Riley Adams's Blog, page 127

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 23,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

Why Humorous Fantasy Isn’t Popular:  http://ow.ly/CyKNw @mharoldpage

11 best practices for working with an editor: http://ow.ly/CyKND  @awsamuel

5 Tips How to Write and Sell a Picture Book with a Plot:  http://ow.ly/CyKNH @plotwhisperer

The Craft of Outlining:  http://ow.ly/CyKNL @Sullivan_Kiki               

Mentioning previous representation in a query:  http://ow.ly/CyKNP @Janet_Reid

Indie Authors: Getting Past The ‘Bookstore Barrier':  http://ow.ly/CUO33 @Porter_Anderson @BarbaraFreethy

How to publish ebooks: – the beginner’s ultimate guide: http://ow.ly/CyKNR @Roz_Morris

Let tech innovators create the tech. Let writers create content: http://ow.ly/CX01g @camillelaguire @Porter_Anderson #FutureChat

 

Self-Publishing Checklist: The Random No One Tells You:  http://ow.ly/CC3YQ  @PattyTempleton

An Agent on Querying a Self-Published Book:  http://ow.ly/CC3YR @susan_adrian

9 Dos and Don’ts of Typography:  http://ow.ly/CC3YV @cjgmanlapas

An MFA in Creative Writing–the Good, the Bad, the Ugly:  http://ow.ly/CC3YX @everywriter

If you only write once in a while, should you change? http://ow.ly/CC3YY @BWBODRasch

Why should authors care about Google+?  http://ow.ly/CC3YZ  @jenniferlellis

Talents and Skills Thesaurus Entry: Blending In:  http://ow.ly/CC3Z2 @beccapuglisi

Writer’s Block: Creativity as Chameleon:  http://ow.ly/CC3Z4  @kimtriedman

Mystery Writers: Writing a Series http://ow.ly/CC3Z5  @Rhysbowen

Insurance investigators in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/CC3Z7 @mkinberg

Don’t Do ‘Due Diligence':  http://ow.ly/CC3Z8 @writing_tips

Query Question: What do you do with multiple offers?  http://ow.ly/CC3Z9 @Janet_Reid

10 literary canines:  http://ow.ly/CC3Zc @guardianbooks

Team-Produced Stories: An Author Perspective:  http://ow.ly/CDMOn @jessicagadd

9 Simple Tips for Writing Clearer & Cleaner:  http://ow.ly/CDMOo @jchenwriter

10 Novelist-Tested Ways to Defeat Writer’s Block: http://ow.ly/CDMOq  @WarrenAdler

Top 7 Mistakes That Make our Writing Look Unprofessional:  http://ow.ly/CDMOs @SarahAllenBooks

It’s Okay If What We Write Stinks:  http://ow.ly/CDMOt  @kayedacus

Launching Multiple Books at Once: Pros & Cons:  http://ow.ly/CDMOu @goblinwriter

Romantic genre basics:  http://ow.ly/CyKNu @EDFsChronicles @storyadaymay

Why We All Need Journeys:  http://ow.ly/CyKNp @jeffgoins

What copy editors do:  http://ow.ly/CyKNj @Peculiar

When You’re Making Radical Manuscript Changes: A Helpful Technique for Writers:  http://ow.ly/CyKN9 @writeabook

Make your self-pubbed content work harder for you:  http://ow.ly/CUOBh

It’s Over. We Can Coexist Now': @HughHowey Calls A Ceasefire: http://ow.ly/CUNNL @Porter_Anderson

Your Character’s Speech (and accents) http://ow.ly/CyKN2 from Reference for Writers

8 Marketing Don’ts: Get Real or Get Lost:  http://ow.ly/CyKMW  @srjohannes

Objective story throughout plot:  http://ow.ly/CslXg @glencstrathy

Momentum: Keep the Writing Coming:  http://ow.ly/CslXd @fictionnotes

Principles of storytelling- the inciting incident:  http://ow.ly/CslX8 @nownovel

5 Key Things to know about personalizing your query: http://ow.ly/CslX3 @Janet_Reid

Story Trumps Craft:  http://ow.ly/CslX0  @kayedacus

Writer’s Resource List:  http://ow.ly/CslWX

Listening to Your Characters:  http://ow.ly/CslWU

5 BS Indicators for Writers Conferences:  http://ow.ly/CslWN @victoriamixon

Ebook Sales Down? 15 Tips: http://ow.ly/CslWH @JAKonrath

Why Don’t Publishers Fact Check Memoirs More Closely? http://ow.ly/CslWC @pubperspectives

Add an Element of Mystery to Every Genre: http://ow.ly/CQoSq @Kakido

6 Steps To Overcoming Social Media Writer’s Block: http://ow.ly/CslXi @ebooksandkids

Waiting for the pundits to vote on Amazon’s new ‘Kindle Scout': http://ow.ly/CNHfB @Porter_Anderson

‘Surprise’ support for subscriptions at Frankfurt: http://ow.ly/CNG19 @Porter_Anderson

The Villain’s Big Reveal http://ow.ly/Cn5At @Kid_Lit

Blogging Milestones We Should be Celebrating:  http://ow.ly/Cn4T3 @EdieMelson

Grammar Crimes and Misdemeanors:  http://ow.ly/Cn4tl @juliettefay

How to Avoid Head-Hopping:  http://ow.ly/Cn4Mx @JodieRennerEd

Mobile phones as reading devices and what this might mean for publishing: http://ow.ly/CP4I5 @Porter_Anderson

Should Literature Be Considered Useful?  http://ow.ly/Cn6dM @thehighsign @NYTimes

How Much Should You Charge for Your E-Book? 7 Questions to Ask:  http://ow.ly/Cn5Wa @ticewrites

Help for Sedentary Writers: 10 Easy Ways to Work Stretching Into Your Daily Routine:  http://ow.ly/Cn55x @christanyc

Wanting to Write in the Mornings? 7 Proven Ways to Boost Morning Productivity:  http://ow.ly/Cn5Q1 @JWhite

When You Are a Young Writer:  http://ow.ly/Cn6xI @ElectricLit

Joy in life and writing: http://ow.ly/Cn5GM  @emilypfreeman

Read 5 published novels in our genre for every one craft book we read:  http://ow.ly/Cn5tg @kayedacus

How To Write In A New Genre (And 4 Reasons We Should) http://ow.ly/Cn5kh @SarahAllenBooks

