Living your successful author dream by Leanne Dyck

(photo by ldyck)

Martin Luther King Junior had a dream. Do you? Have you made a vision (dream) board?

Do you imagine a brighter tomorrow? What does it look, smell, feel, taste like? What foods will you eat? What clothes will you wear? Where will you live? Where will you travel? Who will be your partner, your friend? How will you help others? When asked for the secret of your success, what will you credit?

Find images or objects that will make your dream tangible. Visualize your success and write about it in your journal.

Keep your dream close. Affirmations are keywords assist in visualizing your dream. For example, "I am a best-selling author."

Using "I will..." creates distance between you and your dream. "I am..." gives strength to your dream and helps you visualize it.

Write your affirmations on index cards. Keep these cards by your bed, in your car, in your pocket-- anywhere that they may be easily accessed.

What steps will you take today to bring you closer to success?

-Visit a bookstore or library. Imagine your book on the shelves. 

or

-Read books on the craft of writing.

or

-Write a short story

or

-Work on a novel

or

-Network with others in the publishing industry (connect with them on LinkedIn; email your favourite author)

or

-Visit a publisher's website and buy one of their books

or

-Write an article for your blog

or

-Participate in a blog tour for a new release

or 

-Join a writing group

or

-Enter a writing contest

or

-Attend a literary event

or

-Send a manuscript to a publisher

or...

Realize that you are the only one who can make your dream reality.

Stay positive.

'I just wish people would realize that anything's possible if you try; dreams are made possible if you try.' -Terry Fox

More 

Plan to Achieve Your Creative Goals in 2017 by Joanna Penn 

Why Success is Hard

Marketing 101 (short story) by Leanne Dyck

Once upon a time, I owned a craft supply store on the small remote island I still call home. I filled that store with...

quilt batting, thread in many colours and even a few bolts of fabric for quilters
knitting needles and yarn for knitters
paper, scissors and stickers for scrapbookers
an assortment of beads and  precious stones for jewellery makers
crayons, faster plaster, markers for children
and the list goes on and on...

I sat in the shadows with my knitting and waited for my customers to find me.

Island residents trickled in throughout the year, but they were joined by tourists in the summer.

One day, he came in and walked up one aisle and down the other. I didn't recognize him and thought he must be a tourist.

"Wow, I'm really impressed by the diverse collection of merchandise." From his accent, I knew he was an American. "You've done very well." His smile wasn't out of pity or mockery. It was genuine. This stranger was proud of me. "If this was my store, everyone within a 10—no—100-mile radius would know where to find me and what I had for sale."

What I thought at the time was, Americans are good at marketing.

What I do now is pull that memory out each time I want to hide in the shadows. 

I don't think authors should say, "I have a book. Did you know that I have a book? Wow, my book is so good. Have you heard about my book?"

Hmm, nope.

Marketing is about making connections. 

I connect with readers by saying, "You like to read. Well, on my blog, I review books and share my writing."

I connect with writers by saying, "You want to build your author career. So do I. On my blog, I share what I'm learning about the publishing industry."

Thank you, Mr. American tourist, for coming into my store that day. You taught me to take pride in what I do. And you taught me to share it with those who can benefit from it.

*about the photos:  they were taken by me of my knitting but not in my store.

More...

How to get over your fear of self promotion 

Picture Books in Canada

Orca Book Publishers

Established in 1984, Orca Book Publishers is a Canadian-owned children's book publisher that publishes Canadian children book authors. 

Orca Book Publishers submission guidelines

Sharing my author journey

Sometimes magic happens...

Leanne Dyck's Writing Group Interviewed

As a group activity, my writing completed this series of questions... The questions were written by the Writer's Digest editors.

Left to right:  Amber Harvey, Gail Woodward, Leanne Dyck (me), David Burrowes and Susan Snider

1. Tell us the name of your group, where you are located and how large the group is.

Name:  The Mayne Island writing group

Location:  Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

How large:  six members—although all six members are rarely attended, usually about four or five.

2. Summarize your group in 1 – 3 sentences

We are a group of writers with diverse writing styles, genres, and goals. We are devoted to developing our craft and try to be open-minded and attempt to leave our egos at the door. Together we have supported each other through many challenges and victories.

3. What works for you in terms of format? Have you tried formats that don’t work so well?

Submissions are usually limited to approximately 1,500 words. We distribute our submissions, by email, at least a week before meeting. Our submission is critiqued during a round table discussion where we each contribute. Submissions are read aloud by the writer. This allows the other writers to notice oral nuances that might get missed on the written page.

4. How often do you meet, and what do you do during meetings?

We meet, once a month, 10 months of the year. We send out an agenda and one person is designated the timekeeper. Our two-hour meeting begins with a general check-in. An individual critiquing of submissions follows. We conclude with a discussion regarding group business and/or personal reflections.

5. What do you do between meetings?

Between meetings we may meet on an informal basis—but rarely. Usually, we work independently on our own writing projects. At times we’ve read each other’s complete manuscripts and made helpful suggestions. Some members email links to writing-related resources. As a group, we’ve attended writing retreats, workshops, and festivals. We’ve also supported one and another by attending group member events such as book readings.

6. What are the most important ways you support each other?

We support each other during the meetings by offering constructive feedback, lending support and listening carefully.

