Darlene's Book Nook: Guest Post and Giveaway with Pamela Samuels Young, author of Attorney-Client Privilege

Friday, November 16, 2012

Guest Post and Giveaway with Pamela Samuels Young, author of Attorney-Client Privilege

Hi, everyone!

I am pleased to participate in Pamela Samuels Young's Attorney-Client Privilege Virtual Blog Tour hosted by Pump Up Your Book.

About Pamela:

PAMELA SAMUELS YOUNG is a practicing attorney, whose fast-paced legal thrillers tackle law and crime. Her novels include Attorney-Client Privilege, Murder on the Down Low and Buying Time. A former television news writer, Pamela is a graduate of USC, Northwestern University and UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law. Pamela currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Chapter of Sisters in Crime, an organization dedicated to the advancement of women mystery writers.

CONNECT WITH PAMELA ONLINE:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Welcome to Darlene's Book Nook, Pamela!

Pamela has written a guest post, so I will now turn the floor over to her.

How to Write a Novel Despite Your Day Job
By Pamela Samuels Young

I’m often asked how I’ve managed to write four novels while still practicing law. Simply put, writing is my passion. I love creating characters and stories with lots of unexpected twists and turns. That doesn’t mean it’s been easy. Balancing a demanding day job, my family life and my writing career have required lots of sacrifice and hard work. I’ve done it and you can do it too. Here are my top five tips for writing a novel despite your day job.

1. Prepare a Writing Schedule and Stick to It.

Writing a novel is a daunting venture. You have to commit to making it happen. Plan your writing time the same way you plan your schedule at work. I usually plan my writing schedule for the week on Sunday evenings. Whether you have five hours of writing time or just an hour, plan your writing schedule in advance and stick to it.

2. Outline Your Novel.

You can save a great deal of time by thinking your story through from beginning to end before you start writing. You don’t have to prepare an elaborate outline, just jot down enough to serve as a reliable road map. And don’t worry about hampering your creativity. I’ve never written an outline that’s exactly the same as my final draft. My outline is just the map that gets me going. I always venture off course.

3. Start Writing, Without Rewriting Until You Have a First Draft.

Don’t worry about producing a perfect manuscript the first time around. Just get through a solid first draft of your manuscript. When I start a new book, I make few, if any, revisions along the way. Once I get to the end, then I go back and spend as long as I need (usually a few months) perfecting my prose. The writing is in the rewriting.

4. Use Your Passive Time to Further Your Novel.

Don’t forget that writing a novel also involves thinking about your plot and characters. Even when you’re away from your computer, mull over your story. I often work out plot lines when I’m stuck in traffic on the freeway, in the shower, in the beauty shop or waiting in the doctor’s office.

5. Ask Your Friends and Family for their Support.

Writing is a lonely venture which requires you to be selfish with your time. Share your goals with those closest to you and ask for their support. Also, try to incorporate your family whenever you can. I often write about real places in Los Angeles. Once I’ve completed a solid draft of my manuscript, my husband drives me all over the city to visit the places I’ve described in my book to make sure I’ve described them accurately. It’s always a fun day and it gets him involved in the book.

Remember that writing is a creative process. One size does not fit all. Some of the recommendations above may work for you, some may not. Use those that work and ignore or tweak the ones that don’t so that they fit your needs. Above all, just keep writing!

Thanks so much for joining us today, Pamela!

About the book:

A brutal murder, missing documents and an unscrupulous opposing counsel lead attorney Vernetta Henderson on a quest for justice -- and ultimately -- revenge.

The hotshot L.A. lawyer takes on a corporation with a long history of discriminating against women. While Vernetta simply wants justice for her clients, the corporation's hired gun wants to win...and she doesn't care how.

On the home front, Vernetta's infamous sidekick, Special, has finally found true love. But is the price more than she's willing to pay?

Buy Links:
Amazon Kindle / Amazon Paperback

~ ~ ~ KINDLE FIRE GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~

Pump Up Your Book and Pamela Samuels Young are teaming up to give you a chance to win a Kindle Fire HD!

To enter the giveaway, please complete the Rafflecopter entry form below.

This giveaway is open to Canada/US mailing addresses only and will close at 12:01 AM on December 1, 2012.

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