RITA ® Award-Winning Author of Fantasy Romance
Author: Jeffe Kennedy
//A great sci-fi movie you’ve never heard of (at least, I hadn’t), why I’m shipping Alex and Paul on The Morning Show, ROGUE FAMILIAR audiobook is now wide, a fabulous giveaway, & giving my books as gifts.
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Guess what? I’m a participating author in Our World or Others: A Faroween Scavenger Hunt October 19 – 29! Visit the FaRoFeb website on October 19 to choose your quest and compete for a chance to win incredible prizes including giftcards, paperbacks, ebooks, and more! There are six main prize packs as well as some bonus quests and games.
Everyone who completes one of the quests will win something! This is for anyone who loves reading fantasy romance, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy romance. Can’t wait to see you there!
Our topic at the SFF Seven this week is “Tools of the Trade Ergonomic Edition.” Because, let’s face it, writers are notorious for experiencing various physical pains. Comes of sitting for hours everyday, hunched over a keyboard or paper (writing and reading!), forgetting to move but never forgetting those important snacks that keep our brains going. So, what do I do? I walk!
Yes, I have a walking desk with a treadmill, and have had one for nearly ten years now. Best investment I ever made! The current treadmill is from iMovr and goes from 5mph to 2.5mph. I usually walk between 1.5 and 2.2mph – the variation is really important! I have a hydraulic desk, the same one all these years, originally made by GeekDesk, which I can adjust to allow me to sit, stand, or walk. The minute height adjustments are particularly great, allowing me to have my forearms and wrists flat on the desk, my back straight, and my monitor at eye-level. I also vary them slightly from day to day and even hour to hour, so my body won’t solidify into the same position for too long.
No more butt in chair, hands on keyboard, people – get that writer body moving!
//The wrong way to ask for blurbs, choosing POV for a given scene and how experienced authors should give ourselves credit for more complex approaches, and a bit on animal behavior and whether cats can tell time.
//Why being selfish is good, refilling the well, and other thoughts on the variety of people who listen to this podcast, why Cats & New Mexico Weather is a thing. Re-reading DEERSKIN and realizing not everything must move the plot forward.
//Yes, I saw the Taylor Swift concert movie last night! Loved. Thoughts on TS and voice. Also, a trick for coping with those inertia-filled tasks that forever slide down the To Do List and remembering we’re not being graded.
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First things first, if you preordered TWISTED MAGIC, you’ll have gotten a notice that I’ve delayed the release. I know, I know – yet again. (Well, first time for this book, but I really thought I’d given myself enough time.) The new release date is November 28. That should give me plenty of breathing room. (Famous last words!) Seriously, I am at midpoint and on the downhill run. I just knew I couldn’t have it completely done by October 26 (two weeks away!), which was the upload drop-dead date.
Apologies. I know you all are waiting. But it’s going to be awesome!
//An important trick I’ve discovered to improve my focus, a bit of a rant on boy fantasy and the trope of soldier, priest, scholar, and female. Followed by a waxing on of how much I love WandaVision!
//My strong – possibly unpopular – opinions on people out there selling classes, advice, and coaching to authors. How writing isn’t always fun when it’s your actual job. And happy news on the flip side of piracy.
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Our topic at the SFF Seven this week is: writing partners and accountabilibuddies. Those people we don’t write with, as in we’re not collaborating, but the people we write alongside. Simultaneously or not. In tandem. In company.
See, the thing is, writing is by nature a solitary activity. Unless you’re collaborating with someone, writing comes down to the writer and the words. For many writers, however – it’s certainly true for me – that silence and uninterrupted time to concentrate on story flow is key to getting the stories written. It can be isolating, even lonely.
But, it doesn’t have to be! There are lots of ways to foster a sense of camaraderie without violating the fortress of solitude we need to be focused. I often co-work with Darynda Jones, for example. We “meet” on Zoom, minimize the screen and mute for one-hour sprints. Then we break, chat, compare progress and angst, then go again. It’s a great way to work together, while being separately in our writing studios, 200 miles apart.
I’m also super gratified to see writers gathering in the #laying-bricks channel of my mentoring and coaching Discord, Jeffe’s Closet. People asked for a place to post that they’re settling in to write, to enjoy the community and positive accountability of other people doing the same. The “laying bricks” aspect refers to one of my favorite analogies for writing novels: that it’s a process of laying bricks, day after day, patiently progressing. I love popping in and seeing everyone getting their words on for the day.
We’re not alone.
//More on building focus and improving our ability to concentrate by making small changes in our environment, such as leaving the smart phone in the other room, and changing reading habits.
