Your First Draft is Not Perfect: Author Interview with I.M. Maynard

What made you decide to start writing middle-grade books?  
I’ve been writing off and on since about middle grade, and all sorts of different genres and formats, including screenplays and short stories. I started writing my Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar series after my son was born. I was reading a ton of picture books and chapter books and wanted to write something that he could read when he was older. 

How do you get into the mindset of that age group?

It was easy for me to get into the mindset of middle school aged students as friends and family had older children—about the age of the target of this book. Also, I consider myself a grownup kid, at least at heart, and so that always helps!

How long did it take for you to complete your first book? 

Because writing is a hobby, meaning I fit it in around my professional career and family responsibilities, my stories take longer to finish. It probably took me a full year to complete the first draft of book number one, which was after several months of ruminating with the idea and outlining the concept. 

How many rewrites did you do? 

Overall, book number one in the series required 2-3 major rewrites and then a half-dozen or so smaller rewrites for punctuation and dialogue revisions. After finishing book number one in the series, I immediately started to plot, write, and eventually finish book number two in the series before moving to the publishing process. During that publishing process, I plotted and began to write the third and final book in the series, which I hope to publish in early 2024.

What was the hardest part of putting together your books?

Like many writers, I love the shiny object, meaning that the next story idea is often more appealing than the story I am working on or just finished. I was not a disciplined editor or rewriter in my early writing. I often shifted my attention to another project rather than put in the work to make my current story better. I was so keen on the premise of the Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar series that I pushed myself to appreciate (and implement) the adage, writing is rewriting. For me, the hardest part was my first major rewrite of book number one. Rather than move onto another project, I took the constructive feedback of my story development editor, a good friend of mine, and dived into the rewriting process, which resulted in a much better story. So, if you are writing or interested in writing, don’t give up on your project. Keep at it, because writing really is about rewriting.

 

Did you personally design the full book, or did you have assistance with formatting or cover design, etc? 

While I initially pursued an agent, I opted to go the independent route instead to keep the goal of the series intact and, just as importantly, to publish at my pace given my other commitments. Luckily, one of my good friends is a talented story development editor. He provided high level constructive feedback that helped to make the series what it is today. 

The cover was designed by a professional that I found through online and podcast research. I formatted books one and two in the series through book formatting software. And while I edited book number one myself, I hired a copy editor associated with the cover design company for book number two, which was more costly but preferable. 

I would definitely recommend that writers turn to others for feedback of the first draft. I have found that family and friends are not the best options as they sometimes give the feedback that they think you want to hear. My editor friend and I have a strong enough relationship that can withstand constructive feedback, which is really what you need to make your story the best it can be.

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had from readers?

My best reviews have been from student reviewers who really got my story. As background, my series is about an ordinary 11-year-old boy who comes across an extraordinary power: he can repeat days of the week by touching inside a day on his wall calendar. While the story has a science fiction/time travel angle, I wanted the story to focus on everyday middle school issues. The time travel twist was to keep the story interesting and unpredictable. These young reviewers read the book for what it was meant to be: a fun, entertaining read that includes tips for navigating middle school and middle school friendships. 

I also enjoy watching the progress of readers through Kindle Unlimited (KU), where you can see how many Kindle pages are read each day. Through the KU dashboard, I can see that readers are not only starting my series, but they are finishing it too, which is the biggest compliment for an author, especially authors who write in the 10-12 age group given there are so many other things these young students can be doing besides reading. In the end, my top goal as a writer is to develop a story that is interesting enough to maintain the attention and interest of young readers. So far, I have been successful in doing that.

Marketing is the biggest key to getting sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produced more sales rather than just clicks?

I have tried Amazon ads, Facebook ads, and book site promotions. I’ve also participated in book events in my region. Marketing is so critical and also the hardest for me given my limited time. Blog posts like this are also super helpful. So, thank you for what you do! It is so valuable for readers and authors.

What do you know now about publishing you wished you had known sooner?

I wish I would have done more preplanning for my book launch. I decided to publish during the pandemic, given I had more free time, and really just jumped in feet first. While I did research the process by reading articles and listening to podcasts, I wish I would have developed a better plan for launching my first book in the series.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?

Two come to mind. First, make sure you are super enthused about your idea because, if you do it right, you’ll be with that story and those characters for a long time. Two, and this builds off of the first tip, rewriting is critical. So, know that your first draft won’t be perfect, but that you can make it better in subsequent drafts. And beware of the shiny object. It is always more fun to start a fresh new story and develop new characters. But don’t fall for it. Stay at it and make the story you are currently writing the best it can be. 

