Mission Statement

I attempted to write my first mission statement in 2013. 2013 was a huge year for me. I signed with my first agent and signed a contract with an imprint of Harlequin. Writing a mission statement didn't work out. I had no idea to put in it. I think I finally scribbled something down but knew that it didn't matter. There was a reason for that. In the midst of agency offers and contracts, something  more important got overlooked.

I told my CP, Kelly Hashway, that I loved writing books like Peace because I dropped out of law school at 22, and these kind of books (which I now know as romantic suspense) because it felt like it combined both sides of my personality. The more whimsical side, free of anxiety, that only comes out on paper, and the girl who sees the unfairness and danger in the world to the point she's often mislabeled as a pessimist. She told me it probably did. The day went on. Contracts got signed and the conversation was forgotten.

Later that year, Sarah Nego was trying to help me market, and she asked me what was the one element that was the same across all my writing. I had no clue. I had no idea what string could tie my Marlowe fun beach reads to a gritty YA about racism and injustice. After I thought about it, I said "everything happens for a reason." Both Marlowe Girls hint at this, though it's not as much of a punch and those books have a lot of humor. And my Iraq war books attempt to make sense out of something as senseless as war. The characters struggle with their backgrounds and who they are trying to fit into this little community, and in the end, have no regrets because things happen for a reason.

Writing the mission statement was much easier this time, because now I know who I am as a writer.

To use my background in law and government, education and life to bring about stories of life and love complicated by inequities and dangers while showing a theme compatible with my values. For example, “Everything happens for a reason.” To have every story be an improvement in craft. To be a supportive member of the writing community by providing writers with helpful feedback and techniques to make writing and/or marketing easier. To create a well received body of work that opens eyes and offers hope while innovating the art of storytelling and depth of English. To push and expand my creativity by experimenting with form and allowing myself to write whatever my heart desires.

This says some important things: "Well received body of work," notice it doesn't say "To have lots of readers." I'd rather have loyal fans who love my stories so much that they're standing in line for the next one than have a readership of thousands who might be disappointed in my next book.

And this goes hand in hand with something else, "While showing a theme compatible with my values." I write Doris Day romance in a 50 Shades of Gray world. I'm aware of that, and I'm okay with that. This means I have to write an amazing book with something to offer besides romance to have a huge readership. And that's okay. One day I will, until then well received clean romance is good enough for me. Selling out for money or fame wouldn't be good enough for me.

Monday Mishmash

Monday Mishmash is hosted by Kelly Hashway.

1. Writing Class- So I've signed up on for a class on writing/life balance and so far it's been great. The instructor is a graduate of Seton HIll, where I'm doing my MFA. Keeping track of time has been a major part of the assignment, and it's been eye opening.
2. Marketing- Keeping track of time, I have learned that marketing has been my demise as a writer. Attempting to market leave me frustrated very quickly to the point that I can't think and it's hard to not just quit writing. This tells me I should quit marketing. The problem is you can't quit marketing completely, so I'm trying to work out a plan that involves some form of marketing I won't find draining.
3. The Indie Author Survival Guide- I picked up this on Amazon, and it has been very helpful. Don't let the name scare you. I think it could be helpful for authors outside of the indie circuit, and so far there isn't much of the "the man" rhetoric. It's help me see that over the past 5 years, my goals have changed and became more specific.
4. Mission statement- After realizing my goals have changed, I've written a mission statement. You will see more about this tomorrow.
5. Branding- Having a mission statement and clearer goals has helped me find my brand. Helping other writers is very important to me, because this community has helped me in every aspect of my life. I want to be known as a writer's writer, but if, you know me very well at all, you know this was always true. I started teaching in a blurb writing workshop in 2012. I've taught this class now more times than I can count. And only one of those sessions came to a close without a student writing me a thank you letter and inquiring about other classes. Teaching these classes helped me to connect to other writers and hopefully gave them a new skill. It cleared a path for me to make money writing without freelance/editing/or being a bestseller. It's true that much of what I write now is lesson plans or instructional, and it does involve some editing, but that didn't change anything. I started blogging in 2010. The first six months were just book reviews (which do help writers), and the reviews focused on what I learned which helped writers two fold. 1. The writer whose book I reviewed obviously got an extra line of press that day. But if I learned from the book other inexperienced writers could learn from my review. Within six months, I'd learned a lot about a quickly changing industry and realized that I knew a lot about writing due to my education. (I have a B.A. in English then studied law for a year with additional in Legal Research and Writing). I started writing informative posts either about craft or the industry. Teaching is as integral to my writing journey as writing is. Now that I know this, I just have to figure out how to make it the backbone of my marketing plan.

Monday Mishmash

1. Perfect Harmony- My goal is to be done with rewrites and ready to query June 3. I've started writing again!
2. Finding Hope- I've seen the cover, and it's beautiful. If Paypal ever gets its act together, it might even be mine. But FH is getting a new name too! Decree of Hope.
3. Blurb Writing Class- So I said last year I wasn't looking to teach blurb classes anymore, and I was serious. But then the Ohio Chapter of RWA asked me to teach for them, and if it will help I'll do it. I'm teaching a blurb writing class in July. This will be the only class until summer 2016, because I can't handle that, writing, marketing, and teaching full time too.
4. Taking classes- I'm planning to take a class this month on how to balance writing/life/work. And at the end of the month I should be able to register for my graduate classes at my new university. I changed programs.
5. Good Friday- I'll be off work Friday. Ordinarily, we go to church, but hubs has to work and I'm not up for taking ELF by myself, so she's going to daycare and I'll show up for the party/egg hunt, but the rest of the day I will write, write, WRITE!

