Historical Fiction

How to Get the Book OUT of You!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 1 Comment

I have a question for you today.  Do you have a book in you?

If the answer is anything other than “absolutely not”, then maybe we need to have a little chat.

I’ll be posting another update on my Morgan’s Landing book series soon, as well as news on the screenplay, but today it’s time to ask you – Do you have a book in you?

Do you have a family member who has led an amazing life or survived a major ordeal and their story needs to be told?  Perhaps that person is you!

Do you have scribbles, sketches and ideas stewing in your brain all the time, yet you’ve never sat down and put it all into a form readers could enjoy?

There is a huge difference between something that is easy and something that is simple. Easy indicates that the activity will take little to no effort.  Simple means that the process is going to be relatively uncomplicated.  There’s a big difference!  Getting your story out of yourself and into written form is simple.  Getting it ready for the world can get you way into the weeds.

I came across this again the other day and thought I’d share C. S. Lewis’ sound advice and toss in a few of my own thoughts.  (Yeah, right – I’m sure the world’s been waiting all these years for me come along just so I could add just the right touch to round out his advice!)  I do believe I have one piece of advice that he omitted to share. Here’s what he had to say –

C. S. Lewis Writing Tips https://midweststoryteller.com/

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I don’t think the great C. S. Lewis’ advice could get much better.  If all he’d ever written were The Chronicles of Narnia, he would certainly have learned a thing or two along the way.  While that series, due to the motion picture industry, may be the first thing that comes to mind, he has much more to offer, so be sure to delve into all the other things he’s written.

For the twenty-first century writer, we need only to give the obvious tweaks, such as:

1.  Turn off the radio.  And the TV.  And the podcasts.  And all the other stuff.  You are not looking to put things into yourself – you are wanting to draw them out.

2.  When he recommends you read “good books”, I doubt he is referring to “trash you like”.  He is speaking of good, solid literature.  Read old stuff, folks.  Really old stuff.  “Avoid nearly all magazines” would now have to be termed, “ditch nearly all social media”.  Not only is it a time-sucker-awayer that will cause you never to write, it will influence you to write the way others want you to write.  Don’t be a victim of the influencers.

3.  Absolutely!  This one goes without saying. Learn to craft a sentence, even if passersby think you’ve finally gone off the deep end and taken to muttering to yourself.

4.  Read that one over and over again.  If you don’t have a passion for what you write, how are you going to face the thing day after day?

5.  When he uses the word “pains” here – he’s not kidding around.  You will edit and edit and re-edit, trying to be sure your reader grasps exactly what you’re trying to convey.  Ask me how I know.

6.  This is valuable advice.  Keep all your musings and writings.  I used a character in a play I wrote years ago as a pattern for a character in Book 3 of Morgan’s Landing.  I have a folder full of “seeds” that I’ve scribbled down at writers’ group meetings that may someday become something.

7.  Well…I agree with the great C. S. Lewis here.  Don’t, under any circumstances, use a typewriter.  However, do use a computer.  If you keep writing in spiral books and binders, you’ll only have to type it all into the computer at once later and that, my dear readers, is a drag.  Spiral books and binders are for capturing ideas and taking notes, but get your actual stories into the computer (and backed up) as you go.  Whether you self-publish or go with traditional publishing, you will not be submitting a paper manuscript anywhere.

8.  This one should go without saying, but C. S. Lewis realized that it can be a problem, so get a dictionary and learn how to use it.

Now, for the overly obvious writing tip that the famous author omitted.  DON’T WAIT!  START NOW!  The story within you deserves to be written and honed and shared and that will never happen if you keep putting it off.  Carve out the time and start right away.

Leave a comment and let me know if this has encouraged you to move forward and get that great story out of the depths of your soul and formed into something that is ready to share with the world.

Exciting Updates!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 5 Comments

I may have given my readers the impression that nothing much is happening, so I thought it might be time for an update.  It will be the first of many, because things are hopping in my publishing and production world.

Here we are in September, pretending it is fall while waiting for the real thing. I was so excited and relieved last week to send in to my publisher the painstaking edit I’ve been working on for the second book in my “Morgan’s Landing” historical fiction series.  That certainly lifted a load of stress from my shoulders.  It has been one of the big factors in my not providing you with more content here as it has been top priority other than taking care of Lil’ Snookie and Fruity Pebbles.

Meanwhile, the first book in the series is on its way to you!  Artists are working on the final cover as we speak and I am expecting an email with some line edits.  As soon as I approve those, the book goes to print with a projected release date in October.  The photo above does not reflect the eventual book cover in any way other than the fact that it was taken in the location and era that the fictional town of Morgan’s Landing is patterned after.

In related news, you may recall my earlier announcement concerning a screenplay for “Morgan’s Landing”.  If you missed it, you can click here to see the announcement and brief video. This has been quite the adventure for me and it isn’t over yet.  It’s a bit like a road trip – you just don’t know how long it will take or where you’ll end up.  I have learned so much during the process and thought you might want to join me on the journey.  We are now entering a new phase.

