I find myself writing a lot of blog posts lately and then saving them into draft mode instead of publishing them. Why? Because I've been seriously cranky lately and I find myself ranting about things that bug me instead of sharing the nice, sunny things with you all. You can hear ranting and all that in real life. You don't need to come to me for it, right? 😉
Today, I'm sharing my glamorous life with you. I hope you snickered a little when I said that. Because I'm writing this post in my pajamas and my hair is piled on my head and there's still a mascara smear under my eyes where the remover never quite gets it all the night before.
There's also a cat squalling somewhere downstairs, and laundry that needs doing, and dinner to figure out. Yeah, super glamorous!
But I did get dressed up last week and go give a speech to a group of ladies at a local country club. It was my second such speech in a month, and though I am a horrible introvert who doesn't like standing in front of people and talking, I'm actually starting to have a little fun doing this kind of thing.
Because the people who come always are interested in writers. They're usually readers and they've come because they want to hear what you can tell them about writing books. I have fun with that!
They asked me questions too, and that gives me insight into what readers think of writers. They didn't ask if I was rich or lived in a mansion, because I dispel that notion in the speech. I also, regretfully, had to inform them that I don't take bubble baths in a heart shaped tub nor do I wear a feather boa. They took it in stride.
Other things I told them were that authors get ideas from everywhere–literally–and that no one asks a mystery writer if she practices murdering people, but that they often think romance writers practice sex scenes or have lots and lots of crazy sex.
I have fun dispelling the myths, I have to say. 😉
But what did they want to know? They wanted to know how long it takes to write a book (the answer is anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months or more, depending on the book and the deadline). They wanted to know if all the travel around the world helped me as a writer (I think so!).
They wanted to know how much research I have to do (the answer depends on the subject, but also because Harlequin Presents are such compact, emotional books, there isn't a lot of room to drop in research. The books are about emotional conflicts, not external ones.) They also want to know if I have control over my covers (no for Harlequin, yes for my HOT series), and if I have the same editor for every book or if it's different each time (the same editor, unless she leaves and I get a new one, which did happen after 14 books with one editor).
Those are the questions I remember off the top of my head! If you could ask a writer questions, what would they be? Ask away and I'll try to answer. 🙂 I might even give away a copy of A Game With One Winner (out in stores tomorrow!)……
Excellent post!! I know what you mean about not publishing blogs due to crankiness. I’ve been feeling that way for a while. Best to just not post at all. I guess my question is how do you balance the writing life with the marketing side of the books after they are published.
And how do you reward yourself for hard work completed?
Ah, balance! A good one! The answer is that I’m still not sure I’m doing the best job of it, but I am an entrepreneur and I once read some sort of statistic about entrepreneurs working crazy hours — like 80 or 90 hours a week — to make their businesses successful.
And that’s the answer. I work a *lot* of hours. Not only do I write, but I also plan new books, answer correspondence, and make sure to get out on my social sites.
I don’t think you have to commit tons of time to social media, but you should nurture your presence on the interfaces that work for you. I love Twitter to converse with writer friends. But Facebook is where I’m finding my readers lately. My FB participation has grown since the holidays.
I found my readers, and I started my street team, and I love going over there to talk to everyone. It’s not work, but it’s a part of my job.
My marketing is talking with people. Because in category, the books come out so fast anyway that you don’t have to push one particular book. I do push them, and I try to get people talking about them when it’s time for a new release, but that’s about it.
Reward? I’m not sure I do anything specific, but I work hard enough that when I want to buy something – a new outfit, new shoes, a new handbag – I pretty much do it without thinking too hard. My reward is I work hard, I make some money working, and I can spend some of it on myself if I want. 🙂
Great questions, and I hope that answers them!
Lynn,
I think you are beautiful inside and out. I bet Mr. Harris would disagree on the research regarding the sex scenes …lol.
Sometimes I actually like when a writer has something that she needs to rant about. Gives me an opportunity to join in.
My question is, that some writers use pinterest to assist with story lines, do you? Or cut and post pictures?
Hi, Ginger! Thank you so much. That’s so sweet of you to say. 🙂
Ah, Pinterest! I love Pinterest, though I don’t spend too much time there. I do have some inspiration boards, and I want to work to do boards for my books where readers can see the pictures and make comments. I haven’t yet gotten that far, though I may start it with the next book.
I have a couple of secret boards, but that’s because the concepts are still so new to me that I want to keep them close for now.
For now, if you pop over (you can click the red P up there under my picture), you’ll see my boards for basic inspiration. 🙂
Hi Lynn, Greg blog post!
Did you create your website yourself, and do you manage the updates? Or do you have a company that designs the site for you?
PS Loved But Forbidden! 🙂
Hi, Gina! Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed Raj and Veronica. 🙂 I did not create the website — that would be the glorious, wondrous Frauke at CrocoDesigns! She also does the hard updates, but I can do some of the smaller ones. For instance, I can add Behind the Book features, reviews, etc — but Frauke does what I can’t handle or don’t have time for.
Meant Great, Lynn! Can’t type today!!
Thank you for the information. She does a wonderful job!! You have an awesome site!! Keep the books coming; you’re doing such a great job!!!
Thank you, Gina! 🙂
Hi Lynn, Great blog post!
Did you create your website yourself, and do you manage the updates? Or do you have a company that designs the site for you?
PS Loved But Forbidden! 🙂
😛 I know all about the glamorous life. LOL 😉 I used to work for an airline. People think our life is all travel and glamour and that is not true. You deal with weather delays, and irate people who want to get where their going even though there’s a blizzard that is cancelling flights left and right, or in the summer we get wonderful thunder storms and lightening which causes delayed flights. We have to deal with the TSA frisking us when we walk into the sterile area even though we have a badge and are able to use our badges and a code to get on the other side. Sorry, I went off in my ranting. 😐 Anyway, hope that your day is blessed with happiness.
Ha, yes, I guess people do think that about working for an airline! All that glorious travel to fabulous places, right? And yet, as you say, it’s not glamorous and people get irate about things out of your control. I would not want to work at an airline counter for anything!
Just curious, did you ever write book based on your life story?
I have not, but I’ve definitely used places I’ve been and travel experiences I’ve had. For instance, when I went to Rome in 2011, I learned that riding in a car through the streets is bumpy because the roads are cobbled in some places. That’s a detail I wouldn’t have known had I not been there!
But I don’t think my life is interesting enough to sustain a book. 🙂 So I stick to making it all up!
Hi Lynn! Fab post. My one question would be how do you come up with the characters names? There are so many fantabulous names that come up that it must be so hard to think of them and not to let them clash with other names?
Hey Lynn. I haven’t been posting in my blog lately either. I think that as a reader and fan, I’d want you to post the crankiness. To me, it makes you authors seem more real and less oh my God that’s Lynn Raye Harris!!! Lol. I think that I’d be in awe if you weren’t so down to earth. Not that I wouldn’t ask for your autograph if we met, but you seem like a lady I could go shoe shopping with. Not someone I would be intimidated by. 😉