Christina Delay

Authors are in a frequent state of change. In today’s world, we must flow and shift and sometimes do some fancy footwork as the season demands.

Flow. Shift. Dancing. That sounds a lot like change. Change is scary. Don’t worry, stick with me. We’ll get through this together.

How do we know if the change we’re making is the right change? Or if it’s the right time for a change? How about the how of making a decision we can be certain of?

My kids are still young, so we watch a lot of Daniel Tiger. One of the biggest things the show impresses on children is if something is scary or if they don’t understand or are unsure of something, they should talk about it.

We’re not children. But we still deal with scary unknowns and uncertain outcomes.

So let’s talk about it.

An Author’s Fancy Footwork

What kind of things can authors expect to change, not over the course of their career, but perhaps over the course of first draft to polished manuscript? 

Oh boy. 

Where to start, where to start. 

*takes a deep breath*

• Editor Wish Lists
• Agent Wish Lists
• Reader Tastes
• Genre Trends
• Marketing Tactics
• Facebook Algorithms
• Amazon Algorithms
• Writing Styles
• Taboo Topics
• Social Media Platforms
• Popular Hashtags
• The Disappearance of Hashtags
• Self/Indie Publishing
• Traditional Publishing
• New York Publishing
• Small Press Options
• Cover Trends
• Audiobooks
• Big Box Store Closures
• International Data Collection Laws
• Copyright Laws
• Policy Changes by Vendors (Mailchimp, Facebook, etc)
• Not to mention a personal life...

*big exhale*

I’d keep going, but I couldn’t hold my breath any longer. And a lot of what I just covered are big topics within which live a myriad of changes and decisions to make. It would take a year to explore each variable and by the time we were done, it’d all be out of date. Such is the publishing world we live in.

With all that going on, how are we supposed to know what the correct dance steps are? 

Decisions, Decisions

It can be really hard, not just to make the right decision, but to be certain of your path after you’ve made your decision.

Recently, I made a couple of tough decisions. One of the biggest is taking Cruising Writers on an extended vacation break after this year’s November cruise. Cruising Writers will be back in a couple of years, once my patooties are a little more self-sufficient :). But if you want to cruise with us anytime soon—this year is the year.

Another tough decision I’ve made is to go hybrid. My pen name, Kris Faryn, indie publishes supernatural suspense and fantasy. 

Both of these decisions took place over a long period of time, but the following is ultimately what helped me make those decisions. Perhaps some of these ideas will help you gain comfort around scary decisions that lead to change.

Meditation

Meditation is a great way to shut off that noisy logic jabber-jaw voice in your head and instead, listen to the quieter voice of your heart. Start your meditation time with a question you want answered, and let your subconscious do the rest. Will you have an answer by the end? Maybe. Or maybe just a stronger push in a certain direction.

Pros and Cons Tables

For the more analytical of us, a pro/con list can be a great way to let the logic jabber-jaw voice have its way for a bit. The more unbiased you can get in your approach to this exercise, the better chance you’ll have of looking at your situation with a realistic perspective.

An Honest Look At Goals

It’s easy to get distracted by the newest shiny thing or idea. But where is your drive? Why do you do the things you do? Why do you write? Why do you want to be published? What kind of career do you honestly want for yourself? And is this next decision, this next change, going to move you toward that goal or away from that goal?

On my to-do list, I often write (in big letters—purple pen) “To What End.” It helps me manage my list and judge the worthiness of the tasks I add to it so I can always be working toward my end goal.

Envisioning the Different Paths

Another meditative practice, but one fiction writers are exceptionally good at—daydreaming. That’s right. You have permission to daydream. But do it with focus. Imagine the result of each of the choices before you. Which is most aligned with your goal? Which do you want most?

Shift and Flow

Maybe for you, these decisions involve whether to get an agent. Or get a different agent. Knowing when your book is ready to publish or be sent out. Deciding to self-publish or go traditional. Contacting a critique group for the first time. All of these choices and decisions require dancing the complex footsteps of the publishing landscape.

