Riley Adams's Blog, page 136

Drafting Your Novel: Expanding from Within

Guest Post by Jack Smith

Robert Garner McBrearty, author of the Sherwood Anderson Foundation Fiction Prize for his collection Episode, recently shared a technique he’s been using to draft a novel.

Write the whole thing through, regardless of length, and then expand from within.

This is a great process idea.  Of course, prior to drafting, you do need a sense for your character and where you want to take this character.  But, assuming you have that, just shoot through the draft.  Don’t worry about all the scenes you might flesh out your novel with, all the secondary characters you might come up with, subplots, etc.  Just write through what appears to be the essential conflicts—the ones that tell your basic story. 

McBrearty has expanded his original version of 50 pages into a present version of close to 200.  He says: “The first writing, even though rough and skeletal, established a sense of voice and who the main characters were.  New scenes occurred to me and the skeletal scenes filled out with sensory detail and character interactions.  I know I have plenty of rewriting left to do, more development still to come, but I’ve got a good base to work from.  I’m confident I’ll finish; the novel won’t be abandoned.”

Keeping in mind McBrearty’s process idea, here’s another approach.  This one starts with a kernel idea: 

1. Write a one- two-sentence description of your proposed novel (the log line).

2. Expand this description to 300 words or so.

3. Write a novel from this, even if means 10 to 20 pages first draft.

4. Expand your novel from this short version.

5. Reread your novel.

6. Continue expanding.

7. You will probably need to rethink your initial description as you go.

Let’s say, though, that you’ve already written a full-length novel, or close to it, and you’re wondering whether you ought to keep everything—some material seems rather extraneous to your character’s overall arc.  It’s hard to cut!  But weed out what seems extraneous material.   Strip your novel down to its key developments—its basic structure.   Look again at the material you weeded out.  Can it fit somewhere?  Perhaps portions of it can.  Perhaps whole scenes you temporarily cut might, in fact, work after all—perhaps in a different place in the novel.  Or you might decide that some material you cut does, in fact, take the novel off course.  If so, eliminate the dross.  Finally, take your new, stripped-down draft and expand from within.  Seeing the bare bones of your work helps in creation but also in revision.

Jack Smith is author of the novel Hog to Hog, which won the George Garrett Fiction Prize (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

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.

Robert Garner McBrearty’s fiction has been widely published, including in The Pushcart Prize, Missouri Review, Narrative Magazine, Mississippi Review, and New England Review.  He’s the author of three collections of short stories: A Night at the Y;  Episode, which was awarded the Sherwood Anderson Foundation Fiction Award; and most recently, Let the Birds Drink in Peace, published by Conundrum Press in 2011. He’s won fellowships to The MacDowell Colony and the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, MA, and his short stories have frequently been performed at Stories on Stage in Denver and at the Texas Bound show at the Dallas Museum of Art.   

The post Drafting Your Novel: Expanding from Within appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Writing Process–Developing a Story Idea

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

When I spoke to students recently,  they asked a lot of questions and some very good ones.  Naturally, though, one of the questions, which won’t surprise any writer who talks about his writing, was ‘where do you get your ideas?’  This question is practically mandatory any time you mention writing to anyone…whether you’re speaking at a conference or telling a stranger at the grocery store what you do.

But as I thought about it, the question has another angle too, one that was asked later on by another student.  How do you develop a story–a nearly three hundred page, finished book–out of a tiny spark of an idea?

Because I write genre/commercial fiction, the following will be heavily skewed toward anyone writing for a particular genre’s readers. 

The genre itself:  What do you enjoy reading? I read mysteries all the time and it’s what I’m most familiar with as a genre.  It makes the writing a lot simpler because I know the genre’s specifications inside out.  It’s also important to know, if you’re writing commercial fiction, what the readers of the genre enjoy.  What’s popular in your specific genre?  Amazon makes this type of research easy by ranking books by popularity by genre.

The spark:  This is whatever idea was the seed for the story.  For me, it’s always the murder victim, since I write mysteries.   I start with the seed of the story, fleshing it out by asking what about this person would make four of five people want to get rid of her. So, for me, it’s genre-specific.   What is happening in your story world to make everything change for the worse?

Characters:  If this is the first book in a series for me, I keep this part fairly basic early on, so I don’t get overwhelmed.  I brainstorm a protagonist, making the character as complex as possible.  What makes this protagonist special or different from other characters?  What skills does she have?  During this process, I’m also considering flaws, and what the main character desperately cares about and fears.  How could this character grow during the course of the novel as she navigates all her obstacles?

