ALL I Want For Christmas Is A Literary Agent

For most of the people out there struggling to write, and get things published, you have that dream in your head of Christmas Day checking your Email and reading a letter saying someone is interested in your writing.

Unfortunately for us, the holiday season doesn’t mean your rejections will suddenly end. For most of us we will continue on as every other day summiting our hard work in the off chance that someone will love it as much as we do. The Christmas season just means we are more hopeful that now is that time.

Miracles this time of year do happen, and the “Happy Ending” part of us is still as hopeful as a small child dying to know if one of the presents under the tree is the Frozen dress up dress they have been wanting.

The craziness of Christmas gets to everyone as they scramble to find the one thing that special person in their life wants, because we know how much we want one thing this year.  That one thing we wish for more then anything is different for everyone.

In the spirit of Christmas I suggest you instead comment below with some short story, poem, or small writing sample you casually type up. It might not get you published, or even noticed, but I promise you it will get read.

Get your work out there for people to see, and for people to read. You don’t have to be published to have someone read your work. Money isn’t why we write. We write to give someone something to read.

Give me something to read.

Merry Christmas

Happy Holidays

Have a great New Year.

**Need help for a topic? Write about your idea of a Christmas Miracle.**

I was a writer before I knew it.

  I say that because I see now that I should of realized my passion a long time ago. I viewed the people in my life as characters. Each with their own flaws. Characters that need to overcome things, and I feel compelled to figure out what type of person they were. I had cast protagonist, antagonist, dynamic characters, etc. I over analyzed peoples decisions, and felt compelled to know their thought processes.
  Often times this would preset a problem. No one wants some crazy person digging into their heads, and trying to "write" what they thing should happen in your life. This leads most to view me as a "Neb nose".  I have also been called a "Drama Queen" for the urge I have to be right smack in the middle of fights people were having. Even if it is just to hear what happened, and what the reactions were. It's unavoidable for me when I feel like this is my story. Which in a sense is true. My life is my story.....until I decide to dissect my "characters." Then of course it's a different situation.
  I have, at times, gotten mad when people don't take my advise. I have a hard time accepting that what I say didn't go. That is because when you write a problem into a story it goes the way you plan it for your character. When you view those closest to you as characters sometimes you find yourself treating them that way.
  I was a writer before I knew it, because even before I began to write I was treating everything like a story. It's a character flaw I am currently working on. :)

being a better person

     As a mom I know how to multi-task. As a military wife I know how to keep myself busy. What I am not is patient. I dislike waiting for my favorite author to release the next book in a series. I dislike waiting rooms for appointments, and I very much dislike waiting on people in general. At the same time I get agitated when people don't wait for me. It's a huge character flaw I am aware of.
     Thinking of my own flaws I started to pick out the flaws of others. I'd like to say it was because of a deep insight I have, but to be honest it was easier to see faults in others then in myself. I realize that everyone has a flaw. Even if you don't know what it is you do have one. If you honestly think you don't then perhaps it is denial.
    Flaws don't make people good or bad, and they don't make you better then someone else.They just show that we are human. Flaws are who we are just as much as our strengths.
    Without flaws we wouldn't have the chance to grow, or change. Flaws let us us make mistakes. Without those we would never learn.
     The trick is to see the flaws in others yet accept them anyway. Only then can you be accepted by others regardless of your flaws.
     When I hear someone complain about someone else I remind them that everyone has that one thing, that one flaw. It lets them remember that no one is perfect.

10 ways to save money on "no budget"

It says no budget instead of a small budget for a few reasons. I personally hate google-ing for money saving ideas only to realize I don't have the money to invest on saving money! Things like energy saving appliances, switching for gas to electric, a wood stove, or even a pressure caner to start canning food.
This post is strictly free ways to save some money. Little things that you can change in your life without coughing up money to do so. Now keep in mind these are ways to lightly save money. Your savings account will not be in the hundreds by the weeks end.

1-cleaning the back of your refrigerator saves money on your energy bill.
2- At night unplug your cable box, router, and wifi.
3-keep unused appliances unplugged as well. No point in keeping your coffee pot on if you aren't using it.
4- Don't forget to unplug your chargers too!!!!
5-Recycle!!!Recycle!! Recycle. Pinterest is a wonderful thing of our age. Old soup cans can be recycled into candle holders, Wine glasses into planters for herbs, and spices.
6- SEEDS! Save your seeds from peppers, watermelon, or even pumpkins when you buy them. Dry them out and save them for planting a garden.
7-Cut up old, out grown, or stained cloths for cleaning rags.
8-Coupons! I can get free shaving creams, shampoos, and conditioners from giant eagle JUST from my weekly ads in the mail. Save them, cut them, and wait till it goes on sale. I see a dollar off shampoo coupon and wait till its on sale for a dollar!
9-Facebook Flee market sites. People are always trying to get rid of things. I have so many play toys outside for the children just by picking up things peoples kids out grew!
10-Pay It Forward. If you find something for free and get rid of it. Give it away. When we help others save some money do others help us as well.

