Robin Constantine's Blog

Confession: I hold the title author in great esteem. Before I was traditionally published, I always referred to myself as a writer.  (And happily so!) I’m still a writer, but the title of author, felt like something I had to earn. I dreamed of seeing my name on the spine of a book. I dreamed of making readers feel the same way I used to feel when I read a book and became so engrossed in the lives of the characters. I used to go to the YA section in the bookstore and imagine where my book would be placed on the shelves. I honestly don’t know how I maintained an optimistic attitude rejection after rejection, but I was always determined to see this dream of becoming an author come true.

Photo: Unseen Studio @craftedbygc

So, everything was rainbows and puppies when I finally got the call that someone wanted to publish my book, right?

Well, yes, and no. 

There was so much excitement, and disbelief, and wonder. I celebrated - then the very real work of being an author began. Look, it’s not the most difficult profession and it’s not hard physical labor or anything, but there are definitely some things I wish I’d known before I entered into the world of publishing.

It’s Okay Not to Be Cool

We all know those authors whose coolness seems effortless. Their tweets are witty. They can post a picture of an empty coffee cup on Instagram and get hundreds (possibly even thousands) of likes. They are invited to book festivals. Their book signings are well attended. Their readers make fan art. They usually have another best friend or friends who are also cool authors, and they take zany pics of their shenanigans. They make shenanigans sound aspirational. All of which makes the rest of us feel as though there’s a secret handshake to get into the inner circle.

Except, it’s pretty much smoke and mirrors.

I mean, there are cool authors, and some of them are even friends with each other but it’s really okay if you’re not one. What do I mean? You don’t have to know everything there is to know about publishing, especially when you’re a first-time author. It’s also okay to actually be excited about the whole process of your book release. You can even, gasp, ask questions – it’s totally encouraged.

Here’s my personal example:

It was the first time I visited my publisher and met my editor. First off, not everyone gets to do this. My home state is NJ, and my hometown is literally twenty minutes away from Manhattan, so it wasn’t difficult for me to combine a trip home and have lunch with my agent and editor.* The expenses were pretty minimal.

When my agent and I walked into the HarperCollins building, I inwardly screamed. Honestly, I think I had a bit of an out of body experience as we were welcomed, signed in, and escorted upstairs by an assistant editor (who told me she loved my book) to my editor’s office. As we strolled passed glass display cases of some of Harper’s bestselling books with pictures of their authors, my thoughts went to Melanie Griffith’s character in the movie Working Girl – at the end, when she takes her seat at the assistant’s desk, instead of going into her own hard-earned office. Total disbelief with a dash of imposter syndrome. My jaw may have dropped slightly.

Not only did I meet my editor at that visit, but I also met the Balzer & Bray team. I sat at the end of a very long table with my editor, and tried to take it all in. At one point, after I thanked those who worked on my behalf, I lost it. Maybe not a full out ugly cry, more like pageant winner waving her hands in front of her face cry. It was so much to take in, and that “I’m so cool with all of this” façade came crashing down.

After the meeting – when I was having a bit of a vulnerability hangover and my inner bully was ready to take some jabs at me for losing my cool – my editor (who is one of the most awesome people you’d ever want to meet) said something along the lines of this to me – “We should be more aware of what a big deal this is for a first time author. To us it’s just another day in the office, for you it must be overwhelming.”

I think about this a lot, whenever I feel the need to act like a “cool author”.  Of course, it was an overwhelming moment!  The dream I’d worked so hard for had finally come to fruition.

If there’s ever a moment not to be cool – it’s that one. My biggest regret of that meeting was that I didn’t stop to take a picture outside with the HarperCollins sign because how uncool is that, right? (that’s sarcasm, btw)

Thankfully I had another chance a few years later – and a new building to boot – so I got to take pictures then.

Don’t ever be too cool to take pics.

Be Careful What You Post Online

This one is pretty obvious, but I also apply it to more subtle instances now. I have always been careful, but the truth is – you never know how someone is going to interpret your words. I remember gushing over my first book cover during a live Twitter chat – it had been on several blogger “most anticipated reads” lists and everyone deemed it adorable - but I think at one point I may have sounded arrogant about it. At least in hindsight. Maybe people didn’t take it that way, but how can you tell? Twitter used to feel like more of a water cooler, but over the years has changed dramatically. These days I rarely, if ever, go on – it feels too volatile.

