Thank. You. Wish I could say more but there really aren't any words. Your transparency and your willingness to speak on doing what's in your heart vs. doing what everyone else says to do/does makes all the diff in the world to 40 somethings like me who never took the time to really concentrate on their thing. Well...I guess there were words lmao. Camera looks great too!
It’s so entertaining watching you use all of the fun stickers and colors. Thank you for the “write what you love” speech. I find myself saying “I JUST write women’s fiction,” and I’ll stop saying that. It’s what I love to write ✍️ 😉🥰❤️
@Heart Breathings I just wanted to say to you, thank you. It's because of your videos that I started writing the first book in my dream series, i turned 30 in last april and knew that dreaming about the book was not getting me anywhere. Thank you.
Congratulations! Book 12! As a fellow writer, I believe you will make this the best book you can and your readers will love it! The Shadow Demons Saga legacy will live on for years and years.
Sarra, you are an influence to me and I hope that someday I can create a video like this talking about my (future) debut novel being 10 years old. Your videos help me see that I can make my dream come true no matter what happens. Keep being you and good luck with the new book!
Sorry in advance. The comment will likely be me commenting on stuff randomly while I watch the video, haha! Your story is very inspiring. It makes it seem so much more accessible to attain our dreams if we put the effort into it. I so enjoy watching your process! I'm curious about your brainstorming process though. How do you go about it? If you have random ideas that come and you have to write them down in a separate place from your main brainstorming area, do you put everything together so it stays in one place? DO you have a specific process or ritual? When you have such a long saga, I suppose you might also have sudden ideas while rereading your books too! When it comes to the stuff you're removing from your planner, do you keep the paper for memories or to help with the process of working on the next book, or do you recycle it? Ooooh I'd love seeing the board with stuff on it! Even made-up stuff, like you know, you have the image of the board, and filling it in on your computer (though I'm sure this might be too complicated!). I love how organized you are. I can totally understand what you're saying about ending the series. It's a lot of pressure, I'm sure. It's crazy to me the fact that you have to publish so fast to keep your readers. It's there that you see how cosumerism and the accessibility of everything has changed the way people consume literature. I also think that it's soooo important to write what makes you happy as a writer and a reader too. That's why I am not sure that the project I finished drafting will be interesting to publishing houses. I don't feel ready to self-publish (and it's different here than in the US), but hopefully a smaller and better publishing house when it comes to author's remunerations (because, let's face it, big publishing houses don't treat the small authors well, and it's even truer here in the French speaking countries because a lot of them mostly publish translations from American authors, and have like 2-3 big French authors, and then the smaller ones only get the scraps). Finally, an unrelated comment: I love your nails! They're simple but very pretty and classy.
Dear Sarra, I really enjoy watching your videos, you really inspire me! I think with a book series it's like watching a very very long TV show. Sometimes there are breaks or delays of release. "Supernatural" for instance has 15 Seasons and just came to its end. 15 years! And because it's so good, I was never tired of starting from Season 1 again after I took a long break from watching the show :D I think it's like this with reading a book series. Every book needs time and I as a reader and writer I wish for other readers to appreciate the time and heart that is put into the books you and other writers are writing. Waiting and being patient seems to be pretty hard for some people nowadays. Everything needs to be fast and I dare young readers out there to slow down and enjoy the feeling when the long awaited book is coming out :) Mindfulness instead of FOMO in literature seems to be a topic that needs to be addressed. There are writers out there who write four or five books a year and others write one book a year. And both is absolutely fine!!! Each writer has their own pace and speed and I think it's important to not put any pressure on creative minds like yours who feed us with amazing worlds and characters! Thank you for that! I cannot wait to read your Shadow Demons Saga! Sending love and wishing you a wonderful creative week!
I'm late in watching this video, but I can totally relate to your advice. I've been writing a book that I thought would be easier to write so I can finally self-publish. The first two books I wrote are complicated and my writing was all over the place. I don't feel like rewriting them so I started my current book. But it's taking a long time to write and I finally admitted I wasn't motivated. Then I came across a book series that excited me and bingo! I realized I haven't been writing books that excite me. Now I'm looking forward to writing stories that inspire me. Thank you for confirming that we need to write books that we want to write regardless of the current trends.
