I am not a Mind Reader

Successful writers have an uncanny knack for publishing what readers want at just the right time. They set the trends that other writers try to catch a wave on.

And that's the topic for this month's Insecure Writers Support Group - where writers share, encourage, and discover! 

August 3rd IWSG Question:

When you set out to write a story, do you try to be more original 

or do you try to give readers what they want?

My Answer:

First of all, I have no idea what readers want... Readers are fickle. Trends come and go--and quickly! I write what I know and whatever inspires me at the time. I try to be original in my chosen genres. And I enjoy trying new things--like mashups!-- regardless if they're popular or not. I highly recommend you do the same.

Because secondly, Readers like good writing, plain and simple. I believe that Trends are formed from good, juicy stories. And when we read something we like, we look for more - similar topics, but more importantly, we want more from that writer.

If you write what you love, you'll write your heart into it--and that's what makes good writing!

Try to stop by some other blogs and read about what writer friends - new and old - are up to. Here's the IWSG list. And here are the moderators this month:

Lisa Buie Collard -- Loni Townsend -- Lee Lowery -- and me!

I'll be visiting around as many blogs as I can, because school is right around the corner, and after that, I don't get out much!

Hope your writing is flourishing

and your last month of summer is full of fun and sun!

via GIPHY

The Publishing Biz

For this month's IWSG post, I'm sharing an interview about publishing with a pro!

L. Diane Wolfe

Senior Editor at Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.

First, we'll talk about the IWSG Anthologies... How do you choose judges? and Themes? Can I ask - how much participation/entries do you receive?

We all search for judges based on the genre. Alex (J. Cavanaugh) probably does the most work on this.

For the theme, we all make suggestions and then vote on them. I always remind the other admins that simple is best and keep it to one-two words. We usually pick the best although I have the final say since it will be the title of the book my company publishes.

Alex said we had a record number of entries this year. That’s probably why this year’s top stories are the best we’ve ever had—lots of competition.

Fantastic - better and better every year!

As a publisher, how's business?

It’s been an interesting couple of years. 2020 we had no live events, which really hurt, but fortunately eBooks and audio books sold better than previous years, balancing out the lack of print sales. Last year was better although some of our live events allowed fewer attendees which certainly reflected in sales.

This year we have four amazing releases. It’s all a matter of getting them in front of their target audience.

I hear you and am also feeling the pinch. Hoping to get back to business soon!

Do you work with agents?

We’ve had agents approach us, but we prefer to work directly with authors. We are a small press, so it is my opinion that any agent contacting us is really aiming low and the author deserves better. (Agents take a 15% cut. Since writers can query us directly, I feel they deserve a better deal.)

That's reasonable and thoughtful! Many authors appreciate a direct approach.

What sells the best? Anthologies? a specific genre? popular authors?

Science fiction is one of our top sellers along with middle grade historical. But sometimes titles will surprise us. We have a fantasy/paranormal romance coming out later this year that’s garnered more positive review request responses than any book we’ve ever published. Some of our anthologies have done well and we are hoping that the upcoming romance title will perform great.

I think romance is a standard and usually does well.

What do you love about your job? (btw, do you have another job? Seems like this would be full time!)

I love the ability to work from home and set my own hours. Of course, my husband says I am the worst boss ever as I am at my computer (off and on) from 6:30 am to 9:00 pm or later doing work. I have a few other sources of income—book formatting, speaking engagements, teaching sessions at community colleges across NC, etc. I try to keep all of that spread out so it doesn’t take away from what I need to do for Dancing Lemur Press.

Well, your hard work pays off! Thanks for enlightening us on the IWSG Anthology and giving us info about publishing trends. All valuable info. Great chatting with you!

L. Diane Wolfe is the Owner of Dancing Lemur Press LLC as well as a Speaker & Author. Known as “Spunk On A Stick,” Wolfe is a member of the National Speakers Association. She conducts seminars on book publishing, promoting, leadership, and goal-setting, and she offers book formatting and author consultation. Wolfe is the senior editor at Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. and contributes to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C  ---  Spunk On A Stick  ---  Spunk On A Stick’s Tips-Blog

• Last little side note - I met a fellow local author recently, Janet Irvin, and she has a great blog and following. And I'm honored to be featured as her "Author of the Month!" Here's my interview... 

Make sure you follow Diane and check out her imprints and blog!

Looking ahead to better weather on the horizon.

Ready for sunnier skies and dispositions!

Do you have what agents are looking for?

Time for another IWSG (Insecure Writers Support Group) session. This month, I'm spilling my guts about how to snag an agent. Uh, no. I haven't snagged one yet myself, but I did snag an editor/publisher. Similar, yet more difficult. Agents are a different breed.

Soon I will be asking myself if I have what agents are looking for when I venture out with my latest WIP. I feel like I have to start over. Maybe that's why this one is taking me so long, not looking forward to the tsunami of rejections ahead of me. But nothing is guaranteed in life, right? Change comes whether we like it or not, we just have to deal with it.

So, I wanted to offer a couple of ways to peek at what agents are thinking...

First, is the very insightful: #MSWishList - where agents spout off story ideas they'd love to see written and offered to them. Trouble is, you have to have what they're looking for right then because sooner than you can write your first draft, they'll come up with a new twist, and yours will be so last month! The best approach is to see if anyone is seeking something you've already written or started.

