Day in the Life of author Schledia Benefield

Day in the Life of author Schledia Benefield

Thanks, Ali, for inviting me to share what a day in my life is all about. My days vary due to my job at the middle school, as well as where I’m at in the writing process, so I will share a typical workday in the midst of writing a novel. FAIR WARNING…my days are kind of boring, but they are busy!

While I’m working on a project, I wake up between four and four-thirty a.m. Most days, my husband makes the coffee and wakes me up to a nice, hot cup, but if he happens to be running behind on getting ready for work, I make the coffee and bring him a cup. I sit down at my laptop with my coffee in hand and quickly re-read the previous chapter I had written and go over the chapter summary for the chapter I intend to start that day. 

Author Tips from Author Sydney Logan

So today I have a great author feature for you from author Sydney Logan.  I am very excited about this post and hope you all enjoy it!! 

Writing Tips for New Authors

Guest Post by Sydney Logan

I have written several of these “writing advice for authors” posts since releasing my debut novel in September 2012. With each new post, I’ve tried to find new ideas to share. This isn’t difficult, because I’m constantly researching and trying different things, all in hopes of writing the best story and marketing it to the masses.

The most amazing (and admittedly frustrating) discovery I’ve made is that there is no perfect recipe for writing and promoting a book. What works for one author may not work for another. I know authors (like me) who like to cross-promote with other authors. I know others who believe the secret to their success is a faithful Twitter following. I also know many writers who hardly promote at all and still become bestselling authors.

Here are a few things that I have found useful when it comes to writing and marketing:

Have a Plan – I’m not an outliner, but I do have a general plan when I sit down to write. I found this character chart which has helped me in the past. It makes me really think about my characters’ traits (both physical and emotional). This chart is very thorough and I don’t fill-in every blank, but I wanted to share it with you because it can be useful in keeping you and your characters on track. It was designed by author Tricia Goyer and can be found on her website at http://www.triciagoyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/CharacterSheet1.pdf
What’s in a Name? – I have a love/hate relationship with naming my characters. Because both my novels are set in Appalachia, I try to choose names (first and last) that are representative of the region. I use old high school yearbooks and newspaper articles. I also use online sites like Baby Name Genie (www.babynamegenie.com) to help me choose the perfect name.
Writing is a Business – This has been my biggest eye-opener. I thought signing a contract with a publisher would mean that I could write my books and someone else would handle the marketing side of things. Wrong. As the author, you are expected to do the majority of your own marketing and promotion. This, obviously, cuts into valuable writing time. Which brings me to . . .
Finding a Balance – You have to budget your time. Assign so many minutes/hours per week to promoting your work, and try to stick to it. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself doing more tweeting than writing, and that will ensure that you miss your upcoming deadline.
Social Media - I love social media, but there are only so many hours in the day. One piece of advice I received was to pick two or three social media sites and really focus on them. For me, keeping a steady presence on my blog, Facebook, and Twitter has helped me build an audience and keeps me connected to readers.
Make Friends – There are a lot of independent authors out there, and many of them would be happy to connect with you to help you cross-promote. I belong to a wonderful group called Author2Author. We’re a group of authors who help each other by hosting each other on our blogs, promoting each other’s giveaways, and offering advice when needed.

These are just a few of the things that have worked for me. There is no secret formula. There is no “right” way. Don’t be afraid to try new things, and try not to be disappointed when they don’t work. Find what works for you.


Thank you so much Sydney for giving us some great tips and for being on the blog today.   

Sydney Logan is an Amazon bestselling author and holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. With the 2012 release of her first novel, Lessons Learned, she made the transition from bookworm to author. Sydney has a very unhealthy obsession with music, and her iPod is filled with everything from Johnny Cash to Eminem. She is also the author of two short stories: “Mistletoe Magic,” available exclusively on Amazon Kindle, and “Stupid Cupid,” which is featured in the Romantic Interludes compilation. When she isn't reading or writing, she enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her front porch at her home in East Tennessee with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat. Her second novel, Mountain Charm, will be released July 4, 2013.

Author Feature: Day in the Life of Dianne Gardner

So today I have a great author feature to share with you, Day in the Life of Author Dianne Gardner.  Enjoy

A day in the life

I try to keep my days simple. It’s an odd feeling, this desire to just stay home and write. I seem to be basing my entire day’s activity around those precious moments I can sit at the computer and pound on the keys, pouring my heart into the story I’m writing.