What a bitter-sweet time for you. You look refreshed and ready to tackle this last book. I really do relate to your backstory in that you knew you were meant for something better and bigger. Thank you for the past decade of your wonderful books and all the tips and tricks for us burgeoning writers.
Hey Sarra. I just wanted to let you know that I get all kinds of motivated and joyful when I watch your videos. I started as a pantser and after reading "Save the Cat! Writes A Novel", I could see that a little planning could go a long way. This video is everything I needed write now for my writing. The hubs and I are also packing the house for a move and remodel at the same time. I have no time to add anything else to my schedule and yet, when you open HB90 I will be signing up. I have taken Publish & Thrive and look forward to now planning out my MG Fantasy series. Thank you....and just remember, there is a reason we have the terms Debbie Downer and Negative Nellie. Turn them off. They will never get it.
I just binged the series in the last couple of weeks. So looking forward to the final book. I love listening to you talk and you make writing feel doable for the normal person. Thank you Sarra :)
It'd be so fascinating if you could do a video about your reading process, and how you plan on paying tribute to things that came before in the series. Spoiler-free, of course. I would love to just know how exactly you do that in more detail because I'm also planning a series, still drafting Book 1, but I'm outlining Books 2 and 3 and I really love when you share more of how you keep each book in a series satisfying for the reader. :D
I loved this video. You are so passionate about writing and it shows through your beautiful smile. I am not a writer but I am a fan of your writing and Shadow Demons Saga. Congratulations on your 11th book.
You have inspired me to become a writer/book author. I have been reading your books since last October when I got my kindle and I was of course was looking for something that was about vampires or witches and came across your Beautiful Demons. And I have been hooked since. Also have read most of your others besides a few, witch I definitely plan on reading this fall/winter. I'm definitely excited about book 12 for the Shadow Demons series. Take your time don't stress and it will fall into place. Thank you for sharing ❤
Do you have any other videos like this where you go over working on your plotting process using crafty methods like index cards/notebooks/etc? Or like how you use Happy Planner to write books? Thanks! loved it!
Hold on.. You're 44? I still think my math is wrong bc I seriously thought you were my age (I'm 32). Anyways.. I'm so excited for you that you're writing this last book of the series and I will start reading the first 3 books now and hoping I love it bc I think you're amazing! So grateful for bringing back the spark in me to write. Who knows maybe I can be successful like you one day 😊💕
This is super helpful! When I finish my first book, I plan to start a series based on an unfished draft I did two years ago for NaNo. This will help me get organized as I jump into writing a series vs. the current stand alone.
Watching you set up is fun it’s also like you have your own personal store for supplies so you really don’t have to go go to buy anything & I personally love that 🥰.
Thanks for making this video! It is so inspiring to hear your story and see your process. Do you have a video that talks more about how you made the decision in your 30s to change your entire life? I know its very personal, but it sounds like you were incredibly courageous to take that leap!
I can't wait for another Eternal Sorrows book! Honestly, I wish I hadn't really started reading the series because I didn't know that there weren't that many books out yet. I devoured them in a week and want more!
I found your HB channel through a search for planning videos. I now follow both your channels and have just started reading the Shadow Demons Saga, and I am hooked! Thank you so much for sharing this content about the process involved in your writing - it is so interesting and inspiring. I cannot wait to get caught up so that I can be ready for the launch of book 12. 😍 xxx
Sarra, I never thought about focusing on the book sales becoming a road block to my success. Is it true that if I stop staring at my sales dashboard I will do better?
My third ya book is my hardest so far. I'm introducing a new aspect of an old character, turning her from mean rotten kid sister to potential main character with her own story arc, but now I'm wondering if Regina Kipling should get her own series or should I maybe just leave it at book 4 and write a one off larger story about the next generation like Rowling did with The Cursed Child
I know this is a older video but my question has to do with self publishing a series so I hope you can help. And sorry if the answer is in another one of your videos. I'm trying to plan for my very first novel and it will be a series and I am not sure how I am supposed to take a 8.5 in x 11 in size manuscript that I am doing on google docs and shrinking that down to be a average size book (physical book NOT ebook) for a fiction novel.....which is much smaller. Where do you go to have your book ready for printing? Is there a way that I can do it myself without paying someone to do it for me? Anyway that is 100% free?? Sorry, I know that is more then one question.
