Getting Organized As A Writer

I've decided that this is the year of the novels.  I've written two in my series, and am half-way through my third novel.  Book one has been edited, and I'm beginning to concentrate on query letters synopsis' and networking.  Book two is in it's second draft/edit group (I do not recommend this method, but it does force me to keep moving at a steady pace to keep up with deadlines).

I have made it a goal to have novels two and three ready for submission by the time I go to the ANWA writer's conference in Arizona at the end of next year.

The thought of presenting the last four years worth of work to a complete stranger to shoot down terrifies me.  But I'm also painfully aware that this is the next step in the progression of what it takes to become published: Risking rejection.

In my efforts to finish my books, I've invested in a laptop so I can type when I'm away from home, or the other two computers are occupied by other family members.

For my main PC, I've decided the best way to achieve my goal is to organize my desk, which quite frankly is a rat's nest of chaos because it's the hub of everything.  I have papers from my transcription work, bills and finances, medical  bills and statements (that another sordid story in and of itself), books I'm reading and/or reviewing, printing and paperwork from my mystery game business, and a bevy of other projects I'm working on at any given moment.

In an effort to organize my writing work spaces, I opted to try several items for free in exchange for an unbiased review.

One of the biggest hang ups I have with my PC workspace (aside from the paperwork) are the cables.  My feet are constantly getting tangled up in one cable or another.  So I ordered some cable clips.  

 They're a simple concept, quite frankly.  They're clips used to bunch several wires/cables together rather than letting them run loose in a maze of chaos behind the computer and my desk.  Why some engineer hasn't mastered the art of wireless technology for computers and their peripherals is way beyond me.  But here I am, with my 3-month-old computer, clipping wires together to achieve some semblance of order and organization.


When I bought my laptop, I quickly realized that I needed more charger cables.  I have a cable next to my bed to charge my phone while I'm sleeping, one for my PC, one for my laptop, one next to the recliner so I can read on the Kindle App without draining the battery, and another in the car when I'm driving around.  We have three Apple Iphones in our house, so if I'm not using the charging cable, someone else is.

I ordered a package of three charging cables, varying in sizes from three feet, six feet, and nine feet.  These are fantastic. First off, the piece of metal you slide into the phone is stronger than that of the cable you get when you purchase an Iphone.  Secondly, the sizes are great!  I use the 9 footer in the suburban, so the kids in the back seat can use electronics on long trips without the battery dying.  The 6-footer is used in the living room so that I can be charging my phone while using it in the recliner, or reading books for hours at a time.  And the 3-footer is next to my bed for charging the phone at night. The only time I haven't been able to use these is for my youngest's Ipad.  He has a LifeProof case, so there is a small opening for the charger, but the head of these new cables are too large so I can't get them through the tiny hole.  That means the Apple-issued chord is reserved for the Ipad only.

And finally, I got a second portable charger.  My 15-year-old son stole my first one (which, by the way was hot pink) as soon as it arrived in the mail, and he has used it non-stop for the last several months.  So, I decided to get a second charger (this time it's red). And again, another child (my 19-year old daughter) grabbed it before I could even get it out of it's box.  (sigh) One of these days, I'll get a charger for myself - even if it kills me!!!

Regardless, my office space now looks more organized, and I'm one step closer to being productive enough to reach my goal of being able to offer up three books in my seven-book young adult action series when I send out my query letters and pitch to the agents and publishers.

I'll keep you posted as I progress!


*I received these products for free in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion

Book Review: Bridges of the Heart

I had the opportunity to read a book called Bridges of the Heart by author Joan Sowards this weekend.  She and I became acquainted through the ANWA Writer's group and she sent me a copy for review.  

I've never been a big historical romance reader, but I gave it a try and was impressed with the story.  Maybe it's because I have a soft spot in my heart for family history and genealogy.  My parents and a few sisters are/were avid genealogists.  We estimate my parents submitted more than 300,000 names before they passed.  Imagine THAT welcoming committee on the other side! ;)

Or maybe it's because the story line was different from so many that I've read in recent months.  I don't know.  Except that over the couple of days I spent reading this book, my mind would often wander back to the place I was at, wondering what would happen next and pondering the turn of events in the story.  

It was easy to get lost in the pages and the time period with the less-than perfect (although spot-on for that time period) dialogue, and little reminders that life in the 1800's were so very different from today.  At times I'd catch myself smiling at the pages, and toward the end there were tears steaming down my cheeks.  

I think what I enjoyed about this book, though, was the gentle reminder of how intertwined our destinies are with one another in our families.  I love how the author illustrates that who we are is because of our ancestors, and how those same ancestors depend on us, their future generations, to cement in heaven what was started here on earth. 

I was enlightened, inspired, and finished the book feeling a strong sense of belonging in the universe. If you are looking for a book that encourages and uplifts, mingled with a dose of gospel doctrine and a look into the eternities, this is the book for you.   I highly recommend it. 

~Susan

Click on the picture to go to the Amazon Page

Synopsis:

Bridges of the Heart is about the power of love and forgiveness and the eternal nature of families. Twenty-one-year-old Rachel's life falls apart when her mother becomes ill and passes away. To add to her confusion, Maxson proposes on the evening of the funeral. Rachel escapes to Utah to think and take time off from the relationship. After returning to Arizona, Rachel finds Maxson in a relationship with Paige—Rachel's rival throughout high school. With time, Rachel convinces herself she is over Maxson, but a strange Southern visitor named Jonathan tells her that in the eternal scheme of life, she was always meant to marry Maxson. Jonathan insists it is her responsibility to apologize to Maxson and set things straight. But Rachel refuses, and because of her stubbornness, she is whirled back in time to 1820 to learn that families are eternal—not only through time forward, but also the past. Latter-day Saint women of all ages will enjoy Bridges of the Heart. With a heart-warming, unique perspective of the early-nineteenth-century American South, Bridges of the Heart is a story about the power of love and forgiveness.