10 Social Media Rules Every Author Needs to Know:  http://ow.ly/ClIRk @ediemelson

The lack of fact-checking in publishing:  http://ow.ly/ClIp2 @theatlantic

7 Strategies and 110 Tools to Help Indie Authors Find Readers and Reviewers:  http://ow.ly/ClIMP  @sabsky

What makes a great short story?   http://ow.ly/ClI84 @writers_write

Put Calls To Action In The Back Of Your Books To Sell More Books:  http://ow.ly/ClIEG @bkmkting

Voice – what you say, and how you say it:  http://ow.ly/ClIXz @AlmaAlexander

How to Write Effective Betrayal: http://ow.ly/ClIko @ava_jae

Why a Newsletter is a Marketing Must: http://ow.ly/ClIA5 @bookgal

6 Keys to Writing a Story with Spiritual Content: http://ow.ly/ClI10  @RachelPhifer1

How Authors Can Create Successful Blog Plans:  http://ow.ly/ClIc9 @ninaamir

10 Mistakes Every Author Should Avoid:  http://ow.ly/ClIIY  @Bookgal

Productivity Tips And Running Your Author Business: http://ow.ly/ClJp9 @JenTalty @thecreativepenn

Finding Your Voice: What Is Voice?  http://ow.ly/CiDfE  @loriagoldstein

7 Excuses for Not Self-Publishing:  http://ow.ly/CiEWx @DianaHeuser

10 tips for becoming an author:  http://ow.ly/CiD9E @KinsellaSophie

Take Charge of Your Author Business: 5 Aspects to Consider:  http://ow.ly/CiDnL @thecreativepenn

Goals: On Setting the Bar Low:  http://ow.ly/CHcUY

9 Easy & Inexpensive Ways to Promote Your Audiobook http://ow.ly/CiD7e @writerunboxed

6 Hot Trends in Indie Book Marketing:  http://ow.ly/CiEGQ @kamajowa

3 Lessons from Successful Author Pinterest Boards:  http://ow.ly/CiDwA @emilywenstrom

Writing secret: all you need is curiosity and surprise: http://ow.ly/CiCZH @speechwriterguy

Story Composition: Variety Within Unity:  http://ow.ly/CiDzf @woodwardkaren

Character Talents and Skills: Reading The Weather:  http://ow.ly/CiDpP @angelaackerman

5 Tips for Fleshing it Out:  http://ow.ly/CET7W @jemifraser @WriteAngleBlog

What’s the Best Print service for Indie Authors? A Review:  http://ow.ly/CiEAs @murdertakestime

11 Tips to Increase Your Word Count:  http://ow.ly/CESAu  @SusanKelley

10 Terrors for a Writer:  http://ow.ly/CiEQt @elspethwrites

Crime fiction–when the innocent are arrested: http://ow.ly/CF4U1 @mkinberg

13 Spooktacular Quotes on Writing:   http://ow.ly/CETDS @LauraMarcella

Writing and the Creative Life: Routine or Ritual?  http://ow.ly/ChbHj @gointothestory

How to Request Rights Reversion From Your Publisher:  http://ow.ly/Chbl8 @victoriastrauss

Author strength training: Reading reviews:  http://ow.ly/ChbnG  @nkjemisin

A Creative Approach to the Writer’s Production Plan:  http://ow.ly/Chbb7 @thecreativepenn

How to Write a Book: 3 Practical Tips:  http://ow.ly/Chbge  @NikkiWoods

6 Quick Marketing Tips for Authors:  http://ow.ly/ChbA2 @JoelDCanfield

The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Tips for Better Mystery Writing

Thanks for French writer Frédérique Molay  for guest posting today.  A quick note that I’m posting on the Writers on the Storm blog today on Making Our Content Work Harder for Us.  Thanks!

by Frédérique Molay 

So just how do you write a good mystery? Well, I’m going to have to disappoint. I don’t have a secret recipe—for mystery writing, that is. I do have one to make delicious cookies, hot from the oven, but my repertoire doesn’t have step-by-step instructions for writing a good novel.

There is some good news though: it is possible to list some of the ingredients that belong in a good mystery. Just explore Raymond Chandler’s “10 Commandments for the Detective Novel,” or S.S. Van Dine’s “20 Rules for Writing Detective Stories,” published by American Magazine in 1928. That said, don’t be fooled, mystery is a genre that appears simple, but hides complexity.

To start, of course, all you need is a detail. A face, an anecdote, a press clipping or a work of art will do. Inspiration can come from any number of places. Anything could trigger a story, which can then unfold, like a movie in your mind.

Once you have a detail, you need to build the plot. In mysteries, there is always a crime—a murder, kidnapping, or heist, or perhaps a coded message or disappearance. It is important to control the story line and the clues that are revealed, because nothing can be left to chance. The strings all need to be connected, and they need to be credible. Van Dine’s rule number 1 reads, “1. The reader must have equal opportunity with the detective for solving the mystery. All clues must be plainly stated and described.” That should not keep both reader and detective from surprising each other.

Mysteries also need charismatic characters. They need to make the reader feel fear, intrigue, and suspense. They need a fast pace, alternating dialogue, description and actions. All these elements help keep the reader turning the pages, which is the goal.

I’d also say that mysteries require a two-fold personality—writers need to dream and be creative, all the while honing mathematical precision. You need to have your feet on the ground and your head in the clouds—in dark, stormy clouds. This genre does more than entertain. It explores our deepest fears and anxieties. It distracts readers with stories about life’s troubles waters, translating the scandals we all experience everyday. Mysteries are a pulse-throbbing fictional investigation into the truths of human life.

Writing has always been a passion for Frédérique Molay, author of the international bestseller  The 7th Woman . She graduated from France’s prestigious Science Po and began her career in politics and the French administration. She worked as Chief of Staff for the Deputy Mayor of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, and then was elected to the local government in Saône-et-Loire. Meanwhile, she spent her nights pursing a passion for writing she had nourished since she wrote her first novel at the age of eleven. AfterThe 7th Woman took France by storm, Frédérique Molay dedicated her life to writing and raising her three children. She has five books to her name, with three in the Paris Homicide series. Crossing the Line released in bookstores on September 23. In it Chief of Police Nico Sirsky returns to work after recovering from a gunshot wound. He’s in love and rearing to go. His first day back has him overseeing a jewel heist sting and taking on an odd investigation. Just how far can despair push a man? How clear is the line between good and evil?

 

The post Tips for Better Mystery Writing appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Add an Element of Mystery to Every Genre

by Kathryn Jones, @Kakido

The Secret of the Old Clock…The Bungalow Mystery…The Mystery of Lilac Inn…

I was twelve-years-old when I began reading Nancy Drew mysteries by Carolyn Keene.  Nancy not only drew me in to her stories, making me feel like a part of them, she made me feel like one of the sleuths.  And if I solved the mystery before Nancy or one of her friends, I felt especially smart.

