with Mik Wilkens, who is the fourth Lazy Day Publishing author to be featured on this blog. (We’ve also chatted with George Pappas, Liz Borino and J.M. Kelley.) I always find that I learn a little something or am reminded about something in my own process when I read those of others. Thank you, Mik, for reminding me of how fortunate I am to have “a very tolerant husband.” :)

Name: Mik Wilkens

Name of book: The Silver Cage

Book genre: Fantasy

Date published: December 1, 2010

Publisher: Lazy Day Publishing

What is your book about? The Silver Cage is a fantasy novel about David Conner, a down-to-earth guy who has everything going for him: he’s got a great job, he has plenty of money, and he’s just met Jennasara, quite literally the woman of his dreams. But David’s world is turned upside-down when he finds himself on Lucasia, a world where magic is a force of nature and creatures of myth are real. To save Jennasara, David must learn the ways of the strange world he finds himself on, master its magic, and decide who is his friend and who is his enemy.

What was the most challenging part of the writing process for you? I’m horribly anal about everything being perfect, so my editing sessions can get a little crazy. I’m rarely happy unless I’m 100 percent positive that every comma is in the correct place, every word I’ve used is perfect for what I’m trying to say, and every sentence is structured just right. Because of that, deciding that a piece is finished and ready for submission can take a ridiculously long time.

What motivates you to write? My muse and the sheer joy of writing. My muse can disappear for months, even years, at a time. When she’s gone, I mostly spend my time editing or working on other creative pursuits. But when she’s here, when the writing mood strikes, it’s all I can do to not write. I carry around a pad of paper everywhere I go and write every chance I get. Fortunately, I have a very tolerant husband who doesn’t mind me writing when we go out to dinner or go for a drive. At times like that, words, ideas, and characters just seem to flow out of me. Because I don’t outline or plot my stories ahead of time, it’s a very exhilarating process of discovery, as if the story has already happened and I’m just reporting it. It’s a wonderful feeling.

Did you experience writer’s block? I don’t get writer’s block. Instead, I get out of a writing mood. When that happens, I haven’t found much that I can do about it. Until my muse decides to come back, I usually just pursue other creative outlets.

How long did it take you to write this book? For some reason, my muse likes to give me stories in two parts. The first part is usually 2/3 to 3/4 of the novel, and then I hit a dry spell where I have no idea what happens next. Eventually, the remainder of the story will come to me, and I’ll finish writing it. I wrote the first section of The Silver Cage in about six months. The second part took me a little less time, and then I had to put it through the editing process. During that time, I was attending design school and then entering the workforce, so I wasn’t writing full-time. Overall, about three years passed while I was working on the novel, but the time I spent actually writing and editing was probably closer to a year and a half.

How difficult was it to find a publisher? When I first started shopping The Silver Cage around, all of the publishers interested in fantasy novels required agents, so I spent most of my time trying to get an agent for the book. Lazy Day Publishing was the first actual publisher I sent the novel to, so I’d have to say it wasn’t difficult to find a publisher, it just took a long time.

What is the biggest misconception about writing a book? Maybe I’m lucky, but I don’t know anyone who has any misconceptions about just how much time and energy it takes to write a book, and I’ve been writing for so long (I wrote my first “novel” when I was about twelve years old) that any misconceptions I may have ever had about writing have long since disappeared.

What was your favorite aspect of the writing process for this book? As with anything I write, the best part is discovering the story and the characters as I go along. For The Silver Cage in particular, probably the most fun I had was taking standard fantasy elements and twisting them. The concept of a modern person being transported to a fantasy world is not new, so I had to approach the subject in a fresh way. To do that, I put familiar fantasy elements such as unicorns, werewolves, dragons, and magic swords into the story, but I gave each a twist that makes it different from similar elements found in other fantasy stories. I also gave a modern feel to most of the characters. I hoped that by doing that, the story would appeal not only to people who are already fans of fantasy novels, but also to people who just like to read a fun story. It seems to be working. Several people who aren’t fantasy fans have read the novel and really enjoyed it, including the co-owner of Lazy Day Publishing, Staci Helling.

Do you plan to write another novel? I’m working on several books right now. I’m almost finished with the sequel to The Silver Cage. It’s called The Golden Drake, and it starts where The Silver Cage ends. I’m also almost done writing another fantasy novel called The Greyhounds of Aeravon, which is the first book in a series of novels I plan to use to raise money to support the adoption of retired racing greyhounds. I’m also working on a science fiction trilogy. All three of the books in the trilogy are finished in rough draft form. I’m doing the final edits on the first book, and then I’ll start on the other two. Finally, I’ve recently completed and submitted a science fiction novella called Esora, which is a follow-up story to another science fiction novella I have coming out in 2011 called The Price of Conquest.

Wow! Oprah has famously said that there is no such thing as luck, without preparation and a moment of opportunity. Would you agree or disagree with regard to your own success as a writer? I definitely agree. I do consider myself a lucky person, but I realize that luck really is just an attitude, a way of looking at what happens in a positive light. Hard work, preparation, and knowing an opportunity when one comes along are all important for success not only in writing but in most other aspects of life as well.

