Riley Adams's Blog, page 10

August 17, 2024

LitLinks

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

LitLinks are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 70,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you’re there, check out the Writer’s Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately? Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox! Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here. Follow the WKB on Facebook here.

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On LitLinks:
Share on X

The post LitLinks appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

View more on Riley Adams's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on August 17, 2024 21:01

August 3, 2024

LitLinks

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

A quick note that I’ll be taking the next couple of weeks off for a summer break. :) I’ll look forward to being back Aug. 18 for LitLinks. And good news…X was able to get me back on the platform at long last. Business / Miscellaneous What Editors Wished Writers Knew: by Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous Buchmesse’s B2B Platform Is Open: ‘Frankfurt Connect’: by Porter Anderson The UK’s Booker Prize For Fiction: 2024 Longlist: by Porter Anderson Frankfurter Buchmesse’s 2024 Rights Center Sells Out: by Porter Anderson Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting Why Slowing Down Offers Writers an Effective Goal-Achievement Strategy: by Nina Amir Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration Story Ideas for Inspiration: by Angie Andriot Writer inspiration and tips on using AI to generate ideas: by Helena Fairfax Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers Five SFF Stories About Houses With Minds of Their Own: by Ratika Deshpande @litreactor Does Orwell still matter? by Peter Brian Barry 8 Adventure-Filled Books Set on Trains: by Sarah Brooks @electricliterature 6 Heart-Stopping Medical Thrillers: by BookTrib 7 Novels About Brilliant Freaks: by Jane Flett @electricliterature Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer’s Block Practical (and Fun) Tips for Overcoming Writer’s Block: by Elizabeth Stix Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life On the Internet, We’re All Unreliable Narrators: by Olivia Muenter @literaryhub The fierce imperative to create – poet and novelist Alan Humm: by Roz Morris Procrastination, Deadline Doom, and General Writer Panic: @msheatherwebb Writing Through Fear With Caroline Donahue: by Joanna Penn Creative Gaslighting – Why Do We Do This? by Gabriela Pereira The Pitfalls of Expert Advice: by Lauren Reynolds @janefriedman Why laughter is the best medicine for writers: by Ann Gomez Nothing is Lost or Wasted: by Anne Janzer We’re Not Competing With Human Writers Any More: by Nicole Pyles Opening to the Unexpected as a Writer: by Sophie Masson Genres / Fantasy Top 10 Tips On Writing A Fantasy Novel: by Lucy V. Hay @writers_helping_writers_angela Genres / Mystery Cozy Mystery Writing: from authors on the Kill Zone Paranormal Cozy Mysteries: from Mystery and Suspense Magazine Changes in Crime TV Series: by Mystery and Suspense Magazine Crime Fiction Writers Who’ve Changed Careers to Write: by Margot Kinberg Genres / Picture Books Writing Pitfalls in Children’s Writing: by Karen Cioffi Genres / Screenwriting Your Spec Script Is Doomed, Unless You Avoid This: by Bang2Write Genres / Short Stories What Previously Published Means for Flash Fiction: by Christina Dalcher Promo / Blogging How Changing Your Environment Helps You Develop New Blogging Habits: by Nina Amir Promo / Book Descriptions and Copywriting Writing that Book Blurb: by Anne K. Hawkinson Promo / Book Reviews What Should Writers Do With Their Bad Reviews? by Lev Raphael Promo / Miscellaneous How to Sell More Books During the Holidays: 7 Effective Strategies: @therealbookgal Do Authors Really Need to Spend Their Own Money to Make a Book Successful? by Maris Kreizman @literaryhub Publishing / Miscellaneous Interlink Publishing’s Ownership Transferred in Moushabeck Family: by Porter Anderson Association of American Publishers Backs Senate ‘NO FAKES Act’: by Porter Anderson ReadSpeaker on the Costs of Text-to-Speech Technology: by Porter Anderson Scribd Introduces ‘Ask AI’ to Subscribers in a Beta Release: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives Publishing / News / Amazon On Amazon Account Suspensions: by Nicholas C. Rossi Publishing / News / Data Circana BookScan: US Print’s January-June Print Market: by Porter Anderson Publishing / News / International Publishing AudioUK Surveys Data, a Bid for Government Support: by Porter Anderson University of Toronto Press and Canadian Science Publishing Partner: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives Elisabeth Jaquette: New Words Without Borders Executive Director: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Rejections 10 Ways to Handle Rejection Letters: by Kelley J. P. Lindberg The Business of Writing is Dominated by Rejections: by Philip Athans Writing Craft / Beginnings Should a Novel Ever Begin with a Dream? by N.L. Holmes Writing Craft / Characters / Development Making Your Villain a Major Character: from Mythcreants Character Traits List for Creative Writers (with Examples): by Angie Andriot Let Grief Touch Your Characters: by D. Wallace Peach Character Flaws: Types And Guidelines: by @k.m.allan_writer Writing Craft / Characters / Protagonists Is There a Good Way to Have a Decoy Protagonist? by Oren Ashkenazi Writing Craft / Diversity Include Diversity in Your Characters: by Margot Conor Writing Craft / Literary Devices The Three Types of Irony: by Robinette Waterson Metaphor Magic: Wield Your Pen Like a Wand: @annkroeker Writing Craft / Miscellaneous Writing Animals into your Story: by D. Wallace Peach How to Give Your Narration Flavor: by Andrea Lundgren Plot Perfection: A Guide to Crafting Compelling Narratives: @theleighshulman Can You Combine Two Characters Into One? Offstage Action: by Dave King Moving Beyond “Write What You Know”: by Maggie Smith Keep Your Novel Out of the Dreaded DNF—Did Not Finish—Book Club: by Amy L. Bernstein @janefriedman Story and Understory: by Steven Pressfield Editing Tips: How to Focus Your Story and Keep Readers Turning the Pages: by Helena Fairfax How an Academic Editor Can Help a Scholar Write a Better Article: by Wayne Jones for @janefriedman Authorsplaining: an Insidious Invitation for Readers to Skim: by Laura Drake Unlocking the Secret of How to Write Great Set-ups and Pay-offs: by Zena Dell Lowe Do Your Lovebirds Have a Solid Reason to Stay Apart? by Oren Ashkenazi Writing Craft / POV Point of view: Avoid Head-Hopping: by Anne R. Allen First Person and Verb Tense: by Kay DiBianca Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Outlining Story Development 101: How to Go from Idea to Outline: by
Lisa Taylor at Fictionary Writing Craft / Revision Get It Right—Three Reasons to Rewrite Your Work: by Lilka Raphael Writing: Revising Your Plot: by Linda S. Clare Writing Craft / Revisions / Critiques Questions to ask beta readers: from Rhea’s Chaos Motivation Reasons To Be In More Than One Critique Group: by Debra Kempf Shumaker Writing Craft / Scenes Scene Structure and Transitions in Big Scenes: by KM Weiland Writing Craft / World-Building Is Your Worldbuilding Novel or Bizarre? by Oren Ashkenazi Writing Tools / Apps Collaborative Writing With AI With Rachelle Ayala: by Joanna Penn

