Adventures in Writing

Making a Main Character Likable

2012-01-30T16:10:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, you can start out your story with a main character who has unpleasant elements to their personality, but a character must be likable or, at the very least, relatable for the reader. Here are ways to show more than the prickly outer elements of her personality.

If you give the main character a worthy goal in the first pages of the novel, then you give yourself time to make a seemingly unlikable character grow on the reader.

By worthy, I mean something the reader will want that character to succeed at– rescuing children, helping a nice person find happiness, etc. Even if the character starts out doing it for a base reason like money, the reader will still want him to succeed.

Simple things can help make a character start to grow on the reader. Pets are always a good option. Either he has one, or he can't resist the heroine's kitten, or something like that. Having him interact positively with a child is also a good likability quickie.

Recently, I read a short story in which the heroine breaks into the apartment of a possible villain-- a hard-ass security agent. A teddy bear is sitting on his couch, and he later admits it belongs to his nephew. With that simple stroke, the author made a seemingly unlikable bad guy a much nicer person.

Giving a character a vulnerability that the reader can relate to is also a good likability quickie. It can be as simple as a chick lit heroine having a bad hair day and the boss from heck, or the bad ass hero getting into a small plane and freaking out because he finds a snake.

Eventually, more likable elements of that character's personality will have to be shown, though, so the bad parts of her personality don't overwhelm the reader.

In some genre fiction like thrillers, the immediate likability quotient doesn't have to be high at the beginning, particularly if the character is strong and effective in what he needs to do.

But in a romance, the hero or heroine should be likable from the very beginning. The other main character can become likable as the book progresses, but he should not start as totally horrible. Some character traits like cruelty can't be forgiven or changed because, in real life, they never are.

Links of Interest

2012-01-25T20:42:00.000-05:00

MAKING A DEAD SCENE LIVE, PART 2:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2012/01/its-alive-poking-dead-scenes-with-stick.html

APPLE OFFERS FREE AP TO CREATE EBOOKS FOR iTUNES:

http://mashable.com/2012/01/19/apple-education-announcement-live-blog/

WHY YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T DOWNLOAD THIS APPLE APP:

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2012/01/fine-print-of-ibooks-author.html?

WHAT ARE THOSE SECONDARY CHARACTERS UP TO?

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2012/01/whats-their-story-discovering-front.html

LENDING REALISM TO THE PARANORMAL:

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2012/01/lending-realism-to-paranormalby-lisa.html

BOOK MARKETING, PART 3

http://chiseledinrock.blogspot.com/2012/01/book-marketing-inventory-part-3-of-4.html

CAREER SABOTAGE:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2012/01/guest-author-rochelle-melander-conquer.html

DETAILS:

http://www.genreality.net/its-all-about-the-details

Fantasy and Reality

2012-01-23T18:37:00.000-05:00

In my dream, I walked into the snack bar of the student union of my alma mater. Daniel, the hero of my first novel, sat at one of the tables. He melted me with a sexy megawatt smile and purred, "Hello, Penn."

The awake part of me cringed--Penn was the heroine's name--and muttered, "You're going over the edge, Byerly. Writing IS a form of schizophrenia."

"Uh..., hello, Daniel." I sat down beside him and decided, to heck with mental illness, I was going to enjoy myself.

Even after many years, that dream remains vivid. It was my first encounter with the gray shadings between fantasy and reality in a writer's life. I know the difference between the two, every writer must. I've also learned their interplay enriches my characters and my life.

Parts of me litter my novels like confetti at a party--Tony Chaucer wore the ratty man's bathrobe I refused to stop wearing, Ariel at five snuggled with my teddy bear, and David had my vermouth dry sense of humor. Those parts help my characters live.

But each character is more than just chucks of me. They have thoughts and wisdom I've never had.

I've borrowed Daniel's genius for quick puns and dear Nelson's serene wisdom and faith when my own was sadly lacking. In this manner, my characters have given back as much as I've given them. Almost like real friends.

Are you wondering what happened in that dream about sexy Daniel? We sat and discussed his own college days. You see, fantasy like reality doesn't always have the expected ending.

Links of Interest

2012-01-18T13:11:00.000-05:00

DEAD SCENES: How to revive them or replace them.

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2010/08/re-write-wednesday-golden-oldie-poking.html

CREATING TENSION ON EVERY PAGE: Part 1 to 3

http://writersforensicsblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/guest-blogger-jodie-renner-tension-on-every-page-part-i/

http://writersforensicsblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/guest-blogger-jodie-renner-tension-on-every-page-part-iii/

http://writersforensicsblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/14/guest-blogger-jodie-renner-tension-on-every-page-part-ii/

MARKET NEWS: What do editors want this year? A UK agent surveys a number of publishers, including USA ones.

http://www.andrewlownie.co.uk/2012/01/10/what-editors-want-2012

WORLDBUILDING: Charles Stross discusses psychology, beliefs, and other times when creating your world.

http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2012/01/world-building-302-psychology.html

WRITING GREAT ENDINGS:

http://www.alanrinzler.com/blog/2011/12/31/grand-finales-tips-for-writing-great-endings/

BUSINESS OF PUBLISHING: Data on ebook sales worldwide.

http://www.idealog.com/blog/show-me-the-data

WHEN TO INTRODUCE SECONDARY CHARACTERS:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2012/01/have-you-met-ted-introducing-characters.html

BOOK PROMOTION, PART 2:

http://chiseledinrock.blogspot.com/2012/01/book-marketing-inventory-part-2-of-4.html

SHOWING MOTIVE, MEANS, AND OPPORTUNITY TO THE MYSTERY READER:

http://crimefictioncollective.blogspot.com/2012/01/forensic-evidence-of-motive-means-and.html

THE SUCCESSFUL AUTHOR TALK:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2012/01/guest-author-diana-nadin-10-top-tips.html

THE NEW AUTHOR PITCH:

http://www.alanrinzler.com/blog/2012/01/16/the-new-author-pitch-show-don’t-sell/

Across a Crowded Room

2012-01-16T13:19:00.000-05:00

QUESTION: I have a scene in a restaurant where staff is coming and going. How do I describe that? Do I mention all the movement?

This is really about viewpoint. You are describing the scene from your viewpoint character's perspective. What will she see?

Imagine this. You are in your favorite romantic restaurant. Across from you is your special someone or your favorite sexy actor. You are eating your meal, flirting, and talking. Would you be aware of who is coming in and out of the room?

Your character in a similar situation would do the same thing.

Imagine this. You are in that restaurant with that sexy lover, but someone wants to kill you.

You would be very aware of who is coming and going in the room, and so would your viewpoint character.

If it's a situation that's emotionally neutral like a banquet meal with servants coming and going to bring food, you can say something like "A steady stream of servants, each with a large tray of food or an empty bowl, moved through the room tending the tables."

Then, unless there's a reason to mention the servants again, or a servant again, you don't mention them. The reader will fill in the visual blanks.

Links of Interest

2012-01-11T15:53:00.000-05:00

PLANNING A BOOK WITH A GENERAL OUTLINE:

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2011/12/planning-book.html

HOW TO WRITE MOVEMENT OF CHARACTERS WITHOUT BEING BORING:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2010/01/passing-through.html

USING A SMALL TOWN SETTING:

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2011/12/excitement-of-small-town-setting.html

SETTING UP PLOT USING DIE HARD AS AN EXAMPLE:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2012/01/i-meant-to-do-that-three-things-die.html

VOICE RECOGNITION SOFTWARE FOR WRITERS:

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2012/01/tool-for-writers.html

MARKETING PLANS FOR WRITERS:

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2012/01/do-you-have-a-marketing-plan/

BRUSH UP YOUR GERUNDS:

http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2012/01/grammar-abcs-g-is-for-gerund.html

BACKSTORY:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2012/01/we-have-history-making-backstory-work.html?

