#Writing - P.J. MacLayne

Am I a Working Writer? #IWSG

By P.J. MacLayne October 6, 2020 October 6, 2020 IWSG

October 7 question – When you think of the term working writer, what does that look like to you? What do you think it is supposed to look like? Do you see yourself as a working writer or aspiring or hobbyist, and if latter two, what does that look like?

If you followed the link from the Insecure Writer’s Group blog post to get here, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of me. And you haven’t read any of the eight books I’ve published so far. But that doesn’t make me any less of a working writer.

I’m not making a living off my writing. Heck, I’m lucky if I break even when it comes to the end of the year. The number of people following me on any of the social media is low. But none of that diminishes the fact that I sit down at my computer on a regular basis and work to put words on paper.

And that’s what it takes for me to consider myself a working writer. I’m trying. Well, I’m more than trying. I’m doing. I wrote four books before I wrote one I considered good enough to publish. And I didn’t feel any less of a writer while I was writing them.

Maybe you don’t write books. Maybe you write short stories or poems or blog posts. You’re still a writer. A working writer.

Not all of us will ever be traditionally published. Some of us don’t want to be. And that’s okay. That’s no longer the definition of a writer. The world is a lot bigger now. (And, at the same time, a lot smaller.)

So, I go back to my previous statement. Are you putting words on paper? (Or the computer equivalent?) Congratulations. You’re a working writer.

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

The awesome co-hosts for the October 7 posting of the IWSG are Jemima Pett, Beth Camp, Beverly Stowe McClure, and Gwen Gardner!

Creating Business Goals for Writing #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne September 20, 2020 September 20, 2020 Open Book

September 21, 2020

Do you set business goals as a writer? What are they for the How to write 4th quarter, and have you started planning 2021?

I learned all about the fine art of setting goals years ago. How to write them in such a way they looked good for the bosses and yet meant the raises they promised were in the bag. About stretch goals versus SMART goals versus whatever the powers that be decided to use that year.

I understood the process. And I’ve never bought into it.

I know it’s supposed to be motivation. It didn’t work for me. What it felt like was a tool for bad managers who didn’t know how hard their employees worked. Or lazy ones who didn’t try to find out.

Oh, not all of them. There are exceptions. My current boss being one of them.

But we’re here to talk about writing. And I set goals for my writing the same way I plot out my books. I don’t.

Here’s the deal. Life has thrown me under the bus too darned many times. I choose to no longer live with the guilt of not meeting some artificial goal. I just do the best I can every day. Sometimes that means I write 1500 words in a day. Some days it means I only write 200.

That doesn’t mean I don’t have general goals. I wanted to get the first draft of The Ranger’s Dogtags done two months ago. I finished it last week and finished typing it today. And I don’t feel any guilt. The book turned out to be 20,000 words longer than any of my previous stories. Those extra words deserved the extra time they needed to come to life.

My next general goal is to get through a couple of rounds of editing. i haven’t set a target date for publication yet. Life could get interesting in the next few months, and I don’t want to rush things. I want to give this book the attention it deserves.

And that’s my goal. To make each book as good as possible and just keep writing. It’s not SMART but I don’t care.

But that’s just me. I’m sure we’re going to get a variety of opinions from the other writers on this hop. Follow the links below to find out.

Until next time, stay safe!

September 21, 2020

Do you set business goals as a writer? What are they for the 4th quarter, and have you started planning 2021?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

Writing the Ridiculous #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne August 30, 2020 August 30, 2020 Open Book

Aug 31, 2020

Does anyone write stream of consciousness or capers anymore, or has the Hollywood hero’s journey ruined that?

I admit it. I had to look it up. What capers meant in a literary sense. I had an idea, but I’ve never studied the form and wanted to make sure. What I found was “an activity or escapade, typically one that is illicit or ridiculous.” In a literary sense, “The caper story is distinguished from the straight crime story by elements of humor, adventure, or unusual cleverness or audacity.” They usually focus on the bad guys. Think Oceans Eleven or The Sting.

But then I got thinking about a few of the ‘interesting ‘ situations Harmony has gotten herself into. Of course, they are all on the side of good.

I giggled as Lando adjusted the support stockings. They hid the thick bandages he had wrapped each leg with to make them appear fatter. “Luckily it’s getting chilly outside,” he said, handing me a heavy sweater. “The more layers of clothing you wear the less you resemble yourself.”

