st louis « Robin Writes

I have a confession: I have one really, really bad habit. (Okay, I have several, shut up, that’s not the point.) My really, really bad habit is that I like to write straight through the WIP, start to finish.

Oh, I stop to eat, sort of, and to sleep. That’s a necessity. And, well, a few other necessities too! But for the most part, I don’t want to start a project unless I can ALSO finish it.

Let me try to explain. I look at my calendar and my to-do list and realize that there is NO TIME to write a book, not if I’m going to use this method. This is why, boys and girls, I wrote the second and third books in the REDUCED series in a matter of weeks. I knew the beginnings and the ends, and I just had to fill in the middle. Sometimes, yes, the rumor is true, I work backwards. Not for an entire novel, but part of it.

Anyway, this is why REPEAT hasn’t yet been put down on paper—I’m sure it’s in my head, somewhere. And it will claw its way out sooner or later, so be patient.

But even that is not the point of today’s post.

“Experts” will tell you how to schedule your writing time. Ignore them. Better yet, try their suggestions and THEN ignore them. Nothing is 100% for everyone. Some people work best in the morning, early morning even [shudder], and some work best at night. Some writers work all day long, at writing, not a day job.

I can’t write first thing, I’m too busy drinking coffee and doing promo and marketing. And making my daily list. I can’t write at night, because I’m sleepy. Sadly, writing is not my day job—it’s publishing, and I have authors who depend on me.

Not to mention the husband, the kid, the other kids, the daily stuff, the housework, etc., etc. Ugh.

So this is how I write a book:

I get the idea.
I make some notes.
I get all caught up on the regular stuff.
I forget that I made notes, but realize the important stuff is still floating around in my head.
I write the book, ignoring the husband, the kid, the other kids, the daily stuff, the housework.
When I come up for air, I find those notes.
Yep, the important stuff was in my head all along.

Now, I still do the taking-care-of-myself parts, and I still sleep. Sleep is good! But I can literally think and type for hours at a time. Maybe next time I’ll figure out how many hours a book takes . . . or not. Can’t stop for anything, really, it just come out, like word vomit.

And yes, the experts will tell you to just write and do your editing later. Phhhht. I edit as I go. If a sentence isn’t right, it’s fixed. Well, except for the ones I missed! I do, of course, go over it again later, but I don’t wait months. Maybe days. A day? Never really timed it because—it doesn’t matter.

Write how you want, whenever you want. It’s YOUR book.

Dear Mr. Patterson:

I’ve had about enough of you. I used to be a fan. I suppose someday I’ll re-read many of your books, but right now I’m just a little pissy.

First, I found out that you don’t actually WRITE most of “your” books, yet you rake in millions of dollars a year. That’s kind of a slap in the face to almost every other author, isn’t it?

Is that why you feel the need to comment on the book industry and stick your face into every book or publishing controversy? Do you think anyone cares what you think? What makes you qualified—reminds me of celebrities running off at the mouth about politics; they believe everyone should listen to them for some obscure reason.

Second, last year when all the hoopla was about you personally donating to struggling bookstores, I signed up for “updates” and even threw our bookstore into the ring.

Crickets.

Yep, that’s what I got. No updates, no responses—not even to a message I sent you, essentially agreeing with your full-page ad. Oh, and no grant. Had to close OUR bookstore, one of the ones you’re so concerned about.

And now this. Your publisher is having a slap-fight with Amazon and so you speak up yet again.

According to the USA Today article that I just read, you said “the future of our literature is in danger.” Then you added that “Amazon wants to control book buying, book selling and even book publishing,” and you mentioned a monopoly.

Well, bless your heart—where have you been? Of course Amazon wants a monopoly! That’s old news, just ask a bookseller. I just can’t help thinking you might have stayed quiet on the publishing part, except it involves Hachette.

But guess what? Amazon does stuff like this to a lot of publishers—particularly small press. Heck, just last week they listed one of RHP’s books as “children, ages 0-17.” It was a murder mystery. With sex and violence. Ha.

Sometimes it takes a week or more to have our books listed on Amazon. Often the cover pics are missing for days. We don’t usually get to put our books up there for pre-orders, and even when our books ARE available, Amazon adds things like “only one copy remaining” and “will take two weeks to ship.”

Sound familiar?

Now, let’s talk about your comment about “the future of our literature.” My, doesn’t that sound elitist? Do you write “literature?” I must have missed that one. I guess you meant reading material, specifically books, right? I mean, well . . . never mind. That’s not my point.

What I THINK you meant is that big authors and publishers are in danger from the [gasp] Amazon monopoly, and that their sales will suffer. Of course, you may also have meant that there will be a dearth of quality reading material for consumers, if Amazon is allowed to continue on its merry way.

Let me tell you something, Mr. Patterson: NOT ALL GOOD BOOKS COME FROM NEW YORK. There are a lot of small press, and yes, indie and self-published authors who can tell a good story. Their books might be the high-gloss, widely marketing, absolutely perfect copy that you and your minions churn out, but readers can forgive some of that if the story is good.

Not everyone gets lucky, like you did—there, I said it. Luck. Like getting a job without experience, authors can’t often get a top-notch agent without having a considerable track record. I have no doubt, in the beginning, you worked your tail off—but I know a hundred authors who work just as hard as you did and probably write just as well, if not better.

Maybe you should mingle with the common folk for a bit. In fact, come on out to St. Louis and I’ll introduce you around to all the talented folks here that yes, DEPEND on Amazon to get their work in front of an audience.

But fair warning, I’m still ticked off about the bookstore grants . . .