Finding Your Focus

Originally posted @ http://catauniversity.com/articles/finding-your-focus/
10/6/2010

The best place for focus is internal. I’ve been on a journey of writing self discovery this year, and I’d love you to join me a journey to find your writing focus. I started with something simple: Set a goal. Make a commitment. Decide what you are working on and focus on your project.

I thought about these questions: Where are you in your writing? In your story? Plot worked out? Characters sketched? What kind of goal do you need to set? What kind of commitment are you willing to make? Do you need to finish that story? Do you have a project you need to edit? Do you need to write a synopsis or a query letter? Are you ready to send out a submission? Do you need to update your website? Schedule a blog tour? Research details – or marketing strategies? Set up a blog or remember to blog?

And these things too: If you are ready to submit a new project (or resubmit an older one) have you done your “homework”? Doyou know which publishing houses publish the type of story you are submitting? Do you know which editor or agent to submit to? If you are to this point you might want to consider checking out a few places online that make the process of narrowing down your options a little easier. If nothing else – use a good search engine (I’m a Google girl) and simply type in your genre and “publisher” or “literary agent” to get started. In this day and age there are so many opportunities for information at your finger tips it pays to do your “homework” before submitting.

Don’t you owe yourself and your writing career one or two hours of your time? Within that short timeframe you can find so much information about specific publishing houses, agencies, editors or agents you’ll be amazed. You’ll learn – following their specific guidelines – is starting off on the right foot. Some only want a query letter (with blurb). Some want query and synopsis. Others want a query, synopsis, and a few pages to 3 chapters. Most of the ePublishers want the entire manuscript. By doing your research, you’ll know if they encourage you to attach part of your manuscript. You don’t want to pass up that opportunity if they offer. Send them what their specific guidelines state and you are a step ahead of others who don’t follow those guidelines. Agents and editors complain about people not following their guidelines all the time!

Sometimes when you search the agent or editors name – you’ll find a blog post or an interview – here you have a chance to see what they like and/or dislike in queries and submissions. Most blogs offer a search feature — where you can search the blog/site for specifics (saves time) – just search by “name” or “submission/s”. You’ll be amazed at what you can learn this way. Some agents/editors really want to know in your query letter if – you met this person before? Do you follow their blog? Why are you submitting to them in particular? Let’s make 2010 all about finding our focus and moving forward with our writing. I hope you’ll join me this year in a journey to find your focus and to help others along the way.

Since I can’t sit with everyone individually to discuss these points, I hope by asking these questions I’ve got you thinking… and maybe making your own check list. The more you put into your writing the more you get out of it. Good luck, and I hope you find your focus and get busy!

Manic Monday!

Life's been a bit crazy. Both of my kids are back in school and we have schedules. I love schedules -- but ours have been insane! The oldest plays school softball, which starts as soon as school does, so that's four days a week. Add in a knee injury and physical therapy two days, plus both kids and ccd, every week for one, every other week for the other -- and some days I drive up to my house, don't kill my car or get out before leaving again! Besides the dh has not been feeling the best, but is hopefully on the road to recovery.

Whew. I'm tired and that's not even close to all I have going on. My day job has been super busy (thankfully!) and I'm working on a follow up story to one of my finished novellas (and have about three other stories I need to be working). And I'm expecting first round edits any day now for Risking Delaney!

Oh...and there's this little RWA chapter I'm currently president of www.heartla.com and we are hosting one hell of fantastic reader's luncheon coming up 11/6/10 - which means that is a big time suck right now too!

How's your day? What have you been reading? I admit lately I've been mostly listening to audio books (thanks to busy day job - I'm on the road bunches).

Reviews - About Last Night

I've gotten notice of several reviews for About Last Night over the past week. Cheers for the wonderful review coordinator at Lyrical Press - she does a great job of getting the books out to review sites!

I'll eventually get these posted on the booklist pages, but if you're curious about - About Last Night - here are a couple of reviews from this week:


http://theblackravensreviews.blogspot.com/2010/09/author-review-about-last-night-by.html

http://goteroticromance.blogspot.com/2010/09/about-last-night-by-rhonda-leah.html?zx=f1627de30edbe035

http://hea-reviews.blogspot.com/2010/09/review-about-last-night-by-rhonda-leah.html

http://www.nightowlromance.com/nor/Reviews/Terri-reviews-About-Last-Night-by-Rhonda-Leah.aspx

Interview and another contest!

Today I'm over at Sandra Sookoo's blog - Seeing is Beliving. There's an interview and another chance to win - About Last Night!

http://sandrasookoo.wordpress.com/2010/09/10/about-last-night-by-rhonda-leah/

Labor Day Blog Tour - The Winners!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and commented! I hope you all enjoyed the tour! I let random.org pick the winner for one of by books from the commenters - and #9 was the winner. I'm emailing Carol L to see which book she'd like.

Full list of winners:

Announcing the winners!

K. Close
Choice of backlist from Alanna Coca
Choice of backlist from Tina M. Lee
Choice of backlist from Jolie Cain

Skylar Kade
Driving Miss Devin by Stephanie Adkins
The Virtuous Vampire by Monette Michaels
Wolf's Magic by Rebecca Royce

Sue Brandes
Breed True by Gem Sivad
Choice of backlist from Sandra Sookoo
Choice of backlist from Sara Brooks

Mary McCoy
Touch of a Vanished Hand by PG Forte
Choice of backlist by Tina Holland
Choice of backlist by Christa Paige

Trin Rimes
$5.00 Amazon gift card from Maddy Barone
About Last Night by Rhonda Leah
Choice of select books by Tina Donahue

Drea Becraft
Signed print copy of Where Danger Hides by Desiree Holt
$5.00 Amazon gift card from Virginia Cavanaugh
Choice of backlist by KZ Snow

Brandy Blake
Stone Cold by J. Hali Steele
A Prize Pack from Nina Pierce
Illusion of Night or three songs made with Magix Music Maker for your book trailer by CJ Black

Karen Hillis
Daughters of Odin by Lyn Armstrong
$5.00 gift card to My Bookstores and More from Hailey Edwards
For a Price by Olivia Brynn

Maureen Knight
$10 gift certificate to My Bookstores and More from A. Catherine Noon
Choice of backlist from Paige Tyler
Black Dog and Rebel Rose, by Danielle D. Smith

Labor Day Blog Tour

Welcome to the Labor Day Blog Tour! booknibbles.com/blogtour

Hope you have a Happy Labor Day weekend! I'm looking forward to a weekend of relaxation. I'm running late with my post, but I hope you'll take a minute to look around and say hello. I'll draw a winner from those who post here - the winner can pick from my current releases.

Release Day - ABOUT LAST NIGHT

Available today!

Lyrical Press

Amazon - Kindle

Her life is an endless string of disasters.

When Misty McNeil is arrested for breaking and entering, calling Tanner Theroit to bail her out seems like a good idea…until he asks what’s so important she’d risk going to jail for. Admitting she was trying to retrieve a gift he’d given isn’t something she wants to confess.

Misty’s night in the slammer is only the tip of the iceberg. Her life quickly takes a turn for the worse. With only one week to move out of her apartment, she turns – yet again – to Tanner to bail her out.

Tanner is determined to prove he wants nothing less than all of her. Too bad Misty has a been-there-done-that attitude when it comes to relationships. But…will Tanner be the one man who can offer her a deal she can’t refuse?

Content warning: explicit sex, strong language and a sexy, hard bodied construction worker turned executive.

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