It’s moments like this that I wish I lived in a massive country like America. Here in Sweden (10 million citizens in total) self publishing is suicide 99,99% of the time if you wanna become successful.
You can write in English even though you are living in Sweden. What if you are the first big success story in Sweden in self-publishing? Or maybe you could rethink what success means to you. What do you really want to accomplish with writing? I hope you don’t let anything stop you if you really want to be a writer. Greetings from Finland :)
The first book I ever bought for my kindle was Beautiful Demons. I was just looking for something new to read.
Aww, that is so awesome!! Thank you for letting me know that!!
Thank. You. Wish I could say more but there really aren't any words. Your transparency and your willingness to speak on doing what's in your heart vs. doing what everyone else says to do/does makes all the diff in the world to 40 somethings like me who never took the time to really concentrate on their thing. Well...I guess there were words lmao. Camera looks great too!
Can you show the board after you’ve released the book?
*raises hand* I was one of those people you picked up along the way! And Heart Breathings was the reason! :)
Loved video
It’s so entertaining watching you use all of the fun stickers and colors. Thank you for the “write what you love” speech. I find myself saying “I JUST write women’s fiction,” and I’ll stop saying that. It’s what I love to write ✍️ 😉🥰❤️
Yessssss. But also, Noooooo! I love this series ❤️ I’m just not sure I’m ready to say goodbye to these characters 💔
I know!! It's going to be tough!
@Heart Breathings I just wanted to say to you, thank you. It's because of your videos that I started writing the first book in my dream series, i turned 30 in last april and knew that dreaming about the book was not getting me anywhere. Thank you.
So proud of you. I'm still fearing the work to become a playwright.
I believe in you!
Congratulations! Book 12! As a fellow writer, I believe you will make this the best book you can and your readers will love it! The Shadow Demons Saga legacy will live on for years and years.
Sarra, you are an influence to me and I hope that someday I can create a video like this talking about my (future) debut novel being 10 years old. Your videos help me see that I can make my dream come true no matter what happens. Keep being you and good luck with the new book!
I love that you have your own supplies store in your office #goals ♥️🥰
Sorry in advance. The comment will likely be me commenting on stuff randomly while I watch the video, haha!
Your story is very inspiring. It makes it seem so much more accessible to attain our dreams if we put the effort into it.
I so enjoy watching your process! I'm curious about your brainstorming process though. How do you go about it? If you have random ideas that come and you have to write them down in a separate place from your main brainstorming area, do you put everything together so it stays in one place? DO you have a specific process or ritual? When you have such a long saga, I suppose you might also have sudden ideas while rereading your books too!
When it comes to the stuff you're removing from your planner, do you keep the paper for memories or to help with the process of working on the next book, or do you recycle it?
Ooooh I'd love seeing the board with stuff on it! Even made-up stuff, like you know, you have the image of the board, and filling it in on your computer (though I'm sure this might be too complicated!).
I love how organized you are.
I can totally understand what you're saying about ending the series. It's a lot of pressure, I'm sure.
It's crazy to me the fact that you have to publish so fast to keep your readers. It's there that you see how cosumerism and the accessibility of everything has changed the way people consume literature.
I also think that it's soooo important to write what makes you happy as a writer and a reader too. That's why I am not sure that the project I finished drafting will be interesting to publishing houses. I don't feel ready to self-publish (and it's different here than in the US), but hopefully a smaller and better publishing house when it comes to author's remunerations (because, let's face it, big publishing houses don't treat the small authors well, and it's even truer here in the French speaking countries because a lot of them mostly publish translations from American authors, and have like 2-3 big French authors, and then the smaller ones only get the scraps).
Finally, an unrelated comment: I love your nails! They're simple but very pretty and classy.
