Secret Number One: Read

Considering I just won six awards at the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation Inc. Conference, I feel I have a slight edge in this area. Just follow these 7 simple steps and you’re on your way! (Notice I said simple, not fast!)

Sounds easy, right? But I’m always shocked at how many writers tell me they don’t have time to read. Seriously? If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time to write! Read everything. Pulitzer Prize winners, stuff you think is awful, your favorite genre, and your least favorite genre. From the greats, we learn what greatness looks like. But equally revealing are those novels with plot holes as big as semi-trucks and cardboard characters as floppy as spaghetti. But don’t just say it’s awful and throw the book across the room. Why is it awful? What makes you cringe? Go forth children, and avoidest thou these pitfalls.

Secret Number Two: Start Short

Beginning writers often make the mistake of starting with a novel.  Novels are big commitments to take on if you don’t know the territory. Imagine deciding you’re going to be a runner, and getting up the next morning to run a marathon! You’ll learn a lot more about the elements that make a good story, not to mention your own voice and style, by beginning with short works.  Also, completing shorter projects can help build the habits, confidence, and endurance you need to tackle longer things.

Secret Number Three: Join a Critique Group

I can’t  count the number of instances someone pointed out a typo in my writing and I cried, “but I went over this page ten times!” The same goes for character motivation, world development, conflict, and even plot. Of course it makes sense to you. You’re the writer! Before you send it out, let someone else read it. And not (just) your mother. It can hurt, but if honesty burns, rejection by multiple agents and publishers is hydrochloric acid.

Secret Number Four: Attend Conferences/Network 

Some people consider this a waste of time and money, but it’s been immensely helpful for me. In this world of social media, writing is a business and who you know can be just as important as what you know.  With most publishing houses closed to unsolicited manuscripts, often times the only time you CAN submit something is if you attend a conference the editor or agent spoke at. Even for self-publishing, with millions of books on the market, how are readers going to know about your book? I’m a face-to-face person, but if you can network and market purely online, that’s great, too.

Secret Number Five: Enter Contests

This is the perfect way for beginning writers to test the waters of their abilities. This year I won first place in a category I had never even tried before, Historical Fiction novel. It’s always fun to try something new, and you might surprise yourself! Also, after getting multiple rejections for my novel Treasure Traitor, I started submitting it to local, state, and national contests. I got some excellent feedback from the judges. Every time I entered, it did better and better until the book finally won an international award, semi-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. That’s what told me it was ready for publication. Likewise, however, I’ve entered stories that time after time didn’t win anything, and I knew they just weren’t worth it. Which leads to my next point:

Secret Number Six: Don’t Beat a Dead Story

If you don’t particularly like a story to begin with and it just isn’t working, don’t be afraid to abandon it in favor of a new project. There are more ideas where that one came from! The worst thing you can do is work on the same dying project for ten years to the exclusion of everything else.

Secret Number Seven: Butt in the Chair and Write!

This should be a no-brainer, but if you miss this, you miss everything. Give yourself a reasonable, attainable goal, both daily and long-term and write everyday. Maybe you can have 1 day off. But writing needs to be consistent, a daily decision to block out all distractions, focus, and devote a chunk of time, be it 20 minutes or 4 hours, to your writing goal. Remember, start small and build.

Good luck!

So what were those awards I got, exactly? I won first place in Middle Grade novel for Mid-Evil, part II of Dargon the Human Slayer, and first place for Loyalty, my historical fiction novel about a Japanese girl and American girl who become friends on the eve of World War II. I originally wrote it as a short story, but then wrote a synopsis for the rest and turned it in the first 10 pages as if it were a novel. Now that I realize it’s a good story, I think I’ll go ahead and write the whole novel!

I also won second place for Picture Book with ‘Twas the Age of Augustus,” the Christmas story from the Roman’s point of view. My dad and I wrote that together. Then I won third place for Nostagic Prose with “Black Bird,” about my brother’s death and a baby black bird I found in my grandparent’s pine woods in Michigan.

The “Giddy up, Japanese Style!” would have won first, but there were only 9 entries and the judges needed 10 to award 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. So “Giddy up!” won Honorable Mention in Western Article. “Burma Born, American Made” was the fictionalized story of my Burmese refugee students, which won 3rd Honorable Mention in Inspirational Article. That was one of the categories with the most entries, so even though it didn’t place, I’m still pretty pleased with how it did. I can edit it and “Giddy Up” for entry again in 2014.