WHERE TO START YOUR NOVEL:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2012/01/line-forms-where-knowing-where-to-start.html

PROMOTION, 1 OF 4

http://chiseledinrock.blogspot.com/2012/01/book-marketing-inventory-part-1-of-4.html

Reality versus Fiction

2012-01-09T16:05:00.000-05:00

"The way things happen in romance novels don't truly reflect the way things happen in our subjectively real universe. " -- Comment from reader

The truth of the matter is nothing reflects the "real world" of experience. Not fiction, not nonfiction, not bland news reports, not even media like film and TV. Reality is simply too complex.

A writer uses her own vision of the universe to create her fiction. That vision is ordered so that the complex chaos of reality makes sense and has a pattern.

If readers find her vision of reality to be truthful for them, (they buy into her vision and understand it), the writer has been successful. Part of that "buying in" is seeing the complexity of human personality and the male/female romantic relationship reflected in that writing.

Since so many women read romance, romance must reflect emotional, if not physical, reality for women.

In the same sense, most of us don't believe in vampires, but that doesn't prevent us from enjoying a good vampire romance. Those of us who analyze our responses to books see that the vampire romance reflects certain emotional needs and power issues for us so it is emotionally real although not "reality" real.

Schedule Note

2012-01-04T13:52:00.000-05:00

My Internet has been down since Monday due to high winds so "Links of Interest" is postponed until next week.

Marilynn

Overusing Pronouns

2012-01-02T16:20:00.000-05:00

QUESTION: It's recently been pointed out to me that I sometimes overuse "he" and "she" when referring to my characters in narrative as well as action. I also use direct referral by calling my characters by their names, and their general persons -- ie, "Bob," "Jill," "the man," "the young woman," etc. -- but I find that these phrases soon become old too. What should I do?

Show what the viewpoint character is feeling and seeing. For example, Tom remembers giving flowers to Jane.

Tom recalled how Jane's face lit up, her cheeks equaling the pink of the roses she clutched to her breast. She had smiled shyly at him, and he'd fallen in love at that instant.

Her face had lit up, her cheeks equaling the pink of the roses she clutched to her breast. Her shy smile had won his heart in that instant.
The second version is a more intimate viewpoint, and I've varied the sentence structure a bit.

As a rule of thumb, you shouldn't use a character's name as designation more than once a page unless it's a scene with a number of characters.

It's better to be a bit boring using the character's name, which the reader will skim, rather than to confuse the reader as to who is doing what action. This stops the reading process completely which is the one thing a writer should avoid at all costs.

Links of Interest

2011-12-28T10:29:00.000-05:00

LINKS TO PUBLISHING NEWS SOURCES:

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2011/12/easy-ways-to-keep-up-with-publishing.html

MARKETING YOUR BOOK, AN AGENT’S SUGGESTIONS: (This is one of those annoying sites where there is no direct link to the individual articles. This series of articles starts on December 5, 2011 and ends in article 6 on December 15th, 2011.)

http://www.chipmacgregor.com/

WRITING A KILLER THRILLER, PART 2:

http://writersforensicsblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/guest-blogger-jodie-renner-writing-a-killer-thriller-part-ii/

WRITING A KILLER THRILLER, PART 3:

http://writersforensicsblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/18/guest-blogger-jodie-renner-writing-a-killer-thriller-part-iii/

DO YOU ONLY LINK TO AMAZON TO SELL YOUR BOOKS?

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/12/do-you-only-link-to-amazon-on-your-site/

FACIAL RECOGNITION SOFTWARE: Food for plot thoughts.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/246985/ftc_fishes_for_info_on_facial_recognition.html

LIST O’ LINKS: Elizabeth Craig does a better job at finding articles than I have in the last week. Here’s her list.

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2011/12/twitterific_26.html

Formatting Internal Dialogue

2011-12-26T16:19:00.000-05:00

QUESTION:

I have query about the correct way to convey internal thoughts and sounds.

According to the Chicago Manual of Style: "11.47 Unspoken discourse: Thought, imagined dialogue, and other interior discourse may be enclosed in quotation marks or not, according to the context or the writer’s preference."

I gather whether quotation marks are used and which type varies from publishing house to publishing house. Is that correct?

ANSWER: The only times I’ve ever seen quotation marks used for interior dialogue in popular fiction is along the lines of -- “Brilliant move,” I said silently to myself.

The standard method is to italicize the thought-- The bell slipped out of my fingers and clanged loudly as it hit the floor. I winced. Brilliant move, Byerly.

Some publishers, particularly of nonfiction, will state the stylebook they prefer, but most fiction publishers don’t. In the case of no stylebook mentioned, use grammar correctly and be consistent.

QUESTION CONTINUED:

In deep third POV, it’s quite common to have a fair amount of interior dialogue.

I try to ask myself whether the person is posing themselves a specific question or stating some fact to themselves. If they are, I put them in italics, otherwise I don’t. Is this the best way to do it?

What if they ask themselves a rhetorical question?

ANSWER: You seem to have a firm grip on where you italicize sentences. For rhetorical sentences, either way would work.

I tend to avoid italicized internal dialogue because it breaks the reader’s rhythm, particularly if it’s done too much or too little. Instead, I write so that I remain deep in POV.

For example, to remove the internal dialogue of my earlier example, I’d write:

The bell slipped out of my fingers and clanged loudly as it hit the floor. I winced at my clumsiness.

QUESTION CONTINUED:

I also have problems with the verb’s tense in internal discourse eg. She loosened her grip, so the rope slid through her hands and let her feet slide over the knot. Shit – rope burn. Her feet reached another knot. She clung to the rope, her body shaking, her palms sweating so hard they felt cold. This wasn’t working.

Should the last bit be This isn’t working.?

ANSWER: If “This isn’t/wasn’t working” is deep POV, the sentence would use “wasn’t.” If it’s internal dialogue, use “isn’t.”

If you’re confused about the tense, pretend it is dialogue for internal dialogue and speak it aloud to see if it sounds right. If it’s a thought, the tense remains the same as the rest of the narrative.

QUESTION CONTINUED: If you’re trying to signify there is a sound made, does it go inside single or double quotes or can you use italics?

ANSWER: Sounds are italicized only.

Schedule Note

2011-12-20T16:47:00.000-05:00

I just found out that the extended family is coming tomorrow rather than after Christmas for a big meal and an overnight visit.

(Marilynn runs around the house screaming with horror, cleaning and making grocery and to-do lists.)

Tomorrow's "Links of Interest" will be delayed for a few days or more which is no great loss since few blogs are being posted with decent writing articles.

Have a lovely holiday.

Marilynn

What Christmas Songs Can Teach a Writer

2011-12-19T11:14:00.001-05:00

Christmas is a time to revive old classics in music and blog entries. Here is last year's Christmas blog.

Marilynn

"You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch." The only character greater than a villain is a villain who is redeemed.

"Oh, Holy Night" A powerful story is often best told simply.

"Silent Night" A few simple images can create powerful emotions.

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" Sometimes, something innocent can become creepy.

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" A one-sided romantic relationship is boring.

"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" The underdog with a reviled talent makes a great hero.

"Frosty the Snowman" A great character often deserves a sequel. ("I'll be back again, some day." )

"Carol of the Bells" Driving rhythm can pull the reader forward.

"Do You Hear What I Hear?" You can tell a story through dialogue.

"The Christmas Song" ("Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…." ) Setting alone can show strong emotion and story.