I continually see the fingerprints of God all over “Morgan’s Landing”.  In the first place, I literally went to bed one night and dreamed this story, so I can’t help but feel that it was gifted to me.  Writing and editing did take a long time, but there was something about this story that kept pushing me forward.  I knew that if a publisher took the time to read it that it would be published.  I determined to do what I could to make that happen and make it a success, but my dreams for the books hadn’t taken me further than that.

Then, several months ago, the Lord saw fit to take the book in an entirely new direction when I had an unexpected opportunity to sit down and discuss the story in person with award winning Hollywood screenwriter, Alan Roth.  To my delight, he asked to read the book which, of course, wasn’t even out yet.  After reviewing the manuscript, he told me that he felt it had merit as series and that he would like to write the screenplay.  We began working on the pilot episode in April and finished it in July.  I have truly enjoyed working with Alan as we met regularly via Zoom to go over each and every page of script.

Now, the finished pilot is on the market!  Seven or eight studios (ones you would be familiar with) have been approached and now we wait.  Some have already agreed to appointments to consider the project and one has already met in person with the screenwriter, responded favorably, and asked for the book in addition to the screenplay, which is a great step forward.

As I stated earlier – what an adventure!  The feeling I get when I think of my project going into the hands of a studio is somewhat like I imagine I might have if, having tossed my baby up in the air, I had to fold my arms and trust a total stranger to catch it before it hit the ground!

Keep an eye out for more updates.  Soon the publisher will release an author’s interview as well as sneak preview of the actual cover.  I’ll soon be a guest on the Inspired Writer Collective podcast and I’ll post links to that as well.  Of course, when I know the book’s official release date, you’ll be the first to know!  Following the release, there will be book signing events and I hope to see you there.

If you have a story in you, and I’m pretty sure you do, my best advice is DON’T WAIT!  The road ahead of you will be a long one and it is best to start now.

Leave a comment and tell me what is stirring in your heart and mind to write.  It may be fiction or it may be a true story that you can’t bear the thought of being lost to the ages.  I know I have one of those and I hope to have the time to start on it soon.

Share My Big Moment!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 5 Comments

Sometimes you’ve just got to shout it out! While I’m thrilled that you enjoy all the stories and articles here on my blog, sometimes it is a struggle to bring you blog posts as often as I’d like. The biggest reason for that is that I have been up to my eyebrows in writing a historical romance novel series for years now. However, if you’ve been keeping up here on the blog, you will know that several months ago, a publisher offered me a contract on the series (which I signed). If you missed that news, you can read that short post here.

Signing contracts, dear friends, is only the beginning. Since then, I’ve been overwhelmed with developmental edits on the first book and polishing manuscripts on the other two books in the series.

I think my next book will be entitled: “How to Get Your 3-Novel Series Ready for Your Publisher and Not End Up in the Funny Farm”.

Through it all, I have felt more than blessed because it was my dream and goal to have this series published. What author could ask for more?

Due to an absolute deluge of grace, however, I got more! My steps were ordered into a place I had not expected and never dreamed of and I want to share it with you today in this less-than-a-minute video.

VIDEO: EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT!

The book series, entitled “Morgan’s Landing” is coming soon. I’ll post updates here on the blog, but if you would like to be sure that you personally receive the updates on the book release, sneak peeks at the cover and glimpses into the story line, please email me and ask to be on the “Morgan’s Landing” mailing list and I’ll be sure you get all the news. (Please don’t put your email in the comments here, as others will see those.)

Do watch the video, though, and comment on my exciting announcement. While you’re at it, let me know if you have a story to tell. Do you write? Are you thinking about writing? What is holding you back?

The Big News!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 15 Comments

Sorry to seem absent lately, but I’ve been a bit pre-occupied lately due to this –

First in Novel Series coming soon! www.midweststoryteller.com

I’ve written for years and years. You know how it is – a little bit of this and whole lot of that. I really enjoy writing the humor non-fiction stories here on the blog because they are about my favorite things in life – Smuffy, Lil’ Snookie, Phoebe June and the family stories that shouldn’t be forgotten. And you know I love sharing what I’ve learned about healthy eating and lifestyle with you.

I don’t know if you’ve ever sat down to write a novel. It’s a whole different critter than any of the above and it’s not kid-stuff. It begins as a joy at having a story that you think people will love to read and then it is work, work, work to get it to the place where it can be read.

Several years ago a I had a dream. I don’t say that figuratively. I had a dream one night and when I woke I realized that the entire story was still there in my memory like a downloaded file. I grabbed a spiral book and wrote down every detail.

Little did I know it would be a three-novel series! Little did I know how much historical research, editing, and time it would take to complete. What I found that I knew the least about was the publishing world! Filled with agents, editors, publishers, conferences and my pleas for guidance from more experienced authors, it frustrated me at times to a degree that made me want to pick things up off my desk and throw them against the wall. However, wisdom prevailed. My desk is already messy enough and I didn’t need to make it any worse.

I had confidence in these stories. So, evidently, does the publisher! The first in the series is on the way and I’ll keep you posted here on the blog so that you’ll have plenty of hints along the way and be amongst the first to know the minute it’s available. I have a feeling you’re going to enjoy it!

I believe everyone has a story to tell. If you were going to write a book, would it be fiction or non-fiction? What would it be about? Would it be a mystery, a love story, a true story? Leave a comment and let me know.