Let’s start off this year’s pre-conference interviews
with the effervescent Laree Lindburg!
Laree Lindburg (Owner/Manager): Before her sole procurement of Electric Moon Publishing, LLC., Laree signed with a literary agent and published devotions and articles. She has worked as a grant writer for a non-profit project, a technical writer for a media company, an e-book design expert for various publishing companies, and a ghostwriter, re-writer, and editor for a law firm.
The EMoon team has assisted over 100+ clients in various stages of publishing and business development. She and her crew operate a full-service collaborative/hybrid publishing place for indie authors, ministries, and organizations.
If you were at a book event and someone asked you, “Why do you write?” what would you say? To inform. To entertain. To pass the time. To teach my children. I write as a way to record my thoughts, feelings, and prayers. An act of worship.
Share a tidbit that has helped you in writing and/or marketing. Attend conferences–especially the author-friendly ones like the WCWC. When you have an opportunity to meet and talk shop with other authors and experienced professionals in your field of interest–do it!
Do you have a mentor and/or author/and/or book that helped you this past year? I have been reading through “Draw the Circle” by Mark Batterson. Sure, I may not agree with everything Mr. Batterson writes, however, the overall principles of submission, confession, faith-increasing, bold prayer has impacted me personally and professionally. I’ve also made strides to meet with two other industry professionals on a semi-regular basis to discuss writing/publishing/business issues. This has been most helpful to me, not to mention fun!
What frustrates you the most, the editing or marketing? Hmmm… I am coming from the publishing side, so I’d say both, but more so marketing. Authors, whether traditionally published or indie published, have a difficult time grasping the truth that book marketing is heavily upon their shoulders. Others can assist in the venture, but no one is as invested in your work as you are. No one can sell your book like you can. So, be prepared and have a plan. 🙂
Do you ever struggle with writer’s block and if so, how do you overcome? I do. I usually just write anyway–and pray. The outcome may be poor, but the perseverance builds stamina and strengthens resolve.
Is there a scripture that helped you in your writing journey this past year? A word I have been meditating on lately is “decrease.” This is based on John 3:30 when John the Baptist explains to his disciples what must happen to him. “He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease.” The term “decrease” should be applied directly to our spiritual journey foremost then also perhaps stretched in concept to our physical lives–decreasing in selfish sins, media intake, food consumption, extraneous purchases, etc. I long to be less of me and more of Christ. Things work out so much better this way. 🙂
How do you juggle your life between family and writing? What a great question! And so terribly difficult to answer. I’ve recently realized that I put too much emphasis on my ability to multi-task which no one can truly do well–something or someone always suffers. And instead, my goal is to make strides to be more present in one spot at a time. So, I block off specific sections of the day to work, and when I am not at my desk, I try my best to curb the temptation to check work email or write a blog post and in turn be ‘present’ with my family. It’s all a work-in-progress!