I brainstorm characters to create minor conflict for the protagonist, apart from the murderer  (maybe a relative who demands a lot of the protagonist’s time and attention or who the protagonist really cares for).   Or someone who  stands in the protagonist’s way or doesn’t believe in her.

I develop suspects who all stand to gain in some way from the victim’s death (in your story, this might be an antagonist).

Setting: Are you writing  a real setting or a fictional setting?  There are pros and cons to both.  If you’re writing an actual place, you’ll need to be very accurate and careful not to mention too many places that could date your book (businesses close, even successful ones).  If you make your setting up, you need to make it real by mapping it out somehow so that it stays consistent.  I do this by basing my made-up towns on real ones in two of my series. I just change the store names and the name of the town and get the best of both worlds.  And I make notes in a story bible.

Points to consider when evaluating an idea:

How much conflict can this idea engender on its own?  How could I increase that with internal conflict for the main character, antagonists, etc.?

Is this idea big enough to expound on for 75,000 words?

What sets this idea apart? What is different about it?  Is it too derivative…and if it is, how can I make it unique?

My process for the very start of a book, summed up:

I come up with a murder victim and the cause of death (you’d start with whatever your story spark is).  I ask who would want to murder the victim (suspects for me, characters for you).  I brainstorm complex protagonists (think flaws, strengths, what the protagonist desperately cares about and fears). I think of characters (not necessarily suspects or the story’s murderer) who might be able to provide conflict for my protagonist or put her in the position where she has to make uncomfortable choices.  I choose a setting.  I write back cover copy (which may never be used) to sum up the story premise.  Then I start my outline.

Everyone has different ways of developing an idea.  What works for you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image: MorgueFile: Kenn W. Kiser

The post Writing Process–Developing a Story Idea 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 alengine(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 You Should Walk Away From Your Writing:  http://ow.ly/vaqb0 @KMWeiland

How boxed sets can help self-published authors sell more books:  http://ow.ly/vaqgS @DianeCapri

Report from the Trenches: The Agent Panel:  http://ow.ly/vaqyx @querytracker

Crafting Interesting Characters:  http://ow.ly/vaqht @woodwardkaren               

Marketing & Advertising for the Indie Author:  http://ow.ly/vaqjA @heatherdgilbert

10 Famous Writers Who Hated Writing:  http://ow.ly/vaqnX @huffpost

How to Write a Book: http://ow.ly/vaqkM @katieaxelson

3 Steps to Honestly Disturbed Characters: http://ow.ly/vaq7Y @WyattGBessing

Continue to Create No Matter What Is Going On: http://ow.ly/vapWS @DianeMacKinnon

12 Inspirational Writing Tips from History’s Greatest Authors:  http://ow.ly/vaqej @hubspot

Selling Audio-Books and E-books to Libraries: http://ow.ly/vaqdH @111publishing

Query 101 Series: Body Copy – Character, Conflict and Cost:  http://ow.ly/vaq3s @atrueblood5 @mesummerbooks

5 Plotting Mistakes Aspiring Authors Make (and How to Avoid Them): http://ow.ly/vaqvQ @DonnaCookAuthor

Developing Contacts to Promote Your Book: http://ow.ly/vqjZe @SpunkOnAStick

Plugging Plot Holes:  http://ow.ly/vaqih @Michelle4Laughs

Examples of carefully calculated murders in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/vqjcV @mkinberg

Book keywords can help readers find new authors:  http://ow.ly/vaq9J @standoutbooks

How to Turn That Shiny New Idea Into a Novel:  http://ow.ly/vapZm @Janice_Hardy

28 Competitions and Fellowships for Screenwriters:  http://ow.ly/vaq11 @A_WritersStudio

More Tips for Digital Formatting:  http://ow.ly/vnOMe @authorterryo

How Not To Be Interviewed On The Radio: Reader POV: http://ow.ly/v6ZLS @DeniseAAgnew

How to Create an Audio Book:  http://ow.ly/v6Z09 @floridaHeather

How to Organize Writing Research & Notes:  http://ow.ly/v6ZFM @JennyHansenCA

How to choose and use an editor for your self-published book:  http://ow.ly/v6YzU @HelenHollick

