Featured Writer on Wellness: Beth Carpenter

Being a writer isn’t about fame and fortune, at least not for most of us.

And it’s not easy. Probably the hardest part for me is the lack of validation in any timely fashion.

Nobody Pats a Writer on the Back

When I worked in an office, I got regular feedback. But as a writer, I’m putting words on paper every darn day, and nobody pats me on the back or thanks me. Eventually, the story gets finished, and then published, and if I’m very lucky, a few of the people who read it will leave a review.

That’s a lot of work for, “Good read. I enjoyed it.” And there’s always the chance of a review like, “This is very poor writing” in all caps. I know many writers don’t read their own reviews because they’ve been devastated by bad ones, but I don’t feel that way. I read the reviews because my stories share some something that’s important to me and I want to connect with readers who get it. Some won’t, and that’s okay.

Writers: Learn to Motivate Yourself

Since I can’t count on outside motivation, I’ve learned to motivate myself. Each day when I put more words on the paper, I calculate the percentage of the book I’ve written, and as it grows, I feel a sense of accomplishment.

I’m one of those writers who slogs through the rough draft and delights in revising and editing, so my reward for finishing the draft is built in. I try to make each book better than the one before.

A Fitbit Reminds Me to Get Up and Move!

Physically, sitting in a chair too long means I’m stiff when I get up. And if I get caught up in the story, I might not drink enough water, and that leads to all sorts of problems.

So, I’ve made it a point to stand, drink, and walk around the room at regular intervals. I confess, my tendency has always been toward inactivity. I use a Fitbit now to remind me if I haven’t moved enough each day. At first, I was discouraged by how many days I didn’t meet my goal, but I shifted to an achievable goal and started to build from there. I’ve gotten in more steps every month since.

Alaska Inspires a Writer to Get Outside

My stories are about Alaska and feature the outdoors. I’m not nearly as fit and active as my characters, but writing accuracy encourages me to hike in Kincaid Park, or walk along around the square in downtown Anchorage, or at the very least take a few laps around the pond in my neighborhood park where I can admire the Chugach mountains and see wildlife.

It also inspires field trips like a visit to the Reindeer Farm in Palmer, watching the Iditarod start, and viewing the Fur Rondy snow sculptures.

This helps me set the scenes in my stories, but I still have to come up with the plots. Creativity is one of those nebulous things that flies away if I hold on tight. I’ve found I have the best ideas either when I’m in the bathtub or lying in bed just after I wake up. It’s a chance for my mind to roam.

It’s Tough When Your Agent Can’t Sell Your Book

Like almost all writers, I’ve had many rejections along the way. I think the hardest was when my manuscript landed an agent, but she wasn’t able to sell it for publication. I really liked that story.

I still have hopes that I’ll be able to revise it and get it published someday. I went through three or four more rejections before I finally got the call—on my son’s birthday—that they wanted to publish my first two books, and the Northern Lights series was born! The third comes out in July, the fourth next January, and I’m writing number five right now.

How Crafting a Story is Like Working an Intricate Puzzle

Why write? It’s hard to explain. I grew up on a farm, far away from neighbors, and I’ve always been a voracious reader. When my children got to high school and didn’t demand as much of my time, I decided the time had come to try my hand at producing those stories I loved to read.

And I found I like the challenge. I like getting to know the characters, getting them into tricky situations, and helping them learn and grow to find their way out of those situations to earn their happiness.

I’ve always liked puzzles, and I think crafting a story is a lot like working an intricate puzzle. I love it. Not every day, of course. Some days, it seems like I’m plodding through mud, but eventually I get that first draft finished and I get to revise and polish and play with the story until it’s just right.

And then I get to share a piece of my heart with the world.

Advice for a Young Writer: Just Write

I’ve learned so much since I first decided to try my hand at writing, let’s see, about twelve years ago, but the best advice I’ve heard is simply “write.”

Writing improves with practice. Just like shooting free throws, we keep throwing those words on the page, and we get better and better at hitting the target. And like in free throws, a little coaching can make a huge difference. I have several writing guides I treasure.

The best advice I can give is: write, revise, repeat.

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Beth Carpenter is thankful for good books, a good dog, a good man, and a dream job creating happily-ever-afters. She and her husband now split their time between Alaska and Arizona, where she occasionally encounters a moose in the yard or a scorpion in the basement. She prefers the moose.

For more information on Beth and her work, please see her website, or connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

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It’s impossible not to be moved by this wild, breathtaking state, even if Dana’s no closer to finding the answers she came here for.

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Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever books are sold.