This also applies to “private” FB groups and chat boards as well. Don’t let the word private lull you into believing you have entered a “safe space”. While my personal policy “never say anything online that I wouldn’t say to someone’s face” has helped me, I still have run into snafus. Not everyone has the same sense of humor or is viewing things through the same lens. And we creatives can be a dramatic bunch. (I say that with love.)

Once, in a private online writing group, it was learned that someone had taken screenshots of various posts and shared them. To me, that violated a professional trust. Everyone needs a place to vent, to ask questions, to maybe not be their best – but it is not on the internet. Save that for the people who really have your back – and do it in person.

Not Everyone Wants to be Friends (and you shouldn’t take it personally)

This is a difficult one.

There will be those people you really vibe with, but there will also be people who won’t even look your way. There are some people you may only have a professional relationship with – and that’s fine! You might only be friends for a short period of time – that’s cool too!

Publishing is a business.

Not everyone wants to be your friend. Not everyone has the bandwidth to cultivate a relationship. Not everyone will reply to a Tweet, like a post, reply to an email, or give your book a glowing review. Some people can even be outwardly hostile or dismissive for whatever reason. And maybe you happened to cross paths when they were having a bad day, so let’s give each other some grace. It’s all good. Or maybe not good – it’s just, well, life, isn’t it?

Not everyone is looking for friends.

I once met a fellow author at a book festival who I’d only known online. I was excited to meet her in person, thought she was pretty awesome, and we chatted a bit, but shortly after we met – she unfollowed me on Twitter. That was hard not to take personally.

I mean we met, then she unfollowed me.

That’s pretty much cause and effect, right?  

*sniffs armpits*

When I thought about it more though, I wasn’t on Twitter that often, so I didn’t exactly provide quality content. Our writing styles were vastly different too, as were our interests and tastes. Even if we’d lived in the same city, I doubt we would have been friends. She had a really dynamic and far reaching account – I think mine had some cyber dust and cobwebs on it. Her feed was curated, and I didn’t offer her anything. So, when I added all of that up, it made sense that she unfollowed me, and I stopped questioning it.

 *sniffs armpits* again

 There are plenty of times I’ve felt misunderstood, snubbed even, but when I find myself starting to go down an insecurity spiral, I remember all of the amazing people that I do vibe with, the people I feel safe with, the people who can handle my shit.

 And that makes all the difference.

* You might live clear across the country from your editor and never meet in person – that’s okay! You’ll probably work together so much that you’ll feel as though you’ve met them in person! But if you can – do it! And take pictures!!

A few years ago I attended a local Paint Nite with my sister. If you’re not familiar with Paint Nite, the skinny is this: A group of people get together at a local restaurant/bar & grill to drink adult beverages and follow along with an instructor to paint a masterpiece of their own. Sounds kind of fun, right? To be honest, my inner teen rebelled at the idea. Organized frivolity? Um, cringe. Older, wiser me wanted to simply create without judgment and chill. Something I rarely, if ever, allow myself to do.

On the Paint Nite website, you can type in your zip code and find events near you that feature paintings with varying degrees of difficulty. My sister and I agreed on a picture called “Let Your Light Shine” and paid our entry fee. We arrived about half an hour early, ordered up some sauvignon blanc from the bar and picked out our workspace. Two seats, close to the front, so we could have a good view of the painting we were going to recreate.

Voila.

Photo credit: Paintnite.com

Easy, right?

Once we figured out how to tie our green artist aprons, we were given small palettes with splotches of red, blue, and black. (White and yellow came later.) The instructor turned up the classic rock, picked up her thickest paintbrush and launched right into masterpiece creation 101. Staring at my own blank canvas was daunting. I hesitated before committing to mixing a background color. I’m a perfectionist, so I really wanted to match the color of the original, even though the instructor was all about putting your own stamp on it.

We all know what perfection does to creation, right? In the words of the inimitable Ginger Spice … “Perfectionism kills art. I find that if I criticize myself, it spoils the fun.” - Geri Halliwell (via Brainyquote.com).

