A Writer's Life

How much pressure are you putting on yourself to write?  Do you beat yourself up if you don't reach your daily go? Stop it. The reality is no one cares if you write or not.  Life will go on if you don't write everyday. Does your spouse yell at you if you don't write?  Will your children be neglected if you don't write? Stop feeling life a failure if you don't write or make your page quota. This year is almost over, and I did not make any of my writing goals.  I did publish a book  Suicide Is Not The Answer I am working on A Work Book to go with it, but life got in the way.  I am not beating myself up.  I just write when I can.   You are a writer.  You are creative and that makes you different from others.  You think different.  So don't put pressure on yourself.  I write everyday, but the next day, I might toss out what I wrote the previous day.   So write, have fun and that book will be finished.   Want to know how I wrote and

Last week I moved out into the country.  A brand new trailer.  I now have my own office.  I should be happy, excited and ready to write.  I am overwhelmed. I have a lot of stuff.  The last place I lived, I lived for 15 years.  I wrote a lot in long hand.  I saved everything I wrote  in longhand and that I typed.  Magazines, newspapers and scribbled notes.  I saved them all.  I was unpacking and putting things in the closet that I wanted to keep.  The closet is filled.  I looked around and had no place to put any of the things I am currently working on.  I still have no room. I am a Hoarder.  I am overwhelmed.  When I met my boyfriend fifteen years ago.  He helped me overcome my hoarding problem then.  I threw a lot of things away, but kept a lot and over the fifteen years, I have collected a more.  I want this time to be different.  I want a nice place to live.  A place to write, where I can find what I need. Am I crazy or do other writer's save everything they write

Welcome To My World I have three loves, GOD, Animals and Writing.  That is Roxie , my best friend. I have been writing all my life.  I have been rejected from the best publishers in New York.  In 2011 I Self-Published my first book My Bible--My GOD This is my Testimony of how GOD has directed my life.  I had different plans.  I wrote Zombie Zoo Zombie Zoo .  I sold a copy less than 24 hours after being published.  I decided that Zombie Stories was my ticket to selling millions of copies.  Isn't that what we all think.  I wrote over 35 E-Books of Zombie Stories and the Series Me VS Zombies was born. Find all the Episodes at  Author Page Being a writer and having to pay bills is not easy.  Life gets in the way.  So This Blog is about my life.  The reason I am writing about my Writing Life is, because Last Monday, my life took a drastic turn.  Not in a bad way, but not in a good way.  I do not like change.  I like my life the way it is.  I am in my comfort z

It is already September.  As usual, I am already looking at calendars for next year.  I look at what I have done this year.  I went through a couple of months that I felt struck.  I didn't get much writing done.  It happens to all of us.  I did Publish a Non-Fiction Book Suicide Is Not The Answer I am working on a Work Book to go along with this book. I started a new Novel and writing in longhand for the rough draft. So Here is my Goals for the rest of the year: 1. Publish the Work Book Suicide Is Not The Answer 2.  Finish the rough Draft of Fiction Novel 3.  Blog on a regular Basis. What are your writing goals?  Leave them in the comment Section   Check this book out.  Thinking about being Self- Published?  This is what others will not tell you E-Book Leave a Comment.    Have a question?  Ask Me!

I have been working on my memoir since January.  I thought I would be done with that and move onto my next book.  I was wrong. I am having problems figuring out what to put in and leave out.  I am having problems on finding my voice.  I am having problems about writing about my family without making them look evil and terrible parents.  Since I don't want to write anything terrible about my parents, I made a decision. I am going to write it, the way if effected me.  I am going to have to dig deep into my emotions and memory, even though I have blocked some memories. I was sexually abused by my Grandfather and I feel that I was the sacrafice for the family. As a result I suffered from everything from alochol, eating disorder, to cutting myself. My family denies what happened and blames me for everything that is wrong with me.  I realize I am an adult, but it is hard to have a relationship with family who denies their role in my life. So I am going to write how their ac