These are helpful little tips not quick money saving ideas. You won't see a dramatic change, but at little change over a long period of time adds up quicker then you think.

Are you struggling to wait patiently on Query letters?

I was sitting here wondering about the amazing writers who inspired me to write, and if they had a hard time getting agents and/or publishing. Did  Beverly Lewis (author of The Heritage of Lancaster County series http://www.beverlylewis.com/books/38-the-heritage-of-lancaster-county-series), or even J K Rowling (author of The Harry Potter books http://www.jkrowling.com/en_US/ ) sit in the same position I am in now?
Did they ever get rejections, or no response back at all? Were they ever afraid to publish their work? Was it a huge success overnight? Was it ever hard for them? The answer is yes.
In fact, J k Rowling is a perfect example. She got a literary agent and her book ( The harry potter book)  was denied by twelve publishing companies! It took about a year before she got a yes.
Beverly Lewis wrote from an early age but didn’t seek to get anything published until her children were all into middle school. Of that, her first work was not an award winning novel, but articles in a magazine.
Most of your favorite authors WERE just like you at some point in their life. Living paycheck to paycheck. Having a day job before their writing career took off. Some of them even on state assistance. Thinking their work, their passion in life, might not be good enough. One thing all great writers have in common is that they never gave up.
You, we, owe it to them to as well to do the same. Never give up when you get denied. Never stop trying to pursue your dreams. Don’t hold on to work in a drawer to nervous to see about publishing.
The worst thing that could happen to you is they say no. Which you are going to get told no. Not everyone is going to like your work.
You are going to send a lot of Query letters. You will research a lot of publishing companies.  You will also get published on e day. You just have to keep trying.

Beginning to write or beginning to do something about it?

I never admitted my work. I never called myself a writer. I refused to believe it could be worth anyones time but my own. Recently, I have gotten past those thoughts. This blog was once something to past time once and a while when they kids were asleep. Now I think I will treat it differently. No one may be following, or even reading this blog, but that doesn’t matter. Writing makes me happy. That’s what it comes down to when you finally decide you want to be a writer. It’s when you realize how much you truly love it. My moment came after I had written so much information I had to separate it into three books. I realized right there that I might actually have a talent of sorts. If anything it was a beautiful way to relax, and enjoy myself. After my first book was finished I looked it over about twenty times, concluded to never let anyone see it, then began my search for publishing. I spent hours learning about Query letters, literary agents, and frowned at the statics of your first book getting published by the first Query letter you send out. I fought myself once again, then sent the first one out there. I got the whole-Your book is not what I am looking for- email. I brushed it off and sent another. I kept looking online and trying to see the best ways to get my work out there for the world. It wasn’t until I followed some advise and purchased The writers Market Deluxe Edition that I saw my mistakes. I realized it wasn’t necessarily the work that got rejected, but the Query letter. I never knew the way I was writing it could be so detrimental to my book. I still have a lot to learn, but I can’t wait to find it all out. If your reading this then you are too. I can’t say I can give too much advice right now since I am beginning to as well. Well, not begin writing, just beginning to do something about it.

Love to write.

I recently realized that my life long passion for writing is going no where. I have written things, and then let them sit there. I on average can have up to, but not limited to, five stories in my head at one time. All with alternate endings, and different possibilities. I have always loved to write, but never thought anything could come of it. I never viewed myself as a writer until recently.
I have decided to finish my most prized possession and possibly look into publishing! It is both scary, and exciting. I never knew how much went into publishing until I stated looking into it. Things like Query letters, agents, editors, and companies all seem to be a lot of chances at being told no.
Regardless of the outcome I will continue to write. My happiest days are the ones that I print out a chapter for my husband to read. His reactions are even enough to make me happy for a week! I recently have been printing out a chapter a day for him.
One day I hope to have the whole world read my stories, but for now it is just him. He counts himself lucky to be the only one privileged enough to read them.
Perhaps he’s just partial to me. :)