PIVOT--THE LIFE OF AN AUTHOR

 Pivot (verb): to adapt or improve by adjusting or modifying something (such as a product, service, or strategy)

An author never knows when words will flow or when writing the next sentence will be an exercise in pulling dandelions. When you're "in the flow," it's great. Pulling dandelions, not so much. Many times, that's when you have to pivot.

In January, I was 26,000 words into a new manuscript, rolling right along toward my mirror moment at 40,000 words with the book set at a unique place. I’m in my happy zone because everything is falling into place…

Then I check my email and find an email from the unique place denying my request to set the book there. It seems murder and violence do not fit with their mission statement. Gulp. Major setback and problems since my deadline is March 16.

Pivot time. 

Should I create a setting similar to the unique one? Or scrap the idea altogether? And why didn't I send the request before I wrote 26,000 words? And how was I going to meet my deadline? All good questions that I set out to answer. 

First, I did contact the unique place about setting my book there, and their answer was lost in cyberspace. Thankfully, when I asked again about a month ago, and the PR person got back to me, it wasn't lost.

I contacted my editor, and we set up a Zoom meeting for a couple of days later. Immediately, I took time to pray and ask God for guidance before starting to brainstorm. Then I took out a blank sheet of artist paper--hey, it works for artists--and came up with a plausible plot line that my editor loved when we met, but it would take major revision on what I'd written. She extended my deadline to September 7, and I got to work.

That's how this author adapted when an unexpected challenge threw a monkey wrench in my writing path. It seems that making these changes will be harder than I initially thought, so every extra day of my extended deadline will come in handy. I'll also spend a lot of time talking to God...at least I'm really enjoying the story!

How about you? How do you pivot when faced with a challenge? Leave a comment, and I'll enter you in a drawing for a mug to enjoy your favorite beverage in.

Top three annoying qualities of writers!

Howdy, all. Dana Mentink here. I think I have to just confess up front that I possess many annoying qualities, but some of them happen to come in very handy for writing fiction! I'm going to tell you the top three below. Comments today will get you entered to win a Kindle copy of Dangerous Tidings, the first of a four book detective series. 

#1: Nosiness! Oh dear. It's just not polite to be interested in things that don't have anything to do with oneself, but golly! People's lives are so fascinating! I cannot help myself when I hear someone talking about their encounter with a bear on the trail or a crazy incident at the airport. "Mind your own business, Dana," I tell myself, but I find it hard to resist listening in on colorful moments that may just influence that scene or character that I'm writing. Sigh. So rude, yet very helpful for writers!

#2: Daydreaming! This has gotten me into trouble for sure. I'm a third grade teacher in addition to my writing life and...well....there are times during those long meetings when I have drifted off to imagination land, wondering what would happen if a feral cat suddenly ran through the meeting room. I can usually jump back into a conversation after I have gone off to la-la land, but it's not very kind, nor considerate for the person I'm talking to. "Work on that, Dana. Your fiction life can wait."

#3: Obsessing about words! There are certain things that just drive a writer bonkers. Everyone has theirs, of course. Perhaps it is the misuse of  'their, they're and there.' For me, one of my hot buttons is that horrible "funnest." That's just not grammatically correct, yet I see it all over the place. I feel the need to point out to the person next to me the mistake even though they don't care a bit. You see? That can be super annoying, but it comes in handy when words are your business.

Do you have any qualities that serve you well in life or your job? Would love to hear from you! 

  Dangerous Tidings, book #1, a Holt Medallion Winner