I like to write.  I could write in longhand all day long.  It is the business side of writing that I do not enjoy.  Promoting my writing.  Talking about my writing.  Social media. If you are writing for publication,  you are now a business owner.  Your book is the product is what you are producing and selling.  It is a fact.  There is no way to deny it anymore. Do you know in the USA, you can deduct your writing expenses on your tax returns.  Keep all your receipts during the year.  Find a good tax person. Choose your social media:  Facebook, twitter, blogging, newsletter. I can not do all the social media so I chose to blog.  I am on facebook, but not lately and I have a twitter account.  I tend to attract more people on my blog.  Blogspot is free so I use their blog site. Create business cards to hand out.  I use  Vista Print  for postcard size and put the cover of my book on them.  You need something to hand to people. I am self published and I am always giving something

I write ever I write something every day. I am writing my memoir.  I put it aside for about a month.  I was mad at myself.  I have the rough draft  which is about 70 pages.  I think it is stupid, dull and boring.  Who would ever want to read this? So yesterday I started the memoir again.  I then said out loud.  "This is so stupid.  I have 70 pages already written.  Just rewrite what you have." So I came home from work, went to my desk and drug out the rough draft.  Today I am going to re-read the rough draft and finish the memoir. I am going to write it.  I don't care if my family does not like it..  I don't care if they get mad at me.  I am a writer and that is what I am going to do. What are you working on that you think is not good enough?  Do not quit!  It is your story to tell.  Tell it and send it out into the world. You are a writer.  Write. That is what I am going to do today. Happy Writing. Publish an E-Book A Month The Truth of Self Publi

I don't care what you think of yourself or what others think or say.  If you write, YOU ARE A WRITER. Tape this to your computer!  Your Bathroom Mirror.  On Your Phone! Believe It.! I have been writing all my life.  I have been rejected by all the publishing houses in the USA.  Then E-Books came alone.  My entire life changed. This is the first book I self published www.amazon.com/dp/B006N0ZDGW E-Book Print Book www.createspace.com/3951775 This is where I learned how to format, write, edit and publish.  I finally had total control over my writing career.  Yes it is time consuming.  Yes it is a full time job.  I also have a full time job to pay my bills.  So I have two full time jobs. My point is, your dream of being a published writer, selling your books and holding your own book in your hands is within your grasp.  You have to believe in yourself and not listen to anyone, but the dreamer in you. I do not care what country you are in.  You were given a gift to wri

Newest Release:  www.amazon.com/dp/B0728NGCGZ Print Version www.createspace.com/7212723 Non-Fiction.  I have been Suicidal most of my life.  This is how I overcame killing myself. I was attempting to write my memoir and wrote this book instead. I have been trying to write my memoir since January.  I have a rough draft of 70 Pages I think I am on the right track, but it has no emotion. So I am rewriting it.  When I write it, it sounds stupid.  No one wants to read this.  I know that most writers have this same problem, self doubt.  It hasn't stopped me from writing, but I am doubting if I can write my memoir. So I haven't blogged for awhile.  I was writing this book Suicide Is Not The Answer, and trying to find my voice on the memoir. I am also working on a workbook to go along with Suicide Is Not The Answer Finding time to write is never easy.  I am a writer.  I will write never no matter what.  Writing is who I am. What are you working on?  Leave a commen

I have once again spent the day writing.  I have the rough draft complete and working on the rewrite.  I have a printed out copy I take to work and reread it and take notes.  I write in longhand and then I type the revisions in on my days off. Last week I had a terrible headache and couldn't write on my day off.  I made up for it this week. How is your writing going. I like the writing part, Not so much on the editing and rewriting.

It is Monday Evening around 7:30pm  I have been on the computer since 12:00pm  I wrote a lot on the computer and I am up to over 10,000 words on my Non-Fiction Book.  I am going to print out a hard copy and when I am at work tomorrow, I can read it, and see where I am at.  I have written chapters 1-6, of course they are rough drafts, but least they are on paper and know what I want to say.  This week I will be writing in long hand on the rest of the chapters.  If all goes well, I might have the rough draft done by the end of the week.  Time will tell. How are your writing goals?  Did you accomplish any goals? Leave a comment and let me know.