Yep. Paint Nite was bringing out that creative demon that relishes reminding me my work is, well, imperfect trash. This was supposed to be fun, and there I was fretting over “getting it right.” I took a sip of wine and forged ahead. We only had so much time for each section of the picture before we had to wave our canvases over our head in time with the music to help the paint dry faster. (cue inner teen eye roll) My background wasn’t exact, but it would have to do … then onto the branches.

Again, I fretted about the color, the thickness of the branches, the shape of the leaves. Who did I think was going to see this? It’s not as if I was gunning for The Louvre, but to that part of me that has trouble letting go and enjoying the process, it felt like I was. At one point, while the ladies next to me enthusiastically belted out “Living on a Prayer” and painted with a careless fervor I secretly envied, my fist clenched with artistic angst.

Why am I so uptight?

It’s a question I ask myself all the time during first draft. I envy those writers who say first draft is their favorite part of the process. Mine is revision — that’s when I play. For me there’s something very freeing about having words on the page. First drafts make me nervous — a blank canvas. Instead of getting excited about all the possibilities, I focus on the million different ways I could screw it up. Older, wiser, l’artiste moi, KNOWS it’s about the journey. That part of the fun of creation is the discovery. When had I lost that playfulness?

This is what no one tells you.

Under deadline, it’s difficult to be playful and appreciate the journey.

It’s not impossible, of course. I’ve done it — hit that gorgeous time-bending sweet spot when the writing comes effortlessly and you look up and four hours have passed. Some days, though, it feels like a race against the clock to hit a word count. I know that sounds clinical and devoid of joy but sometimes it’s also necessary. While the creative demon of perfectionism can be oppressive at times, it fuels me to produce, makes me strive to work harder, take risks, and meet deadlines. There’s a fine line between being driven by your demons and being defeated by them. I’ve learned to embrace the struggle, but it’s an ongoing process. I didn’t think it would rear its gnarly head at Paint Nite though.

I’ll admit to gritting my teeth as I tried to get the exact curvature of the hanging mason jars. The final touch was the words on the jars and the fireflies surrounding the trees. The instructor encouraged us to use a different phrase or names of family members. I had to take a few deep breaths, allow myself to relax — going off book? Gah!! I liked the simple “Let Your Light Shine,” so I stuck with that. After I was finished, I peeked at the canvas of one of the women who’d been singing and laughing while she painted. It looked nothing like the original picture. The colors were off. The mason jars were ROUND! She’d put her kids initials on each jar! And yet, it was still beautiful and most definitely her own.

Here is my finished product … be nice. 

Photo credit: Me :)

On our way out of the bar, we passed a table of people who were just finishing up their dinner. They were curious about all the laughter they’d heard in the back room and wanted to see what we’d been up to. Some of us passing by held up our canvases. We were greeted with polite smiles and nods. No “Nice” or “Great work.” Just … amused looks. Maybe it was the wine, or maybe it was that feeling of having created something just for enjoyment, but their lack of a positive response didn’t bother me.

In spite of having to tamp down that perfectionist voice several times during the night, I actually had … dare I say it … fun. I like to create without worrying about its worth, to lose myself in play. I had started with a blank canvas and turned it into something that kind of resembled three mason jars hanging from a tree.

A friend of mine once talked about admiring a certain piece of pottery because she could really see the “hand” of the artist in it. I’d never thought of seeing art that way. It turns what might seem clumsy to the eye into something more profound.

Imperfection lets you see the hand in the handiwork.

Imperfection is what makes creative work unique.

Imperfection is the stamp of YOU.

*a version of this post appeared on The Sweethearts of YA Blog

Things have been a little serious and promotion-y on the blog for a few weeks. Time for a little fun Friday Five action!  In no particular order - here are five of my favorite things about SUMMER!!!

Photo Credit: Ethan Robertson for Unsplash

Life feels more laid back

Is it the longer days? The oppressive heat that makes a walk outside feel like a Herculean effort? The fact that flip flops and shorts are not only welcomed but encouraged? Are we all trained to feel this way because of how we had summers off from school?  I don’t know what it is, but I know things seem a bit less serious in the summer.

