Blow Your Mind, Write Your Book

By L.E. DeLano

Award-Winning Author L.E. DeLano tells her own story of writing perseverance. She'll share all she's learned about the craft since she signed that first book contract, won that first literary award, and landed that film option. You'll find chapters on:

Plot outlining (using a fluid grid system)

Character development and world building

Theme, tone, and voice

Gripping openings, escalating action, conflict, and final resolution

Drafting and editing

L.E. lays it all out in easy-to-grasp, workable sections, and even includes tips for managing time and battling writer's block. If you're interested in writing that great fiction novel that's been living in your head, this is the book for you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gaze Publishing
• Release date: Oct 12, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223659754

Book preview

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L.E. DELANO

© 2023 L.E. DeLano

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

gazetsp-75X75

Philadelphia, PA

www.gazepublishing.com

Blow Your Mind, Write Your Book/L.E. DeLano —1st ed.

DEDICATION

title_graphic_tsp

For Bella

Who takes life's punches and

answers them with a stiff middle finger.

I love you my girl.

chap1

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

Hi there!

This is your book if you want to write Fiction—be it Lit Fic, Chick Lit, Horror, Alternative History, Post-Apocalyptic, Romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Mystery, Young Adult or any of their sub-genres.

This may not be your book if you want to write and publish Short Stories, Freelance Articles, Blogs, Poetry, or your book is Memoir, Non-Fiction, History, Business, Erotica (not to be confused with Romance, even spicy Romance), Inspirational, Self-Help or Children’s Lit. 

Writing in each of those genres has its own developmental style/structure, and the querying and/or marketing of those works will differ from that of a fiction novel. In other words, there may be some stuff you can use in here, but possibly not your money’s worth, if you want to write those sorts of books.

If you’re writing because you think you’ve got the next worldwide bestseller that will eventually become a blockbuster movie with a cast of A-list actors—good! That’s the spirit! 

If you’re writing because you have a message wrapped in a story that the world needs to hear—more power to you. Own that truth and preach it.

If you’re writing because a story is eating your brain and if you don’t tell it, the story will never be told and that simply must not happen—you and I are kindred spirits.

If you’re writing because you’ve always sort-of thought you could maybe write a book and friends have told you before that you probably should write a book—well, it’s a start, but you will need to re-frame that motivation a bit.

Before you can ever hope to finish a novel, you’ve got some work to do. A lot  of work to do. 

This book is not a writing bible. This is stuff that works for me. Your mileage may vary. I read, listen to, and engage with  a lot of other writers who write about writing, and I always end up sifting through, trying things out, and cobbling together a plan that fits. You’ll do the same if you’re smart.

I don’t have all the answers, but I do have my experience and a lot of resources to share. Use what you will in good health.

Writing a book is a lot harder than you think, but it is not an insurmountable obstacle. It can be incredibly freeing, energizing and uplifting. It can be misery and self-doubt and make you question if you have an ounce of talent anywhere in your body. But when you type the words The End, you’ll feel a rush of satisfaction that will send your soul flying. When you hold that finished book in your hands or see it on a bookstore shelf—that joy is indescribable.

You can do this. I can help.

chap2

THE BACKSTORY

(Bear with me while I explain the title of this book).

Once upon a time, my biggest dream came true. Okay, my second-biggest dream, after being fiercely courted by and marrying Jason Momoa.

It all began when I divorced, and I had to redefine myself from being part of a we to just being me. It was daunting. On top of single-parenting two young kids (one of whom has special needs), holding down a full-time job, and dealing with crippling financial issues in the wake of the divorce, I was often overwhelmed. One of my escapes—and the thing that fed my soul—was writing. 

I have never not been writing.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve journaled and written short stories. In high school and college, I added playwriting and even won some awards. After college, I adulted. Work, marriage, babies, then divorce. The only writing I was doing right after the divorce was on an internet forum for writers that I frequented. I won a writing contest there, and that ended up landing me a paid gig as the divorce blogger for Woman’s Day Magazine, then blogs for Upworthy and Mom’s Magazine, plus several freelance articles.

From there, I began self-publishing romance novels. All of that was great and generated some badly needed income, but what I really wanted to do was become a traditionally published author and see my book on a bookstore shelf. I had dozens of Young Adult books that I’d started but fizzled out on, so on advice from an author friend I picked one, hunkered down, and finished the damn thing.

I queried the book for months with no luck, then I heard about a contest from one of Macmillan Publishing’s Young Adult imprints and I entered. Six months later, to my complete disbelief and great delight, I had a two-book contract with a Big Five publisher and an option for more.

I got an agent from a major New York literary agency who was crazy excited to work with me (especially since I came with a Big Five publisher contract in hand). My debut book cover design was absolutely stunning, and I felt like I was the luckiest author on earth.

My book was on dozens of hot new release blogs and book seller lists and was very well reviewed. My book launch generated some of the best debut author sales my local bookstore had ever seen. I had book signings at Barnes & Noble, book festivals and conferences. My book was chosen for a subscription box. I was invited to be an author panelist at numerous events including San Diego Comic-Con International—a major bucket list item and the thrill of a lifetime. Then my book got optioned for film and TV. Holy Cow!

I was five weeks away from the much-anticipated release of book two in the series when everything went to hell.

On the morning of March 5, 2018, I awoke in the middle of a hemorrhagic stroke.

Hemorrhagic strokes (caused by a brain bleed) are far less common than ischemic (or clot-related) strokes and far less survivable. I had around a 13% chance of making it through the first thirty days, and a five-year survival rate of just 29%. 

I was hospitalized for twenty-eight days and lost the use of most of the left side of my body. I was able to walk again eventually after a lot of physical therapy, but my balance is awful, and I tire easily. My left hand is pretty much useless for typing, and awkward, at best, to use for anything else. When you’re a writer who could previously type ninety-four words per minute (and you’re an Executive Assistant at your day job), that alone was devastating. Add in the exhaustion, severe muscle spasms and brain fog, and I had some very real terror that my writing career was over just after it had begun.

I came home from the hospital, and two weeks later, I attended my first author event for book two. That book was doing well, and despite a lot of challenges, I managed to keep up with my marketing and appearance schedule, even if I showed up at events leaning on a cane with my arm in a sling and went home exhausted. I missed the first draft deadline on my option book by a few months, but eventually ended up turning it in. Finally, seven months after my stroke, the editor pronounced my book to be done and amazing and she took my manuscript to the weekly acquisitions meeting, assuring me the contract was pretty much a done deal.

My agent emailed me at six o’clock that evening to let me know the publisher passed on the manuscript.

I was gut-punched and reeling, and my agent said it was a strong book, but they really had nowhere for it on their publishing calendar at the time. She also very