Authors Electric

I was doing an everyday task when this title popped in my head as the blog post for this month. I smiled as I fondly remembered looking forward to the readers digest magazine as a young adult. I wonder if it’s still in circulation today. However, this blog post does not refer to that awesome magazine, but instead to how readers digest books. Book anatomy 102. *image from wikipedia. As an author, I’m an avid reader. I try to read widely and regularly, especially when I’m getting ready to write another book. I find that it stirs up my writing muscles as my mind is more open, but I also find that at this stage, I’m most critical of the books I read as I move from reading for pleasure, to reading to learn. These last few weeks, I’ve been intrigued with autobiographies and memoirs. I devoured two books in quick succession and thoroughly enjoyed them that I was on a look out for more. One of the books I listened to was over eleven hours long and somehow I managed to listen to it in my car in...

I don't want to be a one dimensional author and I think it is very important to be a life long learner of any craft. It is with this in mind that I started exploring ways to exercise my writing. The need to become a better author and ensure that I remain relevant has driven me to do writing gymnastics. Some days I am walking, running other days and weightlifting some days. I know I need to exercise my body, one look in the mirror or a trip up the stairs reminds me how much I need to. I have not always been successful with the gym and I have wasted many months of gym membership, but when it comes to exercising my writing, I have enjoyed it more and find myself committed. It has been a lot of fun exercising my mind.  However, as with physical exercise, I find that writing exercise requires the same discipline and intentionality. It doesn't just happen, you don't just get slim or strong and like physical exercise if you stop, bad habits creep back in and the weight creeps back...

  A few years ago, I joined a writing group on Facebook run by a famous author. I often wonder if he personally runs the group or if it is a team behind him. Regardless of the group mechanics, there are days I find myself intrigued by this group. I must admit, I am not always as active as I should be, at least not active enough to have earned a star as a top contributor. But I find it interesting on the days I do join. It occurred to me a while ago that there is much to be gained from passing interest. Even in the things that seem mundane, things you don’t think you pay attention to, but you do. For example, one of the regular occurrences in this group is a random picture that can be anything anything from children to space and we are asked to write a story about the picture in SEVEN WORDS.  As someone who is yet to perfect the fine art of blogging, as someone who even struggles to articulate anything meaningful in 500 words or less, please know that I quickly skip past the ...

I’m in a delicate place. My new novel is finished, professionally edited, proofread and ready to be published. Yet, I’m undecided which route to go in terms of publishing (self or hybrid) so I’m in a season of waiting.  I don’t like this place so much, I don’t do well in silence. I’m not a very patient person when it comes to achieving my goals. It feels like I’m staring at a new baby that I want to bathe, dress up in cute outfits and show the world how beautiful she is, but I’m not allowed to touch her, she's not quite ready yet - It’s frustrating. Can anyone relate? I hear it can take many weeks and sometimes months to hear back from an agent or a publishing house and beyond that, several months or even years before the book is actually published. The thought makes me break out in a sweat. Literally! I’ve self published all the books, devotionals and journals I’ve written to date. I find the process exciting and over the years some what easy that I have started to help other new ...