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?

I am often asked if I outline my stories or if I simply start writing with a basic premise or character. I have tried both. I prefer outlining first. For me, there was nothing worse than setting aside time in my schedule to write, then spending the entire time staring at my computer thinking about what to write next. Now, I do that thinking in the outlining stage. However, rather than sitting behind my desk, I typically work on breaking my story while I am out for a walk, sitting on a bench, or eating a sandwich. I am only sitting down in front of my computer to write and edit the story. I prefer outlining first, but each writer should do what feels right to them.

 

What is the next book coming out ? Can you give me some details?

I am in the final rewrite phase of the third and final book in the Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar series. I am hoping to release it the beginning of 2024. Pick up books one and two now so you are prepared for the final!

Love the plot premise of this series, Hope you do as well and will check out the links below to buy one of the books. 

Author Page: https://www.maynardauthor.com/

Goodreads Page:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/18948965.I_M_Maynard

Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/I.M.-Maynard/author/B07PHB5MC3

And here's a bonus for my readers, leave a comment on this post and we'll pick one reader who'll receive a copy of one of this author's eBooks. So do that now. It can be as simple as I want to be in the giveaway. We'll chose a winner next Tuesday!

Around the Web: Best Posts on Writing I've Discovered This Week

I subscribe to and follow several authors, blogs, and writing sources throughout the week.

Each Friday, I include links to FIVE sources to improve your writing that I found useful.

Here are my offerings for this week. Hope they inspire you to start writing and continue writing!  

Here's an opportunity to snag the interest of an agent or publisher. No charge to sign up for the pitch and get yours ready for the contact that's the best fit for you.  https://savvyauthors.com/community/classes/2022-autumn-pitchfest.1844/

What I love about videos like this is that you can start, stop, and go back as you learn. This one is for setting up an account with Ingram Spark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34HESLtPS4E

Wow! This is good. It's not just a few of the ones you already do, but lots of others that make a lot of sense. It also includes how to reach them.  https://blog.bookbaby.com/how-to-self-publish/self-publishing/expand-your-market-to-sell-childrens-books

I am not a graphics designer and I like how this post explains cover design so I can understand it. https://blog.bookbaby.com/how-to-self-publish/book-design/book-cover-designer

This post explains a bit about how to make your complicated story into one the reader can easily follow and keep them turning the pages. https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/is-your-story-too-complicated/

Don't Give Up! Write the Book: An Interview with Debut Author Aliza Fogelson

What made you decide to write a novel?

I’ve loved writing since I was a child. Somewhere in my parents’ house is a notebook with a long, meandering tale of a princess and her horse. She meets a prince and sees a lot of dewy sunrises and not much else happens. After college, I spent a year in Paris and wrote my first (unpublished) novel after being inspired to explore a favorite poet’s life in a fictional way.

But you didn’t stop with that book. Tell me about the next book.

Almost ten years later, Dodie, the protagonist of The Lending Library, appeared in my head as a character. I knew only that she wanted to open a lending library in her home, that she adored books and food and people, and that she was a quirky, generally upbeat heroine. Writing a novel about her was a way to get to spend more time with her and to find out what her journey would be.

How many rewrites did you do on that book?

It took a lot of revisions—at least five that I can remember—before it became The Lending Library in its current form, and my official, published debut novel.

How did you come to publish with Amazon’s publishing arm, Lake Union? 

Before becoming an independent book editor and writer, I worked at HarperCollins and Penguin Random House, so I always envisioned publishing by the traditional route. But having been in the industry for more than fifteen years, I also knew the path to publication can be challenging and unpredictable.

I reached out to a few agents and was incredibly lucky that Meg Ruley, from the Jane Rotrosen Agency, fell in love with The Lending Library. She submitted the book to more than twenty editors at traditional publishing houses.

Enter Danielle Marshall, who came to Lake Union/Amazon Publishing after years in traditional publishing, including bookstores. She saw the potential in the book, and I loved her enthusiasm and vision for it. She also assured me that there would be a paperback, which made me happy as someone who treasures the experience of reading on paper.

How do you write? Are you a pantser or a plotter?

I write according to pleasure. For me, the greatest joy in the writing process is discovery. In a funny way, I believe characters become real enough that their story takes on a life of its own. I had glimpses of things that would happen in the book near the beginning, middle, and end. When I sat down to write, I would focus on whichever moment in the story interested me. The characters would often surprise me with what they wanted to do. I tried to be open to that serendipity, even though I knew it would mean a lot of rewriting and fixing to make everything coherent and fill in the gaps.