Do you create deadlines for yourself?  If you are a self published writer, you only have to answer to yourself.  That is a good thing and a bad thing.  You have no one to answer to except yourself. I create a deadline for myself.  I have a deadline which is June to publish my non fiction book, a memoir of a certain part of my life.  I have finally figured out what to add and what to leave out and how to write it. I am writing it in the first person in the present tense, not past tense.  This is my main focus.  I have a fiction book that I am working on, but that will be on the back burner till this is done. The title is Depression No More, how GOD healed me of my depression and suicidal thoughts.  I feel it is important to be written and cannot go forward until I publish this book. Do you create deadlines for your writing? It can be daily deadlines, weekly, monthly or yearly.  It is good to have goals and deadlines.  I also have decided to take the first week of June off, the

I have been self-publishing since 201.  E-Books on Kindle  is easier to publish than Print books.  I have been using Createspace   since 2011.  I always order a Proof Copy of the Print Copy so I can hold it and see what it exactly what the book looks like.  You can review it on the computer.  I order a copy.  I paid $2.15 plus shipping and handling, under ten dollars.  Then If I want to make changes I can and repeat the process over again.  I used this cover for my print Version of Write and Publish Your Zombie Apocalypse Story It is in E-Book Format   I am in the process of putting all my E-Books into Print. This is the first Episode of Me Vs Zombies  Zombies On Board   Print Something about holding a book in my hands.  I like it rather than the kindle, but times are changing and I am trying to adjust. I realize that kindle starting to do print books.  Right now you can get your book in print, but you can not order print books or order copies at a disco

I have been on the computer for the past 7 hours.  How is your writing doing? Did you reach your writing goals from last week. I have said in the past that I am writing 2 books at the same time. I switched to working on the Non-Fiction  Book last week.  I have it plotted out and 5,000 words typed into the computer. I am well pleased on how much I accomplished.  Though I do have a headache from being on the computer for so long.  My goals for this week is just to write. My head is pounding and I can't focus anymore.  leave a comment on your goals and list your accomplishes.

I have 3 Books on Createspace awaiting to proof the copy.  I ordered proof copies of the books, before I will hit the publish buton.  I want to see what the book looks like.  I want to reread the book in print form and not on the computer.  I want to see how thick the book is.  I paid $5.92 for the proof copy. I think it is worth paying the money, to make sure that is what I send out into the world.  I like holding the book and knowing what is in it. I know that Kindle  is offering print version of your book.  Formatting is different than Createspace.  They do not offer proof copies in print or offer print copies at a discount price. I am staying with Createspace for as long as I can.  I have 6 Books in Print and plan on getting more of my E-Books into print. Where do you stand on print books?  For? Againest?  

Today is Monday.  I had today off and have been on the computer most of the day.  I have worked on 3 books to get them ready for print 1.  Discover Who You Are In Christ 2.  Write & Publish Your Zombie Story 3.  101 Bible Confessions  Updated I also blogged today. Last week while I was at work, I wrote Chapter 3 in Long Hand.  I am now on chapter 4.  I know that this is the rough draft.  I want to get it down on paper, then I can begin the rewrite.  The book is written in my head, I just have to get it on paper.  So the goal for this week I want to write Chapter 4, 3 scenes.  This weekend, The Movie, Kong Skull Island comes out.  I am looking forward to seeing that movie this weekend.  Write whenever and wherever.  Get published in print and e-books.  It is easier than you think.

What Formats are you publishing on? Do you just publish E-Books? Do you publish Print Books? I publish Both.  I have over 50 E-Books on Amazon. I am in the process of publishing all my books into Print. The advantage of Createspace: 1.  You can buy copies at a discounted price.  Buy one or a hundred at a time.  Whatever you want or need. 2.  Print copies are good to giving to reviewers or friends. 3.  You can sell print copies at flea markets, fairs or people you know. 4.  I like to have print copies, just to hold and see them in print. Books I Have In Print: Welcome To Zombie Zoo Zombies Invaded My World My Bible-My GOD Don't be scammed and pay high prices to get you books into print.  Do It Yourself.  Learn a few new things and be a published writer in print and e-books without going into debt. 

