It’s a VERY special month here at Adventures, and we’re beyond thrilled to be able to share it with the writers who’ve been with us since the beginning, and with the new writers and readers who have joined us along the journey. And it really is a journey! Four years ago, I started this blog with a friend as we started to think about getting our books published. In less than a month, on October 28th, COMPULSION will finally emerge into the world as a published really-truly book. There are lots of fun things in store to celebrate the kick off, but wait . . . There’s even MORE to celebrate.
Our very own Lisa Gail Green has a fabulous new agent, and a slew of incredibly awesome new book deals, and our lovely Erin Cashman is brewing some wonderful news as well!
In the next couple of weeks, they are going to tell you their stories, and I’m going to tell you mine. What stories you ask? The stories of how we almost quit writing and ended up turning it around.
Have you ever felt like that? Like you were DONE? You just couldn’t face rejection or take coming “close” any more? Have you thought about giving up?
We all have! I did. Lisa did. Erin did.
But we kept going because we loved to write. You could almost say we had a Compulsion for Writing? 😀
We’d love to hear about YOUR Compulsion for Writing. We want you to tell us your stories, and we’re going to host a giveaway and a celebration of persistence.
Here’s how it’s going to work.
1.) You write your story — a paragraph, a page, whatever you want — about how your Compulsion for Writing kept you going at a time when you got discouraged and thought about quitting.
Or
2) You write about how to feed your Compulsion for Writing and keep the joy through the hard times.
3) Post what you’ve written on your Blog, Pinterest, Tumblr or Facebook Page and share it to the contest event page on Facebook, or write it directly on the Compulsion for Writing Party and Prize-Fest event page.
4) Get everyone you know to “Like” the Compulsion for Writing Page and their favorite posts people have shared there. Here’s a nifty banner you can use to help spread the word!
We’ll review the posts with the greatest number of “likes” and Lisa, Erin, and I will each pick winners. We’ll send the winners special gift packs, but we’ll also each provide half-hour long phone calls to discuss your writing in general, your book or WIP, querying, agents, the book business, publishing, promotion and marketing, our books, social media, or whatever else you want to talk about.
And, because sometimes all it takes is a bit of a push, but the people who need the biggest push are often the ones who don’t get it by querying or by entering contests, we’ll have some agent critiques for a few lucky winners, too.
On 10/21/28 at 6:00 PM eastern, we will join everyone for a live Facebook Party where we can all trade stories and answer questions. That’s also when we’ll announce the winners and throw in a few extra and spectacular live giveaways as well! So mark your calendars.
Oh, and for those who are voting on stories? We’ll add giveaways as we go along, and we’ll announce winners for those on the 22nd, too. The first will be posted on the Facebook page later today. Stop by and check it out. : )
More details are posted on the Facebook page, and stay tuned for our stories and prize packages coming in the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, here’s a bit of photo inspiration for what can happen if you don’t give up! : ) Last year, I was down at YALLFEST as a fan with some friends. They had stacks and stacks of Justine Magazines with the coolest Teen Read Week feature showcasing some great YA books. And tomorrow, the Justine Teen Read Week issue hits the stands, and guess what’s in it?
OMG, right? Mind-blowing! And Melissa Marr and I will be doing an event together to kick off the Compelling Reads Tour, and I happen to be a super-HUGE fan of hers. It’s a total coincidence that she’s on the same page in the Justine piece, but it’s another example of what can happen that is truly beyond your wildest dreams.
It CAN happen. Great things can happen, so don’t be discouraged. You just have to believe! (And be compelled to write!)
