naomibeetee

[naomibeetee]

Friends! I definitely had a nap after work yesterday and forgot to post this. Whoops. 🤦🏽‍♀️

I’m taking a mini break from blogging! May and June are going to be slightly hectic, and I’d like to take the precious spare time I have to focus on what I love most: writing.

During this break, I’d like to focus on my WIP, His Blue Eyes, and give it the attention it both desperately needs and definitely deserves. I’d like to also replenish my blog stock so I have more ammo to fire your way when I come back!

Thank you for understanding. I’d like to still post goodies from my weird, awkward life on here, but don’t expect any blogs for a hot minute! 🤍

[naomibeetee]

Feel The Burn--A Slow Burn Romance, That Is

You have a story idea. And not just any sort of story idea. You have a LOVE STORY idea.

And boy, it’s a good one.

The only thing is, you’ve never written a love story before. In fact—you don’t know the first thing about love! IN FACT—you’ve never been in love!

Oh wait. Sorry—I’m thinking of Christian from Moulin Rouge.

But maybe you, just like Christian, have never written a love story before—better yet, a Slow Burn love story.

What are the steps? How does it all piece together? How do you make it epic, make it memorable?

Don’t worry, friend! I got you!

Lucky for you, I am an avid fan of Slow Burns. I love reading them ALMOST as much as I love writing them. Along my writing journey, I’ve picked up a few pointers that might aide you in your quest for spinning a story that will have your readers cheering your characters forward, yelling when conflict tears them apart, and begging for that first kiss.

So, without further ado, here are my top six pointers on how to absolutely nail that Slow Burn romance.

DISCLAIMER: there is more than one way to write a romance. However, this blog is leaning towards the typical friends-to-more experience. If you are writing a book with enemies-to-lovers in mind, you might still find these helpful—but take them with a minor grain of salt.  

1) There Has To Be Chemistry

This goes without saying.

Have you ever watched a movie and found yourself saying at the end, “Those two had zero chemistry!” You were expecting massive fireworks, and all you got was a handful of soggy cherry bombs. Talk about disappointing.

So, what caused the lack of chemistry? Is it something that could’ve been fixed, or handled differently? What do you feel was missing in the on-screen relationship?

The same goes for your writing. It is up to you on how you build up the chemistry between your two little love birds.

Are they going to be the fantastical Opposites Attract trope? Or are they pleasantly Same-Same? Are they deliciously Enemies to Lovers? Or are they a Love That Was Never Meant to Be, much like the forbidden fruit?

Building up the chemistry between your star-crossed lovers is what is going to hook the reader. We have to feel the burn oozing from the pages. Slow Burns lean towards a form of attraction towards one another (typically the sexual kind), but what about emotionally? Mentally? Physically (and no, I don’t just mean sexy times)?

What is it about your characters that inexplicably draws them to each other? Nail that, and you’re on the right path.

2) There Has To Be The Burn

Not to be confused with chemistry, The Burn refers to what happens after the initial attraction. This is the building portion of your story, what keeps the flame burning, what drives your characters to investigate the butterflies in their stomach, their rabid thoughts at night.

Chemistry is the catalyst, but there has to be more.

There has to be the awkward getting-to-know each other, the cutesy moments that linger in your character’s thoughts, the playful instances that have them smiling for hours afterward.

There has to be an electrical pulse that seems to connect them, that sends sparks flying whenever they are around each other.

There has to be the inklings of desire welling up within your characters, the whispers of, “Why can’t I get this person out of my head?” wreaking havoc in their brains.  

What keeps bringing them together? Is it a subconscious nature, calculated, or purely coincidental in a meet-cute fashion?

Much like chemistry, you need to nail The Burn if you want the love story to be believable. Here, you are creating depth to your characters, figuring out what emotional state they are in, figuring out what drives them forward. This is normally the time where your characters are struggling with what their heart is telling them, what they are feeling whenever their love interest is around, and what that might mean to them. If you are writing a duo-POV (a typical staple in a Slow Burn), even better! You can use this to your advantage. The reader can have a great grasp on the internal conflict of both your characters, how they are handling The Burn, and how it individually affects them.

3) There Has To Be “Will They? Won’t They?”

Tension is key here. And in a Slow Burn’s case, I think we can all agree that I’m generally referring to the sexual sort of tension. Boo yeah.

The chemistry is there. The burn is there. Now, it’s all about building up to The Moment.

Those long stares, the accidental brushing of hands, the not-so-subtle staring at the lips, the urge to find excuses to touch one another (ie: jostling knees, tucking hair behind the ears, playful shoulder taps/arm punches). “Do they feel the same way?” ➡️ That needs to be the constant question when something happens that sends one of your characters reeling into a sea of confused emotions.

During this time, your characters should be slowly discovering their deep burning feelings for one another; however, they are at a loss on how their counterpart is feeling. There should be confusion, insecurity, and self-doubt. There should also be moments that have them thinking, “Maybe they do feel the same way!” followed by moments that set them questioning the universe all over again.

Your ultimate goal here is to essentially torture the reader. There, I said it. But it’s true. If The Moment happens waaaaaay too early on, the reader might be happy, sure, but they will also feel a little letdown, like they bit into a piece of fruit only to find it not ripe enough. This is the time to let your creative genius shine through the pages. Play with your characters, draw the feelings out, tempt your little lovebirds into near insanity!

The “Will they? Won’t they?” is what is going to have your readers turning the pages, have them aching to find out what is going to happen next.

4) There Has To Be Conflict

JUST when you think they are going to get together, something happens to pull them apart.

Could be conflict between one another.

Could be past trauma preventing one of them from committing to (or accepting) love.

Could be an ex coming back into the picture, throwing a kink in the vibes you’ve carefully crafted.

The conflict is meant to stir up trouble, but it is a great tool in creating depth to your stories, not to mention further complexities to your characters. How do they deal with the conflict? Does one of your characters stare it in the face, while the other runs? Has it changed how they potentially feel about one another? What is the wrench that sets your characters off-kilter, off-course? Are they able to rebound back to the path they were on? Or does everything feel like it’s falling apart, and not even the strongest industrial strength glue can put the pieces back together?

The conflict should have your characters second guessing almost everything—their feelings, their actions, their desire to be with one another.

The conflict should happen at the absolute HEIGHT of their Slow Burn. RIGHT when you think something epic is going to happen, a curveball is thrown—and it should be absolutely devastating.

5) There Has To Be The Payoff

Ah yes. The Moment. Everyone has been waiting for it.

Typically coming after a conflict, this is the time when the star-crossed lovers finally expose their vulnerabilities, accept the fact that they can’t live without the other, and can die from happiness when they find out that their counterpart feels the same way.

Slow Burns are (obviously) romance-based, and therefore, The Moment is typically geared towards a sexual nature. However, sex doesn’t have to be the be-all and end-all. This can be where your characters finally share their first kiss, or where they hold hands in public for the first time, or when they admit their feelings under a star-drenched sky. Vise-versa, you can have an epic make-out scene in the pouring rain, or have them tear off each other’s clothes in the bathroom bar, or have a playful skinny-dipping-in-the-lake scene turn steamy.  It is up to you on how airy-fairy or kinky you want it to be. Granted, if most of your writing is PG, and suddenly there is a rated R intricately detailed sex scene smack dab in the middle of your work, you might want to dial it back a smidge. Something to think about.

Another thing to keep in mind is the payoff itself. It’s a Slow Burn romance. The readers know that love is in the air, and that the characters will, one way or another, get together. The earlier stated conflict is meant to derail the situation, sure, but ultimately the readers know that love is going to reign supreme. You need to make it count. If you aren’t breathing a sigh of relief when The Moment happens, chances are, your readers won’t be either. There is nothing worse than the most vital scene in your book falling flat, or coming up short.

Play around with The Moment. Have an unrequited love suddenly become a mutual entity. Have all the built-up chemistry explode. Make the threat of another impending conflict. Make those stolen glances and heated stares have massive meaning. Share a secret kiss that has hearts exploding and minds bending at the absolute power behind it.

It is up to you to make this payoff, this moment, a period your readers will think back on.

6) (Optional) There SHOULD Be Questions

As the title suggests, this is an optional—but still important—thing to think about.

How does the story end for your little lovebirds?

Do they get a happily ever after?

Was it an unforgettable summer fling during band camp?

Was it a love that was truly meant to be? Or was it doomed to fail all along?

Knowing how the story ends on your character’s greatest love story will help you piece it all together, creating a seamless finish that will either have your readers clapping their hands, or shaking their heads at the injustice of it all. Does the story end at The Moment, or are there further conflicts to struggle through? Does the story end well for your characters? What does it look like for them? What is the impact of it all?

The questions should tie the loose ends together, or create some if you want to keep things open-ended. Sure, everyone loves a happy ending, but who doesn’t also love being tortured by a melancholy thought-piece? Personally, I love a good head-scratcher!

 And there you have it! Writing a Slow Burn romance might seem daunting at first, but it can be awfully rewarding—for both yourself, and your readers. If you have the right tools in your repertoire, writing a love story for the ages can be a perfectly obtainable goal, complete with epic chemistry, burning feelings, anxiety-inducing conflict, and a mind-bending moment that has your readers begging for more. And the best part is, Slow Burns don’t have to be cookie cutter; you can write it any way you want! The options are endless! Have fun with it, and your readers will have fun reading it!

Be sure to tune in every Writerly Wednesday for new writer posts!

Come for the tips.

Stay for the awkward.

Until then,

May your inspiration never cease, and may your ink never smudge.

~Naomi.bee.tee

[naomibeetee]

Slowly feeling like I’m back in the driver’s seat of my life. It feels good to be back. 🤍 • . . . . . . https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc3tTiJvHWl/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[naomibeetee]

🚨Heads up, everyone!🚨 • There won’t be a blog tomorrow. The good news: I’ve FINALLY been able to get some words down on my WIP, and I’m so excited about it! The bad news: because of my long-awaited burst of creativity, my time-management has been absolute shite, and I wasn’t able to dedicate time to the blog. Oops. • Check back in next week for a new blog! • Stay weird, my friends 😎 . . . . . . . . #writersofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc0HxewL1ZL/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[naomibeetee]

Lessons With The First Draft

So, a while back, I did a blog on the things I’ve learned along my writing journey.

This blog is just like that one!

Well…not JUST like that one. It’s a relative to that one. A remix, if you will.

I’ve been writing for a good chunk of my awkward life—fanfictions, poetry, short stories, and tidbits for contests. I’ve started stories and dropped them, created outlines and erased them.

And man…the stuff I’ve learned with the first draft of His Blue Eyes? Dang!

I started writing my YA Fiction, His Blue Eyes, back in 2014. I was young, hopeful, and oh-so naïve. Being on the ninth draft of my book baby, it’s fun to look back to see how far I’ve come, and the things I’ve learned along the way.

Today’s blog covers some of the major lessons I had the pleasure—and misery—of learning. If you are in the middle of your first draft, or just about to finish, seeing what I went through might help!

So, without further ado, here are the top eight lessons I learned on my first draft journey:

1. Don’t Rush it; Take Your Time

Unless you have a strict timeline, it’s okay to take the scenic route. Slow and steady ultimately wins the race, after all.