Plotting a Novel in 3 Acts: The Closing Scene:  http://ow.ly/v6XK1 @JanalynVoigt

Why They Write: 23 Quotes from Famous Authors: http://ow.ly/v6Z5v @A_WritersStudio

Getting the Maximum Exposure from Your Free Book: http://ow.ly/v6YsB @morgankwyatt

Should We Ever Respond to a One-Star Review?  http://ow.ly/v6YTG @stevelaubeagent

11 Things You Learn When Your Book Is Turned Into A TV Show: http://ow.ly/v71BL @kassmorganbooks

The Future of Hybrid Authors + Who Influences Our Purchases?  [Smart Set] |  http://ow.ly/voAvi @Janefriedman

1 Writer’s Self-Publishing Journey:  http://ow.ly/v6Y5T @PCrutcher

The Unpublished Writer: Tools 1 Uses: http://ow.ly/v6YJW @writerlytweets

Yet Another Reason to Be an Indie: http://ow.ly/v6ZAp @ACFlory

Writer’s Block? Get Ideas Flowing With 3 Daily Rituals:  http://ow.ly/v6YD2 @makeuseof

Points to Remember when Formatting a Book:  http://ow.ly/vnOAD @authorterryo

How to Discover Your Book’s Tone:  http://ow.ly/v6XC6 @batwood

Should Novelists Blog About Writing? Here’s Why Not: http://ow.ly/v6XVp @mridukhullar

The Secret To Writing Good Dialogue: http://ow.ly/v6ZrE @Scriptshadow

How to become a writing machine:  http://ow.ly/v2NSn @AdriennedeWolfe

Public Speaking Toolkit For Authors:  http://ow.ly/vmmVz @theprexpert

Speaking to Students about Writing:  http://ow.ly/vmlLv

‘Poetry Is Like Pooping’ And Other Writing Tips From A TED Superstar:  http://ow.ly/v2Fjr @kaysarahsera @fastcompany

10 Bits of Advice for New Writers:  http://ow.ly/v2NJE

Should Science Fiction Writers Ignore Advice To ‘Write What You Know’? http://ow.ly/v2FFD @io9

Don’t Be Ashamed to be a Self-Publisher: http://ow.ly/v2HLZ @batwood

Should authors write books with listeners in mind?  http://ow.ly/v2Lnv @stephenwoodfin

Is ebook revolution really in decline?  http://ow.ly/vmkM4 @Porter_Anderson @Harkaway

Crowdfunding: The Newest Step In The Publishing Process:  http://ow.ly/v2L6N @pubslush

Writers: Please dare to be different:  http://ow.ly/v2HE0 @rchazzchute

The Spiraling Narrative:  http://ow.ly/v2H5B @litreactor

How short-story writing can improve your long fiction http://ow.ly/v2Gxc @karenschrav

7 Things 1 Writer Heard at the VA Festival of the Book:  http://ow.ly/v2Gf2 @charjojones

Life is Too Short to Read a Bad Book: A Conversation with an Editor: http://ow.ly/v2Hpw @SommerReading @EdanL

Your Amazon Author Page ~~ Is it Working for You? http://ow.ly/v2EyT @JackieWeger

Updike Used His Life to His Advantage in Fiction:  http://ow.ly/v2FSU @Adamcbegley @NYMag

Screenwriting: 15 Great Films With Extremely Simple Plots:  http://ow.ly/v2NzS @davidcinema

Manual Transmissions and Self-Publishing: Learning the Details:  http://ow.ly/v2GRT @andilit

3 Fiction Writing Tips: Romance Fiction Made Easy:  http://ow.ly/v2HaO @angee

When the Thrill is Gone: http://ow.ly/v2GEL @barbaraoneal @writerunboxed

8 Ways Oyster Books Can Rule the Ebook Subscription Market: http://ow.ly/v01qe @andrewpantoja

Wattpad, Kindle Direct Publishing and the Future of Fiction Writing: http://ow.ly/uZZsf

10 Questions to Help You Take Control of Your Writing Career:  http://ow.ly/v014d @AmyDenim

Stupid Answers To Common Writing Questions: http://ow.ly/v005d @ChuckWendig {lang}

Top Five Things Kindle Doesn’t Want Authors To Know:  http://ow.ly/v00KH

Book Promoting Sites:  http://ow.ly/v00eV @eBookFoundry

6 Ways to Enjoy the Editing Process (Seriously):  http://ow.ly/v01dl @Write_Tomorrow

What to avoid in query letters:  http://ow.ly/uZZ5B @ramonadef

Getting Unconventional Is Great for Business: http://ow.ly/v00nx @jchutchins @writerunboxed