"Good King Wenceslas" Sometimes, a character is remembered more for kindness than power or glory.

"I'll Be Home For Christmas" Home and family are two of the most powerful goals within the human heart.

"Baby, It's Cold Outside." "This is for your good, not mine" is a great seduction.

"Jingle Bells" and "Jingle Bell Rock" The times and tempo may change, but the story remains the same.

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" Sometimes, the character's emotions and the message aren't the same.

"Santa Baby" With the right voice, even Santa and a chimney can be made into a double entendre.

Links of Interest

2011-12-14T12:01:00.000-05:00

COMBINING SCENES TO MAKE A BIGGER IMPACT:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2010/06/re-write-wednesday-pile-on.html

USING BLOODHOUNDS OR OTHER SCENE DOGS:

http://forensics4fiction.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/how-to-conduct-a-bloodhound-line-up/

INTERVIEW WITH ASSISTANT EDITOR AT GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING:

http://chiseledinrock.blogspot.com/2011/12/pointers-from-assistant-editor-with.html

THE DANGEROUS FINE PRINT OF AMAZON’S NEW LENDING PROGRAM:

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/12/fine-print-of-amazons-new-kdp-select.html

KEEPING DESPAIR AT BAY:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/12/guest-author-angela-ackerman-keeping.html

MAKE SURE YOU HIT THE RIGHT SPOT WHEN A CHARACTER IS SHOT THROUGH THE HEART:

http://forensics4fiction.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/shot-through-the-heart-or-the-shoulder-or-something/

ANALYZING GHOSTBUSTERS AS GOOD PLOTTING:

http://www.genreality.net/outlining-ghostbusters

THE PREMISE VERSUS THE STORY:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2009/10/you-spin-me-round.html

THE FIVE STAGES OF DECOMPOSITION:

http://forensics4fiction.wordpress.com/2011/12/10/the-five-stages-of-decomposition/

PRICE CALCULATIONS ON PROMOTION:

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2011/12/quick-and-dirty-calculation-of-break.html

WRITING A KILLER THRILLER:

http://writersforensicsblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/12/guest-blogger-jodie-renner-writing-a-killer-thriller-part-i

ONLINE PLATFORMS FOR BOOK PROMOTION:

http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2009/09/building-online-platform-to-promote.html

A Brief History of Narrative

2011-12-12T13:55:00.000-05:00

Narrative has dwindled in importance since the first novels. Compare a novel of a hundred years ago to one today, and you'll see what I mean.

What you'll find is that descriptions, dialogue, and narrative have all simplified.

Descriptions aren't as detailed, and you certainly won't find long pages of descriptions of the countryside, the houses, or the clothes.

The narrative has become more intimate with the author less intrusive. The reader is put dead center into the character's head and thoughts, and the intimacy tends to only be for one or two characters, not every character in the novel.

Instead of omniscient, the current standard in fiction is third and first person. Most fiction is written in warm third person with occasional forays into cold third person. Hot third person tends to be only used in romance which is about emotions.

The paragraphs are also shorter.

The dialogue carries more story weight because it must give the reader more information about what the characters are thinking and seeing as well as advancing the plot.

In other words, much of the fat of the novel has been trimmed because modern readers want only the meat and bone of the story.

The fourth wall is never acknowledged anymore in genre narrative because of the more intimate viewpoint. You will never see this in a contemporary novel-- "Do not despair, gentle reader, for Becky will soon get her comeuppance."

A rare exception is in some chick lit and Buffy lit urban fantasy where the main character "talks" to the reader.

Constantly shifting viewpoints in third person has never been used in fiction except in the romance of the last twenty-five years where a bastardization of omniscient and third person developed more from ignorance of narrative techniques than deliberate choice. At its best, it is close to the norm of omniscient; at its worst, it is annoying and rather nauseating in a motion-sickness sort of way as the reader is jerked back and forth between two heads and offered considerably more information than is necessary.

Few writers can write well using shifting viewpoints, and it is the kiss of death for most editors when they are looking at submissions because it shows the writer doesn't know what the spit they are doing.

As an interesting side note, video techniques are changing viewpoint. Editors frown at sentences like, "His hand ran up and down her back." They prefer, "He ran his hand up and down her back." Body parts should not act independently according to editor thought.

However, many writers now prefer, "His hand ran up and down her back," because they see this as a close-up in their mental video of the action, and it is beginning to creep into published writing.

In a few years, this type of video technique may be as common in genre narrative as the other changes we have seen.

SCHEDULE NOTE: My Internet connection keeps going down so Wednesday's "Links of Interest" may be delayed.

Links of Interest

2011-12-07T14:06:00.000-05:00

FORMATTING KINDLE AND SMASHWORD EDITIONS OF YOUR NOVEL:

http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2011/11/kindle-and-smashwords-quirks.html

WORKING WITH AN EDITOR:

http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2010/01/5-steps-to-surviving-edit.html

PICKING AN AGENT WHEN YOU WRITE MORE THAN ONE GENRE:

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/12/i-write-multiple-genres-how-do-i-choose-an-agent/

NETWORKING WITHOUT NETWORKING:

http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2011/10/how-to-network-without-networking.html?

HISTORICAL LINKS:

http://twonerdyhistorygirls.blogspot.com/2011/11/breakfast-links-week-of-november-21.html

ACTION/ REACTION:

http://wordplay-kmweiland.blogspot.com/2011/11/actionreaction-pistons-powering-your.html

THE DANGEROUS NON-COMPETITION CLAUSE IN A PUBLISHING CONTRACT:

http://www.thepassivevoice.com/11/2011/how-to-read-a-book-contract-–-non-competition-2/

THE MOVIE THOR AS THE HERO’S JOURNEY:

http://paulanthonyshortt.blogspot.com/2011/11/heros-journey-thor.html

WHY A NOVEL MAY NOT GRAB YOUR INTEREST:

http://jillkemerer.blogspot.com/2011/11/why-our-characters-must-fail.html

CLEANING UP YOUR WRITING/EDITING:

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/5-tips-for-cleaning-up-your-writing-right-now/

FREQUENT QUESTION ON THE MONEY SIDE OF PUBLISHING:

http://writerunboxed.com/2011/11/28/11-frequently-asked-questions-about-book-royalties-advances-and-making-money/

HORSES IN WORLDBUILDING:

http://blog.bookviewcafe.com/2011/11/28/worldbuilding-with-horses-infrastructure/

CUTTING SCENES TO IMPROVE PACE:

http://romanceuniversity.org/2011/11/28/cutting-for-pace-by-kate-walker/

CREATING THEMATIC RESONANCE:

http://wordplay-kmweiland.blogspot.com/2011/11/tips-for-creating-thematic-resonance.html

MAKING YOUR CHARACTERS STRONGER:

https://keligwyn.wordpress.com/2011/11/30/10-ways-to-make-our-characters-stronger/

UNDERSTANDING ROYALTIES:

http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/understanding-royalties-from-a-kid-lit-author-who-doesnt-get-it-herself

Too Much Information

2011-12-05T15:59:00.000-05:00

You want to start a novel at an exciting moment that involves the main character which will draw the reader into the story to see what will happen next, but you can't give too much information, too soon.

Instead, you give the reader just enough information to understand what's going on.

For example, the main character faces an angry goblin in a dark alley of some major big city.

She can hear cars and a police siren which, unfortunately, is moving away from where she is. Mentally or aloud, she cusses her luck for choosing a job like this.

The goblin knocks her gun out of her hand, and it lands in the sewer drain so she lifts her hands, whispers a spell, and flames shoot of her hands, but the goblin doesn't go down. The injury makes him even angrier.

