Kim Elliott's Blog

The awesome co-hosts for the October 7 posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Liza at Middle Passages, JH Moncrieff, and Jemima Pett!

​October 7 question - Many people are calling for writers who use AI to disclose it. Most who employ ghostwriters do not admit it - do you think authors who use ghostwriters should have to disclose that, too?

​I think they should, yes. Anytime someone puts their name to writing that isn’t theirs, it ought to be acknowledged. 

Now, here’s my question for you: What’s your favourite thing about fall?
Autumn is my favourite season, so it’s hard for me to choose just one.The beautiful red and gold leaves 🍁​Putting up Halloween decorations 👻 Pumpkin spice lattes ☕️Going to the pumpkin patch 🎃 The cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple flavours everywhereTrick or treating as a family with our school friends 🍬  For right now, the pumpkin spice lattes are my number one.

The awesome co-hosts for the September 2 posting of the IWSG are Kate Larkinsdale, SE White, JS Pailly, Olga Godim, and  Natalie Aguirre!

September 2 question - Do you have a favorite character archetype you tend to gravitate toward in your writing? 

​I gravitate toward the same type of character I like to read. I'm one of those people who likes to self-insert, so I prefer a main character whose head I feel comfortable in. It's all about relatability. They don't have to be like me, but I need to be able to see things from their perspective.

I'm doing a super short post this month, because I have a lot on the go. So, in the words of Forrest Gump: "That's all I'm going to say about that."

The awesome co-hosts for the August 5 posting of the IWSG are Shannon Lawrence, Diedre Knight, Liza, and Pat Garcia! 

August 5 question - As a writer/author what is something you regret? Or something that you wish you'd done differently in your writing process? 

​I predict many of us in the blog hop will say we regret not starting to write sooner. That was once my big regret. I used to wish I'd begun in high school or university, but I don't feel that way anymore. I doubt I could have written anything worthwhile then. I wanted to. I TRIED to. But I needed life experiences and relationships to draw from--two things I lacked due to how isolated I was growing up. I also needed the courage to write stories I cared about rather than stories others would accept.

​I no longer have regrets when it comes to writing. I may never be successful, but I wouldn't have grown into the person I am today without my writing journey. 

​Today's IWSG post falls on July 1st, so for all who celebrate, I'll start my blog with:
Happy Canada Day! 

​ The awesome co-hosts for the July 1 posting of the IWSG are Rebecca Douglass, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Cathrina Constantine, and  Jacqui Murray!

July 1 question - Is there anything you'd like to see changed, added, and/or rearranged about the book publishing industry?

There is ever so much! I hereby present a list of 5 concerns with the publishing industry. Let's dive in.

1. Earnings
We all know it's practically impossible for authors to make a living at their craft. Even most successful authors who have large followings, go on tours, and achieve bestseller status are not filthy rich. Many of them need a side gig to pay the bills. The employees at the big five publishing houses, however, make a reliable salary. Something to think about.

2. Piracy
More needs to be done to prevent piracy. With ebooks, it is WAY too easy for thieves to steal our work and deprive us of the opportunity to earn our living. I love that ebooks exist, but the technology should have been improved a long time ago. Theft is simply not a priority for the industry leaders with the means to prevent it. 

3. AI
Which brings me to AI, another type of theft. Big publishing houses with their legal teams should be doing more to protect authors' work from being stolen, repackaged, and churned out through AI slop. It's not just the little guys hurting from lost sales to AI "art." Even popular authors are affected.

4. Accessible Avenues to Success.
It is a difficult and murky path to become traditionally published. Our manuscripts will sit in a slush pile to be discarded without anyone seeing it. We need an agent, but landing one is like winning the lottery. We may stand a chance if we've already built an email list, a dedicated following, and a social media presence... But how does one create those things from the ground up? Every bit of advice I've seen begins with already having a following. We can create a masterpiece, and it won't matter because no one will see it!

5. More to Offer 
Authors are required to heft too much of the burden. We need to do the work of the publishing house before a big publisher will look at us. So, what's the point? What does a publisher have to offer if even traditionally published authors must do their own self-promotion?

​Solutions
I don't have any. Sorry if this heading got your hopes up.
​>:-P Mwahaha!

To be clear, indie publishing isn't great either, but that's a topic for another day. I feel the deck is stacked against writers or anyone in the arts. But hey, we write because we can't NOT write...Right? Because it's who we are.
I'm certainly not planning to stop!

Do you have a more favourable outlook? Feel free to disagree with me in the comments! :) 

The awesome co-hosts for the June 3 posting of the IWSG are Victoria Marie Lees, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and C. Lee McKenzie!

June 3 question - Do most of your story ideas come from one place (the news, dreams, etc.) or do they hit from all over the place? 

​When I'm trying to fall asleep each night, I write fanfics in my head. I drop myself into a scene from a book or movie, then I fill in the gaps little by little, changing details and making the story more my own. By the time a few nights have passed, there isn't much left of the original media. 

