by RRVirdi | Mar 6, 2016 | Ramblings
Worry is something that can eat you. In fact, it does at you—your sanity and calm. It leaves holes in you that left unchecked, grow larger. And it is very easy to just say don’t worry. Easier said than done. But you what? Worrying is in fact part of your imagination. It just is. Its a crazy, bad part, yes. Still a part. What does that mean?
Well, first recognize that you are worrying and over what. Just acknowledge it. I’m not saying approve it or anything else. Just go, yes, I am worrying, and over this. That’s it. Understanding is key to over coming anything. We fear what we don’t know. Like future outcomes and the unknown. And that’s okay. We are all people. People worry. It’s okay. It can be about your work. That’s normal. All artists worry at some point or another over something work related. It’s okay.
But worrying takes away time from everything else. Including your craft. The time you spend worrying can be used for other things. It can. After you realize what you are worrying about, realize that you are spending time feeding those worries. That you could be do something else. That’s all. Don’t over think and start thinking of everything you can or should be doing. That’s something else that leads to more worrying. Just realize that, I’m worrying, I can be using this time to do something else. End. Don’t come up with what else to do. Just know you could be.
That helps. It helps bring you back to ground. If you do need something else to do, and you’re worrying how about something you know relaxes you? As an author, for me, that’s reading. Not writing because sometimes that could make me worry more. After all, it is my art, and like I said, artists worry over those too. Especially so in many cases.
Accept that worrying is natural. Understand when you’re doing it. And then realize that you’re spending time on it, and that time could be better something doing something else. Whatever it is, worrying, or something fun, you can lose yourself in it. Which would you rather be swept up by/in? Not a hard choice right?
For me, I’m staring at my newest Work In Progress. A behemoth for me. By far the largest manuscript I’ve written to date. It’s not finished but it will be. I know that. I’m worrying about the next few lines. Oh my God. Will you readers and authors like it? Will you hate it? Will you hate me?
All over a few lines. Chances are that 90 percent of you will never even remember them if you do read this novel slated for publication in December 2016. Actually scratch that. None of you that read this will remember. Why? Because…they’re not that important. It’s the truth. Not every line of your work has to have importance. It can just be someone opening a door.
It happens in novels. Unless your characters can walk right through them. Mine can’t… Unfortunately I am not the creator of X-Men.
You know why I’m not worrying now? I just wrote 500 words. That’s some people’s entire word counts for a day. It’s about a quarter of mine. And I did it first thing in the morning on my blog/website. Not too shabby for not even being awake. But you know what?
It is settling my early morning worries. See what I mean? I could have sat there worrying about so many things. And I did, a bit. But I still got on here to write about them, knowing I could use that time for something else. Heck, I’ve still got a little flutter in my heart. That’s okay. It’s okay. It’ll pass. Thing’s always do. Time always does. It passes.
Keep working on what you love. Living and learning. Grow. Write. Dance. Sing and play. Dream and do.
Worry not. And if that’s too hard at first, try what I’m trying, and worry less.
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by RRVirdi | Jan 30, 2016 | Ramblings
Sounds sort of self explanatory, doesn’t it.
Well that’s because it is.
One of the things about being an artist—in whatever medium—is that you continue to make the work. Because of that, your career will grow in time as you continue to produce. You just have to make sure you do that. There will be ups and downs. Nothing will change that. But in the end, you are your greatest asset. The more works you have, the more attention you will be able to garner. That all compounds and creates a domino effect. You have to be your biggest fan. Your biggest supporter and producer.
Do not get me wrong. I’m not saying you have to do this all solo, or that it’s a solitary thing. My friends have helped me endlessly in this endeavor. You have absolutely no idea. I will never be able to properly thank them, even in an entire lifetime. That’s how much support they’ve given me. How much they’ve impacted my career and life for the better. But that’s the ever-so-amazing icing the top of the cake.
You need the cake! So make it. You have to produce. And the great thing about that? The more you produce, the better you get. Everything you do in your art, and many things outside as well, will make you better. With that, you can ONLY GET BETTER.
In fact, everything is stacked in your favor. You just need to invest the time. It will cost much time. It will take much time. That’s the truth.
It’s been shown that for many indie authors you need about 4-8 books in a series. Now that’s by no means written in stone. It’s just a popular number where many indie authors see success.
Why?
Well think about it. You have a solid series at that point to get readers hooked into, and invested in. One book (where I am) could be fun to read. But they will have to wait for the second. So will new readers. If you have a series, people will be more likely to buy into in part because it is a series. It’s not a promise of more. It’s already there. Plus, more will come.