We now know she's a magic user of some sort, the world is ours or isn't ours by little details, that magical creatures can enter here, and it's her job to stop them, and she is in seriously deep poo because she is now defenseless against a furious goblin.

Later, you'll tell the reader about her role as a Guardian of normal Earth and, later still, about her home on a parallel magic world, but you'll do it in bits and pieces like clues to a puzzle the reader is trying to understand.

Having these clues of the world and trying to understand it is as important a puzzle for the reader as the plot, and it's as enjoyable. Don't cheat the reader by giving away too much.

Links of Interest

2011-11-30T14:41:00.000-05:00

TEN THINGS THE SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHOR MUST DO TO SUCCEED:

http://www.genreality.net/authors-are-the-gatekeepers-now-but-must-do-10-things-to-succeed

LOCAL PROMOTION:

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2011/11/local-promo.html

ESTIMATING THE TIME OF DEATH:

http://forensics4fiction.wordpress.com/2011/11/25/estimating-the-time-of-death-algor-mortis/

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE BESTSELLING THRILLER:

http://writersforensicsblog.wordpress.com/2011/11/27/guest-blogger-jodie-renner-essential-elements-of-a-bestselling-thriller

WHEN THE WRITING ISN’T ALWAYS FUN:

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/11/called-to-write/

WHICH TENSE TO USE:

http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2011/11/writing-tense.html

SECONDARY CHARACTERS:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/11/guest-author-marie-lu-wait-second.html

BEWARE THE NUMBERS USED IN SELF-PUBLISHING AND VANITY PRESS:

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/11/lies-damned-lies-and-statistics-how.html

INSERTING NEW PLOT PIECES INTO YOUR FIRST DRAFT:

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/11/lies-damned-lies-and-statistics-how.html

WHEN DO YOU NEED AN EDITOR?

http://www.alanrinzler.com/blog/2011/11/26/when-do-you-need-an-editor/

WHY MAGIC SHOULDN’T BE A CURE-ALL IN YOUR STORY:

http://www.ninc.com/blog/index.php/archives/too-much-freakin-magic

The Name Game

2011-11-28T16:22:00.000-05:00

Finding the right name for characters involves a number of variables.

*The period the story is set in. Names must be authentic for the period. A number of websites are available for different historical periods as well as recent years. Do your research, and don't have a Medieval heroine named Tiffany.

Here are a few sites to look at

First names: http://www.behindthename.com/

Surnames: http://surnames.behindthename.com/

Popular first names in recent years: http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/index.html

*The location of the story and ethnic background of your characters.

Popular first name by state: http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/index.html

*The current impression the name gives. Years ago, for example, men were named Leslie, but it has become a woman's name. Naming your hero Leslie might be authentic for the period, but it will give your reader the wrong impression.

*How hard the name is to type. I avoid some names because I can't type them. If you must use a name that's hard to type, pick a simple nonsense string of letters then do a universal search and replace. Be absolutely sure the letters are nonsense so you don't insert the name in the middle of words that have that string within them.

THE MAIN CHARACTERS' NAMES

The right name for your hero or heroine is one of your most important decisions.

For major characters, I don't just pick a name I like. Instead, I wait until I see a name, and a frission goes through me to tell me I've hit the name for my character. Most of my character names have been gifts of that sort. Sometimes, the character will tell me his name at a certain point in the creation process.

The name, in other words, is as much a part of making the character real for the writer as it is for the reader.

SECONDARY CHARACTERS' NAMES

Try to avoid a secondary character's name that is similar to your major characters' names. That includes names that begin with the same letter or look similar (Al, Sal, and Sally).

Before I start writing and after I have my main characters' names, I make a list of other names I can use in the book which fit the period, etc., as well as being different from the major characters' names. This allows me to pick a name for that waitress who has a few scenes without having to stop my writing while I think up a name.

USING SIMILAR NAMES

I have used similar names deliberately in my writing. In TIME AFTER TIME, my hero remembers all his past lives, and he's trying to convince the heroine they have been reincarnated lovers in each of those lives. He restages and retells their past lives and their loves so I needed different names for them in each time period.

I decided that I'd use the same first letter or letters of their current names for each past name so that the reader would recognize instantly when I mentioned a name even if they couldn't recall the period that name was from. Each name would have to fit the historical period as well as the personality of the character.

Justin was earthy Jed in the Old West, and Alexa was Annie. In the 1940s, Justin was sophisticated Jared and Alexa was Alicia. Their other names also reflected character and period.

THE GOOGLE TEST

For main characters, particularly villains, it's a good idea to put the name into a search engine to see if someone out there shares the name. Put the first and last name into quotation marks so you will only receive results with both those words close together. If you find someone with that name, you may want to consider a different name.

This is also a good idea for book titles.

THE NAME GAME

As you develop characters and names, you'll discover a new fascination with names and their power, and you'll probably find yourself scanning obituaries and phone books for that unusual name to add to your name list. Enjoy this. It's part of the fun of creating characters.

Links of Interest

2011-11-23T12:21:00.000-05:00

Another quiet week on the web. We Americans seem to have turkey and goodies on the brain, and everyone else seems to be obsessed with Christmas and the standard web squabbles. Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans and a good weekend to everyone else.

DIALOG TAGS:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2010/04/re-write-wednesday-hey-who-said-that.html

CONFLICT ISN’T JUST A FIGHT:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/11/stop-that-fighting-conflicts-arent-all.html

INTERVIEW WITH KENSINGTON EDITOR:

http://chiseledinrock.blogspot.com/2011/11/editor-with-kensington-peter-senftleben.html

REFRESHER COURSE ON THE DASH, EM-DASH, AND ELLIPSES:

http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2011/11/be-my-guest-jodie-renner.html

MARKETS, MAINLY SHORT STORY:

http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/2011/11/sub-ops-5.html

WHY BAD THINGS SHOULD HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE/CHARACTERS:

http://talktoyouniverse.blogspot.com/2011/11/hard-choices-require-consequences.html

WRITING THE PITCH OR QUERY:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/11/guest-author-elle-strauss-writing.html

Finding Your Character's Weakness

2011-11-21T12:54:00.000-05:00

According to Greek myth, Achilles' goddess mother dipped him into the River Styx to make him invulnerable to injury, but the heel she held him by wasn't dipped. As fate and story would have it, he died when someone shot him in that heel.

Most people and the most interesting fictional characters always have an Achilles heel, that one weakness which will defeat them unless they overcome it.

As a writer, you must figure out what your main character's weakness is and attack it through plot.

That weakness can be fear of some physical danger. If like Indiana Jones, your character is afraid of snakes, then snakes he must face to achieve victory.

A better weakness is an inner one. If your character prides himself on his dignity and fears ridicule, he must find the strength, at his high school reunion, to race across the room in his bunny underwear to protect his girlfriend from the same bullies who just stripped him.

If he fears death, he must find the strength to risk dying for something or someone who is more important than life.

Minor weaknesses and disasters can add conflict to a scene, but that one Achilles' heel of your character and his attempts to overcome it are the heart and soul of a good story.

Links of Interest

2011-11-16T17:45:00.000-05:00

INTERVIEW WITH TOR SF EDITOR MOSHE FEDER:

http://chiseledinrock.blogspot.com/2011/06/tor-books-editor-moshe-feder-talks-with.html

CHECKLIST OF REVISION CREATED PROBLEMS TO LOOK FOR:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2009/10/re-write-wednesday-jigsaw-wizard.html?

