I had an epiphany the other day. Maybe it won’t be so much for you, but here it is: every writer should be part of a book club. Yup. Sounds simple, but it’s true. What caused this epiphany, you may wonder? The ladies in my book club. 
             
We were discussing the past month’s book, and not really too kindly. These women gave all sorts of advice for things in the book they did not like. They gave ideas of what the author SHOULD have done but didn’t. There were many issues. There were too many characters. It took too long to get into the actual story. Too many loose ends. “Why were these characters introduced at the end of
the book? They’re unnecessary.” The author only put in information when she felt it moved the plot along, not because that information was actually needed. 
              
I could go on with their comments, but I won’t.
             
Readers, not writers, can give valuable feedback for your story. Sometimes writers get too caught up in the mechanics of the book, rather than focusing on what the reader will walk away with, if they finish your book. 
              
There are certain things to look for when joining a book club. 

1 – Look for groups with about 5-10 people. If there aren’t many people, you won’t get much feedback. If there are too many, you won’t get to hear everyone’s opinions.

2 – Make sure the group actually reads the books. It won’t do you any good to join a group to hear what they have to say about books if they don’t read them.

3 – Look for them to choose from a variety of authors. If they only read one author, you won’t learn anything new. New authors encourage new discussion. 

4 – Join more than one book club if you have the time. You can join a local book club, but you can also find many book clubs online. If you do join more than one book club, look for two that read different types of books and have different types of people to get the most out of your efforts. You
don’t want to join two clubs that are exactly the same. 
 
5 – Consider who you write for. If you write for children you may want to sit in on or have your own children join a book club. If you write chic lit, keep your book clubs to those mostly consisting of women. 
 
If you are unsure of where a book club is in your area do a little research. Bookstores can often give you a list of book clubs in your area; many meetings taking place at the actual store. Libraries are another place to look for book clubs. If you live in a college town ask the school if they have book clubs that non-students can join.

It is definitely worth it to you and improving your writing to joi
 


 

One of the perks of my job is I get to see authors hold their books in their hands for the very first time. You should see their faces! It is truly a priceless moment…for both of us. You see, I just helped someone’s dream come true.

I know what that’s like. I remember holding my first published book in my hands. It was exhilarating! And the fourth book wasn’t any less so. It’s a feeling I want everyone to experience at least one time in their life.

As an acquisitions editor I see a lot of manuscripts. Some are good, some need some work, some just need to be thrown away and started anew. Whatever my opinion of that manuscript, it is someone’s baby. An author has put a lot of time and effort into that story and he loves it. 
 
My mother was a writer. She was the one who helped me get started. She provided me with unvaluable information and contacts when I was still in high school. Unfortunately, she passed away while she was in the process of sending out her manuscript to publishers. Years later I was able to get her book published. While she may not have seen the fulfillment of her dreams, I was able to make it happen and that feels good, better than good.

Sometimes people just have a story they want to share with family and friends. They are not looking to make millions, or even care if anyone outside their circle reads it; they just have a treasure they want to give to those they love. 

Don’t think that it’s too late for you. It doesn’t matter how old (or even how young) you are, there is still time to tell your story. 
 
Can I help your dreams come true? Send me your proposal through my contact page and together we’ll see what we can do.