Perseverance : #IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool Facebook group). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring. 

Happy Wednesday, everyone! This time of year is always hectic. On top of the holidays this year, I decided to have a book release on 11/12 for Chasing Destiny (Tala Prophecy, Book 3). I'm excited, but crazy busy and often overwhelmed.

So, I thought today would be a great day to remind us all...

The lovely Janet Wallace shared this quote earlier this week, and then she drilled home the idea during Week 3's chat in the Stand Up. Stand Out. RakeItIn. Part II class. (If you don't know about this class, you must check it out Janet's Social Deviants website.)

Most successful people have the will to push through and never give up. It's all about persevering. So, I wanted to encourage each and every one of you to keep going. Though the path is windy and often exhausting, the destination will be worth it. 

One of the things that keeps me going is having an Inspiration Board. It's full of quotes and ideas of what my goal is. In the coming weeks, I will be sharing some of these and what they mean to me.

But, also, in my latest book, I needed to inspire my character to keep her head in the game against all odds, to not quit. "With Faith, We Fight" became her battle cry. It has also become mine. (Funny how writing characters helps us with our own lives sometimes.)

At first, we must believe. But we can't just sit back and hope things will come to us. We have to fight for them.

So, carry on and continue to fight and persevere.

Oh, and please share what keeps you motivated. I love new tricks. 

Find Your Tribe : #IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool Facebook group). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring.

Wow. I almost didn't make it this month. It's 10:30pm West coast time, so I guess I technically missed posting on Wednesday in a few time zones.

My last few weeks have been crazy. One thing I've noticed when too many things are happening at once... I start to doubt myself.

My focus wanes, and I start noticing all the incredible people around me who seem to have it together and are thriving. Life piles up, and I feel less and less capable as I juggle more and more things being thrown at me.

But thank the good Lord I have some people within the writing industry I can always turn to. Whether it's my StandUp Indies Private group, my happy buddy, or one of my awesome Fractured Glass/Seven ladies, I know there are people who will love me even when I'm in the pit and are there to help pull me out of it. Who aren't there to judge or belittle. 

I am so thankful for these people, and for many of you in this awesome group who come forward with advice or a good cheer to keep moving forward.

Since we all fall into insecurity's clutches from time to time, make sure and find your tribe. They are invaluable.

When's the last time you connected to your Tribe? If it's been a while, reach out. If you don't need them, they might just need you.

Lose Sight of the Shore : #IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool Facebook group). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring.

With the insanity of summer and kids being at home (my girls just started 10th, 8th, and 5th grades), I missed last month's posting. I'm glad to be back and look forward to checking in on as many people as I can.

Lately, my biggest fear is playing it too safe.

I've reached a point in my writing career (that shows a great first step, I called it career instead of something else) where I am not unhappy with my successes. However, I tend to be conservative... always playing it too safe.

To get to the next level, I have to take bigger chances and push the envelope. Which, inevitably, means there will be some failure.

Ugh. I. Hate. That. Word.

I know I can't get to the next step with a spotless record of success. I can't fear failure.

So, please help me out. Inspire Me! What are your favorite inspirational quotes surrounding success? Please share in the comments. I would greatly appreciate it.

My self-confidence thanks you.

Finding My Community : #IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool Facebook group). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring.

I just came back from UtopYA, an awesome conference in Nashville for readers and writers. It's such a powerful, fulfilling conference. I left with goals, plans, and feeling pumped up. Being around people who get you will do that.

But I know what's coming... I felt the same way last year. Yet within a few weeks, I was depressed and missing the beauty of my community. Since moving to California, I haven't found a local contingent of writers. And sometimes I really need to be around other writers to nourish my soul.

Any advice for finding a close network of writers?

No Matter What You Do : #IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool Facebook group). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring.

I just read an article about Why 20% of People Will Never Like You. 

A snippet from the article:

The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, was proposed by Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist who noticed that statistics rarely broke down into even 50/50 dynamics. Instead, they more often broke down into 80/20 categories.  

What he proposed is something like this: 

About 80% of your health problems are likely being caused by only 20% of what you eat. Or 80% of your companies profit is coming from 20% of its products. Or 80% of your relational frustrations are being caused by 20% of your relationships.

The author of the article then went on to say that no matter what you do 20% of people will not like you. No matter what. I really needed to hear this. Too often, I spend precious time trying to please the naysayers. Even worse, I worry about why certain people don't connect with me.

Sometimes the 20% are louder, so it seems like a larger group. Plus, negativity always drags me down quicker than positivity can keep me afloat. That's a shame, and something I need to change, especially since insecurity feeds off those 20%. 