Choosing Your Own Adventures http://ow.ly/uZZUp @ecmyers

Sometimes You Have to Write for the Love of It:  http://ow.ly/uZZD4 @jamesscottbell

How Do You Write a Novel? 6 Things that Stay the Same Every Time: http://ow.ly/v01gj @hollyrob1

How To Write Like Agatha Christie: http://ow.ly/uZZfD @woodwardkaren

What Changes in Your Scenes? http://ow.ly/v01xA @Janice_Hardy

Chapters: How Long is Too Long?  http://ow.ly/uZZJM @stevelaubeagent

The Holy Grail of Writing-—Finding the Right Word: http://ow.ly/uZZbt @ediemelson

Who Are Literary Agents and Editors Anyway? http://ow.ly/uWnRL @kcraftwriter

What is the Future of Bookstores? 25 Influential Authors Weigh In: http://ow.ly/uZZPz @CarmenConnects

7 Things 1 Writer Has Learned About Editing: http://ow.ly/ @JL_Campbell

18 Scripts Screenwriters Should Read:  http://ow.ly/uWo6G @whatculture

Why 1 writer isn’t interested in the Amtrack residency: http://ow.ly/uWokd @natalieburg_

Revising Your Novel : 10 Steps for Analyzing Plot:  http://ow.ly/uWfAC @LaurHarrington @BTMargins

How to Write Without Adverbs:  http://ow.ly/uWnt7 @TrishaNicholson

What Is Speculative Fiction?  http://ow.ly/uWfDq @AnnieNeugebauer

Report from the Trenches: The Agent Panel:  http://ow.ly/uWfl4 @querytracker

It’s Never Too Late to Set Writing Goals:  http://ow.ly/uWnFw @DeeWhiteAuthor

Is Polish Noir The Next Big Thing? http://ow.ly/uWcB4 @pubperspectives

Why Self-publishing Is So Good For Literary Culture: http://ow.ly/uWfJ7 @ornaross

Is Hybrid Publishing Just a Phase for Writers?  http://ow.ly/ve2tR @ThoughtCatalog @Porter_Anderson

Freelance Writing: Think Like an Editor, Sell Like a Pro:  http://ow.ly/vcNrq @jenpens2

7 Types of Writer That Don’t Play Well With Others:  http://ow.ly/uWcyj @AKellyAnderson

Should You Enter A Writing Contest? http://ow.ly/uWcJn @monicamclark

The Three Dimensions of Character http://ow.ly/uWnw3 @mooderino

The importance of self-discipline for crime fiction detectives:  http://ow.ly/vdczA @mkinberg

6 Ways to Keep Readers Up Past Their Bedtime http://ow.ly/uWnzc @jodyhedlund

4 Things 1 Writer Learned about the Writer-Agent Relationship: http://ow.ly/uWcsu @bethvogt

Tips for Digital Formatting:  http://ow.ly/vd1In @authorterryo

There’s an App for That – 22 Apps and Tools Every Writer Should Know About:  http://ow.ly/uWfSb @novelicious

How to Attend a Writing Conference (And Make it Worth Your Time):  http://ow.ly/uWg7t

Self-editing suggestions: http://ow.ly/uTA6v @stevelaubeagent

How 1 Writer Got Her 1st National Magazine Article Gig: Step-By-Step:  http://ow.ly/uTwS4 by Tracy Hume

An Editor’s Skillset, Part I: Research, Observation, and Brevity: http://ow.ly/uTyQ4 @ChangeItUpEdit

LIAOTP (leave it all on the table):  http://ow.ly/uTAQj @ann_swann

Overuse of adjectives: http://ow.ly/uTzxq @Dydywriter

5 Tips for Writing Quickly and Effectively http://ow.ly/uTB3L @workawesome

What to do after finishing your book:  http://ow.ly/uTzv3 @SLeesmithAuthor

A Synopsis Checklist:  http://ow.ly/uTuhI @ibelieveinstory

Cover copy tips:  http://ow.ly/uTzfx @eNovelAuthors

Which famous writer’s style is most like your own?  http://ow.ly/vaqcY @Writers_Write

How Writing is Like a Blind Date:  http://ow.ly/vaqm6 @ediemelson

Hybrid Model: Agents’ Changing Roles Add Value to #Indie Authors: http://ow.ly/vs9Hw @tobywneal @agentsavant