It’s like offering someone a slice of pizza, versus 2/3 of one. One is more tempting than the other. At the end of the day, you are a brand, and you are your ambassador as well. Be kind to yourself. Create more. Make more of what you love. Enjoy it. People will. The more you have, the more there is to see and buy from you. That all adds up. It only can.
Be consistent. Create. Traction builds if you let it. It’s like anything else. I might get some east coast flak for this, but, the recent blizzard.
Snow adds up. It’s only flakes of ice, but man does it, and did it ever pile up. To the point where my backyard porch roof (separate from main house) collapsed.
Stupid snow.
But see what I mean about things adding up. They can make quite the impact. So don’t be deterred if things aren’t immediately going the way you want them to. A writing career is very much like writing a novel. You don’t have a novel with one word. You have to string together tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands depending your monster. But in the end, you have a novel. (Minus all the polishing, polishing, polishing, crying, self loathing, and more) Hey, I don’t know your process. 😉
This can all go in your favor if you let it. So let it!
Get lost in your worlds and make all that you can and desire. If you want it, your fans will want it. It adds up. Let it.
You’ve got this.
Let me leave you with this example. I’m building my own Urban Fantasy series at the moment. Book two comes out this year in spring. And later in December, hopefully the first title in a new series set in the same world.
Look at how comic book companies operate. So many stories and arcs running parallel to one another all in the same world, all adding to each other. It gets big, doesn’t it?!
You’ve got this!
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by RRVirdi | Jan 27, 2016 | Ramblings
Why yes I am.
Thank you invisible non existers.
Why am I still doing it? Sheesh. I wish I knew. I’d like to say something great like I have amazing dedication, or perseverance. In truth, it’s simpler than that. I can’t stop. That’s not meant to sound cool. I just can’t. Nothing makes me happier than losing myself in a daydream and letting the stories run off.
But then…the end half finished.
What do I do?
I’ll never know the ends of them. I’ll never know the bits and pieces in between.
So I have to write them. Then I need to know what happens after that book and so on.
Catch 22. Wonderful.
And it never ends. It’s great. I just wish I could focus on writing all the time. Maybe one day I’ll be able to. That’s the hope—the dream.
And I’m doing my best. Grave Beginnings is doing better than I believe it could, winning awards and gaining a heckuva lot of reviews. Grave Measures is scheduled to come out in a few more months. And the beginning of a new series starts this December. Looks like I’m doing some things.
Am I doing them right however? Will the make a difference in my life.
God, I wish I knew.
Maybe if I keep it up, I’ll find out.
That’s why I write. I love being lost to reality in one of my own. So I guess I’m still a kid. One who doesn’t like leaving questions unanswered. In fact, I hate that. I hate not knowing. So I’ll follow through on the stories until the end.
I wish I had a far cooler reason than that. I don’t. So the one I have will have to do.
Maybe at the end of this I’ll have a shelf of my own books. Maybe that’s childish to some. But it’s sure something motivating to me. It’s pretty cool. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to go back and read them though.
🙁
Believe me, I wish I could.
So now I have some answers for myself since no one really reads this blog. Although, I never expected anyone to.
But maybe, one day, like the writing.
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by RRVirdi | Jan 4, 2016 | Ramblings
Yes, I’m four days late. Woohoo. Thank you for noticing you eagle eyed reader you. No…I am not toning down my snark just because it’s a New Year. So ahem. What’s up today?
Well, a little reflection I guess for you and I. Doesn’t matter if you’re an author, painter, or something else. Just think about it. You made it through another year!!!
Yay! Cue clapping. Sounds easy, but I bet it wasn’t. When is it ever? But hey, you’re still here, and I bet you accomplished some pretty nifty things in 2015. It helps to look back and think about them. Because who knows, they might stack, compound and be built upon this year? Why not right?
For me. I finished my second novel in my series, edited it, sent it out to betas and got my first book into paperback. I began making nearly triple the income off writing. (Hold the applause…it’s nothing impressive, believe me.) I won best book of 2015 from an amazing, and prestigious review site/reviewer. My novel has been featured in many places, and oh yeah, I have a fan club!? WITH ACTUAL FANS?!
I mean there are living, breathing, real life people who are my fans and aren’t being paid to be them!?
How’d that happen!?
See what I mean? Look back at 2015 because 2016 is just another year. All manner of wondrous things can happen. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you might not have some bumps along the road. But even bumpy roads lead somewhere, right? That’s what matters.