As an adult, I enjoy writing novels and stories with elements of mystery in them.  In 2002, I published my first novel, “A River of Stones.”  This book, though not specifically a mystery novel, tells, as part of the story, the understood wanderings of an old man whom every child in the neighborhood knows is a vampire.  The main character, Samantha, gets her very best friends to wear crosses around their necks and homespun garlic next to their skin.  Of course, the vampire isn’t really a vampire, just like Mr. Green, Samantha’s other old and scary neighbor, isn’t a living scarecrow, though he dressed and moved like one on Halloween. 

My short stories usually flicker with some mystery in them as well: In the story, “The Awakening of George Mahooney,” for example, we see the main character, George, awaken from sleep and go about his day as usual.  He sits on the rocker and thinks about his life and how old he has become.  In the backyard, he regrets he no longer has the strength to pick the weeds.  In the kitchen his wife is humming a familiar tune as she cooks his breakfast.  George wishes he could be happy, but he is too old.  When his wife calls the doctor he is suddenly worried.  Is she sick?  But George quickly discovers it isn’t his wife he should be worrying about at all—he is the one who’s dead.

I love weaving secrets.  I love reading to students those parts of my work that keep them guessing.  Is that man really a vampire?  That sure looks like a coffin in his basement.  But why does a light go on when it’s opened?  Why isn’t it lined with red, shiny material?

Because the coffin is really a meat freezer.

Why don’t the flies like George Mahooney anymore?  Why aren’t they bugging him in the yard?  Why aren’t they landing on him?  Why doesn’t he have to swat them every other second?

Because the few that have entered the house have already found his body and George is no longer in it.

More recently, I have written two cozy mystery books, both with the sleuth Susan Cramer. In the first, (Scrambled) Susan has just left her husband hoping for a better life, in the second, (Sunny Side-Up) she has finally taken that long awaited cruise. There’s only one problem in both scenarios. Death.

When it comes to writing a great mystery, there are many elements that have to be kept in check; namely, the plot, the clues, the characters, the setting…

But in every book there should be an element of mystery, yes, even if you’re writing a romance. For the reader should be guessing who the girl ends up with or what caused the boy to actually leave her in the first place.

Yes, until the very end.

Contact Kathryn at: http://www.ariverofstones.com or visit her on her Facebook author page: http: www.facebook.com/kathrynelizabethjone...

 

 

The post Add an Element of Mystery to Every Genre appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Goals: On Setting the Bar Low

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I mentioned a couple of months ago that I’d been going to physical therapy since July for a back issue I’d been having (from sitting.  Don’t believe that writing isn’t dangerous).

I’ve been an extremely good patient, if I do say so myself.  I’ve done my daily stretches and other exercises. I attended all of my PT appointments.

The only time I balked was early last month when my physical therapist asked me to start going to the gym to use the weight machines.  As soon as Carol finished her sentence, I was ready with excuses. I have no time.  I’m on a deadline. I don’t enjoy being around large groups of people.  I don’t enjoy exercising.  I don’t understand the exercise machines.  I’m a clumsy person.  I don’t have an appropriate workout wardrobe. 

Carol, to her credit, steadily watched and listened as I explained my obstacles.  Then she asked, “Do you have a gym membership?”

“Yes,” I answered miserably.

“The staff will be happy to explain how the machines work,” she said.

“I know they will.  I have to ask them every time I go in there,” I admitted.  “I can’t ever seem to get the knack of it.”

And here was the key:  “Elizabeth, I only want you to go one day a week. For twenty minutes.”

Oh, the relief.  I’d thought she was going to ask me to go three days a week.  Surely I could manage one day, even on a busy week. And twenty minutes wasn’t very long.

So I took my husband with me and he showed me how to use the weight machines again. I took pictures of the machines that my therapist had asked me to use.  My husband took pictures of me using them so that I could remember how to correctly exercise.  I made a small investment in some workout clothes and tennis shoes since my casual clothes were really just for yard work.

And I found that by setting the bar really low, I did go to the gym once a week. I discovered that doing the exercises only took 15 minutes, not even the 20 that Carol indicated.  The exercises helped my back so much that I started going twice a week (most weeks).  I still didn’t like it.  I still didn’t want to drive over there, wait for the machines, deal with crowds, or exercise.  But I liked the results.

Whenever I’m asked in any kind of interview or panel what advice I have for new writers, I say “set the bar low.” If I’m at a panel, this makes the audience laugh.  But I’m not going for laughs, I’m totally serious.

Set a completely accessible goal.  I’ve set a temporary one as low as 5 minutes a day before when life escalated out of control on the busy scale.  You can do more in 5 minutes than you think…especially if you make a note at the end of each session explaining where you left off and what you want to accomplish for the next session.  The point is that you’re setting aside time for your story. You’re keeping a habit.  In many ways I think the habit becomes more important than the word count.  I read an interesting post on the importance of the writing habit a couple of years ago on writer Karen Woodward’s blog: “How To Write Every Day: Jerry Seinfeld And The Chain Method.” This is a method where you self-motivate by marking an X on the calendar for each day you meet your goal.

In the past several years, I’ve found that 3 double-spaced pages was workable.  But my writing goal originally started out as a page a day back when I had a toddler in the house and only about 15 minutes to write.

Whatever we put down on paper can be fixed later.  A series of “wins” where we meet daily goals can motivate us to continue our writing habit.

It may be difficult to find that time.  We may not like it.  But we’ll like the results.

How do you stay motivated to write?  What’s been your approach to developing a writing habit?