Beach Time

If you live in Jersey you know, summer is the time everyone heads down the shore. Bennies* and locals alike all risk traffic on the Parkway and interstate roads to flock to miles of absolutely gorgeous beaches. Seriously, the sand in Jersey is powder soft, and the treats on the boardwalk are delicious. Pizza? We got you. Acai bowl? We got you. Italian Ices? We got you. There are so many different beach towns, each one with their own personality. Any time I head home – even in the off season – I make a point to hit the shore towns, but there’s definitely something more special about them during the summer – ‘Cause down the shore everything’s all right.

Summer reading

Ah, time to put away the self-help and heavy biographies (unless you’re Lin Manuel Miranda) and read for the sheer joy of it. I love to read more commercial books in the summer. Actually, I also like those books year-round as well! Elin Hildebrand. Emily Henry. Rebecca Serle. I also always like to reread one of my favorites – SUMMER SISTERS by Judy Blume. It just puts me in the summer frame of mind.

Family Time

We celebrate so many birthdays in the summer, there always seems to be a party going on! It’s also time for family to get together just to hang out and enjoy each other’s company. Board games. Meals out. Summer movies. All an opportunity to make awesome summer memories!

 Travel

Since moving away from my home state, road trips have become synonymous with summer! I love traveling back to NJ to enjoy the fresh Jersey produce, beautiful scenery and meeting up with the people who “knew me when”.  Mother Jersey doesn’t disappoint!  We also manage to fit in a vacation somewhere warm and tropical some summers. I’m a beach girl, for sure!

 Okay...I lied, here’s a sixth thing....

Summer Produce

Sweet summer corn, Jersey tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, plums, watermelon...YUM!!

Happy Summer!!!!

*also called Shoobies for reasons I don’t quite understand, but IYKYK!

You’ve pre-ordered or purchased your favorite author’s book on release day.

Maybe you attended a signing or launch party.

You’ve read the book and loved it!

And…well, now what? Are there other ways to support an author? YES!!

Photo credit: ME

The obvious one here is to yes, leave a review on a review site. Did you purchase it at Amazon? Review it. B&N? Review it. An indie bookstore? Review it. Post it on Facebook, or Instagram or Goodreads. Shout it from the rooftops! Create a sandwich board and march down the…okay, you get the picture. It doesn’t even have to be long or drawn out - a simple “I loved it!” gets the point across. (or conversely, “I hated it” but you know, trying to be positive here!)

Aside from reviews - is there anything else you can do? I’m so glad you asked!

Post a photo of the book on social media.

Read the book on mass transit, or on vacation, or on a plane - anywhere people can see the cover!

Request it at the library!

Finished with the book? Bring it to a Little Free Library and exchange it for a new one! Or donate it to a local high school library!

Buy it as a gift for someone!

Suggest it for your book club.

Place the book face out if you see it in a bookshop!

Follow the author on social media.

Read their blog! (Hi! And thanks! You are the best!!)

Suggest it to friends, family, and/or complete strangers in public! Wherever you see fit!

After the initial release of a book, when fanfare has died down, these are the ways to help keep momentum going. Publishing, after all, is a business. And when a publisher knows the public enjoys an author’s work, they are more apt to publish even more of that author’s work. And then the whole crazy cycle begins again.

If you are reading this, THANK YOU for your support. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve felt at my wit’s end over something having to do with my career, and then suddenly I’m tagged in an Instagram post, or a Tweet, or a reader sends a thoughtful email and it turns my day around. I know it’s not healthy to constantly need to be validated by an outside source, but when it happens and it hits at the right moment - any author will tell you - it’s very much appreciated.

Bookish people are THE BEST!!

Anyone who is a SATC fan, will likely remember Carrie’s A-list book release party, complete with Cosmos and cupcakes topped with little candy shoes. It was the sort of lovely, over the top party that only exists on television. While I knew my launch parties would be nothing like that, I still always like to make it feel special. It is a celebration and honestly, if I don’t make it special – who will?

Photo Credit: HBO Sex and the City (From Episode: Plus One is the Loneliest Number (TV Episode 2002)

Years ago, one of my books received an awful trade review. It might sound dramatic to say I was devastated, but the truth is – I was, at least for a weekend. The review was curt and dismissive, and made me feel like a talentless hack. More than anything, I was embarrassed. How could I promote this book that a reviewer made sound like worthless drivel?