Second, enter Twitter pitch contests. Like:
#PitMad - where writers tweet a 280-character pitch for their completed, polished, unpublished manuscripts. Agents and editors make requests by liking/favoriting the tweeted pitch. Every unagented writer is welcome to pitch. All genres/categories are welcomed. Upcoming dates are:

June 6, 2019 (8AM – 8PM EDT)
September 5, 2019 (8AM – 8PM EDT)
December 5, 2019 (8AM – 8PM EST)

and
#PitchWars, schedule is as follows:

6/24 Mentor Applications Open
7/8 Mentor Applications Close
8/12 Mentors Announced
9/11-25 Mentor Wishlists Posted
9/25-27 Submissions Open
11/3 Mentees Announced
2/5-10 Agent Showcase

and the IWSG has a pitch event as well! Missed it this year, but the next #IWSGPit contest will be in January 2020 (Date - TBA, 8:00 am - 8:00 pm EST)

Last - Research. Always do a search for agents in your genre. Almost all of them have a list of what they are seeking on their websites, though some don't update them as often as they should. And many do interviews where they talk about the industry as well as what they're looking for, like on Writer's Digest.

So good luck to us all. Expect the worst and you won't feel as bad from the rejections. But hang in there, your perfect match agent will find you! And we will all do the silly celebration dance for you!


via GIPHY

Happy April! And yay for Spring!

Hot Genres - #Horror Mashups

Tis the season for Horror. But Horror is not my genre--I don't like to be scared. Thrilled--yes. Grossed out or freaked out--no. Mashups put a new twist on the classics. With agents looking for "new & exciting," a great mashup might be the way to go. I can do mashups. Horror/Comedy, like SCREAM. And sometimes I like Horror/Sci Fi, like ALIEN. Horror/Fantasy might be interesting too, does VAN HELSING count for that?

Since I'm not the best at Horror, I'm giving you all over to my Shout Out of the Week...

Yolanda Renée!

For me, good horror is always about the unexpected. Taking the mundane and turning it into a horror fest has always been Stephen King's claim to fame. And yes, he's my go-to guy for horror. I'd recommend just about anything he's written! I say just about because I think some of his most recent work is lacking a good editor, but once you've achieved his status...

Halloween with Jamie Curtis, is my all time favorite horror movie. (No remakes please!)

As far as a tip for writing horror or any genre, it's all about the questions.

For instance, I took three pictures for Halloween this month and then spent some time studying them. Then I started asking questions. What is happening in this desolate dark forest... What happens at this cabin in the woods... And how does an individual become a ghost... If you check my posts for October, you'll see the results. Although, I have no rhyme or reason for why the answers came as poetry. Writing just happens that way. Ask your muse (the unconscious mind) the question you need answered, and just be ready for the answer, no matter what that is. Honestly, it's how I work.

About Yolanda Renée...
While living in Alaska, Renée learned to sleep under the midnight sun, fly fish, cross-country ski, and survive the bitter cold. She hiked the Brooks Range and traveled the state from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez. The tough terrain sent her onto her next adventure--writing. The beautiful state of Alaska is like another character in her mystery trilogy. The wonders, mysteries and incredible beauty that is Alaska fill each novel, as well as murder and mayhem.

The Detective Quaid mysteries weave a rich tapestry of love, obsession, and murder. She's about to finish and publish, the 5th book in the Detective Quaid Series: Murder, Just Because.

She now lives in Myrtle Beach, SC--a far cry from frigid Alaska--but she's still inspired to write as she researches a noir mystery with Murder Beach in mind (the nickname for Myrtle Beach).


In the end, agents and publishers are looking for a combination of a great story, but more importantly, a great storyteller. You be you. It's a scary business, but worth it!

Happy Halloween!

Hot Genres - Darkness and Desperation

Dark and Desperate is always HOT, isn't it? The yearning, the unreachable, the unattainable, the struggle to find happiness in a horrible, twisted world.

Blech. Sorry, that's just not my cup 'o tea. Personally, I read more to escape my own dark & desperate, stressed-out, real-life chaos! Though I do like a little darkness with my escape, it's definitely more interesting, just not a whole book of it.

I mean, just read these titles from Amazon's top fiction list... For the most part, downright depressing!

And the covers. No hope, no happiness, just bleak, blurry, distant, nothingness! I've always wondered how some covers have so little on the front, yet they're best sellers?? Some of these are eye-catching, but some are almost bare. No fair! (Then again, I guess it depends on the genre. Scifi/Fantasy needs more fascinating covers...)

So, how do these books sound to you? Why do you think readers are drawn to darkness and desperation? Why do so many people want to read these intriguing tales of woe? And many times, they have sad or mysterious endings, far from fairy tale positive ones too. Is it just me? Could be!

Well, here's a theory or two of mine for the popularity of dismal dismay:

• It mirrors life, people can relate
• It shows life could be worse
• It gives hope, if there's a good ending
• It gives insight to others' plights
• They like their heartstrings pulled
• They like to feel hope for the characters
• The triumph is that much more triumphant

And here's a SURPRISE SURVEY - Tell us what you really think.

Now for my SHOUT OUT of the WEEK!

M. J. Fifield

I love this woman! We've been blog buddies forever. It was her sarcastic wit and hilarious haiku talents that drew me in. She's also an awesome author. EFFIGY is the first book in her epic fantasy series, and I've been dying of anticipation for the second, which is so close: SECOND NATURE.

M.J. blogs about the books she reads and the books she writes, the shows she watches, the music she listen to, and only occasionally about her pets. She's also an insomniac.


So writers, who can relate? Check her out if you haven't. Don't miss out any longer!

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Since I will be on vacay next week, I won't post again until Aug IWSG. This will also give folks time to fill out the survey... pass it on!

Happy Mid-Summer Dreaming!