Tag Archives: gratitude

Writer Life: To begin 4 years of resistance

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I am trying to be upbeat as I write this, because as Maureen and Dan keep reminding us in the Says Who Podcast (you should go listen if you haven’t) Trump should never steal our joy. These are going to be rocky times ahead.

In response, it’s time to live my life out fully, use any platform I can to resist and get on with creating. Diverse voices are more important than ever, and as a lesbian fiction author, I need to not be scared of that. It would be easy to pretend this wasn’t really happening, but looking the other way isn’t a valid choice. That normalises the terrible and gives a free pass to those who perpetrate it, until they become emboldened to do worse things. Then before you know it, we’re living out Lord of the Flies and any one of us come end up like Piggy.

I even feel sorry for  those Trump supporters who are so angry and blinded by their decision that they refuse to see when he is doing the very things that will damage them most. You know, the ones who say ‘suck it snowflake’ when people try to point out that the Affordable Care Act covers them at the moment. And there is no credible replacement.

The people who would rather pay $1000 to be able to say ‘I shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s healthcare’ than pay $500 and everyone, including themselves, be covered. Oddly, these people seem mostly Christians, so missing the point doesn’t even begin to cover it.

If you’re reading this and feeling suicidal or helpless, support numbers will be running with extra staff this weekend around the world. Around the world – not just America. Call them if you need to. You are not alone. If you’re just feeling regular kinds of helpless, then find a cause that could use your help and go be with people like yourself. Do something.

So, onto the roundup of the week…

Creative – new ideas and first drafts

This has been an ideas and notebooks kind of week. I admit to indecision. There are two main ideas vying for my attention right now. Both are shiny and exciting. I need to make a decision on which is the strongest and most enjoyable to write.

 

Editing – the slow, tortuous road to publication

Final edits were completed on my non-lesbian fiction novella, which was a relief. The final book cover got signed off with relative ease too, which was my biggest concern. For an independent author, these things can be surprisingly difficult. However, the best thing of all is that you get creative control – a lot of my traditionally published friends are lamenting the loss of that a lot these days.

Publishing – and all the other bits that go on behind the scenes

Another book published. Whoo hoo! Sadly, it’s not for this particular version of me. The good news if you’re reading this though is that it means I’m free to begin the next lesbian romance novel(la). I’m going to give myself the weekend off and then it’ll be into the first draft on Monday (assuming I make aforementioned decision).

Planning and dreaming – what’s coming up next week

As well as writing, I’ve got to sort out some travel bits and pieces ready for my extended research trip. Things like visas are particularly difficult. Most countries haven’t really got to grips with the fact you can be a freelancer and independent author. Given the Brexit uncertainty, I need to make sure I do things right.

 

Writing Best Bits

Sending something new out into the world is always a good thing. There are plenty of reasons to celebrate if you know where to look for them. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.

Weekly success score: 8/10 – A less manic right-to-the-wire publication schedule next time would be nice. Also, I’ve been enjoying the last week of the Obamas before we lose our role models of public decency.

New Year, New Goals

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Happy New Year Everyone!

So, the first week of 2017 is done and dusted (I’m not including the weekend – that’s fun time). Unsurprisingly, it has been back to the grindstone and the shock has been made worse by two weeks of just hanging out with family and friends.

In amongst that downtime, I was able to take a day or two to really think about what I want to get out of 2017. For anyone who has been following this blog, or any of my social media accounts for that matter, it is probably obvious that I’ve wanted to move away from technical/non-fiction projects and more towards fiction. I also want to have more autonomy over those non-fiction projects.

The first quarter of the year will therefore be all about tying up loose ends. I don’t want to abandon any existing commitments because I am not that kind of person, but I’ll start to wrap things up soon. I want to have the time to focus on my creativity and my health. Both are hugely important to me and both have slipped down the list in 2016 when more urgent things came along. I want to enter the second quarter of the year working on things that matter to me, so I’ve made that my goal.

2016 was also a terrible year when it came to the sudden and rapid rise of right wing thinking. Another thing I want to do is take some free time I gain from certain projects ending and plough it into social causes. Because we all know where this leads when we all sit back and hope someone else will stop Hitler Trump/Farage type people.