After a good cry, I took a deep breath, had some quality chocolate, and ordered up a dress that matched the colors of the book cover. I got my nails done. I purchased bookmarks. I made plans for the launch event – joining a few other authors for a panel at probably one of the most fab bookstores on the planet. (Malaprops in Asheville, NC!!) Some family flew in, we spent a few days in the mountains. And when all was said and done, that awful review that had made me cry a few weeks before, seemed nothing more than a blip in the rearview mirror.

The truth is, there are going to be people who think your book sucks. And they will use such terminology. Mince no words. Find hilarious GIFs. Tell you exactly what they think of you. We are hardwired to remember these much more than anyone saying, “I loved your book” “This is my new favorite!” “Can’t wait for your next one!”

I didn’t intend this post to become about reviews – but here’s the catch – a lot of these come out in the weeks leading up to book release. And writers, believe it or not, are quite human. (at least for now...yikes!) Btw, I didn’t go looking for a bad review, I stumbled upon it while setting up purchase links on my website, so it was an unexpected ouch. My mantra is “reviews are for readers” because that is the truth. The book in question? You have no idea how many people have told me it is their favorite book I’ve written. So, at the end of the day, reviews, no matter who they come from, are just one person’s opinion. Don’t let them steal your joy!

The reality of release day is this – it comes, whether reviews are good or bad. Whether there is fanfare and hype, or none at all. Whether there’s a crowd at your launch, or a handful of your closest friends. Or no one at all. It’s inevitable. Whether I’m anxious, or happy, or sad, or a mix of all three. This will mark my first book release without my mom, who was always my biggest fan. I miss her.

And this is what I will do:

I will take a deep breath.

I will buy a pretty sundress.

I will get my nails done. Fix my hair.

And I will go to my launch knowing that it is special for me.

A new work of mine will be out in the world.

Something ten-year old me only dreamed of when she perused the Scholastic Book Fair flyer.

And that is something worth celebrating.

There’s a brief few weeks of time, after I’ve turned in my pass pages and before my book’s release date, that I’ve come to look at as a honeymoon period. Most of the heavy lifting is over (at least for that book) and I can take a moment to celebrate and reflect. Sometimes this is when I’m tasked with writing acknowledgements, and at this point, I just want to thank anyone I’ve ever met. The vibe is totally I’d like to buy the world a Coke and have a communal hug.  Inevitably the big, wild dreams start to surface.

Earning out.

Hitting the list.

Starred reviews.

Movie adaptations.

A celebrity reading and loving it.

Going viral on #BookTok.

Photo credit: Me:)

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, I’m not such a unique creature that these dreams are just my own. I’m sure other writers have a version of this list. It’s unavoidable – especially when we are encouraged as artists to dream big, and also as we see many of our friends and colleagues crossing those dreams off their own list. The thing about the big, wild (and admittedly fun to imagine) dreams is that for the most part, they are out of my hands. They involve hard work of course, a little fate, some luck, and a let’s face it – a big push from the right people. If these things don’t happen, I don’t consider myself a failure. Writing a book from start to finish, working on it until it is the best version of what it can be – that brings its own feeling of success. Outside validation is great, but at the end of the day, you have to be satisfied with the work.

There are also quieter dreams and hopes:

The book getting into the hands of someone who needs it.

The book becoming someone’s absolute favorite.

The book inspiring a young writer to go on to write their own books.

Maybe some fan mail here and there.

And while these seem much more attainable – are they even measurable? The bigger question is do they even have to be?

No. Once my book is out into the world, it is out of my hands, and most often I’m thinking about something new. But for now, less than two weeks before release, I’m letting all my wildest and quietest dreams run amok and enjoying every second of it.

Last week I wrote about the importance of a morning routine, and how it helps me with productivity. Here is an addendum to that post, with some tools and apps that help with my writing process, and life in general!  This isn’t a sponsored post, and I don’t get any kickbacks for links, these are some accessories that I happen to really like. Some are a little extra, some are practical – all really help!

Photo Credit: Chris Spiegl via Unsplash

Candles – As I mentioned in my routine post, I like to light a candle to signal to my brain that it’s time to get to work. Posh Candle Co. has great scents with super cute sayings on the front. I love the citrus smell of this Create, Hustle, Repeat candle!

