News from the Home Office
Hello again from the powerhouse that is Graves Publications.
Okay, maybe not “powerhouse”, but close. I call it a powerhouse because using such a term makes me feel powerful. I’ll be honest, putting together this newsletter has taken me WAY outside of my comfort zone.
I’ve spent the better part of this past year watching how every other writer out there has put together their own newsletters. And you know what I found? Most of them do it differently than everyone else. Yea, that helps.
I’ll be honest. Doing this newsletter has been one of the scariest things I’ve done in some time. Why? Because my inner critic has been trying her damnedest to convince me that I couldn’t do it. I have to prove I can.
I’ve learned one thing in the past 40 years about writing and it’s this. If you don’t step out of your comfort zone, you’ll always be stuck in the same rut. I know, sounds hokey, but I’m speaking from experience. If you don’t push yourself, you’ll go nowhere fast.
I know a lot of people say, “I live for that feeling” or “I get excited trying something new”. That’s awesome and I wish I was you. But for me, it’s like letting the dentist grind on my teeth without Novocaine.
I’m always looking for ways to challenge myself in my writing. I’ve learned how to write fiction in a collaborative environment. I’ve learned how to create blogs that look pretty and feel “homey”. And I’ve learned that I can do things I never thought I could, even at my age. (I’m 52).
I’m very proud of the writer I’ve become and looking forward to what the future holds in store. I’m getting better about telling my inner critic to shut the hell up, though she rarely listens. I’m finding that I have a voice that’s all my own and I’m having a ball sharing it with the world.
CHALLENGE:
What about you? What is it about writing that scares you most? Is it letting people read your poetry? Writing non-fiction when all you’ve ever tried was fiction? Is it bringing a character to life that isn’t “perfect”? I’d love to know.
Write a piece about what scares you most about writing. Put it up on your personal site and share it with the world, including me. I want to know what scares you most and what you’re doing to overcome that fear. Who knows. You might help someone else get past a fear of their own.
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Are you a fiction writer in need of something new to write about? Check out my book:
Promptly Chronicled: 300 writing prompts to inspire the fiction writer.
There are 10 different categories of 30 prompts each. No matter what genre of choice may be, there’s a little something to be found.
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Updates from Our Sites
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As the main site of all my blogs, I try to keep this one updated on a regular basis. I don’t always have mind-blowing information on the site, but I do try to make sure whatever else is going on is posted here as well.
In my post Productivity Overload, I share what it’s like to go from not having much inspiration for my writing to having so much my head nearly exploded. It was well worth it, though.
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This is my newest site and one I am VERY proud of. I love finding new writing sites and tools for writers, and this is where I’m trying to put them all together. I’m thrilled that I’ve been able to bring this site to life.
I have a lot of empty space at the moment, but I do have a couple of authors pages put up, as well as couple of blog tour companies. I also have a section for editorial services, book distributors, and virtual groups. As time goes by, I hope to have a lot more added to the site. My goal is to have this be a one-stop-shop every step in the writing process
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Online Literary and Poetry Magazines
This site helped me create A Novel Idea. But this one is dedicated to nothing but online literary magazines. I have a few publications added, but I’m thinking about completely revamping this site. I’m so happy with the way A Novel Idea is turning out, I might do the same with this one.
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Though it doesn’t have much to do with the writing industry, this is one of my favorite sites as it’s based on my other passion, mythology. Well, more like the histories, mysteries, and mythologies of the world.
I’ve covered some of my weird ideas such as my personal theory about the Trojan Horse and also about the time I lived in a haunted house. (I really did).
I’m still working on this site and need some ideas to write about. If you’ve got an idea, let me know. It might be the spark I’ve been waiting for.
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Though technically not part of the “Graves Publications” group, I have to add this site. I’ve had this blog since May of 2010. This is my personal creative space. This is where I post some of the things I’ve written from various writing prompts and sites.
I’ve written fiction such as Screwed and poetry such as Sensuality Sublime. Okay, I’ll be honest. I wrote that one in August of 2010. Eleven years ago. Gave me goosebumps.
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This is one of the first domain names I’ve ever owned. I’ve had this place for almost 10 years. I haven’t done a lot with it, but I just couldn’t let it go. Imagine my surprise when I noticed one day that it was estimated to be worth over a thousand bucks.
Though I don’t have a lot of content on that site, I have written pieces about collecting old cookbooks and about creating your own collectibles. I love the site, but am seriously thinking about giving it a facelift. Maybe a new vibe will help me get my mojo back.
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Well, thanks for hanging out with me. I hope you’ll stop by and check out some of my stuff. This newsletter is still a work in progress and I’d love for you to come along for the ride.
If you have any ideas you’d like to see added to the newsletter or to any of my sites, let me know. You can find me on Twitter or send me an email.
Until Next time,
Happy Writing from Graves Publications