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On LitLinks:
Share on X

The post LitLinks appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

View more on Riley Adams's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on August 03, 2024 21:02

July 28, 2024

Can You Combine Two Characters Into One?

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I was reading a mystery recently, a book that I was enjoying. It was a British police procedural with great, atmospheric settings, interesting characters, and a puzzling murder.

It was also very confusing, although it didn’t start out that way. Starting out, it seemed well-organized with shifts between the POV of the victim’s girlfriend and the POV of the investigating officer.

But suddenly, the reader was introduced to what seemed like the entire police station. Two characters seemed as if they might be sounding boards for the detective. Then there were a couple of others who seemed like bad apples, making the police department look bad. A few others were introduced, as well. All of the characters were named.

If a character is named, I try hard to remember who the character is for the next time he pops up in a scene or is mentioned in dialogue. Chapters went by, however, without the characters being mentioned again.

Then I realized it was a debut novel by the author, although the series is now an established one.

Sure enough, later on it became obvious. Two of the named detectives that returned in future chapters, were just sort of sidekick characters. It wouldn’t have been a problem unless there weren’t many other characters. But there were.

In this instance, I think it would have been helpful for the author or editor to realize the two characters could be combined into one because they played the same role in the story.

This can be done in plenty of other situations. Do you need two close friends for your protagonist? Do you need two neighbors to give perspective on the protagonist’s neighborhood?

It’s tricky for readers, especially in today’s distracting world, to keep up with a large cast. This is just one way to winnow them down.

Do you get lost with too many characters as a reader? How do you address it as a writer?

Combining Characters in Your Story:
Share on X

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

The post Can You Combine Two Characters Into One? appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

View more on Riley Adams's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on July 28, 2024 21:01

