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Time for Spring Cleaning! Writer’s Edition

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Hello Spring! Fresh flowers, some rainy days and the excitement that summer is around the corner! Something else that typically comes along when warmer weather hits is spring cleaning… Some may look forward to it while others run and hide, but today we will be discussing the way writers can benefit from some spring cleaning!

Reorganize work space

First things first, some good old fashion cleaning. Make your work space yours again. This will be a great time to switch up the layout. Have you always wanted to be closer to your window, well make it happen! Think of how you can optimize your space to feel more comfortable. And while you’re at it clean off your bookshelves too! Go through your books and if you don’t see yourself reading it, then give it to someone who will.

Sort through old papers

Have your old papers piled high throughout the year. Now is the perfect time to go through them. Sort, shred and organize all your papers. Create a system that will keep you organized for years to come!

Declutter folders

Now hop on that laptop because we are decluttering all of your folders too. I find that my laptop organization lacks more than the papers sitting on my desk. I save everything on my laptop but never put it in a designated folder. Do it now! And I will too. Color code and use the folders to your advantage.

Clear your email

Next on the list is to clear your email! Are you tired of seeing 800 unread emails on your screen. Take a deep breath and go through them! Start the new season with a fresh email. Update your signature if you want to! Go nuts!

Update your socials

Has it been a while since you updated your social media? Take this time to switch up your profile picture, add more to your bio and go through your instagram highlights. Also, take the time to update your website if you have one. Do a deep dive and see what you’re missing. 

Happy Spring!

What’s Your Writing Ritual?

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Do you have a writing ritual? And by that I mean, do you have to follow a set of steps before you can begin your writing? If you are thinking of them share them in the comments! And if you are scared I’ll go first…

I live somewhere cold, so if there are not socks on my feet nothing will get accomplished. The best space to get stuff done is right on my bed, it is the comfiest spot and where the perfect amount of sunlight can shine down on me. A water bottle also needs to be close by because I know I will get thirsty but I also know I will get up for nothing until the task is complete!

So what, if anything do you do before you clear your mind and get to writing. Do you need a cup of tea or your favorite music playing? Is your comfortable space the coffee shop down the street? Your rituals can get you body ready to write and can make the process all that much more enjoyable!

Happy Writing!

Spark Your Holiday Novel With Imagery!

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Weather (pun intended) we like it or not the holiday season is right around the corner! It’s practically here (in Grinch voice)!

And for some of us that means snow! Now, if you are trying to spark some creativity for your holiday novel one great way to do that is through imagery. Looking at photos can make us believe we are there and feeling the surroundings. So if you live in someplace that may not get snow, spark that feeling with some of these images!

There are so many tools to use to spark your imagination! Just by going online and typing themes of your book into the search bar and looking at the images can open a whole new door to your novel!

And I am not just here to show you pictures of snow because there can be so much more in a holiday novel. Maybe you live in a place that has too much snow and your characters take a tropical vacation for the holidays?

The possibilities are endless! Maybe you use your own photos to spark something! Just remember that you can spark your creativity through almost anything! 

Happy Writing!

Let’s Write A Shapeshifter Romance!

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Spooky season is upon us! And if you prefer a little growl with your romance, then get to writing! While animal instincts and natural raw behaviors may not be what you want in your real-life partner – doesn’t mean you can’t can’t write about them!

When writing in this specific category of paranormal romance here are a few guidelines to go off of:

Dive deeper into the sensory realm – readers want to embrace the wild side!

Do your research! – what paranormal animals do you want to use, and what special abilities do they have amongst others?

Purpose of shapeshifting – do you want them to be stronger, can they blend into the environment?

How will the character be different in human form? – What traits will make them stand out?

Story line, story line, story line! – It is very important to identify the origin story! How were the shifters created? Who was the first one? How do they reproduce? Etc. 

When thinking about a shapeshifter romance most people strictly think werewolves (shoutout to Twilight). However, there are other shapeshifters you can base your character off of, many countries have their own version of a shapeshifter. For example:

Canada : Bear Walker is from First Nations folklore of that area. It’s an evil sorcerer who walks around in the form of a bear.

Haiti : loup-garou can change into anything, both plant and animal.

Ireland & Scotland : The selkies are seals that take off their skins to become human. Dark-haired Celts may have their genealogy explained via the selkies. Selkies are helpful creatures who watch over fishermen.

Portugal : The bruxsa or cucubuth is a vampire-werewolf that consumes both flesh and blood. 

And there’s so many more! Writing is work! Especially when building a complex and dynamic world. But you can do it, don’t be afraid to put your mind to the test! Do some research and have fun. 

Happy Writing!

Sources:

List of Shapeshifters from Around the World

What To Do When You Stop Writing

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You haven’t been motivated to write lately…so what do you do? Take a little break and spend more time on yourself or find ways to bring back the motivation? There is no wrong answer here, but we will dive into both of these answers to see where you may or may not stand. 