So, today, focus on the amazing people in your life who support you and put a smile on your face. For the rest, remember that you simply can't make everyone happy. No. Matter. What. You. Do.

What do you think of this theory?

What If Nobody Shows : #IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool Facebook group). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring.

I am attending a book conference, where I will have an exhibitor table for two days and a signing table for one, and a strictly author signing event this summer.

My biggest fear... what if nobody stops by to talk to me? What if they walk by, and as soon as I smile, they look down and run away?

Even more daunting... they stop to talk, but veer away from any attempts to talk about the book?

I love people and interacting with them. I can talk all day and enjoy it. But, in all honesty, my job there is to get the word out about my book. I've thought about swag, but I notice a lot of people pick it up and keep going. Swag often is treated like McDonalds toys -- Moms, you know what I mean here -- it's a new, shiny object for a day, and then it gets tossed.

Any advice?

Finally Figured It Out : #IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool Facebook group). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring.

Welcome to another edition of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. My April is starting off well. On April 14, I will release my fifth book, Chasing Forgiveness, a prequel novella in my Tala Prophecy series.

Just in time for this release, I finally figured out the trick to successful marketing.

Can you believe it? 

Okay, it's my lame attempt at an April Fool's Day joke.

However, I have figured out something about marketing. What works changes (thanks to ever changing trends) and it's not the same for everyone. 

I have to find what works for me and experiment with different strategies. For my latest release, I'm trying new types of giveaways, ramping up a newsletter subscription, and using Kindle Countdown for the first time (to run a sale on my previous release and my new release at the same time). I'm looking forward to seeing what works and what doesn't. 

Just as importantly, I want to develop a marketing strategy that complements my personality and strengths. I promise to report on my findings. One thing is for sure... this is the first time I've been excited about book marketing/promotion. That's definitely a step in the right direction.

What marketing epiphany have you had recently?

Oh, and Happy April Fool's Day. Enjoy!

National Grammar Day : Grammar & Writing Tips and #IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool Facebook group). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring.

I normally reschedule my Wednesday programming -- Grammar & Writing Tips -- to bring you my #IWSG post.

But today is National Grammar Day!

There's something I truly believe every book needs... an editor.

If you choose not to hire one, please ask a grammar-loving friend or acquaintance to help you out. A wonderful story can help me over editing bumps, but it has to be a killer story. Even then, I can hit my limit.

Although I'm an editor for Indie Books Gone Wild, I do not edit my own work. Scratch that. I edit it several times, and then I hand it over to another editor. I'm always embarrassed by what she finds (thank you, Jo Michaels!), which just proves how much you need an unbiased eye. 

If you need a handy guide for your self-edits, check out Grammar Girl's Editing Checklist. It's a great resource!

All that being said, I worry myself to death about mistakes. No book is perfect. I've seen traditionally-published books with mistakes. At some point, you have to let it go. Just don't give readers an easy out; there are too many books out there to choose from.

My insecurity monster has enough to feed on, so I make sure editing issues don't fuel the fire.

What's your biggest editing pet-peeve? Can you look past poor editing for the right book?

Hope everyone has an amazing Wednesday and a month full of words!

Goals & Renewed Focus: #IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool Facebook group). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring.

I've rescheduled my normal Wednesday programming -- Grammar & Writing Tips -- to bring you my #IWSG post. Reading others' pieces and reflecting on my own writing dilemmas and insecurities has been an invaluable experience for me.

Oh, and I totally missed that we were supposed to introduce ourselves in January, so I'm doing it here.

I write young adult and women's fiction. My fourth novel, Fractured Glass (which is one story written by five authors), came out December 24, 2014, and I have a novella in my young adult paranormal series coming out next month. In addition, I'm an editor for Indie Books Gone Wild. I love everything about words, even when my teenagers are hurling them at me. All kidding aside, I have three amazing girls (14, 13 & 9) and my husband and I will celebrate 20 years of marriage next month.

Last month, I talked about the importance of Defining Me. To accelerate my progress, I signed up for a course by the amazing Janet Wallace, she of UtopYA awesomeness: StandUP. StandOUT. Rake It In. More information can be found here. We just had our first class on February 2, and it was amazing!

There's something I've realized on this journey... before I can define myself, I have to first let go of the things holding me back. I've discovered two major things get in my way:

Comparing Myself to Others

Focusing on the Negative

These should be simple to stop, right? Yet, not so much. I love seeing my fellow Indies succeed, but then the insecurity monster creeps in. Why am I not reaching that level of success? Why am I not selling as many books?

