Ask the Author: Melissa Tagg
Answered Questions (12)
Melissa Tagg
Awww, thank you so much, Marie! I'm so glad you liked the Muir Harbor books. I had a blast writing them and with so many of my other books taking place in Iowa, it was fun to branch out to Maine. Although, I will admit, the mystery of that series about broke my brain, but still, I loved the challenge of it. And yeah, I don't think I'm done with Muir Harbor. :) There's one side character in particular who I think might need her own story someday. Plus, when we did the covers for this series, there were a couple that didn't make the final cut that I loved soooooooo much, so if for no other reason than I really want to use at least one of those covers, I do think I'll eventually write another Muir Harbor story. Haha! Thanks again for reading them!
Melissa Tagg
Hey Beth, I'm SO sorry it's taken me so long to answer your question. I reeeeally hope to have book two in this series ready this spring. Originally I wanted to release it in January (eek!) but I'm in the process of basically rewriting the entire book. lol! But there will definitely be a second and third book coming and I'll be sure to probably shout it from the rooftops when book two is ready for preordering. :)
Melissa Tagg
Hey Cintia, I'm sorry it took me so long to get over here and answer your question! And I'm also so sorry for the discouragement you've faced when it comes to writing and publishing. I've been there. I remember a moment sitting in a conference room in a hotel in Seattle years ago...I was at a small writer's retreat and an agent was detailing for us the reality of the publishing industry in numbers and stats and all I could think was, "What's even the point of trying to get published?" He wasn't trying to discourage us, but I think we all left that workshop a little down...
And truthfully, I spent quite a few months after that retreat asking myself that same question... "What's the point of trying to get published?" Until finally, at some point, I realized I was asking the wrong question...I realized publishing had become my goal and the pursuit had taken away sooooo much of the joy of writing. So I turned the question around and started instead asking myself, "What's the point of writing?" More specifically, "Why do I tell stories? Why is this 'my thing'? What gave me a love for stories in the first place?" In other words...I returned to writing for the simple love of stories...and frankly, those are questions I still ask myself all the time even on the other side of being published because it grounds me. It helps me write without worrying about all the external stuff. It helps me "write like no one's watching." :)
So that's my inspirational answer to how I dealt with the pressures and reality of the industry...and how I continue to. Now for the practical side: Manuscripts do get rejected and yeah, sometimes the idea well is just empty for a time. I really get that. So...my advice? Maybe take a break from keeping up with industry news. It's great to keep a pulse on what's happening, read agent blogs and trade publications and all that...but when it starts hampering your writing, then it's hurting more than helping. So I'd say...just step back from all that for awhile. Ignore the industry and the stats and what everyone else is saying and do whatever you have to in order to silence those external voices (even if it means avoiding social media and author Facebook pages, etc) so that you can start hearing your own voice more clearly...it'll give your own creativity so much more space to flourish. And later, when your ideas are replenished and your motivation is strong and your discouragement has faded, then you can let the rest of it in here and there...
I hope this long, rambley answer is somewhat helpful and encouraging! I hope you won't give up! The world needs storytellers. :)
And truthfully, I spent quite a few months after that retreat asking myself that same question... "What's the point of trying to get published?" Until finally, at some point, I realized I was asking the wrong question...I realized publishing had become my goal and the pursuit had taken away sooooo much of the joy of writing. So I turned the question around and started instead asking myself, "What's the point of writing?" More specifically, "Why do I tell stories? Why is this 'my thing'? What gave me a love for stories in the first place?" In other words...I returned to writing for the simple love of stories...and frankly, those are questions I still ask myself all the time even on the other side of being published because it grounds me. It helps me write without worrying about all the external stuff. It helps me "write like no one's watching." :)
So that's my inspirational answer to how I dealt with the pressures and reality of the industry...and how I continue to. Now for the practical side: Manuscripts do get rejected and yeah, sometimes the idea well is just empty for a time. I really get that. So...my advice? Maybe take a break from keeping up with industry news. It's great to keep a pulse on what's happening, read agent blogs and trade publications and all that...but when it starts hampering your writing, then it's hurting more than helping. So I'd say...just step back from all that for awhile. Ignore the industry and the stats and what everyone else is saying and do whatever you have to in order to silence those external voices (even if it means avoiding social media and author Facebook pages, etc) so that you can start hearing your own voice more clearly...it'll give your own creativity so much more space to flourish. And later, when your ideas are replenished and your motivation is strong and your discouragement has faded, then you can let the rest of it in here and there...