For some people, it can take two months to punch out the first draft. And for others, it can take three years (like me).

Don’t stress yourself out if life is getting in the way, or if it’s taking you a bit longer than you originally anticipated to finish the first draft. Make sure you sit back and have a good time. Enjoy the process—it’s the only first draft you’re going to get out of this novel!

2. It’s Okay for Things to Change

The plots. The subplots. The characters. The location. Things can change. And that’s totally okay!

If your characters aren’t meshing, or one of your side characters is attempting to take the center stage, or one your subplots is doing nothing but adding filler words, it’s normal to adjust. In fact, it’s encouraged. Just because something is a part of your outline doesn’t mean it needs to stay that way.

If you are unhappy with how the story is forming, change it. You won’t get in trouble if you switch things up halfway through. Working out the kinks—that’s what drafts are for!

Bottom line: change is okay!

3. My Outline Was My Bible

His Blue Eyes would not be where it is today without my outline.

I know, I know. Some of you pantsers out there are rolling your eyes. And I totally get it—outlines are not your thing. But my outline was—and still very much is—my saving grace when it came to the first draft of His Blue Eyes.

My outline laid out my path, and helped me every step of the way. Whenever I started to write, my outline steered me in the right direction. Whenever I felt myself teeter off the path, my outline guided me back into place. And whenever I felt lost, my outline showed me my next steps.

Obviously, nothing is set in stone, however. As I mentioned in Point Number Two, if you are halfway through your WIP, and realize things are just not panning out the way you want them too, you are more than welcome to adjust your path. You are totally allowed to blaze another trail, and see where it takes you. I was halfway through my first draft when I realized that things weren’t working out. I ended up completely re-vamping my outline, essentially starting from scratch. But my outline was there, and put up with a lot of my shit. God bless my outline.

4. I Can’t Multi-task…Period

His Blue Eyes either had all my love, or none of it.

I have tried many times to take on multiple writing tasks for the sake of my quarterly goals, but it has never worked out. And yet I keep attempting, expecting a different result despite not changing or adjusting my schedule and talents. It’s literally the definition of insanity, and apparently I’m a slow learner.

In truth, any other plot bunny or fire-cracker idea will just have to wait to get my full, undivided attention later.

Having said that, there’s no harm in jotting them down in a notebook. You can plant the idea seed, then look at it in the future to see if it’s bloomed, or dried out.

There’s also nothing wrong with taking a break from your current project to focus on something else—just as long as you set a timer to it. If you feel your creativity and love for your WIP beginning to fizzle out, taking a step back to work on something else might be beneficial! I did that several times with His Blue Eyes. Whenever I was frustrated, feeling low, or experiencing a block, I stopped and wrote something else—usually a quick fanfiction. It helped keep my creativity flowing, prevented writer’s block, and validated my feelings of being a writer. The downside, however, is that it took me three years to complete my first draft—I was bad at setting timers. There’s a give-and-take to it all.

5. The First Draft Will NOT be Perfect

When I finally managed to print off the first draft of His Blue Eyes, I was in for a treat!

- The sentence structure was to die for…literally.

- There were a great many unfinished thoughts and sentences.

- A massive amount of poor word choices, and often over-used words.

- Subplots were dropped in the middle of the WIP.

- Character names, traits, and even eye-color changed halfway through like a disturbing magic trick.

The first draft of His Blue Eyes was an absolute gong-show. However, it sort of comes with the territory of the first draft. It’s the price you pay when you are just trying to get everything in your brain onto the computer screen. And it’s completely normal.

Don’t strive for perfection with your first draft. Feeling like every sentence, every thread of dialogue, every single nitty-gritty detail needs to be ironed out will only lead to unnecessary stress, not to mention the threat of burnout. Trust me—it’s not a good time.

The faster you realize that the first draft is going to be a hot mess, the better.

6. You are Allowed to be Proud

Not everyone can write an entire story.

And it’s not just the story: the planning, the researching, the outlines, the countless hours at the computer. The plots, the character development, the pieces of dialogue that are absolutely out of this world. The amount of sleep you lost, the countless blocks you got around, the dates and parties you didn’t attend because you wanted to stick to your writing schedule.

Being able to accomplish a first draft sort of makes you a superhuman.

This is your baby! You CREATED a story from nothing! Be proud of it!

7. You Should Probably Take a Break Before Jumping into Editing

In other words, DON’T do what I did.

I dove in, face first into the mountain of freshly printed papers that was my manuscript. Annnnd then I was hit in the face with the fist of burnout.

I failed to give my brain a break, and it cost me.

There are other ways to work on your story that don’t include diving into your manuscript.

- Research

- Character profiles

- Promoting/creating a social media presence

- Re-vamping your outline

- Prepping for a sequel

When you don’t take a break, the risk of losing enthusiasm and gumption and the drive to continue is gargantuan. Letting your manuscript breathe allows time for the ink to dry, the dust to settle, the ideas to mesh. If you let your WIP chill, you’ll be able to look at it with fresh eyes, and issues that might’ve not caught your attention before will potentially reveal themselves in flashing neon lights. You are more likely to catch grammatical errors, sentence structure issues, and over-used words if you give yourself a break.

Letting your work rest gives you the advantage of looking at your WIP with fresh eyes, an eager brain, and a new threshold of creativity. You might be able to beat your editor to the punch with some of the errors you can catch.

8. Writing is ADDICTING

Writing a book is addicting.

When you finish that first draft, you are going to feel a plethora of emotions. You are the master of your sea. You are the king/queen of your castle. You are on cloud nine, high on your accomplishments. You are unstoppable, a force to be reckoned with.

You’re going to want to do it all over again.

And don’t worry, you will.

Like I said before—I’m now on the ninth draft of His Blue Eyes, and there are days that I still feel like I’m no closer to the finish line than I was with my first draft.

But every time I open up my WIP, every time I stare at my words, I know that I am getting there. Every time I work on His Blue Eyes, I know that I am creating something unique, beautiful, and new. There will come a time in which I will finish His Blue Eyes, truly finish, and it will be ready for others. And then I can get to work on something else that is equally unique, beautiful, and new.

A new first draft in a new world. That, my friend, is an exciting thought.

And there you have it! Those are the top eight things I learned while working on my first draft.

Writing a story, from start to finish, is hard! It takes skill, smarts, bravery, and a great many lessons learned. The lessons you learn along the way might be hard, but will also prove to be beneficial. Keep your chin up! You are a wizard, after all, and what you are creating is absolute magic.

Be sure to tune in every Writerly Wednesday for new writer posts!

Come for the tips.

Stay for the awkward.

Until then,

May your inspiration never cease, and may your ink never smudge.

~Naomi.bee.tee

[naomibeetee]

How To Survive Writer’s Burnout

We’ve all been there. Right in the thick of our writing adventure, suddenly our drive to continue goes missing. Maybe you are having a bad brain day. Maybe you are feeling a bit lazy and un-motivated. Maybe you are flirting with a spurt of writer’s block. However, a lot of the time, whether you realize it or not, it can be burnout you are actually experiencing.

Burnout is scary. You’ve pushed and pushed and pushed yourself so hard, and now you have nothing left to give. Burnout in writers can happen quite frequently, especially when we work ourselves to the bone, don’t take breaks, don’t do mental health checks, and don’t take care of our bodies.

The past several months have been particularly brutal for me. It was small at first, hardly noticeable. My drive to write became nonexistent. My desire to create was gone. My love of writing had been snuffed out, and my feelings of being a raging failure were gargantuan. I’d stare at my WIP and hate it, so I stopped staring at it altogether. Before I knew it, I was surrounded by a healthy dose of burnout. Let me tell you, it’s not a fun time. 0/10 do not recommend. I’m beginning to work through it, but every day is a struggle. Sometimes I win, and sometimes I don’t.

So, maybe you’re in the same boat. Maybe you’re feeling burnt out….now what? How do you get out of it unscathed?

Lucky for you, I’ve come up with these top 7 tips on how to survive Writer’s Burnout. They are my personal favorites, in no particular order, and while they may not work for all, they are still important to keep in mind.

Without further ado, here are my top 7 tips on surviving Writer’s Burnout:

1. Recognize the Difference Between Writer’s Block and Writer’s Burnout

No, they are not the same thing.

The main problem (and probably the most important one) you need to solve is figuring out which one you have.

Writer’s Block is where you are stuck. You want to write, but can’t. You don’t have a clear idea of what your next steps are. The words and ideas just aren’t coming. You are staring at your computer screen and being greeted with absolutely nothing. No ideas, no threads of dialogue, no plot points to drive the story forward. You look at your outline, at your previous chapters, at the numerous idea-scribbled sticky notes scattered around your office, but just can’t seem to formulate your thoughts into anything remotely coherent, let alone useable. It’s frustrating as heck.

Writer’s Burnout is where you are staring at your computer, and you want to set the dang thing on fire. You can write, but don’t want to. The ideas and words are there, but the drive, the passion, the creativity, isn’t. The thought of writing makes you die a little on the inside. Your creativity sponge is bone-dry. When you try to force yourself to write, your feelings of worthlessness are at an all-time high. You start to believe that you were never meant to be a writer, that all of your hard work was for nothing, and that you should just give up. The very idea of writing begins to stress you out, so you stop trying altogether. You are exhausted, overworked, and any form of motivation to do anything (not just writing) is nonexistent.

It can be easy to confuse one with the other. However, burnout is a much more lethal creature, and it has the added charm of lasting a lot longer than Writer’s Block.    

When facing your computer screen, staring down your WIP, what’s going on in your brain? What are your thoughts? How are you feeling? What is your heart telling you? Are the ideas there but the drive isn’t, or do you just feel stuck?

Understanding what you are going through—be it Writer’s Block, or Writer’s Burnout—is the first step in making it out alive.

2. Don’t Lose Track of the Finish Line

What is your goal? To write a book? A short story? Poetry? To share it with friends and family, or the world? To self-publish, or go down the traditional route?

It is important to not lose sight of the goal. This can be difficult, especially when everything about writing has lost its shine, and you feel like the only way out is dropping the dream altogether.

Why did you start writing? What made you passionate about it? What kept you up at night with ideas swimming in your head that just wouldn’t shut up? What made you want to jump out of your comfort zone and share your creative genius with the world? What made you love your book baby?

You need to tap into that energy, that state of mind. You need to find out what set your soul on fire in the first place, and hold onto those thoughts for dear life.

3. Give Yourself a Break…Or Don’t

Confusing, right? Let me break it down for you.

When it comes to burnout, people have a lot of different things to say about how you should handle it.

Some say you need to take a step back, slow things down, and take the break you clearly need.

Others say you need to continue forward, driving your head against the problems you face in order to break through and come out the other side.

I think there are pros and cons to both.

Taking a break might be beneficial, but it’s easy to fall into a lengthy hiatus with no solid plan to hop back into writing in the foreseeable future. You may gain some of your sanity and mental health back, but if you don’t have a break deadline, you risk losing your drive, dedication, motivation, and discipline to continue. That has definitely happened to me a time or two.