It helps sometimes to think about all you’d like to accomplish this year. So for me, well….
Release book two in The Grave Report: Grave Measures. I’d like to write and finish books three and four this year, hopefully possible. And release a new novel and series I’ve been working on last year and will finish hopefully this month. Seems like 2016, at least in thought, will be pretty productive.
What about you? Any plans? Any big ideas? Resolutions? Anything you’ve been waiting for? Come on…secrets suck. Tell me!
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by RRVirdi | Dec 23, 2015 | Ramblings
Yo-ho blarghers it’s another day. So what happens when life, when your art and things feel slow. When you’re worried and more? Let go?
Easier said than done, right?
Well what I’m about to say comes from experience. Sometimes letting go isn’t exactly about sitting back and letting things go. Sometimes it’s about finding something else to fixate on. Sometimes you need to divert your attention elsewhere. So it’s not so much about letting go but about focusing somewhere else. It works. It really does.
For me, when I’ve felt I’ve been away from writing too long to get back to it, I realize that’s wrong. I’m worried about trying to start back up. I’m terrified I’ll be horrible at it and that I can’t let go of those fears. So what do I do instead?
I decide to write. It’s hard yeah, but it’s easier than letting go sometimes. It’s easy to admit it will be difficult and do it anyways. It might not be perfect, but it will be done. It can be perfect later when I have the time to devote to polishing and editing. That’s how writing works.
So, that’s what I do.
Would it be wonderful if I just the fears and insecurities go? To stop worrying about my future and know all things with certainty?
Sure.
But that’s not how life works. So you can let go in a manner by getting busy. Works for me. And when I can’t write, I’ll read something. That works pretty well too. But don’t just take my word for it, try it. I mean reading is most definitely a form of writing practice. It helps and is relaxing. In fact some studies say that reading can relax you and your anxiety/worries and more by up to 67 percent more than listening to your favorite music. And hey, while we’re at it… what about music?
It’s a pretty nice way to let go of things. If you’re worrying and overthinking, sitting back with some music and lying down to potato, can really help.
Stop focusing so much on the idea of letting go and just do it. Do something. The rest (letting go) will take care of themselves. Sometimes letting go means stepping back. So step back, get out of your own way. Instead of letting your attention be pulled in fifty different directions of worry, wonder, anxiety and more… Put it into place. One place. Whatever that may be.
So write. Sing. Dance. Something. Do something, anything, and I promise you’ll be able to let go of the things that are holding you back from writing or whatever it is.
Doing something is the best thing to do if you can’t think of what to do?
Yeah…that wasn’t as profound or poetic as some things…but it still makes my point.
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by RRVirdi | Dec 18, 2015 | Ramblings
Heyo blarghers, been a while. You’ve likely forgotten who I am. That’s cool. I do too some of the times.
So I’m back, have been very busy. Getting book one into print after all this time. It was a good decision as sales are amazing. Oh, I happened to win best book of 2015 from the illustrious A Drop of Ink Reviews. The reviewer featured on best selling novel Paladin by the ever so amazing Sally Slater. That was awesome.
So what am I here to talk about? Just to remind you that time is your friend. It’s been years since I wrote book one, Grave Beginnings. I’m still learning and have learned so much since then. Even though book two isn’t out yet (IM WORKING ON IT) I’ve improved greatly since then. It shows in my newer writings. Time isn’t your enemy, it’s your friend.
I’ve learned the business and marketing better. I’m growing, increasing sales and winning awards. Not too shabby right?
With time, no matter how far behind you feel, you’re not. You’re learning, growing, improving your writing and more. That’s only going to help your career. So trust it, go with it. Let time pass and do your thing. It’s not a race. You’re not fighting to outpace and run other authors. You just need to finish your works when you can, grow, and improve. Your career will turn out fine.
Just have some faith and realize time if your friend.
Let me ask you this. If you keep writing, publishing, growing and working hard, where do you see yourself in 15 years?
Pretty nice career right? Can you only imagine it!?
How about 10?
7?
5?
3?
1?
Just another year away, how much will you grow? Heck how far have you come in this year alone?
Let’s see, this year? Well again, I won a prestigious award, improved my writing more, sent off book two for final editing, had its cover designed, and oh yeah, released the paperback off to a great sales start. I am not bragging, I’m just making a point. That’s one year.
You can do these things. Heck, some of you already are. So just imagine in 15 years what you can and will be doing? Time is your friend. Understand that. Don’t feel rushed or behind. You’re not.
You will only get better. So stand back and let yourself.
Keep writing.
Grow.
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