The Book Process: Rejections From Publishing Houses

What does rejection feel like while on submission?

It's completing a 5k in record time and then realizing that you've only just begun The Great Wall of China.

It's rock climbing and making it to the top of the hill; when, alas, you stand and fall instantly into quicksand.

It's the feeling of falling from the Eiffel Tower and never stopping.

It's yelling into oblivion, but the words never escape your chest. 

It's the absolute worst and somehow bittersweet.

I've made it this far, but there are still so many hurdles to jump over; there are acres of unmarked territory. The unknown is terrifying.

My literary agent is hopeful and determined, and the editors who have read my manuscript have had many positive comments--which is kinda weird to me (weird in that I forget that editors are actually people sometimes).

Though their comments have been laced in sweetness, none have requested an R&R (revise and resubmit), and none have requested an offer of representation. They love the writing, they love the main character, but it's still not the "right" fit.

I find myself reading their comments over and over again, trying to find some hope.
But, ya'll, it is hard.

It's just one of those really nice rejections.

So all in all I have less than 10 rejections, which really isn't all that bad, but again, this waiting game can be horrific. 

That's all for this one.

Till next time, blog world.

Writing Update: On Submission

So, like, being on submission kind of sucks.

But it's also exciting.

It's a strange dichotomy.

Recent insta post: check it out!

Here's what they don't tell you: "Once you've found a literary agent, you must then submit your manuscript to a publishing house. You may be an overnight success, or you may never succeed at all."

It's a bit bonkers.

I've been on submission for two years now (it could be more or less, but it's been so long, I clearly can't remember the exact time frame).

In this time, I've drafted, developed, and completed an entirely new manuscript (more on this to come!). My agent is still very confident in the book I have on submission, and I feel he will work tirelessly to get it into the hands of the world. But as the clock only continues to turn, I truly believe that the current book I have on submission is hard to sell because it's not a high-concept commercial YA (side note: is anyone else struggling with this, too?).

Long story short: the world can't handle it, y'all.

This is such a strange journey, too, because at any given moment, my dream could be made into reality, and in that same moment, it could be turned into dust (hard stuff to swallow--literally).

Anyway, that's the official, official, update on where I am in this lovely writing process.

Hopefully (all fingers and toes crossed), I'll have another book on submission soon!

Again, more to come on this new manuscript. But also, is anyone else struggling with being on submission to publishing houses, or being on submission with literary agents?
Share below!

Still have more questions? Leave a comment below.
Like these posts? Share them in your writing community; it helps me know that I should make more.

Till next time, blog world.

Aesthetic Book Series: Meet Noah

Welcome back to another Aesthetic Book Series blog post.

Today, we get to meet the main character of Rubatosis, Noah. 

Noah Dean Turner is seventeen when he leaves home to find the true meaning of life.

Noah. The MC. The boy that walks around with his heart outside of his chest--in more of a literal way than figurative way. The story chaser and adventure seeker. The one on the hunt to discover the meaning of the world and the truth behind it. The book requisitioner and superhero of his own story, though he hasn't come to terms with it yet. The one we're rooting for

"Noah considered taking off in that instant. He could easily leave through the back door and run as far as he could till he hit the woods. No one would find him—he would be perfectly lonely. 

But he paused at the back door, letting his hand rest on the knob. Noah could see all the land from where he stood. He could see the rows of vegetables that would never be picked and weeds that would never be pulled. He could see his life out there, his future, and his granddad’s words ran through his head."

That's all for this one!

Stay tuned for next week to meet the next character! 

Aesthetic Book Series: Meet The Book

Writerly friends and readers from all around,

Due to my constant Twitter distraction, (that and being on submission) I have been inspired by the #ThursdayAesthetic hashtag. This has fire-started a pretty cool series to introduce you all to my debut novel, Rubatosis: The Unsettling Awareness of One's Own Heartbeat. 

That's a complete mouthful, I know. 

