eliza-2Mama Eliza here.  I can’t believe it’s January 5th already!  Doesn’t it seem the older we get the more time flies by?  You look at your kids and they seem to be changing so drastically you can actually watch the transformation right before your very eyes.  Or you might look at your desk as the stacks of papers grow and grow, and six months have gone by since you promised your hubby you would clean it up so the papers didn’t slowly fall onto the floor to create a nice crinkly carpet in your tiled kitchen (which is where I work…)  Hmm…. Maybe I’ll clean my desk next year.

Cleaning is not a top priority for me.  Actually writing, making a couple bucks and hiring someone else to clean is! lol

Whenever I sit down to write my blogs for MamaWriters, I have this overwhelming urge to be inspirational, to give you hope, to make the readers run to their computers and write the great American novel… or at least one good enough to be made into a Lifetime Television movie. 

But I usually write them so early in the morning that my eyes are blurry and all I can think about is that I spent an hour of my writing time yesterday making dog food…  Today I’m on my second cup of coffee.  I’m feeling good, and ready to give you something to chew on!

Writing is HARD!  Publishing is even HARDER.

How’s that for inspirational, eh? lol

But seriously, its not an easy task.  Writing takes time, diligence, patience, practice, discipline, perseverence, support.  If one of these things falters, well, you aren’t going to get it done, plain and simple–or else its gonna take you a heck of a lot longer.

Time:  Unless you can time 1000 words a minute, you’re going to need time each day to write.  Whether its ten minutes here and there or a solid several hours at one time.  You need it!  Everybody repeat after me:  If I am going to write a story, I must set aside some time every day to write.  (and no, writing a grocery list doesn’t count. DARN!)

Diligence:  As with any great undertaking, diligence is key.  You have a goal, get ‘er done.

Patience:  It will not happen overnight.  Your book may take you months or even years to write.  It will take just as long if not longer to get it published.  Hurry up and wait.  When you finish, move on to the next project.  Wouldn’t it be great for that editor and agent to call and you can say, “Why yes, I do have another book finished.  A multi-book deal would be fabulous!”

Practice:  Practice makes Perfect!  (I can hear my oldest groaning now… But mom, not everything has to be perfect.) The only way to get good at what you’re doing is to do it.  Writing is a craft that takes practice.  The more you write the better you get.  The more you read the better you get.  So read and write often.

Discipline:  Just like with a diet, you can’t fall off the wagon every other hour for a bag of chips, a whopper or a Hershey bar… (yes these are my vices…)  Writing takes discipline.  If you have to, offer yourself a bribe.  “If I get my word count done, I can…”  Stick to your guns!

Perseverance: This is a tough job, this writing thing.  You will be rejected.  You will have someone tear apart your artfully crafted baby.  This is the life of a writer.  And for some reasons, most of us take each hit hard, and some of us won’t recover from those wounds.  To be a writer, you have to lick your wounds and move on.  Don’t take it personally (as hard as that may be).  Persevere.  Your time will come.

Support:  This comes in many forms and even having just one can make all the difference.  Online writing groups, writing friends, critique groups, local writing chapters, national chapters, blogs, your friends at Mama Writers, your family, your friends.  Wherever you can find support for your writing take it.  You’ll need it.  You’ll need someone to pump you up, you’ll need someone to share news with, your dreams.  Writing is a lonely job, with only your characters to keep you company.   And while they are wildly entertaining, sometimes you need to talk to an actual human. 

So, in closing, I’d like to give you the age old writing mantra:  Butt in Chair, Pen to Paper (or fingers to keyboard).

Now, X out of the internet and get to work!  Don’t you dare reach for that piece of chocolate… but coffee or tea is okay.

Happy Writing!

~Eliza

Eliza Knight is the author of sizzling historical romance and erotic romance.  Visit her at www.elizaknight.com

hercaptainsurrenders_w3647_300Check out this review I just got for Her Captain Surrenders at Two Lips Reviews, yeah baby!

Her Captain Surrenders is so sexy and hot it ought to set the bedposts on fire.  Ms. Knight creates characters that leap from the page, reach deep into our hearts and tug at all the emotions that live there.  The reader wonders, are Nathaniel and Juliette ever going to find common ground?  Ms. Knight once again weaves her magic into this wonderful story and makes the heart sing.  I cannot wait until the next story in the Men of the Sea series comes out.