Excited for Publish and Thrive! Barbara
Dear Sarra, I really enjoy watching your videos, you really inspire me! I think with a book series it's like watching a very very long TV show. Sometimes there are breaks or delays of release. "Supernatural" for instance has 15 Seasons and just came to its end. 15 years! And because it's so good, I was never tired of starting from Season 1 again after I took a long break from watching the show :D I think it's like this with reading a book series. Every book needs time and I as a reader and writer I wish for other readers to appreciate the time and heart that is put into the books you and other writers are writing. Waiting and being patient seems to be pretty hard for some people nowadays. Everything needs to be fast and I dare young readers out there to slow down and enjoy the feeling when the long awaited book is coming out :) Mindfulness instead of FOMO in literature seems to be a topic that needs to be addressed. There are writers out there who write four or five books a year and others write one book a year. And both is absolutely fine!!! Each writer has their own pace and speed and I think it's important to not put any pressure on creative minds like yours who feed us with amazing worlds and characters! Thank you for that!
I cannot wait to read your Shadow Demons Saga! Sending love and wishing you a wonderful creative week!
I'm late in watching this video, but I can totally relate to your advice. I've been writing a book that I thought would be easier to write so I can finally self-publish. The first two books I wrote are complicated and my writing was all over the place. I don't feel like rewriting them so I started my current book. But it's taking a long time to write and I finally admitted I wasn't motivated. Then I came across a book series that excited me and bingo! I realized I haven't been writing books that excite me. Now I'm looking forward to writing stories that inspire me. Thank you for confirming that we need to write books that we want to write regardless of the current trends.
What a bitter-sweet time for you. You look refreshed and ready to tackle this last book. I really do relate to your backstory in that you knew you were meant for something better and bigger. Thank you for the past decade of your wonderful books and all the tips and tricks for us burgeoning writers.
Hey Sarra. I just wanted to let you know that I get all kinds of motivated and joyful when I watch your videos. I started as a pantser and after reading "Save the Cat! Writes A Novel", I could see that a little planning could go a long way. This video is everything I needed write now for my writing. The hubs and I are also packing the house for a move and remodel at the same time. I have no time to add anything else to my schedule and yet, when you open HB90 I will be signing up. I have taken Publish & Thrive and look forward to now planning out my MG Fantasy series. Thank you....and just remember, there is a reason we have the terms Debbie Downer and Negative Nellie. Turn them off. They will never get it.
I'm definitely gonna be buying all the books in this series to read it. Gonna be writing my own book series I want to self-publish!
I just binged the series in the last couple of weeks. So looking forward to the final book. I love listening to you talk and you make writing feel doable for the normal person. Thank you Sarra :)
It'd be so fascinating if you could do a video about your reading process, and how you plan on paying tribute to things that came before in the series. Spoiler-free, of course. I would love to just know how exactly you do that in more detail because I'm also planning a series, still drafting Book 1, but I'm outlining Books 2 and 3 and I really love when you share more of how you keep each book in a series satisfying for the reader. :D
Nice hearing your story. Thanks. It's like an audio memoir. Lol.
I love your passion for literary arts!! Im on book number 3 through independent publishing and i LOVE IT!! Im about to start a series myself!!👍
I loved this video. You are so passionate about writing and it shows through your beautiful smile. I am not a writer but I am a fan of your writing and Shadow Demons Saga. Congratulations on your 11th book.
I love your set up/prep videos!!!! They always offer me such great inspiration.
You have inspired me to become a writer/book author. I have been reading your books since last October when I got my kindle and I was of course was looking for something that was about vampires or witches and came across your Beautiful Demons. And I have been hooked since. Also have read most of your others besides a few, witch I definitely plan on reading this fall/winter. I'm definitely excited about book 12 for the Shadow Demons series. Take your time don't stress and it will fall into place. Thank you for sharing ❤
Do you have any other videos like this where you go over working on your plotting process using crafty methods like index cards/notebooks/etc? Or like how you use Happy Planner to write books? Thanks! loved it!
Hold on.. You're 44? I still think my math is wrong bc I seriously thought you were my age (I'm 32).
Anyways.. I'm so excited for you that you're writing this last book of the series and I will start reading the first 3 books now and hoping I love it bc I think you're amazing! So grateful for bringing back the spark in me to write. Who knows maybe I can be successful like you one day 😊💕
The new camera looks so good!
That's so cool that you're reading all the books again to make sure the finale is epic! I love your commitment and passion for your story 😊
This is super helpful! When I finish my first book, I plan to start a series based on an unfished draft I did two years ago for NaNo. This will help me get organized as I jump into writing a series vs. the current stand alone.
Congratulations. Thank you for the detailed tips. Best wishes for it.