I sometimes wished I could outline in advance and write in sequence since that might have been a lot more efficient, but ultimately I hoped allowing the characters to lead the story would allow me to write in a way that felt organic. I did do a sort of retroactive outline during one of the later revisions, when I needed to trim the book and wanted to make sure to maintain its integrity when determining what would stay and go.

What do you know now about writing/publishing now you wished you had known sooner?

It’s okay to take your time. There are many incredible writers out there who are much quicker, more prolific, and require much less editing and revision. Writing The Lending Library took several years, and revising it took several more.

I was fortunate to have partners—first, my agent, then my editor and publishing team—who were patient with me when I needed time. Over those months and years, I had important experiences that informed the book, and—I hope—helped me take it to deeper places emotionally than I would have been able to before.

Is this a stand-alone book or are you planning a sequel or prequel for any of your characters?

I would never say never to a sequel, prequel, or spin-off for another character, but I wrote The Lending Library hoping it could stand alone and the story would feel satisfying in its own right. It’s a huge honor when readers say they can’t wait for more of Dodie or any of the characters. It’s a gift to an author when a reader spends time on one of your books, let alone wishes for another!

What is the best advice you’ve been given about writing or that you’ve learned that you would like to pass along?

If at all possible, write for pleasure—for your imagined reader and for yourself—instead of worrying about whether your book will ultimately be published or sell well. When inspiration strikes, follow it and write without editing or criticizing what you’ve written. Let that come later. If you can enjoy the process, the time you spent will likely feel worthwhile to you and you will learn a lot about writing whether or not your manuscript ends up as a published book.

Could you give my readers a short synopsis of your book, The Lending Library?

When the Chatsworth library closes indefinitely, Dodie Fairisle loses her sanctuary. How is a small-town art teacher supposed to cope without the never-ending life advice and enjoyment that books give her? When she’s as resourceful and generous as Dodie, she turns her sunroom into her very own little lending library.

At first just a hobby, this lit lovers’ haven opens up her world in incredible ways. She knows books are powerful, and soon enough they help her forge friendships between her zany neighbors—and attract an exciting new romance.

But when the chance to adopt an orphaned child brings Dodie’s secret dream of motherhood within reach, everything else suddenly seems less important. Finding herself at a crossroads, Dodie must figure out what it means to live a full, happy life. If only there were a book that could tell her what to do…

Sounds like a fun read! If you’d like to buy the book and find out what happens, here are the ways you can do that.

Website: https://www.alizafogelson.com

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2knF22s (paperback); https://amzn.to/2AyN2VN (ebook)

Indiebound: https://bit.ly/2YwAwjo

Instagram Author Page: https://www.instagram.com/alizafogelsonbooks/

Interview with JM Surra, author of Angels and Their Hourglasses,

You’ve recently released your first novel, Angels and Their Hourglasses which is the story about a pilot who goes back in time. What motivated you to write this story? What was your inspiration?

The story came to me all at once. One second I was watching television, and the next second I was up and running for a legal pad and a pen. There was this complete, fully fleshed-out story in my head, and I wanted to get it down on paper, in case it disappeared from my head. 2 hours later, I printed out a typed-out outline of the story.

In the story your pilot crashes his plane near his hometown of Springfield, Massachusetts; instead of being in the present, it is now 1929. How much of an aeronautical buff are you? What type of research did you have to do to recreate this time frame?

The plane wasn’t invented or planned in, I saw him in that plane in the story. As the written story progressed, I was amazed at how perfectly the Waco biplane fit into the story. It was almost scary.

I’m a hopeless aeronautical buff, and for most of my life I’ve lived, eaten, and breathed airplanes. I’m much like my protagonist Ben Ryan. I spent endless hours as a young man talking about airplanes, Golden Age racers, and World War II. Even so, with a story so complex and interwoven with the actual history, I spent a great deal of time researching everything from military airplanes to the geographical features of Molokai Island.

You might say that I was Ben, and I had to learn many of the same things he learned. When something surprised him, as often as not that same thing had surprised or amazed me during my research.

When did you actually start writing this book?

I first started writing Angels and Their Hourglasses on May 25th, 2010. I finished the first draft on July 1st, 2010.

Did you ever consider just dropping it?

I never for a single minute gave a thought to dropping it, because of the rich history and heritage involved in the story. I have another novel titled Stalker of Death, which I started right around 1995. It’s a great story, but problematic enough so that I have to work pretty hard when I do work on it. I’ve used any number of excuses to put it back on the shelf.