In addition, I spend more time worrying about the few negative comments about my books than focusing on all the wonderful compliments I've received. 

I have no doubt writing is part of who I am. Now, I need to put the time and energy into...

Defining My Own Success

Focusing on the Positive and Striving for More

How to do this? Oh, that's the part I'm still figuring out. Janet's course is a huge step in the right direction, but it's going to take a lot of soul searching and setting attainable, but challenging, goals. I'm pushing fear back--knowing I'll still have days where it takes over--and moving forward.

Do you set goals for the year? What do you base them on (e.g., sales, production, reader enthusiasm, etc.)?

I look forward to catching up with this awesome community (although I admit to just getting around to January's #IWSG posts in the last few days).

Defining Me & Marketing: #IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool Facebook group). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring.

Wow. It's 2015! 

Thanks to a Christmas-Eve release of Fractured Glass, I now have four published books. I hope to increase that to six by June of this year.

My writing confidence has grown in the last year. Don't get me wrong... I still have those moments when I'm staring at the screen and wondering what the Hell I'm doing, but those moments seem to be fewer and farther between. 

Now, if I could only build my marketing confidence.

I've done a lot of soul searching since I turned 40. I don't know why, but I seem to over-analyze everything about my life since then (August 2012). My whole life I moved, and I was a character with an ever-changing role. I adapted to fit in. I've continued to move about every two to three years even as an adult. 

Then, at 40, I woke up (after yet another move) and realized why I felt so uncomfortable at marketing. As authors, we--at least in part--have to sell ourselves. I'm still figuring out what that means. The more I'm around other authors--UtopYA was a life-changing experience for me--the more I realize who I am and who I want to be. I am finding my authentic self. (Thank God it's never too late!).

But, it's hard. I don't want to "try too hard" or create another persona. 

One thing I've definitely learned... to find yourself, you have to stop making everyone else happy. That's all I've ever done. Writing is the first time I really stepped outside of others' wants and did something for myself. It's scary.

During this journey, I've often felt more like hiding than shouting my successes or achievements at the top of my lungs. It leaves me feeling raw and vulnerable.

Any suggestions for marketing that feels a bit less exposed? I'm feeling rather protective of my fragile state right now. I've made a lot of progress to self-discovery, and I don't want to slide back down the mountain, so to speak.

For now, I'm climbing and gaining confidence as I go. I'm getting to define who I want to be. Really, when you think about it, as scary as it is, how awesome is that? Once I get to the top, I think shouting will be no problem, because I will be so thrilled to be there. Until then, I'm being good to myself while pushing harder than I ever have. 

Here's to an awesome year of self-discovery! *raises wine glass*

A Black Cloud: #IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool Facebook group). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring.

First of all, I wanted to let everyone know that The Insecure Writer's Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond is available. Find out more here.

I plan on downloading a copy later today!

Now, it's time for my insecurity for December. Actually, it's more of a concern/fear.

The novella I just finished and the book I'm currently working on have some intensely emotional scenes. Unfortunately, I can't shake them. I feel like I'm walking around with a dark cloud, and I'm finding it hard to concentrate and get other things done.

What can I do to shake this heaviness? I need to get back to writing, editing, and life. I tried writing some lighter scenes, but the novella really doesn't have any, and that's the one I need to get back to (editing, etc).

When It All Comes Flooding Back: #IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool Facebook group). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring. 

It's NaNo time again!

This will mark my third year as a participant. Both previous years, I came out a winner and ended up months later publishing the manuscripts (after several rounds of edits).

So, I know I can do it. 

Still, every single time I open up to a blank page, the same worries and insecurities come flooding back. I should be able to push them back, but I find they become more intense the longer I write.

Can I still craft an interesting story readers will be drawn to?

Will the ideas keep coming and the characters continue to speak to me?

What if readers who loved the first two books are disappointed?

Then, the biggest one hits.

What do I do now that I'm finishing this series?

Eek! In part, I appreciate the fears because they remind me how passionate I am about writing. I never want to be on auto-pilot, just pumping stuff out because I can. So, all in all, I think this keeps me on my toes. 

So, maybe insecurities are a good thing. 

Thoughts?

5 Quick Self-Editing Tips: #IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool Facebook group). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring. 

Today is a special day for IWSG. From Alex's blog:

Today marks the one year anniversary since the IWSG site and Facebook group opened. We invite all IWSG members, Facebook members, and followers to contribute to The IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond, whether you are a writer on the journey or a published author. Post your contribution today or email your submission to the IWSG or me. Full details posted today at the IWSG site.

