I could actually write this blog any day of the week but since I like the alliteration of Monday musings, today seems worthy.
I’m at the point in my writing career – if you could call it that – where I thought I would be seeing a return on all the hard word I’ve been doing for the past 8 years. I’m not.
Let me e’splain.
Yesterday I put together all my receipts for the year so far because my hubby will be wanting to start our taxes soon. I have an entire folder of everything I’ve paid for regarding my writing this year – advertising, conferences, buying books from Amazon ( author copies), all things related to the fact I can have WRITER written on my occupation line on the tax form.
Then I went through my income for the year. Sales, royalties from publishers, KDP royalties, VEllA income.
Income vs expenses for the year? Not even close.
In fact, so disparate, it’s laughable. Or in my case, cryable.
If I weren’t married I wouldn’t be able to support myself on what I write. The national poverty level for a single income in 2023 is $14,580. This number is so much closer to my expenses than my income that – again – cryable.
I don’t think I’m the only writer experiencing this disparity in finances. In fact, most of the people I know who write are in a fairly similar boat to me.
So, why do we do it? Why do we take a loss year after year? Why do we bang our heads against our laptops when advertising dollars go up but the reward of those spent dollars goes down?
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
Okay, maybe writers are a little insane. But aren’t most creatives? LOL
For me, writing is a luxury I am afforded because I have a husband who can support the two of us, so I devote my entire workday to writing. That’s not the case with most writers. They have jobs outside the home in order to pay for an existence that will allow them to do what they truly want to: write.
If I were forced to support myself I would. No debate about it. And I would still write. Long into the night, early into the morning, on work breaks, whatever, simply because I must.
That’s the answer to the above questions. Why do we do what we do? Because we must.
Cyber-security specialist Dylan Keane is working undercover to suss out a corporate thief. When he zeroes in on Harper Vale, he thinks he’s found his mole.
Harper has a reputation as a coding savant and an introvert. Dylan’s interest is flattering, but after she’s implicated in the theft of the company’s protected software, she doubts everything he’s told her.
When a series of potentially deadly accidents occur involving Harper, Dylan wonders if she is being set up to take the fall. One thing is certain: the more time they spend together, the more Dylan realizes he’s the one who’s falling—for Harper.
So this is my 11th year participating in National Novel Writing Month ( Nanowrimo.) I just looked at my stats from past years and the very first book I wrote in 30 days in 2013 was THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, the second book my MacQuire Women Series. That book and every other one since I’ve written in the month of November during the challenge has gone on to be published.
Yay!
These are my five top reasons why I love love love doing NanoWrimo each year for today’s edition of the Friday Five.
doing the challenge forces me to write every single day. I don’t get a chance to slouch off like I routinely would during the other 11 months.
doing the challenge fosters habituation. If I write every day for a month, it becomes a habit in my brain and I want to continue doing it after November ends.
I see instant progress daily as my word count increases because I never edit until the book is finished.
I get to meet new authors on my buddy list
I get to encourage and motivate other authors in the challenge
Are you a writer who participates in Nano? If so, drop a comment and tell me why you love it – or hate it!!
Every November, from the first to the thirtieth, hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, attempt the National Novel Writing Contest ( NANOWRIMO) challenge of penning a 50,000+ word novel in those 30 days.
I have participated in the event for the past 9 years and will again this year.
The goal is to write at least 1700 words daily to reach the minimum 50,000-word count set up by the challenge. The exercise helps build momentum for your writing ( you have to write every single day!), makes writing every day a goal and a challenge, and forces you ( gently) to sit your butt down and get that word count done without distractions.
As a writer, I know that life intervenes on my writing time almost daily. This challenge makes you push everything else to the side and do the work first. Love that.
If you’ve been trying to get your manuscript finished, or attempting to begin a new one, consider this NANOWRIMO challenge. If nothing else, it will help you remember that the only way to get a book written is to…write it!
Today, I get to do something I haven’t done in quite a while: Attend a New Hampshire Romance Writers of America meeting IN PERSON!! I’ve been zooming the once-monthly meeting since the pandemic forced us all to shelter in place but today I get to go livelivelive!
