It took me nearly three hours, but www.TraceyCramerKelly.com is finally reorganized and ALMOST up-to-date (I still need to write a good teaser for True Surrender). Not "done" of course - a web site is never "done"!
But I AM ahead of schedule (for once) - I had targeted January 1 as the 'launch' date for the new site.
Whilst working on this, I came across a treasure trove of short essays and commentaries I wrote as part of the virtual blog tour last year. It made me realize just how far I've come (sometimes I lose sight of that).
One of the main questions during the tour was how long I've been writing. I wrote during high school but never with any intention of publishing. In college, my creative outlet was music. Later I got into the beaded jewelry craze, but that phased out after my son was born (beads and toddlers don't mix well). In the meantime, I would write when the muse struck, and eventually I had a half-dozen novels (or, more specifically, parts and pieces of). What you see on the site now are those seeds finally growing into something!
Showing posts with label why write fiction romance novel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label why write fiction romance novel. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Defining Moment as a Writer - Part II (see November for Part I)
There were two.
The first: holding the "draft copy" of Last Chance Rescue. I was in awe. I caressed the cover; I kept opening the front flap to look at my name inside. The hundreds of hours, the agonizing over edits, and the painstaking care I'd taken in the details of the book and its presentation (cover, layout, etc.) were suddenly all worth it. (Never mind that no one had seen it yet!)
The second: being named as a Finalist in the 2009 Indie Awards. I had struggled with getting the word out about Last Chance Rescue - the requisite "self promotion" doesn't come naturally. But here was someone else (not just me) saying the book was good! It was validation in its truest sense, and came at a pivotal time.
And now...I can't wait to do it again! (Novel #2 is about a military officer's harrowing experience at the hand of terrorists, and his personal journey to learn what is truly worth fighting for, and what True Surrender means.)
And that, more than anything else, may just be the true mark of an author. Because writing is hard work - and it doesn't pay the bills for many of us. I do it because there are stories that refuse NOT to be told. There are times I think to myself, 'why in the world would I want to do that again?' and yet...I can't resist.
So perhaps there's a third defining moment that is ongoing!
The first: holding the "draft copy" of Last Chance Rescue. I was in awe. I caressed the cover; I kept opening the front flap to look at my name inside. The hundreds of hours, the agonizing over edits, and the painstaking care I'd taken in the details of the book and its presentation (cover, layout, etc.) were suddenly all worth it. (Never mind that no one had seen it yet!)
The second: being named as a Finalist in the 2009 Indie Awards. I had struggled with getting the word out about Last Chance Rescue - the requisite "self promotion" doesn't come naturally. But here was someone else (not just me) saying the book was good! It was validation in its truest sense, and came at a pivotal time.
And now...I can't wait to do it again! (Novel #2 is about a military officer's harrowing experience at the hand of terrorists, and his personal journey to learn what is truly worth fighting for, and what True Surrender means.)
And that, more than anything else, may just be the true mark of an author. Because writing is hard work - and it doesn't pay the bills for many of us. I do it because there are stories that refuse NOT to be told. There are times I think to myself, 'why in the world would I want to do that again?' and yet...I can't resist.
So perhaps there's a third defining moment that is ongoing!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
What I Like to Drink and other Oddball Questions
J.A. Saare had some fun, unusual questions for me today, including this one: "What's your favorite beverage when you write?"
My answer: If I'm home: wine (white zinfandel is a favorite) or Hornsby's hard apple cider. (I also like Smirnoff Ice but it's too much high fructose corn syrup.) If I'm stealing an hour at a café, I'm smitten with Panera's mango smoothie.
See what other oddball tidbits Jaime got out of me here!
My answer: If I'm home: wine (white zinfandel is a favorite) or Hornsby's hard apple cider. (I also like Smirnoff Ice but it's too much high fructose corn syrup.) If I'm stealing an hour at a café, I'm smitten with Panera's mango smoothie.
See what other oddball tidbits Jaime got out of me here!
Monday, November 16, 2009
What is the Hardest Thing about Writing?
Today I'm being "hosted" by Book Junkie! Here's one of the questions:
For you, what is the hardest part of writing a novel? Concept, Characterization, Plotting, Writing the story, Synopsis/Query letter writing, etc.?
I think it's ALL hard! Thank goodness I don't have to do it for a living! Characterization is a challenge. I do better if I take time up front to flesh out the characters before I start writing, but if I've been inspired, I'm off and writing before I've got a full 'picture' of a particular character in my head. And writing the story often comes down to just putting my butt in the chair. I often find it more enjoyable to just daydream and fantasize about it...getting it onto the computer screen is much more difficult!
For you, what is the hardest part of writing a novel? Concept, Characterization, Plotting, Writing the story, Synopsis/Query letter writing, etc.?
I think it's ALL hard! Thank goodness I don't have to do it for a living! Characterization is a challenge. I do better if I take time up front to flesh out the characters before I start writing, but if I've been inspired, I'm off and writing before I've got a full 'picture' of a particular character in my head. And writing the story often comes down to just putting my butt in the chair. I often find it more enjoyable to just daydream and fantasize about it...getting it onto the computer screen is much more difficult!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
"My Defining Moment" on today's book tour stop
Today I'm at LONG LIVE CHICK LIT! Here's a teaser...
I've tended to “grow into” each new identity.
Being a writer is no different.