July 27, 2024

LitLinks

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous The International Publishers Association at Frankfurter Buchmesse: by Porter Anderson Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration 100 One-Word Writing Prompts: by Javacia Harris Bowser Write Like A Kid Again: Using Writing Prompts: by Annie Cosby Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers 7 Books About People Accused of Being Witches: by J. Nicole Jones Crime Fiction: In The Spotlight: Alex Pavesi’s the Eighth Detective: by Margot Kinberg 10 Feminist Crime Novels Subverting the Dead Girl Trope: by Kat Davis 7 Books Structured as Conversations: by Shze-Hui Tjoa The Lure of the Jailhouse Confessional: by Carol LaHines Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing Proven Strategies to Overcome Distraction and Write Your Book: by Rochelle Melander Big, beautiful goals – but can’t be bothered? 11 great productivity tips for lazy people: by Joel Snape Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer’s Block Six Writers on How They Tackle Writer’s Block: from Lit Hub Practical (and Fun) Tips for Overcoming Writer’s Block: by Elizabeth Stix Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life Two Reasons Not to Use AI to Write Your Novels: by Beth K. Vogt Thoughts on Focus for Writers & the Distractions We Battle: by Larry J. Leech How Writers Torture Themselves (& How To Stop): by Susanne Bennett Should You Show a WIP to Friends and Family? by Anne R. Allen Writing as a Transformation: by Doug Lewars Writing Advice: It May or May Not Work for You: by Tammy Karasek Serendipity for Writers: by Kathleen McCleary Writing Your Novel Backward Might Be the Secret to Success: by Janice Hardy Balancing a Writng Career with Self-Care: by Fox Print Editorial On the Internet, We’re All Unreliable Narrators: by Olivia Muenter @literaryhub Genres / Fantasy Six Things You Need to Know about Writing Romantasy: by Maria V. Snyder Genres / Humor Why Humor is one of the Sharpest Tools in a Writer’s Arsenal: by Rob Hart Genres / Memoir How to Write a Memoir: 10 Tips for Sharing Your Story: by Linda O’Donnell The Missing Link in Memoir Character Development : by Lisa Cooper Ellison Genres / Miscellaneous How one author writes in multiple genres: by Alessandra Torre What Writers Should Know: Genres: by D.L. Finn Genres / Mystery Children with Famous Parents as an Element in Crime Fiction: by Margot Kinberg Balance of Power in Relationships as an Element of Crime Fiction: by Margot Kinberg Genres / Short Stories How to Publish a Collection of Your Short Stories: by Rayne Hall @theiwsg Promo / Book Descriptions and Copywriting Writing that Book Blurb: by Anne K. Hawkinson Promo / Miscellaneous Getting Book Endorsements: Everything You Need to Know: by Penny Sansevieri Promo / Podcasts Podcast Guesting Goals: by Debra Eckerling Publishing / Miscellaneous How to Write Your Book’s Acknowledgments: by Lisa Tener Publishing / News / International Publishing Amazon Literary Grants This Year Expand to Ireland: by Porter Anderson China Bestsellers: Summer Shuffles Book Sales Charts: by Porter Anderson Hong Kong’s First Open Access Books Program: Three Universities: by Porter Anderson Publishing / Options / Hybrid Publishing Ten Things I’ve Learned as a Hybrid Author: by Tari Lynn Jewett Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing How Books Are Chosen for Publication: from David Farland Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying “Eleven and up” isn’t a genre (query critique): by Nathan Bransford Tips on finding the right agent: by Natalie Aguirre Query Letter Questions Answered: by Linda Gilden Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Rejections 10 Ways to Handle Rejection Letters: by Kelley J. P. Lindberg Publishing / Process / Services to Avoid Six common publishing and book marketing hustles of 2024 – and what we can do: by Roz Morris Writing Craft / Characters / Development Making Your Character’s Choices Fit Their Personality: by Beau Donnan 9 Proven Steps for Memorable Character Development: by Jerry Jenkins Writing Craft / Common Mistakes Showing vs. Telling: by Marilynn Byerly Writing Craft / Flashback and Back Story Need a Lot of Backstory? Options for Structuring Your Story: by Jami Gold Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film One Snail: Writing Lessons From the Bell Jar: by Liza Nash Taylor Five Fantasy Movies With Timeless Fairy Tale Vibes: by Lorna Wallace Writing Craft / Literary Devices 3 Ways to Infuse Your Story with Theme: by CS Lakin 38 Tone Examples: How to Use Tone in Writing: by Linda O’Donnell Crafting themes to inspire: by Alessandra Torre Types of Irony in Writing: by Jerry Jenkins Writing Craft / Miscellaneous Making Your World Dangerous: from Mythcreants Consider This Before Killing a Character: by K.M. Weiland An Interview With Author Cynthia Beach: by Hugh Cook What Do We Really Mean When We Say “Show, Don’t Tell”? by Janet S. Fox Writing Animals into your Story: by D. Wallace Peach Writing Craft / Revision Why you should keep an editing diary: by Daphne Gray-Grant How to Rewrite a Story for a Different Call: by Dannye Chase Tips for Revision: by ARHuelsenbeck How to Fix Big Story Problems: by @writers_helping_writers_angela Get It Right—Three Reasons to Rewrite Your Work: by Lilka Raphael Writing Craft / Revisions / Critiques Why Your Book Needs Beta Readers: by Andrea Lundgren What to Ask Your Beta Readers: by Andrew Noakes for @janefriedman Writing Craft / Scenes Writing: The Whens and Wheres of Scenes: by Linda S. Clare The Secret to Page-Turning Scene Endings: by Lisa Poisso @writers_helping_writers_angela Writing Craft / World-Building 5 Tips For Better World Building: from Kathryn, The Fake Redhead