THE STAGES OF THE EDIT WITHIN THE PUBLISHING HOUSE:

http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2011/11/stages-of-edit.html

HOW CHARACTER BETRAYALS CAN BETRAY YOU:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/11/how-could-you-do-this-to-me-when.html

HUMAN VERSUS ANIMAL BONE REMAINS:

http://forensics4fiction.wordpress.com/2011/11/11/human-vs-animal-remains/

FIXING A STALLED STORY:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/11/need-jump-four-ways-to-fix-stalled.html

MUST READ RESOURCE FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN SMALL PRESS:

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/11/introducing-writer-bewares-small.html

MAKING YOUR CHARACTERS REAL:

http://www.genreality.net/trailer-boy-on-character-part-2-treating-characters-as-if-theyre-real

MARKET NEWS: An agent forecasts what will be hot in romance in the next few years.

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2011/11/new-trend-for-2012.html

A CHECKLIST FOR DEEP POV:

http://talktoyouniverse.blogspot.com/2011/11/checklist-for-deep-pov-in-1st-or-3rd.html

WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T BLOG ABOUT:

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/11/what-not-to-blog-about/

PROMOTION: What you should include in your email signature.

http://yodiwan.com/2011/11/14/what-you-need-to-include-in-your-email-signature

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT PROMOTION BEFORE BEING PUBLISHED:

http://writerunboxed.com/2011/11/15/5-things-to-know-about-publicity-before-youre-published/

AMAZON’S BEING EVIL AGAIN:

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/11/authors-guild-on-amazons-kindle-lending.html

Quoting a Book on Your Blog

2011-11-14T15:07:00.000-05:00

QUESTION: I am interesting in posting a few paragraphs from a book I just read on my blog...as a synopsis of the book. I want to post about a paragraph from each chapter. Is that legal? Of course, I would cite the book and author, etc. and make it clear that these are not my words, but the author's.

First, let me clearly state that I am not a lawyer of any sort so my advice won't protect your rear in a court of law.

Using quotes like you want to do is done all the time. It’s considered fair use of copyrighted material.

Whether the publisher or author contact their lawyers depends on how easily p*ssed off the author and publisher are and how high profile you or the content/author are.

In other words, if the NEW YORK TIMES quotes to summarize an important new book about a major political figure before or soon after the book is published so that the reader need not buy it, all legal hell will break lose.

If you want to quote a few paragraphs in a book about writing that's been around a bit, I doubt anyone will call their lawyer although you may receive an email from the author requesting you remove the material. As a courtesy, you should.

Methods of citation vary from the footnote style you learned in high school to the more casual method where the information about the book is included within the body of the work --

EXAMPLE: As John Exum Smith said in A BUNCH OF NONSENSE ABOUT WRITING, "Writers are the silliest creatures in the universe because they believe others will want to pay them for their imaginings."

If you are using the summary in a positive manner such as you are recommending the book, you are far less likely to run afoul of legal problems. If you are pulling all the "meat" out of the book stew so others won't have to buy the book, you are much more likely to have a seriously angry author after your head.

All this advice really comes down to the Golden Rule. If this were your book, would you want someone else to summarize it as you intend?

For more information on fair use, I suggest this blog article:

http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter9/index.html

Links of Interest

2011-11-09T11:54:00.000-05:00

A quiet week in linkdom. Perhaps everyone is coming off a Halloween candy high.

AUTHOR BEWARE, A CROOKED LITERARY AGENCY ARISES WITH A NEW NAME:

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/11/beware-zombies-franklin-madison.html

CREATING A CHARACTER THAT SEEMS REAL:

http://www.genreality.net/trailer-boy-on-character-part-1-the-basics

FREE WRITING BOOKS: A number of good writing books from Writer’s Digest are available for free download this week.

http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/download-6-free-writing-ebooks-nanowrimo-tip-7_b41680

CRAFTING THE SENTENCE:

http://riyria.blogspot.com/2011/11/writing-advice-20-sculpting-language.html

BEWARE THE EVIL OPTION CLAUSE:

http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2011/10/scarier-than-halloween.html

AGENT SUBMISSIONS 101:

http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2011/11/submissions-101.html

RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ABOUT BOOK CONTRACTS:

http://bryanthomasschmidt.net/2011/11/07/10-resources-for-educating-yourself-about-book-contracts/

WAYS TO KEEP AN AUTHOR WRITING FROM THE FAN PERSPECTIVE:

http://www.apexbookcompany.com/blogs/blog/4527742-the-top-10-things-fans-can-do-to-keep-authors-writing

Writing that Fight Scene

2011-11-07T10:25:00.000-05:00

QUESTION: I’m having trouble writing a decent fight scene. Any suggestions?

The absolute best way to get the fight scene right is to really put yourself straight into the viewpoint character's head and feel that weapon in your hand, see your enemy in front of you, see the location. What do you see, feel, touch, taste, and hear? Are you scared sh*tless or are you a cold killing machine? Etc. Etc.

If you have no experience in fighting, try to think of something you have done that can compare to that like a really aggressive game of football or basketball to get a sense of the craziness of a lot of people moving around you.

There are some really great reality documentary style shows on now, too, like DEADLIEST WARRIOR on Spike, which really shows you how warriors from particular eras fought. I imagine you can find them online or can find the series where you rent TV shows.

If you are writing monster fight scenes, the reality documentary series JURASSIC FIGHT CLUB where dinosaurs fight each other will give you ideas beyond the one monster bites the other scenario.

Also, go to your keeper shelf and pull out those novels where the writer really got it right and study how he did it.

If nothing else helps, just write the dang scene so you'll have it on the page, then go back and rewrite it until you and your critique partners are happy with the results.

This blog also has some more articles on the subject under the label "fight scenes." Read those.

Links of Interest

2011-11-02T10:19:00.000-04:00

A GREAT DEFINITION OF A THRILLER AND WHAT MAKES IT WORK:

http://carriecuinn.com/2011/10/26/what-makes-a-thriller/

CREATIVE TOOLS FOR ANALYTICAL (OUTLINERS) WRITERS:

http://elflands2ndcousin.com/2011/10/25/why-process-criticism-and-theory-can-be-good-for-all-writers/

How I Created the World of "The Werewolf Whisperer"

2011-10-31T15:53:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween, everyone.

Some years back, I was invited to write a short story for a charity anthology. The result was “The Werewolf Whisperer,” a light paranormal romance.

Here’s a brief description:

Trapped in wolf form, caged in an animal shelter, Gray, his human identity fading, has only one hope to escape neutering or death -- "The Werewolf Whisperer."

I’m going to discuss how I came up with the idea and how I moved from the idea to a workable paranormal world that fit my story needs.

But, first, here’s a link to the story. “The Werewolf Whisperer.”

NOTE: Contents would probably be rated PG-13 with mild language and sexual content.

~*~

My short story, “The Werewolf Whisperer” came from a discussion on worldbuilding on a list I belonged to. We were discussing shapeshifters in the real world, not a magical world.

One of the points made was that mass can’t be lost then regained in a closed system. That means that a man may be able to change into a mouse, but that mouse would weigh what the man weighs, or it would be impossible for the man to change back.

Playing with that idea, I had the inspiration for a short story. What if a werewolf were trapped in wolf form in an animal shelter, and the only way out was neutering or death? The neutering would be permanent when he changed back to a human because of the loss of mass. How will he get out of the shelter whole?

The worldbuilding was very simple at the point.

I had to establish that being a werewolf was genetic, not magic. To do that, I had the werewolf say he comes from a long line of werewolves who are genetic mutations.

I created telepathic communication between the hero and human heroine so they could “talk.”

I had to have a reason why he’s trapped in wolf form in the shelter. I decided that these days a werewolf would sometimes need a way to hold back from changing at the full moon because of human obligations like a job or a plane trip. I decided that a special mixture of herbs would be the antidote to changing.