Though the title may be subject to change, the characters, and so on and so forth . . . I thought, what the heck, might as well get you all excited for this book since that's all I've been talking about on here for the last few years or so anyway. 

With this series, you can expect to see some stellar book aesthetics for each character in the order that they're introduced in the book. 

To kick it off, I will start by introducing the book with an excerpt from my query and #pitmad tweet that got me my agent. 

Find the goodness below. 

(Fun fact: this is actually take two of the main aesthetic, go here if you want to see the original.)

#PitMad Tweet: A boy with a timer on his heart tries to overcome his death sentence by making sense of the world through books.

At eleven-years-old, Noah Dean Turner learns that he has ventricular tachycardia, a potentially life threatening arrhythmia that causes his heart to beat twice as fast.

With the support from his granddad, Noah makes it to year seventeen. Long hours in the garden and reading thick books has provided a distraction to his inconsistent heartbeat. But when Noah's granddad passes away, and he's forced to move in with his promiscuous aunt, he hops on a bus in hopes of finding a place that he can call home. Instead, Noah is dropped off at a retreat center called Camp Neodesha. There, he realizes two things. One: everyone's story parallels to a book he's read. And two: falling in love with a broken heart is, in fact, as deadly as it seems.

RUBATOSIS: THE UNSETTLING AWARENESS OF ONE'S OWN HEARTBEAT can be summarized as Alice in Wonderland meets The Fault in Our Stars. This story isn't just about a boy with a death sentence, it's an adventure story about growing up, a story about finding love and meeting radical characters that help Noah make sense of the world, including a boy who steals, a kind stranger that smokes hookah, a domineering mother figure that owns a smiling cat, and a girl with wild hair and heterochromia eyes that makes Noah forget about every good book he's read.


*Wipes off sweat* 

Phew. Alright guys, that's the overview for good ol' Rubatosis. 

I hope you like it. I'd love to see any that you may have as well! Drop your links in the comment section below, or tag me on Twitter!

Next week, you'll get to meet Noah, the main character. 

Andd if you didn't know . . . Noah's pretty great. 

*wink, wink*

Before I forget, if you want to know more about my query, and those that helped me form it, check out my AQC link: http://agentqueryconnect.com/index.php?/topic/34139-rubatosis-update-on-post-24/?hl=rubatosis

Till next time!

What Happens After The Agent?

What happens after an agent has offered you representation?
Complete bliss, of course.

I'm kidding.
Sort of . . .

You see, one thing I haven't read a whole lot about is the process one goes through after an agent has offered them representation.

For forever, it feels like, I've been so caught up in just getting an agent. So when I was offered representation, I didn't know what to do.

I smiled, sure, but what were the protocols?

Here's what I learned:

Step One (this is actually version two of step one because the first obvious step is to celebrate):

After an agent has offered you representation, it is courtesy to give other agents you have queried time to consider you. I received awesome advice from a friend who had recently been picked up from an agent as well. She found this link, and it was helpful for me as I dug through my sent emails to let other agents know what was going on. Giving agents one/two weeks to respond is average.

I also used this format from the website above:

"Subject: OFFER OF REPRESENTATION (Title) (Category) (Genre)

Dear (Agent’s name),

I am writing to let you know that I have received an offer of representation for my (Category), (Title), which I submitted to you in (month). I am reattaching the full manuscript for your convenience below. Do this, it’s easier on everyone

I am looking to close out all pending submissions by the end of business on (date). If you are interested in the manuscript, please let me know before then. I’d be thrilled to discuss it with you. If you need more time, please do let me know.

I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you again for your consideration."

Step Two:

In this step, for me, I asked a lot of questions. It's so important to know who you're working with and what you should expect in this journey.

Definitely take time to write down questions that are important to you. Even if you forget, hopefully your agent is the kind of person that takes questions year round.

Step Three: 

At this point, I did more contemplating. I did more research on agents, and I gave other agents time to respond. I asked more experienced writers what I should expect, moving forward. I took time to get my head together.