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On LitLinks:
Share on X

The post LitLinks appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

View more on Riley Adams's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on July 27, 2024 21:01

July 21, 2024

An Interview With Author Cynthia Beach

Interview by Hugh Cook

Cynthia Beach is the author of The Surface of Water, a timely novel published this year by InterVarsity Press. The novel presents an unflinching, lifting-the-veil portrayal of a contemporary evangelical megachurch; it reveals the damaging consequences when faith is overruled by the temptations of power and wealth. In our age of #churchtoo, the novel thus is a relevant and timely read.

Cynthia Beach is interviewed by author Hugh Cook.

What is the main storyline of The Surface of Water?

Matthew Goodman, celebrated pastor of a Chicago megachurch, nevertheless has a secret that could severely damage his reputation if it is revealed. A young woman named Trish Card comes into Goodman’s life, and she is the only person who can uncover his secret. But Goodman doesn’t know it. He has become lost inside his fame, and what Trish Card may offer him is a doorway to truth.

What motivated you to write this novel?

In November 2008, 55-year-old Pastor Matthew Goodman and 25-year-old Trish Card arrived. Goodman came to my mental door, invited there by a “what if” question. What if a successful pastor is a Richard Cory?

Richard Cory is the glamorous and tragic gentleman-celebrity of a poem by American

Pulitzer-prize-winning poet E. A. Robinson. In high school, I read Robinson’s poem “Richard Cory” and could not forget it. In it, the working town’s celebrity, the business tycoon everyone loves and envies, has an internal life vastly different from the external image he projects. The poem taught me the complexity of being human. Some folks who seem to have it all, in fact do not.

So, this “what if” question arrived—but this time with an evangelical pastor. And not just

any pastor, but a wealthy broadcast pastor with a Chicago megachurch, a pastor who is good-

looking and articulate and very, very successful. But Matthew Goodman’s success doesn’t fill him. Why not? Matthew has shuttered his soul and fails to explore the discordant chaos around his father, radio evangelist Jacob Goodman. So, yes, what if? What if a successful pastor is a Richard Cory?

As if that’s not enough, Trish Card, his new assistant, arrives in this successful man’s life

as someone on a mission—and as someone who hasn’t had any of the social advantages Matthew Goodman has had. A girl from Trentwood. What she has, though, is sacrificial love demonstrated by the Latino family who cared for her after her mom’s death. Because of their love and her suffering, Trish operates with keen authenticity that wakes this image-conscious leader. In the world of fiction, this is an “odd-couple pairing.” What might a Trish Card teach a Richard Cory?

What are some themes in this novel?

The costs to the powerful for being the powerful and the costs to the powerless for being powerless. Another theme contrasts true religion with false. Finally, there’s a theme of redemption, too, for Matthew Goodman—if he’s willing. When we become lost in life, we must find a path to renewal.

What genre is your novel?

Contemporary, upmarket fiction. This means it’s literary—character-driven with some artful word use—while maintaining tantalizing suspense. It’s a good combo. Artful and suspenseful.

Of course, suspense doesn’t mean a physical bomb explodes, right? Suspense includes emotional bombs, too, and that’s what Surface is about.

What are readers saying about your novel?

The most common response to date is a complaint. Readers say they stay up too late finishing it. They must find out what happens. That, of course, delights me. I start to laugh.

So, why can’t people put the novel down?

Matthew Goodman and Trish Card are complex characters. They aren’t one-dimensional, and neither are their problems. My impression? Readers care about them. Readers feel Goodman’s vulnerabilities—and Trish’s.

I also learned a great fiction technique from what agent Donald Maass called “micro-tension,” which he defines as conflicting emotions. The Surface of Water has protagonists who are riddled with ambivalence—Goodman with his isolating fame, and Trish with the whole mystery about who her dad is and her mom’s tough life.

What are you most proud of in Surface?

Hmm. Okay, here’s what I’m most proud about: looking at things in both a truthful and loving way. I respect Goodman. I respect Trish. The story doesn’t trash men. Although it touches on #ChurchToo, it’s not a story colored by gender contempt. I have a high view of how we suffer regardless of who we might be.

Water appears in the title and throughout the novel. What does it mean?

Goodman is a surface guy. He has built a lifestyle in which he neglects his soul, his family, his relationship to the world. So, what would happen if he plunges into the deep end? That’s one meaning of water in this novel.