Oh, and more travel. The good kind.

So those are my overarching plans for 2017. Breaking them down, I’m planning to get back to doing a weekly recap. Hopefully this will be interesting for anyone following a writing process in general but will also keep me accountable on some level.

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Creative – new ideas and first drafts

I’ve been working on a new short story, which I’ll probably publish under a pseudonym as it doesn’t fit with my other C K Martin work (which some would argue is unfocused enough already). However, I’m challenging myself and trying to improve my writing on a technical level, which is a great way to start the year. I’m also throwing an idea around for a lesbian romance novella, so if anyone has any opinions on whether or not they like to reader shorter length fiction, then please drop a note in the comments.

Editing – the slow, tortuous road to publication

I’ve been editing a synopsis and sample chapters for a writer friend, ready for competition submission. To be fair, I much prefer doing edits for other people than I do for myself. It’s been a struggle to do it properly through the post Christmas wine and mince pie withdrawal though.

Publishing – and all the other bits that go on behind the scenes

I’ve started to throw together some book cover ideas for the short story mentioned above. Given the length and the fact it is a little bit experimental, the goal is to move from draft to publication very quickly. I’m also trying to work out the pros and cons of Amazon’s new paperback option vs CreateSpace, so that’s a nice new challenge too.

Planning and dreaming – what’s coming up next week

I’m planning to get into heavy editing and pre-publication work next week so that I can then move onto the next project. I have a few days currently unscheduled to other projects, so I am fully intending to take advantage of them.

Writing Best Bits

Getting back into the swing of things has actual felt amazing. Although a heavy cold (presumably like the one the Queen had?) dragged me down in November and then it was non-stop social events in December so I was a bit rusty, I still managed to get in 1500 words each morning before 7:15. It feels good to come back to something you love and not get the fear of the blank page when you arrive.

Weekly success score: 7/10 – The writing was good, but I still keep remembering that people voted Trump for president. It’s like a daily slap in the face with a wet fish.

Writer Life: Back To The Real World

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Of course, the ‘Real World’ and ‘Dystopian Fiction’ can be used somewhat interchangeably at the moment. I have spent much of the last three weeks offline and away from constant (social) media, but that didn’t stop several days of general anxiety taking over. It was impossible to escape the reality of the American presidential election, but having time away to focus on writing was a lovely coincidence of timing that turned out to be sorely needed.

It always helps when that writing retreat is based somewhere warm and sunny. I love Spanish food and the laid back lifestyle (although it saddens me to see that it’s become less so each year I travel there). I have enjoyed strong cups of coffee, looking out over the ocean and listening to the chatter of a language I only partially understand all around me. I loved having a notebook and a pen, rather than a screen. I have made some new characters and maybe even some new friends. It’s what living the life of a writer should be all about and I’m not ashamed to enjoy it when it happens.

So, back to the weekly recap…

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Creative – new ideas and first drafts

As you might expect from the above, lots of creative juices have been flowing since my last post. I have fully plotted out the next two lesbian romances I intend to write. One is a novella and one is a summer romance/beach read. Being me, even the summer romance will have some slightly darker undertones. I just can’t help myself.

I still haven’t quite completed NaNoWriMo, but the last few thousand words should happen this weekend. I have probably completed it already in terms of words written on other projects, but I’d rather do it properly and spend a few hours completing the it on the same novel on Sunday. Also, maths. I can’t be bothered pulling all those numbers in from various notebooks.

Editing – the slow, tortuous road to publication

Not much editing while I was away, which is good. I only take the iPad while travelling for less than a month, and doing edits on that device isn’t the easiest. So there were some minor tweaks I needed to make, but nothing too significant.

Publishing – and all the other bits that go on behind the scenes

I hoped to be able to publish a little Christmas something, more for fun than anything else. However, with the extended travel and stress of the past few weeks, I’ve decided not to. Whilst there are many disadvantages to being an Indie author, I see this as a positive thing. I took a look at what was completed and, regardless of whether or not it was meant to be lighthearted, made a call that I wasn’t happy enough with the quality. I’d rather can thousands of words, or put them on the back burner, than release something just not right.