I decided that something went wrong with the herbal mixture and instead of stopping the change, it accelerated it and trapped him in wolf form. The longer he stays a wolf, the more his humanity and memory fades.

This also was another ticking clock they must race against to win his freedom. The first was keeping him from being gassed as an unwanted pet.

I also had to have the werewolf’s memory of his human life hazy so he and his human rescuer wouldn’t have all the information they needed to rescue him immediately.

Except for a few details here and there, I now had enough information to create my characters and write the story.

Links of Interest

2011-10-26T14:13:00.000-04:00

THE DANGEROUS REVERSION CLAUSE:

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/10/guest-blog-post-fitzhenry-and-whiteside.html

TIGHTENING YOUR NARRATIVE FOCUS:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/10/and-pretty-words-all-in-row-tightening.html

PHOTOCOPIERS AND CRIME:

http://forensics4fiction.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/photocopiers-a-reservoir-of-evidence/

WRITING RESOURCES FOR HORROR WRITERS:

http://chiseledinrock.blogspot.com/2011/10/so-you-want-to-be-horror-writer.html

HOW TO BE A GOOD BETA READER:

http://charles-tan.blogspot.com/2011/10/bryan-thomas-schmidt-7-tips-for-being.html

WHAT IS PLATFORM?

http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2011/10/what-is-platform.html?

CRAFTING THE PITCH:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/10/heres-pitchits-hit-crafting-your-novels.html

CREATING A WORTHY ANTAGONIST:

http://writersforensicsblog.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/guest-blogger-jody-renner-creating-a-worthy-antagonist

WHY A CORONER MAY SKIP AN AUTOPSY:

http://forensics4fiction.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/why-might-a-coroner-skip-an-autopsy/

FIVE WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE:

http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/5-ways-to-improve-your-facebook-page_b40740

FINDING YOUR VOICE:

http://riyria.blogspot.com/2011/10/writing-advice-18-voice.html

WRITING FIRST PERSON:

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2011/10/problem-with-first-person-but-why.html

WHY FICTION AUTHORS SHOULDN’T WORRY ABOUT BRANDING:

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/10/novelists-stop-trying-to-brand-yourself/

Requesting Reversion of Rights

2011-10-24T14:17:00.000-04:00

QUESTION: My ebook contract is coming to an end soon, and I want to pull my book rather than let it remain. How should I go about this?

The standard method in publishing is to send a signed, registered letter stating that you want the return of your rights. (The process is a bit more complicated when it involves a large publisher.)

If this is a case where the publisher seems to be stonewalling you or is ignoring you or the business itself, you should quote a deadline like "If I do not hear from you about this within three months of your receiving this letter, I will assume your agreement in this matter." (Be sure to keep the return receipt from the letter so you'll have legal proof!)

Be business-like and to the point. State what you want, the legal reason why you can get what you want (the reversion of rights clause in the contract), and the particulars of the reversion like "this contract was for two years and was signed by you on this date."

You shouldn't state your unhappiness with the publisher or anything like that.

Nor should you feel bad about doing this. Publishing is first of all a business, and you are in business for yourself, not for anyone else.

If the publisher tries to bully you, and you know you are within your rights according to the language of the contract, stand up for yourself.

Some author organizations offer help in these matters, and some experienced professional writers are also helpful in clearing up contract confusion. Ask around if you are confused about contract language, etc.

Of course, the best thing to do is to understand the contract in the first place before you sign the dang thing.

Links of Interest

2011-10-19T15:01:00.000-04:00

MARKET NEWS, SF and FANTASY:

http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/genreville/?p=1564

THREE TOP EDITORS ON GETTING PUBLISHED:

http://www.alanrinzler.com/blog/2011/10/07/getting-published-the-inside-scoop-from-3-top-editors/

MOTIVATION AND THE CHARACTER ARC:

http://writerunboxed.com/2011/10/08/acustomfuckswiththetruckurlforvictoriamixon/

YOUR PLOT’S BLACK MOMENT:

http://www.aimeelsalter.com/2011/10/critical-plot-elements-interlude-black.html

ESCALATING CONFLICT:

http://romanceuniversity.org/2011/10/03/c-j-redwine-how-to-escalate-conflict-in-your-novel/

MAKING MAGIC FEEL REAL:

http://cherylreifsnyder.blogspot.com/2011/10/tuesday-ten-how-to-make-magic-real.html?

SERIALIZING A NOVEL ON KINDLE:

http://janefriedman.com/2011/10/05/serialize-kindle/

WRITING CHARACTER WARMTH:

http://writerunboxed.com/2011/10/05/warmth/

WHAT YOUR STORY NEEDS TO GET OUT OF THE SLUSH PILE:

http://nancyfulda.livejournal.com/321609.html

MARKETS:

http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/2011/10/sub-ops-ten.html

HOW A COP SEES THINGS DIFFERENTLY THAN THE REST OF US:

http://forensics4fiction.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/about-that-creepy-guy-i-met-in-the-woods-2/

MARKET WARNING, LOBSTER PRESS AND DAILEY SWAN:

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/10/alerts-lobster-press-and-dailey-swan.html?

WE’RE NOT VANITY, WE’RE A CO-OP:

http://behlerblog.com/2011/10/12/were-not-vanity-were-a-co-op/

HOW TO KEEP THE READER HOOKED AFTER THE FIRST FEW PAGES:

http://riyria.blogspot.com/2011/10/writing-advice-17-reason-to-read.html

THERE IS NO LONGER A SIMPLE PATH TO BEING PUBLISHED:

http://kriswrites.com/2011/10/12/the-business-rusch-new-paths/

WRITING GREAT FIGHT SCENES:

http://fantasy-faction.com/2011/writing-fight-scenes

THE CHANGING FACE OF BOOK RIGHTS:

http://publishingperspectives.com/2011/10/the-changing-face-of-book-rights

10 WAYS TO CREATE STRONG SCENES:

http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/10-ways-to-launch-strong-scenes

RAMPING UP THE TENSION:

https://keligwyn.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/increasing-the-tension-in-our-fiction/

THE LITIGATION CLAUSE IN A BOOK CONTRACT:

http://www.thepassivevoice.com/10/2011/how-to-read-a-book-contract-where-are-we-gonna-fight/

TOOLS FOR CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT:

http://bryanthomasschmidt.net/2011/10/13/9-tools-for-character-development/

SYMBOLISM IN OUR WRITING:

http://harrypotterforwriters.blogspot.com/2011/10/symbolism-in-writing-shell-cottage.html

FREE SOFTWARE OR WEB PROGRAMS THAT MAY BE OF USE:

http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/2011/10/zero-cost-ten.html

WRITING THE DREADED SYNOPSIS:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2009/04/sum-of-parts.html

FORENSIC RESOURCE:

http://forensics4fiction.wordpress.com/2011/10/17/evidence-technology-magazine-a-valuable-resource-for-your-library/

Self-Publishing Resources

2011-10-17T12:09:00.000-04:00

I have never been a fan of self-publishing, particularly for authors who have never sold a book to a publisher, be that an e-publisher or one of the more traditional publishers.

First, there is a very great likelihood that no one wanted to publish that book for very good reasons. A bad book will do nothing for your career; in fact, it will hurt your career.

Second, getting a book published and promoted is time and energy consuming so much less time will be available to write and improve your craft. If your book is bad, any readers you get will be much less likely to buy your next book.

Third, only a very few authors make money at self-publishing, a much smaller percentage are very successful, and most lose money.

But, if you do decide that self-publishing may be for you, you must educate yourself. Here is a good starting place to learn more.