I felt good about my choice of agent.
I also felt confident in the mission Rossano had planned out for me.

Step Four:

After receiving the contract, I read it over a few times. It became one of my best friends. I also had my grandmother look over it for her wisdom, and I handed it over to my boyfriend to look at since he's a paralegal and deals with many more contracts than I do.

And when I felt confident, I signed it.
Then, along with other members of the TZLA family, I was added to the author's list.

And the list continues . . .

Step Five (the step that constantly repeats itself): 

Edits!

This is probably my favorite part of the agent process. It's great and all to receive feedback on your book from your friends and beta readers, but receiving feedback from an agent is all the more insightful! You get the good and the gritty. You get to know why the agent was compelled to choose your MS, and you get to learn what you need to work on to make your MS all the more appealing to publishers.

To wrap it up, I hope my experience has helped all of you as you journey to find agents, choose agents, and begin the editing process.

This is my personal experience, and of course, everyone has a different story. Heck, my story isn't even finished yet. :)

However, I do love hearing from all of you.
Feel free to share your agent stories below!

Till next time!

Representation . . . What?!

Ahhhh, Writing friends!

It has happened.

One month later, and here were are. A literary agent wants to represent me.

How crazy-exciting is that?

I've waited years for this moment, and all I can do is smile and dance and try not to yell too loudly.

I have soo many questions--most of them starting and stopping with the word, "how".
I am thrilled and so full of awe.
It's an amazing feeling to know that someone who has been working in the industry for so long finds potential in my work.

I'm in a small state of "wowza-land" . . . . (I'm pretty sure I just made that up.)
But in all seriousness, I am at a loss for words.
.
.
.

In other news, another agent liked my #DVpit tweet!

It was by luck, honestly. I had accidentally used the #DVpit hashtag a month too early while I was participating in #PitMad. Then, as carried away as I get, I forgot to participate in #DVpit and was super bummed about it. Literally. I probably stared at other pitches for about twenty minutes, sulking in what "could" have been. I left twitter alone for a while after that, and when I checked my notifications yesterday, I saw that an agent wanted me to send over my query and the first ten pages of my MS. This was the SAME DAY that I was offered representation.

Imagine all the freaking out.

Of course I sent over my query and pages, as well as let her know about the offer. The next step for me is to contact all the agents I've recently queried, letting them know that there is a deadline ahead.

I'm nervous and will be using help from here to send out the right email formats.

Let the query wars begin.

 . . . also, still freaking out over here.

#PitMad What?!?!

So, it appears I've started looking for agents again . . . 

This time, I had luck!

Friends, did you just hear that?! Seven years of queries and finally . . . FINALLY.

Okay--so here's the story: It's no surprise I've been sitting on a completed manuscript for a little over a year now. After the first round of queries and rejections, one could say I lost my confidence. I mean, this is my THIRD book, numerous rejections, and all I can think is, "I need a break."

After months of my boyfriend persuading me to get back out there, I began querying again--small publishing houses and agencies this time. I conveniently hop back on Twitter five days before #PitMad, and . . .

This is where the freaking out begins.

It's been years since I've participated in #PitMad. Thankfully, a lot of the writers I follow on twitter, kept mentioning #DVpit and #PreDv (go to this link here to learn more about it), and #PreDv gave me the chance to practice my one-liner before #PitMad. I acquired some pretty great help from @JenniferZeynab, @KatCho and @JL_Dugan. Then, the next day, just a couple of hours before my West Coast Swing class, I get a like from an Agent.

*Insert internal screams here*

After a few more moments of freaking out, I put on my focus goggles and start researching this guy like crazy.

I like what I find, so I send over my query, and I'm so nervous that I forget to mention word count and genre.

The next day at work, I accidentally open my email and find this:









More freaking out:

At some point I decide to get my crap together and send over the requested MS.
And now, here I am, waiting.

I'm so, so nervous. I'm nervous and excited. I've got all my fingers and toes crossed and God is probably tired of hearing my prayers.

