Posts
Wow. Long time. I haven't written an actual blog post in forever. Many of you are wondering why Suppressed took so long to be released. Well, it wasn't writer's block or lack of motivation. It wasn't because I got bored of the series or gave up. It was a case of letting the critics get to me. Letting other people tell me that I should end the series or focus more on this part or that part.
Some readers didn't get the point of Oppressed and why it was written. I let that get to me. Others said enough with the history already. I let that get to me too. Being an indie author is not easy. We don't have a huge team behind us to get us through times when we feel like giving up.
I got soooo focused on trying to make every single person happy that I forgot how much I love the series. I forgot how much I loved discovering the spirits, NOLA history, the characters. Finally with the help of some amazing friends, J and Rhonda, as well as my amazing readers who love the series for what it is, I was able to cast away self doubt.
Thank you guys! I love that you love getting spirited away.
I am planning 2-3 more books in the series and hope to have book 6 out before next year.
This advice from Anne Rice is now my new motto
I'm asked every day for pointers on fiction writing. Here goes: the first thing you have to do as a writer is write. You become the writer of your dreams by writing. Write, write, write. You aren't a writer until you write, and all the pondering, considering, asking for career advice doesn't matter until you actually write. Write what interests you, what obsesses you, and not what you think might interest or obsess some one else. Protect your own voice, your own vision, your own characters, your own stories. Go where the pain is; go where the pleasure is. Create the book you want to read, the book you want to live in; the book you love. And then be stubborn. Never cave to rejection or criticism. Just keep going until you find those who "get" what you are doing; and make yourself into the writer you want to be. Ponder the absolute value of individual imagination, individual eccentricity, individual discovery and surprise. And remember: the world needs you. If you don't write the classics of tomorrow, we won't have any.
Some readers didn't get the point of Oppressed and why it was written. I let that get to me. Others said enough with the history already. I let that get to me too. Being an indie author is not easy. We don't have a huge team behind us to get us through times when we feel like giving up.
I got soooo focused on trying to make every single person happy that I forgot how much I love the series. I forgot how much I loved discovering the spirits, NOLA history, the characters. Finally with the help of some amazing friends, J and Rhonda, as well as my amazing readers who love the series for what it is, I was able to cast away self doubt.
Thank you guys! I love that you love getting spirited away.
I am planning 2-3 more books in the series and hope to have book 6 out before next year.
This advice from Anne Rice is now my new motto
I'm asked every day for pointers on fiction writing. Here goes: the first thing you have to do as a writer is write. You become the writer of your dreams by writing. Write, write, write. You aren't a writer until you write, and all the pondering, considering, asking for career advice doesn't matter until you actually write. Write what interests you, what obsesses you, and not what you think might interest or obsess some one else. Protect your own voice, your own vision, your own characters, your own stories. Go where the pain is; go where the pleasure is. Create the book you want to read, the book you want to live in; the book you love. And then be stubborn. Never cave to rejection or criticism. Just keep going until you find those who "get" what you are doing; and make yourself into the writer you want to be. Ponder the absolute value of individual imagination, individual eccentricity, individual discovery and surprise. And remember: the world needs you. If you don't write the classics of tomorrow, we won't have any.