Until next time, keep fighting the good fight (and writing the good write),

L.J. Popp

1.) Local Writing Clubs

Every author knows they should be out there promoting their book. Some prefer the Internet, but a little face-to-face with potential readers is priceless. But where can we get speaking gigs, and how? Sit back, relax, and read about  some of my favorite and most successful locales.

This seems pretty obvious to me, but I’m surprised at the number of authors who resist, thinking they can’t sell a lot of books to their “competition.” Actually, I’ve sold more books at writer’s clubs than any other venue! The truth is, writers love books. We’re addicted to them. We live and breathe and devour them sometimes at the expensive of eating real food. Honestly, if you don’t love books, why are you writing them? Every writing group I’ve ever been to has been very supportive of each other. When competition does takes place, it’s in the form of contests meant to help improve each other’s skills. The added plus about speaking at these groups is that you can make useful connections and get the latest information about craft, publishing, and marketing trends.

Speaking and reading excerpts at Tulsa NightWriters

2.) Public Schools

Huh? You may be thinking. I’m not a children’s author! So? Nearly every school has a creative writing class of some kind, and high school kids read adult fiction anyway. If not, a library or media studies class could work, or even English classes. If you have a connection with a particular school, say you graduated from there or your children/grand children attend, or your book takes place in or near that town, that’s a perfect place to start and grow your reputation. First, I contact the head of the English department before school starts in August/September, or even the day after school ends in May/June to discuss the following year. In my experience, the principal is often too busy and usually directs you to the English department anyway. I start by asking if they want to include the book as part of their curriculum for the year, and if so, give them a list of discussion questions to go with it.  A week or two before my presentation, I bring flyers or book marks for kids to bring home to their parents, and donate ONE copy of the book to the school library.

3.) Home school groups/small private schools

People often overlook these, thinking they’re too small or not worth the time. But the truth is, home school is more flexible than public school, and teachers are more free to set their own curriculum. Some authors actually sell MORE books to home school groups, because the students purchase them to read for class, versus you simply coming to talk about the book, and a few interested book worms purchasing copies. Also, private schools tend to be more specialized. For example, if you write Christian books, a Christian private school may be more likely to let you come speak than a public school, and offer you more occasion to promote your book. A school of arts might be more willing to invite a guest artist.

4. Colleges- Especially your Alma Mater!

For those who don’t speak Ancient Language, “Alma Mater” is Latin for “Nursing Mother” and means the university you graduated from. It’s not unusual for colleges to welcome local authors, especially graduates, to come speak in their creative writing departments. Contact the head of the creative writing department and pitch yourself as a

professional.  Have copies of your book on hand to sign and sell, and be sure the bookstore has copies when possible. You might have to do your first gig at your own university free, but when word gets around, don’t be ashamed to ask for guest speaking fees, especially if you have to go out of your way to get there. Simply ask the university, “What is in your budget for guest artists and speakers?” Earlier in the semester they will generally have more money. Be sure to contact them way in advance.

5.) Library/Local clubs

Not just book clubs: hobby clubs, movie clubs, civic clubs, knitting clubs, game clubs, kiwanis clubs, rotary clubs, churches, youth groups, anything that

would appeal to your target audience.  These groups are always looking for speakers and the best place to find them is online or by calling your city chamber of commerce. I was a missionary in Japan for two years, so I gave a picture presentation to my local library’s anime club, and also talked about how Japan influenced my book. They couldn’t pay my anything, but I did sell a lot of books, and it was fun! I’ve also spoken at the Elk’s Lodge, Japanese clubs, International clubs, community clubs, and tons of churches.

6.) Book Store Events

Emphasis on events. Many beginning authors know the frustration of planning a book signing, printing the posters, sending out invites and press releases,

only to have few people show up. But most book stores have annual or seasonal events that tend to naturally draw more people who don’t know you to the store. For example, a book store in my area has an event called Dickens on the Boulevard the third Friday and Saturday of every November. They organize a group of local authors to come, dressed in period costume, and sign and gift wrap their books. Also,

many bookstores promote Bring Your Child to a Book Store Day on December 1st each year. Call your local book store and ask if you can come sign books on this day.  Also, book signings tend to go better when you have something more than books to offer. A slide show of pictures and music that inspired you, a book trailer running on your laptop, periodic dramatic readings, sweets or treats associated with your story, all of these can help attract people to your book table. (You can tell I often dress in costume for these events, but not always.)