Even if he decides to eventually pass, I'm just happy I've gotten this far.

So here I am, writing friends, I've entered another realm of waiting.

Wish me luck.

The Year of Beauty and Chaos

 Somewhere between beauty and chaos there is existence. 

The seasons change rapidly, the sun runs to meet the moon, and the stars chase the hills as the earth rotates.

In the midst of that, there's me
Little ol' me.
The rambunctious me, the sad me, the overly-excited me, the constantly changing me.

There's the me that wants to write until the flowers crumble and the snow comes, and then there's that side of me that can't do anything but watch a Netflix series I've seen three times.

There's the me that wants to write this blog, and then there's the me that wants to be the best dancer in the world.

There's the me that sings in the bathroom with an acoustic to my chest, and there's the me that wants to crawl into my bed and sleep all day.

There are so many sides to me, so many different talents, so many dreams--and somehow all of that has lead me back here, to the start of my writing phenomenon, to the beginning of my beginning, to my writing daze.

Here, I welcome you all back into my life as I try, again, to enter the writing world.
I will warn you, writing friends, it is tough.
I've sent more queries out, I've tackled a synopsis, and I've even checked out more writing venues.
I have failed and failed and failed in hopes to help writers--like us--who won't give up.

I hope that you all follow me on this new journey.

If any of you are interested in my recent novel (I'll post a query soon), I've posted a few chapters on Wattpad.
If any of you are interested in being a beta/critique reader contact me through email or in a comment below.

To all of you going through seasons of writing, I'm pouring my luck out to you.

Until next time, writing friends.

A Maddening Sabbatical

Dear Writing Friends:

Is it too soon to say how much I love all of you?

Ha, but seriously.

Even with my absence of blogposts, I've felt a sincere adoration from those of you who have taken time to comment on a post with a question, or to compliment my writing--or even those of you who send emails! (I love emails!)

I've always been honest with all of you, and the truth is that I've mistakenly placed myself on a sabbatical (is that even a thing for writers?)

School is seriously hectic. Graduation is etching so close, and with life pressing in on every side, I can't find enough time to write a decent post.

My book, Rubatosis, is complete and is going through many rough drafts and edits by my dear friends, including the awesome Kayla Dean who I met on here, and who is also an amazing writer and literary friend--check out her blog! (And also, shout out to you for being so astounding!)

Y'all, I am ridiculously stoked about Rubatosis, and I can't wait to share more with you. I will say, however, the query editing process is CRAZY. I've been having to go through old blog posts I've written about queries--I'm basically relearning how to write a query, and it's maddening. (Note to self: never stop writing/reading queries.)

I'm also excited about the many new agents I've come across, and you can bet I'll be writing about them on here.

Until then, hold on tight, accept my awkward GIF hug, and know that my sabbatical will end soon!

Writing with Depression and Anxiety

I don't know if I've ever told the blog this, but I have anxiety and depression. 

Fact: I've never been diagnosed by a doctor. Fact: I know myself well enough to describe how I feel. 

Medically, Anxiety is described as a nervous disorder characterized by a state of excessive uneasiness and apprehension, typically with compulsive behavior. (Trust me, I've had my fair share of compulsive regrets.)

And Depression is described as a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and hopelessness as well as a lost in interest. 

Together, the two of these can create an explosion of chaos within each other. It's like mixing two great colors together but constantly getting brown. It's somewhat frustrating. 

The thing about the two of these mental illnesses within myself is that sometimes I feel more anxiety than I feel depression, and sometimes I can't pinpoint why I feel the way I do--like why I'm happy now, but how I can be stuck in a mood two days from now.

Though I've sought help for these problems, I've found that writing is a saving grace. I wish I could thoroughly explain how writing makes me feel--the endorphins that are released--but I can't. I wish I could sit inside of your chest, so I could simply show you because I know it'd be easier that way.