Image: MorgueFile: Madlyn

 

The post Goals: On Setting the Bar Low appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 23,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

At Frankfurt Book Fair, Little Talk of Amazon:  http://ow.ly/CAshR @Porter_Anderson

How to Dramatize Real Life in Your Writing:  http://ow.ly/Cd8Hs @birgitte_rasine

Not All Feedback is Created Equal:  http://ow.ly/Cd7Y1 @HeatherJacksonW

5 Reasons to Use Content Curation as Part of Your Blogging Strategy: http://ow.ly/Cd86g @karencv

Characters with No Arc?  http://ow.ly/Cd82k @beccapuglisi               

Create Your Own Imagery Thesaurus:  http://ow.ly/Cd8nQ @wherewriterswin

7 Ways to Add Sizzle to Your Next Book Event:  http://ow.ly/Cd8VC @elizacross

Historical Novelists: How to Use Literature to Build Your Fiction Vocabulary:  http://ow.ly/Cd8w5

Turning Characters into Real People:  http://ow.ly/Cd7Kn @RChazzChute

Why 1 Writer Removed Email From Her Smartphone:  http://ow.ly/Cd8OP @alexisgrant

Do Not Underestimate NaNoWriMo – 5 Life-Saving Tips for Writers: http://ow.ly/CeRLa @MiaJouBotha

Tricks and Tips for a Successful Children’s Book Launch Party: http://ow.ly/CeSwB @jenmalonewrites

Do as You Like: A Lesson from Michaelangelo:  http://ow.ly/CeSua @carynmcgill

Why Taking Writing Breaks is Important:  http://ow.ly/CeRQS

Kill Your Darlings For Fun and Leisure:  http://ow.ly/CeSaH @emilywenstrom

The Backward Morals of Fairytales:  http://ow.ly/CeRWo @JackHeckel @tordotcom

Should You Be Writing Shorter Nonfiction Books? http://ow.ly/CeS0M @ninaamir

Creative Writing Exercises: Couplets and Quatrains:  http://ow.ly/CeSoq  @melissadonovan

7 Smart Ways to Earn Multiple Streams of Income from a Single Manuscript:  http://ow.ly/CeSCh @thecreativepenn

How To Rekindle Your Love of Writing:  http://ow.ly/CeSiJ @writetodone

Freelancers: 10 ways to make editors fall in love with your work:  http://ow.ly/CeS4X @michellerafter

Keep it Consistent – Settings: http://ow.ly/CeS8h  @shay_goodman

Screenwriting: How To Craft Great Action Sequences:  http://ow.ly/Chbs0  @screencrafting

How to Use the Snowflake Method to Prepare for NaNoWriMo:  http://ow.ly/Chba6 @BCJanetU

12 Vital Preparatory Steps for NaNoWriMo:  http://ow.ly/Chbdc @_RobbieBlair_

Google+ For Writers – What 1 Writer has Learned So Far:  http://ow.ly/Chbvv and http://ow.ly/Chbyu

NaNo Prep: Prepare for a Creative Revolution http://ow.ly/ChbCF  @pinatadirector

How To Find Your Story By Asking Questions:  http://ow.ly/ChbJt  @inkybites

29 Writing Conferences for Authors, Bloggers and Freelancers:  http://ow.ly/Cd7U1 @danasitar

How to Stay Sane While Building Your Writing Career Part Time:  http://ow.ly/Cd8gw @aliventures

You Too Can Write Your Memoir:  http://ow.ly/Cd8jW @desertplantlove @womenwriters

On the costs of ISBNs: http://ow.ly/CxbkF @Porter_Anderson @TheFutureBook

12 Hardwired Expectations Every Reader Has:  http://ow.ly/Cxc9I @lisacron

3 Ways Travel Makes You A Better Writer:  http://ow.ly/C9H90 @LiamLowth1

14 Reasons to Never Give Up:  http://ow.ly/C9Hsz @colin_falconer

To Write a Book Someday, Share Your Writing Now: @lisavelthouse

Menopause and Writing:  http://ow.ly/C9J0a @ScreenwriterSGS @womenwriters

Creating Capacity:  http://ow.ly/C9HKB @DanBlank

‘If a goal isn’t serving you, that’s a sign to tweak it.’ http://ow.ly/C9Hkx @K_R_Green

World-Building Errors, as Illustrated by Divergent: http://ow.ly/C9HEv

How Body Types can Help Shape your Characters:  http://ow.ly/C9I7Y

5 Steps To Find Your Book’s Ideal Audience:  http://ow.ly/C9HOe @angelaackerman

10 Ways to Grab Writing Inspiration:  http://ow.ly/C9Iul @Je55ieMullin5

6 Writing Lessons That a Writer Learned From Her Wedding:  http://ow.ly/C9Ind  @kristanhoffman

Fiction as Art: Going Back to the Beginning:  http://ow.ly/C7v7A @carynmcgill

A Unique Way to Develop Conflict in Your Novel for Pantsers:  http://ow.ly/C7uAq @beth_barany

5 Ways to Use Goodreads to Your Best Author Advantage:  http://ow.ly/C7vdM @wherewriterswin

Persuasive Writing – The Most Persuasive Words: http://ow.ly/C7uw7 @writers_write

Walk the Walk: Accept Critique:  http://ow.ly/C7uWR @NicoleLynnBaart

Squeezing out the Stupid:  http://ow.ly/C7uOZ @TrueFactBarFact

How to Make Up a Language for Your WIP:  http://ow.ly/C7uFD @ava_jae

5 Moral Dilemmas That Make Characters (& Stories) Better: http://ow.ly/C7vO6 @writersdigest

Coming Back to Writing:  http://ow.ly/C7uLb @gemma_corden

Are Your Dreams Getting in the Way of Your Writing Goals? http://ow.ly/CqiH8 @annerallen

Emotional Description: 3 Common Problems with Show & Tell:  http://ow.ly/C7u77 @angelaackerman

Touch the Hearts of Your Readers: Entangle Their Emotions:  http://ow.ly/C7ucA  @bentguy1

Disposing of the body in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/CqiuN @mkinberg

Use This Tip to Test if You’re Showing or Telling:  http://ow.ly/C7vpk @monicamclark

11 Steps for Your On-Site Book Launch:  http://ow.ly/C4ULz @tweetonsisters

5 Expert Tips to Tighten Your Writing:  http://ow.ly/C4Um7  @grady_hendrix

5 Ways to Face the Blank Page:  http://ow.ly/C57nX @WriterJoMalby

Prepare Your Novel for NaNoWriMo with World Building: http://ow.ly/C55UA @beth_barany

Don’t Listen to Dream Squashers http://ow.ly/C57FY @danasitar

Writing the Romance Novel: 7 Story Beats:  http://ow.ly/C4Shy @kayedacus

How to Write a Page Turner Using Movie Trailer Tips:  http://ow.ly/C59jO  @JanalynVoigt

Will Bookstores Sell Your Indie Books?  http://ow.ly/C587S @wherewriterswin

5 Tips to Writing Your Author’s Bio:  http://ow.ly/C4URO @djeanquarles

5 Questions to Ask Your E-Book Formatter:  http://ow.ly/C5974

How to Destroy Your Initial Idea (& Make Your Story Better) :  http://ow.ly/C58Ke @writersdigest

Secrets to Writing for Kids: Hiking Up the Emotional Intensity:  http://ow.ly/C58xw  @PubHub_blog

Should You Price Your Ebooks Differently in Different Countries? http://ow.ly/C2Y1X @goblinwriter

