Create an Expert File

Whether you write nonfiction or fiction, sometimes you just need to talk with an expert.

When I wrote Cave-a-Phobia, published by Spider magazine, I talked with the father of a friend of my daughter's who had spent years speelunking. When I wrote CROWN ME!, I talked with someone I met at Scarborough Faire about working in a Renassaince festival. When I wrote about child safety for Kiwanis magazine, I spoke to a dozen experts who dealt with swimming safety, bicycle safety, and more.

When you need an expert, the quicker you can find someone the better, especially if you're on a deadline or stumped on a book project for lack of information.

Try creating an expert file. With a 3X5 card box, I began creating a card for every expert I could think of. First, my friends and relatives who were experts in something whether because of their jobs or hobbies. Then their friends they could tell me about. Then I started watching the newspaper for articles about local experts and wrote down their information. Then there were people I'd met online.

Now, I have a box full of experts. Occasionally I still have to search for someone specific to talk with in an area I haven't found an expert in, but as my list grows, I sometimes find that I have the expert I need to interview or ask a question to right in my box, ready to call or email.

Who do you know that you can put in YOUR expert box?

Living the Dream

When I first started my writing career back in 1991, I dreamed of someday being famous. I dreamed of piles of fan mail from kids everywhere and walking into bookstores where I would see a row of my book titles.

But then I found that writing is more than just writing what I feel, what I enjoy, what I dream. It's learning the craft, it's research, it's studying markets, it's find editors and publishers who like what I'm saying and how I say it.

Back then, every little sale; whether a short story to an obscure literary magazine or a personal experience essay in a church take home paper was something to celebrate. I still hoped for those mega book sales, but acceptance letters and the sight of something I'd written printed in a publication that people I didn't know would be reading made my head swim.

Then after awhile, the quest for publication became a goal and a challenge. I'd had tons of those short pieces published in lots of magazines and anthologies and newspapers. I was still hoping for the big time.

When that first book sale finally came, that amazing phone call, I was delirious and right away imagined my career had suddenly exploded onto new heights.

But the road was still tough and still is. Yet, I love it too much to give up.

19 book sales later with nearly 2000 articles, essays and stories printed, I've been slowly learning that the joy of writing is once again a joy of writing. I'm not a household name. My books have had some fun things go along with them, taken me on some fun adventures, but titles aren't on the lips of every child.

For a time, my sales have changed to work for hire sales with educational markets. At first I was embarrassed to say aloud where my contracts were coming from. But with the joy of each book, I've found that yes, again, it's the joy of writing that still thrills me.

And then I realized the other day that yes, I'm living my dream. I'm a writer. This is what I do every day. I get to come up with ideas and put them on paper and sometimes, they are published and other people read them. How amazing is that?

When I keep focused on that, I am back to being thrilled with every sale. As writers we sometimes compare our career to those who are more famous or our work to those big award winning books. And though it's not a bad thing to shoot for the stars, reach for the moon, and climb every mountain; it's even more exciting to find joy in the moment.

As I hold my newest work for hire contract, I feel that joy and it's amazing. Are you living your dream?

Friday Writer's Tip: Organizing Schedule Made Easy

Because I enjoy writing in a lot of different areas, I found that sometimes I missed the dates on writing contests I wanted to enter as the paperwork was lying in my stack of to-do stuff on my desk. And sometimes I missed deadlines on magazines that used themed lists for each quarter.

I tried putting things into folders and stacking them on my desk, but that still meant I had to remember to pull out the contest folder or specific magazine folder and see what was needed that month. Plus remember assignment deadlines for a variety of magazines and devotional publications that asked me to write or I had queried.

Finally I started using a calendar. Not a desk calendar or organizer. Just a plain calender. I tear out each page (or you can print a blank one online) and start writing down contest deadlines for that month, theme list deadlines, assignment deadlines, and my own deadlines (when I want to get a chapter done, etc.) Also I add in school visits, book signings, writer meetings. And I might include notes to myself to do a Friday Writer's Tip on my blog or submit a proposal or send out emails to bookstores and schools about visits.

Beginning September 1st, try preparing a calendar for your writing. I hang it up right behind my computer so I can see it easily. I haven't forgotten a deadline in a long while.

Next Friday:

Keeping an Expert File

Friday Tips for Writers

I've been lax in working on this blog and trying to figure out what I want to do with it. For now, I'm going to add a Friday Tips for Writers. Maybe you've heard of them before, maybe not. But here's hoping something will hit you that is new and helpful.

Stay tuned tomorrow...

Kid thinking

Been working on the nonfiction picture book series I'm under contract for. It's been very interesting to find all the information for each book and try to think like a kid. I'm not used to writing nonfiction as much for kids as I am for adults, but this topic peaks my interest, or I wouldn't have suggested it.

It's been a long time since I've been a kid, and more than a dozen years since my daughter was the age I'm writing for. Times have changed, kids have changed in what they watch and know and read and how they learn information. But then again, kids are the same, especially the littler ones, in their desires to learn and be challenged and the way they ooh and ahh at new information.

I really enjoy writing middle-grade novels, but have also found it great fun (and challenging) working on pieces for the younger kids.

This writing for kids is full of wonder and information and I'm still glad I get to be a part of it.

Looking forward to my first series, WENDY'S WEATHER WARRIORS coming out this September from ABDO books. It's chapter book fiction but also factual information throughout and at the end, including weather experiments kids can do in class or at home. Check out my website at www.kathrynlay.com to see the fun covers and read about the 6 books.

summer writing

This weekend I am officially the mother of a child who has graduated from high school. Doesn't seem like it's really here. Yeah, there's college and stuff, but this is a huge step for us all.

Then again, it's summer and daughter is not at school all day and wonderful teacher hubby will be off after first part of summer school, so I need to get my mindset on work not just play. It's a more laid back time, and easy to get caught up with outdoor work and family activities and so on.

But, as of a couple weeks ago, got my long awaited contracts for the 6 book nonfiction picture book series. 1st is due August 1st and next due in November, but my goal is to have first 2 books done by middle of July. Why? Need those work for hire payments.

Thanks to income tax rates (being self-employed is a good way to feel penalized for trying to get ahead) and such, I won't turn in anymore until after the first of next year.

I'm also anxious to get a first draft done on middle-grade contemporary fantasy novel been working on and off for the last 2 years and more seriously on the last several months. I know (sorta) where I'm headed with it and anxious to focus more on it.

So, summer fun, looking forward to ya', but gotta be diligent on the writing front as well.

A writer's journey

Spent time visiting with a dear friend today who is 'battling' cancer. I used to wonder why this term was used until I dealt with it myself nearly 4 years ago. It truly is a battle.

My friend is working on a book about his journey and what he hopes to share with others that will encourage and challenge them.

Every piece of writing is a journey. I'm amazed at how many paths they can take and at how we must perform the task of discovering the right path for that particular project.

Reworked on a picture book today. It could've taken many directions, but once I set it on what seemed like the right direction, it finally flowed. And now, twisting it a bit more in a tiny offshoot of that original journey, it flows even better. This doesn't always happen and most of the time I feel like I'm standing at a multiple crossroad taking a few steps down one path, backing up and trying a different one. And sometimes, I realize the original path really was the best way, it just needed some tweakings down some side roads.

Ok, so why do we writer's use metaphors and such to describe our writing? To keep us sane. :)

Kathy