But writing literally opens me up in a way that's terrifyingly beautiful--like crazy beautiful. I mean, have you ever written while in a mood? You get some psychotic scenarios, but you also get really extravagant ones, and you wonder how the hell that happened, but then you end up with an entire chapter based off one sentence.

It's completely magical.

This post isn't particularly special, but I felt the need to share my experience on writing with depression and anxiety, and how having a mental illness doesn't have to hinder you or your dreams.

Honestly, I bet you could reach the stars if you wanted to.

Here's a clip of writing from my latest manuscript, Rubatosis. Every aspect of this book is covered with my inner problems, and I'm okay with that. Everyone should be.

"She watched the sun in the distance, fading west, and she took note of how it touched every surface. Nothing was left behind, not even her eyes. It was all these small things, and she wanted to cry. Was it that bad, she thought. Was it so, so very bad that she couldn’t see? Maybe this place really did hold the key that drove people mad, and all it took was a turn and one small thing. The past moments mimicked a kaleidoscope in her head, and what she realized was that she wanted to spend this time with Noah, and she set off to find him.
Ila walked to his shack, still pressing her arms against her abdomen, and she didn’t knock when she entered the dimly lit room. Noah acknowledged her presence. He was seated on a rocking chair in the corner with his guitar in hand. He played a gentle melody, and the tune echoed against the walls and vibrated in her ears. The chord progression he chose mimicked the wings of a bird in flight, and he picked the strings intricately before he began to sing. Then he closed his eyes as the words of the song took him away to a place of serenity and heartache.
Ila sat on the ground before him, legs crossed, and she studied the shadows in his face. His eyelashes laced together; his uneven lips opening and parting to the lyrics, and his facial expressions slightly changing with the chords. She could tell that his passion for music was fueled by the brokenness inside of him, and it was one of the best things she’d ever witnessed. In this moment, he was more of the moon than he’d ever been, shining so brightly in this darkness they’d created. She had a hard time fathoming how he existed in her world. Up to this point, she had heard him sing multiple songs, but she still hadn’t grown tired of it. She was obsessed with his voice and the power behind it.
Noah rocked in his chair, moving to the tempo, and the song went on for minutes. They didn’t speak. He didn’t open his eyes, and he was relieved that he didn’t have to answer her question to where he had been the last few days. After all, there was no such a thing as a good lie."

Till next time.

WANTED: Beta and Critique Readers

Friends, I've done it. I'VE COMPLETED THE MANUSCRIPT. 
(Refer to previous blog post where I sign my name in blood and make promises, here.)

What this simply means is that I need you. I need everyone's help. 

I am in search for a few beta readers and critique readers to help perfect my manuscript so that I can begin the agenting/query process. 

If you've ever been in search of an agent, then you know exactly where I'm coming from. 

Here are the basics: 

Beta Readers: I need beta readers for content of the manuscript and feedback. Does the manuscript hold a solid theme that prevails to the end? Do the characters develop in a correct manner? Could you relate to the characters in a way that would make you want to purchase the book?

Critique Readers: I need two critique readers who love dealing with grammar. I'll admit, I haven't been too particular with comma placements in this first draft, and you'll probably find a homophone or two. But that's why I need you. Along with grammar, feel free to judge the content too. Every little bit helps. 

The novel is about 54,000 words--give or take. Though I haven't started the query process, here is a rough overview of the story, Rubatosis: 

At ten-years-old, Noah Dean Turner learns that he has a disorder with his heart. The sound is more of a tripled thud-thud-fail than a resounding steady drum. Paralyzed by this new truth, Noah becomes determined to find the missing piece of logic in the world. He wants to know if his life, and everything in it, amounts up to anything at all.

 By Eighteen, Noah has collected over one hundred books. The words and characters stain his brain, morphing him into a boy with a knack for music, an interest for birds, and a deep addiction to literature.

 Quickly, Noah discovers that many of the books he’s read relates to the people he knows, so he labels them, giving them stories that play out in their actual life. But after an unfortunate series of events followed by the death of his granddad and living with his promiscuous aunt, Noah sets out to discover his own story. By chance, he comes upon Camp Neodesha, a retreat center where many people go for solace, but where Noah is slowly going mad.