I hope this long, rambley answer is somewhat helpful and encouraging! I hope you won't give up! The world needs storytellers. :)
Melissa Tagg
Hey Kristy! Aww yay, thanks for the kind words about my books and the Walker family. I am *slightly* attached to that family. LOL! (And of course, by "slightly" I mean "crazily". :) )
And yes, I totally have hopes of doing books with both Sam and Lucas! Both of those characters completely took me by surprise in Keep Holding On. Sam was just supposed to be sort of the classic jilted fiance and then suddenly he had his own interesting backstory...and Lucas! I don't even know where Lucas's backstory came from, but suddenly it was there on the page and I was like, this dude is breaking my heart and he needs his own story NOW. I'm currently in the "planning and praying about what comes next" stage writing-wise, but if things go the way I think they will, you should hopefully be seeing both those guys again in the future, with novels of their own. :)
Thank you for asking and thank you, especially, for reading my books. That means so much to me! - Melissa
And yes, I totally have hopes of doing books with both Sam and Lucas! Both of those characters completely took me by surprise in Keep Holding On. Sam was just supposed to be sort of the classic jilted fiance and then suddenly he had his own interesting backstory...and Lucas! I don't even know where Lucas's backstory came from, but suddenly it was there on the page and I was like, this dude is breaking my heart and he needs his own story NOW. I'm currently in the "planning and praying about what comes next" stage writing-wise, but if things go the way I think they will, you should hopefully be seeing both those guys again in the future, with novels of their own. :)
Thank you for asking and thank you, especially, for reading my books. That means so much to me! - Melissa
Melissa Tagg
Great question and I'm happy to have a great answer! I actually wrote a novella with Megan as the main character earlier this year and it's part of the "Right Where We Belong" collection...which also includes awesome novellas from Deborah Raney and Courtney Walsh, too. It's available as both paperback and ebook on Amazon. Eventually Megan's story will likely be available individually, but right now, it's only available in the collection...
Thanks for asking!
Thanks for asking!
Melissa Tagg
Thanks for letting me know, Marlene. I'll pass this on to my publisher to see if they know anything about it. Sorry I'm not more immediate help, but I'll definitely get back to you if they have any info ...
Melissa Tagg
Hi Kayla! Wow, thank you so much for this message...and for the link. I just checked out the book...it could possibly be the one!! In my memory, the cover was a little more pink-ish than this one, BUT I checked out the photos of the interior pages and they look familiar. Sooo, it makes me wonder if the that really IS the book and perhaps the copy my hometown library had was just really faded...?? That might really be it!!
Thanks bunches! Made my morning. :) :) :)
Thanks bunches! Made my morning. :) :) :)
Melissa Tagg
Hey! Keep Holding On is definitely going to be available in both paperback and ebook. Right now you can only preorder the ebook, but on release day, it'll be in paperback too. Thanks for asking! (and sorry it took me so long to answer!)
Melissa Tagg
Hi Rachel! That is a great question. I was the same way as you and your friend for a LONG time...I knew I wanted to write books, I had ideas, I had a bunch of half-started stories, but I had no idea what to do with them or where to go from there.
When I finally got serious about writing and publishing, the first super helpful thing I did was attend a writing retreat. The one I attended was through My Book Therapy, founded by Susan May Warren (award-winning, best-selling author and all around amazing person). I learned soooo much...before that retreat, I didn't even know what genre I wanted to write in! I learned to plot, learned how to craft a scene, it was just amazing and eye-opening. There are lots of writing organizations, workshops, retreats, etc, out there. In my opinion, My Book Therapy (www.learnhowtowriteanovel.com) is at the top of the game!
From there, I set some goals. I set a goal to write a book in the next 6-8 months. I decided to enter a couple writing contests the following spring and also started saving up money to attend a big writing conference with the goal of pitching my story to agents and editors. I also started blogging regularly in an effort to hone my author voice and did my best to connect with other writers and people in the industry.
From there, it was honestly just a matter of keeping on keeping on. :) I kept writing. Kept learning. Kept entering contests. Kept attending conferences.