I had 2 days off.  I had plans to write.  That didn't happen. I was exhausted.  I managed to blog and that was about it. It is hard to work and write and take care of your family.  It is a balancing act.  Don't beat yourself up.  You are going to have days that you won't be able to write. It doesn't matter who you are.  We all have things that have to come before writing.  That is a fact.  If you don't write one day, the world did not come to an end.  Try to write the next day.  Don't feel guilty or beat yourself up.  Today is a new day. Write something to day.  You are a writer.  Write and move forward.

It is Monday. I had a good writing week.  I wrote for 4 Scenes in longhand last week. This week I want my goal to be 5 scenes written in longhand. I know that it would be easier to just type on the computer, but I am on break or in the truck writing.  I can write fast in longhand and if I make a mistake or want to rewrite somethin, I just cross it out and continue by thought process. It doesn't matter what you use to write, as long as you write everyday.  I have a tendency to write to general.  So with each scene, I take 3 pieces of paper, staple them together and for me, that is one scene.  6 pages,back and front.  So I will continue to write till the pages are fill, won't stop till I do, then when I type them into the computer, It is not just a page or two long scene.  This works for me. I go to work and I have at least 3 sets of paper with me, and that would be 3 scenes.  What are your goals this week?

This is the cover of the book that I am writing now. This is a premade cover.  I purchased it premade book covers   There are a lot of different book covers to choose from.  If I find a cover I like, I will purchase it then when I write the story, I already have the book cover These 4 Book Covers are a Series:  She is working on putting the Titles on and my name I wanted all the covers the same, and just a different Title.  I like buying the premade covers ahead of time.  It inspires me to write and then I don't spend all my time worrying about the cover when I should be writing Do you have your bookcovers? Check out my other Blog

How is your week of writing going.  It is Friday.  What have you done to move your writing career. Yesterday I wrong another scene in long hand.  Today I plan on writing another scene and then chapter one will be done longhand. Then this weekend I will start typing the handwritten pages into the computer.  The part I hate.  I like writing in longhand.  I like writing, but then the work begins when I put it into the computer. What part of writing do you like? Writing? Rewriting? Editing? Writing The Words The End? Writing starts with one word at a time.  Don't have time to write? Write a sentence.  Write a word. Jot down an idea. Do something with your writing everyday and soon you will be writing the words, The End to be published. Today is a new day, forget about yesterday and focus on today. Happy Writing

You only have a sentence or two to catch the readers attention.  Watch any movie and see that something happens in the first few seconds.  You know if you want to watch that movie or not. So what is your opening scene? Open by introducing the main character in her normal world, then BAM something happens to change her world. I wrote the first scene in my novel yesterday at work: Maggie stood on the side of the highway, as cars whizzed by.  "You can do this."  She told herself.  She shifted her backpack..  She focused on the dog that laid in the center lane and then bolted toward the dog, ignoring the traffic, only focusing on the dog. Does this get your attention?  Are you interested in if Maggie gets to the dog or get run over? I wrote the first scene at work yesterday while I was at work.  I have written and rewritten the beginning scene at least five times.  I kept changing the beginning. Now I know this is the scene. If you have been following my blog yo

Do you have problems focusing on your writing My problem is focusing on one story then I get another idea and starting on another.  How do you stay focus. My answer is to work on more than one story then you will never have writer's block While I was at work yesterday I started outlining my fiction novel. Not sure this process will work for everyone.  I don't believe this will work for everyone I write everyday.  I am always writing that is the only way to stay focus on my writing. How do you stay focus on your writing?  I will be outlining the rest of the outline while I am at work. Happy writing

Yesterday's blog listed what I needed to do with all my pages written in long hand. 1.  I typed out my outline.  All 20 Chapters.....If I wasn't sure on all the scenes, I left them blank. I have my plot points and know where I am going and I know the last scene. 2.  I typed in the hand written pages.  This is the first rough draft.  I know that I am going to have to rewrite it, but I need to get something on paper or I will never get it written.  As I am writing, I know that I am finding my voice for this book. 