First, the definitions--

SELF-PUBLISHING: The author must find a printer, editor, etc., and must pay for each service, then must find the distribution services, as well. All profit goes to the author.

SELF-PUBLISHING THROUGH A ONE-STOP PRINTER OR E-PUBLISHING SERVICE: Some printers offer all the services necessary to publish a book. Each service is paid by the author. All profit goes to the author.

VANITY/SUBSIDY PRESS: They offer all the services necessary to publish a book like the one-stop printer. You can buy in for the basic service, then you can add on various services like editing, cover art, etc. The vanity/subsidy press, however, then takes a large cut of the profit with no risk or cost to itself. Often, it will tie up your rights so you can never publish it elsewhere.

In other words, avoid vanity/subsidy services at all costs.

SELF-PUBLISHING RESOURCES: Links to some excellent books and websites on self-publishing.

http://self-publishingresources.com/

http://storyflip.blogspot.com/2010/07/re-write-wednesday-overcoming-adversity.html

http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2011/indesign-to-ebook-resources/

EBOOK SERVICES DIRECTORY: Go here and click on the eBook Service Directory icon on the right.

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/

ARTICLES ON SPECIFICS OF SELF-PUBLISHING

BUSINESS OF PUBLISHING: Some of the dangers of self-publishing to an author’s career.

http://pimpmynovel.blogspot.com/2009/09/self-publishing-ii-attack-of-pod-people.html

EBOOK FORMATS AND READERS: A primer on the ePub format standard and how to transfer an epub book into your ereader.

http://blog.laptopmag.com/epub-primer-everything-you-need-to-know-and-more

BUSINESS OF PUBLISHING: How self-publishing a book can hurt you if it was given an ISBN.

http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2010/04/isbn-that-hurts.html

WHY SELF-PUBLISHING BOOKS CAN BE A BAD THING FOR YOUR CAREER:

http://heydeadguy.typepad.com/heydeadguy/2011/01/girls-got-a-reputation.html

THE MIDLIST WRITER AND CHANGING TIMES:

http://kriswrites.com/2011/01/19/the-business-rusch-midlist-writers-big-publishing-changing-times-part-14/

FORMATTING EBOOKS IN VARIOUS FORMATS:

http://www.snowbooks.com/weblog/2010/12/how_to_create_ebooks.html

PUBLISHING: To self-publish or not.

http://behlerblog.com/2010/11/15/dear-publishers-do-we-even-need-you/

HYPE AND SELF-PUBLISHING: Overview of some of the nonsense being written about the ebook self-publishing market.

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/01/importance-of-context-part-1.html?

SELF-PUBLISHING: Via the Kindle, an agent's POV.

Part 1

http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2010/11/launching-your-career-via-kindle.html

Part 2

http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2010/11/building-your-career-on-kindle.html

SELF-PUBLISHING OVERVIEW: Two well-thought-out overviews on self-publishing.

http://behlerblog.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/series-should-i-self-publish-know-what-awaits-you/

http://blog.writersdigest.com/norules/2010/06/30/TheNo1MostImportantFactorForWritersConsideringTheSelfPubOption.aspx

Links of Interest

2011-10-13T12:33:00.000-04:00

My apologies for being a day late with such a small group of links, but my Internet connection has been iffy for days and, yesterday, it was down completely.

MARKET NEWS, SF and FANTASY:

http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/genreville/?p=1564

THREE TOP EDITORS ON GETTING PUBLISHED:

http://www.alanrinzler.com/blog/2011/10/07/getting-published-the-inside-scoop-from-3-top-editors/

MOTIVATION AND THE CHARACTER ARC:

http://writerunboxed.com/2011/10/08/acustomfuckswiththetruckurlforvictoriamixon/

YOUR PLOT’S BLACK MOMENT:

http://www.aimeelsalter.com/2011/10/critical-plot-elements-interlude-black.html

ESCALATING CONFLICT:

http://romanceuniversity.org/2011/10/03/c-j-redwine-how-to-escalate-conflict-in-your-novel/

MAKING MAGIC FEEL REAL:

http://cherylreifsnyder.blogspot.com/2011/10/tuesday-ten-how-to-make-magic-real.html?

SERIALIZING A NOVEL ON KINDLE:

http://janefriedman.com/2011/10/05/serialize-kindle/

WRITING CHARACTER WARMTH:

http://writerunboxed.com/2011/10/05/warmth/

WHAT YOUR STORY NEEDS TO GET OUT OF THE SLUSH PILE:

http://nancyfulda.livejournal.com/321609.html

MARKETS:

http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/2011/10/sub-ops-ten.html

HOW A COP SEES THINGS DIFFERENTLY THAN THE REST OF US:

http://forensics4fiction.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/about-that-creepy-guy-i-met-in-the-woods-2/

Bad Writing Advice

2011-10-10T18:31:00.000-04:00

QUESTION: What is the worst writing advice you have ever received?

I can't think of any poor advice I've received on writing. Even inaccurate information has its value because it makes me figure out why the information is wrong.

I've had plenty of poor advice on the business of writing, however. Several trusted writing friends inadvertently suggested publishers who turned out to be crooked or incompetent.

Does anyone else have some stinky advice they've received they'd like to share?

~*~

QUESTIONS? I take questions, both long and ridiculously short, about the publishing business and the writing quest. Please ask.

Links of Interest

2011-10-05T13:42:00.000-04:00

http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2011/09/be-my-guest-nash-black-part-2.html

USING SCREENWRITING TECHNIQUES ON PROBLEM SCENES:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/09/making-scene-using-scriptwriting-to-fix.html

BAD CONTRACT CLAUSES:

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/09/bad-publishing-contract-clauses-part-1.html

STARTING TO PLOT:

http://www.sfnovelists.com/2011/09/29/the-skill-list-project-starting-to-plot/

SACRIFICING PLOT AND MOTIVATION FOR YOUR OWN AMUSEMENT:

http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2011/09/sacrificing-plot-and-character.html

THE STORY PROBLEM:

http://www.allaboutthewriting.com/donna_j_cummings/2011/09/whats-your-story-problem.html

REVISING AND POLISHING YOUR MANUSCRIPT:

http://writersforensicsblog.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/guest-blogger-jodie-renner-revising-and-polishing-your-novel/

FINDING CRITIQUE GROUPS:

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2011/09/finding-critique-groups.html

ACTION IN AN INFORMATION SCENE:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2010/02/ready-setwheres-action.html

VOICE:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/10/guest-author-tiffany-reisz-what-you.html

AUTHOR PLATFORM:

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/10/10-tidbits-about-author-platform/

TWITTER TIPS FOR PROMOTION:

http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2011/10/ten-rules-for-twitter-success.html

WRITING THAT FIRST DRAFT FAST:

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2011/10/moving-quickly-through-draft.html

WORLDBUILDING, CRIME AND CRIMINALS IN FANTASY:

http://talktoyouniverse.blogspot.com/2011/10/google-worldbuilding-hangout-report.html

HOOKING YOUR READER THROUGH YOUR SENTENCES:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/10/hook-lines-and-stinkers-crafting-lines.html

When Telling a Simple Story Stops Being Simple

2011-10-03T16:42:00.000-04:00

A few times a year, I receive an email from someone who has read one or more of my writing articles. This person is just getting started with her writing, and she’s suddenly realized that writing that story isn’t quite as simple as she thought.

All those professional writers she loves have created stories that seem so simple on the surface but are not so simple when the new writer starts to see all the elements of craft involved and how each must do certain things perfectly so that the story can be told correctly.

Writing dialogue, creating plot, constructing sentences and paragraphs that pull the reader in and doesn’t confuse him, breathing life into characters, and all the other elements of telling a good story become so overwhelming a task that the new writer panics and sends me a call for help asking how she can become a stronger writer.