 Then Noah meets a writer. From her one green eye to her one brown, Noah doesn’t understand how she makes sense in the world he’s created for himself. Worse than that, however, is that Noah can’t seem to figure her out; he can’t place a story on her that he’s already read. His desire to unveil her only brings him closer to her, but Noah knows that he is fatal. He is a ticking time bomb, and at any moment, he feels his heart could literally beat right out of his chest.

It is best to contact me here: http://agentqueryconnect.com/index.php?/topic/33765-chapter-by-chapter-swaps-rubatosis/ 

But if you don't have an Agent Query account, feel free to leave a comment below or fill out a "Contact Me Form" in the right column.

I'm really excited about this, friends.

Wish me luck as I push onward.

Warmest Regards,

Britney

Rubatosis: The Unveiling

If you follow my blog at all, you are well aware by now that I am knee-deep into a new manuscript.

This, ladies and gents, is the unveiling of it.  

But really, this is nothing new. I've had the characters in mind for a year now. I've actually written them into two other stories, before this one, and then deleted it. 

I was struggling, bad, but I was so in love with my characters--Noah specifically--that I wanted to make it work. I knew I had a story for him. So March of this year, I was finally able to figure that story out, and in about a week, I finished the synopsis. 

Then, something weird happened. 

And when I say weird, I mean weirder than that girl showing off her dance moves to the Frankenstein-looking guy in the GIF above. 

I met the main character of my book. 

Yeah, go ahead and re-read that sentence above, people! I freaking MET the MAIN CHARACTER of MY book! How bizarre is that?!?!

Let me explain as thoroughly as I can. 

A year ago I produced the idea of my character, Noah. (I had previously named him Theo--meaning God's gift--but it was super corny so I changed it.) The first image I'd ever had of Noah was that of him sitting on the porch of a small farmhouse, watching a swarm of birds fly by, they were migrating south. I was so intrigued by this character that I immediately wrote down everything I knew about him. For example, I knew that Noah was interested in birds. He was curious about them, and he wanted to know why they did what they did. I knew that Noah was an adventurer because of it--he's an explorer of many things--he likes to learn. I knew that Noah could sing and play the guitar, and along with that, I knew that he had a deep love for books. He collects them, and he spends most of his time reading them. He actually connects with them so much that he is able to relate the stories he's read to the people he's encountered in real life. Deeper than that, though, I knew that Noah was broken. At a young age, he had already experienced so much life, more than anyone he knew, and it made him rough around the edges--a depressive by nature. I also knew that Noah was a lover, and a genuine guy just trying to figure out what life entails. But there was one thing I knew about Noah that would carry the theme of the entire book: he has a condition with his heart that causes it to beat two times too fast. It's how I got the title. When rubatosis is defined, it means, the unsettling awareness of one's own heartbeat. 

Perfect, right?

And then I met . . . we'll call him Jo.*

Before I met him, I was already warned that this Jo character had a mild obsession with birds. In fact, that's all I knew about him for a couple of weeks, and, to be quite honest, I didn't think anything of it. When I met him at the church camp I interned with this summer (yes, this is the one from last summer as well,) I knew that Jo and Noah were very similar . . . and this was after he explained to me how birds reproduce. I didn't realize it all at once--though there was a turning point when I was like, "what the hell? Is this actually happening right now?" 

Here's a timeline of things: 

*note: I've already had Noah written out for about nine months up until this point. 

Three weeks into the summer: Jo and I become friends. He's reading this book to me about science (He's an Environmental Bio major,) and about half an hour into it, and after he's already asked, "are you sure you want me to keep reading out loud? I could do this all day, but I don't want to annoy you," about a thousand times, I find myself wondering if, in fact, he could do it all day. So I ask him, and for some reason that I can't remember, he takes me to the trunk of his car. When he opens it, inside lies a little more than fifty books spilling from this old duffel bag. There was probably more. He told me that he had plans of reading all of them this summer. That he just really liked reading. That day I remember quoting, "You remind me of my book character." To this he said, "Are you writing about me?" My response: "Yeah. I guess I am." 