Nespresso machine – This was a gift from my son, and I love it. On the days we don’t have a full pot of coffee brewing, this provides a quick (and delicious) caffeine hit. And you can even make fancy drinks – can’t wait to have a homemade PSL this fall!

BlendJet – Yes. I succumbed to the social media hype on this one, but honest – it’s great for a quick morning smoothie, or an afternoon pick me up. It’s portable, you can drink right out of it, and it’s quick clean up, so you can get back to work without a lot of hassle.

Heated shrug – Writing may not look physical, but it is. After sitting in an office chair for hours, my neck is usually in some need of tlc and this warming wrap is perfect for unwinding after a long writing session or helping with the tension that comes along with deadlines. Just heat up in the microwave and enjoy! I like this one from Origins.

Brainwave Sharp Mind - I first learned about this app after reading a blog post from author, Jessica Brody and I’ve never looked back. I use this to focus, and even when I’m not particularly in the mood to write – it always helps!

Pomodoro technique – Another app, if you want to be official about it. Once I got the hang of The Pomodoro Technique, I unofficially use a twenty-minute timer on my phone. If you have trouble focusing, I double dog dare you to try this and see if it doesn’t help.

Headspace – I adore this app. It not only has meditations, but it also has courses, sleep stories, and daily “wake-ups” to start your day. It can be pricey, but you can usually find a promo somewhere. There are also other apps that are be less expensive, and even free meditations online. Challenge yourself to meditate for a week and see if it works for you!

Pacemaker.press – Have a vacation coming up? Want to take weekends off from writing? Or do you just want to know how long it’s going to take you to write that 100,000 word magnum opus you have swirling around your brain. This website helps you come up with a work plan, and lets you know how many words you have to write a day in order to hit your goal. And it’s totally free!

Most of my life, I didn’t give much thought to having a morning routine – I simply went along with the rhythm of the day. When I was younger, I got up for school. A little older, I got up for work. When I had kids of my own – routine was a lifesaver that brought order to chaos. Now, as I find myself in between writing projects – not sure where to start but knowing that I should at least get some ideas and words down on paper - a thoughtful morning routine is something I consider a necessity.

Photo Credit: Bruno Cervera via Unsplash

I know, it seems regimented for a creative person, right? I recently listened to a podcast, where a popular author didn’t like committing to a routine because she thought that it would give her an excuse not to write if things didn’t go according to plan. I get that, I do, but for me – someone who gets overwhelmed with the amount of choices I have in a day, not to mention the enormity of writing a novel – a morning routine is something that helps me focus on what it is I want to accomplish.

My morning routine is rarely perfect. Sometimes I hit the snooze alarm. Other times when I should be meditating, my mind gets caught in a thought loop. Or some days just as I’m about to sit down to work, my dog wants to go out. Or my computer wants to install the latest update. At one point in time, this might have set me back, but I’ve learned to just go with it.

So, without further ado, here’s my latest aspirational morning routine!

 7:00AM – alarm. Wake-up!

Make my bed. (if nothing else goes right, at least I’ve accomplished that!)

 7:05AM-7:40AM – I usually pop in the shower. It helps me wake-up and at certain times of the year, to warm up. After, I brush my teeth, and do my skincare routine. Then, I get dressed. My “uniform” consists of a super soft t-shirt, and either shorts or yoga pants.

 7:40AM-8:00AM – Meditate. I used the word “aspirational” for a reason. This is the part of my morning routine that I sometimes skip, especially if my dog needs to go out. When I don’t skip it – I like to use the Headspace app because I find a guided meditation works best for me. Depending on how I’m feeling, I do anywhere from a five-minute meditation to a twenty-minute mediation. It really helps me settle down if I’m feeling anxious.

 8:00AM-8:15AM – Take my dog for a morning walk.

 8:15AM-8:30AM - Make a smoothie.

Fill up my water bottle for the morning.

“Do not disturb” gets turned on across all my devices.

 8:30AM-9:00AM – I use a planner to plot out the goals for my day. This helps break down something daunting – like writing a novel – into small steps. I’ve also been working on promoting my new book, and I like to write down what plans I have for the week to remind myself what needs to get done. When I’ve written down my goals for the day – I clean up, grab a coffee and sit down at my desk.