Adverb Adverse:  http://ow.ly/C2Y0I  @PBRWriter

The Expository Opening to Novels:  http://ow.ly/ClHLP  by Jack Smith

Your Scene Needs a Problem:  http://ow.ly/C2Y2U @TheKenHughes

Writing with a Day Job:  http://ow.ly/C2XPo @LoriRaderDay

Creating Characters We Care About:  http://ow.ly/C2YdH @jamesscottbell

How a short story writer became a novelist:  http://ow.ly/C2Y64 @mythicscribes

Write Better By Following This One, Simple Rule:  http://ow.ly/C2Yfo @joebunting

Setting – Are we there yet?  http://ow.ly/C2XZ2 @AnthonyEhlers

10 tips to help writers stay focused: http://ow.ly/C2Y4R @Bookbaby

You Can and Should Self-publish (Here’s Everything You Need to Know) http://ow.ly/C2Y9h @JeffGoins

Target Audience, Benefits, and Filling a Need:  http://ow.ly/Ck1Py @SpunkOnAStick

5 Lessons in Publishing Success From Bella Andre:  http://ow.ly/C2XHe @Janefriedman

Saying you’re a writer paves the way for a successful career:  http://ow.ly/C2XRp @jeffgoins

Novels aren’t movie scripts: how to write great dialogue in prose:  http://ow.ly/C2XMZ @Roz_Morris

A Clever Twist on Video and Book Club Promo from Author Neil Gaiman:  http://ow.ly/C1y1M @wherewriterswin

5 Facts about Fear for Writers http://ow.ly/C1y3U @write_practice

Making Your Setting as Important as Your Plot and Characters:  http://ow.ly/C1yiN @SallyBWrites

Am I Good Enough?  http://ow.ly/C1y04   @SusanBakerArt

8 Signs You Are Overdoing Simultaneous Submissions:  http://ow.ly/C1y9i  @NathanielTower

Is A Pseudonym Right For You?  http://ow.ly/C1xMA

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With Self-Publishing, We Control the Future of a Series

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

For years, I belonged to several email loops with other traditionally published mystery writers.  We would share information and resources with each other and were on a blogging schedule to contribute to the group blog.

Eventually, I dropped out of all of these groups.  One of my failings is my lack of patience and another is my overwhelming desire to fix things.  These two issues combined with a dose of me-trying-to-be-professional meant that I was constantly biting my tongue while reading messages from these loops regarding author issues with our traditional publishers.

I was especially sad on the occasions when an author would apologize for having their series canceled.  They would be in the process of pitching another series to their agent and/or publisher and would offer to drop out of the blog since they weren’t sure if they were going to continue being contracted writers.

I knew that any advice I gave, at least at the time, about them getting their rights to their characters back and continuing their series through self-publishing probably wouldn’t be well-received.  But it really shook me to hear them.  It was as if they would accept defeat….not be a writer anymore.  Because of some whim of the market or the publisher.  Or maybe simply because their editor moved on to another publisher, “orphaning” the series.  They’d accept this as the inevitable end of their series and sometimes their career.  A bad sales record follows writers and other publishers might not want to gamble on them.

Maybe these authors still even had readers for the series.  They’d mention that they still got emails or Facebook messages from readers asking about their next book in the series.  They’d mention having to carefully word the truth—that the publisher didn’t want any more books.

As you can imagine, this all would frustrate the stew out of me.  But I knew these authors were aware of self-publishing.  There was an anti-self-pub bias in the loops, actually. I didn’t think they’d find my advice to take their series indie very helpful.  I’d complain about this to my husband, who eventually pleaded with me to drop out of the loops—that they appeared to be making my blood pressure rise. :)

And so I did.  Frankly, even if my advice to self-publish was well-received, did I really want the competition?

My own experience was similar to those writers who had their series dropped.  My first traditionally published Myrtle Clover book was Pretty is as Pretty Dies with Midnight Ink, a division of Llewellyn.  After the first book published, it seemed to me to be selling well.  I wrote another book for the series and was politely rejected.

In my head, though, it wasn’t over.  I had the book.  I knew I had readers.

My agent offered to shop the series to another publisher.  I decided that was probably going to take too long—that I would have to start over again with a new reader base.

One big eye-opening moment for me was when I was on a book tour and at a panel event with other mystery writers…promoting my new series for Penguin.  They opened the floor up for questions and my first question, right out of the gate, was from a reader asking when my next Myrtle Clover was going to come out.

Later on that same tour, I got the same question from another reader at a signing.

It was obvious to me then that I couldn’t just accept that the series was over. That hadn’t been my gut reaction anyway.  I had the ability to continue writing as many books as I wanted in that series.  What was more, I felt I had something of a responsibility to my readers to do so.

The future of my series depended on my readers and me.  It had nothing to do with what was hot, who wanted to contract books with elderly protagonists, or the rapidly changing editors at my publisher.  And that knowledge was empowering.

This is one reason why I feel strongly that this is the best time in history to be a writer.

 

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The Expository Opening to Novels

Guest Post by Jack Smith

A strong opening to a novel is, of course, important.  If the opening is boring or off-putting in any way, the reader is likely not to read on.  It is true that some readers will be patient and hope things pick up, but naturally you can’t count on that.   There are four basic opening types in fiction: exposition (I mean by this expository prose), description, narrative summary, and narrative scene.  They are all used by published writers, and one isn’t better or worse than the others.  What’s important is deciding which works best in your novel.

Exposition, as a rhetorical mode, means explanation.  Writers are sometimes steered away from an expository opening for fear of mere telling. Who wants to read a long, boring presentation (or telling) of background information setting up the story?  Readers want to get directly involved in the conflict; they want to be pulled in.   But don’t fear the expository mode—instead, work it to your advantage. 

Sprinkle in some vivid description.  How about this one from Poe by Lynn Cullen:

“When given bad news, most women of my station can afford to slump onto their divans, their china cups slipping from their fingers to the carpet, their hair falling prettily from its pins, their fourteen starched petticoats compacting with a plush crunch.  I am not one of them.”

The dominant rhetorical mode here is expository, but what makes it really work is the colorful description: “china cups slipping from their fingers to the carpet”; “their hair falling prettily from its pins”; “their fourteen starched petticoats compacting with a plush crunch.”  This expository opening, then, is given some real flair.

Provide an interesting insight or two. Note this expository opening from Man Martin’s Days of the Endless Corvette:

“We never came to complete agreement about Earl and the Endless Corvette: whether it kept him from going crazy or proved he was crazy from the get-go.  Had he lived someplace else, there would have been no doubt, but because of Humble County’s history, we have a higher tolerance than most for craziness.

