Change...It's Never Easy by Dora Hiers

Two years ago, several of my author friends were announcing multi-book contracts. I was thrilled for them, but my inner voice mocked. "You'll never get one of those. You can't plot."

Sure, I'd managed to crank out five romances, but I’d written all of them in advance, and Pelican Book Group individually contracted and published them. That meant writing the entire story, submitting it, and then waiting, praying and hoping for a contract. I dreamed of snagging a contract for a series that I hadn't written yet...to know that the story I was laboring over would have a home when I finished. But, in order for that to happen, I needed to force myself to learn how to plot, so that I could submit a proposal based on a synopsis for three stories not yet written.

My neighbors probably heard me ranting and thrashing about my office, banging my head against my desk and threatening to toss my laptop out the window. But, I was determined to stick with it. 

Change...it's never easy, is it?

You can read my tips on how I made the transition here and how I organized myself here. Trust me when I say there was plenty of weeping and pulling hair involved, especially when I plunged into simultaneously plotting out five books, two independents and three for a series.

I dug my heels in and refused to surrender. Eighteen months later, I had five completed books…all contracted on proposal!

Want the secret? I'll share. 

Motivation. I wanted it. Big time. There's nothing more motivating to me than thinking I can't do something. Anybody else feel that way? So, unless you find a reason to change, you will keep doing things the same way. Have you noticed how that harbors discontent, sparks envy?

Take the first step. Change isn't even remotely possible until you take the first step. What's holding you back? Fear? Doubt? Why? You're a writer, aren't you? Every day I write I face my fears. Whether that's public speaking, writing curriculum for an online class, navigating the murky world of social media...whatever. God's got your back. Move forward in boldness. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ~Phil 4:13, NKJV

Be willing to adjust your course. Just as a ship adjusts its course for winds/storms/tide, I had to make some modifications along the way. I found that by the time I'd reached the fifth book, my skeletal plot needed a few tweaks, but that's OK because the original story line was strong. Multitaskers probably wouldn't have a problem with tackling five books, but for my single track mind, three is the max. Also, sometimes hubby would throw in traveling to a conference that wasn't planned or I'd be called upon to pick up a sick grandchild, so rather than continually adjust my completion date, I set a daily word count goal that took this into consideration. 

Pray without ceasing. A no-brainer. :)

Change is never easy...but it's possible. With a little faith and a good bit of persistence, you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish.

“If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten.” ~Anthony Robbins

Do you embrace change or despise it?
What aspect of your writing style would you change?

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A Routine Audit? Hardly.

Red flags—including some goon who's following her—raise McKinley Frasier's suspicions that numbers don't add up at the insurance firm. When someone tries to snatch McKinley's daughter from school, she turns to police officer and ex-fiance, Renner Crossman—the cop who walked out on her a month before their wedding. But Renner's not the same guy who broke her heart ten years ago. He calls himself a "new man." She trusts the new Renner with her daughter's safety...but what about her heart?

Dora Hiers is a multi-published author of Heart Racing, God-Gracing romances. She’s a member of RWA, ACFW, and the Treasurer for ACFW-Charlotte Chapter. Connect with her here on Seriously Write, her personal blog, Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest.

Pantser to Plotter...Now What? by Dora Hiers

Last week we talked about my decision to migrate from Pantser to Plotter. Now what?

As a Pantser (not under contract), you have flexibility in your schedule. You may have a daily word count goal, but without a deadline, it doesn't really matter if you reach your goal. You can make up for it the next day or just extend the length of time it takes to write the book.

But what happens when you become a Plotter and submit a proposal for books that aren't yet written? A component of the proposal requires a completion date. How do you come up with a time frame to complete the books?

Hmmm...

A calendar? 

Calendar

Not the ideal solution. Especially when you're working on multiple books. There's just no easy way to adjust your schedule, if it becomes necessary. 

A timeline would work. One with the capability to insert tasks by book and keep a running word count total. You can google timeline and you’ll find hundreds of options. Be sure to pop back over here and let me know if you find something that works for you. I didn't.

Instead, I chose to create a fairly basic Excel document with the date, book title, task, word goal, and a running total. Starting with a realistic weekly word count, I mapped out each book, dividing the weekly goal into a targeted daily word count, taking into consideration vacations and holidays. I used "fill color" to highlight different books, so that I can easily decipher the transition from one book to the next. I add my word count for each day, and adjust if necessary. Now, I have completion dates for each book in my proposal.

It's not perfect, either, but it works for now. Here are some pros:

Accountability. A daily goal keeps me focused and on track. I completed my first book a few days ahead of schedule. 

Time saver. With the plotting already done, I know the direction the story needs to go, which saves time daily.

Freedom. When I accomplish my goal early, I’m free to work on other tasks or keep writing. It’s my choice.

Accomplishment. A sweet feeling, right?

And only one negative so far:

Pressure. So far, I’ve experienced only one negative. If you’re having a tough writing day and the words aren’t flowing, it’s tough not to get discouraged or feel the pressure. On these days, I really hunker down to keep at it. Some days I might type only dialog if that’s flowing better, or switch to action beats and what’s happening. If that still doesn’t work, I regroup by working on another writerly task and try to compensate my word count during the week. But, that’s a last resort.

It's your turn. 

If you're a Plotter, which organizational software works well for you?

After an injury forces Deputy U.S. Marshal Sage Michaelson off duty, he heads to his hometown with two things on his mind: recuperating and reevaluating, but Sage can’t refuse his best friend’s plea to keep a protective eye on his little sister after someone ransacks her house. But Delaney’s not so little anymore—and definitely not the young “Dane” Sage remembers. 

Flight Medic Delaney Hunt has loved Sage forever. But, he’s all about control and order while she embraces life and takes risks. As much as the idea appeals to her, she doesn’t need Sage looking over her shoulder. But when things go wrong and she finds herself hanging by her fingertips, who does she call to rescue her?

Will Delaney ever be the woman Sage wants by his side? Can Sage learn to live by grace, recognizing that God is in control? Can they overcome their fears to embrace life together?

Journey's Embrace ~ Coming March 1st!