 9:00AM – 12:00PM – Write! First, I light a candle. That might seem a little extra, but it’s part of a routine that makes my brain go, “Oh, okay, here we are, let’s write!” (and it also smells nice) I open up Word, pop in my ear buds, then listen to white noise in twenty-minute increments (aka The Pomodoro Technique, at least the twenty-minute part) so I can focus on the task at hand. After the first twenty-minute session, I take a quick break, either to grab another cup of coffee or get some fresh air. Then I get back to it. Once I’ve had three twenty-minute sessions, I take a longer break of fifteen, before heading back in.

I know that sounds about as inspired as tar in a flower bed, but it really works for me. Before I started working this way, I would stare into space, write a sentence, check Twitter, write a sentence, check email, write a sentence, think about what I saw on Twitter, write a sentence, pop back onto the internet, then fall down a rabbit hole investigating who said what to whom on Twitter, edit a sentence and then...oops, wait, it’s time to make dinner? There were days I’d literally be sitting at my computer for hours and have nothing to show for it. Having this sort of regimented way to write, actually frees me up to be creative, because I know I need to focus for only twenty minutes. 

 And that’s my morning!

 Why morning? I’m most productive and “fresh” in the earlier part of the day. If I’m on deadline, I usually get up even earlier, so I can get in a few solid hours of writing before lunch. Afternoons are for social media, email, editing, and/or doing promotional work. Does this routine happen perfectly every day? Of course not. Sometimes I’ll have to run an errand, or post something on Insta, or have an appointment. Or I’m traveling. Then, I do my best to get my work done and move the needle in the right direction toward my goals! My routine is simply a tool that helps me accomplish what I need to do.

A friend of mine recently asked me if I’d always wanted to write dual perspective novels. I’ve been writing them for close to ten years now and I had to stop and think for a moment. The truth is no, I hadn’t. I always liked reading novels with multiple perspectives, so maybe somewhere deep in the recesses of my brain, I bookmarked it as a possibility, but all my first attempts in writing had been from a single perspective.

Actually, my first book – a manuscript titled Landscape of Little Dramas – was from the perspective of one character. My agent shopped that manuscript around for close to a year. I think it may have made it to an editorial meeting, which is exciting, but not as exciting as a publisher actually wanting to take a chance on it. Halfway through that year, I started working on something new. A story that would become my first published young adult title – THE PROMISE OF AMAZING.   

When I first started writing it, I only ever intended to tell the story from Wren’s point of view but when I got to the end of the first chapter and the inciting incident, I realized that the other character in the story – Grayson, might have had the more interesting perspective at that moment. I told my agent my plan and she gave me the greenlight, although I think she might have said that dual perspective could be a “hard sell”.  I forged ahead anyway, figuring in the very least that writing from a different point of view would be an interesting character study.

Writing from Grayson’s perspective was freeing. He was not as careful or shy as Wren and had a colorful way of speaking. He was also bit of a bad boy, and it was fun to delve deeper into his world. Once I started listening to him – he wouldn’t shut up. I’m not sure how long it took me to write a first draft – possibly a year – but it was always entertaining to switch up perspectives. The manuscript went through more drafts with my agent before it went out on submission in November of 2012. Shortly after Thanksgiving, we had an offer from Balzer + Bray, and on December 31, 2013 – THE PROMISE OF AMAZING hit the shelves.

Maybe the fact that I’ve had success with dual perspective novels is why I like to write them. Will I always write this way? I’m not sure. There are definitely some pros and cons to think about before you start:

My companion novels, The Promise of Amazing and The Secrets of Attraction

Photo credit: Robin Constantine

CONS

 ·      Sometimes you may hit a point in the story that would be better told from the other character’s perspective, yet it’s not their turn to “speak” (so to speak).  Then you have to do some creative thinking, and/or shifting of plot points around. My first three novels are all in a strict she said/he said chapter format and I know I ran into that problem at least once with each of them. My latest novel SOMEONE YOU LOVED takes a different approach, which made it easier NOT to fall into that trap. The book is divided into months – so each month is a chapter, with character sections in each. I could easily switch up between the characters as needed.