Watching you set up is fun it’s also like you have your own personal store for supplies so you really don’t have to go go to buy anything & I personally love that 🥰.
Thanks for making this video! It is so inspiring to hear your story and see your process. Do you have a video that talks more about how you made the decision in your 30s to change your entire life? I know its very personal, but it sounds like you were incredibly courageous to take that leap!
Yay!! Congratulations!
I can't wait for another Eternal Sorrows book!
Honestly, I wish I hadn't really started reading the series because I didn't know that there weren't that many books out yet. I devoured them in a week and want more!
Lovely video Sarra & a great inspiration for me to get started on my new plot! :)
A read-along could be fun, so fans can reread with you! Or could be a great chance for people to read them the first time!
Congrats Sarra ! Thanks for this video! It was so inspiring ✌🏽+❤️
I found your HB channel through a search for planning videos. I now follow both your channels and have just started reading the Shadow Demons Saga, and I am hooked! Thank you so much for sharing this content about the process involved in your writing - it is so interesting and inspiring. I cannot wait to get caught up so that I can be ready for the launch of book 12. 😍 xxx
I honestly love your videos ! your such an inspiration for my Writing
Writing my very first book right now. Dunno when the first draft will be done, but it will be done. Thanks for inspiring me to keep going.
Congratulations on coming so far, Sarra! You are an inspiration! I wish the very best for you and your family!
I love hearing you talk about what you're most passionate about :) This is going to be one of the best experiences for you!
I’m so excited for Publish and Thrive!
I love the prep you do for your books. It's so inspiring!
Love this video! You look relaxed and happy!
Congratulations on finishing your series! You have worked so hard for so long and it's very inspiring.
Love this - you're such an inspiration. I've been using a Happy Planner for plotting this year and it's made a huge difference.
I needed inspiration this morning. Thanks so much and am so happy for you, such an inspo !!
ur really kind sarra, u deserve all the success u have, and WILL have in the future =)
Thank you for another heartfelt and amazing video. I am so excited to see how the story comes together.
Do you offer hard bound paperbacks for those of us that like a real book? Your series sound very cool to me!
I LOVE this setup! Thank you so much, Sarra. I'm going to do the same with my Vella novels!
This is so great. Thank you and congratulations. You’re an inspiration!
So proud of you. ♥️
Your set up is so inspiring!
I'm so excited to see how this book comes together! :)
Sarra- I neeeeeed to know where to get that turquoise plot binder!!!
Poalini started aragon believing it was and first titled it as a trilogy and finished it 10 years or so later as a four book saga
Have you ever thought about going back and "rewriting/reediting" the series to make it have consistency with the rest of the books?
Hi Sarra! Can you talk about sub rights as a self published author? I can’t find any info online!
Sarra, I never thought about focusing on the book sales becoming a road block to my success. Is it true that if I stop staring at my sales dashboard I will do better?
My third ya book is my hardest so far. I'm introducing a new aspect of an old character, turning her from mean rotten kid sister to potential main character with her own story arc, but now I'm wondering if Regina Kipling should get her own series or should I maybe just leave it at book 4 and write a one off larger story about the next generation like Rowling did with The Cursed Child
I know this is a older video but my question has to do with self publishing a series so I hope you can help. And sorry if the answer is in another one of your videos. I'm trying to plan for my very first novel and it will be a series and I am not sure how I am supposed to take a 8.5 in x 11 in size manuscript that I am doing on google docs and shrinking that down to be a average size book (physical book NOT ebook) for a fiction novel.....which is much smaller. Where do you go to have your book ready for printing? Is there a way that I can do it myself without paying someone to do it for me? Anyway that is 100% free?? Sorry, I know that is more then one question.
Did you ever consider RVing while you explore where you might want to live
I love your videos
It’s moments like this that I wish I lived in a massive country like America. Here in Sweden (10 million citizens in total) self publishing is suicide 99,99% of the time if you wanna become successful.
You can write in English even though you are living in Sweden.
What if you are the first big success story in Sweden in self-publishing?
Or maybe you could rethink what success means to you. What do you really want to accomplish with writing?
I hope you don’t let anything stop you if you really want to be a writer.
Greetings from Finland :)
Will you be starting a new series?
What is your cute necklace?
❤❤
How did you know you were meant to be an author?