Five Tips for Surviving a First Draft

by Malena Lott

I love the idea of NaNoWriMo. Writers around the world pecking away at a keyboard, putting the stories in their minds on paper, many for the first time. And then there are writers like me who have attempted "NanoNovember" for seven years and only "won" two, which means I hit 50,000 word count. For a professional writer, writing 1900 words a day isn't a big stretch. But doing it every day to get to 50K can be a big challenge, even for the high-stamina daily writers among us. No matter how long that first draft takes us, it's tough. I'm trying to finish the last 50k of my first mystery/suspense story, so you can be sure I'm in the speed boat with you, writers. The pic to the right is me last week at Starbucks with my handy iPad (I use omm or iWriter) and fold up bluetooth keyboard. Here are my five tips for surviving the first draft. 

1.  Auto program the coffee pot so you can plug that caffeine drip in as soon as you wake. No Facebookin' or tweeting before you get your word count in. Trust me on this. I have to have the pot of dark roast made before I get up at 6 a.m. I can't write more than this: hieooafhewnfanvzjod without a strong cup of java. 
2. Have a plan of attack. You wouldn't go on a trip without deciding where you're going and how you're going to get there, right? And rearranging your schedule to make the trip possible? Same goes for your first draft. Know what you're story is about before you get started - at least the goal, motivation, big conflict and main characters - is key, and then invite your characters into your convertible with the top down and enjoy the ride! (And do not allow the naysayers in the backseat. They will try to get you to pull over and go back, and that's not conducive to First Draft Finish Line.)
3. Go into hiding. You'll only survive your first draft by cozying up to your story. For me, that means to write in my studio in the garage where it's quiet and I can't hear the kids and hubby getting ready for school. Depending on your circumstances, it may mean keeping your novel-writing affair quiet. I mean, you and your first draft are intimate. You don't have to spill the beans of every base you get to. Besides, no one is going to understand why you are so infatuated with your story but you. You going ALL THE WAY is totally your business. They'll understand why you were so infatuated when it's all done and you get the book deal. 
4. Be gentle on yourself. Be tough on yourself. So here's where the yin-yangy business comes into writing your first draft. You have to go easy on yourself in regards to not judging your writing at this leg of the journey and you have to be tough on yourself to see your story through to the end. You get to keep your butt on the seat even when you don't feel "in the mood" and honor that time with your story. If you're like me, the ahas may come when you are not in front of your computer, but you still need sit and write every day.
5. Make writing a top priority. The first draft can't become a second or third or final draft until it's completed, which means you have to make writing an "inked" to-do, not a penciled in, if I get around to it. I'm living, breathing proof that you can still hold down a job and be a good mom while writing a novel. Just be selective of how you spend your time. For me, no (or a little) TV and working from home (owning my own business) helps keep fiction-writing a top priority, but I'm still a dance mom, den mom, homework helper and so on. What I'm NOT is a good cook, great housekeeper or social butterfly. I would choose work and writing over grocery shopping any day. But I know plenty of writers that keep the dust bunnies at bay. Just choose what works for you. Or who, if you can hire a maid and a cook. *I wish*

I also achieve word count by hopping around in the story if I need to. I try to keep things pretty linear, so often it's more about going back and filling in a scene because of a new plot point or twist or sub-plot versus skipping ahead. The truth is, you'll never know unless you try. Give yourself permission to experiment. You can always cut stuff later. 

Happy reading and writing, friends. 

GIVEAWAY:
Today I'm giving away a digital copy of any one of my ebooks gifted to your Kindle or Nook to one lucky commenter. Books to choose from: 
Novels: Fixer Upper, The Stork Reality or my new novel, Something New
Novellas: Life's a Beach or The Last Resort

I'm also running a November promo. If you buy Something New in the Kindle store, I'll gift you one of my short stories. Either "Snowflakes and Stones," or "The Pool Boy." Just email me your receipt to malenalott (at) me (dot) com before month's end.