7. What have you learned as you’ve grown together?

We’ve learned effective ways to support each other’s work, for example by offering and receiving constructive feedback.

8. Do you have any tips for creating and maintaining a successful writing group?

Meet in a mutually supportive environment where all members feel listened to and understood. Check-in before and after offering feedback. What type of feedback is being requested—construction of the manuscript or overall sense of the story? Was your feedback received in the manner you intended—where you understood?

The person at whose house we meet is no longer “host” once everyone is welcomed. Coffee and tea are available and we help ourselves. The host becomes just one more member of the group. No demands are placed on any member. We acknowledge that everyone grows at her own rate, in her own time. The group is there for the members, not visa versa. Keep it fun. Enjoy each other as you build your group.



More information regarding critique groups...

Why You Should Ignore Most of the Advice from your Critique Group by Anne R. Allen

More information regarding how to acquire feedback about your writing...

5 Ways To Get Honest Feedback on Your Manuscript

And there is some humour in critiques, thanks to Writer Unboxed...

Dear Dwight:  A Critique Letter

Are writing contests a waste of money? by Leanne Dyck

(Photo by Leanne Dyck. Rock art by Byron Dyck)

Simply by affixing a stamp or clicking send you've won--because you're showing pride in your work; you're proving you're in this writing game; and you're ensuring that at least one other person will read your work (the judge--who could be an established author, a literary agent or a publisher. All these people can help you further your career.)

I've entered the  Women on Writing contests and The Rising Star award The winner of these contests was announced and my name wasn't on the list but... I have won by receiving invaluable feedback and encouragement from judges.

For example, one judge wrote:  This author's work displays many favorable attributes. The author has an eye for detail. She weaves emotion throughout. It's noted in the synopsis, the story is based on a true story and I suspect that contributed to the strong story world created in this manuscript. I think this author has great potential. 

I also entered...
Quattro Books' Ken Klonsky Novella Contest
Room's Fiction contest
The New Quarterly's The Peter Hinchcliffe Fiction Award
The winner of these contests has yet to be announced --fingers crossed.

So, in closing, I know there are many reasons to invest your money in writing contests. But do your homework and avoid scams. One way to do this is to enter contests run by well-established literary magazines--such as Prism International contests. I'd also advise you to read contest rules carefully and closely follow their guidelines.

Good luck

Sharing my author journey...

Canadian Authors Association by Leanne Dyck

Canadian Authors Association

On Wednesday, November 13^th I sailed from my island home—Mayne Island—to attend a Canadian Authors Association meeting. As this was my first meeting, I wasn’t sure what to expect. And I was pleasantly surprised. My pen flew across the paper, taking notes, as the panel of executives generously shared their favourite writing tips.

Tips…

'-No matter what your writing style, get a professional editor to review your work to help you say what you mean

-Organize your research and compose an original style of presenting your information

-Observe and analyze daily events that present magical moments

-Use proper grammar and strengthen your verbs

-Be consistent in your writing habits

-Know about the field and offer something that will capture the reader in that particular field. Humour and things that uplift and support the individual industry are welcome.

-Ignore your internal critic, and write anyway, because you have a story to tell.

-Reading your material out loud is the best way to get a feel for your story.

-Belong to a Writing Circle.

-A writer helping other writers—share your wisdom and support other writers

-Make your writing a business.'
quoted from the handout.

I highly recommended that all writers attended these meetings.

'Canadian Authors Vancouver holds monthly meetings on a variety of topics, all to do with aspects of writing. The public is welcome.' -quoted from News You Can Use

And for a slightly different account of the evening, please visit William Hay's blog

Writer royalties and advances by Leanne Dyck

Are royalties the same across publishers? I understand royalties to be author gets a percentage of each book sold? Is that correct? What is the percentage?

Here is my answer...

Royalties are usually between 5 to 10% of the cover price of the book. (The exception is an eBook publisher. They offer a higher royalty because they generally don't offer an advance.) For example, a paperback sells for $20. The author receives $1 or $2. And if you have a literary agent she gets 15% of your royalties. It doesn't look like much when you think in terms of a small number of books. But remember most publishers make large print runs.

Yes, you can make money writing. Two examples:  J.K. Rowling and Stephen King.

This weekend I bought an excellent book on the craft of writing:  The Breakout Novelist:  Craft and Strategies for Career Fiction Writers by Donald Maass (literary agent). And I immediately  skimming though it. I stopped dead in my tracks when I got to chapter 25--a chapter called Numbers, Numbers, Numbers.

Donald Maass writes:  'Advances are an estimate of eventual royalties .. A nonreturnable advance is money you keep, but advances levels are not permanent [and]...can go down suddenly and sharply.' He explains that the publisher's estimation on the amount you will earn is based on the net sales of  'your last novel.'

'[B]ookstore chain buyers...order new novels by the numbers, meaning according to the net sale of your last book. [If] [y]our last book sold poorly...there's no reason for a chain buyer to imagine that things will [improve]... So well known is this pattern that publishers' sales reps have a term for it:  selling into the net...

'Weak sales on one book become a self-fulfilling prophecy on the next, and so on and so on... 

'[And] there's no bouncing back.

[The solution:] Earn out. That starts with an advance that you can exceed in royalty earnings.' [p. 307 - 308]