With the foam form strapped around my belly, I thought I had plenty of padding already. It was designed to give a man the concept of the extra weight women carry when they are pregnant, but mostly it made me look fat. The over-sized dress with the huge Hawaiian flower pattern exaggerated the effect. Under all the foam and extra layers of clothing, it wouldn’t be long before I started to sweat.

The gray wig was a nice touch too. It was hard getting all my hair to stay under it, and thank heavens the curly hair hid the lump my bun made. Lando worried the makeup he had applied didn’t fill my face out enough, but he did the best job possible with his limited supplies. He hoped the huge glasses he’d found would help. The plain thick glass meant I still needed my contacts. The ugly white nurse’s shoes were a size too big, but with the thick socks they fit just about right.

A cane was the last accessory. To put any weight on it, I had to lean forward. He stood back, nodding and admiring his work. “Well, I think that’s it, Aunt Martha,” he said grinning.

I smiled back and pointed the end of the cane at him. “That’s enough out of you, sonny.”

He got thoughtful. “I almost forgot!” He dug into one of the bags. “Teeth!” he said. They were some of those fake ones that slip on over real teeth. I put them in and ran my tongue over them. I wouldn’t be able to eat corn on the cob, but an ice cream sundae would a possibility. “Try talking now,” he said.

I tried but it wasn’t easy. It reminded me of when I lost both front teeth at the same time as a little girl. “It’ll take some practice,” Lando told me. “But in the meantime you don’t sound like you and that’s a good thing.” He crooked an arm. “Shall we go show Eli?”

Walking slightly bent over was harder than I anticipated so I appreciated the arm he offered for extra support. I shuffled more than walked to the far room.

“Aunt Martha, meet my friends Eli and Scotty. Guys, this is Aunt Martha.”

From The Marquesa’s Necklace

All of that to go out for supper. And to take a walk in the park. Visit the Post Office. Innocent, right? But when I think about it, they all share one or more elements of humor, adventure, or unusual cleverness or audacity

I don’t claim I can write an entire story as a caper. I pull off a scene here and there for the fun of it. Harmony likes going in undercover to places she shouldn’t be. Lando didn’t know what he started when he taught her how to use theatrical makeup.

But then there’s Harmony’s ex-boyfriend, Jake. Jake won’t reveal his secrets to me. Maybe because I take him too seriously. His alleged history as a gentleman jewel thief would be the perfect setup for a caper. He has the right mix of irreverence and seriousness, and the ability to charm himself out of almost any situation. I’ll have to think about it.

And there are a few capers out there. One I read recently was Hook Dead to Rights by Melissa Snark. It may not be a caper in the traditional sense of the genre, but it comes close.

On the stream-of-consciousness part of this question. I do. Write that way. Frequently. And I’m betting there’s a few others on this loop that do as well. (Richard and Lela, I’m looking at you.) Let’s see who owns up to it by following the links below.

Until next time, stay safe!

Aug 31, 2020

Does anyone write stream of consciousness or capers anymore, or has the Hollywood hero’s journey ruined that?

Race to the Finish #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne August 23, 2020 August 23, 2020 Open Book

Aug 24, 2020

Do you hurry through a first draft, or are you conscious of flaws as they go down? Has that changed over time?

Have you ever heard of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)? It happens every November, and the challenge is to write at least 50,000 words during the month. That’s considered the minimum number of words for a novel.

Well, the first book I wrote was part of the challenge. I wrote every free moment I had. At work, at home, planning while I drove. Still, I only made it to 49,000 words. Not only did I run out of time, I ran out of story.

But we won’t talk about that book. It’s buried in my archives and will stay there. However, I have made the 50,000 words in a couple of other attempts. It’s tough.

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

I haven’t tried to compete in NaNoWriMo for a few years. I don’t know if I will try again. The plots of my mysteries are convoluted, and I have to pay close attention to ensure I tie everything together and don’t miss any potential loose ends. Plus, now I am paying more attention to grammar and word choice as I write. It slows down the initial process, but leads to less editing as I’ve already fixed minor errors

Speed also varies depending upon whether I’m writing by hand on paper or if I’m typing. When I’m typing, and see the way the words look on the monitor, I do more immediate editing and it slows things down. When I’m putting ink on paper, it’s more of a stream-of-consciousness process and I go faster. (But have to do editing in the transcription process.)

