Jane Atchley's Blog
December 2, 2013
Pixilated
For those readers who had Warring Heart on their "to read" shelf, but never got to it, I have just re-released it as Pixilated. Download it for free on my website. There is a fun giveaway celebrating the captain's return there, too. It's not a book, so I can't list it here. Go to www.janeatchley.com and click the contest tab.
If you never thought of reading Warring Heart, Pixilated is your chance to meet the captain risk free, and have a chance to win a Mead Making Kit while you're at it.
If you never thought of reading Warring Heart, Pixilated is your chance to meet the captain risk free, and have a chance to win a Mead Making Kit while you're at it.
March 14, 2013
I gave uo what for Lent!
This year I decided to give up discretionary spending. It sounds so easy, but I can’t tell you how many things I’ve had deny myself. Even a bottle of water on the drive home qualifies because I don’t really have to have it. It also means I’m rereading all those books I loved and kept just in case I ever wanted to read them again and didn’t. Check out my new (old) recommendations at www.janeatchley.com
I'd love to hear what some of you gave up for Lent, and how it is working for you.
I'd love to hear what some of you gave up for Lent, and how it is working for you.
February 11, 2013
Recommendations!
See what I'm reading, listening to, and supporting this month. New recommendation posted on my website. I'd love to have you visit. www.janeatchley.com
October 1, 2012
She's back...
Got off my lazy butt and updated the recommendations. Jump over to my website and take a peak. janeatchley.com
July 2, 2012
New Web site
Yay! My new web site is up. Same address. www.janeatchley.com.
Go by and check out July's recommendations, and let me know what you think of my new web home.
Go by and check out July's recommendations, and let me know what you think of my new web home.
June 1, 2012
May 29, 2012
Tests, Allies and Enemies –
Let’s talk allies.
My RWA chapter’s 25th anniversary celebration is finally in the books. My position as membership director kept me very busy through April and May, but now it is back to business. Again, this makes a nice segue into the next step on this writer’s journey.
Almost as soon as I sat down to write I realized I didn’t know jack. There is no better place in the world to learn than your local chapter of Romance Writers of America. I’m lucky to have several NY Times bestselling authors in my chapter, not to mention RITA winners, RITA finalists, Golden Heart winners, and Golden Heart finalist. These people know their stuff and they are happy to share their knowledge. Wonderful speakers present insightful programs each month, and the chapter sponsors helpful inspiring programs to help me not only finish my manuscript, but make it the best it can be.
“But I don’t write romance,” you say.
Not to worry, the mechanics of great writing are the same in every genre. Just to prove my point, let me share something that happened at our anniversary party. One of the events was speed pitching. Sort of like speed dating, but with a book pitch. We had two acquisition editors, both from the romance genre, and an agent, who primarily represents legal thrillers, in to hear pitches as well a multiple published authors to practice on. A couple of men came as visitors. It didn’t take me long to learn one wrote thrillers and the other fantasy. Bottom-line, I passed this info to our chapter president, who encouraged these guys to pitch to the agent and to the editor from a house I knew had two fantasy imprints. These guys left the meeting with requests for their manuscripts. They may not end up selling, but they’re closer than when they walked into a “romance writers” meeting.
Find a local writers group and get started. You’ll learn things and make friends who share your passion. Remember to give back to your club, volunteer, and run for office. Clubs can’t provide top-notch programs or last for 25th years without an active, involved membership.
My RWA chapter’s 25th anniversary celebration is finally in the books. My position as membership director kept me very busy through April and May, but now it is back to business. Again, this makes a nice segue into the next step on this writer’s journey.
Almost as soon as I sat down to write I realized I didn’t know jack. There is no better place in the world to learn than your local chapter of Romance Writers of America. I’m lucky to have several NY Times bestselling authors in my chapter, not to mention RITA winners, RITA finalists, Golden Heart winners, and Golden Heart finalist. These people know their stuff and they are happy to share their knowledge. Wonderful speakers present insightful programs each month, and the chapter sponsors helpful inspiring programs to help me not only finish my manuscript, but make it the best it can be.