It’s scary. Change always is. We’re hard-wired to fear change.

But that doesn’t make change a bad thing.

“Things may change and, that’s okay! Today we can do things a different way.” ~Daniel Tiger

 

About Christina Delay

Christina Delay is the hostess of Cruising Writers, as well as an award-winning author of Young Adult Fantasy and Adult Suspense. She may also have a new series out under a pen name. When she's not cruising the Caribbean, she's dreaming up new writing retreats to take talented authors on or giving into the demands of imaginary people to tell their stories.

About Cruising Writers

Cruising Writers brings writers together with bestselling authors, an agent, and a world-renowned writing craft instructor writing retreats around the world. Cruise with us to the Bahamas this Novemberwith Alexandra Sokoloff of the internationally-renowned Screenwriting Tricks for Fiction Authors, Kerry Anne King - Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestselling author, and Michelle Grajkowski of 3 Seas Literary.

When I talk to other writers about the fabulous relationship I have with my primary critique partner, the question always arises:

How did you find her?!!!

Recognizing the importance of quality feedback, writers often search for trusted critique partners or groups like a romance novel protagonist searching for true love.

Where is The One?
How will I know when I find them?
Will they love me back?

My "Love Story"

I found my primary critique partner (CP) through an immersion hosted by Margie Lawson, who often guest posts here. As a true introvert, it took a lot of gumption back then for me to attend a four-day retreat at a stranger's house, but I'd reached that point in my writing where I realized how much I didn't know and needed to learn. So I bit the proverbial bullet, signed up, and drove from Houston to Dallas.

Meanwhile, my CP had driven most of the same route. We got to know each other somewhat during immersion, and that would have been that—making another lovely writer friend—except that she suggested swapping pages for feedback. After all, we lived in the same metro area, had been writing about the same length of time, had gone through Margie's courses, and both wrote young adult. Why not give it a shot?

We started slowly with tentative comments reminding each other what we'd learned and what a reader might see (or not see) in what we'd written, then moved to more direct feedback once we'd gotten to know each other's writing styles and personalities better. These days, I trust my CP so much with my writing that if she reads a passage of mine, turns to me, and lifts an eyebrow? I know I've got work to do.

But we had to earn that respect from one another, and—just like any close relationship—we sometimes call each other out if a suggestion is too vague or a comment too abrasive. It wasn't love at first sight, but rather a relationship that developed over time and required adapting ourselves to what the other needed and wanted. And it continues to require nurturing.

Tips for Finding The One

While our "meet cute" can't be replicated, my experience has taught me six tips for finding good critique for your writing.

1. Know where you are in the journey.

Writers need different kinds of critique at different stages. Early on, you need more encouragement than criticism and more story structure and character tips than prose specifics. Further along, you've developed a better voice and learned some basics, so you need more honing and critical feedback.

You want to work with someone who pushes you without making you feel like an idiot. It's like how in college I preferred playing tennis with my friend, who also saw the game as recreation, to playing with my roommate who'd won tennis tournaments. I wanted my roomie to coach me, but after losing 6-0 and 6-1, I wasn't very motivated to retake the court with her on the other side of the net.

One reason my CP and I worked well from the get-go is that we were at about the same spot along the writing journey—having written for the same length of time, taken courses, attended Margie's immersion. We were at a close enough level to push each other toward better writing.

Figure out where you are on the journey, and that will help you identify what kind of critique you need and want.

2. Determine your critique style.

Do you like being in a group or working one-on-one?
Do you prefer blunt feedback or need more sensitive commentary?
Do you want suggestions in the margins or direct editing on the page?
Do you want overall story and character critique or line editing?
Do you prefer to submit chapter by chapter or after the whole book is finished?

There's no one way to critique a book. I've worked with other CPs who do things very differently from my primary partner. What's important is that you agree on a critique style. To some extent, you can direct your CP to give what you need, but if they and you work very differently, the relationship isn't going to gel.