I am Old School.  I write long hand and then have to type all those pages into the computer. I take my notebook to work.  I write on my lunch and breaks.  This week I was very productive.  I have found my format in which I am going to write my Memoir.  Though it has taken awhile, a few months.  I have decided how to write it.  1.  I have plotted out my Memoir.  What I want to put in and what I want to leave out. I can't put every detail and event in the Memoir. 2.  I found my 3 plot points and know the ending 3.  I have a rough draft of the first three chapters.  Yes, I will have to add detail to them, but I know what I want in those chapters.  So that is 9 scenes written in long hand. For me writing in Longhand lets me be more free and open, because I know that I am going to rewrite all of it.  But it lets my ideas flow and lets me write whatever comes to mind.  I have always written in longhand and it took me awhile to get use to writing on the computer. So what ever

Author's Page February is almost over, how is writing goals?  Meeting your deadlines or word count? This is how my year is going> 1.  I bought a new computer.  Not a fancy computer.  My computer was about ten years old and it was slow and not up today for the internet.  So I have a new computer that is faster.  It doesn't take ten minutes to turn on.  So that is what I did so I can write before I go to work or when I come home. 2.  I have been writing long hand at work.  I have about 20 pages written in longhand.  On my days off I will put them in the computer.  I think better when I write long hand. 3. I am blogging more.  I have my other blog I Am Walking With GOD  which I am also blogging 4.  I have the Zombie Series Me VS Zombies.  Now I feel that I need to write the story of my life.  I have been through a lot.  Writing has kept me sane. So I am working on my life story.  It has taken me about ten rewrites of the beginning to figure out how I want to write

Do you write your story or do you plot it out? Everyone has a different way to write.  There is no right or wrong way.  If you are writing, you are a writer. This is how I am Plotting out my Book I Forgive.  From this Blog Post on, I will be explaining my writing process.  In my book How To Write 12 E-Books In One Year If you want to get your feet wet and write a short story and get it published, this is the way to go. I tell you my process of writing a short story a month for a year. This year, I am writing a 100.000 word novel.  I will be blogging on how I do it, word count and how I find the time to write, while working full time. This is my Simple Plot Outline. Every story has Major Points that move the story forward and changes the characters  This is for 100,000 Word Novel. Plot Point 1 :  Chapter 5 Plot Point 2:  Chapter 10 Plot Point 3 Chapter 15 Dark Moment:  Chapter 18 Resolution:  Chapter 20 For 50,000 Word Novel:  Plot Point 1:  Chap

WRITE REWRITE WRITE REWRITE It is enough to make one crazy. I will write and rewrite, write and rewrite the first chapter again and again and it makes me crazy.  If I don't get the first chapter right, I feel that the rest of the story will go into the wrong direction. I am writing 2 books at one time.  Most writers don't but then I don't have writer's block.  I am always writing. How many times do you write and rewrite. Find My Books I have over 50 E-books on Amazon.  I wrote, edit and published a short story every month till I reached the 50 E-Books.  That was my personal goal.  That is how I learned to write fast, stay focus, edit and publish on my own schedule.  I don't have to answer to anyone except myself.  This year, I am not writing a short story every month.  This year 2017 I am focusing on Blogging and writing a non-fiction book on my life and a fiction novel, based on an incident that happened in my life.  Whether you are writing f

What are you writing? Are your writing for money or from your heart? I wrote Welcome To Zombie Zoo  and Me VS Zombies I enjoyed writing these stories.  Now I am working on the story of my life and a fiction novel on a certain part of my life. I haven't given up writing Zombie Stories but right now this is what I need to write.  I am writing from my heart, whether it is a Zombie Story of a non fiction story.  I write what I feel I need to write at the moment. That is why I am self published, I can jump from genre to genre.  So it doesn't matter what you write as long as you are enjoying what you are writing.  Don't write for money, write from your heart. Don't listen to others, write what you want.  It is your story Facebook

Find A tax person who doesn't think you are crazy. If you are a writer, then you are a business owner.  Your book is the product you are selling. When you are filing your tax person, make sure that person understands that you are taking your writing seriously.  You will file a Schedule C Profit or Loss from business. Amazon will send you a 1099 OR I found my on my dashboard of kdp.  Click on your account on top of page, then click on tax forms..  If you wait for them to show up in the mail, it could be in the middle of February till they arrive. If the tax person tells you that you didn't make enough to claim your writing, then find another tax person My tax person, encourages my writing and takes me seriously.  If I have a loss, I get a refund.  if I made money, I have to pay taxes.  Don't listen to co workers, friends or family, that tells you not to claim your writing.  Look around for a good tax person that you can contact year around.  You made need t