“But I don’t write romance,” you say.
Not to worry, the mechanics of great writing are the same in every genre. Just to prove my point, let me share something that happened at our anniversary party. One of the events was speed pitching. Sort of like speed dating, but with a book pitch. We had two acquisition editors, both from the romance genre, and an agent, who primarily represents legal thrillers, in to hear pitches as well a multiple published authors to practice on. A couple of men came as visitors. It didn’t take me long to learn one wrote thrillers and the other fantasy. Bottom-line, I passed this info to our chapter president, who encouraged these guys to pitch to the agent and to the editor from a house I knew had two fantasy imprints. These guys left the meeting with requests for their manuscripts. They may not end up selling, but they’re closer than when they walked into a “romance writers” meeting.
Find a local writers group and get started. You’ll learn things and make friends who share your passion. Remember to give back to your club, volunteer, and run for office. Clubs can’t provide top-notch programs or last for 25th years without an active, involved membership.
May 27, 2012
May 7, 2012
A Writer's Journey - First Threshold
I’ve neglected posting of late. Life got in the way, but this lapse segues nicely into the next step on this writer’s journey: distraction and dedication. Although I’m a child of the 60’s I missed true hippiedom by a hair. I celebrated sweet sixteen during the Summer of Love and I turned down a trip to Woodstock, thus missing the biggest bang in hippie cosmology.
But all this peace and love was not totally lost on me. It primed me for the next big youth movement. I became a Jesus Freak. Faith colors my perception of things. What does this have to do with writing you may ask? Well, look at it this way. If I want to raise the dead, heal the sick, open blind eyes that kind of thing takes a dedication I didn’t have then and don’t have now. To do those works, a person is probably going to have to want it badly enough to miss a few of their kid’s soccer games and their family will resent it.
Likewise, writing takes a certain dedication. You must want it enough to miss movie-night, Aunt Edna’s birthday, whatever. Your family will have to prepare a few meals on their own and your family will resent it. Stand your ground, because if you don’t take your writing-time seriously no one will.
I have friends with far greater talent than I have. They construct clever plots within perfectly written first chapters, but they don’t finish manuscripts. Why? Life distracts them. There is a scripture that loosely paraphrased reads; the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and violent men take it by force. If heaven is the New York Times Bestseller List, I want to be that violent man… er, woman.
Now I have heard stories of fabulous husbands and angelic children who step up and support the struggling new writer in their midst, but they must be as rare as unicorns. I’ve yet to see one. This is the first threshold. Cross it if you dare.
But all this peace and love was not totally lost on me. It primed me for the next big youth movement. I became a Jesus Freak. Faith colors my perception of things. What does this have to do with writing you may ask? Well, look at it this way. If I want to raise the dead, heal the sick, open blind eyes that kind of thing takes a dedication I didn’t have then and don’t have now. To do those works, a person is probably going to have to want it badly enough to miss a few of their kid’s soccer games and their family will resent it.
Likewise, writing takes a certain dedication. You must want it enough to miss movie-night, Aunt Edna’s birthday, whatever. Your family will have to prepare a few meals on their own and your family will resent it. Stand your ground, because if you don’t take your writing-time seriously no one will.
I have friends with far greater talent than I have. They construct clever plots within perfectly written first chapters, but they don’t finish manuscripts. Why? Life distracts them. There is a scripture that loosely paraphrased reads; the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and violent men take it by force. If heaven is the New York Times Bestseller List, I want to be that violent man… er, woman.
Now I have heard stories of fabulous husbands and angelic children who step up and support the struggling new writer in their midst, but they must be as rare as unicorns. I’ve yet to see one. This is the first threshold. Cross it if you dare.
May 3, 2012
Thank you
Thanks to all of you who entered my giveaway. Congrats, Jenn D. Unbound Heart is on its way. I hope you enjoy it.