Continuing forward with your writing might help you face your fears and problems, but I also feel like you run the risk of absolutely burning yourself out. It might leave you with feelings of resentment towards your WIP. Writers regularly worry about our work—whether or not it’s garbage, or if it’s good enough, if we are good enough—and forcing yourself to power through a burnout might exacerbate those worries.

There are compromises. You can give yourself a break by setting up a writing schedule. Stop when you are tired. Sleep until you are rested. Write when you can, and put it away when you can’t. Give yourself a break by not thinking about it when you are in your downtime and moments of relaxation (definitely easier said than done), and pushing through when it’s time to work.

Taking a break, pushing forward, or finding a happy medium…it’s a tough choice to make. But it’s one you need to consider. It ultimately boils down to you and what you feel will aide you in your journey through burnout.

4. Strategize

I find that when I’m in the middle of a burnout, the best thing I can do for myself is to strategize.

- When I am ready to write, where am I going to start? Where I left off, or somewhere new?

- Is my outline still ok, or does it need tweaking?

- Is my research up-to-date?

- Does my old writing schedule still work, or do I need to adjust it?

- Am I going to ease in, or go all in at once?

I like to figure out my next steps so that when I am ready to write, I have a plan; having a plan often lessens the overwhelming feelings of helplessness and anxiety I have towards writing. It creates a path, a start and a finish, and guides me to where I need to go.

I organize my planner, and set up a writing schedule. I plan out my writing sprints and give myself allowances when life gets in the way. I keep notebooks handy for the random ideas that flutter my way. I daydream about my characters, my plot, my dialogue, and the scenes I’m excited to write next.  

Strategizing allows me to stay Writer Oriented and focused without the pressure and fear of actually writing. It also helps spark some of the excitement I might’ve lost along the way.

5. Rekindle That Spark

It isn’t uncommon for writers to lose their love of writing during a burnout. When that love fades, it’s easy to lose sight of why we write, why we were passionate in the first place, why we started, and what the finish line looked like.

In the depths of hopelessness, it is up to us to rekindle that spark.

If writing no longer makes you happy, if it no longer makes your heart sing, then you need to find something that does.

Try something new. Pick up a new hobby. Try your hand at painting, or knitting, or baking. Join a sports team, take up yoga and meditating, or break apart that mountain of TBR books at your bedside. Take singing lessons, host dance parties in your living room, try making soaps and bath bombs. Find something that will relight the spark within your soul, and replenish your creativity sponge.

Don’t allow yourself to feel guilty if your newfound joy doesn’t come from writing, and don’t feel bad if it isn’t writing related. You need to do something that makes your heart happy. You may find that as your creativity is revitalized, you’ll find yourself thinking more and more about your WIP. Your excitement to write, your eagerness to create, will slowly come back. It might take some time, but it will.

6. Be Kind to Yourself

Above all else, be kind to yourself.

Swallowed by burnout, it is easy to be cruel, to tell yourself that you are worthless, that your work is terrible, that there is no point in continuing.

I beg you, please please PLEASE don’t let yourself drown in these feelings of self-doubt. They are nothing but white noise and hurtful distractions.

Be kind to yourself. You don’t need to try to come up with excuses, or explain yourself, to others. You don’t need to apologize for your lack of progress, or for your sudden MIA from social media. What you are going through is hard, but it will eventually end. Don’t give up. Don’t lose heart. Don’t get stuck in the toxic cycle of angry thoughts. Remember that it is just a period in your life, a blip on your timeline, and that it’ll get better.

7. Talk to Others

I know you might feel alone in your sea of burnout, like you are the only one experiencing the exhaustion and pain, the only one drifting endlessly with no hope of staying afloat. But trust me, there are plenty of writers out there treading water right alongside you.

Reach out! Share your feelings with others. Take to Twitter, or Instagram, or Tiktok, or Tumblr. Talk to fellow writers about burnout and see how they work through it—some of their tips might help you. And, if anything, talking to someone who empathizes with your situation can be cathartic and validating. To know that they were (or are) going through exactly what you’re going through may offer the sense of hope, that what you are experiencing isn’t a forever thing, that there is an expiration date, that it will get better.

There is something to say about safety in numbers. You never have to feel alone in this.  

And there you have it! Those are my top 7 tips on how to survive Writer’s Burnout.

This is something that we all struggle with, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. You are never alone. We writers need to stick together, support each other through the good and the bad. The important thing to remember is that you WILL get through it. Things may look bad now, but keep your chin up. We can’t have sunny days without a couple rainy ones too. And even then, in the midst of those rainy ones, try to find the rainbow. Alright, that’s enough cheese for one day.

Be sure to tune in every Writerly Wednesday for new writer posts!

Come for the tips.

Stay for the awkward.

Until then,

May your inspiration never cease, and may your ink never smudge.

~Naomi.bee.tee

[naomibeetee]

The Fantastical Quarterly Goals

Ah, here we are again. The snow is slowly beginning to melt. The temperatures are crawling upwards. The sun is stubbornly staying out later. Life is returning to the mountains in the form of green grass and wildflowers, and if you listen closely, you might hear the birds chatter as they search for food.

In the blink of an eye, the first quarter of 2022 is gone, and we are facing the second quarter of the year.

And you know what that means!

It’s time to re-visit our previous Quarterly Goals to see how we did, and create new ones for April-June!

(I feel both these emotions right now)

For those who don’t know what Quarterly Goals are (or need a quick refresher), Quarterly Goals are a list of objectives you create for yourself to complete within the span of three months.

Quarterly Goals break up the year into quarters (it’s in the name, yo). It separates the year into smaller, bite-sized pieces, thus making the goals you set for yourself appear less intimidating and daunting (in my humble opinion). You are also less likely to blow them off and forget about them if they are trapped into a smaller chunk of time.  

Personally, I like to set up 10-15 goals, and if I crush ¾ of them, I consider myself a wild success. However, the ones I fail to accomplish will typically be tacked onto the next round of goals (if applicable). And while I make some of my goals Writerly Oriented, I also create others depending on:

1) What have I been putting off that I reallllly need to do?

2) What can I do to set future me up for success?

3) What can I do in this period of time to challenge myself?

I’m going to save everyone the suspense and say that I did NOT do well in the January-March quarter. I was a fail whale through-and-through. I did have some wins, however!

Let’s get to it, shall we?

Here were my Quarterly Goals for January-March:

1)  Re-join my old Roller Derby league (if the world decides to open up again)

This was a fail, but in my defense, it was because the world didn’t open up.

2) Complete the outline for my fantasy WIP

Oh my goodness, SUCH A FAIL. I haven’t had time to even open the dang document.

3) Write the first five chapters of said fantasy WIP

As you can guess, this was a fail as well.

4) Seek out cover artist to design His Blue Eyes front + back covers in multiple formats  

Another fail. I thought about it multiple times, but that doesn’t count.

5) Establish social media voice on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and TikTok

Hey! My very first Win! Hooray!

6) Complete Developmental Edits for His Blue Eyes and continue to next editing phase: Line Edits

This was a fail. Sad day. If I had known the work cut out for me when I made these goals, I would have adjusted the crap out of them.

7) Finish decorating my office

Another win! Pictures to come!

8) Read 3-5 books (I know it’s not a lot…shh!)

This was a win as well! I crushed this goal with a total of 6 books. Some were bad. Most were good.

9) Have date day/night/adventure with the Husbando at least once a week

Another win!

10) Establish a workout routine because GOOD GOLLY, the holidays were rough…delicious, but rough

A win! Yay!

11) Meet Personal financial goal

Win! Bam!

Tallying up the damage, I’ve left this round of Quarterly Goals with 6 wins and 5 fails. While I did have more wins than fails, this isn’t technically a win overall; my job is to accomplish ¾ of my goals, and therefore, I didn’t do all that well. Not to mention, most of my wins didn’t include the writing side of my life. As an aspiring author, that stings.

I could give you excuses. I could say that this quarter was exceptionally busy, that I bit off more than I could chew, that I didn’t expect my mental health to take a sudden leap off a cliff. I could say that work got a lot busier than I had anticipated, that burnout came when I least expected it, that performing even the most mundane of tasks was a gargantuan feat.  

While all of these are true and valid, it doesn’t exclude from the fact that I set up goals for myself and failed to meet them. That sucks hard. But instead of dwelling on the negative, I am going to attempt to turn my frown upside down and look at this as a learning experience. I will adjust my strategy and create more manageable, obtainable goals. I will still challenge myself, but I will not set myself up for failure by creating goals that are wickedly out of my reach. I will pick myself up, adapt, and move on.

And that brings us to our next round of Quarterly Goals! Here is what I’d like to accomplish from April-June:

1) Re-join my old Roller Derby league (I swear…this time, it’s happening)

2) Complete HALF of the Developmental Edits for His Blue Eyes

3) Research editors for Line Edits regarding His Blue Eyes  

4) RESEARCH cover artists for His Blue Eyes

5) Read 3-5 books

6) Have date day/night/adventure with the Husbando at least once a week

7) Research locations to publish/self-publish secret-and-cutesy short story

8) Continue training for upcoming half marathon

9) Finish decorating living room

10) Begin decorating spare bedroom

11) Clean out closet/donate things the Husbando and I don’t need

12) Meet personal financial goals

I know I said previously that any goals I failed to accomplish would be tacked onto the next round of Quarterly Goals, but at this stage in my life, I just don’t think that’s feasible. My previous goals were wildly irrational (for me, anyway), and to add them to this round would be absolutely devastating, not to mention soul-crushing. Therefore, I have added some that I failed on previously, and adjusted others to make them more manageable.

And there you have it!

How did your last round of Quarterly Goals go? Did you win like the star you are, or did you perhaps bite off more than you could chew, like me? How do you go about crushing your goals and objectives? Let me know in the comments!

Let’s make this next round a good one, shall we?

Be sure to tune in every Writerly Wednesday for new writer posts!

Come for the tips.

Stay for the awkward.

Until then,

May your inspiration never cease, and may your ink never smudge.

~Naomi.bee.tee

[naomibeetee]

No Blog Today

Heads up everyone—there won’t be a blog today. Life has been a bit busy lately, and with work being particularly hectic, I haven’t been able to focus on anything writer-oriented, including my blog. It’s been pretty exhausting trying to get through each day unscathed, and as a result, my mental health has been on a slight decline. I am hoping to take the next week to find a better balance, as well as restore my creativity sponge, which has gotten a bit dry.

Thank you for understanding. It’ll get better. 🤍

[naomibeetee]

You, Yourself, and Your Editor

You’ve done it.

You’ve finished your manuscript. The words, “The End” blink at you from your computer screen. You are relieved, proud, and excited for all you’ve accomplished, and look to the future with eager anticipation.

So, what comes next?

After you’ve re-read your manuscript, edited it as much as possible on your own, and sent it out to a horde of beta readers, then what?

If you guessed: Editor, then you are correct!

Yes, it is time to send off your manuscript to get professionally edited.

And yes, the idea is terrifying. Whether it is your first time getting your work edited, or your fiftieth, the concept of handing your book baby over to an editor is daunting.

Don’t worry, I got you!

In today’s blog, I’ll be going over my top six tips on surviving your editor. As I am currently right in the middle of my own revisions, I’ll be touching up on the tips I’ve found helpful along the way, or would have found helpful had I known them (hindsight’s 20/20?).

