Introducing “Badger Camp”

Like many authors, I use writing challenges to help me stay motivated when drafting a new novel. Since a number of writers are distancing themselves from NaNoWriMo, the writers on the “Write All the Words” discord group thought it would be fun to create a new writing challenge where we can set our own writing goals and support each other as we try to reach those goals.

Introducing: Badger Camp

Badger Camp is a writing challenge for the month of April. You can set your own writing goal for those 30 days, whether it’s a total word count goal for the month or a certain number of words per week or day. To participate, all you need to do is:

1. Set a writing goal for April.
2. Announce that writing goal to someone.
3. Support (or badger!) a writing friend to also reach their goal.

My Badger Camp Goal

I’ll be working on my work-in-progress, a sci-fi novel with the working title “Deep Freeze.” I want to write 1500 new words for the project five days a week, giving me a total word count goal of 30,000 words for Badger Camp.

How to Join Badger Camp

Since this is the first Badger Camp, we’re playing around with ideas before making anything too formal. However, if you are looking for a supportive writing community, you are welcome to join Write All the Words. We’d love to hear what your writing goals are for the month, and we’ll gently badger you to reach them!

Read more about Badger Camp on the Badger Camp website—there are also some free tools on the site to help you on your writing journey.

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I hope some writers find Badger Camp and the tools we’ve created for it useful. Even if you don’t join our writing discord, feel free to tag me with your writing goals! I’m @bethmartinbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Marking Vernal Equinox by Celebrating Balance

When trying to figure out what my March theme should be, I pulled out my calendar and pondered over the events of the month. St. Patrick’s Day is fun, but I don’t have Irish heritage and typically forget even to wear green to commemorate the occasion. Easter is in March this year, but I didn’t want to focus on any religious themes and already did the whole “new beginnings” topic for the New Year. Ultimately, vernal equinox caught my eye, and I decided that I have a lot to say about balance to help celebrate the first day of spring, which is split exactly in half between daylight and nighttime.

But First, A Rant on Social Media

But before I get into the discussion of Balance, I have to disclose something that happened in February that has been a huge weight on me: my Facebook account got hacked. There is something incredibly violating about someone getting into my personal social media and using it as a vehicle to scam my friends and family out of money. After a little over a week and with the help of Meta’s customer support, I was able to regain access to my account and get the hackers locked out. Although I’m relieved the whole ordeal is over, this has shaken my confidence in social media.

Authors are told both by publishers and other successful authors that a healthy social media presence is critical to our success and a key aspect of book marketing. In my experience, this is just not the case. Although I’ve had a few fans message me on Instagram to share that they just received their copy of my newest novel, people don’t buy books they see on Twitter Posts. I’ve never gotten a handle on Facebook ads. The most successful marketing tactic I’ve found has been my Amazon ads for my puzzle book series. In fact, my puzzle books sell really well despite my not mentioning them much on social media.

I view social media as a way to stay connected with people I’ve met and those who enjoy my books. Doing monthly themes has been a fun way to explore ideas and share tidbits I’ve been thinking about. My main method of connecting with people, though, has always been this website. When I have big announcements, I put them here on this feed and then simply post a link on social media, directing people to this site. This is kind of my personal corner of the web, and I appreciate you venturing over here to hang out.

Onto the March Theme: Balance

I’m focusing on two main aspects of balance this month. First is work-life balance for writers and creatives. I’ll share tips through the month of things I do to make sure I’m fueling my creativity but also making sure I’m not spending every waking moment on work. Second, I’m shining a light on balancing different elements of a story in order to make your work more enjoyable for readers.

Going along with the balance theme, I’ll be sharing mazes that feature strong symmetry. And to help celebrate the beginning of Spring, I’ll be sharing fun media all set in the springtime or with spring themes.

Follow me on social media if you haven’t already. I’ve changed the names on my X and Instagram accounts, so check them out here:

x.com/bethmartinbooks

instagram.com/bethmartinbooks

And if you don’t follow me on either of these, make sure to sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss out on anything!

Have a wonderful March, and I’ll see you here again soon.

Launching a New Adventure: The Starship Blunder Shared Universe Project

I'm thrilled to announce a brand-new project I’ve been working on this year: the Starship Blunder Shared Universe! This anthology will be more than a collection of stories; it's the beginning of an entire universe waiting to be explored and expanded. I want to invite you all to be a part of this creative journey with me!

What is Starship Blunder?

The spacecraft Starship Blunder travels through the cosmos, manned by a crew of misfits and adventurers. The universe brims with humor, heart, and the endless possibilities of space. The bumbling crew do their best with the old, patched-up ship, but mishaps and hilarity crop up at every turn.

I’ve set up a website for this shared universe at starshipblunder.xyz. Read all the info on the site to learn more about the universe of Starship Blunder and get acquainted with her crew.

Open for Submissions

If you feel inspired by the world I’ve created, I would love to read your stories! Whether you're an established writer or someone who's just starting out, your voice matters in this cosmos. Craft your tale set aboard the Starship Blunder, on distant planets, or amidst the stars.

For detailed submission guidelines, including themes, payment, and deadlines, visit the Starship Blunder website.

Join the Journey

This is more than a call for submissions; it's an invitation to a community of creators. By contributing to the Starship Blunder universe, you'll be part of a collaborative storytelling adventure, with your work published alongside others in this unique shared universe.

So, grab your writing tools and join me on this interstellar voyage. Let's fill the Starship Blunder universe with stories as boundless and brilliant as the stars themselves!

Thank you, everyone, for joining me on this journey!

February's Theme: Love's Labyrinth

I don’t ever get overly romantic and sappy, but I’m willing to make an exception for Valentine’s Day. So for February, I wanted to embrace everything romantic with the theme: “Love’s Labyrinth: A Month of Romance and Puzzles”! This month, I’m going to explore the many facets of love, not just through the lens of romance, but also through more fun mazes and science-fiction stories. To get all the goodies I’ll be sharing this month, you can either sign up for my newsletter or follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or X.

Although I write primarily science-fiction and thrillers, that doesn’t mean I’m afraid of adding a dash of love and romance to my books. Throughout the month, I'll be featuring some of my favorite scenes about love that I've written.  I've included a couple kisses and professions of love that I think you'll enjoy!

There are also tons of great Sci-Fi movies that beautifully blend futuristic vistas with the timeless theme of love. Join me on Fridays to rewatch some classics, along with a few unexpected choices that show how love can transcend time, space, and reality.

I've had so much fun crafting weekly mazes the past couple of months, that I’ve decided to keep it going.  To keep with the love theme, this month’s mazes include a few hearts and a saccharine-sweet kiss. Let me know if you’re enjoying the mazes—and if you think they’re too easy or too hard.

I’ll also keep posting my weekly writing tips. Each tip this month will focus on writing romance and relationships, including the often-overlooked platonic and familial bonds.

February is a great time to celebrate love in all its forms. So, whether you’re a hardcore romantic, a puzzle enthusiast, or a sci-fi aficionado, there’s something here for everyone. Join me this month as we dive into “Love’s Labyrinth”!