This is an expository opening, pure and simple.  It attempts to “explain” why they never came to complete agreement about Earl and the “Endless Corvette.”  Here’s it’s the humor, of course, that transforms mere explanation to something quite funny, and note that Twain-like snapper at the end: “a higher tolerance than most for craziness.”

Create an interesting, compelling background for your characters. If the details you introduce are fascinating enough, exotic enough, or unique in some way, you’ll do fine with an expository opening.  Consider this one, from E.L. Doctorow’s World’s Fair:

“I was born on Clinton Street in the Lower East Side.  I was the next to youngest of six children, two boys, four girls.  The two boys, Harry and Willy, were the oldest.  My father was a musician, a violinist.  He always made a good living.  He and my mother had met in Russia and they married there, and then emigrated.  My mother came from a family of musicians as well; that is how, in the course of things, she and my father had met.”

I find this reportorial style engaging.  Here are the various family dynamics surrounding this narrator Rose’s life, and I want to know more about her.  I want to know more about her mother and father and siblings.  Doctorow pulls me in.

Don’t be put off by the expository opening.  This kind of opening can capture the reader’s attention if you make it sparkle in some way.  Each of the examples I’ve given are first person narrations.  It is true that it can be more of a challenge with a third-person omniscient voice, but consider the opening to Toni Morrison’s Beloved, winner of the Pulitzer Prize.

“124 was spiteful.  Full of a baby’s venom.  The women in the house knew it and so did the children.  For years each put up with the spite in his own way, but by 1873 Sethe and her daughter Denver were its only victims.  The grandmother, Baby Suggs, was dead, and the sons, Howard and Buglar, had run away by the time they were thirteen years old . . . ”

This is third-person expository prose, and it works because it makes us wonder about “124” and all the characters Morrison mentions—not to mention the suspense hooks of “spiteful” and “baby’s venom.”

Try out the expository method.  If you handle it well, it might be your best choice for your novel’s opening.

Jack Smith is author of the novel Hog to Hog, which won the George Garrett FictionPrize (Texas Review Press. 2008), and is also the author of Write and Revise for Publication: A 6-Month Plan for Crafting an Exceptional Novel and Other Works of Fiction, published earlier this year by Writer’s Digest. His novel ICON will be published in June by Serving House Books.

Over the years, Smith’s short stories have appeared in North American Review, Night Train, Texas Review, and Southern Review, to name a few. He has also written some 20 articles for Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market, as well as a dozen or so pieces for The Writer. He has published reviews in numerous literary journals, including Ploughshares, Georgia Review, Missouri Review, Prairie Schooner, American Review, Mid-American Review, and the Iowa Review.

 

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Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 23,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

Writing fast and hard:  http://ow.ly/BZsf6  @tobywneal

How to Plan Your Book: http://ow.ly/BZsfc @susiemander

How a Book Coach Can Jumpstart Your Writing Career: http://ow.ly/BZqOW @LisaCron

Self-Editing: Spot Checking:  http://ow.ly/BZsfj @carynmcgill

Everything You Need to Know About the @Reply:  http://ow.ly/BZsfn @AnnieNeugebauer

10 Twitter Tips for Authors (Infographic)  http://ow.ly/BZsfs @wherewriterswin

3 Things Your Novel’s Narrator Needs to Accomplish:  http://ow.ly/BZsfx @writersdigest

Preparing Your Pitch:  http://ow.ly/BZsfz  @writerashley

Talents and Skills Thesaurus Entry: Blending In:  http://ow.ly/BZsfH @beccapuglisi

8 Ways to Get Motivated and Stay Motivated:  http://ow.ly/BZsfJ @skyefairwin @ScribeSage

7 Simple Ways to Declutter Your Writing:  http://ow.ly/C1xO3 @JodieRennerEd

Writing Scenes v. Narration: Know the Difference:  http://ow.ly/C1xQF @lindasclare

3 Ways Writers Can Make Money from a Blog http://ow.ly/C1xNf @ninaamir

How to Critique http://ow.ly/C1xFI

Pitching Characters:  http://ow.ly/C1xVa  @PubHub_blog

5 Hard Writing Truths:  http://ow.ly/C1xSu @ava_jae

The 5 Attributes of a Successful Ghostwriter:  http://ow.ly/BZseW @ImprovisePress

Fallen Heroes: – Creating characters by looking at real people: http://ow.ly/BZseR @MiaJouBotha

Jon Fine Is Leaving Amazon:  http://ow.ly/CfCoS @Porter_Anderson @thoughtcatalog

Writers on the Reality of Book Covers: http://ow.ly/BW8a8 @KyraBandte

Goodreads Author Q&A Feature–How to Use it:  http://ow.ly/CeO1Y

3 Common Problems with Show & Tell:  http://ow.ly/BW8a5 @angelaackerman

Read Memoirs to Understand Character Motivation:  http://ow.ly/BW89W @monicamclark

Your Novel in 12 Sentences (With Links Explaining Each Plot Point):   http://ow.ly/CfTjO @JoelDCanfield

Adding Flesh to our Characters’ Bones:  http://ow.ly/CeMYx @JL_Campbell

An agent on spending money on a publicist:  http://ow.ly/BW89t @Janet_Reid

Top Productivity Tips For Writers:  http://ow.ly/BW89r @fran_booth @forbes

The Myth of Getting Ahead:  http://ow.ly/BW8ab @Write_Tomorrow

Creating story flow: the secret power of cause and effect:  http://ow.ly/BW8a2 @karenschrav

What the Lit Magazine Editor Sees (That the Writer Does Not):  http://ow.ly/BW89Q @SapphireSavvy

Brainstorming the Hero Before You Start Writing:  http://ow.ly/BW6Mb @angelaackerman

3 Techniques to Keep in Mind When Setting the Stage:  http://ow.ly/BW89H @JodyHedlund

Blessing Or Curse? The Modern Writer’s Dilemma:  http://ow.ly/BW89B @janice_hardy

Defining Your Characters (Or Who Are These People, Anyway?) http://ow.ly/BW89x @JanalynVoigt

Crime fiction stories in which the reader knows more than the sleuth:  http://ow.ly/CeKF6 @mkinberg

How to Create the Habit of Writing:  http://ow.ly/BTeIM @zen_habits

Want To Sell More Books? Understand Your Readers: http://ow.ly/BTeIK @ebooksandkids