However, The Crochet Killer and A Taste To Die For are going to be on offer for the next week as part of a Kindle deal, so if you don’t have them yet, then head on over and grab them while they’re over 50% off. Let’s face it, most people have been rushed off their feet with either family commitments or election misery, so I’m more than happy to give people an excuse to sneak away for some solitary reading time!

I did come back to a lovely review of Dirty Little War from Planet Nation which was a great reminder of why I do this before the post holiday blues had chance to appear. I’m so grateful when people not only enjoy my books, but do so enough to review. So thank you.

Planning and dreaming – what’s coming up next week

My alter ego has to do more traveling next week for some non-fiction projects. It’s getting to that time of year when I already begin planning for the next in detail. 2017 will be an interesting year as I begin to transition away from the traditionally well paying projects that I don’t enjoy and move towards the fun stuff.

Writing Best Bits

Honestly, the best bit about writing over the past three weeks is that it has been my excuse for everything. I have spent time in the sun, visited quaint cafes, eaten enough food to sink a small ship and had more alcohol experiments than any self-respecting woman in her thirties should. All in the name of research for my next novel.

Weekly success score: 10/10 – Tapas, Tales and Tequila. What more could you want?

Writer Life: New Beginnings

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Another week rolls by and my friends are all beginning the Christmas countdown. This seems absurdly early to me, but if it means mulled wine happens in October, then who am I to argue?

So, after locking myself away in a hotel last weekend, I re-entered the real world to discover it was even madder than when I left. My writing goals for next year have now been upgraded to ‘earn enough to live on a small island away from those determined to incite chaos amongst the cesspit of humanity’. It’s good to have ambition…

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Creative – new ideas and first drafts

The hotel retreat did what it was intended to do. Without the everyday distractions, I was able to knuckle down and get some creative thinking done. I came away with a full plot for a new romance novel. The only thing missing is the title. It felt exceptionally satisfying and it is always nice to have a few ideas (that are slightly more than half-baked, even if they are not fully written) in the back pocket.

I did start on a new first draft. It’s been going slowly, but that is the product of these unnecessarily cold, dark mornings. I feel the lure of hibernation and it will take me a little while to get back up to full speed.

Oh, and I signed up for NaNoWriMo. Officially my favourite writing event of the year, when I get to hone my competitive skills.

Editing – the slow, tortuous road to publication

This week I have been helping to edit something for someone else. Strange how much easier it is when you’re tearing down someone else’s baby, rather than your own…

Publishing – and all the other bits that go on behind the scenes

Things have been quiet this week. I have stepped back a little from social media because I was getting caught up in the horror of politics. Not just with the US election. Brexit is still this huge uncertainty and although I don’t like Marmite, I respect other people’s right to abuse their tastebuds in the privacy of their own home. Who knows, over the weekend I might allow myself back out into the world. It is terribly easy to justify that you’re actually working when you’re not doing anything of the sort though.

In actual book related things, I am beginning to think about cover designs for my next release. I’m trying to get better at running a tight ship when it comes to these things. I don’t want to put pressure on myself, but nor do I want to make things harder for anyone I’m working with. Baby steps.

Planning and dreaming – what’s coming up next week

I have a huge planning and strategy session in the calendar that will map out the first half of next year. This won’t be just writing projects, but they have to fit in somewhere and at the moment, they are my priority. The one thing I’ve learned is that if you don’t actually prioritise your priority, then someone else will give you theirs instead. So next week will be planning and dreaming and then boiling it down into the nitty gritty of action. There will be calendars and spreadsheets. I might have to put the brakes on before someone pulls out a Gantt chart.

Writing Best Bits

Coming up with brand new characters and discovering their story is always an amazing thing. If I had to pick one thing, I would say that it is my favourite part of the writing process. There is none of the pressure that comes with actually having to write the damn thing, but you still get to be creative. It is like the first part of a relationship, when you’re getting to know all the things about each other, but haven’t yet had your first argument about who has to do the dishes.

Weekly success score: 6/10 (It’s been good, but the actual word count could have been higher). NOW:

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Writer Life: ‘The End’ (of my first draft)

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I can’t believe this marks a month of consistent posts. That has to be a record. This week I’ve been largely getting disheartened by politics, but that doesn’t make me any different from anyone with a brain right now. 2016 will not be a glorious year to study for the history students of the future, that’s for sure.