Writing this series taught me how to write fast, anywhere at anytime.  In my book Write Fast & Quickly www.amazon.com/dp/B00SW7GLJC I wrote and published an episode of Me VS Zombies Every Month for a year.  I learned to write fast and quickly.  Not everyone will want to do that.  I was focused and it consumed my time.  In within 2 years, I had 50 E-Books on Amazon. That was my goal.  There are writing courses out there that will charge you to learn to write a book in a week or month.  I took such course after I accomplished my goal.  I learned a bit, but not a lot. If you choose to take one of these courses, remember that anyone can write fast and quickly, depending how determined they are.  We all have lives.  Each one of us, has to determined how determined we are to write everyday.  It is easy to lay on the couch and watch TV. At this moment, I have season 2 of Outlander on as I write this.  There are days that I don't write.  There are

How Much Are You Spending On Self Publishing? I started self-publishing in 2011.  The E-Book Market was not crowded.  I sold books and was on my way to selling millions.  I paid for formatting, book covers, editing. Then Amazon made it easier to format my files, create covers on their site. Then The Authors started creating writing courses.  They were popping up everywhere. Some authors were reasonable. I took a few writing courses.  I learned a lot. THEN: The pod casts and web seminars started popping up. The market is crowded.  It is so easy for anyone to publish on Amazon.  https://kdp.amazon.com  Now people are charging 500 Dollars for writing courses and 10,000 for a life time.  You would be surprised that people are paying for those services. Don't get me wrong, if that is what you want to do, that is fine. Don't think that you have to pay that much to become published. Some authors are paying up to 500 dollars for a book cover.  Th

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR TAX TIME? If you are a self-published writer, you are a business owner.  Your products are your books. Start thinking like a business owner. Have you been saving receipts that are related to your writing last year??? If not, it is time to start for this year. Consult with your tax person when you file your taxes and see if you can deduct expenses for your writing. Are you getting royalty checks for selling your books on line or print books?  Have you spent money on promoting your writing?  Writing Courses?  Writing workshops?  These all could be tax deductable. I have a folder that I keep all my receipts that are related to my writing throughout the year, then I give them to my tax person. When choosing a tax person, make sure they are informed about the tax laws to writing.  If they tell you flat out that you can not claim your writing, you might want to find another one that is willing to work with you. If you think of your writing as a busines

YOUR WRITING SPACE Do you have your own writing space? It doesn't have to be a nice office or a nice desk.  Anywhere you feel comfortable to write.  We are all different.  What works for one person will not work for another. I have a nice desk, and it always seems to have junk mail piled up.  I have a laptop and that gives me the freedom to write where ever.  I like to write in bed, on the couch and even on the bed.  So I don't have one certain place to write.  I would not recommend doing it my way, but it works for me. I have just been trying to organize my writing space for the past hour.  I think I did pretty good, but I have to admit I have a pile on the table, not sure what to do with it.  It is the new year and I am trying to get organize things. I have blogged twice today.  I want to Blog more often, just haven't worked out my blogging schedule yet.  I think that would go under organizing my writing space. SOME TIPS ON ORGANIZING: 1.  I refuse to throw

Welcome To 2017! I have my goals listed. I have bought new notebooks and pens.  Needless to say, I try to organize my office, but I am just moving piles or papers and magazines from one spot to another.  I know I should throw some of it away, but when it comes to my writing, I just can't. My main purpose for this blog is for you to learn from my mistakes.  I have always been a writer, since the day I picked up a pencil.  I published my first book My Bible--My GOD www.amazon.com/dp/B006N0ZDGW or Print www.createspace.com/3951775 I have been writing and publishing ever since.  I have learned as I went and make mistakes.  The purpose of this blog is to tell you how not to SCAMMED. The self-publishing market is flooded.  Amazon made is so simple to publish that everyone is doing it.  So of course there are a lot of people promoting their writing courses for outrageous amounts of money.  You might learn something from the course, but will it be worth it to be into debt? I hav