The other factor that affects my speed is whether the characters feel like talking to me and telling me what happens next. I’m what’s known as a pantser—I make it up as I go along. I don’t plot out my stories before I start writing. I may know the beginning and end but everything between has to be discovered. Some days the characters are willing to spill their guts and some days, I have to drag it out of them.

There are authors out there that write a book a month. Month after month. Yes, they are pretty much formula-driven. I’m not one of them. I challenge myself and my characters to break the mold. (including the mold I built them in!) For example, in The Ranger’s Dogtags, the next book in the Harmony Duprie Mysteries, I’ve pulled Harmony out of Oak Grove and plopped her down in Orlando. (And if you’ve read the books, you know she has nothing good to say about Florida!)

But back to the original question. Am I more conscious of my flaws as I write? Absolutely. I’m aware of every “was” “feel” and “had” that I drop into a sentence. I work to get rid of passive verbs and write more action. I spend time trying to figure out if I can redo the sentence to get rid of the offending word. Sometimes the fix comes to me, and sometimes I have to move along so I don’t lose my momentum. Yes, my writing is slower, but better.

And that’s why I doubt I’ll ever try to “win” NaNoWriMo again. I think I’d have to sacrifice quality for quantity, and create more work for myself in the end.

What do the other authors have to say? Find out my following the links below.

Until next time, please stay safe.

August 24, 2020

Do you hurry through a first draft, or are you conscious of flaws as they go down? Has that changed over time?

Creating a Story Arc #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne August 16, 2020 August 16, 2020 Open Book

Aug 17, 2020

What is story arc to you?

There are authors that plan out their entire series before they start writing. They know how many books they want, how many words they want in each book, and the story line from beginning to end across the entire series. I’m not one of those authors.

When I wrote Wolves’ Pawn, I had no intention of making it into a series. The second book, Wolves’ Knight, came as a total shock when Tasha, the main character, forced her way into writing plans. Although the books share characters, they aren’t dependent on each other. You can read them in any order. The same is true for Wolves’ Gambit, the third book in the series.

But there are several underlying story lines in the series. However, I suspect not many readers see them, that they exist mainly in my head. I can see one of them developing into another book. I don’t know if I’ll ever write it, unless it’s for my own satisfaction, because the series didn’t sell well.

Then you have the mysteries. I knew before I completed the first draft of the first book that it had the potential to be a series. But I don’t believe in writing cliffhanger endings, so I made sure that I wrapped the story up nicely so readers would be satisfied.

And in Harmony’s case, the series is chronological. Although some of the books stand well on their own, I highly recommend they be read in order. There is a strong romantic subplot that evolves through each story. That, and Harmony’s personal growth is clearer. (She surprises me all the time!)

There’s no huge revolution in the mysteries. No overthrowing the evil king and saving the prince and the kingdom. No quest to return a ring to the forge where it was created. (Granted, there’s a minor revolution in the Free Wolves books.) Those aren’t requirements for a story arc, in my opinion.

All it takes is a continuing story. Harmony does more than move from one mystery to another. We get to share in her personal life—the changes in her jobs, her interactions with the police, overcoming her fears. The Harmony I’m dealing with in The Ranger’s Dogtags, my current work-in-progress, is not the same as she was in The Marquesa’s Necklace.

And I’m enjoying this improved version. She’s being forced into situations that make her uncomfortable, and she’s handling them like a pro. Everything she’s learned along the way come into play. Here’s a quick example.

Once upon a time and far away, we practiced yelling in the self-defense course. I drew on that memory now. Filled my lungs. And screamed.

My shout echoed in the night. His throw faltered. The light arched through the darkness. Bounced against the house. Landed in the juniper bushes that lined the front. He bolted towards the neighbor’s yard and beyond.

I had two choices. Chase after the arsonist. Put out the fire. The bushes were expendable. Eli’s home wasn’t. I dialed 911. And grabbed the garden hose.

Originally unplanned, I am bringing in additional characters from The Marquesa’s Necklace into this new book. I won’t tell you who. Not yet. But they will tie into the story I told in the first book.

And that’s story arc. It doesn’t even have to be across a series. It can (and should) happen within one book. There’s a challenge, attempts to solve the issue, and a resolution. The basics of any story.

Don’t forget to check out what the other authors on this hop have to say. (You can do that by clicking on the links below.) And, until next time, stay safe!

Aug 17, 2020

What is story arc to you?

Would You Believe? #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne June 14, 2020 June 14, 2020 Open Book

June 15, 2020

What’s the most unusual experience you’ve ever had? Have you included it in one of your books?