A few days later: He walks into the dining hall and starts playing his guitar. He was good from what I could tell. Then he began to sing, and I about lost it. The kid is freaking amazing. Like, go record an album immediately, amazing. 

Sometime in the middle of the summer: At this point, I've known Jo for awhile, and I gather that he's a very passionate, very thorough, person. I also learn that, like Noah, he's endured a lot of heartaches in his life. Because of it, it's changed his perception on how he views people and the outside world. 

Toward the end of summer: Now, this is the part that baffled me the most. I'm in the kitchen, yappin' about something unimportant, and out of nowhere, Jo says, "Yeah, I have a heart condition." He tells me that as a child, he went to get it checked out multiple times, but at some point he got tired of it. He learned that he had an abnormal heartbeat, and I'm pretty sure he was so nonchalant about the whole thing he said something along the lines of: "If I die, I die."

I was so freaked out about everything that I about died. Literally, right there. And I tried to tell him that he was Noah, but he didn't understand. 

Then I tried to tell anyone who would listen to me. I felt like I was going crazy, and I needed to process what was happening. 

People understood, but they didn't. Not really: I met a character that I made up in my head. These things don't happen often--if, ever. As I'm writing this, I'm still completely baffled. Noah is so real, I can touch him. I can touch him and know that every good and bad thing about him resides in my friend, Jo. How is this possible?

And besides some of the obvious facts, there were many other similarities that made them alike, even down to the exact, same, complicated eye color. I told myself that if I didn't finish this book, then I was a literal idiot. God had somehow allowed me to spend the entire summer with my book character, and if I didn't use those experiences, I'd just be wasting myself. (God's gift, huh?)

So here I am, about two months later and about three hours into writing this, swearing to whoever is reading this, and to the world, that I will finish this book, this year, by December. I will do whatever it takes--even if that means writing one thousand words each week. EVEN if that means that I have to sacrifice sleep, chocolate, and boys. 

It will be done. This is a promise. 

To conclude this very long, drastic and dramatic blog post, I will sign my name in blood (not really, that's completely impossible.) 

Here goes:

I solemnly swear to abide by all promises listed above--yes, even the one about giving up boys,

Britney S. Lewis

Music and Writing

After receiving some encouraging words, and a little heartache, I'm back at it again--I'm writing!

There is hope for this book to see the end.

The advice my writing friends gave me summed up to this: Just write something, even if you don't like it. 

So I did, for awhile, and they were right--the juices came back. 

But anyway, today's blog post is about music and writing. 

I noticed that I am substantially inspired by music when it comes to my writing. Anything with an acoustic guitar, minors, and a voice with soul, seems to pull all the great words and scenes out of me. 

I don't know what it does to me, but it makes me feel . . . . it makes me feel a lot. So much so that I have to listen to that song over and over again so that I can create those feelings. 

This new book I'm writing, I think I'll call it Rubatosis, retains most of it's scenes from songs that have inspired me. I had a friend ask me the other day, "How do you translate a song into a scene?"

Here's my response: You have to take the essence of it--the throbbing, the tempo, the chords--force it into your heart, and translate those words into scenes.

So this is what I've been doing. 

Most of the music I've been listening to has been written or covered. I've also been listening to a lot of Ray LaMontagne and Ed Sheran a whole heck of a lot. 

There are two songs, in particular, that got me through writing as well. 

Never Think

Let Me Sign

Well, that's it for this post! I hope some of this music makes you inspired as well! 

What do you listen to to promote inspiration? 

In my next blog post, I'll be talking more about Rubatosis, and hopefully, I can finish up some series: How Writers Made It Big, and Writing in the Twenty-First Century. 

Till Next Time!