So that's me this week. What's up with you?

Big Dreams Blogfest

The Big Dreams Blogfest is hosted by Misha Gericke and myself.

I think my March was goal was to finish the children's story. I did this in spite of an absolute crazy time at the day job. I also managed to commission a new cover and title for Finding Hope and started working on putting together a relaunch blog tour. I got one of my internship projects done with five remaining. Before March ends (so like tomorrow, I'm hoping to submit Hope for some RWA chapter awards.
My goals for April are:

1. Rewrite 100 pages of Perfect Harmony
2. Finish 3 internship projects
3. Loose 5 pounds
4. Have 300 contacts on my list of contacts for relaunch blog tour.

How are you doing with your goals? What are your plans for April?

Monday Mishmash

Monay Mishmash is hosted by Kelly Hashway.

1. Finding Hope- Big News!!! Finding Hope is getting a makeover. And to support the new look, I'm going to be launching a second blog tour for it in July. And if you'd like to be involved, I'm up for anything you want to do.
2. Beth's Brigade- In honor of the Hope's make over and new blog tour, I've decided to launch a Beth Fred street team to support not just Hope but all of my other and future titles too. The street team will get sneak peaks and other perks. If you think you'd be interested please let me know in the comments, email me, or hit me up on fb, or twitter, and I will send you an invite to the very exclusive, invite only group ;).
3. Children's Story- So by the time you're reading this, I will have made it through a round of revisions on this guy. My agent doesn't represent chapter books, so it doesn't seem like I'm going to be able to do much with it. I've decided to focus only on critiques I can learn from on this one. And it's an investment toward my million word goal.
4. Time Sheets- Because I haven't gotten much writing done lately, I've decided to make myself a timesheet and record the amout of time I spend on writing and marketing. If I don't get in 8 hours Monday through Thursday, I will have to clock in on Saturday. I will have to count revising/editing as writing, because I just don't have more hours in the day.

5. Between Now & Never- OMG! I got this amazing book from NetGalley." 

My heart thrusts with a force that takes me by surprise. Telling me something I don’t understand. A splitting pain, a longing to slip back under. They tell me I was in a hit-and-run, but I can’t remember what happened that night. All I know is that I woke up with pictures in my pocket, a card from one of those photo booths in the mall. And I’m in the pictures. Cody Rush. Me and…

Julianna

Her brother was there that night, and my dad, the FBI agent, was the one who put her mom behind bars. What’s the connection? And why won’t Julianna talk to me now? Somehow, she holds the key to it all, and getting close–real close—to her for the answers I need will be no hardship at all…"

This book was amazing! It was clean on the romance and a little bit edgy in other ways. It was crazy with drug dealers, FBI agents, and guns. It's hard to review this book without giving too much away, but I will say it was told in deuling perspectives, and each voice was strong and unique. I loved it. 

Monday Mishmash

Monday Mishmash is hosted by Kelly Hashway.

1. Children's story- Okay, so this thing was originally supposed to be done in January then February. But it's done now. Woo-hoo! And part of me feels ridiculous for celebrating this because it's only 5300 words and I've written that in a day before.
2. New Blog Schedule- I've really struggled with this. Blogging every day, Monday-Friday was one of my goals this year, because I felt so disconnected. I realized quickly that wouldn't happen. Then I hoped for M-W-F. And even that was impossible. So I've decided the Monday Mishmash will be my regular post until summer when I will try to up my posts. Monday Mishmash will become more meaningful and include things like reviews (which I've often meant to post and ran out of time). Of course, if you need promo, I'm usually willing to do this. It may be included in a Monday Mishmash or you may get your own day with nothing else. If it's the latter, I'll probably ask for original content.
3. Looking for Love- Disclaimer: Beth does not find this book to be appropriate for young people or clean romance lovers! But my friend Ashelyn Drake has a new book out, and Ashelyn is a brilliant writer.

"Mike Hannigan is looking for love in all the wrong places. Maybe that’s because having his heart torn to shreds by who he thought was the perfect girl left some emotional scarring. But that’s about to change. 

Summer Patterson isn’t like anyone Mike’s dated before, and he can’t help but be intrigued by her. Now if only he could keep his foot out of his mouth long enough to win her over. But when a secret involving Summer brings Mike’s past crashing back to the present, he’ll need some backup from his best friend and wingwoman, Mindy, to sort out the mess.

Will Mike find love before he leaves Timberland College for good?" 

So that's me this week. What's up with you?

Big Dreams Blogfest

The Big Dreams Blogfest is hosted by Misha Gericke and myself.

When we started this blogfest, my goal was to write a million words and make a million dollars. After my unproductive 2014, I've decided to focus on smaller stepping stones this year. However, I'm finding even that difficult. Mostly because I've started a new day job and most days I'm working like 12 hours and putting additional hours on the weekend. The good news is I work with books, writing and language a lot during the day job. The bad news is after an 11-12 hour day, I'm exhausted and don't feel like writing. In the morning before work, I'm exhausted and don't feel like writing.

I've been working on a children's story for a month now. And it's not done. I have learned that if I can start writing in 20 minute sprints, I might get somewhere again. I can write about 400 words in 20 minutes, so pulling even one or two 20 minute sprints a day would make a contribution to my day count. There was a time when 400 words a day seemed like someone who didn't take writing serious to me, and now I just hope to hit that. But I only managed to get 20 minute sprints in a few times.

So that's me. How are your goals coming along?