An #MFRWauthor's #NaNoWriMo Experience: Flossie Benton Rogers @FrostFrye

Flossie Benton Rogers talks about her NaNo Experience.

NaNoWriMo 2010 resulted in my first published novel, Wytchfae Runes, and jump started my post-retirement career. By that time I had personally participated in NaNo for five years. I wrote like a demon each November and put the manuscripts away and never looked at them again. Library work kept me busy.

During this time I also handled local NaNo events. As director of a county library system, in 2005 we organized an annual NaNo program for budding writers. Local authors offered presentations before, during, and after November. Loretta C. Rogers was one of those who gave unselfishly to help others put pen to paper. She inspired me with her knowledge and experience, and I began to believe that I, too, could be an author.

Like many people, becoming a published author had been my lifelong dream. I wrote my first fairy tale at age eight. With a passion for fairy stories and later, mythology, I wrote all my life but with the misconception that published authors were from some higher plane I could never reach.

Thank heaven my husband never let me forget my dream and periodically reminded me of it. When I retired from the library in 2011, he urged me to spend my time writing. Instead of putting away my 2010 NaNo manuscript, I set about the Herculean task of turning it into a publishable novel. With my husband’s support and Loretta’s critique help and encouragement, I made a commitment to become a published author. A pitch at a writer’s conference and a series contract from Secret Cravings Publishing were the other alchemical ingredients. Being a published author was a whole new world, and I loved every minute of it. Now on book number seven, I still do.

Lord of Fire – Wytchfae 5

Paranormal Romance

When demon hunter Garnet McAnnaencounters a mysterious warrior known as The Hawk, can she cope with the soul scorching flame he ignites within her?

Connect with Flossie

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#MFRWorg ASKS: Are You a #NaNoWriMo Newbie? @MaeClair1 #MFRWauthor

Are you a NaNo Newbie?

I was last year. A close friend of mine faithfully tackled NaNo every year but I resisted tossing my pen into the ring. The timing was always wrong, I was too busy working on a WIP, or had some other excuse in the pipeline. Then last year I decided NaNoWriMo was something I should experience at least once in my lifetime. A rite of passage.

So in September, I started thinking about my project and pre-planning. My normal style is to wing scenes as I go, something that I knew wouldn’t fly if I wanted to churn out 50,000 words in November. I also have a regimental habit of editing as I write, making sure everything is polished before moving ahead. NaNo is the exact opposite of that—plan before you start, then write like a warp-drive engine.

Could I do it?

As an A-type personality , I hate to fail. I planned my story, devised intricate character worksheets, sketched out my town, and outlined the first four chapters of my novel scene-by-scene. I didn’t have the whole book plotted, but had a good hand on the story and was pleased with my pre-prep. I even took the time to write and schedule all of my regular weekly blog posts for November so I wouldn’t be distracted.

November 1st rolled around and I burst out of the starting gate with a rush of exhilaration. The excitement was overwhelming, everyone racing along with me. Mid-month rolled around and I settled into a steadier gait, my eye on endurance and hanging in there for the long haul. By the closing week, I was exhausted, wondering if I would last, certain I would never attempt such creative madness again.

The result?

I walked away with a 50,500 word rough draft of a novel that was far was from finished, but taught me the value of plotting and put me further ahead as a writer than I’ve ever been in 30 days. I’ve since added an additional 8,000 words on my goal toward 20,000 more. The book is shaping up to be the best I’ve ever written and will likely be ready for submission early 2015 if not before.

So am I doing NaNo again this year? You betcha.

Like last year, I’ve already picked my project, lined up my characters and plotted as much as I can, including the first four chapters, scene-by-scene. It worked for me last year, so I’m hoping the formula proves true again this year. Most importantly, I know that when November 1st rolls around, I need to write like a steam locomotive, focused on accomplishing the goal of 50K. Turn off the editor, turn off the polisher, and know that a host of other writers are sloughing through those same trenches with me.

I’m no longer a newbie, but feel every bit as giddy as I did when attempting NaNo for the first time. I hope you’ll join me and experience the madness!

About The Author

Mae Clair opened a Pandora’s Box of characters when she was a child and never looked back. Her father, an artist who tinkered with writing, encouraged her to create make-believe worlds by spinning tales of far-off places on summer nights beneath the stars.

Mae loves creating character-driven fiction in settings that vary from contemporary to mythical. Wherever her pen takes her, she flavors her stories with mystery and romance. Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in Pennsylvania and is passionate about cryptozoology, old photographs, a good Maine lobster tail and cats.

Discover more about Mae on her website and blog at MaeClair.net

You can find Mae Clair at the following haunts:
Twitter  |  Google+  |  Facebook Author Page  |  Amazon Author Page  |  Goodreads

The Business of Writing: Formatting Part Two #mfrwAuthor #mfrworg

This image came from my pinterest account

I touched on formatting the last time because as an editor it is one of the things most authors have errors with. Part of that problem is because publishers really don’t give you an exact list. They don’t tell you where they might want you to start the chapter on the page, how to break your scenes or what size font to use. I write for two publishers and they have different rules on scene breaks, or where the chapter should start on a page. Even the size of the font is different. I really have to think about who I’m writing for with that.

There are a few things that seem to be the basic things across the two publishers I work with, and as I have spoken to other authors with other publishers they tell me the same thing. One is the .3 indent for the beginning of a chapter that I mentioned before, and using Times New Roman as the font, one inch margins all the way around. Both of my publishers use astrids to divide the scene but that is where it stops. One wants four with no space the other wants four with space. It’s the little things that will drive you crazy.

Writer’s Tip:

If the publisher doesn’t indicate a particular size font use 12 font. It will be easy to adjust if they use a different size and it’s easier on the eyes of your potential editor. Use double space unless otherwise instructed. One inch margins all around is the norm, so is .3 indents on paragraphs. When starting your chapter there is normally a blank line between the word chapter and the first line of your scene. I have found most publishers want the number next to the word Chapter instead of having it spelled out. When you do a scene break I do recommend using the astrids – the reason behind that is your editor will know that it is a scene break and not just an extra line. Use your tool bars and program the document to set up your indents instead of using the tab button. Use astrids and dashes sparingly. A comma normally does the job and most publishers will pull them out. Use Italics when your character is thinking out loud or when you want to emphasis a word. Using underlines is old school now and most publishers, especially the e-pubs want italics.

Bio:

Barbara Donlon Bradley wears many hats. She’s a mother, wife, care-giver, author, and editor. She’s a senior editor for Melange Books, and writes for Phaze and Melange books/Satin Romances with over twenty titles under her belt.

Barb's Links: 

Website: http://www.barbaradonlonbradley.com/

Publisher: http://www.phaze.com/author.php?author=21

Blog: http://barbaradonlonbradley.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barbara-Donlon-Bradley/118673448173249

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Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0072OTZJE

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Barbara-donlon-bradley

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