Think about what you want and pursue a partner who is willing to give what will work best for you, and vice versa.

3. Go where good CPs are.

If you're sitting at home, wishing you had a great critique partner, and wondering where to find one, ask how involved you are in the writing community. That is, have you taken classes where you might meet others? Are you in a writing chapter? Do you attend conferences or retreats? If you want to find someone who knows their stuff, you have to go where those writers go.

I found my main CP at an immersion course, but I've shared pages and gotten critique from others I've met at my RWA chapter, through a regional writers conference I attended, from my fellow Golden Heart nominees, and in an online class.

Be willing to attend writer events, even virtually, to put yourself in the company of those who might need, want, and make a great critique partner or group.

4. Do a trial run.

Once you've found someone, don't slice your palms, slap your hands together, and swear a blood bond just yet. Do a trial run to see how well you work together.

It was probably months before I really felt like my CP was my CP. For a while, she was simply a writer I was exchanging pages with, and no hard feelings if it didn't work out. That open-ended experiment allowed us to really try each other out without undue pressure.

Trade some pages and see how it goes. Give feedback about their feedback so they can adapt to what you need and want. Be open to their editing suggestions but consider whether their critique is helpful where you are in your journey. If your styles are too different, thank them for their time and move on.

5. Periodically review how it's going.

The development of a CP relationship may mimic a love story, but at the end of the day, this is a business decision. Because getting good feedback is about improving your product—the book.

I've witnessed too many writers stay in a relationship with a critique partner or group long after they knew it wasn't working anymore. They worried about their friendship, about being judged poorly for backing out, about possible discomfort when they announce their decision, about not being able to find another critique relationship. But if you are not getting what you need from the partnership, don't string that CP along. Say goodbye.

It might be worth saying that directly to your critique partner or group—that you fully appreciate the relationship you currently have, but everyone needs to ultimately do what's right for their writing.

6. Tend to the care and feeding of a good CP.

Finally, when you find that special someone, don't take them for granted! A good critique partnership or group isn't easy to come by, and a huge boost to your writing when you find one.

Look, I wouldn't be the writer I am today without the great critique I've gotten. All that wonderful feedback has pushed me to improve my craft and write better stories. And if I fail my own standards, I'll see my partner's YCDB (you can do better) in my manuscript margin. For which I'm grateful.

So when you get great feedback, say thank you...a lot. Meet your own deadlines for critiquing their work and, if you can't, explain why and when you'll get it back. Adapt your feedback to what they need (while not letting them publish garbage). Celebrate their successes. Include them in the acknowledgments of your book. Thank them. Did I already say that? Well, thank them again!

For myself, here's a big thank you to Christina, Catie, Diana, Donna, Melinda, Edwina, Jenn (and other people I'm leaving out because my middle-aged memory sucks).

What suggestions do you have for finding a great critique partner?

About Julie

Julie Glover writes cozy mysteries, young adult fiction, and supernatural suspense (under the pen name Jules Lynn). Her YA contemporary novel, SHARING HUNTER, finaled in the 2015 RWA® Golden Heart®, and her primary critique partner became her co-author this year with the release of the Muse Island Series, which begins with book one, Mark of the Gods.

When not writing, Julie collects boots, practices rampant sarcasm, and advocates for good grammar and the addition of the interrobang as a much-needed punctuation mark. You can visit her website here.

by Julie Cantrell

The standard advice given to writers is to brand yourself. Find a genre, and stick with it. This strategy has proven successful for many contemporary authors such as Danielle Steel and Mary Higgins Clark, but even Jane Austen had perfected the practice years earlier, and Agatha Christie used it to pen mysteries that ranked her in the sales zone with Shakespeare and the Bible!

So why have I chosen to go against the gold standard of good advice and cross genres? I admit, it’s probably because I have no business sense, but it’s also because I love to learn new things and to challenge myself creatively. 

