Thompson On...Being a successful 21st Century Author!

   Successful twenty-first century authors have three lifestyle components: Passion, Organization, and Uniqueness.

     Passion: Successful authors love their craft!

     They delve into the storyline with abandon. They make time to write and know their most creative time of the day. This is different for each author.

     I know of a writer who sneaks out of bed at four a.m. and writes until six a.m. and then returns to bed and the warmth of their spouse.

      In the space between daily tasks writers will find a time to write. I'm a high school teacher and sometimes, in the six minutes between classes, I will have a pencil and pad in the hallway and in between yelling "Get to Class!" I write a few lines for an upcoming manuscript.

      Later, after the closing school bells sounds, I expand on the idea and thought and make it into something that is readable. You write when you can!

     The health of a writer's soul must be nurtured and developed.

     Successful authors find the time to write and creating that "next" new and exciting scene in their novel.

    Organization: Successful writers...Write!

     They write story lines. They write chapters. They outline. They jot down notes for the book. They are on schedule with dates of submissions and deadlines jostling their brain cells.

      Successful writers use technology. From pen and paper, Dictionary.com accounts, thesaurus, the smart authors have everything at arm's length at their writing station.

     They write!

      I'm an author who uses his android to keep a schedule of his writing. I have the chapters organized with one and two notes on what I want to accomplish in the writing of that particular chapter.

     I have two folders:

     ***One folder with all the chapters listed and the particular notes, setting and dialogue that fits that particular moment in the novel.

     I have another folder for the entire novel. When I finish a chapter in one folder, I copy/paste that chapter into the folder for the entire novel. As the chapters build, I can see the word count and get a flow for the storyline.

These two folders give me the opportunity and freedom to work in one folder and keep a completed version in another folder.

    For Example:

         Folder One: Each individual chapter word document is listed 1-to 50 with all the incomplete chapters.

Folder Two

: The entire novel. As I complete a chapter, I add that chapter building the first draft.       

Right now, I'm up to Chapter Three in Chasing the Wind

!

      Uniqueness: Successful writers have their own voice, pacing, and storyline.

       They are not robots.

       They do not write in the trendy categories, popular genres or alter themes to suit the masses.

       Unique writers write how they feel and the story they want to tell.

   They are creative.

     Despite our reasons for pulling the chair into a comfortable position in front of a computer and write, we measure success by finishing what we start!

    Remember:

"Keep Writing...Keep Believing...Never Give Up On Your Dreams"