Added to the wonderful feeling of seeing – in person – all my writer friends again, I am presenting the workshop today to the members.
It’s been a minute ( and then some) since I gave a live talk to a group. Thankfully, this group is so accepting, welcoming, and just plain fun, that I know even if I stumble, I will not fall with them holding me up.
If you’re a writer, I hope you have the blessing of a supportive collection of other writers you can hang out with and learn from, too!
I made this graphic the other day when someone asked me what my favorite book is. If you know me, you know it’s THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD by Watty Piper. An oldie ( real oldie) but a goodie. Why is it my favorite? It’s the best book about self-motivation I’ve ever read. That little engine believed he/she could get over that hill, set their mind to do it, and…did!
Just like that little engine, I always had a dream to be a published author. I worked at the craft, wrote a lot of crap – and a few good things along the way, and never gave up on my dream. I researched, wrote, entered contests, and wrote some more. The end goal was my dream – to be a published writer. To get my words and stories to the masses. I didn’t need adulation; I didn’t do it for fame or to have my name on everyone’s lips. God knows I didn’t do it for the money, because there simply is no way to get hyperrich writing despite what all those webpundits tell you when they offer online courses to make you an instant bestselling author.
I wanted to be published because I had stories to tell and felt other people may react to them favorably, see themselves in the storyline, and simply be able to fade away for a few hours of reading pleasure in a chaotic world.
My first book was published when I was 55 years old. I’m 63 now, have gone through 4 publishers and have now turned into a hybrid indie author. 46 books later and I still get the giggles and chills when I see a new book I’ve penned up on Amazon. And I get emotional when I read a positive review or when a reader comes up to me at a conference and says she loved my book because….
Never give up on your dreams, kids. They do come true. I’m a living example of that. ~ Peg
When writing about Scotland, Jean knows of what she speaks, as she tells us, here:
Finding my Muse in Scotland
Over a decade ago for our anniversary, my husband and I traveled to my bucket list destination: Scotland. Lone sheep wandered down the middle of a meandering country road. Windswept moors, heather fields, wet and cloudy skies, the occasional sunshine, rocky trails, impressive mountains, green rolling hills, deep lochs, and a gazillion castles greeted us…it was an amazing trip! Visiting the land of my daydreams stirred the muse within me to write about medieval Scotland. From that inspiration sprung my trilogy and now my spin-off book (it can be read as a standalone), Seeker (which is part of the new Mortar & Pestle series with six other authors).
Here is my list of must-sees!
10. The abbeys—Abbeys are poetic and serene and back in the Middle Ages served as monasteries to different Christian orders. We walked among ancient gray and rose stone ruins at Dryburgh and Melrose Abbeys.
9. The isles—It is hard to not visit an isle while in Scotland. There are many: Lewis and Harris, the Shetlands, or my beloved Uist. We visited Isle of Skye on a dreary day and could not even see the Black Cuillin mountains in the torrential rain, so I had to leave those images to my imagination.
8. Lochs—Like isles, lochs, many glacial, are a must-see and hard to miss whether it is the deep blue Loch Ness, expansive Loch Lomond, or the inspiring Loch Awe.
7. Crags & Glens—High and low crags are everywhere…the Trossachs, Cairngorms, or the five sisters of Kintail are impressive mountains. Glencoe is not one to skip. A rainstorm washed out our path and I got 100 midges stuck in my hair, but it was still oh-ah breathtaking.
6. Standing Stones—Standing stones are one of the few places we couldn’t visit on our trip as most are on the isles. Note to self for next time!
5. Scottish Folk & Pubs—Scots are pleasant people, and we had a great time chatting with the locals. And yup, there are plenty of the other kind of locals: sheep! My husband even tried haggis.
4. The Lowlands—The lowlands often get overlooked, but they are green and lush with undulating hills. I loved them.
3. The Highlands—Rich in clan history and natural beauty and oh so many hiking trails, the Highlands are the epitome of Scotland. Tramp (hike) through glens, up stony crags, or visit Culloden Battlefield (we did), and just get lost on the winding one-lane roads. On my next visit I hope to hike the Hadrian’s Wall path on the English border.