Let the Muse Take the Wheel

When I sit down to write a story, I don’t think about sales numbers or marketing strategies. I don’t even think about publishing it. Instead, I open myself to the creative flow and let the words find their way through me to the page. It’s not as hokey pokey as it sounds, but it isa beautiful, powerful, and spiritual process that helps me tap into something bigger than myself. 

My first book was written with my daughter in my lap. Together, we wrote a simple story, searching online for stock photos to attach to each page. We printed the “book,” and stapled it together. In time, that handmade picture book was shared with her friends and their mothers, until it found its way to an agent and then to a publisher. Zonderkidz produced a two-book series, God is with Me through the Day; God is with Me through the Night. And before I knew it, I’d become a children’s book author.

I’d never planned to publish that book, and I hadn’t planned to publisher another. But life said, “Let’s do this!” So I sat down to write a novel, just to see if I had one in me. I’d always been an avid reader, and like most readers I thought maybe I had a story to tell too. I gave myself three months, from 3-5 a.m. Monday-Friday, and that’s how I wrote my first draft of Into the Free. 

Again, I never planned to publish, and I didn’t tell anyone I was writing it. But the characters wouldn’t stop pestering me. I reached out to that old agent friend who’d landed my children’s book deal. Thanks to the fates and a brave publisher willing to take a risk on an unknown, I became a novelist. 

From Children’s Books to Historical Novels to Contemporary Novels and MORE!

When that novel proved successful, I was fortunate to write a sequel, When Mountains Move. So with two historical novels under my belt, I suppose I should have stuck in that arena where my readership was strong and loyal. But the creative powers had to shake things up again with my third novel, taking me into the contemporary genre where I stayed for both The Feathered Boneand Perennials.  

That too would have been a cozy place to perch, but life said, “Let’s not get too comfy, Julie.” Next thing I knew, I was being asked to write a creative nonfiction work, so now I’m excited to be launching Crescendo next week (July 16, Harper Collins). It’s my very first collaborative work and an inspirational story that brings me to yet another group of readers.

At least that’s what the marketing folks would tell you. Truth is, many of my readers have followed me from the start. Sure, some prefer one genre or the other. Some like the romance flair of When Mountains Move while others prefer the literary tone of Into the Free. Some dig the gritty edginess to The Feathered Bone while others enjoy the lighter themes in Perennials. Heck, my books even crossover from faith-based to secular audiences and from adult to YA. I just can’t find a box that fits me. And I think most of my readers can relate. I’m hoping these same readers will enjoy reading Crescendo too!

Magic in the Mix

Perhaps I’ve taken these chances because I’m also a reader who likes to mix things up a bit. When I find an author I enjoy reading, I love to see her try new things. Sometimes she wins. Sometimes she loses. But JK Rowling, Barbara Kingsolver, Jeannette Walls, and others will tell you, they just wanted to take on a new challenge, learn new things, and write what was being given to them by the universe.

I guess I tend to write like I read… a little bit of this, a little bit of that. And while it may not be the smartest business strategy, it certainly satisfies my creative curiosity. And for that, I’m a very happy girl.

PRO AUTHOR BRAND

• Gain creative freedom
• Reach diverse readerships
• Tackle new artistic challenges
• Work with authors of different genres
• Offer readers fresh material that isn’t formulaic
• Test your limits and expand as you grow

CON AUTHOR BRAND

• Limited by brand expectations
• Readership limited to that specific market
• May grow bored in time with themes/genre
• Author circles may be limited to those in your niche
• Work may eventually feel predictable to readers
• You may outgrow your own brand in time

Let’s Discuss!

1. What genre do you prefer to read? 
2. As a writer, do you tend to stay in that genre or do you like to test the boundaries? 
3. What’s one way you’ve taken a risk as a writer? (whether on brand or off)
4. If you veer from your main branding, do you use a pen name?
5. What writers can you suggest as examples of those who have broken brand successfully? 

About Julie

Julie Cantrell is an award-winning New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author, editor, and TEDx speaker. Her first work of creative nonfiction, Crescendo, releases July 16.

Learn more at www.juliecantrell.com.