So, other than finally getting Hillary’s shimmy song out of my head and (thankfully) not allowing Trump to get in there at all, what have I been up to?

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Creative – new ideas and first drafts

I finished the first draft of Things That Die In The Light this morning. It felt fantastic to write ‘The End’. Even though no one finishes published books with ‘The End’ these days, it still feels so damn satisfying to write. It’s taken a little over two months (I think!) to get this done, which I’m very proud of. I’ve been doing a lot of other projects over the summer, so carving the time out to get this done has turned it into something of a labour of love.

Luckily, I have another idea that I’m itching to start. I’m going to give myself a few days off from writing to work out the last final plot twists and turns, but I hope to be able to get going by the middle of next week. Starting a new novel is always part scary and part exciting, but at the moment it is more of the latter.

Editing – the slow, tortuous road to publication

This week I have been editing a competition entry. I am not a huge fan of the traditional submission process, but I do occasionally see competitions and publications that interest me. Condensing down to 1000 words is always fun, but the ruthlessness will come in handy for larger projects too. I prefer to be brutal with my editing on paper, so it is unsurprising that my printer ran out of ink. Some days, it seems like the universe just wants to jerk you around to see what you’re made of.

Publishing – and all the other bits that go on behind the scenes

Dirty Little War has been out there for nearly a month and has done great. I’m very grateful for everyone who has bought it and given it a positive review. I’m already looking at the publication deadline for the next full length romantic novel I’ll be sending out into the world and let me tell you, it is going to be tight. But I love a challenge, so I’m determined to stick to the plan, drink copious amounts of coffee and just get sh!t done.

Oh and I also submitted my tax return. That’s four hours of my life I’ll never get back, but I’m glad it’s done for another year.

Planning and dreaming – what’s coming up next week

So, the first week of the final quarter of 2016 is already over. This year is slipping away so quickly. Next week I have set myself the arbitrary yet ambitious goal of getting 5000 words of the next ‘first draft’ done. Ambitious because that’s essentially 2500 words a day by the time I actually start it. I’m also planning to get a head start on some work I need to do for December. Yes, December. I’m planning to take a break over the Christmas holidays, so I don’t want Christmas Eve to roll around and I find I still have a mountain of things left to do.

Writing Best Bits

Definitely getting to the end of a first draft. I’ve got to that stage in my life where I don’t even feel bad any more if in the future I decide that it’s rubbish and I need to start again. I know that a lot of people never make it to the end of their first draft. It’s not easy to keep going when the doubts creep in. But in the end, it’s worth it.

Weekly success score: 8/10 

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Writer Life: Some words, but mainly yawning

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I’m very happy to reach the weekend. Yet another manic week is behind me, but then the next two are gloriously empty. I know life moves in cycles, but I seriously have to get better at managing them. Still, you live and learn. This final quarter of the year is all about experimentation and testing, so I’m braced for one or two failures along the way.

On the bright side, I had a lovely weekend exploring the very beautiful South West of England. There is nothing like sun, sea, sand and… the rest to make you appreciate life. A bit of fresh air and time to just think kept me sane for the weekdays that followed.

So, writing this week has been fractured but I’ve managed to make some progress.

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Creative – new ideas and first drafts

Things That Die In The Light has continued towards the end of the first draft, despite writing mainly from hotels and cars this week. I’m not sure that’s 100% accurate, but it is certainly how it feels.

I’ve also had a small plot bunny for a new lesbian romance that may or may not be interesting enough for me to bump it to the top of the list and the next project I work on. Only time will tell…

Editing – the slow, tortuous road to publication

Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. There simply hasn’t been time amongst the more mundane (yet thankfully bill paying) work.

Publishing – and all the other bits that go on behind the scenes

Dirty Little War has continued to receive some pretty great reviews, so I am really happy with that. I’ve got some fantastic readers out there that I’m grateful for.

STILL trying to get to grips with Facebook. I keep having moments of teenage style angst. I’m such an introvert, I have utter fears about coming across as desperate. Please like me! It’s utterly embarrassing for someone my age, but there you have it. We all have our weaknesses. This is one of my many.