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Meet Author Crystal Marcos

I remember when my kids were really young, I was so disappointed with the quality of children’s literature that I wrote a children’s book. Chatting with Crystal Marcos, today’s Debut Author, made me remember that somewhere, lurking on my hard drive, is that sorely neglected manuscript. (Another thing for the to-do list). Here, Crystal discusses her book, BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale, which was published last summer.

Name: Crystal Marcos

Name of book: BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale

Book genre: Children’s

Date Published: June 15, 2010

Publisher: Cat Marcs Publishing

What is your book about? When Peter Fischer sets out to help his grandfather at Papa’s Sweet Shop, he will quickly learn that sneaking sweets and covering up his sugar-dusted tracks will have major consequences. As Peter is transported to a mysteriously delicious, faraway land, a curious people known as the Candonites, some of whom have no time for a non-Candonite, will teach Peter a lesson on what it means to be different and what it means to forgive.

For you, what was the most challenging part of the writing process? The editing process. I didn’t realize how long the process would take.

What motivates you to write? My love for children and children’s books inspired me to write. I imagined what I would want my children to read about someday, and I wanted it to be something I felt comfortable with them reading.

Did you experience writer’s block? No.

How long did it take you to write this book? It was four years. The next book won’t take that long. I had gotten married, moved to a different state, changed careers, moved back, and had a baby all within that time period.

What was your favorite aspect of the writing process for this book? Falling in love with the characters and world I created. They will forever be a part of my life.

What drew you to children’s literature? I have always enjoyed children’s books. I still read them. It came natural to write for children.

Nowadays, authors are expected to participate in the marketing of their book. What kinds of things do/did you do to promote your book? I do online networking such as Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, etc. I participate in giveaways and blogging sites. I also called for newspaper and television interviews. I basically seize every opportunity I can. Thankfully, people have also contacted me.

What is the biggest misconception about writing a book? You just write it and you’re done. Ha!

Do you plan to do this again? Oh yes! I am currently working on the sequel to BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale, and I have other projects in the works.

Oprah has famously said that there is no such thing as luck, without preparation and a moment of opportunity. Would you agree or disagree with regard to your own success as a writer? I believe in blessings, I believe I have been blessed with the opportunities I have received. I have achieved so much in a short period of time with my book; I know I couldn’t have done it alone.

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Writing Without the Voices

Today’s guest blogger is Stacy Lipson, a writer-friend I met (where else?) on Twitter. You may remember that I mentioned Stacy in my Writing Tip #3 post. She had written a very moving essay about her experiences with being bullied as a child. Today, Stacy shares her thoughts on writing through doubt, a favorite pastime (ha!) of mine and, I’m sure, many other writers.

Writing can be a difficult process for even the most talented writer. From rough drafts, to final edits, the process can take a toll on your emotional health.

Take me, for instance. As a professional writer, the process begins long before I open up my flashing Microsoft Word. I will craft out a sentence, only to cross it out two minutes later.  Through the writing process, I will hear my inner critic screaming in my head: “This is awful. Awful. What made you think you could be a writer? You’re just a hack, and one day everyone is going to realize it. You know that McDonald’s you passed by on your drive in? You might want to memorize some customer greetings.”

Me to my Inner Critic: “Hey, lay off! I’m doing my best here.”

Inner Critic: “Your best isn’t good enough.”

Me: “That’s not fair!”

Inner Critic: “Go back and keep editing.”

Yes, my Inner Critic can be a pain in the neck. So for the first time last week, I attempted to write just for the sake of writing.  At first, I found the process to be unusual, and even challenging.

“This is terrible,” I grumbled under my breath to my laptop. “What kind of writer am I?”

After thirty minutes of free writing, my mind began to clear. I found that the words began to flow and eventually form into something that resembled a piece of work.

The more I write, the more I realize that writing is a changing process. As a writer, your work will change drastically over the years, and often, for the better.

So, go ahead. Give yourself a break. It may be the best resolution you make. By turning off your inner critic, you can reconnect with your unique voice in your writing.

Here are some other tips to keep in mind through the writing process:

  • Write it down on paper. If you find yourself struggling with your words, take a ten-minute break, and return to the old-fashioned method of pen and paper.
  • Embrace your imperfections. Not everything you write will win a Pulitzer Prize, and that’s OK. Tell your inner perfectionist to take a back seat as you work through the writing process.
  • Monitor your thoughts. If your thoughts turn negative, gently remind yourself that you are human. While some self-criticism can be helpful, continuous self-hatred can lead to depression, or even anxiety.
  • Stop being a people pleaser. At the end of the day, the only person you should be worried about pleasing is yourself. While you toss and turn in your bed at night about an editor or agent’s reaction to your latest manuscript, the rest of the world will be sleeping soundly.

Stacy Lipson is an independent journalist who has written for national and regional publications. For more information, please see her website.