Comments on: Kate Douglas Delivers The Essential Author 101

By: 2010 in review « Lisa's World

2010 in review « Lisa's World — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 14:19:11 +0000

[...] Kate Douglas Delivers The Essential Author 101 April 2010 47 comments 4 [...]

By: Kate Douglas

Kate Douglas — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:40:16 +0000

Thanks, Darynda! It is definitely nuts. But fun! WAY too much fun!

By: darynda

darynda — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 15:02:00 +0000

Awesome post, Kate!!! And can I just say, WHEW! What a schedule.

By: Kirstie

Kirstie — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 22:38:51 +0000

Thanks to you both so much, you really helped me out. good luck to both of you in the future.

By: Kate Douglas

Kate Douglas — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 19:56:02 +0000

Thanks for the opportunity, Lisa, and thanks to all of you who stopped by. Lindsey, congratulations, and when you contact Lisa, please let her know what book you’d like for me to send. I hate to mail one you might already have if you’re a regular reader of mine. If you’re not, here’s hoping to get you hooked!

By: Lisa Pietsch

Lisa Pietsch — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 19:28:29 +0000

Thank you so much for guest blogging here, Kate.

Lindsey Ekland is the winner of our drawing for one of Kate’s books.

This was a wonderful blog and a great conversation in the comments! Please feel free to continue chatting. I hate letting a good conversation go.

For those of you who will be at the Romantic Time Booklovers’ Convention, be sure to look Kate up there!

By: Lisa Pietsch

Lisa Pietsch — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:13:53 +0000

I don’t know if this helps at all, but I found my productivity surged when I got a smartphone (second hand Palm Treo) and “Documents to Go”. It is Microsoft Word for my phone. I can write wherever I am and when I sync my phone to my computer it automatically updates my manuscript. I used to keep a notebook too but a notebook means transcribing your notes and effectively doubling the work. (Like you, I think a “pause” button for the kids would be awesome.

By: Kate Douglas

Kate Douglas — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 04:21:27 +0000

Thanks so much, Karen. You know I always enjoy our correspondence. (I’m convinced we must be related because we both seem to appreciate the same sort of absurdity. Scary stuff!) I’m really enjoying the fact that so many of you who have left comments are writers yourselves–whether you’re published or not, only another writer really appreciates the drive that makes us (figuratively speaking)put pen to paper. Of course, if you’re a serious reader, you understand as well the amount of effort that goes into creating a believable story. I love the imaginary world and the opportunity to share my vision of it with readers. The fact mine tends to be a bit warped tells me an awful lot about the folks who like my books…but we don’t need to go there!

Now I’m off to do page proofs. One of those wonderful little FedEx surprises I wasn’t expecting today! Ya gotta love it!

By: Karen D.

Karen D. — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 03:28:51 +0000

I’ve written stories since high school for my friends, my family, my students, or someone that simply inspires me. To give you an idea how long ago that was, my grandson will be twenty three this coming August.I was blessed a few years ago to have some of my dialogue performed on stage by a local dance ensemble. Writing can be therapeutic,but when on such a tight schedule as you describe Kate,it seems almost impossible to comprehend if your books weren’t out there speaking for themselves.You make it seem easy. Yet I know from my own experience, it can be rough and probably the reason I get cold feet when the time comes to consider submitting it to a publisher. It’s obvious one has to love writing in order to hang in there with all the expectations from agents, publishers, family, and your readers.I’ve told you before and I don’t have a problem telling you again.I admire your ability to create wonderful characters and story lines.Your tenacity in the craziness that goes with it.Your obvious sense of humor in your stories and when we exchange correspondence.It is quite refreshing to someone like me that prides herself with a sense of the absurd, but most of all your patience. With all the responsibilities you have coming at you from all directions, you’re an inspiration to those of us,who complain about feeling snowed under with our own day to day madness. LOL, it makes me realize it’s OK to be a little nuts and still be sane.

By: Kate Douglas

Kate Douglas — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 01:56:18 +0000

I think we ALL want a pause button! Wouldn’t that be great? The kids will grow up so fast–I can remember my frustration, wanting to work on the book and having to haul the kids here and there and everywhere, and then they were driving themselves, and then they were grown and gone…and now they’re hauling their OWN kids around! It feels as if it happened in the blink of an eye, but I never gave up on my dream of writing, and you won’t either. Not if it means this much to you. Sometimes things just need to be postponed for awhile. Good luck!