Planning and dreaming – what’s coming up next week

It is the end of another quarter. I had some pretty big goals and dreams for the last one. I achieved most of them – even if the majority of the work I procrastinated on until September. So I will be spending some time this weekend planning how I round out the year. The remaining three months will give me the information I need to determine how many side projects I can (and am willing to) take on next year. I’ll be deciding which book to draft next as well as picking the next one to edit. Some more big decisions, but I’m sure taking the time to think about them properly will be worth it.

Writing Best Bits

The biggest win for me this week was actually getting out of bed to write despite feeling terrible. A mixture of both mental and physical exhaustion held me back. So why was this a best bit? Simply because years of training myself to this point, along with an unwavering desire that writing is what I want to do for the rest of my life, allowed me to get up when normal people would have quit. That is worth celebrating.

Weekly success score: 5/10 (Not enough sleep. Will try harder next week.)

Writer Life: Busyness, business and books

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Wow, this week has been a busy week. Between consultancy work and non-fiction, I’ve been working 16 hour days to get everything done. The reward? I get to spend the weekend exploring the beautiful south coast of England, giving my brain time to relax. I went tramping through a forest last weekend and was amazed by the boost just being outside with time to breathe and think gave me. So I’m trying to make this a feature of my life, to compensate for the hours spent in hotel rooms or chained to the desk.

I’m also now weighing up an iPad Pro for work on the road, so if anyone has any experience of whether that works or not, then hit me up.

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Creative – new ideas and first drafts

Book four in The Lazarus Hunter series – now tentatively titled Things That Die In The Light – had to go on the back burner this week. I still managed to get around 5000 words completed to keep my brain engaged with the characters and the story. I like the way it is going so far but I can already see places where I need to ramp that tension up a bit! The title definitely needs some work though…

I also pitched the idea for another non-fiction book to a couple of people, so that’s an exciting step forwards too.

Editing – the slow, tortuous road to publication

Some final minor tweaks last weekend to the non-fiction book, but they were simply some references changes, so nothing too strenuous thank goodness!

Publishing – and all the other bits that go on behind the scenes

In week two, Dirty Little War has received some pretty great reviews, from people I definitely don’t know. There’s always a bit of a writer’s doubt that your mum is writing good stuff to make you feel better, like when you found out those Valentine’s cards you got as an early teen was just her using her left hand to write. Unsolicited stranger reviews are always amazing.

Okay, so I am still getting to grips with Facebook. I’m still not a huge fan, but have begun to see the real value it offers in connecting people. I’ve been able to talk with readers and other authors to get valuable insights into how I can write things that excite not only me, but also the people who want to read my fiction. So I guess Facebook is going to stay part of my life for awhile.

I’ve published a non-fiction book as my alter-ego this week, which has been an altogether different experience to publishing genre fiction. It’s been exciting though and I’m feeling really positive about it.

Planning and dreaming – what’s coming up next week

I’m having the weekend off now to spend time with my wife as she’s been somewhat neglected this week. Monday will bring with it a week of non-fiction marketing (honestly, no more fun for me than any kind of marketing) and getting back to Things that die in the light. If I can get 8000 words drafted in that small space between getting up and having breakfast, then I’ll count the week as a success.

Writing Best Bits

The best writing bit this week was letting something go. That sounds strange and with better timing on my part, I wouldn’t have had two large projects come to a conclusion so close together. One of my goals for next year is to better plan the contingency time so that if other people slip, then the pressure doesn’t fall on me!

Weekly success score: 7/10 (not enough downtime – even if I’ve done a lot, being a workaholic loses points, not gains them. Life is for living!)

Contact for credit

Contact for credit

Writer Life: Behind the scenes at author HQ week

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As I wrote a few weeks ago, there have been some recent changes in my life that have finally given me some space and time to get writing fiction back to the top of my priority list. So I thought I would take a few minutes each week to take a look at what that really means in my indie author life, as well as give people a sneak peek of what is coming up.

For me, ‘writing’ is no single act. There are so many stages, especially when you are making your living as an independent author, rather than simply writing for a hobby. You don’t just get to walk away at the satisfying end of writing a first draft. Much of what happens after that isn’t glamorous, but it can still be interesting.