When I got the idea for Angels, I was working on Stalker. Then, after finishing Angels, I took Stalker down and read it to get back into it. It’s a great, inspiring (and scary!) story to read, and I dove back in. I finished another 5, maybe 6 chapters before I got this great idea for TITOR, my newest novel, and zzzip, back on the shelf goes Stalker.

Who would you say is your target audience for this book?

Because Angels and Their Hourglasses touches on so many different subjects, it has the potential for widespread appeal, and the target audience is a wide one. Anybody who likes a good adventure story, or who likes airplanes, Golden Age racers, World War II, time travel or a story with a good love interest should enjoy it. And there’s so much more.

What surprised me most during the test readings (I had readers throughout the US and Canada give me their honest opinions) was the female response. I fully expected the women who read Angels to not particularly like it. Instead, the response was positive. I recall one woman who I was giving a bit of a nudge to, so she would finish, and she finally confessed. She wasn’t rushing through it because she loved the story so much, she would miss the characters afterward and she would feel like she was losing some good friends. She didn’t want it to end.

On the other hand, Viet Nam vets wrote me and admitted they cried like babies. They loved it. I was humbled.

How many rewrites did you do?

I think the answer is going to shock you. Fifty-four. Yeah. I went through the book with Erika, my editor, and I re-read the book fifty-four times. During those re-reads, we edited constantly, and we worked on every aspect of the book, and rewrote scenes to make sure the speaking characters were clear, made sure the details were accurate.

Why so many times? There are a few reasons. First, I knew that this project was going to require much more attention from me than working with an agent and publisher would. I was determined to produce a product that was as professional as any publishing house ever released. This was my learning curve, and it required my strict attention. The next time will probably only require twenty times through.

What sort of writing credits did you have prior to doing this book?

Angels and Their Hourglasses is the first book I have penned for publication as J.M. Surra. I also used to write columns for a radio-control online magazine. I studied at F.I.T. Manhattan, and SUNY Oswego.

Your book is a Global eBook Awards winner. How did you first hear about this award process? What did it entail?

 I found the Global Awards online. They didn’t have any big requirements, I believe the book had to be in PDF format, it must be on sale somewhere online, and there was an entry fee of (I think) around seventy-nine dollars, which is pretty typical. On the day I finished the eBook version of Angels, the deadline was just three hours away. I completed my entering of Angels into the competition with 45 minutes to spare.

There’s a funny story about that. It takes about three days to get a book up for sale and showing as for sale on Kindle, and I knew I wasn’t going to have three days, so I took the previous ‘edited version’ of Angels and published it up to Kindle, errors and all. Then I waited for the PDF file to come out at the last minute, and entered in the contest. Within a few days, Erika had reformatted the PDF to Kindle and I switched out the old version Kindle book.

I didn’t think I’d sell any, but I found that I’d sold 3 books in those first few days, and to this day I have to wonder who are the 3 unfortunate readers who got stuck with that screwed-up Kindle version! I can just hear them say, “He won an AWARD! For this mess?”

I had no expectations of a win, but I knew the story was a good one. I allowed myself to hope that I might be a finalist, but I had no expectations. I think that made the win sweeter.

What sort of impact has it had for your book sales?

I had a big spike in sale right after that, and some good reviews came in. I think that winning the award was a personal milestone for me, more than anything. I realize now that, had I been able to offer a paperback version then, I probably would have gotten more activity. But I had to make a judgment call, and I chose to wait on publishing the paperback until the book was professionally edited. I have to credit Erika with encouraging me to “wait and work” on the project.

Now it’s published, and whereas I might have sold some paperbacks at that time, I think that the paperback as it is now will make a much bigger and better impression. The Award is an enhancer to that, and should help sales once I can get it onto stores shelves. I’m actively promoting right now, and some large newspapers have agreed to read it for a book review. A few good reviews could help with getting it from here to the bookstore shelves.

I see your cover has a review blurb from the Kansas City Examiner Newspaper. How long did it take to get a review from them so you could have something for the back of the book?

Pat McGrath and I were in contact and she reviewed Angels before I actually released the book in its first incarnation as an eBook. That wonderful review was not a paid review, and it was done before the book was entered in the Global Awards competition.

The Examiner did a follow-up story after the competition where they indulged in a bit of well-deserved crowing for having favorably reviewed the winning novel well before the Global Awards validated their claims. I got the review back in about a month or two. By the way, I learned that reviewer Pat McGrath is a writer of murder mysteries, with a cute little dog sleuth at the center of each story. Murder Takes a Ride is one of the series.