Spend More Time on Yourself

Don’t worry if writing is getting harder, it might just be a way of telling your brain you need a well deserved break. So our recommendation is to do just that! Think of some things that you have been meaning to do but just haven’t had the time. Go meet up with friends, hit up the local fair or farmers market or head to the movie theater or go to a new restaurant. By taking your mind off the things that you are “expected” to do just might be exactly what you need to get back into it!

How to Spark Motivation

You’re on an intense deadline and you can’t seem to find the right words. Have no fear, more often than not there are ways to spark motivation. Dive a little deeper into what you’re writing about, is it a new thriller, romance or sequel to your book? If you are writing about a specific genre one great way to get inspired is to do what your characters are doing (within reason of course). Now that spooky season is upon us, go on a ghost tour or haunted house to get ideas for your thriller. Or head to a romantic restaurant or a  place like where your characters met. Try and make your real life about what you’re writing, or trying to write, it might be easy for the words to fall out!

Happy Writing!

Invent Words!

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What happens when you have a word you want to say but there’s no word for it…you make one up! So many authors dating back to Shakespeare have done just that, and oftentimes you use words that you don’t even know an author invented! If the time comes and no exact word does the trick for what you’re trying to say, invent one!

Just to give you some examples, here is a list of words that you may use from time to time that authors invented. 

  1. “Tween”: J. R. R. Tolkein, ‘The Lord of the Rings’ (1954)
  2. “Nerd”: Dr. Seuss, ‘If I Ran the Zoo’ (1950)
  3. “Piehole”: Stephen King, ‘Christine’ (1983)

And those are just to name a few! Now of course authors can invent an abundance of names and places etc. However, these authors invented words that we use often in our vocabulary. Who knows we could be saying your word next! So if you find a whole in your story’s diction don’t be discouraged to mess around with creating your own word (just make sure it hasn’t already been used in another meaning). 

Happy Writing!

It’s Okay to Take A Break

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Are you feeling a little tired but you know you have to carry on with your work? I am here to say that it’s okay to take a break! Here are some great ways to take a break that will get you ready to get back to work!

Take a walk

Get some fresh air and move your body. It doesn’t have to be a long walk, but clear your mind, pop an audiobook or your favorite song and just relax. Any form of exercise will be beneficial during a break.

Stretch

If you’re feeling a little tense from sitting in a chair for a few hours, get up and stretch! Loosen up your muscles for a few minutes…trust me they will thank you later!

Call a friend

Take your mind off the task at hand and catch up with a friend. THis can be a great way to put you in a good mood and share what you’re working on. Maybe you can use them for some creative inspiration.

Cook a healthy meal/snack

Take care of your body and give it fuel! Knock out two birds with one stone and get ready for your meal, or prepare yourself a healthy snack. This will get your brain ready to work extra hard for you. 

Remember to incorporate breaks into your routine, they can help you in the long run!

Get Started!

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Don’t wait on your dreams and things you want to work on. The best way to get ahead is to say today is the day I will start! Procrastination time is over, your adventure is just getting started. 

We love to give inspiration and motivation to our readers but if you think you want to do something, the best thing is to get started! Scroll through our posts to get the ultimate motivation package!

How To Maximize Listening To Audiobooks

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If you are hesitant about starting your audiobook journey this article may persuade you. We at Hershman Rights Management are audiobook lovers to the core and maybe you will be too!

Now, if you are just starting out with audiobooks here are some ways you can maximize your experience.

Start with a well-reviewed book. 

Everyone is different and has different tastes, but it is more likely for you to stick to audiobooks if you have a great first experience. So with that being said read the reviews and get an inside look on if it is the right fit for you. 

Listen to the sample. 

Along the same lines as reading the review, listen to the sample! A big part about audiobooks is the narration, so if you don’t think you can listen to the narrator for hours on end you might want to skip it.

Multitask. 

Trigger your brain into doing multiple things at once. While listening to your audiobook do chores around the house, or pop it in while you’re driving. This will help if you get bored easily because you will have several things going on at once. 

Commit to a time. 

You don’t have to spend all day or two listening to your audiobook. Take a half an hour or so a day to your book so you don’t get worn out. A good time to listen to your audiobook is right before bed, it is very calming and a nice wind down from the day. 

Those are our tips and tricks for beginning your audiobook journey! Let us know how it goes, and if you are already an audiobook lover let us know why. 

Happy Listening!

Don’t Forget to Research!

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With so much information at our disposal don’t forget to use it when writing your novel. Think of research as a necessary step when planning out your novel. Even if you are writing a romantic comedy there’s always research to be done!

You can crack open a book, head to google or even go out on an experience when it comes to research. Even if you are writing about going on a hot air balloon and you’ve done it before, look up the history of the hot air balloon or some fun facts, you never know when you can incorporate it into your writing. And just redoing that experience and going on a hot air balloon again you can open your eyes to how you want it to play in your novel. 

Don’t underestimate the power of research even if you think you know enough for your writing. It can open an avenue you didn’t even know was there!

One of the authors we work with, Mimi Matthews does hours of research on historical fashion alone before finishing a novel. Have a look here!

Happy Writing!