Deadlines hindrance or helpful?

I hate to be rushed. It’s partly why I love be a self-publisher. Preparing my own books for release means I get to set the time frame it takes in doing so. Okay, I still have to keep in mind how is best to proceed with my book releases from the readers perspective, but it does ensure that I give the proper amount of care to each book I release. So, in my point of view deadlines can help writers as well as hurt them.

How are they a hindrance? Simple, deadlines are stressful (which covers loads of things) and can drags down a writer’s creativity. This can be decreased if the writer knows how to properly balance their writing life with the other areas of their life. Not an easy feat, but doable with some basic knowledge of self and goal setting. Like how long it takes to write and prepare a well-rounded story and then set your deadlines accordingly. (For those of us who do every aspect of our book then that includes the preparation of covers and advertisements) Still, it won’t eliminate the stress from deadlines, but any way of decreasing stress is a blessing.

How are deadlines helpful? Easy, they give us writers a way to stay accountable to readers and ourselves. After all, a loyal reader will always be awaiting your next release. Only way to provide them with that is to create it. Deadlines allow us to balance every aspect of our lives, by keeping up focused on what needs doing.

Hindrance. Helpful. Doesn’t matter to me. I know I need them to maintain a balance in my life. Yet, there’s one good thing about deadlines we all need to remember. Deadlines are not written in stone. They can be changed at any given point and time. Oh, it’s not wise to continuously do so, or do so for frivolously reasons, but in case of an emergency then it’s nice to realize this.

Hope all has an amazing week.

Keep an eye out for a tentative release date on my next book.

Remember let your imagination soar when you read or create.

Julia

What forms a story?

Hope everyone had an amazing weekend, but now it's back to the grind stone. There a new story in the works, and it's what prompted this post. I've been struggling trying to figure the layout of it out. So, the other day my mind wondered back to the past, sort of.

For years I was told turn my writing into a story. Everyone made it sound so simple. Lots told me all I had to do was sit down and write. Sounds simply right. Not so much, if you want it to be a story that grabs a reader from get go, and leaves them unable to put it down till they’ve read every word. Oh, and let’s not forget if you want them to read other stories of yours. Not so simple anymore.

Still you have to sit down and write. But, you’ve got take into account what makes a story. Plot, Setting, Characters, and Tension. Right? Not completely. Those are required and some writers view one of those as more important than the others. Who knows if they are right. All I know is that it takes those and much more to get a story that keeps a reader on their seat. (That’s from my reader perspective, not my writer side.)

Now be it, those are the four main areas, but hidden in among those areas are many more areas that has to be catered to. Ever read a story that was plain out unbelievable? I have and it didn’t intrigue me to read more by that author. Have you ever read a story that the tension seemed to stay at one level throughout the entire story? Not an interesting read. A story need escalation, until you’ve reached the climax and things begin to wind down.

Let’s not forget that their needs to a few stumbling blocks, even moment that no one expected or even considered. Other day, I was watching a television show, and ten or fifteen minutes into it, I knew what was coming. Kept my mouth shut, because dad was watching it, but when it came to the end of the show, I had to ask dad if he hadn’t seen that coming. He had and of course that sort of dialed down his enthusiasm to watch another episode. A story of any kind has to be somewhat unpredictable. Just like it needs a bit of continual build up to the climax.

There also has to be a unique style of writing, including voice and mood of the writer has to be evident, in some small manner. Most of these things come with time and loads of patients. It can take many and many different version of a story before you find one that gives you a well-rounded version that holds all these elements of a story. Not saying that it can’t happen on the first time, but it’s rare.

So I ask, what forms a story in your mind. Is it only the setting? The characters? The plot? Maybe it’s a mixture of each, and all those small subparts of each? Or do you pay any of that much attention when you sit down to read.

Myself when I pick up a book to read, I want my mind to vividly see, feel and hear what is taking place then read till it’s finished, not thinking about plot, setting, or any of what goes into preparing the book for enjoyment. If a story is well written, the reader doesn’t have to stop and think about all those things. They simply sit back, relax and escape into another world. This is what I strive to reach with each story I write. So to me that is what forms a book. All those others things are there. Shoot, they are the cause of it, but as a reader, I there to be entertained.

Everyone have a great week. Try to take some time to read a nice story. Or for my fellow writers write some amazing material.

Enjoy,

Julia

Out of nowhere ideas

Inspiration comes in many different ways. Can be a sight, sound, or even a smell. Worst thing about that is when they hit and you have no way to jot them down.

Most creative people carry paper with them in hopes of avoiding this. Still, there are times, like when driving, that you can’t stop, pull out that piece of paper and write it down. So what happened then?

Is the idea lost? Not always. Sometimes it may be partially lost. Sometimes it gives it time to grow. Then there’s the times it changes. No matter what the case, ideas come and go. Some are fruitful some useless. Still no idea or creative spell is a waste of time. Explore each inspirational moment to the fullest before you decided to toss it completely. Never now, later on it may become your biggest and brightest idea. Then you can truly say, it came out of the blue and I originally thought it useless.

Hope all has an amazing week. Don't forget that I'm participating in the A to Z April Blogging challenge. It will be here before I know it.

Have a great week,

Let Imagination Soar

Write and Read With Creativity

Julia Matthews

Rewards One Self (Last Post in the Time Management Series)

Hey guys,

Hope all had an a amazing weekend. If you guys need a new book to help you over the mid-week slump, remember Witch & Wolf releases on March 12, 2014 on Amazon and Smashword. Pick it up, you will enjoy it. Now onto the last Time Management skill I would like to share with you guys.

Last and my favorite part of managing my time is: to reward myself for achieving the goal. Don’t have to be some expensive or grandiose thing. A simple walk outside, or even a couple days away from writing to relax with a great book or two. Could always share your reward with your lovable friendly doggie, and take it for a walk. (Okay, last two are ones I actually do for myself)

Point is after reaching a goal there needs to be some kind of reward. Helps keep you motivated to set another one and shows outwardly, and inwardly that you’ve achieved a major task. Something that I think always needs celebrating. So, I suggest you make a list of rewards that works for you.

This concludes the Manage Writing Time series. Hope you each got loads from it, as well as saw ways to apply it to other areas of your life. Wiring is amazing, but it’s not everyone’s dream. Most of these things can be used to manage time for anything.

Have a great week and don’t forget about the release of Witch & Wolf by Julia & Vickie Matthews on March 12, 2014 on Amazon and Smashword.

Let Imagination Soar

Write and Read With Creativity

Julia Matthews