So, without further ado, here are my top six tips on surviving your editor.

1. First and Foremost—Know What You Want

And no, I don’t just mean, “Do your research!”

When I say know what you want, I mean these:

- Do you want someone who is blunt and doesn’t hold back their punches?

- Do you want someone who takes a gentler, sugar-coating approach?

- Do you need a sensitivity read? A developmental edit? A content edit? A proofread?

- Do you want someone to zero in on your word count? Your grammar? Your plot and overall theme?

It should go without saying that you should be finding an editor that thrives in your genre. It’s also important to make sure that you work well with the editor. Don’t be afraid to ask for a sample edit, to see if you two are the right fit.

I did research. And I still made mistakes. I thought I would be strong enough to take the harsher side of critiques. Alas, I am not. I am a sensitive little butterfly that needs a bit of hand holding.

It is important to know what you want to get out of your editor. Knowing exactly what you want will aide in your success of survival.

2. Be Realistic

I have been working on His Blue Eyes since 2014. We have seen massive plot adjustments together, major outline revisions, and 9 drafts. I know my manuscript inside and out. My characters are my babies. My words are imbedded into my soul.

I love my WIP more than life itself, and know it better than anyone.

So, you can imagine that it was pretty soul-crushing when I received my edits back, and the editor had stated that some of my characters were pretty boring, one-dimensional, or even shitty.

I had to take a moment.

You may have a thicker-than-thieves bond with your book baby, but your editor doesn’t. They are looking at your manuscript with an objective lens, without any of the attachments you possess. They are meeting your characters for the first time, your plot, your setting. They are looking at everything with brand new, fresh eyes.

As painful as it is, this is a good thing. They aren’t being subjective, biased, or influenced by emotions. Your manuscript is their job, not their baby.

You need to be realistic with the edits.  If they spot an issue with an unrealistic character trait, or line of dialogue, or flimsy subplot, chances are your readers will too.

3. Manage Your Expectations

You might think your WIP is absolutely pristine, that there are no more words to cut, no more scenes to adjust, no more flimsy characters to strengthen.

Have I got news for you!

Editors are trained to scout the things we’ve missed. It is their job to find the plot holes, the sketchy side plots, the one-dimensional characters. They can sniff out over-used words and characteristics and dialogue tags a mile away.

If there is a problem, the editor will find it.

The thing is, if you go in thinking there will be hardly any red marks on your manuscript, you are going to be grossly disappointed.

I was.

I felt like my YA Fiction, His Blue Eyes, was the best version it could be. I didn’t delude myself into thinking that I was going to receive an email from the editor stating, “Well, I’m stumped! This WIP is just too perfect to change!” BUT I did think that the edits I would have to perform would be minimal. Perhaps a couple paragraph adjustments, a few dialogue shifts, but nothing too crazy.

Boy, was I wrong, not to mention stupidly naïve.

There’s an old saying: prepare for the worst but hope for the best. You need to harness this quote and trap it in your soul, instill it into every fiber of your being. It’ll save you a lot of time and energy, not to mention save your mental health. I am STILL struggling with accepting the obnoxious amount of changes I need to make to His Blue Eyes. Had I gone in with more realistic expectations, maybe it would be different.

4. Manage Your Emotions

It is easy to immediately go into defensive mode.

- My characters aren’t boring. You just don’t know them like I do

- My plot isn’t problematic! Did you even read my book?

- Oh, for Pete’s Sake—That is not how I wrote that!

When I got my edits back, I became the emotional chameleon. I was switching between eager and excited, to mortified, to horrified, to anger, to debilitating sadness. I couldn’t control my emotions as I read through the 13 pages of Editor’s Notes, and it did a number on my mental health. I ended up having to take a step away from my book baby for a solid couple months before I could even think about writing, let alone revising.

I was hurt, truly hurt that someone could tear my WIP to shreds like that. I felt ashamed—had I really written something so terrible? I felt embarrassed, and couldn’t bear to think of what the editor was thinking while she read my work. And I was angry; did she not know how hard I had worked on it?!

I will NEVER tell you to suppress your emotions. Rather, I invite you to feel each and every one. To hold them in will simply create a boiler on the brink of bursting, usually at the most unpredictable, inconvenient time.

But once you’ve experienced the emotions, let them go, one by one. Don’t hold onto them—they will only weigh you down, and alter how you approach your edits. This can be damaging in the grand scheme of things.  

As I’ve said before, while you are looking at your WIP with subjective eyes, the editor is looking at it 100% objectively.

Feel all the feelings, then carry on. I still have to remind myself of that every once in a while.

5.  Let the Edits Sit

As I mentioned in Point Number Four, I had to let the edits sit for a couple months before I could even stomach the concept of working on them.

This isn’t a bad thing to do.

Allowing the edits to rest gives you time to clear your head, sort through your emotions, and enter the revisions process with a better picture of your goals.

Immediately jumping into the edits can work, but you might not be 100% in control—you might be letting your heart dictate your every move, whereas your brain needs to also be involved.

Just like you allow your finished draft to cool off before you jump in with your own edits, you should let the editor’s work chill for a bit as well. This allows you to look at it with fresh eyes.

Take time to read the Editor’s Notes a couple times. Print them off and highlight the important stuff. Punch holes into it and pop it into a binder. Print off your manuscript. Get the sticky notes and pens ready. And then, let it breathe.

And this leads us to Point Number Six!

6. Create A Plan of Attack

So, you’ve gotten your edits back. You felt all the feelings. You’ve read through the Editor’s Notes so many times that you practically have them memorized, and you’ve let the work sit.

Now what?

Well…now, it’s time to work.

Because my edits were so astronomical, I wasn’t able to sit down with my manuscript and read through it in order to catalogue everything my editor had pointed out; too much was going to change. However, I sat down with the Editor’s Notes and my WIP outline and focused on the problem areas that way. I re-outlined chapters, removed chapters, and shifted chapters. I adjusted the plot points and when they would happen. I removed a character, and created another character. I got my outline to match what the editor suggested as best as I could, and then, I got to writing.

While I write, I make sure to: 1) Have my printed outline close by, 2) Have my printed Editor’s Notes right beside me, 3) Have my WIP opened up on my computer, and 4) Have my editor’s version of my manuscript in a separate tab. I have highlighters, sticky notes, and a journal at hand, in case I need to jot down a note, a thought, or an idea.

(I should point out that I totally would have printed out my editor’s version of my manuscript if I could have, but the beast was too big).

As I write, I religiously bounce back and forth from my WIP to the editor’s version, making sure that I’m addressing the changes she has suggested, and reading her comments in the margins. I am making sure to keep myself on track with my outline, and ticking off the major issues addressed in the Editor’s Notes.

While this might not work for some, the important takeaway here is to have a plan of attack. What are your goals for your manuscript? How can you set yourself up to meet those goals?

Revising my outline so that I had clear path before me was my priority; it allowed me to adjust my goals, my ideas, and my plan for His Blue Eyes, as well as allowed me to ease myself back into the writing world instead of canon-balling right into the thick of it. Now, I feel like I can enter each chapter with the relief of knowing I’m not going in blind.

 (This is probably what I look like to my husband when I talk about my outline and my manuscript and my plans)

And there you have it!

Giving your precious manuscript to an editor is no easy feat. It takes a lot of courage to share your work with others, especially when you know they will be looking at it with eagle-eyed objectivity. And it is certainly not easy when you get it back.

Working with an editor doesn’t always have to be soul-crushing. It can be a positive learning experience to help you, as a writer, grow—just as long as you know the appropriate tips to surviving your encounters with them.

So don’t lose heart!

Be proud of how far you’ve come, how much you’ve accomplished. You are a wizard, my friend, and you have created something beautiful.

Be sure to tune in every Writerly Wednesday for new writer posts!

Come for the tips.

Stay for the awkward.

Until then,

May your inspiration never cease, and may your ink never smudge.

~Naomi.bee.tee

[naomibeetee]

Terrible Writing Advice

We’ve all been there. Deep in the trenches of the writing world, every once in a while someone decides to grace us with their presence and give us advice we didn’t ask for. Half the time, it’s not even good advice. OR it’s something we already have on lockdown.

But sometimes, SOMETIMES, there is advice that is questionable; we can’t tell if it’s good or bad.

It sounds right, looks right, smells right.

Buuut one of these things is not like the others!

It’s hard not to have some sort of existential crisis because your gut is not helping you figure it out.

But don’t worry, I got your back.

Today I’ll be talking about eight pieces of advice that either 1) Really suck, or 2) Are a bit sneaky, and need to be taken with a grain of salt.

So, without further ado, here is my list of really, really bad writing advice:

1. Avoid Social References; They Will Date Your Book

This is sort of a catch-22. This piece of advice is usually directed towards modern technology, slang, and current events. Yes, they date your book, and some people even say that they create a shelf-life for your book baby. But they also help readers relate to it. If the fall of MySpace plays a crucial role in your story, or Taylor Swift’s Love Story is the epic theme for your star-crossed lovers, then have at it.

However, there is such a thing as over-board. I once read a book in which literally every other paragraph was bringing up something new. Tumblr, MSN, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat—for the love of Pearl, stop! We get it! The character is technologically savvy. Just made it stop!

So, while this isn’t absolutely terrible advice, I would tread around this with caution.

2. Write Like You Would Talk For Realistic Dialogue

No, just no.

If you tried this, your pages would be filled with characters rambling, not finishing sentences, getting distracted, and a shit ton of “Ums...Ers...Uhs.” 

While you do want your characters to feel real to the readers, reading dialogue like this can be tedious, and hard on the eyes after a time.

I would suggest that your characters have an easier time getting to their points than we do. Sometimes it takes us a long time.

3. "Wait For The Muse To Strike”

I’ll bet you were waiting for this one!

As you might know, this is one of my favorite pieces of terrible advice.

We can’t wait for The Muse to strike. If we wait, our work doesn’t get done. And if our work doesn’t get done, our novel doesn’t get finished. And if our novel doesn’t get finished, we don’t publish. And if we don’t publish, we don’t get a chance to upgrade our wizard title to Author. And that’s real sad.

It’s not like our novel will continue on its merry little way if we choose to stop. It’s not going to progress and unless you progress it. Sorry.

And yes, it’s good to take breaks and take your time and slow and steady wins the race, but that is NOT the same thing as waiting for The Muse to make an appearance. Taking breaks and taking your time still implies that you are working and moving forward.

Obviously, writing while inspired helps, and often makes working on your WIP easier. It can make your writing session fly by, the words just tumbling out, the ideas like a gift from God. But The Muse is an unreliable lady, and instead of relying on her, you should be relying on a solid writing routine, as well as discipline. 

4. Avoid Dialogue Tags—Said Is NOT Dead. 

This is probably one of the most popular pieces of advice: the glorious battle between Said Is Dead, and Nothing But Said.

This is a piece of advice that is NOT terrible, but you need to be careful around.

I’ve been told that said is an invisible word, something the reader can slip right past without any trouble. Dialogue tags, on the other hand, do nothing but slow the reader down.

This is true.