But symbolism doesn’t function like simple arithmetic. There is a “beyond-ness” to water in this story. Is it mercy? Grace? A transcendent being?

Is there anything else you’d like us to know about your novel?

The Surface of Water is distinct in several ways. First, its point of view directs empathy toward Pastor Goodman. What is the impact of our celebrity culture on a human soul? Goodman’s celebrity status makes examining the truth of his inner life difficult. A second distinct feature is that this novel explores sexual misconduct as sexual addictions, not as a “mistake” or one small sin, but a chosen psychological gear returned to again and again.

While alive to social justice issues, the novel doesn’t preach; instead, it has understated depth.

Readers will find real characters, not one-dimensional caricatures, which is especially vital in a story about a pastor. Readers travel with a celebrity pastor, a “Richard Cory,” who finds his status isolating and burdensome. They will discover a man who is complex, aggravating in his arrogance and accessible in his sadness, and a young woman whose past makes her both strong and troubled.

What are you working on now?

A Thousand Wings of Light, a sequel to Surface of Water, which has riveted my focus now. Joining Goodman and Trish as point-of-view characters are Goodman’s son, Jonathan, and Maria’s son, Andres. At the end of Surface, everything erupts, and now we move with these four characters to see what happens next.

Where can readers obtain a copy of The Surface of Water?

Readers can order the book from their local bookstore, from Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.

Cynthia Beach is a longtime professor of creative writing and author of Creative Juices for Writers and the novel The Surface of Water. She has an MA in journalism from Wheaton College and an MFA in fiction writing. Cynthia directs a faith-based writing workshop, Scriptoria, with Newbery-winner Gary Schmidt. She lives near Grand Rapids, Michigan on seven quiet acres with her husband, Dave. Her Surface sequel is forthcoming. For author information, visit cynthiabeach.com.

Hugh Cook holds an MFA in fiction writing from the Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa. He has published two books of short stories and two novels. Readers can obtain his recent award-winning novel Heron River at Amazon and at Barnes and Noble . Hugh also edits fiction manuscripts. Contact him at hughcook212@gmail.com. For more information, check his website at hugh-cook.ca.

An interview with author Cynthia Beach by @HughCook_ca :
Share on X

The post An Interview With Author Cynthia Beach appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

View more on Riley Adams's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on July 21, 2024 21:01

July 20, 2024

LitLinks

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Just a quick heads-up…I haven’t been able to log into Twitter/X for almost two weeks now. X support has a ticket open, but they haven’t responded back since July 5. Sorry I haven’t been able to do my usual thing there! You can find me on Threads (elizabethspanncraig) , as well as Facebook.

Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous 15 Tips to Make the Most of Your Next (or First!) Writers’ Conference: by Ann Kroeker Writers Need Other Writers—4 People We Need to Find at a Writing Conference: by Tim Suddeth @TimSuddeth @EdieMelson Sharjah’s 2024 Publishers Conference Opens for Registration: by Porter Anderson UK: Shortlists Named for the 2024 Forward Prizes for Poetry: by Porter Anderson Frankfurt Buchmesse and Bologna Plan Coordinated Games Areas: by Porter Anderson Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration 6 Ways Tabletop Gaming Can Help Improve Your Writing: by Whitney Carter What\’s helping me write now: by Austin Kleon Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers Six Seriously Funny Speculative Short Stories: by Ratika Deshpande 9 Books About Haunted Motherhood: by Clare Beams Five Very Good Cats in SF and Fantasy: by James D. Nicoll 7 Books to Help You Battle Burnout: by Ella Dawson Five Very Good Cat People in SF and Fantasy: by James D. Nicoll Crime Fiction: In The Spotlight: Amy Myers’ Murder in Abbot’s Folly: by Margot Kinberg 7 Books About People Accused of Being Witches: by J. Nicole Jones Creativity and Inspiration / Motivation Plan for continuous small treats for yourself: by Daphne Gray-Grant 50 Character Motivation Examples and Tips for Writing: by Shane Miller Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer’s Block Six Writers on How They Tackle Writer’s Block: from Lit Hub Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life How I Feel After One Year Of Being On Sub: by Kelly Sgroi Your next act as a writer: @DanBlank Tracking Your Writing: Words of Wisdom: by Dale Ivan Smith Stop when you are going good: by Austin Kleon Crafting a Writing Mission Statement for Success: by Leigh Shulman Running and Writing and the Marathon: by Kay DiBianca Power Outages and Plot Twists: How Hurricane Beryl Fueled My Creativity: @tishbouvier 3 Ways to Escape a Writing Slump: by S. Foster 7 ways to get your writing party started, already: by Paula Munier Creative Writing vs Writing as Therapy: by Sara Kopeczky Why Busy Writers Should Journal: by Javacia Harris Bowser Genres / Fantasy Primordial Forces in Fiction: by Charles Yallowitz Genres / Mystery Elections in Crime Fiction: by Margot Kinberg Writing Modern Thrillers Based On Ancient Relics and Historical Places: J.F. Penn On The Ancient Heroes Podcast: Genres / Poetry Poetry Short Forms: The Pensee: by Shutta Crum What fiction writers can learn from reading and writing poetry: by Roberta Cheadle Genres / Romance Three Ways to Give Your Romance a Tense Throughline: by Chris Winkle Genre Expectations: Writing Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance: by A.C. Williams Genres / Screenwriting 13 Warnings From The People Who Read Your Screenplay: from Bang2Write Genres / Short Stories Why Short Stories Are Difficult to Write: by Teagan Berry Promo / Blogging How To Make Categorising And Tagging Blog Posts Powerful: from Hugh’s News and Views Promo / Miscellaneous How To Shine In Author Interviews: Strategies For Captivating Your Audience: by Colleen M. Story Marketing Middle-Grade or Young-Adult Books and More Self-Publishing Questions Answered: by Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black Beyond the classroom: 8 unique venues for children’s book author visits: by Chelsea Tornetto Promo / Speaking Public Speaking for Writers: Publishing / Miscellaneous Elsevier’s ‘Attitudes Toward AI’ Report: Mixed Feelings: by Porter Anderson for Publishing Perspectives AI Rights: Asimov, Adler, and ‘Created by Humans’: by Porter Anderson How to Write Your Book’s Acknowledgments: by Lisa Tener Publishing / News / Data AAP StatShot: US Trade Publishing Rises 16.5 Percent in May: by Porter Anderson Publishing / News / International Publishing Rights Edition: Giunti’s Frankfurt-Bound ‘Come l’arancio amaro’: by Porter Anderson Lynette Owen on Her Latest Update of ‘Selling Rights’ Book: by Porter Anderson Spain’s Publishers Study Artificial Intelligence Opportunities for the Book Sector: by Porter Anderson Abu Dhabi’s Arabic Language Center Names Research Grant Winners: by Porter Anderson CEO Stefano Mauri on Italy’s GeMS and Debut Fiction: by Porter Anderson Amazon Literary Grants This Year Expand to Ireland: by Porter Anderson Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying What Not To Do When Sending Off Your Manuscript: by Charmedward The 13 Types of Responses Writers Get When Querying Agents: by Morgan Hazelwood “Eleven and up” isn’t a genre (query critique): by Nathan Bransford Writing Craft / Characters / Arc Understanding the Heart of Negative Character Arcs: by September C. Fawkes Writing Craft / Characters / Development David Farland’s Writing Tips – Twelve Exercises for Developing Characters: 10 Character Dynamics the World Needs More of: from Fix Your Writing Habits 10 More Character Types the World Needs More of: from Physalian Making Your Character’s Choices Fit Their Personality: by Beau Donnan Writing Craft / Characters / Emotion How to Avoid Clichéd Emotional Reactions: by Becca Puglisi Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film How Emily Henry hooks the reader: from Nathan Bransford Writing Lessons from Jane Austen: Story Questions and Northanger Abbey: by Robin Henry One Snail: Writing Lessons From the Bell Jar: by Liza Nash Taylor Writing Craft / Miscellaneous Structuring an Ensemble Cast with Plotlines: by September Fawkes @writers_helping_writers_angela 7 Tips to Using Nonverbal Communication in Your Writing: by Charles E. Yallowitz 5 Strategies for Writing the Parts You Don’t Like: by K.M. Weiland Does Your Scarred Character Have to Hate Themself? from Fix Your Writing Habits Playing with Words: An Author Looks at Fun Oxymorons: by PeggySue Wells Writing Craft / Scenes Building the Scene: by Beem Weeks Writing: The Why of Your Scene: by Linda S. Clare Writing Craft / Voice Celebrate your unique creative voice: by Dan Blank Writing Tools / Miscellaneous Bullet Journaling Tips for Writers: by Edie Melson Writing Tools / Resources What Do Writers Need to Know About AI? by Alex J. Cavanaugh at @IWSG Uncategorized How To Elevate The Descriptions In Your Book: by K.M. Allan

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On LitLinks:
Share on X

The post LitLinks appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

View more on Riley Adams's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on July 20, 2024 21:01

July 14, 2024

Public Speaking for Writers

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I’ve definitely made my peace with public speaking in the last 15 years or so. It’s still usually not my most favorite activity, but I’ve gotten to the point where I enjoy sharing information and even providing some entertainment.