So, broken down into it’s various parts…

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Creative – new ideas and first drafts

I’m currently working on the first draft of book four in The Lazarus Hunter series. There has been a real slow burn in the relationship between the two main characters and  this is the book where we reach a tipping point. That’s making it so much fun to write, even if I did only manage 8,000 words this week.

Plot bunnies: according to my notebook where I scribble all my potential story ideas, the idea I am most excited about this week is a four part lesbian romance novella series, tied around a key theme. Food for thought…

Editing – the slow, tortuous road to publication

No C.K. Martin editing taking place this week. I have been spending time going through a non-fiction MS after receiving edits, so that is enough for me to handle in this particular area, thank you very much.

Publishing – and all the other bits that go on behind the scenes

As I write this, Dirty Little War has been out for its first week and has done pretty well. It has charted as high as #5 in the US lesbian fiction charts and broke into the top 10 in the UK. As this was my first lesbian romance (rather than other genres with lesbian protagonists), I’m really pleased. I’ve also finally given in and am trying to get to grips with Facebook.

I also had to review the cover for my non-fiction book (it looks awesome).

Planning and dreaming – what’s coming up next week

Next week will be centred around non-fiction edits. In the spare time, I’ll continue to work on book 4 (really need to come up with a title, even if it is just a temporary one for this!). I’m also taking a writing mini break next weekend, so I need to be prepped for that.

Writing Best Bits

There have been quite a few ‘best’ bits this week. Unsolicited good reviews are always fab to get. Seeing people buy your book is always a thrill that makes up for the terror of letting your baby out into the wild to fend for itself.

Weekly success score: 8/10 (cute hedgehog in a cup worthy):

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The return to the desk

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It feels like I have been away for a very, very long time. Which I have, I suppose, in the grand scheme of things.

As usual, time off to travel has given me a chance to ponder life and the directions it sometimes takes us. It’s also given me a chance to refresh myself when it comes to my writing schedule, which after the previous twelve months, was very much needed.

Today marks the first proper return to the daily routine. It actually feels quite exciting. I’m working on a new project, as well as getting the final stages of my next fiction book under my belt. As I’ve discussed many times, the editing process, that painful road which takes a book from first draft to published, is my least favourite part of the process. So to be able to come to it again with a renewed sense of what I want the book to achieve is actually a wonderful thing.

The flip side of the coin is that I’ve returned to England, which can only be described as in a state of turmoil. There is a clear divide between those of us who like to travel and have new experiences, and those who don’t really see their place in Europe. It is something I am still processing as a human, as a citizen and as a woman. More than ever, it highlights that writing is an escape that I will return to whenever things get tough.

Which is exactly what I shall go and do now.

Questions of certainty

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It’s strange how you can be doing something you love and, for that matter, for it to be going really well, but still experience moments of absolute terror and doubt.

This is completely what happened to me this week. I had a moment when I questioned, for the first time in probably nearly two decades, what I would do if I decided that writing wasn’t my dream job and I should just give it up.

Live some kind of normal life instead.

It was a strange, dark and yet, at the same time, completely illuminating moment. I have been writing for so long that I still do it for pleasure, even when I have no intention of sharing it with an audience. If I don’t write for a few days, I start to get twitchy. I have creative energy and I need to use it. God didn’t give me any other talents, so writing it is.

But that traitorous little voice was there, the one that reminded me how much easier it would be if I just gave it all up now. If I stopped and concentrated on another career instead. How I would get so much of my time back, time that I could then spend with family and friends or on other hobbies. How I wouldn’t have to deal with rejection and failure that is part of every writer life, even once you are published and successful.

It was Steven Pressfield’s Resistance in full force and it nearly took hold of me completely.

I’ve pushed that feeling down and have been coming back to myself and my dreams with a fresh pair of eyes. It is hard, this dream of mine, possibly it is yours too. It doesn’t end and it is always challenging. But despite the free time and the glittering grass on the other side, it really is what I was meant to do.

So, tonight, I’ll sit here and keep on doing it. But if you have those moments of doubt, about anything that part of you truly believes in, know that it is entirely normal. It’s better to work through it than live a life not trying.