I’ve also been told that unless the reader has a CLEAR image of your character, their voice, their personality, said will not aide them in creating the full picture of your novel. This is where dialogue tags are important. Said won’t help the reader understand that your character has a stutter, or mumbles a lot, or can’t talk above a whisper. 

Gerry isn’t going to see a bear charging at him and Amanda and say, “Run.”

He’s probably going to yell it, scream it, holler it.

This is also true.

However, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. You don’t want to be ending every single one of your character’s speeches with a tag. This is where said comes in handy. Use dialogue tags when necessary, and said when they aren’t. For example, if your character mumbles, it’s a good idea to use this dialogue tag when the reader is getting to know them. You can eventually switch to said as you go, because the reader will remember in the back of their mind how your character normally speaks quietly.

 5. You Don’t Need To Write In Chronological Order

OK, maybe this isn’t terrible advice…but it’s not fantastic.

Some people thrive on jumping write into the thick of their story. Some people write their story backwards. If it works, that’s all fine and dandy. Good for you!

But if it doesn’t, you will know, your readers will know, your editor will know, everyone will know.

Stories not written in chronological order can often end up choppy, with mismatched facts, and a great many loose ends. And if you are mumbling at the computer screen, “That’s what editing is for,” right now, I totally agree with you! But that’s also making a shit ton more work for yourself, and your editor. 

If you are stuck in the middle of a scene and just can’t seem to break out of the Writer’s Block holding you captive, then it might be a good idea to jump elsewhere to get the creative juices flowing. Just maybe don’t make a habit of it.

 6. Kill Your Darlings

Everyone has heard this saying. Most take it to mean a literal sense of killing. And sure, maybe there is an expendable side character that doesn’t push your plot forward. But if you are writing a romantic comedy? Chances are killing off your MC isn’t part of your outline.

So what else could this saying mean, exactly? Well, it could mean cutting out some of your favorite scenes, favorite lines, and favorite subplots. If you love them, but they aren’t crucially vital to the progression of your plot, then there is going to be a time in which you need to ask yourself, “Is this adding to my plot, or just my word count?”

That is a good way to use this advice. A bad way to interpret this pearl of wisdom is when someone states that no one would ever read your book because of its size, thus suggesting you kill all the darlings, no matter the cost.

“A YA Fiction the size of an epic fantasy? Get real.”

Yes, that was more or less said to me in regards to His Blue Eyes. Granted, I AM trying to shorten my WIP to make it less gargantuan, but what if you’ve already trimmed all the fat? What if you’ve already cut all the corners and trimmed all the edges and gone through your draft with a fine-toothed comb?

If all the fat is gone, and you have no more darlings to kill, then the person who said that to you can kindly drink sea water.

And the best part? You don’t always have to get rid of your favorite parts. Cut them out of your draft, and paste them to a separate document. That way, should you decide to throw them back into the ring, they will be there, eagerly waiting on the sidelines, and you won’t be forced to try and remember the absolute zingers and one-liners you adored too much to kill off.

7. To Be A Good Writer, You Need To Write Everyday

No.

No, no no!

I know I’ve touched on this topic in a different blog, but I’m going to bring it up again because this is a piece of advice that just sucks.

You don’t have to write every day to be a world-renowned writer.

Sure, it helps build your craft, hone your skills, and allows for strong routines and even stronger discipline, but is it absolutely necessary? Definitely not.

There are those who swear by writing every day. If it works for them, then that’s perfectly fine! However, sometimes it is simply not possible, not feasible, to write every day. 

- You work a full time job with demanding hours

- You have a family, kids, and pets constantly vying for your attention 

- You have other life goals/plans you’ve committed to

- You’ve come down with that GI bug raging through town, and can hardly think about leaving the bathroom, let alone writing

I know people say, “Even a sentence a day is better than nothing!” But honestly, thinking you have to write every day is a sure-fire way to build up pressure to perform, and guilt when you’re not able to. Sometimes, writing every day simply isn’t possible, and you shouldn’t beat yourself up about it.  

8. Your Main Character Needs to Be Likeable

Another one you need to take with a grain of salt. 

This is one that I hold near-and-dear to my heart, because I’ve been told once that my MC in His Blue Eyes is a tad unlikeable. 

Would writing your main character as a loveable goofball throughout your entire novel be amazing? Sure.

Would it be realistic? Absolutely not. 

Must they all be likeable? Heck no.

People are cranky, have flaws, and have terrible days that leave them feeling punchy and scrappy. Some are battling depression, anxiety, and struggle with PTSD on a daily—hourly, even minute-by-minute, second-by-second—basis. Some are war torn from abuse, and put up barriers to protect themselves from further hurt. Some people are just buttheads and hurt others to make themselves feel better, or say things they don’t always mean.

Life isn’t always rainbows and sunshine; there are plenty of rainy days. The same goes for your characters. Writing them as simply happy 24/7 will get boring after a bit, and even cause them to come across as one-dimensional. 

If you have a vision for your character, follow your gut and go with it. If people tell you that your MC needs to “lighten up,” or “take a chill pill,” or—God forbid—“smile every once in a while,” then I give you full permission to explain how the plethora of emotions they are feeling, and the actions they are taking, cause them to be far more relatable than any cookie-cutter, happy-go-lucky character.

And guess what? For the one negative feedback I had on my main character in His Blue Eyes, I’ve had a multitude of others stating how realistic he came across, not to mention how relatable he was. 

And there you have it! Those are my top eight bits of god-awful advice that you should 1) Take with a grain of salt, or 2) Completely avoid at all costs.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of great advice floating around out there. But there is also a loooot of crummy “WTF” pearls of wisdom that make you question humanity’s smarts. The important thing is to learn to sift through the tips and tricks that are thrown at you on the daily, find out what works for you, and to steer clear of the ones that don’t.

Be sure to tune in every Writerly Wednesday for new writer posts!

Come for the tips.

Stay for the awkward.

Until then,

May your inspiration never cease, and may your ink never smudge.

~Naomi.bee.tee

[naomibeetee]

Writer Quirks That Just Make Sense

It’s no secret that writers are...a little weird. To chain ourselves to our computers, to write until our brains are numb and our fingers are bleeding, to create stories from scratch, we’d have to be at least a bit unhinged. 

 And it’s the absolute best!

Having odd little quirks comes with the territory of being a writer, and while everyone has their own little particularities, there are some that just seem to be the absolute standard when it comes to being a full-fledged writer. 

Wondering what they are? Lucky for you, I’ve made a list! You’re welcome.

Without further ado, here are the top eight writer quirks that just make sense:

1) We Daydream…A Lot

You can spot a writer from a mile away. 

We are usually sitting alone, in the corner of some nook or cranny, huddled around a cold coffee and notebook. We look focused, in the zone, completely in our element, and…like a total space case.

It looks like we aren’t doing anything. However, deep within the crevices of our wizard brains, we are working furiously. We are mentally brewing up our next thread of dialogue, plot point, or fight scene (or steamy scene…I’m definitely not one to judge). We are playing out our book as though it were a movie, watching our characters with an eagle eye. We are hunting for plot holes, awkward dialogue, better dialogue, anything to improve our work.

Daydreaming and writing go hand in hand. It’s sort of like a second job to writers, one that we take very seriously. Forcefully pull us out of a deep daydream, and you risk facing our wrath should we lose our train of thought.

You’ve been warned!

2) We Will Always Have A Book Recommendation

And chances are, it’ll be from an author you’ve never heard of. 

Writers are like walking libraries when it comes to book suggestions, and more often than not, we will have an idea for your next read.

- Looking for a steamy, slow burn romance? We got you covered.

- Gore, horror, and fights to the death? We know what you need.

- All things paranormal and fantastical? Come see us.

And not only will we be able to steer you in the right direction of your next read, we will be able to word-vomit an exquisite summary, a mini author biography, and how the book made us feel the first time we read it. We might even lend it to you (but be warned—we treasure our novels, and if we so much as see ONE dog-eared corner, we are coming for you).

And on that note, I present Point Number Three!

3) We Are Low Key Obsessed With Books

Writer bookshelves are a serious vibe.

We love books, sometimes more than we love writing them. We adore how they make us feel when we read them, and therefore, we get excited about writing a book that makes others feel the same way. And the idea of our books being on someone’s shelf one day is a dream we all carry close to our hearts.

One of the best ways to support an author is to buy their books. And if you have a great many authors you want to support, then that means owning a lot of books. Not that I’ve seen any writers complain about that, or anything. It simply means buying more shelf space!

Seriously, have you ever seen something so aesthetically pleasing? Seeing a wall of books makes my heart sing. I think that’s why so many of us are drawn to libraries and book stores. We could live in them. Seriously.

4) We Are Also Low Key Obsessed With Notebooks

This is an actual problem. 

Writers are notorious for hoarding things. Pens, coffee mugs, wildly outdated drafts (I’m on draft #9 of His Blue Eyes, and I still have draft #1 tucked away in my closet). But above all, there is one thing we cherish above all else: notebooks. 

- Ones that match our office aesthetic (I’m for sure guilty of this).

- Ones that match our personality (DEFINITELY guilty of this).

- Ones we think our main characters would like.

- Ones for our bedroom, our work bag, and our purse.

- Ones that are just too pretty to pass up.

Yes, we buy notebooks like they are going out of style, but do we actually use any of them? The idea is laughable; they are much too pretty to use! So we buy more, convincing ourselves that “This one is the one I’ll use…no, this one! Or this one?”

Like I said—it’s a problem. Send help.

5) We All Have A Mutual Enemy – The Synopsis

No matter the genre we are burying ourselves in, no matter the experience we have tucked under our belt, no matter if we are plotters or pantsers, trust me when I say that all writers share hatred for one enemy to rule them all: the dreaded synopsis.

Call it what you will—the book blurb, a summary, or a plain old synopsis—the result is the same: they suck and we hate them.

It is practically impossible shortening your entire novel into several chunky paragraphs with just enough information to keep the writer wanting more, but not enough to give it all away.

I’m pretty sure all of us would rather write an entire novel with bleeding fingers and no caffeine to fuel us than to fight with a synopsis.

And those who say they actually enjoy it? They are either a special breed of weirdo, or they are lying.

6) We Laugh At Our Own Writing

There are times when I’ve written an absolute zinger of a line, and I’ll laugh. Out loud. In front of someone (usually my husband, but the marital bond doesn’t stop him from giving me weird looks).

So here’s the thing: Writers need to be empathetic in the sense that we want to invoke feelings and reactions from our writers. As such, we, too, need to feel certain things when we are writing our WIP. We need to feel anger when our characters are wronged, utter joy when that kiss we’ve been dying for finally happens, and gut-wrenching heartache when the villain we love-to-hate finally perishes. 

As such, we need to laugh when something funny (or cringe-worthy) happens in our WIP. Even if it’s a couple forceful exhales through our nose, it’s a win. When we make ourselves laugh, chances are the readers will too, and that’s a great feeling! So don’t judge us if you hear us cackling from time to time. 

7) We Love Talking…Just Not Face To Face

We are writers, hear us roar! 

No, not out loud. Through our screens, please and thank-you. 