Praise for Something New

“Something New is something wonderful! Malena Lott understands love…and knows that it’s ageless. This book is a treasure.”—Ellen Meister, author of The Other Life

“I am completely smitten with Something New: it’s endearing, romantic, and utterly satisfying, with characters so well-developed they feel like old friends. Highly recommended for mothers, daughters, granddaughters, and sisters.”

—Jess Riley, author of Driving Sideways

“Utterly charming, romantic, and beautifully written, Something New is the story of three generations of mothers and daughters struggling to define their relationships and to ultimately find their own place in the world. I absolutely loved it!” —Maria Geraci, author of A Girl Like You 

“Three generations of women in Malena Lott’s Something New discover that it’s never too late to rediscover and redefine some things old, like love and family. The Apples are witty, passionate women with just enough angst to remind us of people we know…like ourselves.”- Christa Allan, author of Love Finds You in New Orleans

5 Things New Writers Ask

by Malena Lott

I get asked out for coffee often, yet it’s not for my sparkling wit, but rather because I’m a paid writer and the acquaintance wants to be. I LOVE to support other writers, and would definitely put myself in the corner of cheerleader, but just in case our schedules don't match up, here's our Online Coffee Chat with an Author. Bottoms up!

1. How did you find an agent? (We know this translates to “how do I find one” so we’ll go there.)

A. Research agents who rep writers like yourself, be sure and carefully read their web site for what they rep and what they are and aren't seeking and follow their submission guidelines to a T. Typically, they will tell you their follow-up timeline. Expect weeks to months, not days. Be patient. See what they've sold. Normally agents put covers on their website and it's easy to look those titles up on Amazon and B&N. It's fine to solicit an agent of a writer friend, but don't expect that to get you signed. Your friend may love your work, but the agent may not. All very subjective.

2. Do I need an agent now that e-books are growing and I can self-publish?

A. Most big publishers will not look at your work if you don’t have an agent, so if you want to “trad” publish, query agents. If you want to skip ahead and self-pub (see question 4), you can still do both and if your sales and reviews are stellar, that would help in your pitch letter to mention that.

3. I’ve written a book. Will you read it?

A. (in my sweetest voice) No. You may be nice as pie and write like a bad ass, but just because a paid writer writes does not mean they are a free reader (or even a paid one.) There are writers who offer consulting, which can also be found by shaking the Tree of Knowledge. You know I mean Google it, right? Other ways to get critiques: critique groups, a crit partner (you swap your stories and give each other feedback) or even online groups that allow members to upload your stories and receive feedback. You’ll get a mix of people who are too nice and won’t tell you what they really think to those who have spoken their opinion and it hurts your feelings, so just have a thick skin and keep searching until you find the right fit. If more than one person is saying any part of your story isn’t working, listen to that.

4. I’ve written a book. Should I self-publish it?

A. Only you can answer that. Here’s what you need to launch a great self-pubbed work: story editor, line editor/proof reader, marketing know-how, e-book formatting know-how, budget to pay aforementioned pros if you can’t do those things yourself, great cover art that doesn’t scream “self-pubbed” and, lastly, a following/platform/network to tap in to for decent sales. You can get the last by building up a social media presence, but I’d take the advice of hybrid and indie authors who are making good money from ebooks and say wait until you’ve written three books and put them up rather close in time frame so they can help sell each other. I found that people who read my summer e-book novella Life’s a Beach, ended up going back and buying Fixer Upper. I don’t have a trilogy, but I can see how that would bring customers back to the register if that works for your story. No matter which path you take, writing and publishing is a lot of work.

5. Should I quit my day job?

A. The one thing you hear over and over from the industry is DON’T QUIT YOUR DAY JOB. In fact, even if you have a contract, that doesn’t meant you’ll be spinning gold yarn ‘til retirement. Writing and finishing a full-length novel is hard enough without the pressure of trying to find enough change to buy some ramen noodles for dinner. Keep your job, eat steak and prove to yourself that you are a committed writer – start a daily routine, hit your word count, finish the book and start shopping it.

