Prolific writers and finding joy in the journey of writing

I just read about an author who is the mother of 10 and wrote 13 books in one year! Whaat! So now I feel like a slacker! One book a year seems like a dereliction of duty. I can't begin to imagine how she does that and start to panic but then the rational side of me says, "Wait a minute, you are not her and it is not a competition." Phew, thanks for walking me back from that cliff! I think there is a saying that says 'Comparison is the thief of joy.' If there isn't there should be.
The pace I write at works for me and writing is still a joy. If I wrote at that pace it would become a drudgery for me as it would keep me from doing other things I love to do. Like watching my son beat his personal best in the high jump. Perhaps for you one book a year is more than you can handle. Set your own pace and don't compare yourself to others.

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Bookclubs

I'm back from traveling to Europe and about to leave town again so I thought it was time to add a post to my blog. Since the release of my book I have been invited to share my thoughts at three book clubs with another planned for after Christmas and it is so much fun! I am loving the interaction with people who have read my book. We have had some great discussions about prejudices, adoption, nasty relatives and the writing process. In life, when we step out of our comfort zone and try new things it can go one of two ways; success or failure. But for me there has been additional path: it has been an unexpected delight to experience positive, unintended consequences such as meeting my readers. Little did I think when I was tapping away on my computer two years ago that the publication of my book would lead me to meet so many new friends. Comforts zones are safe places, which is why we like them, and not every new venture will end in success or great unintended consequences, but s

Judging a Book by its Cover

Okay, confession time. How many of you choose a book just because you like the cover? Well, apparently a vast majority! A book's cover is the author's sales pitch to the reader. It must grab the potential buyer's attention and outshine the millions of other covers out there. No pressure! I am also learning that there are many, subtle indicators, to readers of particular genres, about what they can expect to find inside a book. If your cover promises something that the reader does not actually find within its pages, you can lose a reader. The opposite is true too. If your cover does not suggest 'PG 13' rated content within, but the book contains it, you can offend your reader. Wow, it's a minefield! Research of other covers in your particular genre is a very important place to begin. I self-published my first book and created the cover myself. I was new to the industry and had no training. That was probably not a good idea and when I ever g

Trying a New Genre

Though I write Regency Romance (and children's historical fiction), my very favorite genre to read is the "Whodunnit", the classic murder mysteries of Agatha Christie fame. It was her books, in fact, that made me into a reader as a child. These mild mysteries, that have had a following since Ms. Christie's days, seem to have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity of late under the genre name of Cozy Mysteries. The thought came to me a few months ago, "Since you like them so much you should try writing one!" So I am. I have created a dynamic duo, to borrow a phrase, who snoop out clues and help the local Bobbies. They are rich, beautiful and from the upper classes - because for some reason that's often how we like our heroines to be. This book will not reflect the politically correct culture of our day, but will try to capture the essence of life in the 1920's, while solving a crime. I think it will be a lot of fun!

Julie Regency Romance

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