7.) Writer’s/Fan Conferences

I put this one last because I actually haven’t done it yet, though I’m signed up for a few this coming year. “Fan Conferences” doesn’t just refer to fantasy and science fiction conventions. If you hear about a conference on 17th century American history for example, and your book takes place during that time, you might be perfect as a speaker. Any topic you had to research for your published book is automatically a topic you could speak on. As for writers’ conferences, I’ve heard from other writers that you don’t always sell a lot of books, but it does build your “brand name” and reputation as a professional in the field. A bigger bonus than simply selling books is that you usually get your conference discounted or free! That’s a cheap weekend of awesome food, honing your craft, networking, and pitching to publishers and agents at closed houses. Pretty awesome!

Networking with publishers at Heart of America Christian Writers’ Conference

So grab a phone book and start calling! First time published authors can often expect 2 nos for every yes, but personal promotion is not only financially rewarding, but also fun.

After much popularity, I decided to go ahead and post Part II on my blog as well! Enjoy!

Expand Your Language Skills

            There’s no greater impetus for learning a language than suddenly finding yourself immersed in it! I studied Japanese for a year before leaving for Japan, but I probably learned more in my first two months living there than I did for that whole year! Especially if you plan to stay somewhere for awhile, don’t shy away from language learning. Even a few badly pronounced words fumbled from an open dictionary can open beautiful relationships with locals and unique travel opportunities. While visiting Kagoshima, I stumbled upon a lost mother and daughter. By simply giving them directions to the nearest train station, they offered to take me along, and I spent the whole day enjoying a free guided tour!

Expand Your Relationships

Stretch yourself to meet locals and other internationals. Some of my most pleasant experiences have arisen through chance meetings with people I met on a hike through a waterfall forest and vacant beaches. Make sure you take the time and effort to maintain relationships you really want to keep. These are two Japanese sisters I helped during the tsunami. When they left my home, they said, “Now we’re three sisters!”

Expand Your Job Potential

            In today’s world of social networking where employers are likely to check your facebook and twitter pages, people who have traveled widely and show it off can be more eye catching and interesting than those who haven’t. They often possess skills essential in a highly globalized market. Frequent travelers show an eagerness to learn, try new things, adapt to change, and operate outside their comfort zone. Just be sure that if you apply for a job that requires a long commitment to one place, you can promise your employer you won’t be skipping the country any time soon!

Expand Your Inner Artist

            I’m an author by trade, and nothing inspires me more than being in a new place. I’ve done my best and most prolific writing while living or traveling abroad. Whether it’s researching birds at Jurong Bird Park in Singapore for my novel Treasure Traitor or caving in the bowels of Missouri’s caverns for the sequel, not only do I come back with great stories, but awesome pictures!  One of my favorite songs, America the Beautiful, was composed by Katharine Lee Bates after a trip to Pike’s Peak.

Sunrise from the peak of Mt.Fuji

 

Expand Your Purpose

            There are so many things I never would have tried or learned or accomplished had I not traveled. These experiences became a part of who I am and added to the richness of my life in ways I can’t even know. I know for certain, though, that I wouldn’t have found my purpose as a missionary/writer/teacher if left to my small-town upbringing. So what are you waiting for? Go for it!

About Me:

Laura Popp is a part-time writer, full-time tourist (oops, I mean English instructor) who finances her two great passions by teaching. She has taught/volunteered in the U.S., Japan, India, Mexico, and Malawi, Africa. She’s also visited Thailand, Singapore, Ethiopia, Scotland, Korea, and China. Her first fantasy novel, Treasure Traitor, partially based on her adventures, was released in November, 2012.

What are your reasons for traveling? Post them here in the comments!

Here’s a teaser for a recent post I wrote for a friend. The entire post will hopefully be on her blog, beautiful absurdity, tomorrow. Check it out!

Expand Your Happiness

            Studies show that people who try new things, learn, and adapt have overall happier lives. Also, we get a lot of joy from memories. Though traveling might not always be pleasant at the time, when we look back, what seemed hard becomes funny, and we can honestly say, “I’m glad I did that.”  Be sure to take lots of pictures, or write in a journal.

Emerging from the wild cave tour at Cosmic Caverns, Arkansas

Expand Your Pallet

There are so many foods I wouldn’t have tried had I never traveled! Jelly fish, barbequed sting ray, fresh water lobster and the world’s rarest coffee are probably on the top of my list. The coffee in particular was a stretch, since its rarity arises from the fact that it comes from a small island off the coast of Java. It passes through the gut of an animal called the civic cat before the partially digested beans are hand collected by natives and roasted.  But it was the best coffee I’ve ever had!