At this time in our life, my husband is home from work due to an accident. It’s a temporary disability and he expects to return back to his job this summer. We’ve had to make some adjustments with his being home. One of them, of course is the amount of time I spend at the computer. But we’re getting used to being around each other constantly. It’s probably been harder on him. As much as I love being social, I love being a hermit more. So my husband having to live with a hermit has to be hard on him!

Author Feature: Day in the Life of D.A. Adams

So today, I am super excited to have the author of The Brotherhood of Dwaves series with us to tell us a little bit about how his day goes.  I love what he's done with this post and can't wait to share it with you all.  So please Enjoy!!!

Day in the Life of author D.A. Adams

Science has long pondered how creativity occurs within the human brain. The persistent question remains whether it is a product of higher level thinking or a form of mental disease. To find answers, author D.A. Adams was observed last summer as he wrote the manuscript for Between Dark and Light, book four of The Brotherhood of Dwarves series. The following is a summary of one anthropologist’s recordings of the daily life of a creative person’s activities:

Day 1, Week 1

Subject appeared enthusiastic and energetic as day began. Breakfast and coffee in morning, followed by full day of outdoor activity. Social activity appeared normal. After shower and supper, subject began writing at 10:05 PM. First thirty minutes appeared to be prolonged period of procrastination. Once actual work began, subject wrote for three hours uninterrupted and seemed pleased by productivity. At 3:30 AM, subject drifted off to sleep.

Day 5, Week 1

Subject remains enthusiastic about project. Morning ritual of breakfast and coffee remained intact, followed by outdoor labor, which seemed to invigorate subject. Procrastination period began at 10:04 PM, within the week’s norm. Subject still seemed pleased with three hour productivity and was asleep by 3:15 AM.

Author Feature: Day in the Life of Anita Hughes

I'm so excited about today's guest on the blog.  Today I have Anita Hughes sharing what day in her life is like with us.  I hope you all enjoy this great post. 

 A Day In the Life by Anita Hughes

     My son used to laugh and say I lived my whole without leaving my freeway exit. I like routine and am generally perfectly happy with a day plotted like a geometric shape: drive the children from points A to B, shop for groceries at point C, drive to after school activities at points D and E, and then home to begin the same routine all over again.

Guest Post: Day in the Life of author Ally Malinenko

So as you all know, Day in the Life is a Author Feature here on Ali's Bookshelf and today I have author Ally Malinenko to share with you what her day is like.  Enjoy!

The alarm goes off at 5 am. No wait, that’s not right. It’s before 5 am. My husband nudges me and I murmur five more minutes, please, just five more minutes burying my head under the blanket. Then June, the tabby cat, starts crying. And not your usual meows – these are ear splitting, I’m-dying-give-me-food-now-you-puny-humans sort of cries. Really intense End of the World Ragnarok sort of stuff.

            We stumble up and out of bed. Coffee on. Teapot on. Cat fed. Pee. Computer on. Radio on to classical station. Teapot whistles – oh teapot why must you be so loud! Out damned teapot! Out!

            Then I sit in my closet (literally) and write. Sometimes I write poems or stories, provided I managed to think of an idea since yesterday morning. Most times I go back to the current novel. I read through yesterday’s writing. June comes in. She climbs into the empty comic book box on the floor and curls up to sleep. Good. This lasts seventeen seconds. Then she’s trying to climb into my lap. I give in, reading through yesterday’s writing. She stands on my lap and meows at me. I bend my arms around her to rewrite stuff and wonder how one person can switch tenses that quickly. I catch typos. I fix them. 

Author Feature: Day in the Life of Bee Ridgway

So today I have Author Bee Ridgway to share her day with us and showcase what its like being her as an author.  

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF BEE RIDGWAY

I'm going to tell you about a great writing day, because my days are divided into writing days and non-writing days.  Non-writing days involve boring things like keeping body and soul together, and who wants to read about that?  Writing days are the best kind of day in the world.  The decks are clear, the email is turned off, the phone is on silent: there’s only me and my computer and my writing chair.

I wake up, knowing that I have a whole day ahead of me in which to write.  I lie in bed for a little while, luxuriating in the immediate future.  Then I put on my snuggliest pajamas (I have three pairs of flannel pajamas and two pairs of cotton . . . I love pajamas!).  On really good days my breakfast is an avocado sliced up on a piece of toast, with lemon and a bit of red pepper and lots of salt.  I know that sounds un-breakfasty, but try it!  And of course, a big cup of strong coffee.  Coffee . . . I wouldn’t be human without it. 

