Novel Interuptus

Novel Interuptus is well-known in writerdom. I coined the phrase, but am certain you know its source :)

Writers are also people, dealing with life and with a new little one in our family, I’ve been on a professional break while visiting. Thank you, Panera, for your sticky buns, coffee and Wifi. (Wifi, because we’re never quite unplugged, some business going on as usual.)

Just back from hiatus, I visited my favorite area group, Springfield MO’s Sleuths, a mystery group. Correction: hard-working group. This is a variety of writers, photographers, etc. Often groups have a high percentage of non-working members, just those attracted to those who are producing. Not so with this group.

It was a stirring, productive meeting with round of members reporting their publications. First, a workshop on producing origami mini-books by Beverly Crandell. I love these mini-books, developed from 8.5X11 paper, folded to make 4 pages with back and front. They are excellent for children, and great promo items containing teasers, website/blog info.

Next was Linda C. Apple, an inspirational writer and speaker. She’s dynamic, funny, informative, and above all, very professional.

I needed that connection to other writers.

Which brings me back to catching up. There are certain things that continue, while on break, and others left. I’ve found through my career that the people who deal with priorities fare better. As a professional right, I’m dealing with these issues now:
1. Rights Reversion from publishers (See Passive Guy for really good info on contracts)
2. Reworking my early attempts at epublishing. New software has developed and this is a steep, continuing learning curve. I credit Barbara Freethy and Kathy Carmichael as mentors.
3. Happy Day! I’ve finally gotten support in the form of a proof reader who is great, and she’s helping with #2. These reverted and scanned books are filled with errors and a drain on eyes. I’m floating now, happy with support. Learning how to ship manuscripts to her in Kindle form was one thing, and we’re learning how to work better together. I appreciate each and every comment she makes.
4. Sifting through what social media works for me and the comfortable ones for me. I’ve signed up for various URLs and test them. One popular Social Media is not at all comfortable for me because of their shifting policies. I love Twitter, though.
5. Redesigning a romantic suspense cover, When Night Falls, to match an upcoming title, Flashback. With a line of romantic suspense developing now, the covers should have identifying “look”.
6. Debating a publisher name for various material, separate from my pseudonym. If you have great ideas, please send? :)

What a learning process! I’m on a couple of professional-only loops, chockful of shared info. But there is great information everywhere.

To prioritize, choosing where to spend your creative (and your private-life time) is probably the most basic problem a writer has.

Or anyone :)