Perhaps I should pause here and try to define the difference between "writer" and "author" (in my opinion). I do this because I've been a writer since I was in my teens; I wrote for fun and relaxation with no thought to ever being "published." Almost anyone can write (maybe not well, but they do).
Being an author, on the other hand, requires a more intentional approach - and a whole lot more persistence! (And in many ways, it's also tied to publication.)
Until recently, I didn't consider myself an author.
In fact, I'm still getting used to the idea (e.g., "growing into" that identity)!
So what was the defining moment?
There were two...
Read the rest here!
I've tended to “grow into” each new identity.
Being a writer is no different.
Perhaps I should pause here and try to define the difference between "writer" and "author" (in my opinion). I do this because I've been a writer since I was in my teens; I wrote for fun and relaxation with no thought to ever being "published." Almost anyone can write (maybe not well, but they do).
Being an author, on the other hand, requires a more intentional approach - and a whole lot more persistence! (And in many ways, it's also tied to publication.)
Until recently, I didn't consider myself an author.
In fact, I'm still getting used to the idea (e.g., "growing into" that identity)!
So what was the defining moment?
There were two...
Read the rest here!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
ME - a Writer??
I figured it would be a routine trip to the library. I go there often, and this time I stopped to chat with Diana (the head librarian). As I exited the library, a teenage girl stopped me to ask about Last Chance Rescue. Her questions boiled down to essentially this: how did I become a writer?
My attempt at answers felt entirely inadequate!
Fifteen minutes later, back in my car after picking up my daughter at daycare, I reflected on this question. The truth is, I've written all my life. But I have never thought of myself as a "writer"! Why, I wonder? Because I have so many other identifications (mom, wife, daughter, sister ... business owner ... motorcyclist ... you get the idea) that it had not occurred to me to add "writer" to that list?
Or is it because I don't "write" as a job? Honestly, I couldn't do it - it is HARD WORK! (And, I might add, not exactly a highly-paid occupation.) In fact, I wonder sometimes WHY I have undertaken a second one!
But the answer is "Yes" - I am a writer. I'm still getting used to that idea. The day I held my first copy of Last Chance Rescue was the first time I thought: oh my gosh, I'm an AUTHOR! Was it easy? NO WAY!! But do I like the feeling? YOU BET!
My attempt at answers felt entirely inadequate!
Fifteen minutes later, back in my car after picking up my daughter at daycare, I reflected on this question. The truth is, I've written all my life. But I have never thought of myself as a "writer"! Why, I wonder? Because I have so many other identifications (mom, wife, daughter, sister ... business owner ... motorcyclist ... you get the idea) that it had not occurred to me to add "writer" to that list?
Or is it because I don't "write" as a job? Honestly, I couldn't do it - it is HARD WORK! (And, I might add, not exactly a highly-paid occupation.) In fact, I wonder sometimes WHY I have undertaken a second one!
But the answer is "Yes" - I am a writer. I'm still getting used to that idea. The day I held my first copy of Last Chance Rescue was the first time I thought: oh my gosh, I'm an AUTHOR! Was it easy? NO WAY!! But do I like the feeling? YOU BET!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
TIME: Obstacle AND Gift
Today I had a very enjoyable interview with Ms. Tammy Sapp of Womens Outdoor Wire (http://www.womensoutdoorwire.com). One of the things I mentioned during the conversation stayed with me afterward, and it's about TIME.
The greatest obstacle I have in my writing life is TIME. Writing takes a lot of TIME! And when you have a business to run (http://www.LeaderMotorcycle.com) and young children to rear, along with the commitments we adults tend to accumulate, it doesn't leave much TIME for writing.
My writing time is usually between 9 and 11 pm -- after my children are in bed and all is quiet, and IF (that's a big "if" sometimes) I have any brain power left. It took me two years to complete "Last Chance Rescue"!
BUT -- and this is the key -- TIME has also been my biggest gift. What I mean by that is: I am given another day...EVERY DAY! A fresh slate every morning...to make what I will of it.
And therein lies my point: It's important to me that I spend my time on the things that MATTER. Not by someone else's definition, but my OWN. Every person is different, but to me, WRITING MATTERS. It is part of what fulfills ME (amongst many things, of course, but this IS an author blog, after all...)
It's difficult to do sometimes -- we are all busy and feel pulled in ten directions at once -- but I make a conscious effort to evaluate how I'm spending my time. And every now and then, I even have to say "NO"!
The greatest obstacle I have in my writing life is TIME. Writing takes a lot of TIME! And when you have a business to run (http://www.LeaderMotorcycle.com) and young children to rear, along with the commitments we adults tend to accumulate, it doesn't leave much TIME for writing.
My writing time is usually between 9 and 11 pm -- after my children are in bed and all is quiet, and IF (that's a big "if" sometimes) I have any brain power left. It took me two years to complete "Last Chance Rescue"!
BUT -- and this is the key -- TIME has also been my biggest gift. What I mean by that is: I am given another day...EVERY DAY! A fresh slate every morning...to make what I will of it.
And therein lies my point: It's important to me that I spend my time on the things that MATTER. Not by someone else's definition, but my OWN. Every person is different, but to me, WRITING MATTERS. It is part of what fulfills ME (amongst many things, of course, but this IS an author blog, after all...)
It's difficult to do sometimes -- we are all busy and feel pulled in ten directions at once -- but I make a conscious effort to evaluate how I'm spending my time. And every now and then, I even have to say "NO"!
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