The easiest form of public speaking is podcasts. I usually appear on a podcast at least once a year. It’s minimal prep and I can even have notes in the background. The same goes for zoom calls, recorded or not. I have a checklist for appearing on podcasts, which you can see here.

Minimally harder is speaking to writers in person at conferences. I feel very much at ease speaking to writers, so the only hard part is making sure I’m prepared for any questions. I’ve found it’s very important to get a feel for exactly where the audience is, in terms of their writing. Are they just started out? Are they publishing? Do they want to hear more about craft or promo? Usually the organizer can answer these questions for me in advance so that I can be prepared. I answer questions at the end. If a question from a writer gets too technical and seems to be beyond the scope of what the rest of the writers are interested in, I ask them to speak with me afterwards or shoot me an email.

The toughest, for me, is speaking with readers. The very toughest is speaking with book clubs (tip: I recommend keeping all of your outlines to use as cheat sheets before speaking with book clubs), but speaking with other readers is also hard. I’ve found that the audience tends to like my general talk the best. In it, I start out asking for a show of hands to see how many grew up reading mysteries or watching them (Scooby Doo, et al) on TV. Then I talk about constructing mysteries for a bit . . . clues, red herrings, sleuths, and suspects. From there, I give an overview of how I got started writing and then my writing life and routine. I include as much humor as possible and end up by taking questions.

General tips for in-person talks:

Arrive early. This is my biggest tip. It helps avoid tech issues that may crop up. You can also greet the audience as they come in, which I’ve found helps me reduce nerves.

Move around. Although standing behind a lectern feels very safe, it’s less visually interesting for the audience than seeing the speaker walk.

If you use a PowerPoint presentation, have it be image-based instead of text-based.

Keep track of your audience. If people are looking bored or sleepy, pivot and talk about something else.

Focus on delivering value. Not only will the audience walk away from the event feeling they gained something, it helps speakers reduce any anxiety regarding public speaking.

Do you do much public speaking? What tips have I missed?

Public Speaking Tips for Writers
Share on X

The post Public Speaking for Writers appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

View more on Riley Adams's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on July 14, 2024 21:01

July 13, 2024

LitLinks

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On LitLinks:
Share on X

The post LitLinks appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

View more on Riley Adams's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on July 13, 2024 21:01

July 7, 2024

Nail Your In-Store Book Signing

by Hugh Cook

On a rainy Saturday morning this spring, Indigo Books, Canada’s largest bookstore chain, arranged an in-store book signing for my novel Heron River. Many of you who read the blogs here on Elizabeth Craig’s site are also writers, and you may be hoping to obtain a bookstore signing yourself for your recently published or soon-to-be-published book. If you land that signing, perhaps some of what I experienced that day at Indigo Books may resonate with you.

The store manager welcomed me as I entered the store and led me to a table just inside the store’s front doors. “Here’s your spot,” he said.

I was worried that with the rain, few people might visit the store that day. Still, I was happy the manager had arranged a spot for me at the store entrance, so that the shoppers who braved the rain that day would have to pass by my table. Had I been placed deep in the store, readers looking for a book on notorious serial killers or how to get rich playing the stock market would have missed my table. So when you land an in-store book signing, see if they can place you at the store entrance, especially if it’s a big-box store like Indigo or Barnes & Noble. The mantra that realtors like to repeat is true also of a book signing: location, location, location.

My advantageous spot in the store would have meant nothing, however, if I’d glued my posterior to the chair behind my table the three hours I was there. You may be a card-carrying introvert, and the thought of getting up off your chair to talk to complete strangers may give you hives, but if you hope to sell books you must get up off your duff. And talk to people.

I tried to think of a snappy ice breaker, something so shoppers walking by would know I was selling a novel, not a book on the basic teachings of Mormonism or a revolutionary new diet that would enable you to lose forty pounds a month. When a woman approached my table, I said, “You’re looking for that gripping novel you can’t put down.”

The woman gave a little snort. “I’m looking for my daughter,” she said, and walked on.

Undeterred, I tried my opening gambit on another shopper. “You’re looking for that gripping novel you can’t put down.”

The woman must have thought I was an employee. “No,” she said, “but can you tell me where the stuffed animals are?”

I tried my spiel a third time. “Actually,” the woman said, “I’m looking for white candles for Easter.”

Oh yes, the store sold more than books. Much more.

I realized my clever line about looking for a gripping novel they couldn’t put down was nothing more than that: merely clever. I would have to change my approach. I told people I was a local author, that the store was featuring a novel I had just published, and that I’d be happy to tell them what it was about. In the next fifteen minutes, two women I talked to said they wanted to support local authors, and bought a copy of my novel. “Bless your heart,” I told them.

I had to engage people, yes, but I also had to be genuine.