 ·      The characters can start to sound the same. If you’re reading a section and need to think for a moment which character is speaking, you might need to change things up. An easy fix for this is to have rules for each character – maybe one has a certain quirky trait or rhythm to the way they speak. Or maybe one uses profanity while the other would never think to do that. When you’re first starting out, don’t worry about it, but during revision, make sure that each character is distinctly and uniquely their own.

 ·      Another pitfall you’ll want to avoid is repeating the same scene through the second character’s eyes – unless it is incredibly important to the plot – you don’t need to do that. It’s tempting, of course, but in order for the story to move forward – it actually has to move forward. And both characters need to have their own arc, within the intersecting arc of the novel as well.

  PROS

 ·      It is SO nice to switch between perspectives!  If you get bored or frustrated with one, you can jump to the other and see what they’re up to.

 ·      You get to know your characters on a different level, and you also get to see each character and secondary characters through another lens.  ·     Your creative chops get a workout. Each character needs to have their own flaws, and arc, and also an intersecting arc. It sounds more complicated than it actually is, but when it all comes together – it is so satisfying!

Did you know my first two novels THE PROMISE OF AMAZING and THE SECRETS OF ATTRACTION are companion novels? They are both standalone novels, but The Secrets of Attraction picks up shortly after the end of The Promise of Amazing and follows Wren’s bestie Madison Pryce and her search for love. She meets her match in broody barista Jesse McCann. Both Wren and Grayson appear in the book, and it was cool to see them and their relationship through different eyes!

If you’ve followed me for a bit, you know I kind of/sort of dislike first drafts. In my defense, the beginning of a project is most often preceded by poring over pass pages, which is the stage when you’re dotting your i’s and crossing your t’s and making sure everything is in tip top shape before your little book baby goes out into the world. Polishing up a book in a final edit is a completely different and often easier mindset than starting all over again. That makes it sound like I hate the entire process but that’s not true. It’s those first awkward sentences and chapters, and the wondering if what I’m doing is good enough, or that I’m following a path that leads to nowhere, which often stops me in my tracks. I’ve always aspired to be one of those writers who has several irons in the fire, so that when one project ends, I will already be in the thick of another.  Until then, I’ve found a trick that I like to use to get me out of my overwhelm. 

Reading craft books!

Since writing can be such a solitary endeavor, I find comfort in reading the trials and tribulations of other authors, and how they navigated their way out of tricky spots during their careers. Most often there are shared tips and tricks that have helped them reach their creative goals. I’ve amassed quite the collection (only some of which is pictured below!) over the years but here are three of my favorites:

Photo credit: Robin Constantine

Bird by Bird – Anne Lamott

This might be my favorite because when I read it, I feel like I’m talking to a wise friend who wants nothing but the best for me. I love it because if I’m having a specific writing issue, I can usually find a chapter that will help me either get unstuck or laugh at myself - both of which are immensely helpful in those beginning stages.

The chapter titled “Radio Station KFKD” is especially relatable.

On Writing – Stephen King

 I think I read this book in one sitting. It’s conversational. Part memoir/part toolkit – this is another book that feels like a friend passing on some well-earned writing wisdom. It’s funny and direct and no-nonsense, with some great quotable advice like:

 “The road to hell is paved with adverbs.”

 “The scariest moment is always just before you start.”  (see, I’m in good company – you are too!)

Big Magic - Elizabeth Gilbert

This is not only a book about writing, but a book about living a big, wondrous, creative life. Whereas the other books I mentioned are down to earth and practical (with mentions of magic, of course because creativity and writing are magic!) this one talks about finding stories in the collective unconscious. What I love about this book, is the main message – who cares if you fail, or if what you do is considered high art, do it anyway. Create. Some favorite quotes are:

“Done is better than good.”

“The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them.” 

Bonus:

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers – Renni Browne & Dave King

I liked this one so much I purchased it twice. (I thought I lost my first copy!) This if for any writer who wants practical editing advice. I know you can’t wait to hit send on your magnum opus to that agent you’re trying to snag, but before you do – read this, then read your work over again. With chapters on interior monologue and dialogue mechanics, this book will help you take your work to the next level.

Here’s a blurb from the Dialogue Mechanics chapter:

“The first thing I do is find a scene with some dialogue. If the dialogue doesn’t work, the manuscript gets bounced. If it’s good, I start reading.”

So the next time you feel a little stuck, try turning to a craft book to help you find your way out of it!