We are the spinner of tales, the teller of stories. We can muster worlds from scratch, raise the dead, and create languages. We can cause love and anguish and joy with simply the tapping of our keyboards. We have magic within our fingertips...pure, undiluted magic. We love words! We just don’t like saying them in front of other people. And don’t even get me started on public speaking...

This sort of ties in with my Point Number One - Daydreaming. Writers are watchful creatures. We often like staying in the background, observing from a safe distance. Who likes talking to people? Not us! 

I, for one, am terribly awkward; small talk and I don’t mix, and more often than not, I’m tripping over my words because my brain apparently works faster than my mouth. A good chunk of the time I feel embarrassed about my stutters and stumbles, and will opt to let others do the talking for me. But get me in front of a blank Microsoft Word document, and watch out!

However, there are a great many things writers love talking about. Their WIP, their favorite books, their newest project for NaNoWriMo, to name a few. Get us on the right topic, and we’ll talk your ear off! 

8) Our Music Tastes Are All Over The Place

A writer’s music can vary depending on the mood they are in, the scene they are working on, their characters (who may or may not have personalized playlists), and simply their personal preference.

- Some love epic orchestral video game covers.

- Some lean towards ambient sounds.

- Some enjoy screamo and punk rock.

- Some prefer absolute silence and insist they cannot work with any sort of background noise.

Personally, I’m a mix of ambient sounds and soft video game covers. Songs with lyrics will completely mess me up. 

Music can make or break a writer’s work space, so don’t judge them if they suddenly start cranking out Baby Shark or something. 

And there you have it!

To be a writer means to be a special type of person.

We’re a little awkward, have hoarding tendencies, and listen to music that might make others scratch their heads. We either talk too much or too little, or not at all—if you catch us in the middle of a daydream. We love books more than we love life itself, and will shower you in reading recommendations if you give us a chance. 

Sure, we are a little weird, but we are also amazing!

So go ahead, let your freak flag fly, and be sure to let me know what your own precious little quirks are!

Be sure to tune in every Writerly Wednesday for new writer posts!

Come for the tips.

Stay for the awkward.

Until then,

May your inspiration never cease, and may your ink never smudge.

~Naomi.bee.tee

[naomibeetee]

Cons To Being A Writer

Reality check time, people. Writing isn’t always going to be rainbows and sunshine and daisies.

Shocker.

Writing is an insane amount of work. And as much as I hate to admit this, sometimes…it’s not all that fun.

I feel like I just committed blasphemy. Don’t tell anyone.

It’s true though. It’s just the nature of the world—the circle of life, if you will. And trust me when I say, for every writing pro out there, there’s going to be a con.

Don’t believe me?

Well, lucky for you, I have a list of some of the shitty things writers deal with!

Here are my top nine cons to being a writer.

 1. Unhealthy Eating Habits

I don’t know about you, but when I’m writing, I’m either too focused to think about eating, or I’m counting down the seconds until I can take a break and grab another snack.

It’s either eating too much, or too little. There is no in between.

When we do decide to eat, it’s usually at really unfortunate times—like well past midnight, because we are in The Zone and the writing’s getting good.

Our foods of choice tend to be…not ideal. We eat whatever is quickest—and easiest—to make.

- Mac & Cheese? Yes please.

- Enough frozen meal trays to last you through an apocalypse? Absolutely.

- Bowl of cereal for dinner? Sounds great!

- Candy for breakfast? Why not?

Not to mention, the amount of energy drinks and coffee consumed in order to stay focused is likely cardiac-arrest worthy.  

2. Limited In The Socializing Game

Seriously, I’m beginning to forget what my friends look like.

I’m no longer a self-proclaimed hermit—it’s legit now (and I’m talking pre-pandemic, ya’ll).

I don’t remember the last time I left my house for something besides my day job, or a snack run. I don’t even remember the last time I went to get my mail.

Writing tends to suck up a lot of time and energy. You have priorities, deadlines to make, dreams to achieve. When you do have an ounce of free time, you are likely going to be spending it on writing—or catching up on all the sleep you’ve been missing out on. Sacrifices often have to be made in the name of writing, and not seeing your friends might be one of those sacrifices.

And not everyone will understand. If you are consistently canceling plans on people, there is a chance they are going to stop inviting you out altogether.

Talk about a bummer.

3. People

This one is a loaded topic. Introverts, buckle up.

It is one thing to get repeatedly asked about your book. I get it—you are starting to put yourself out there, letting the world know that you are writing something magical. This is going to spark intrigue. Suddenly your friends, family, and coworkers are interested about what’s going on in that wizard brain of yours!

I love getting pestered with questions about my book:

- “What are you working on?”

- “Have you always loved writing?”

- “What is your book about?”

- “How long have you been working on it?”

- “Are you planning on publishing it?”

These questions are fine! I love these questions. Show even the slightest interest in my novel, and I’ll talk your ear off about it—probably to the point where you begin to regret your life choices.

But then things get a little…weird.

I’ve had people ask to get a published copy for free. As if my life, time, tears, and money aren’t being poured into the dang thing.

I’ve had people ask to be written into my novel.

I’ve had people solicit advice that I definitely didn’t ask for.

I’ve had people tell me to write about something else because, “OMG, why would you write about a gay kid struggling through high school?? I can think of so many other interesting things to write about.”

Can you, Karen? CAN YOU??

4. “So, What’s Your REAL Job?”

This sort of falls into the People Category, but I hate it so much that I’m giving this topic a spot of it’s very own.

Believe it or not, but some writers write full time. It IS a thing that can happen.

It’s a pretty hefty task, but it can be done.

Why is it so hard to believe that I want writing to be my full-time job?

However, the unfortunate thing is, some—if not most—of us do need a second job in order to survive. Not our ideal cup of tea, but it’s the only tea we have available—for now.

Some people get a big break. Some make the courageous decision to quit their job and focus on writing. And some (like me), need to balance out their passion for writing with another job in order to stay afloat. It sucks, I know.

Other questions that deserve a hateful honorable mention include:

- “Writing a book looks easy.”

- “I’d be able to write a book too if I had all that free time!”

- “Why is it taking you so long?”

Please stop. Just stop.

5. Unfortunate Hours

Remember when I mentioned that thing about making sacrifices? Sleep is usually one of them.

And let me tell you, it hurts.

Stay up late or getting up super early might make for some great writing sessions, but it also means that your circadian rhythm has gone to complete shit.

Time no longer has meaning. Days go by in a blur. It’s by some gracious miracle that you know what year it is.

When you have to balance your life between writing and a full-time job, any spare time of yours is dedicated to your book baby; writers will often put in the equivalent of another work shift after their work shift, or dedicate entire days to just writing.

Stop asking me why I look so tired. It’s because I am.

6. Stressing About Money

I know that money shouldn’t be a focal point when it comes to our passion, but if writing happens to be your main source of income, it kind of needs to be.

If you go the traditional route of getting published, the average advance is never the ideal amount (and it’s getting smaller every year). That’s also to say if you get published at all. Cheerful thought, right?

If you go into self-publishing, it’s a lot of money you are pulling out of your own pocket. If you don’t stay on top of marketing and promoting yourself, you will sell less books, and the monetary return will pivot into a steep decline.  

People say, “Writing is free!” But it’s not; you still need a notepad and pen (if you are a special type of masochist), or a decent computer in order to write. You need a platform (ie: Microsoft Word, or Scrivener) to write with. You need access to a printer. You need space to map out your ideas. You need time, and time is hardly ever free.

I can see why many people are reluctant to let go of their jobs in order to fully commit themselves to writing—me being one of them. I am scared little baby about it!

7. The Support Isn’t Always There

It’s not IF you get a bad review—it’s WHEN.

It’s going to be soul crushing.

Not everyone is going to like your book or agree with it. There are some people I wish so badly I could share my work with, but I know my WIP wouldn’t be well received. For example, I’m pretty sure my Mom won’t be purchasing my book when I publish it. The thought stings.

There are going to be people that don’t understand you, that will troll you, that will go out of their way to make it feel like Life gouged out your eyeballs and put lemons there instead.

You might lose friends, followers, and support. You could say that if they didn’t stick around, maybe they weren’t truly your friends in the first place—but it still hurts.

You could say that you’ll never read the bad reviews, but they will still be there.

8. Aches And Pains

Seriously, how can I hurt this much??

Sometimes I wake up in the morning, and it feels like I’ve done something sinful to my body, and not in a sinfully delicious sort of way.

By the end of a writing day, my wrists are aching, my fingers are each their own contortionists, and my back is cracking like I belong in Kellogg’s Rice Crispies Cereal.

When we get in The Zone…we forget to move. Or we sit in the most ridiculous positions for unholy periods of time. It’s a problem.

9. The Dreaded Writer’s Block

It’s real. And it sucks.

When I’m at work, I have a schedule, a plan. I know what I need to do, and I do it. I work with a team to get the job done, and at the end of the day, I can congratulate myself on doing the best I can, and I can feel satisfied for finishing up the day. 

Writing can be a different story.

You might have a schedule. You might have a plan. You might even have a team of cheerleaders in your corner, shouting encouragements through the computer screen. 

A lot of that won’t amount to much if you have Writer’s Block. Schedules don’t apply when it comes to the ferocious mental barricade. Plans and thought-out outlines are laughable. If you have Writer’s Block, the only thing you can truly depend on is putting your fist through a wall in frustration. Or procrastinating because the Block isn’t going anywhere. Both aren’t ideal. 

When it comes to writing, you are in control. You are the one setting the pace and making the most out of your day. Writer’s Block reallllly loves screwing with that. 

And there you have it!

As much as we all love writing, it’s important to remember that every job, even the ones we dream of, have downsides, and that we should take all aspects of this job into consideration—the good with the bad. Sometimes you might notice that the bad outweighs the good, and that’s ok! It’s bound to happen from time to time.

The main thing is that you keep a strong heart, stay focused, and keep your fingers moving.

Be sure to tune in every Writerly Wednesday for new writer posts!

Come for the tips.

Stay for the awkward.

Until then,

May your inspiration never cease, and may your ink never smudge.

~Naomi.bee.tee

[naomibeetee]

Perks To Being A Writer

Let’s face it: being a writer is pretty spectacular. But sometimes, when life is getting us down, we forget how freaking awesome we are.

The Writer’s Block we’ve been chipping away at for what seems like eons only has a dent in it.

You’ve been turned down by a publishing company…again.

You can’t seem to find an artist to perfectly capture your characters, your setting, and your cover.

Alas, the rose-colored glasses have fallen off and shattered, and we question why we ever decided to pursue being a writer in the first place.

There are times when we forget how amazing our job is. And that’s why I’m here!

While there are a great many reasons as to why writers are so fireworks-in-your-face amazing, these are my top 10 favorites.

So, without further ado, 10 amazing perks to being a writer!

1) Our Clothing Options Rock

I cannot stress this enough. Writers reign supreme when it comes to our clothing options.

And that’s because we can wear whatever the heck we want!

My outfits of choice are PJ’s all day, every day. Or sweats. Or my squirrel poncho. Or my onesie. See—the options are already endless!

No need to waste money on work clothes and high heels that kill our feet.

Gone are the days that I had to fill my closets with scrubs smothered in stains and mystery fluids. I have so much more room for the comfy stuff!