You do have to know your own limits, though. Before living in India, I assumed all spice was the same. I loved Mexican spices, but in Bangalore I ended up with a two-day belly ache that confined me to my bed and the bathroom. I also had to say no to raw horse in Japan and dog in Korea. But if you can stomach it, be sure to try the local delicacy wherever you go. Food is half the fun of travel!

Singapore specialty: BBQ fish and stingray on banana leaf

Expand Your Faith

One of the hardest things to explain to my friends back home was why I spent a weekend in a Buddhist temple meditating. I had never before set foot in a temple and had no desire to become Buddhist, but I wanted to understand my Asian friends and be able to talk about their religion and world-view. Likewise, I got a whole new perspective and appreciation for my Christian faith from joining a small Japanese church and another later in India. These churches provided me with a family away from home and a sense of familiarity amongst all the newness. At the same time, seeing a different expression of familiar things in a fresh context can bring new insights.

Island of the Martyrs near Nagasaki, Japan

Expand Your Nature

I believe the heart and soul of a nation is in its rural roots, so I always feel I haven’t seen the “real face” of a country until I’ve visited a national park, famous mountain, jungle, secluded temple, tea plantation or a simple rice farm. I also find the local people friendly and helpful. An added benefit is that staying in a secluded place can be far more peaceful and cheaper than the city. The only downside can be finding frequent and efficient transportation, so especially for developing countries, this should probably be researched in advance.

Tiered Rice Fields of Kumano, Japan

 

Expand Your Heart

            There are two other “faces” of a country: the touristy, glamour side and the part everyone would rather hide. Instead of shying away from slums or disaster-stricken areas, I see these as golden opportunities to experience the full breadth of a country and to give back to a place I’ve learned to love. Going on a team with an accredited, experienced non-profit organization keeps volunteering safe with maximum benefit for everyone. These “mission trips” have changed my life and broadened my perspectives more than anything else.

Building homes in India            Cleaning up after the 2011 tsunami

What’s a blog hop? Well, I guess I’m learning! I’ve been tagged by Jennifer Eifrig. I’ll post the questions she asked, link back to her blog, and tag four more writers. Let’s see what happens!

Questions:

What is the working title of your book?


I’m currently working on An Honest Assassin, the sequel to my published novel Treasure Traitor.

 Where did the idea come from for the book?

I was doing research on the American Revolution for another book and stumbled across the differing terminology of “rebel” or “patriot,” depending on the point of view. I wondered if I could tell a similar story set in a science fiction world. So my heroine Renagada went from being a treasure trader in the first book to an “honest” assassin in the second. Following the same pattern, the third book will probably be Reluctant Rebel.

What genre does your book fall under?

Young adult science fiction/fantasy with Christian themes.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?


Hmm, that’s a hard one. Let’s see, Indian actress Sheetal Sheth would make a stunning Renagada. She’s got the perfect eyes. Barring that, a young Bollywood star. General Kyra could be none other than Angelia Jolie. Come on, who else can play a gorgeous, mysterious, possibly evil kick-butt female? Acha would most likely be computer generated. He’s a bird, after all, but for his human voice, I’ve always imagined Robyn Williams. For the men, I don’t really care. As long as they’re pale and sexy, they’ll have to be made up as aliens anyway.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

When eighteen-year-old Rengada is given the chance to overthrow an evil government and undue a horrible mistake, she must choose whether to trust her worst enemy or betray the resistance.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

My book will probably be published by the same wonderful press who took the prequel Treasure Traitor, Starsongs, an imprint of Written World Communications. I don’t currently have an agent, but I’d love one!

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

About six months. I wrote it in Japan.

 What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Hmm, maybe Black, by Ted Decker, The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley, Star Wars Episode V, and possibly Eldest, by Christopher Paolini.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

I’ve lived in several different countries for extended periods of time, particularly as a missionary in Japan and India. It bothered me that there is so little in the American fantasy market inspired by those cultures compared to European-based mythology. I originally envisioned this series to help fill the gap.

 What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

My publisher is running a special on the prequel, Treasure Traitor, for Kendal. It’s only $2.99! Also, L.J. Popp likes to speak to clubs, churches and schools about her adventures abroad. To book her as a presenter, you can email her at laurapopp (at) ymail.com.

Link: Jennifer Eifrig

 

My publisher, Written World Communications, is running a free contest for my book, Treasure Traitor, on goodreads! It’s running from December 20th-January 20th. Click here to enter.