Here’s what I always tell this person.

I can't wave the magic wand of a few words of advice over you and make you a stronger writer, but here are a few things I can suggest to help you begin to make yourself a stronger writer.

Read what you want to write. Study your favorite writers to see how they do what they do.

Find a good writing teacher to help you with the basics of writing. Read books on writing. Or find other writers and critique each other.

Sit down at the computer and write and write. If you want to be a professional writer in a major market, be prepared to be sitting there for years before you can start selling your work.

And, most importantly, enjoy the writing. If there is no joy in the journey, the destination isn't worth it.

Links of Interest

2011-09-28T15:50:00.000-04:00

WHY AMAZON ISN’T PUBLISHING’S FRIEND:

http://hellnotes.com/amazon-is-nobodys-friend-part-one

BOOK EVENTS AT BOOKSTORES:

http://behlerblog.com/2011/09/21/a-crash-course-in-book-events/

USING iAPPS AND iPHONES TO TRACK A PERSON OR FIND A BODY:

http://forensics4fiction.wordpress.com/2011/09/22/can-an-iphone-app-help-find-a-body/

THINKING THROUGH CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IN STORY CONTEXT:

http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2011/09/observation-on-character-development.html

WHY YOU SHOULDN’T ROLL OVER AND PLAY DEAD FOR BAD CONTRACT TERMS:

http://kriswrites.com/2011/09/21/the-business-rusch-professional-writers/

HERO THEORY, PART 3 OF THE ARTICLES I LISTED LAST WEEK:

http://elflands2ndcousin.com/2011/09/20/a-theory-of-the-hero-tragic-and-anti-tragic-heroes-part-3-of-3/

MARKET WARNING, MORE ON PUBSLUSH:

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/09/pubslush-press-update.html

FINDING OUT HOW MANY BOOKS YOU’VE SOLD:

http://beyondthemargins.com/2011/09/beyond-the-royalty-statement-finding-out-how-many-books-you-sold-kinda/

MARKETING YOUR EBOOK:

http://writerunboxed.com/2011/09/23/a-checklist-for-marketing-your-e-book/

THE CORDITE MISTAKE, FORENSICS:

http://forensics4fiction.wordpress.com/2011/09/25/is-that-cordite-i-smell/

THE DREADED FIRST LINE OF YOUR NOVEL, FIVE THINGS IT NEEDS:

http://wordplay-kmweiland.blogspot.com/2011/09/5-elements-of-riveting-first-line.html

KEEPING UP WITH CHARACTERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY OFF PAGE:

http://www.magicalwords.net/kalayna-price/if-a-character-screams-off-the-page-does-anyone-hear-them

WRITING A GOOD CRITIQUE:

http://fantasy-faction.com/2011/writing-a-good-critique

WEAVING IN PLOT AND INFORMATION IN YOUR STORY:

http://riyria.blogspot.com/2011/09/writing-advice-13-weaving.html

PICKING UP THE PACE OF YOUR STORY:

http://www.allaboutthewriting.com/donna_j_cummings/2011/09/pick-up-the-pace.html

PROMOTION, OPTIMIZING YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE:

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/5-ways-to-optimize-your-facebook-page/

FINDING THE HEART OF YOUR STORY:

http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2011/09/finding-heart-of-your-story-tip-from.html

WRITING THE INTEGRATED LOVE SCENE:

http://romanceuniversity.org/2011/09/23/ask-an-editor-with-theresa-stevens-2/

WHAT THE READER SHOULD FILL IN:

https://nailyournovel.wordpress.com/2011/09/22/the-power-of-suggestion-what-can-you-leave-the-reader-to-fill-in-with-help-from-victoria-mixon/

WHAT MAKES A BOOK A PAGETURNER:

http://killzoneauthors.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-makes-novel-page-turner.html

WORLDBUILDING WITH YOUR CHARACTERS IN MIND:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2010/03/world-building-week-putting-up-walls.html

BEING SUCCESSFUL IN TODAY’S MARKET:

http://www.genreality.net/change-for-writers-part-1-the-key-to-succeeding-in-todays-market

WRITER WARNING, ASPEN MOUNTAIN PRESS:

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/09/trouble-at-aspen-mountain-press.html

Red John and the Writer’s Obligation

2011-09-26T09:54:00.000-04:00

If you know who Red John is, you know I’m going to talk about the TV mystery show, THE MENTALIST. If you’ve not seen the season opener, spoilers abound. Read at your own risk. (You can watch the season premier for free on the CBS website.)

If you don’t watch THE MENTALIST, I’ll try to give you enough information so you can connect what I’m saying to your own writing.

The Primary Backstory to THE MENTALIST.

Patrick Jane, a pretend-psychic/conman with an extraordinary ability to read people’s hidden physical communication and personalities, makes the mistake of saying publicly that he will help the police catch Red John, a brilliant serial killer who vivisects his female victims.

Patrick returns home to find his beloved wife and young daughter murdered by Red John. To save his teetering sanity as well as seek revenge, he joins a special unit of the California State Police which handles the most difficult murder cases. He swears he will kill Red John when he finds him.

His success rate at solving murders is phenomenal, but his fondness for using others and playing cruel games with people’s emotions makes him unlikable and a thorn in the side of any powerful person he comes in contact with.

Red John plays his own games with Patrick by using other killers to taunt him and to make him fear for the safety of anyone he cares about.

The Big Twist

Last season involved a whole season story arc about a murder inside of the police station of one of Red John’s minions who has been captured and who would have given Patrick and the police clues to Red John’s identity. They must discover who the murderer/mole within the department is.

In the final episode, Patrick lures out the mole and Red John. Patrick and his nemesis, a bland-looking and successful businessman, come face to face in a mall food court where his nemesis admits who he is and tells Patrick details only he would know about the brutal murder of Patrick’s family. As Red John who is armed turns to leave, Patrick uses his hidden gun to kill him, then sits down and waits for the authorities to arrest him.

In the season premier, Patrick is in jail and waiting for his trial. The state hierarchy is so busy protecting their rears that they have done nothing to prove Patrick’s story to be true, and his victim doesn’t appear to be a cold-blooded serial killer. Patrick’s friends on his police team go behind their superiors’ backs and with Jane’s help prove that the dead man and his wife kidnap and kill women in a hidden room in their basement.

The jury finds him innocent because of his belief that he had a right to stop the man who had killed his family and planned to keep killing.

Patrick then tells his partner Lisbon that the man wasn’t Red John, after all.

Writer Obligations

Quite a surprise twist, wasn’t it?

But did it work?

Yes.

Was it fair?

Absolutely not.

If a writer is fair to his reader, the clues to the twist have been planted all along, and when the reader looks back, he can see plainly what he’s ignored as unimportant or misread.

Think about Snape in the Harry Potter novels. The clues to his big surprise are planted through the novels. Or Bruce Willis’ character in THE SIXTH SENSE. His big twist is laid out long before the big tah-dah of the revelation of what he is.

In THE MENTALIST, the surprise twist of not-Red John had no clues that pointed to that fact up to murder in the mall. All the clues said that the man was Red John.

The writers and runners of the show had said more than once before and after the airing of the show that it was Red John who died which is a second betrayal of fans.

The season premier tossed out a few clues to not-Red John, but they were too little and too late in regaining my trust in their honest storytelling.

Will I continue watching after being betrayed so completely? I’m not really sure.

Would I ever write a story that was so unfair or read the author again if they cheated like that? Absolutely not.

Now, I toss this out to you. Do you think the writers played fair and did the big twist work?