You can even wear a cape, or a replica of the Sorting Hat, or the Hero’s Tunic from Legend of Zelda!

But why stop there! Better yet, no clothes! Let freedom roam!

I may or may not be wearing pants right now! You will never know.

So. Many. Options.

2) We Don’t Need To Leave The House

Introverts unite! Separately. In your own homes.

This is one of my favorite parts about being a writer.

YOU DON’T NEED TO LEAVE YOUR HOUSE. EVER.

It’s pure ecstasy.

Practically living in your office day and night, only scurrying out for sustenance — it’s a writer stereotype, but one that I embrace with every fiber of my being.

And if you don’t have an office, don’t fear! There are PLENTY of amazing places to let your creativity roam free within the safety of your home.

You can write in bed, on the couch, in your bubble bath, on the patio.

I’m in no way a closed-off, keep-to-myself person. But there is something magical about knowing you don’t need to be social when it comes to writing.

Being an absolute homebody is completely justifiable. Who else can get away with never leaving their house in the name of art and creation?

3) Or, Alternatively, You Can Write ANYWHERE

If staying at home until the end of time doesn’t make your heart sing, that’s ok! You aren’t limited to working at home.

You can write in parks, your favorite bookshop, the library, on the top of a freaking mountain.

The world is literally your oyster. All you need is a notebook and pen (or your faithful laptop), and a well of creativity.

Write where you are inspired.

And hellllllo traveling!

What a better time to travel to the area that your book is taking place in! THIS IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY!

Travel to Italy, to France, to Scotland! Immerse yourself into the culture. Sight-see, eat delicious food, meet fantastic people. Feel the sand in between your toes and the air on your face, and write.

In the name of writing, do all the traveling! You and your WIP deserve it.

You never fully understand a place till you’ve been there, right?

Obviously this only applies to our big, beautiful world; if you are writing about Mars, or creating a fantastical world of your own, I can’t help you get there in a literal sense. BUT that leads me to Point Number Four.

4) You Can Look Up Weird Stuff On The Internet 

Now we actually have a reason for our browser history to look nutty.

It’s all in the name of research for our WIP!

Looking up crazy stuff is half the fun!

- How to get away with murder

- Are sexy times in the shower even possible? And comfortable?

- How much can someone bleed from a stab wound?

- How long can you stay submerged in water without losing consciousness?

- How to make a bomb from scratch

- Seriously, sexy times in the shower?? Is it a thing??

My WIP, His Blue Eyes, deals with some pretty hefty subjects; I’ll bet if my mom ever saw my browser history, we’d be having an “Are you ok?” talk faster than I can blink. And I blink a lot.

It’s all in the name of research! I swear!

You aren’t some sick psycho. You’re a writer! There is a difference, and it’s completely justifiable!

5) Writing Doesn’t Talk Back

I find it hilarious when people say, “Ugh, OMG, my characters are doing the exact opposite of what I want them to do!”

Uh…what?

I don’t know if anyone’s ever told you this…but YOU are in control!

The beauty of writing is that it doesn’t talk back…it only has attitude if you WRITE ATTITUDE INTO IT.

If you don’t like what your book baby is doing, you can erase the willies out of it and try again, and again, and again. Writing isn’t a Fail Once, Automatic Game Over sort of gig, I promise. You can write, edit, and revise as many times as you want—that’s what multiple drafts are for, after all. You can go until you are happy, or until your precious little fingers fall off.

DISCLAIMER: I understand that this is a legit thing that some people struggle with, or embrace. Some people like giving their characters freedom to do as they please. While I personally might not get it, I love and value their creativity. You do you, honey-boo!

6) You Can Drink On The Job

The drinks don’t just stop at caffeine.

Coffee with Bailey’s at breakfast? It’s ok, I’m a writer.

Mimosas at brunch? It’s all good…I’m a writer.

Wine in the afternoon? It’s 5 o’clock somewhere…plus I’m a writer.

You aren’t an alcoholic — you’re a quirky writer!

I wonder what would happen if I drank at my day job (fired…I’d get fired).

Seriously though, having trouble working through a steamy sex scene, or an epic fight to the death? Crack a cold one and see what happens! Alcohol has a magical way of loosening morals and providing an alarming sense of confidence. It might help you break through whatever psychological barrier you are facing.

7) You Get To Embrace Your Inner Nerd 

(Photo credit: quotefancy)

Being a writer comes with certain responsibilities. Being a little…eccentric is one of them.

There is that saying: I don’t know if I’m weird because I’m a writer, or if I’m a writer because I’m weird.

It’s true. All of us are a little bit off—and that’s ok! It comes with the territory. In fact, it’s encouraged!

It’s fun to see a writer’s personality drip onto their pages, mingling with their words, spreading through their work like wildfire. Each writer has a unique voice, and reading each book is like learning a new language.

If we weren’t a bit weird, our work would be flat, boring, and predictable.

8) The Friends You Make Along The Way

Now, if your beautifully introverted soul just cringed so hard that it was inside-out for a second, don’t worry. I’m in the same boat as you. The idea of leaving the safety of my personal bubble and socializing is enough to make me come up with five reasons to not leave my house.

But to make writer friends, sometimes you don’t need to leave the comfort of your own home. How magical is that?

The internet is alive and thriving with an insane writing community. I have never met a more supportive crew of people that are so excited for your success, your accomplishments, and your abilities as a writer. You can find them in almost every nook and cranny of the internet:

- Twitter

- Facebook

- Instagram

- Tumblr

- Youtube

- Tiktok

- DeviantArt

The list goes on. It’s amazing!

Having said that, if you are the type that likes to come up to the surface for air from time to time, look beyond the computer! Chances are there are writing groups in or near your hometown, or writing courses and seminars hosted by the university/colleges nearest you. Investigating these groups is a great way to mingle, make friends, not to mention gain support for potential beta readers, critique partners, and editors.

Win-win!

9) The Opportunities

Much like the online writing community, the opportunities at your fingertips as a writer are vast. And no, I’m not just strictly talking about the publishing process. That is just one box in the moving van—though it is a big box, don’t get me wrong.

Writers can participate in countless fun and games, often with a great perk attached.

For example, every November there is NaNoWriMo, a writing challenge to complete 50,000+ words on a WIP that you haven’t started—all within the 30 days of November. Thrilling!

There are multiple contests for short stories, poetry, even the first couple chapters of your WIP—often with the award being publication and promotion of your work.

There are writing retreats and seminars hosted by a great multitude of authors, all in the hopes of building a community and helping you and your WIP grow.

When I think of all the opportunities we writers have at our fingertips, I get all tingly.

Seriously—hello goosebumps!

10) Most Importantly…We Can Inspire Others

To read, to write. We can be someone’s hero—their light in the dark. I once had someone tell me how much my work meant to them…how much they could relate to my main character. It made my heart burst with happiness. To know that my work was making a difference, even if it was just to one person, was enough to light a fire in my soul. It was at that moment that I knew I had made the right choice to be a writer.

We can create worlds and people and creatures from thin air. We paint these beautiful pictures in people’s minds, and the cool part is, no one reads a book the same; you might be painting one picture, but in truth, you’re actually painting thousands upon thousands. How cool is that? Heck—I can read a book twice, and I’ll still learn new things about it that I never realized before.

WE DO THAT!

WE ARE LIKE WIZARDS!

And there you have it!

Writing is an incredible journey, often with a lot of Ups, and an obnoxious number of Downs. When those Downs get the best of you, it’s important to remember how badass you are, and how cool it is to be a writer.

YOU are amazing. It is ridiculous how amazing you are. Don’t ever forget that.

Be sure to tune in every Writerly Wednesday for new writer posts!

Come for the tips.

Stay for the awkward.

Until then,

May your inspiration never cease, and may your ink never smudge.

~Naomi.bee.tee

[naomibeetee]

Be My Valentine ❤️

Weirdos for life. 🤍

I can always count on him to make me laugh. He can always count on me to roll my eyes as I search for the remote control for the umpteenth time in a day because he “seriously can’t find it this time.”

✨Happy Valentine’s Day!✨

[naomibeetee]

Things I’ve Learned On My Writing Journey

Every writer has a story.

And no, I don’t mean the literal one they are writing.

I’m talking about their story; their writing journey, what they’ve gone through, what they’ve learned along the way—the good, the bad, the ugly.

Sometimes, on days I’m not able to write, I like to think about how far I’ve come, and the things I’ve figured out along the way.

And I made a list of some of them for you! Here are the top 6 things I’ve learned about writing:

1. I Can’t Do This Without Caffeine

Writing is hard.

Writing without the added boost of coffee, tea, or energy drinks is impossible.

Think about it – for a lot of us, writing isn’t our full-time job; we often have 8-10-12 hour/day jobs that require a lot of our attention. That shit is exhausting! It’s only after our workday is done that we are able to focus on our beautiful book baby. Can you imagine doing that on no caffeine? I sure can’t. I now know that I require that boost to get a good writing session in.

It’s not about want. It’s about need.

Maybe it’s psychological, but I find that I can’t even sit at my desk, let alone think about writing, unless I have the coffee pot brewing or the kettle boiling.

Chocolate helps, too.

2. I Can’t Always Force Myself To Write At A Certain Time

I am neither a night owl, nor am I an early bird. I’m more of what you could call the permanently exhausted pigeon. Lord knows I wish I could be the owl or the perky bird, but I’m not.

I don’t have a “sweet spot” chunk of time where I’m drowning in creativity and the words just flow.

Sometimes it’s at night. Sometimes it’s as soon as I wake up. Sometimes it’s in the middle of the day – when I’m meant to be doing something else, usually.

The one exception to this discovery is my “Write Off” day – the day I schedule for myself (generally on my days off) when I more-or-less lock myself in my office and write all day. This is the one time I force myself to make up for the hours lost to my full-time job and write. It’s not always easy. Heck – it’s not always possible.

Did I mention that caffeine helps?

3. There Are Times Where I Think I’m THE Shit…And Times Where I Think I AM Shit

Writing is the only thing I’ve ever encountered in my entire life that makes me feel a whirlwind of emotions every couple of minutes.

Either I think I’m amazing…or I should just cut off my fingers. There apparently is no in-between.

Sometimes I’m on a roll with my writing. The creativity is there, the inspiration, the motivation to sprint towards my dreams and goals.

And then sometimes I’ll read what I wrote the night before in a flurry of determination and want to throw my computer out the window.

Being a writer can be chaotic. Who knew?

4. Having A Soundboard Is Helpful

Having someone I can bounce ideas off of has been incredibly beneficial for both my inspiration, idea catalogues, and confidence.

The nice thing about having a soundboard is that it doesn’t always have to be a writing companion, either. For example, my husband has been especially helpful during my writing adventures of His Blue Eyes because he can tell me how a male generally would act in the situations and ideas I throw his way.

However, I do think having a writing buddy, or critique partner, or writing group does wonders for your WIP journey; they’ll have a better understanding of what you are going through, what you are looking for, and offer insight that someone without the Writer Brain might not be able to. I find that all writers possess this trait of seeing the world in a different lens, and even if they aren’t nestled in your genre niche, all have something special to offer. And writers are the best when it comes to kinship! You won’t find a better crew that will support and cheer you on.