I’ve done some unusual things in my life. Some people might classify them as crazy. Like getting on a Greyhound bus to travel halfway across the country to go to a college I’d found in a book. (This was back in the days before the internet. All correspondence to/from the college was done by snail mail. ) Or dangling off a cliff for a basic mountain climbing course four months after breaking my collarbone in a bicycling accident. Or the time we (hubby and me) went camping in a wilderness area with our six-day old baby. (It was a wonderful experience!)

How about changing careers when I was over 40? Moving ourselves cross-country from Oregon to Florida? Or the decision to self-publish a novel when I was umpteen years old?

Go ahead. Pick one. None of them are in any of my books.

Not specifically, anyway. That doesn’t mean the life’s lessons I learned along the way haven’t influenced my stories. Harmony from my mystery series is never going to go mountain climbing, but my once-upon-a-time desire to be a librarian influenced her career. And the hills I went hiking and camping in provide a backdrop for two of my Free Wolves books.

It could happen in a future book. Maybe I’ll get one of my characters lost in the Rocky Mountains and they have to use their mountain climbing and wilderness skills to find their way back to civilization. (Did I mention the week-long survival training class I took in high school?) Or I can force Harmony to move from her beloved Oak Grove. How would she handle it?

Speaking of Harmony and her adventures, I received the first batch of paperbacks of The Samurai’s Inro, her newest story. Cross your fingers that the event I want to sell them at happens!

If you don’t want to wait that long, and want to purchase a copy now, you can find more information HERE

If you want to check out the unusual experiences of the other authors, you can follow the links below. And, as always, please sta safe until we ‘meet” again.

June 15, 2020

What’s the most unusual experience you’ve ever had? Have you included it in one of your books?

Pilgrimage #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne June 8, 2020 June 8, 2020 Open Book, Uncategorized

June 8, 2020

Have you ever gone on a literary pilgrimage? If so, where and why?

Once upon a time, on a back highway in Florida, I saw a sign marking the road to Zora Neale Hurston’s home. I would have liked to take the road less traveled, but I had places to be and people to talk to. And although I took that road once or twice more, I never to make it to the house. In fact, I don’t which of the various houses she lived in the road led to.

Although I didn’t think of it as a pilgrimage at the time, I got to see the Mark Twain house in Hartford. Connecticut. I was visiting family who lives nearby, (Hi, Mary!) and we took a trip there for something to do. Back then, the home was still under restoration and a tenant lived on part of the third floor.

But the house was gorgeous. Beautiful dark woods throughout the interior. Marvelous staircases. Intricate ceilings.Wonderful details throughout the house. Truthfully, I don’t remember much about the exterior because I was so in awe of the inside.

If I was going to go on a literary pilgrimage, where would I go? I’m thinking Ireland. I’ve always figured that my Irish heritage is where I got my creative side. I’d love to wander the moors and hills of the countryside, explore castle and church ruins, and maybe talk to a fairy or an elf. See what came of it as far as inspiration for my stories.

If you were going on a literary pilgrimage, where would you go? You can share your stories in the comments. In the meantime, I’m going to check out where the others on this list have gone. Maybe I’ll get some ideas.

June 8, 2020

Have you ever gone on a literary pilgrimage? If so, where and why?

Spiderweb #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne June 1, 2020 June 1, 2020 Open Book

June 1, 2020

Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.” That’s how I feel about my writing.

Because I didn’t plan it. When I wrote Wolves’ Pawn, it was a one and done. It was fun, and then it was time to try something else. If you’ve been following me for a long time, you know the next book I wrote was supposed to be a different kind of paranormal romance, one featuring a librarian and a ghost. It didn’t turn out like that, because the characters objected. Instead, it became an almost-cozy mystery titled “The Marquesa’s Necklace.”

But I didn’t abandon the original theme. There might be a ghost in there somewhere. As well as a reference to Wolves’ Pawn. You’ll have to read carefully to find it.

And I fell in love with Harmony, my main character, before I finished writing Necklace, and knew there would be more books in the series. In fact, the fifth book, The Samurai’s Inro, is being released today. And each story has a reference to either the ghost or what became the Free Wolves series, or both. And yes, the first book became a series because the characters demanded it.

For the most part, the Free Wolves books stand on their own. There are overlapping characters, but the books can be read in any order. That was done on purpose. Someday, I might write more in that series. There are a couple of ideas floating around in my head.