In the end, my editor actually found me through Twitter and my blog! Which is crazy and not something you hear often. But because I'd been doing all those other things, I was ready for it when the door opened. I had two books written and two proposals ready to send when my editor first reached out to me.
More than all of that, though, I believe God opens doors at the right time. So doing all the things--attending retreats and conferences, entering contests, blogging, etc--that's all wonderful. But at the end of the day, it's really about trusting God and writing, writing, writing...and keeping it fun!
It's easy to get caught up in all the things you should be doing to try to get published...but when all that stuff tries to snuff the joy out of writing, that's when it's time to step back and remember why you're doing this. If it's only for the fun of seeing your name on a book cover (which is admittedly super fun) eventually that loses its sparkle. But the joy of telling stories, sharing your heart and doing what you're meant to do...that's something to hold on to!
Sorry this answer got a lot more long-winded than planned. :)
When I finally got serious about writing and publishing, the first super helpful thing I did was attend a writing retreat. The one I attended was through My Book Therapy, founded by Susan May Warren (award-winning, best-selling author and all around amazing person). I learned soooo much...before that retreat, I didn't even know what genre I wanted to write in! I learned to plot, learned how to craft a scene, it was just amazing and eye-opening. There are lots of writing organizations, workshops, retreats, etc, out there. In my opinion, My Book Therapy (www.learnhowtowriteanovel.com) is at the top of the game!
From there, I set some goals. I set a goal to write a book in the next 6-8 months. I decided to enter a couple writing contests the following spring and also started saving up money to attend a big writing conference with the goal of pitching my story to agents and editors. I also started blogging regularly in an effort to hone my author voice and did my best to connect with other writers and people in the industry.
From there, it was honestly just a matter of keeping on keeping on. :) I kept writing. Kept learning. Kept entering contests. Kept attending conferences.
In the end, my editor actually found me through Twitter and my blog! Which is crazy and not something you hear often. But because I'd been doing all those other things, I was ready for it when the door opened. I had two books written and two proposals ready to send when my editor first reached out to me.
More than all of that, though, I believe God opens doors at the right time. So doing all the things--attending retreats and conferences, entering contests, blogging, etc--that's all wonderful. But at the end of the day, it's really about trusting God and writing, writing, writing...and keeping it fun!
It's easy to get caught up in all the things you should be doing to try to get published...but when all that stuff tries to snuff the joy out of writing, that's when it's time to step back and remember why you're doing this. If it's only for the fun of seeing your name on a book cover (which is admittedly super fun) eventually that loses its sparkle. But the joy of telling stories, sharing your heart and doing what you're meant to do...that's something to hold on to!
Sorry this answer got a lot more long-winded than planned. :)
Melissa Tagg
Oh I'm sorry about Seth's story! Yeah, it's only available as an ebook right now. Now, there is a way to read it. Amazon has a Kindle reader for computers...so if you go to Amazon and purchase it, there will be an option that will let you read it right on your computer screen. Not as nice as holding a book in your hand or reading it on a Kindle, but it's an option.
And as for Kate and Colton, let's just say...there is something that happens in Beckett's book that will likely make you very happy. :) :) :)
And as for Kate and Colton, let's just say...there is something that happens in Beckett's book that will likely make you very happy. :) :) :)
Melissa Tagg
Oh yes, Rae and Bear are totally getting a book. And I do believe it's going to be a fun one. :) It should come out in 2017!
Melissa Tagg
First of all, sorry it took me so long to get around to answering this! I blame a deadline...and a book release...and a slew of speaking engagements. :D
I think what most inspired me to write Christian fiction is simply the fact that I grew up reading it! When most kids my age were reading The Boxcar Children, I was reading Janette Oke books. Too, I am a Christian and it's hard for me to imagine writing a story without a spiritual thread, whether overt or subtle...it's such a part of my personal life that I can't really picture myself writing a story without it. I love the Christian fiction industry and so many of the people who work in it. It's quite the honor getting to be a part of it, that's for sure!
I think what most inspired me to write Christian fiction is simply the fact that I grew up reading it! When most kids my age were reading The Boxcar Children, I was reading Janette Oke books. Too, I am a Christian and it's hard for me to imagine writing a story without a spiritual thread, whether overt or subtle...it's such a part of my personal life that I can't really picture myself writing a story without it. I love the Christian fiction industry and so many of the people who work in it. It's quite the honor getting to be a part of it, that's for sure!
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