My post is going to be short today. I'm working hard on editing my WIP (a new genre under a new pen name). The goal I set to publish was in June...and IT'S JUNE NOW. Where did May go? For that matter, what happened to April? I'm not willing to give up on my timeline, but it's going to be tight! I haven't even sent it to my proofreader yet. Wish me luck!

The awesome co-hosts for the May 6 posting of the IWSG are Jenni Enzor, Jemima Pett, Jamie of Uniquely Maladjusted but Fun, and  Kim Lajevardi!

May 6 question - What was the most inspiring feedback you received from readers, including agents, editors, and beta readers? 

The most inspiring feedback I've received has been reviews from readers I've never met. I don't have an agent or editor. My beta readers and proofreaders have always been friends and family. Compliments from people I know are fine and all, but I don't take the words to heart. I assume it's politeness.

...BUT...

When someone with whom I have no connection finds my book, spends time and money to read it, and actually enjoys it...that's mind blowing! On top of that, they made the effort to leave a good review!!! It makes me think, just for a minute, that maybe I can be a writer after all.

I get my highest word counts in the days just after a good review. 

The awesome co-hosts for the April 1 posting of the IWSG are Melissa Maygrove, Cathrina Constantine, Kate Larkinsdale, and Rebecca Douglass!

April 1 question - If you have a playlist (or could put one together) that either gets you in the groove to write or fits with one of your books, what is it? What type of music or what songs? 

​When I wrote Falling for the Villain, I listened to "Superheroes" by The Script, played on repeat.

When I wrote my short story for First Love: The Art of Making Doughnuts, I listened to "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor.

Since then, I haven't listed to music while writing, but there are a few songs that put me in the writing mood: "High Hopes" by Panic! at the Disco"Hall of Fame" by The Script"A Million Dreams" and "Come Alive" from The Greatest Showman
Some authors create playlists for readers to set the mood chapter-by-chapter, but I've never done that. I find the idea off-putting for some reason. I guess my concern is that it comes across as arrogant (but no shade to authors who do it, as I'm sure it's just my own insecurities getting in the way!). I feel silly just hoping people might read my book and enjoy it, let alone want additional content from me.  

What about you? What role does music play in your writing?

The awesome co-hosts for the March 4 posting of the IWSG are PJ Colando, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, and Natalie Aguirre! 

​March 4 question - What elements do you include in your book launch? Or what do you have in mind for your future book launch? Or what advice do you have to offer to others planning to launch a book?

Short answer: I don’t do much.

Long answer: Promoting is my weakest point. When I research self promotion, nearly every idea requires me to already have a large email list. (I do not have a large email list.) I have a Facebook page, Goodreads page, Amazon page, Bookbub page, and a website. That’s as much as I can manage, so that’s all I use for a book launch. Paying for ads isn’t within my budget at the moment, but I’ve done free promotions on BestBookMonkey and a few other mailing lists like it. I’m curious about websites that help authors get ARC readers who leave reviews, give feedback, and build hype for a launch, but I’ve never tried it.

I’m excited to read what others have successfully used for this. Here’s hoping you all will have some tips for me! 

The awesome co-hosts for the February 4 posting of the IWSG are J Lenni Dorner, Victoria Marie Lees, and Sandra Cox!

​February 4 question - Many writers have written about the experience of rereading their work years later. Have you reread any of your early works? What was that experience like for you?

I’m too scared to reread my work after long periods of time. The most I’ll wait is a month or so between a first draft and revisions. Once it’s published, I avert my eyes …with one exception. I revised Falling for the Villain (my first book) after publication. I knew it wasn’t up to my current standards, and the thought of it floating around out there in its original condition was embarrassing. So after I’d finished the trilogy, I sat down and started reading.

You guys, I was mortified! It’s like realizing you had broccoli in your teeth for years. I mean, I had a feeling there was a little bit of broccoli there, but I didn’t realize it was an entire floret! Sigh. Well, at least now it’s done and I don’t have to feel embarrassed anymore.

What about the rest of you? Do you feel a certain kind of way when rereading your work?

The awesome co-hosts for the January 7 posting of the IWSG are Shannon Lawrence, Olga Godim, Jean Davis, and Jacqui Murray!

January 7 question - Is there anything in your writing plans for 2026 that you are going to do that you couldn't get done in 2025?

As I write this post, I'm just about to return to my WIP from 2025. It's an adult sci-fi novel that I'm hoping to finish and self-publish before the summer. It will be a stretch to stay on schedule since I'm only about half done with the first draft. A lot depends on my kids staying healthy and not having too many sick days! 

I had to shut down over the holidays due to a lingering cold, but the restful time was good for me. I spent countless hours binging Star Trek: TNG on Pluto TV, and it felt amazing to indulge in my comfort show. Captain Picard has always had a calming influence, and his speeches give me a sense of optimism and hope...just what I needed to approach 2026 with a positive outlook. In the new year, I'm looking forward to the return of The Masked Singer, which is supposed to include a Star Trek night! 

I knew it was going to be hard to make myself sit at the computer today, so I spent the last few days of Christmas break cleaning the house from top to bottom. I'm proud to say that there are no remaining chores to distract me from writing! Here I am, showing excellent self discipline, and writing this blog post first thing on Monday. A good start to the year.