Month after month, many IWSG posts touch on topics related to producing quality work. While there's no all-encompassing advice to ensure a 5-star hit, one of the most important parts of publishing is...

Editing.

In a perfect world, we'd all have the disposable money to hire editors. At a minimum, I think it's money well spent to hire a proofreader, however. Still, you'll need to self-edit first. There's so much I can say on the topic, but I'll keep it short and sweet.

5 Quick Self-Editing Tips

1. Walk Away

It sounds simple, but let your manuscript breathe. The closer we are to the project, the harder it will be to edit. Our brain will fill in the gaps and simply read what we intended.

2. Read Out Loud

Another way to overcome knowing our material is to read it out loud. This is particularly effective with dialog. Do you stumble when you read it? If so, it's not natural. This is also an excellent way to pick up missing words or awkward sentences.

3. Commas

Commas, in my opinion as an editor, are the most misused punctuation mark. Either they are overused, weighing down sentences, or severely lacking, losing the reader in a muddy wasteland of words. 

Couple of quick comma pointers:

- Can it stand alone?

It was snowing hard, creating a foggy sky of white. (creating on cannot stand alone = comma)
My favorite sport is lacrosse; it's challenged and fast-paced. (it's on could stand alone = ;)

- City and State/City and Country

He returned to San Francisco, California, after a fun trip to Paris, France, to see friends. (after both city & state, city & country)

- Dates

Amy will return for the June 12, 2015, graduation.
Amy will return for the June 2015 graduation.
(use comma after date and year -- if only month and year, no commas)

- Quotes

Commas go within quotation marks. " ," not " ", 

4. Search & Find

If you know you have problem areas (overuse that, very, really, just), do a Search & Find to pinpoint issues and fix them. Also, watch out for commonly misused words. Examples: their/they're/there, lose/loose, its/it's, your/you're, led/lead, lie/lay (lay is the past tense of lie -- crazy,  I know!), effect/affect, reign/rein, piqued/peaked/peeked. Search and destroy.

5. Read

Sounds so simple, doesn't it? Yet, it's so important. Train your eyes to spot issues and to recognize beautiful wording. It really helps. Read for pleasure, read fellow writers' work and offer critique, and help your kids edit their papers (this helps me!).

I plan to do a running series of common editing issues--highlighting ones I find when I edit other writers' novels, as well as my own. Please let me know any issues you'd like to see covered.

For Anthology purposes, should my entry be used: 

I'm Tia Silverthorne Bach, award-winning author of Women's Fiction and Young Adult novels, and an editor at Indie Books Gone Wild. My website: http://www.tiabach.com/

I give permission for my entry to be included in the eBook compilation without royalties and/or separate compensation.

Tortoise & the Hare: #IWSG & #ROW80

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool Facebook group). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring. 

My biggest insecurity right now is the moving bar of independent publishing success.

When I published my first book, every post I read said it took three books to start really seeing indie success. It made sense... those who stuck with it, and didn't just publish one book hoping to hit it big, would win the tortoise and the hare race.

In May, I published my third book. Yay, time for the slam dunk success. I was ready. So, of course, now I'm reading it takes five books. What?! My fear... it's an ever-moving target, and I'll never catch it. 

Don't get me wrong, I've seen increasing sales with each book. Chasing Shadows has outsold its predecessor already. I appreciate the movement in the right direction, and I still believe I'm doing what I need to do, but...

More than anything, it's defining what success is. Although I understand success isn't all about money, it is one of the measurements. And I'll be honest... I'd really like to reach bestseller status, although I'm not sure I completely understand how to define that, either.

Guess I'll shoot for the fifth book! If nothing else, these moving targets are keeping me writing.

Do you ever feel like "success" is just beyond your reach?

*****

A Round of World in 80 Days (ROW80) Update

Wednesdays are also my check ins for ROW80. 

I'm a bad girl. I missed Sunday's check in, but I do have happy news to share. Chasing Shadows won as a Finalist in the Young Adult Paranormal category of the 2014 Reader's Favorite International Book Awards. I'm so proud! 

Also, I finished an edit and proofread last week. I have another edit starting next Monday, so my goal is to kick out some words on Chasing Forgiveness between now and then. After all, I need to get books four and five out soon!

Don't forget to check my blog every Monday and Friday through October for my Meet Some #UtopYA2014 Lovelies (Unofficial) Series. I have a great line up of authors, bloggers, and more. To see the schedule, please click here.

Oh, and Chasing Memories was selected to be in an amazing box set, Destiny Calling, to benefit Love is Louder. Please stop by tomorrow for more information.