Ignore The Haters:  http://ow.ly/BTeIJ @larin20

5 Steps To Work-Life Balance For Writers: http://ow.ly/BTeIH  @jacobkrueger

Writing Unforgettable Endings:  http://ow.ly/BTeIG @HeatherJacksonW

Writing a Novel That Crosses Genre Boundaries:  http://ow.ly/BTeIF @radhikasanghani

An Agent on What You Should Be Writing Next:  http://ow.ly/BTeIE @mcorvisiero

Turn Your Blog Into a Book Production Machine: http://ow.ly/BTeIC @ninaamir

To avoid too much ‘telling,’ characters should be allowed to act, react, interact:  http://ow.ly/BTeIB @suemoorcroft @womenwriters

4 Common Mistakes Authors Make When Soliciting Reviews:  http://ow.ly/BTeIA @trainingauthors

20 Amazing Writing Residencies to Apply for This Year:  http://ow.ly/BTeIy @alexisgrant

7 Ways to Educate and Motivate Your Muse:  http://ow.ly/BTeIx @joanyedwards

Dos and Don’ts of Queries:  http://ow.ly/BTeIw @carynmcgill

How to Use Real People in Your Writing Without Ending Up in Court:  http://ow.ly/BQaJx @HelenSedwick

Organizing a Series: Details are Author Gold:  http://ow.ly/BQkn4 @UncommonYA

Using Questions To Expand Your Story:  http://ow.ly/BQkn3 @nschmiedicker

6 Traits of Strong Characters:  http://ow.ly/BQaAI @mythcreants

Want An Irresistible Character? Try An Antihero. http://ow.ly/BQau1 @rsguthrie

How Authors Can Use Listmania to Promote Their Books:  http://ow.ly/BQaMK @aBookPublicist

5 Tips for Writing Suspense:  http://ow.ly/BQkn0  @KiraPeikoff

Tips to Write Bad Boys in Books:  http://ow.ly/BQkmY @good2tweat

7 Point-of-View Basics Every Writer Should Know:  http://ow.ly/BQaQc @jodyhedlund

Should you write under a pen name? http://ow.ly/BQkmW @standoutbooks

Bring Some Magic to Your Writing:  http://ow.ly/BQkmU @jamesscottbell

Cheerleaders vs Critique Partners:  http://ow.ly/BQ9W4 @HeatherJacksonW

20 Marketing Questions Self-Published Authors Must Answer:  http://ow.ly/BQkmQ @pubslush

The 66th Frankfurt Book Fair: On A Fast Arc To Publishing’s Future: http://ow.ly/C8jpK @Porter_Anderson  @R_Nash

On Writing a Synopsis Before the First Draft:  http://ow.ly/BMlHq @ava_jae

10 Things that Red-Flag a Newbie Novelist:  http://ow.ly/BMn32 @annerallen

Secondary Characters: An Important Tool in a Writer’s Toolkit:  http://ow.ly/BMmMT @AEJonesAuthor

Your sentence’s emphasis: how to use the periodic sentence in your stories: http://ow.ly/BMnyV @KMWeiland

Interesting Characters: You are what you eat:  http://ow.ly/BMmZk @mooderino

Could This ‘Magic’ Trick Rescue Your Story? http://ow.ly/BMmmb @Yeomanis

Want to Reach New Heights as a Writer? Learn to Quit :  http://ow.ly/BMnfX @kristenlambtx

Write Mysteries for Kids…for the Right Reasons:  http://ow.ly/C7H3z  @Dorihbutler

Characters in Novels That Are Allies and Reflections:  http://ow.ly/BMlOK @CSLakin

Blockbuster Plots:  http://ow.ly/BMmHu  @plotwhisperer

3 easy scene writing tips:  http://ow.ly/BMog1 @lindasclare

The Self-Publishing Revolution Is Only Just Beginning:  http://ow.ly/BMn7W @thecreativepenn

How to Write a Book: The 5-Draft Method:  http://ow.ly/BMmzr @jeffgoins

How Long Should Your Blog Post Be? A Writer’s Guide:  http://ow.ly/BKcjs @joebunting

8 Tips on Finding the Optimum Space for Your Creativity http://ow.ly/BKbOd @WriterJoMalby

The Stay at Home Parent/Writer:  http://ow.ly/BKchs @rhondafranz

Nailing Genre by Studying Successful Authors:  http://ow.ly/BKcl3 @CSLakin

Guidelines for Writing Novellas:  http://ow.ly/BKcf5 @BarbaraMonajem

4 Reasons Cooking Shows Make the Perfect Recipe For Writing Success: http://ow.ly/BKbFb  @PENPROSPER1

How to Be Creative:  http://ow.ly/BKbVT  @WSJ

Career progression for short fiction writers http://ow.ly/BKc1u  @smithwritr

Twitter for Authors: Worth it?  http://ow.ly/C41u0 @MichaelKelberer

Eminent creativity and everyday creativity–and making time for both:  http://ow.ly/BKccW @writeabook

Beethoven’s Daily Habit for Inspiring Creative Breakthroughs: http://ow.ly/BKbKY @GregoryCiotti

Writers’ Police Academy–Undercover Agents:  http://ow.ly/C3EIS @authorterryo

How To Deal With Negative Book Reviews:  http://ow.ly/BJ6kd @writeonepub

6 Fascinating Character Types:  http://ow.ly/BJ6NC @AnthonyEhlers

Writing–are you playing for keeps or just playing? http://ow.ly/BJ6ru @rxena77

Tips for keeping characters consistent:  http://ow.ly/BJ6z4 @Shay_Goodman

10 Steps to Launch Your Book Virtually:  http://ow.ly/BJ6C9

Revision: An Early Fiction Checklist: http://ow.ly/BJ6wL

The Progression of a Writing Life: Strategy – http://ow.ly/BJ6qW @tspoetry

Cover art–same image on different books:  http://ow.ly/BJ6o0  @robinrwrites

When Your Concept Disappears:  http://ow.ly/BJ6v0 @storyfix

7 Ways Your Physical Environment Can Help or Hinder Your Writing: http://ow.ly/BJ6ms @aliventure

Digital Revolution Act III: Is Publishing Dying? http://ow.ly/BJ6ub @claudenougat

Crowds and publishing–crowd wisdom    elizabethscraig

Revision Tips: Revealing Key Information:  http://ow.ly/BJ1i1  @kiersi

5 Tips for Submitting Your Work: Help From an Editor:  http://ow.ly/BI39G  @Margo_L_Dill

Strong verbs:  http://ow.ly/BI34O @writers_write

Book Scams and Other Crimes:  http://ow.ly/BI37g  @DebraPurdyKong

The Progression of a Writing Life: Rejection – http://ow.ly/BI305 @tspoetry

3 things you need to do at the beginning of your novel:  http://ow.ly/BI2V6  @writers_write