By: Kate Douglas

Kate Douglas — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 01:53:29 +0000

LOL…well, Betty, I’m pretty old and crochety, but luckily I’ve still got the energy to keep doing what I love. I think that’s the most important part of this–you have got to love what you do, and the excitement of facing each new day and each step in the story will keep you going.

By: Kate Douglas

Kate Douglas — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 01:51:47 +0000

What Lisa said. Very few authors actually make a living writing, and while I do, if you were to figure the hours I work vs. the income I make, I’m right around minimum wage. The point is, I love writing, so spending seven days a week, sometimes fifteen to eighteen hours a day writing, isn’t as awful as it would be if I was doing something I didn’t like…like flipping burgers in a fast food place!

I wrote when my kids were small, but I didn’t have any luck selling. Of course, I was also working as a newspaper reporter, and I found it difficult to segue from non-fiction reporting to fiction romance. I signed my first NY contract when I was 55 years old, and I don’t regret a bit that I was that old. I’m 60 now, having the time of my life and following the career I’ve always known I wanted. I think the best advice I can give you is to stick with it, keep improving your craft and never lose your love of writing.

By: Kirstie

Kirstie — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:51:59 +0000

I do write because I love it, I’ve always loved it. When I was about 13 my mom bought me a typewriter for my birthday cause we couldn’t afford a computer and it’s what I wanted. It would just be alot easier if I didn’t have to work at the same time. I think about the book while I’m at work, I even take a notebook with me everywhere I go, I just get frustrated that I can’t write all the time. I enjoy and love my kids to death I just wish I had a pause button sometimes lol

By: Betty Booher

Betty Booher — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:29:18 +0000

I guess we just have to be thankful for having the energy to keep up with the crazy schedule before we get too old and crochety (or older and crochety-er)!

By: Lisa Pietsch

Lisa Pietsch — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:21:39 +0000

First pointer –
Don’t write for the money.
Write for the love of the story.

By: Lisa Pietsch

Lisa Pietsch — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:16:24 +0000

Kirstie,

DON’T PANIC!

I have a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old at home with me every day, all day, and my husband is in the military. My first book, The Path to Freedom, took about 4 years to write and was published in 2008. It took me 1.5 years to get the second book written. A Taste of Liberty was published last month. I have a contract on my third book, which only took a few months to finish and my 4th book took even less time. It is a fantastic cycle that starts when you get readers encouraging you to finish a book. It just doesn’t feel like work. You’re busy as all get out but it is so exciting!

Take it from a fellow mom with little ones still at home – you can do this and still have time with your kids.

-Lisa

By: Kirstie

Kirstie — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:15:39 +0000

Ok little less freaked out now. I just hope if the first one ever gets published I can actually quit my job and write full time. I guess I’m hoping to make good money on just the first one lol. Well I guess we’ll see. If you have any pointers for me though that would be great lol

By: Kate Douglas

Kate Douglas — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 23:22:25 +0000

No need to freak out–most authors are smart enough not to sign contracts for four novels and two novellas in a single year… and today is a great example. I hit my weekly goal writing last night and ended at 80,000 words on a 120,000 word story, so took the day off today to do some cooking and bake cookies for my husband for the week I’m away next week at the Romantic Times conventions. And wouldn’t you know it, page proofs for my September novella Crystal Dreams showed up around three. Need to do them tonight so I can fedex them back tomorrow, since I’m leaving Monday. There’s always something!

By: Kirstie

Kirstie — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 22:43:29 +0000

Well this is freakin me out. I have about 30,000 words written on my first book that will hopefully one day get published, but after reading this I’m just a tad terrified. But with 2 kids and a step kid(partime)running around it will probably be five years before i get it done anyway. Its hard to get anything done, and there’s no way I would be able to do all that and see my kids. kinda discouraging
Your amazing though, keep it up

By: Kate Douglas

Kate Douglas — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:58:38 +0000

Ya gotta have a sense of humor. Either that or a very stout rope for when you want to hang yourself…I keep telling folks, this is not a career for sissies!