Happy New Year, everyone! 2012 has been a great year. I started on my masters, worked at a children’s home in southern India for three months, got an awesome job teaching Burmese refugees and other immigrants in my home town, had my first book published, was interviewed on six blogs, presented at seven events, and got baptized!

I also created this website. I just received my stats from wordpress and they look pretty good for the first year!

Here’s an excerpt:

The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner can carry about 250 passengers. This blog was viewed about 1,100 times in 2012. If it were a Dreamliner, it would take about 4 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

With the holiday season so busy, I just now got time to write about my very first book signing! It went so well! About ten people came for my presentation on how my world-wide adventures have wormed their way into Treasure Traitor. I dressed in my southern Indian clothes, a bit like the main character Renagada, and brought a lot of my treasures that I’ve procured abroad (two swords, my Japanese kimono, Asian dolls, etc). I sold a lot of books, and made some great friends! Here I am with another local author Tammy Mullins, also there for Bring Your Child to a Book Store Day:

Some authors don’t like to do dual signings because they think it will take away from their personal sales. I couldn’t disagree more! Multi-author events generate more publicity and are more fun. Tammy and I don’t write the same kind of books, but even if we did, who says a reader couldn’t buy both? That’s what’s so wonderful about being an author. Even though it’s partly a business,  no two people can create the exact same story, and we can all help each other improve. Compared to sports or other business endeavors, it’s far more collaborative than competitive.

One of my students who takes Japanese from me over Skype (she goes by Saki-chan) and her mother had to come late because of work. So I got to give the presentation all over again in a more relaxed, informal way. Here we are, sitting on the floor together.

The staff at the bookstore was really nice, especially the owner, Janice. She said she’d be happy to invite me to more signings in the future.

All in all, it was a really great experience!

Until next time,
L.J. Popp

Finally, a chance to post about the Heart of American Christian Writers’ conference in Kansas back in November! It was probably the most expensive writers’ conference I’ve been to, but also the most helpful. Besides all the wonderful sessions and workshops, I got to meet with seven editors and agents, including Jeff Gerke, the pioneer of Christian Speculative Fiction publishing! Thomas Nelson publishers asked for a full proposal for my Middle Grade fantasy novel Dargon the Human Slayer. I’m hoping they take it, and that one of the agents I talked to will take me on!

Most importantly, I got to meet Rowena Kuo, who was on the editing board at Written World for my novel Treasure Traitor. She was almost as excited to see it finally out as I was! We’ll be working together on the book trailers for the whole series, so I was glad to finally meet her, hear her vision for the company, and pitch her some short stories for her magazines.

Here’s me with Rowena on my right and Jeff Gerke on my left, with New Zealand publisher Grace Bridges on the end:

I’ve got to say, there’s something different about a Christian writers’ conference. There’s a less competitive feel and more comradery. Though one negative thing I have to say is that some authors seemed to feel that self-publishing was their only option. (Hopefully the conference cured them of this.)

Now just because I went the traditional route doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with self-publishing, but to have the attitude, “I write (fill-in-the-blank obscure subgenre/nonfiction interest), therefore it’s such a niche market that self-publishing is my only option” simply isn’t true. I always encourage people to try traditional publishing first, because the danger of self-publishing is to push it out before it’s ready. Some people even self-publish because they don’t want to take the time to go through the rejection process, revision, an editor, and everything that goes into the traditional publishing process of making a good book a great book. If you’re not willing to take the time to make your book the best it can be, why would anyone take the time to read it?

To me,  self-publishing should only be pursued after you’ve had professionals help you look at it and perfect it, and after considering all options. Not as a last-ditch resort. As a thoughtful, prayerful, careful career decision. I realized early on it wasn’t for me because I wanted a traditional house to “show me the ropes” and teach me the business. But that doesn’t mean it’s not for others.

New! Blog Interview on billwetterman.com. 3/17/2013

Yes, two weeks turned into two months and it’s still going on!  If you’d like me on your blog, please contact me! laurapopp (at) ymail.com!

“Earthshaking Opportunities” 1/27/2013

Featured author on Christianstoryteller: 1/20/2013

Blog Interview on Groovie Brooksie

Where Fantasy and Missions Meet

Character Tour- Acha!

Reaching Non Christians

“Inside Another’s Mind”- Article on fictional telepathy, Speculative Faith

Interview by Jennifer Eifrig, Urban Fantasy Author

Feature by Susan Hollaway, Christian Writer