6. BONUS QUESTION: Do you make good money as a writer?

A. Can you make a living writing? Yes. For me, that’s because I write everything: blogs, advertising copy, freelance articles and fiction. I also get paid for ideas and strategy, so I’ve wrung out every bit of creativity juice to make a good career. My fiction writing pays for some nice extras, but I don’t pay the mortgage with it. (Yet!) So if writing is your passion, branch out, build up your portfolio, and keep at it.

Good luck to you, writers! We’ll have real coffee soon. Scout’s honor! Any other burning questions? Ask them in comments and the other Girlfriends and I will be happy to answer. Girlfriends, what questions do you get asked? J

Next up: Malena Lott has a short story, “Snowflakes and Stones” in the winter anthology, Sleigh Ride, in November. See her available titles here and visit malenalott.com for fun extras.

The Rebel Writer

by Malena Lott

Are you a rebel writer? I've been pondering the word lately, most likely from all of the Egyptian news and other uprisings and the sick feeling in my gut with the ugly "liquidation" signs at Borders. I also have a fair amount of upheaval and change in my life - our house sold after a tepid try last year and after only two weeks on the market in January, we had to scramble to find a new home and get moved in 30 days. Yeah, that kind of new year. Which brings me to a home for our books - both at the publishing stage and at the retail front.

While I've always been entrepreneurial, lately I've felt my rebel spirit commanding more of my energy. While I'm working on my first non-fiction book about zen, I find embracing change and practicing contentment in rough situations also spurs radical action on my part in an area I can have control over.

Point: My agent is about to put my YA on submission. I'm not giving up on the traditional route to publishing with a big house, especially at my agent's deft command, yet after the writing, the author has no control. For control freaks (ahem) that's rather tough.

Rebel Counterpoint: I launched an indie press and promo service with my triple-threat husband (writer/editor/graphic designer). See, there are projects I want to do that may not fit into a traditional publishing mold, so I'm forging ahead (typical Aries, head down, horns out) and have three simultaneous projects seeking submissions via a contest. I've also marketed for nearly every industry out there. Why not help authors - my favorite kind - with their promotion? I have no qualms about trying something new, something that a lot of big houses can't always do because of the risk involved.

Point: I should revise my "soul novel" I wrote a couple of years ago and incorporate the feedback from the editors who rejected it and try again. New editors and publishing houses are out there. No writer wants to give up on having their "break-out" novel.

Counterpoint: I have other stories I will indie-pub through my Buzz Books line because I want to continue to see where digital publishing goes. I wrote a novella last year called LIFE'S A BEACH that's being edited now and will release as an ebook just in time for summer. I love novellas! I hope more authors I love start writing them, too. I can read three novellas in the time it takes me to read one 300 page novel. In today's fast-paced society, of course short stories and novellas will see growth. (Right, I'm not crazy here, am I?) I self-pubbed FIXER UPPER, and it required a big learning curve, but I'm nearing the top of the hill now, so I know future projects will be easier to manage. (That's the optimist in me talking.)

Another aspect of being a rebel writer is that you are writing what you love despite what is selling or "popular" at the time. Though people tell you time and again not to chase trend rainbows, hearing things like "such and such" is no longer hot or publishers have too much paranormal (well, they do, but it doesn't mean a great story isn't out there), so it can be frustrating for a writer who is spending hundreds of hours of time on a story.

Here's where the rebel writer spirit comes in. Used to, you might think, "I could write this and it may not sell and I'll stuff it in a drawer." But more and more we'll see that projects that writers love will find a home for their story, whether with the new indie digital publishers that can help writers find distribution and an audience for their work or figuring out how to do it on their own. Which is quite empowering, thankyouverymuch.

Are you a rebel writer? What's the most rebellious thing you've ever done in the writing realm?

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