Having writer friends is like the ultimate club!

5. It’s Important To Be Open To The Possibility Of Failure And/Or Setbacks

(Photo credit: therandomvibez)

Now, when I mention the soul-gutting word failure, I don’t just mean the notion of my book baby never getting published – though that is always a fear.

I mean failure in terms of other very real, very tangible ways:

- Not being able to stir up enough excitement over my novels

- Having a hard time recruiting beta readers

- Not meeting personal deadlines, or failing to accomplish my Quarterly Goals.

Currently, the setback I’m struggling with right now is the fact that I received my developmental edits back for His Blue Eyes, and it blew me away at how painful it was.

Not just gentle adjustments and plot-hole covers. Not just scene fixes and theme/symbolism tweaks.

Nope.

Full. Blown. Re-Write.

After 8 drafts. A re-write. More or less from start to finish.

Painful.

Maybe it’s not a full-on drop-everything-and-quit sort of failure, but it’s definitely taken the wind out of my sails. It’s taken me a good couple weeks to come to terms with the massive setback I wasn’t particularly expecting, and only recently have I been feeling the whispers of excitement at the aspect of re-writing my novel.

But am I going to let those setbacks stop me? Absolutely not.

There have been many a hiccup—and definitely more to come!—in regards to my writing journey, and every time, it’s been up to me on whether or not I want to sit down and cry, or dust myself off and keep going.

And this leads me to Number Six…

6.  Criticism Hurts…But It Doesn’t Have To (All The Time)

Like I said in Point Number Five, getting my developmental edits back hurt real bad. It’s taken me several weeks of sitting quietly with my thoughts, re-evaluating my priorities, and thinking hard about what my end goal is for His Blue Eyes.

My editor had sent me back a thirteen-page break down of my novel and all the problems with it. It was a tough pill to swallow. As I read through page after page of, “This stinks – you should consider fixing it,” and, “This is weak,” and, “This doesn’t even make sense,” I couldn’t help but get discouraged. Was all my hard work and years of pouring my entire soul into this project that terrible?

(That’s me and my sad/questioning-my-entire-existence face)

Yes, and no.

Criticism is a tool meant to guide you to success, not shatter your soul and sell the pieces. Even if it hurts at the time, it is meant to be for your own good, to help you and your work progress to something bigger, better, brighter.

My editor was a blunt bird who didn’t hold back her punches, and she had a keen eye for many things I hadn’t noticed, or hadn’t thought through.

I know that my editor only has me and my book baby’s best interest at heart, and has the wisdom and expertise on her resume to get me there. Ultimately, I can choose to listen to her non-sugar-coated words of wisdom, or I can turn a blind eye to them. However, I know she is in my corner, fighting for the best version of my book, and while the criticisms may sting, I know she has my welfare in mind the entire time. To throw away that thirteen-page analysis, to not listen to her years of advice, I would risk the well-being of my novel, and do more damage than good.

Having said that, I do believe that there is such a thing as good advice, bad advice, and good advice—but it’s not a good fit for your novel. It is ultimately up to you navigate through the criticisms to see what will or won’t improve your work. But, like I said before, if the criticism is coming from someone with extensive expertise, chances are good that taking their direction will up your chances of success.      

 (Photo credit: picturequotes.com)

And there you have it! The writing journey is an amazing experience, and the cool part is that it’s unique to everyone!

Everyone is a special snowflake!

What have you learned along the way of your adventure? What have your hiccups been? I’d love to hear them! We can laugh, learn, and cry together (I’ll bring the snacks and tissues). 

 Be sure to tune in every Writerly Wednesday for new writer posts!

Come for the tips.

Stay for the awkward.

Until then,

May your inspiration never cease, and may your ink never smudge. 

 ~Naomi.bee.tee

[naomibeetee]

Take me back to summers and sun,

to moon-soaked nights and stardust skies,

to sunflower kisses and endless tulip smiles.

Everything seemed simpler then.

🌻

[naomibeetee]

Do You Have What It Takes?

So, you want to be an author.

You can sit there and dream about having worldwide book distribution, rolling in that dough, and being someone's favourite author all you want – if you don't have what it takes, it’s not going to be easy.

Not sure you got the stuff? I'm here to help you figure that nonsense out. So sit back, grab your notepad and snacks, and feast your pretty little eyes on this blog.

Here are my top six things to think about if you want to be an author:

1) Time

I feel like I'm stating the obvious here. 

You need to have time to write.

You could be at work, daydreaming about your novel, brainstorming on your lunchbreaks, playing out scenarios on your drive home, but those things don't amount to much if you don't take time to actually write.

Trust me, sometimes going home and writing after a long-ass day at work is the last thing you want to do. I get it – you're exhausted, hungry, and there's that episode on your PVR you've been dying to watch. And hey, days like that are ok. But at some point in time, you are going to have to make the active decision to sit yourself down at the table and write. You can't make a habit of constantly putting off your writing, otherwise it's never going to get done. And that's real sad. 

But there's only so much time in the dayyyyyy!

You bet there is.

If that's the case for you, then you might need to look at things from another angle. If going home from your job and writing for an hour just doesn't seem possible, then you need to see where you can fit it in elsewhere:

- Plan a day in your week (or weekend) that is your designated "WRITE OFF" day – a day in which you lock yourself in your office and don't come out until the work you had planned for yourself is done

- Choose to go to bed a little later, or wake up a little earlier

- Use your breaks at work to do a mini writing sprint

You need to treat your writing like a second job. Your WIP deserves to get taken seriously!

2) Money

This might be another obvious one, but publishing your novel is not cheap. Keep in mind that I'm referring to the self-publishing route, and not the traditional one.

- The edits (and I mean all of them – developmental, line/content, proofreads…not to mention, you may need to do several rounds of the same form of edit before you move on to the next…like me)

- The cover art

- The formatting

- The Copyrights

- The ISBNs

The list goes on.

Writers typically can spend between $4-6000 when it comes to self-publishing, if not more, depending on their word counts, where they live, and how hardcore they want their cover art to be. 

That's a big chunk of money to have just laying around in your bank account dedicated to publishing your work.

And it doesn't stop there!

There are a handful of hidden costs:

- The platform you are choosing to publish on

- The multiple proof copies you'll have to comb through

- The different formats of cover art you'll need if you decide you want a paperback, a hardcover, an E-book, and an audio piece created for your novel

There are also companies out there that will help you self-publish your work, which might be a great idea if you are very green when it comes to self-publishing. A couple examples include:

- FriesenPress

- Tellwell

- Bookbaby

Companies like these will often provide packages to help the self-publishing process be less intimidating. They'll include things like the editing, the cover art, the formatting, and will provide you with 2-3 ISBNs, as well as a create a marketing and distribution plan.

Sounds like a dream, right? Well, they don't come cheap. Some of the self-publishing packages can cost up to $10,000. Yes, you read that right. And if you choose to go with some of the cheaper plans, keep in mind some of them might be missing very important steps (like developmental edits).

Annnnnd just like that, I'm broke.

Obviously, there are ways to cut some costs, but it can be risky.

Maybe you decide to create cover art for yourself, or format your novel on Microsoft Word, or decide, "Hey! I PROBABLY don't need to have my work proofread."

These might help you not break the bank, but they come at the risk of degrading your novel, making it look less professional, and ultimately, you could lose out on sales.

No one is asking you to pour your life savings into your novel, but you should be aware of the costs before you dive head-first into it.

3) Courage

Your novel is done. Hooray! Now what?

Well, it's time to show it to the world.

Don't panic. I'm not asking you to post your first draft on Wattpad or DeviantArt or something.

But you do need to start sharing bits and pieces of it.

And that takes courage.

Finding beta readers, critique partners, editors, cover artists...all these things force you to share something you've been holding very near and dear to your heart for a long time. That shit is terrifying.

You are putting your neck out there, receiving feedback and criticism, and even getting rejected (ie: in the querying stage, or agent-hunting, if you are going down the traditional publishing route).

You need to prepare yourself for someone else looking at your work, picking it apart, loving or hating your characters. It's no longer just you and your book baby. It's bigger than that now.

Sharing your work with others takes guts. So make sure you have some!

4) Able to Make Sacrifices

This sort of ties in with the whole "Time" portion of this blog.

Are you willing to make sacrifices in order to benefit your novel?

Are you willing to lose out on sleep, maybe turn down that Girls Night Out so you can hit your word count deadline?

Are you willing to maybe skip out on that games night you had planned with your friends, or the drinks after work with colleagues?

Are you willing to have friends get annoyed at you for putting your writing first?

Are you ok with them not understanding your passion?

If you answered no to any of these things, then congratulations! You have your priorities, and writing might not be one of them.

I'm not saying it's all, "Write Or Die!" And if it is, it doesn't have to be like that 24/7. That just sounds plain exhausting. But I am saying that you should be ready to at least make some sacrifices if it means giving your book baby its best chance. You need to piece your life around like a jigsaw puzzle until you find something that works for you.

5) Discipline

I swear this word makes some people cringe. Discipline – it's a bitch!

But it's a necessary bitch, so learn to love it.

Discipline is a key ingredient in finding out if you have what it takes to be a writer.

- Making yourself write, even when you'd rather play the DLC package from Breath of the Wild (no? Just me? Awkward, but ok), or when that shiny new idea has lost a heck of a lot of its luster, or when the motivation is simply not there.

- Setting up a goal or deadline for yourself (ie: with completing the first draft, a word count goal, gaining a certain amount of followers on social media, etc.) and sticking with it.

- Forming a social media plan to post content on the weekday you chose, and doing it (because you promised the world, my friend).

- Creating a writing routine for yourself and holding yourself accountable.

People create routines for all sorts of aspects of their lives. Working out, meal planning, even bedtime routines. A routine is simply a plan and series of steps you put out for yourself in order to accomplish something. Forming a routine for writing should be no different, and is often vital when it comes to managing your goals. Routines provide the best chance of success, and the discipline to stick with it is the best thing you can do for your novel.

6) Gumption – Some People Have It!

Do you have the necessary drive to keep going?

And no, I don't mean until you finish your first draft, or your second, or even your third.

I mean, do you have the drive to keep going AFTER all that? With the edits, and the beta readers, and the critiques, and the bad reviews – don't kid yourself; some people are absolute gremlins.

Do you have the drive to see your project through to the very end? Through all those drafts, all those proofreads and proof copies? Are you going to be able to keep on top of marketing and promoting yourself, and the prep work when it comes to launching your book baby publishing party?

Are you going to stop there? Or write another one?

Are you going to be able to pick yourself up after the rejections and mistakes?

Are you able to keep going?

Do you have the gumption?

It's a fair question, alright? I gotta ask.

And there you have it!

Writing a novel can be hard work. But it goes so much farther than just sitting down and writing. There are a lot of things you need to take into consideration when it comes to figuring out if you have what it takes. Some of them force you to look inward (deeeep into your SOUL), and some of them require you to look outward...like your wallet, and the clock on your wall. Easy peasy, right?

Be sure to tune in every Writerly Wednesday for new writer posts!

Come for the tips.

Stay for the awkward.

Until then,

May your inspiration never cease, and may your ink never smudge.

~Naomi.bee.tee