GAME ON - Kyra Lennon Guest Post

Hey gang! Today I'm taking a break from WRiTE CLUB (you can find which rounds are open for voting HERE) to turn my blog over to a fellow blogging buddy with a dynamite new book she recently released. Everybody be on your best behavior and give Kyra your undivided attention. She's going to talk to you about a few things she's picked up since she's been blogging. You won't be sorry! :)

Thanks DL! 

My decision to start blogging was made because I wanted to connect with other writers. What I didn’t realize is just how much I would learn about writing in the process. It wasn’t that I thought I knew everything, it was just that, I didn’t realize how incredibly generous other writers are about sharing their wisdom. Since I started blogging in January, I have learned many, many things. Here are the top five things I’ve learned about writing since I became a blogger.

The importance of the first paragraph

This sounds like it should be obvious. I mean, when you pick up a book, if the first few sentences don’t grab your attention, you’re probably going to put it right back on the shelf. But I never thought about it too much. I wrote the words, and if I liked them, they stayed in the story. After reading many blog posts about how vital a story opener is, I purchased Hooked and learned a whole lot about how to make that first sentence jump out of the page and pull the reader in. I’m not saying I have it down to a fine art yet, but it is an area I have vastly improved in.

Querying

Not gonna lie, self-publishing made it very easy for me to avoid the querying process. It scares me senseless. When I wrote my first blog post, I had no idea what a query was, and people were offering query critiques as prizes for blog fests. I had to know. A quick Google search filled me in, and it occurred to me that getting an agent or publisher to even look at my work would be a challenge if I didn’t figure out how to write a good query. This is very much a work in progress, but I have learned many things from the ladies at Falling For Fiction. They offer critiques, and you can pick up some great tips from their suggestions.

The brilliance of critique partners

Clare Dugmore has always been my CP, but before I blogged, I wasn’t aware there was a funky name for it! Clare is an incredible CP, her eye for detail is second to none, but before I allowed my book to go out into the world, I realized that extra sets of eyes would help a lot. Having one CP is great. Having several is better. Everyone’s opinions are different, everyone sees things in a slightly different way, and I can honestly say that every one of my CPs added something new to the way I viewed my story.

It’s not as easy as it looks

Before you think I’m insane for ever thinking that writing is easy, I never thought that. But I thought maybe I had some kind of problem, and that struggling every once in a while meant that I was somehow inferior to people who can crank out books at high speed. After engaging with other writers, I was pleased to discover I am not the only one. Many supremely talented writers have times when the words just won’t come out right, or their muses take a long vacation, leaving them staring at a blank page. Another thing I learned is, it’s okay when this happens. It’s not cause for punishing myself and chanting, “I suck” over and over again. It’s simply the way things are.

Persistence is key

I am still pretty new to the blogging world, but in these past few months, I’ve seen some of my blog buddies experiencing the highs and lows of trying to get an agent or a publisher. There have been days when some of my favorite people have felt miserable because of a rejection, felt that their work wasn’t good enough, and even considered scrapping some of their hard work. But then the good news came. Recently, people who have been snapped up by agents and publishers include Cassie Mae, Victoria Smith and Carrie Butler.  These girls all worked hard, and their determination is what got them where they are. It’s inspiring, and reminds me that it is important to keep plugging away, even on the hard days. 

Game On Synopsis

After swapping her small town life to work for one of the top soccer teams in the U.S, Leah Walker thought she could finally leave the ghosts of her past behind. However, when she meets serial womanizer, Radleigh McCoy, the memories of her old life come swarming back, and she is forced to ask herself whether she has really changed at all.

Kyra's blog

Game On Buy Links

Amazon.com kindle version 

Amazon.com paperback 

Amazon UK kindle version 

Amazon UK paperback