2. Highland Games—Up for putting the stone, caber tossing, tug-o-war, music, and dancing…oh yes, and lots of kilts? Get thee to a Highland Game. We visited one in Pitlochry.
1. Castles—[notice my countdown order – I loved castles the most!] I visited over a dozen on my trip. My favorites: Eilean Donan (the central castle in my books), Kilchurn (we kayaked to it), Threave (we took a rowboat across a river to it), and Borthwick (we stayed overnight in this 14th century tower house that is haunted).
Seeker is a medieval Scottish romance, part of a 7-book series about a magical mortar and pestle that brings true love to its holders. Castles…mythical creatures…to everyday adventurers, it has something for everyone. In Seeker, restless archer Aileana yearns for a target to prove her worth, but when a magical mortar and pestle spins its charm upon her and a rival clan’s son, winning the yearly tournament might mean the difference between war and peace, between love and curses.
Nock, draw, release. Her bow is always ready, and if her arrow hits its mark, she will secure her destined soulmate.
Aileana Montgomerie’s bloodline holds valuable gifts of foresight and healing, but with each honor comes a curse. Even though she is descended from the mystical isles’ folk, she lacks the ability of the Scottish Ancients and wonders if she belongs in a magical family. Aileana just wants a purpose. What good is her bow and arrow if she is denied the right to fight for her clan?
Brodie MacDougall is ordained to be the next war chieftain of his clan. The title is a privilege as long as his brother, the future laird, doesn’t expect him to lift a sword and charge into battle. Chronic pain and nervous vapors force him to spend his days alone. Can his strategic skills keep him one step ahead of his conspiring brother?
Through a magical Mortar & Pestle, Brodie finds his heart’s desire. But there’s a catch. The seat on his brother’s council is no longer dependent upon his health…but on Aileana’s strength. With rumblings of unrest among their clans, will their love foster an alliance or be a step toward war?
The mixture of herb fragrances mingled in her nose. Nutty, sharp, awakening.
She inhaled. Brodie inhaled.
As he released his hand from the pestle, a dark violet waft of smoke rose from the mortar.
An image appeared in her head, though her eyes were wide open:
A vast and lush meadow. Her bow in her hand. She stared at a target, runes carved into its center. The butt was made from a large mound of dirt, the kind used in the yearly tournament.
What in all the stars was happening?
And Brodie stood beside her in the image. Vision? Nonsense! Had she knocked her head? Fallen asleep? She held no gift of prophecy. What was this?
The ground rumbled. She heard Brodie’s heart racing as he whispered words of love in her ear.
Her neck tingled with gooseflesh, the way the wheat fields rippled on a windy day. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, and her belly warmed.
In your presence, the answer is shown, a voice said. Stay close to him, for your heart’s desire is known. What you seek, you will reap. Follow the golden prize. Let it be your sun.
She blinked as the image faded, her face aflame and the residual heat of his lips upon her skin still palpable. “Did you see that?”
“See what?”
He was staring at her, his body so close. She broke their shared gaze. “The mortar.”
He blew out a full, healthy breath as the lavender mist dissipated.
“Smoke?” she coaxed. Oh, please, Brodie. Say you see it, too!
He stared at the mortar. The purple smoke was now a pale haze fading to gray. The flecks in the black granite shimmered as bright as the stars.
“Aye, I do. A flame, but the color of a thistle. Though now it is gray.”
She gulped, feeling relieved but confused. Her mother’s treatments were as natural as the earth. She didn’t cast spells or evoke flares from simple herbs!
“Has this ever happened before?” he asked.
She wet her lips, searching his face. Her chest tingled.
Jean’s background is in science, and she draws from her interests in history, nature, and her family for inspiration. She writes historical and contemporary romances and women’s fiction. She also writes articles for family-oriented travel magazines. When she’s not writing, she enjoys gardening, hiking, and exploring the outdoors.
Peggy Jaeger, Author 