Author Feature: Day in the Life of author Herika R. Raymer

So today we have another great author feature, author Herika R. Raymer is here to share what her day is like.  Thanks so much Herika for sharing your day with us today!

Day In The Life Post

My days usually start around 5:45am, and not because of an alarm but usually because my little girl wants to crawl in bed beside me that early. It is her ritual to wake me up before my alarm for work. I cherish it, because I know that she and her brother will soon be too old to want Mommy around. Too soon, my alarm goes off and she and I have breakfast together before I leave for my day-job.

Author Feature: How Do I Do What I Do with author Kim Smith

Today we have our Author Feature called How Do I Do What I Do.  This is a feature where authors can chat about well basically anything about writing.  I love these features.  Today we have author Kim Smith with us to chat about writing.

Writing: How I Do What I Do

I would hate for readers to think writing a novel is a simple task. It isn't. 

It is one of the toughest things I have ever had to do. I mean, it requires a devotion of your time. Long chunks of it. It requires a huge bit of your mind, and I do mean HUGE. You cannot sit down to write without having time to do it properly and you absolutely need to be in the mindset to create. That's the first bit of advice I would give to you, dear friend. Get in the mindset, and sit down and don't get back up until you have begun a work that is worthy of carrying your name. Oh yeah. That is a little important too. When I do what I do, I want something to be worthy of having my name on the cover. I want to be proud of what I have done. But that is only if you are writing to be published, and in today's world of indie publishing, who isn't? That's another thing: why not publish? Well, for one thing, it may be something that isn't ready yet. Or it could be a private manifesto that really has no mass market value. That isn't to say that it is wrong to write the story of your heart, but only that not everyone will be interested in reading it.

Author Feature: Day In The Life of Joanne Kershaw

Alright, I have another great Author feature post for you.  Today I have Author Joanne Kershaw sharing what her day is like.  Enjoy!!!

My name is Joanne Kershaw and I’m addicted to my crazy life.

I am a full time mother of four children (aged 10, 8, 5 and 3), a full time teacher and a soon-to-be published author with Xchyler Publishing. ‘How do you do all that?’ I hear you ask. This is how:

Monday morning.

6:30am           Alarm goes off. Dreadful tinny music on a badly tuned radio. Hit snooze.

6:40am           Alarm goes off. Music is now an advert for double glazing. Hit snooze.

6:50am           Alarm goes off again. This time Only Son—aged five—who has crawled into bed with me, offers to turn it off for me. So this time, he hits snooze.

7:04am           Daughter Number One, aged ten, sticks her head round the bedroom door and says, rather pointedly, “We’re all going to be late, don’t you think you should get up?” I send Only Son to get dressed. I allow myself a few more minutes.

Author Feature: Day In The Life of a Writer

Today I am very excited to post the first New Author Feature here on the blog.  Today we have Day in the Life of a Writer with author K.J. Dahlen.  Thanks so much for joining us today and sharing this great guest post, letting us get a glimpse into your life!

A day in the life of a writer…

Where to start, like anything at the beginning…

My day starts at around 4:30 am when my alarm clock goes off. After so long of getting up at that time of the day my body always gets me up that early whether I want to or not. The first thing on my mind is coffee. As the hot chicory blend fills the air with its sweet aroma my mind wakes up and I escape into another world for at least a little while.

I have several stories on my plate at the moment so it’s hard to pick the one I’ll be working on today. Mentally I go through where I am in the stories I have going and perhaps I’ll get inspired to pick up where I left off. Then something catches my interest and I know I’m off and running.

New Author Features Here on Ali's Bookshelf

So this year I really want to feature more authors right here on the blog.  I know I have Ali Talks Live where I featured over 20 authors last year, but I really want to post more guest posts here on the blog.  So this year I have come up with some amazing topics and I will be posting them hopefully, every week. 

So what are the topics you might ask, well take a look below to find out more.  If you are an author and would like to be on the list and write a guest post on one of these topics, please click on the links below, fill out the form, and I will make sure you get on the list.  Thanks so much!

To sign up for any of my new features for authors please fill out this form: CLICK HERE!

Author Features

 

This feature is a guest post feature where the author will talk about her day, when she or he writes, the life of an author.  It gives us readers a glimpse into how it really is for our favorite authors out there.  

 

This feature is another guest post where the author will talk about writing, anything that has to do with writing.  I love these kinds of posts and can't wait to post them.