Do you write with a completed outline or more by the seat of your pants style?

The book flowed like a river from me, and nobody was more amazed than me. That’s not normal, though my present book is flowing the same way. I most enjoy writing a book when the story grows to maturity in my head (which I seem to use for little else, so why not?), so I’ll have to admit to having a preference for flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants writing.

How open were you to your book being edited?

I have a wonderful editor, Erika Stokes, and she lets me be myself, for the most part. I don’t usually mind being edited, as long as my ‘writer’s voice’ and the story’s integrity remain strong. I also found that having a great editor improved the overall crispness and readability of the story. Do we argue? Sure. But no Donnybrooks, or anything like that. At times it can be a lot of fun.

We’re both good listeners, good observers, and complement each other well. She admits that pulling a full-length novel out of her head just isn’t something she can do. Her strengths lie elsewhere. She knows more about making my book a professional piece of work than I could ever know. When a phrase isn’t right, she doesn’t always fix it. Sometimes she points it out to me and sets me loose on it, because she senses it needs an author’s touch.

Sometimes when I’m ripping and shredding, cutting the fat out to keep the story lean enough, she hollers at me and tells me to put back some passage that she felt personified the whole book or that chapter. She has a great eye. I think that having a book edited is a delicate process, and I think that without Erika whipping me into shape, it wouldn’t be nearly as good as it is. I have learned a lot from her, and my first drafts now are better than my 4th or 5th drafts used to be.

What is the best piece of editorial advice or other writing advice you have received?

 You get out what you put in, and if you expect it to be a professional product, you’ll probably put in a substantial amount of time and hard work, and a fair amount of money.

Now that you have published your first book, what do you wish you might have learned earlier about writing and publishing?

I think the most important thing I could have learned, I was fortunate enough to learn in good time.  You can’t ‘buy’ your way into writing and publishing a good book, but those who think they can take a shortcut are usually soon parted from their money. Take your time, and do it right.

Nobody gets rich overnight writing, so don’t do it if you’re not passionate about it. Because there are tens of thousands of writers out there every day, and they’re all trying to do the same thing. You have to bring something better, or fresher, and you can’t pay anyone else to do that for you. Blood, sweat and tears is the way.

You are writing another book dealing with time travel, where are you in that process?

The next book is TITOR. I have completed the basic story framework and character direction planning. I’m presently developing the characters and their personalities. I’m also completing some research online to know more about a few aspects of the story.

That's it for today's interview with Jim. Hope you'll come back on Thursday when we continue the interview and discuss what goes into making an audio book. In the meantime, if you would like to know more about him, here's a link to his site where you can also buy his book

Yes, You Can - Writing Challenge Day 12

Today I would like to report on the Periodical challenge that I mentioned two days ago. I sent my revised first draft to a fellow writer to review last night and got it back today. She told me I had buried the lead and it had to be re-written. This is someone whom I trust. We've gotten past the nice platitudes of just saying "you're a great writer" and pointing out a few grammatical errors. We now feel free to honestly give ideas for improvement. Or in this case, going as far as saying this story doesn't work.

I have a few people who will do this for me and I really appreciate it. I need to know how to improve. As an example, I sent out a story that had been rejected to another writer who truly enjoys editing. She reviewed it according to the writer's guidelines and sent it back to me.There were notes and suggestions all over it. She even took the time to do a bit of rewriting. Seeing her review, I now had a better idea of the reasons why it might have been rejected.

This brings me back to the periodical challenge. As part of the challenge I read several past stories from the features section I was targeting before I wrote the article. I thought I had a good idea of what the story should be about. Then I wrote the story in the way I wanted to cover it. There's where the problem came in. I was writing for me and not the way the editor likes to have a story written.

I went back and read four past stories. I did detailed outlines for each of them. I now realized how much I had missed the mark. Here's the format for the story. Begin with stating the problem or situation that needs to be solved. Then you give details about the characters. Next step is the planning stage of how to make the change. Next the changes begin, and some tension or minor conflict occurs. Lastly there is a resolution and achievement of the goal. It all wrapped up in a final hook that ties into the title.

After reading this outline, I realized it is a typical format for writing children's stories. You begin with a problem that gives the reader a reason to get involved with the story. The attempts to solve get the reader wondering what will happen next and keep them involved. The tension keeps a story building and the pages turning until the denouement and final take away of the story. So now it's time to go back and write some more.