I am by nature an eternally optimistic person, and I believe this has served me well as an author.
That optimism, combined with my dogged determination to finish things I’ve started, seems to be the perfect storm for getting books written.
So while I have had my low points as an author, they do not last long; I bounce back quickly from set-backs, take rejection in stride, and can balance life/work/family obligations reasonably well.
That doesn’t mean I haven’t struggled, however. There have certainly been times when a near-miss (whether with an agent or with a publisher) hits home harder than others, and I’ve had to let myself have a good cry and pick myself up the next day with a new determination.
I Trained Myself Not to Let Rejection Get Me Down
I trained myself early on to be inured to rejection.
When I was querying agents, I would send out an initial batch, and then every time a rejection came back I would allow myself to query a new agent.
So each closed door opened a new door.
I also have a few close writer friends who let me vent about my let-downs and disappointments and who boost me if I ever feel low.
Exercise is also a major part of my life, and a huge stress reliever for me. No matter how busy I am, I try to make time every day for jogging or lifting weights or doing an exercise video in my living room.
What I Do About Writing-Related Neck Pain
I tend to write while sitting (well, lounging) on a chaise lounge, and it doesn’t afford me the best posture, which can lead to neck pain.
I give myself frequent breaks and, if I know I’m going to be writing for a long period of time, will try to switch up where I write; sitting properly at the dining room table, curled up on my kids’ bunkbeds, etc.
I also have a desk-attachment that I can attach to my treadmill or my spin bike and have written on my laptop while exercising on days when I’m too busy (or too taught caught up in my story!) to stop writing/editing.
The Top Three Mistakes I Find Myself Correcting in Writer’s Work
1. Using impossible verbs as dialogue tags.
Ex: “I know what you mean,” she grinned.
One cannot “grin” a word.
Dialogue tags should only be verbs that are literal speech (shouted, whispered, or, preferably, good old said).
Instead, of using grinned as a dialogue tag, the line should just be broken up into two sentences: “I know what you mean.” She grinned.
2. Mixing it up when referring to characters.
Authors often have a tendency to try to “mix it up” when they are referring to characters.
For example, calling a character by first name, last name, full name, occupational title, nickname, etc. just to keep from saying “said Alex” every time.
If a character’s name is Dr. Elizabeth Ward, the author might sometimes call her Dr. Ward, the Doctor, Elizabeth, Betsy, Ward, Mrs. Ward, etc.
There’s no need to mix it up like this, and it will only confuse the reader.
3. Proportion.
In other words, allotting appropriate space on the page to concepts, characters, etc.
If a reader is given the full name and physical description of a character, they are going to assume the character has some level of importance.
If that character never shows up again in the story, the reader may feel disappointed or misled.
The opposite is true, too; if a scene/character/object is particularly important to the plot, the author needs to spend enough space on the page to give it weight.
What Do Writers Miss When Writing Queries?
A concise enough (without being ridiculously specific) genre, and good comps that are the same genre and age-category as the book being queried.
Often writers will have a YA comp, but they are pitching an adult novel; this gives agents the impression they don’t know the market well enough.
How I Fit Writing Into My Busy Life
My primary writing time has always been after my children go to bed.
I like to settle down with a glass of wine and get in some writing before I get too sleepy.
I add in more writing time throughout the day as my schedule allows (usually just in 30 min bursts or so), and I try to meet up at a coffee shop with my writer’s club about once a week.
I’ve learned to steal time wherever I can find it, and spend non-writing time (while in the shower, driving, etc.) thinking and brainstorming about my current WIP.
Advice for a Young Writer: Read Widely
I would advise a young fledgling writer to read widely. Not just the stuff they’re most interested in, but a little bit of everything.
Read good books, and see what they do right. Read bad books, and see what they do wrong.
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Amber A. Logan is a university instructor, freelance editor, and author of speculative fiction living in Kansas with her husband and two children—Fox and Willow.
In addition to her degrees in Psychology, Liberal Arts, and International Relations, Amber holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.
When she’s not writing, Amber enjoys trips to Japan, exploring unusual vegetarian foods, and reading Haruki Murakami.
Amber’s debut novel is THE SECRET GARDEN OF YANAGI INN – out late 2022.
For more information about Amber and her work, please see her website and connect with her on Twitter and Instagram.
The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn: An adult retelling of the classic children’s book The Secret Garden about an American woman who, while grieving her mother’s death, travels to Japan to photograph a dilapidated inn only to find herself mysteriously tied to the inn’s haunted past.
Grieving her mother’s death, Mari Lennox travels to Kyoto, Japan to take photographs of Yanagi Inn for a client. As she explores the inn and its grounds, her camera captures striking images, uncovering layers of mystery shrouding the old resort—including an overgrown, secret garden on a forbidden island. But then eerie weeping no one else in the inn seems to hear starts keeping her awake at night.
Despite the warnings of the staff, Mari searches the deep recesses of the old building to discover the source of the ghostly sound, only to realize that her own family’s history is tied to the inn, its mysterious, forlorn garden . . . and the secrets it holds.
Available at CamCat Books, Amazon, Bookshop, and wherever books are sold.
Loved this!