How to Journal Your Way to Published Author Status:  http://ow.ly/BI35V @ninaamir

The content flood” in publishing results in slow sales for writers:  http://ow.ly/C1Bfc @Porter_Anderson @bob_mayer”

6 Tips for Writing Minor Characters:  http://ow.ly/BI2WW @robinrwrites

10 Ways to Tighten Your Pitch:  http://ow.ly/BI31i @wordsprof

How to Make Social Media Worth Your Time: When Is Enough Enough? http://ow.ly/BI3dp @Janefriedman

5 Reasons to Drop ‘Aspiring’ from ‘Aspiring Author’ – Writer’s Edit http://ow.ly/BI3cu

Balancing your Faith and your Muse:  http://ow.ly/BI32B @Shay_Goodman

How to Map Out Your Hero’s Adventure in Your Manuscript:  http://ow.ly/BI344 @writersdigest

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Goodreads Author Q&A

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I ran across something a few days ago that I thought I’d share here—although I’m probably the last person on the block to find out about this.  It’s the Goodreads Author Q&A.

I’m trying to do better about visiting Goodreads. The truth is that Goodreads can be a scary environment for writers. Reviews are especially harsh there and there have been incidents involving author bullying in the past. To be fair, there have also been authors who have behaved poorly on the site.

When I’m on a site like Goodreads, I make it a point to keep a low profile.  Otherwise, it’s almost like author intrusion when authors butt into reader conversations.

That being said…when I was recently asked how I’ve been able to garner reviews right out of the gate…it’s been those Goodreads giveaways.  And the site is popular with avid readers.

So…maybe engaging in Goodreads on our own patch might be a good idea.  I recently read a mention of an author Q&A feature there that I haven’t activated or used.  (The post that mentioned the feature was “Five Ways to Use Goodreads to Your Best Author Advantage” by Shari Stauch on Where Writers Win and the whole thing is worth a read.)

I set out to investigate. First, to locate my author dashboard.  :)  I admit that I don’t find Goodreads user friendly at all.  When I login to the site, I’m automatically on a reader-ish dashboard that I don’t want to be on.  The link to the author dashboard (if you’ve got one set up there) is https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard.

If you scroll down the page, there is a section where you can enable Author Q&A.

When you enable it, Goodreads prompts you to customize a message to readers.  They suggest that we set expectations as to how often or quickly we might be checking in with the feature.  I used the space to give readers my email address.  Maybe they’d rather ask me one-to-one instead of on a public forum, you know?  Although my email address is scattered here and yonder, I took the opportunity to share it again there.

Then Goodreads gives us some questions to get us started….for a second, I almost had a heart attack and thought I had 6 q’s in the queue that had been rotting there for months. But no, it was just some standard questions Goodreads automatically sends out.

Since the last thing I wanted was for readers to ask questions only for me to completely ignore them, I checked in on my email notification settings.  Good thing I did, because I’d set it up to get no notifications after getting a few too many emails from the site in the past.  Here’s the link for you to check your settings:  https://www.goodreads.com/user/edit?tab=emails.

More about the feature from the Goodreads site (which is heavily reader-centric, but at least gives us an idea of how it all works).

This is actually the way I prefer interacting with readers—if they want to ask me something, tell me something, praise or complain about something…they just ask me.  I’m not in their faces in their Facebook stream or Twitter stream talking about my most recent release.  But I’m accessible.

Do you use Goodreads much?  The Q&A feature? Giveaways?  What are your thoughts on this reader site?

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Write Mysteries for Kids…for the Right Reasons

by Dori Butler,  @Dorihbutler

 I write mysteries for kids. I don’t write for this audience because it’s easier than writing for adults. (It’s NOT easier!) I write for this audience because I like it! I like kids. I like kids’ books. I make regular trips to the library to check out new kids books and find out which books are the most popular.

 I like to tell stories, but I really like to turn non-readers into readers. Whether they’re non-readers because of ability or interest. As a writer, there’s nothing more satisfying than to receive a heartfelt letter or e-mail that begins, “I never really liked reading before, but then I read your [insert book title here] all by myself.” That’s why I write for kids.

 That probably also explains why I write mysteries for kids. Kids who don’t like a lot of other books will often pick up a mystery. Writing mysteries gives me an opportunity to reach the non-reader.

Sadly, I’ve run into a number of writers who want to write for kids for what I think are the wrong reasons.

Some are writers who’ve been writing for adults, but have had a hard time selling recently, so they think they’ll try writing for kids. Because it’s got to be easier, right?

Wrong.

Not unless you really understand the kids market. Not unless you’ve taken the time to read a few hundred children’s books and have honed your skills as a children’s writer.

Others see the success of books like Harry Potter and the Hunger Games and they think there’s money to be made in the kids and/or YA genres. I know a number of children’s book authors who make a modest living at what they do (often after years of study and perseverance), but I’m not sure I know any who are rich. Many of us are able to make a living because we supplement our writing with school visits. In fact, once you’ve sold a book or two in this genre, it’s sort of expected that you will visit schools and talk about how you became an author. But if you don’t like kids or you don’t know how to talk to them, your school visits won’t be very successful.

Still others write for kids because they’ve got an important lesson they want to teach. Do you like to be hit over the head with a moral when you read fiction? Neither do kids. In fact, that’s a good way to turn a kid off reading. Forever.

Honestly, I find it a little bit insulting when someone thinks breaking into the kids market is somehow easier than breaking in to the adult market. There are no shortcuts to publication in any genre. You have to know and understand your market, write a great book that an editor can’t turn down, and persevere. That’s the real secret to publication. In any genre. Perseverance.

Write for kids because you want to, not because you think it’s easy. Write for kids because you like and respect this audience and their books, not because you think you’re going to get rich. Writing for kids is its own reward.

-Dori Hillestad Butler is an award-winning author of more than 40 books for children, including the Buddy Files, which is a chapter book series about a school therapy dog who solves mysteries. Her books have been on children’s choice and teen award lists in 19 different states. The Buddy Files #1: Case of the Lost Boy won the 2011 Edgar Award for best juvenile mystery. Dori has also been a ghostwriter for the Sweet Valley Twins, Unicorn Club and Boxcar Children series and has written numerous magazine stories, educational materials, plays, book reviews, even characters for one board game and trivia questions for another.  She grew up in southern Minnesota, spent the last 19 years in Iowa, and has just recently moved to the Seattle area. Look for her new Haunted Library series for young readers. For more information visit her website at www.kidswriter.com.

 

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