Speaking of local, I found it important to tell people my novel is set in nearby Caledonia, a small town on the Grand River fifteen miles away. “I live in Caledonia,” a man said, a smile of surprise lighting his face. I handed him a copy of the novel. He looked it over, recognized the river on the front cover and the old mill on the back, and said those three lovely words, “I’ll buy it.” At your book signing, mention the setting of the novel, wherever that is: Philadelphia, Tuscany, wherever. You might just hit a person who remembers Philadelphia from the movie Rocky, or who had a great vacation last summer in a villa in Tuscany.

The way this man looked the book over, though, front cover and back, riffled through the pages, then bought the book, convinced me I would hand my novel to every person I talked to. Every shopper I handed the book to took their time looking at it, which I figure increased their chances of buying it. If they did not want to buy the book, they would have to hand it back to me.

At this point I need to tell you briefly what the book is about. My novel has two central characters. Adam, a young man of 25, has a developmental disability, the result of his having fallen into a deep well when he was six. Although firefighters pulled him up and he was revived after forty-five minutes of CPR, he was under water long enough to have experienced lack of oxygen to the brain, causing irreversible brain damage. The other central character, Adam’s mother Madeline, blames herself for her son’s fall into the well. She was hanging wash on the clothesline while her two boys played outside, and she feels she should have been more vigilant.

Every writer who has finished a book is told to prepare an elevator pitch, a thirty-second high-concept statement of your novel’s key selling point that compels your listener to want to know more. Now, Heron River, as you can gather from what I’ve just told you about the two main characters, may not appeal initially to those readers who look for a novel that will lift their spirits. And yet, despite the book’s serious subject matter, most audiences are emotionally moved, I find, when I read from the novel’s opening chapter.

So, unable to tell the shoppers at Indigo that my main character marries his college cheerleader sweetheart, they win a ten-million-dollar lottery, and have three beautiful children, I told them the main character of my novel is a 25-year-old young man with a developmental disability after he fell into a well when he was six. Not exactly Oprah, heart-warming stuff.

After about an hour, though, I realized that almost all the people who bought my novel were women, and I decided I would change my elevator pitch. Instead of telling people my main character is a 25-year-old young man with a developmental disability, I told them my main character is a mother whose life takes a tragic turn when her six-year-old boy falls into a well. No one turned away to find a stuffed animal or Easter candles after I said this.

Expect the possibility of surprise. At a book signing, authors not only sign books, but are often asked to inscribe the book to someone. In fact, it’s a question I always ask someone who buys my book: “Would you like me to inscribe it to you?”

That Saturday a young couple came to my table; the mother was carrying a baby. They bought my novel, I signed it, and before I could ask, the mother said, “Could you inscribe it to Isabella?”

“I’d love to,” I said, “that’s you?”

“No, she’s Isabella,” the mother said, and held up her baby.

I had to think for a second. “How old is she?” I asked. I think I must have smiled.

“Fourteen months.”

“You realize this is a novel for adults, right?”

“Uh huh,” the mother said, nodding.

“I guess you’ll be putting it aside for a while then,” I said, and inscribed the book “To Isabella.” Later, I wondered whether this was perhaps the first time they’d met an actual author, and they wanted to commemorate the occasion.

A final suggestion. After Heron River came out, my local city newspaper gave full-page coverage of my novel: a feature story about how I approach writing, and a lengthy review of the book. A full page. Man, most writers I know would give their right arm for such coverage. I took the page along to Indigo, and placed it on the table where shoppers couldn’t miss it. I also printed off a sheet of paper containing the following brief excerpts from newspaper reviews of my novel:

“I had the good fortune of reading Heron River. There isn’t a false note in it.”

“As lovely a novel as I have read in a long time.”

“A beautiful book – a very beautiful book.”

I printed these excerpts in large, 36-point bold font so that even Mr. Magoo would have been able to read them. When you’re selling your novel in a store that has thousands of books—not to mention stuffed animals and Easter candles—you do what it takes. At your book signing, if you’re fortunate to have received reviews of your book, whether they’re from a newspaper, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Goodreads, take along brief excerpts.

I felt good after my three hours in the store, and thought it had gone well. As I was packing up, the manager came over and told me how many books I’d sold. “Impressive,” he said.

I walked out of the store to my car and saw it had stopped raining.

Hugh Cook holds an MFA in fiction writing from the Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa. He has published two books of short stories and two novels. Readers can obtain his recent novel Heron River at Amazon and at Barnes and Noble . Send him a query at hughcook212@gmail.com.

Nail Your In-Store Book Signing by @HughCook_ca :
Share on X

Image by wal_172619 from Pixabay

The post Nail Your In-Store Book Signing appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

View more on Riley Adams's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on July 07, 2024 21:01