Anna Banks's Blog, page 7
August 22, 2011
'Tis the Season--of Swag!
It's Swag Season, which means it's time for another giveaway! If you happen to be a (freaking lucky) newcomer, let me explain what this is:
The Season of Swag is the 5th season, the OTHER white meat giving season, if you will. And it lasts for an entire year, right up until the release of my YA debut, Of Poseidon (OP), which is set to assault bookstores in Spring of 2012 (Feiwel and Friends).
To participate in the Season of Swag (and therefore be eligible to win, you know, swag) you must do this:
1.) Become a follower of my blog.
2.) Follow me on Twitter.
3.) Tweet about the Season of Swag and include my Twitter handle (@ByAnnaBanks) so I can confirm you've been a good little Tweeter and followed the oh-so-easy rules.
In two weeks, I'll enlist Random.org to pick my winner. In addition, the winner of each monthly giveaway will also qualify for a chance to win the Grand Swag: A mountain of all things OP, including a hardcover copy signed by MOI (for those of you who don't speak southern, MOI means me).
Now, for this month's swaggish giveaway: A signed copy of Ann Aguirre's Enclave, which is wholly awesome. Don't believe me? This is the first sentence: I was born during the second holocaust. And. I'm. Hooked. Still not convinced? Then by all means, read the 150+ Amazon reviews for Enclave. Then maybe you'll come to your senses!
And did I mention THIS copy is signed???
Now, run along and do your very bestest to win.
And remember, this is just the beginning. For the rest of Swag Season, be on the lookout for more book giveaways, including more series and some signed copies, gift cards, and critiques.
So, no matter if you're in Mexico, Greenland, or NYC, 'tis the season of Swag!
The Season of Swag is the 5th season, the OTHER white meat giving season, if you will. And it lasts for an entire year, right up until the release of my YA debut, Of Poseidon (OP), which is set to assault bookstores in Spring of 2012 (Feiwel and Friends).
To participate in the Season of Swag (and therefore be eligible to win, you know, swag) you must do this:
1.) Become a follower of my blog.
2.) Follow me on Twitter.
3.) Tweet about the Season of Swag and include my Twitter handle (@ByAnnaBanks) so I can confirm you've been a good little Tweeter and followed the oh-so-easy rules.
In two weeks, I'll enlist Random.org to pick my winner. In addition, the winner of each monthly giveaway will also qualify for a chance to win the Grand Swag: A mountain of all things OP, including a hardcover copy signed by MOI (for those of you who don't speak southern, MOI means me).
Now, for this month's swaggish giveaway: A signed copy of Ann Aguirre's Enclave, which is wholly awesome. Don't believe me? This is the first sentence: I was born during the second holocaust. And. I'm. Hooked. Still not convinced? Then by all means, read the 150+ Amazon reviews for Enclave. Then maybe you'll come to your senses!
And did I mention THIS copy is signed???
Now, run along and do your very bestest to win.
And remember, this is just the beginning. For the rest of Swag Season, be on the lookout for more book giveaways, including more series and some signed copies, gift cards, and critiques.
So, no matter if you're in Mexico, Greenland, or NYC, 'tis the season of Swag!
August 19, 2011
Perseverance
A co-worker of mine just warned me that I might not want to pursue writing (insert snarky, defensive reply here). That writing requires a thick skin, and it's a hard business to break into (insert another sarcastic reply, and be creative). After our (brief) conversation, I figured that she either stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night, or she knows someone (besides me) who writes.
And while I'd love to continue to be scandalized, and to roll my eyes, she has a point. And I'd like to share (or rather, reiterate)that with you.
Writing is difficult. Albert Einstein thought it was difficult, folks. So it's going to suck for you many, many times. But don't give up.
When I think of the struggle writers go through to get published, I think of the Titanic. At first, it's a pretty morbid comparison (spoiler alert: It sank). But if you think about it, the Titanic didn't sink because of one big, obvious blow to the hull. It was a series of gashes, all strategically placed by that murderous iceberg, which ultimately brought it down.
And so it is with writers. We rarely have that Eureka moment where we say, "Because ______ happened, I'm giving up writing." No, it's a series of events. A line of holes. How many holes are you fighting right now? Not sure? Let's see:
1.) Time constraints. Maybe you work full time, or two jobs even, and have a family. Finding time to write means giving up things like sleep. Sacrificing sleep can really work you over. And so can sacrificing writing time, in the overall scheme of things.
Solution: Find balance. Make a schedule. Can you write on your lunch hour? Can you write after your kiddos go to bed? Can you wake up earlier? Don't expect too much of yourself. Slow and steady.
2.) Rejection. All kinds of rejection, all kinds of little holes, right? Agents, hole. Editors, hole. Heck, even a negative critique can puncture a hole in our perseverance. Self doubt settles in like rust on those holes. Add that to lack of sleep as mentioned above, and you're taking on water right?
Solution: Don't take it personally. Also, DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY. Another good strategy is to keep going. Rejected on a query? Send out another. That one rejected too? By all means, hit send again. Margaret Mitchell's GONE WITH THE WIND was rejected 38 times, people. Run along and read rejection stories of famous authors RIGHT NOW. Print them out and keep them handy. Then smile, and keep going.
We ALL get rejected. I did. You will. Keep going anyway.
What other holes can pock your perseverance? How do you patch them up and keep cruising?
And while I'd love to continue to be scandalized, and to roll my eyes, she has a point. And I'd like to share (or rather, reiterate)that with you.
Writing is difficult. Albert Einstein thought it was difficult, folks. So it's going to suck for you many, many times. But don't give up.
When I think of the struggle writers go through to get published, I think of the Titanic. At first, it's a pretty morbid comparison (spoiler alert: It sank). But if you think about it, the Titanic didn't sink because of one big, obvious blow to the hull. It was a series of gashes, all strategically placed by that murderous iceberg, which ultimately brought it down.
And so it is with writers. We rarely have that Eureka moment where we say, "Because ______ happened, I'm giving up writing." No, it's a series of events. A line of holes. How many holes are you fighting right now? Not sure? Let's see:
1.) Time constraints. Maybe you work full time, or two jobs even, and have a family. Finding time to write means giving up things like sleep. Sacrificing sleep can really work you over. And so can sacrificing writing time, in the overall scheme of things.
Solution: Find balance. Make a schedule. Can you write on your lunch hour? Can you write after your kiddos go to bed? Can you wake up earlier? Don't expect too much of yourself. Slow and steady.
2.) Rejection. All kinds of rejection, all kinds of little holes, right? Agents, hole. Editors, hole. Heck, even a negative critique can puncture a hole in our perseverance. Self doubt settles in like rust on those holes. Add that to lack of sleep as mentioned above, and you're taking on water right?
Solution: Don't take it personally. Also, DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY. Another good strategy is to keep going. Rejected on a query? Send out another. That one rejected too? By all means, hit send again. Margaret Mitchell's GONE WITH THE WIND was rejected 38 times, people. Run along and read rejection stories of famous authors RIGHT NOW. Print them out and keep them handy. Then smile, and keep going.
We ALL get rejected. I did. You will. Keep going anyway.
What other holes can pock your perseverance? How do you patch them up and keep cruising?