The mysteries are different. Although each book is a separate mystery, with no cliffhangers, there’s a strong underlying story arch, and I suggest they be read in order. (Especially books 1 & 2. The other books are more solo stories)

Here’s a teaser from The Samurai’s Inro to give you a hint about the paranormal reference:

I’m in the planning stage for another series. I have to finish the Harmony series first, but I can see the possibility of including references to Harmony in the new books, just for the fun of it. It may be a couple of years before you see the first of those books. I’ve got to finish The Ranger’s Dog Tags.before I start those.

If I can carry it off, it will be quite the spiderweb I weave. It sounds like fun to try!

Since this post is appearing on release day, I can’t pass up the opportunity for promotion. Head over HERE for more information on the Samurai’s Inro and where you can get a copy.

And I’ll be checking out everyone else’s posts during the day, to keep me from staring at my sales figures. You can join me by following the links below.

In the meantime, stay safe out there!

June 1, 2020

Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?

Writing Mistakes #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne May 17, 2020 May 17, 2020 Open Book

May 18, 2020

What are your top five writing mistakes? Either mistakes you make or mistakes that make you cringe when you see them in print?

Eight books in, and I’ve learned a lot. I’m not perfect by a long shot, but I know what to watch for. That doesn’t mean I don’t slip and have to go back and correct myself, but at least I make the same mistakes less often. Here’s my top five.

Overusing “was.” The dog was. John was. The reason for my anxiety was. You get the drift. The word is unavoidable, but using it too much isn’t. I’m better, but still have to watch my words. And figure out how to find better words to use when I am editing.
Same thing with ‘sigh.’ I won’t bore you with examples. I challenged myself to write the current book without a single use of sigh. (The Samurai’s Inro, coming June 1st.) I need to go back and check, but I think I won the challenge.
Commas. I think the rules about commas were created to make us crazy. Heck, even the on-line grammar checkers can’t agree on commas. And I’m not talking about different grammar checkers giving different results. I’m talking about the same grammar checker giving different results at different times. Before you ask – Oxford commas are a yes in my book.
I’m a pantser. That means I don’t have everything all plotted out before I write a story. That also means I occasionally lose track of story time. It is Thursday or Friday? I have to go back to a known day and start counting. No one has ever called me out on messing up a day, so I think I get them right in the end.
This one is not me, but I cringe every time I see it in an on-line forum. In fact, I see it so often I’ve begun to doubt myself. People who are using barley instead of barely. Is autocorrect doing that? Or is it a matter of bad typing and not paying attention? I never noticed it until the last year or two. One is a grain, and the other is an adverb. How do you mix them up?

That’s my five. It won’t surprise me if there’s a lot of overlap with other authors on this loop. You can check it out by following the links below.

Until later, stay safe out there.

May 18, 2020

What are your top five writing mistakes? Either mistakes you make or mistakes that make you cringe when you see them in print?

Bestseller or Not #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne February 9, 2020 February 9, 2020 Open Book

February 10, 2020

Would you like to be a bestseller or have a smaller, more manageable following?

Truth? I want to write a bestseller. Sure, the money wouldn’t hurt, but the virtual pat on the back would be better. I mean, who wouldn’t want to have a world-wide acknowledgement of their writing skills?

Yes, I know there are people who write one bestseller and than never reach that level again. Still, that’s better than writing four or five books and never finding your audience, right?

And just maybe, if I wrote a bestseller, I could afford to hire a Personal Assistant to help with my social media. Because frankly, I don’t do a very good job on my own. Even if I had a “manageable” following, I don’t think I would do them justice. (I try, guys, I try.)

There is a down side. I absolutely love getting out and talking to people at book signings. If I was a best-selling author, would I lose that ability? I hate the idea of “sign the book, now move along.” There’s no personal interaction in that scenario. (That’s me, talking to someone at the Deadly Realities book signing last fall. I don’t even know when this picture was taken. I was too busy paying attention the the person on the other side of the table. Yeah, I’d miss that.)

Still, the money might give me the freedom to spend more time writing. And travelling to meet more people. That would be a win.

So, I’ll keep writing and dreaming of getting my big break. And maybe one of these days I’ll write a bestseller.

In the meantime, let’s go find out what the other authors on this hop choose. Just follow the links below.

February 10, 2020

Would you like to be a bestseller or have a smaller, more manageable following?

Rules:1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

Tag: #Writing