10 ways to get over the fear of failure:  http://ow.ly/vqpJ8 @ajackwriting

Query claims that an agent might double-check:  http://ow.ly/vbpx4 @Janet_Reid

What is Creative Nonfiction?  http://ow.ly/vbpPk @cnfonline

Writing Sex Scenes: Dos and Don’ts {explicit}:  http://ow.ly/vboPv @lotuswriter

Is Writing Success Like a Lottery System? http://ow.ly/vbp2D @jamesscottbell

8 Things You Should Know About BookBub Subscribers: http://ow.ly/vbp8O @bookbubpartners

How Writers Find Rhythm: Effective Habits of 7 Authors: http://ow.ly/vbp64 @KatRamsland @psychtoday

Building Grassroots Support for Authors: 10 Steps:  http://ow.ly/vbotE @wherewriterswin @authoradventure

The Rise of the Author Collective: http://ow.ly/vbprD @Writers_Artists

Sowing Seeds for a Sequel: http://ow.ly/vboJY @nancyjcohen

4 Benefits of NOT Writing Alone:  http://ow.ly/vbp13 @amshofner

Benefits of Beta Readers–and How to Find Them:  http://ow.ly/vboLM @111publishing

To DRM or not to DRM? Insights from the PWC report:  http://ow.ly/vboVK @Nicholas_Rossis

Ten of the world’s most beautiful bookshops:  http://ow.ly/vbotY  @BBC_Culture

On Writing Badly and Redefining Failure: http://ow.ly/vbpdj @beccapuglisi

9 Steps To Get Your Spec TV Pilot Written, Edited & Sent Out: http://ow.ly/vbpsZ @bang2write

Genre lines: Why literary writers won’t self-publish:  http://ow.ly/vbpBM @robotech_master

11 Steps to Check Off Before Self-Publishing:  http://ow.ly/vdoDr @miralsattar

A Writer’s Confession: http://ow.ly/vdo6D @ssvik @womenwriters

Reviewing 101:  http://ow.ly/vdpa9 @BooksAndPals

10 Tips On Being A Productive Writer http://ow.ly/vdnQb @bang2write

How many words do you write a day? Do you have to force yourself? How successful authors do it:  http://ow.ly/vdnj6 @Roz_Morris

The improvised word leaves space for you:  http://ow.ly/vdooQ @damiengwalter

A Writer’s Pink Slip to the Neverending Struggle:  http://ow.ly/vdocF @danasitar

Body language tips for writers: http://ow.ly/vdnUi @Writers_Write

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

Making Character Deaths Meaningful

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I recently read an interesting novel—I won’t say which one, since I’d be spoiling the ending.  The most important character in the book was killed in an ending I didn’t see coming.  The death was a bit of a plot twist in itself because of what it said about a separate character in the story.

After finishing, I was curious to see what other readers had thought about the book.  I braved Goodreads—a site I hate as a writer, but sometimes enjoy as a reader—and found several discussions about the novel.  And…to my surprise, most readers slammed the ending.

The readers said they thought the death served as a “cop-out ending”.  One reader commented that the ending “felt like a cheap shot.”  I hadn’t felt that way at all.  In fact, it seemed like a very thoughtful ending to me…and a surprising one.

Around the time that I read the book, I got an email from my editor at Penguin about the outline I’d submitted to her for the next mystery in the series. She liked the outline in general, but had several reservations about the second victim in the story.  She wanted to make sure that the second victim’s death wasn’t gratuitous.  From a mystery standpoint, she also wanted to ensure that the sleuth wasn’t relying on the second murder to solve the case…that the second murder helped, instead, put the other pieces of the puzzle together.

Back in January, I wrote a post about why we might choose not to kill a character.  I mentioned that some characters have a certain star quality about them—something that resonates with readers.  And readers can get very protective of their favorite characters.  Now I was trying to justify killing a character to my editor.

My fix was to go back to the outline and change things up a little.  I added more clues and red herrings to the first murder and then changed the victim’s personality a bit.  In this version, she was a more complex and possibly irritating person…someone I didn’t think readers would really miss much.  And I changed the clue that the second murder provided the sleuth.  This time, the clue just helped the sleuth make sense of the other clues instead of allowing her solve the case immediately. And my editor signed on.

Here are my thoughts about when readers might accept character death easier:

When the death is vital to the plot and isn’t acting as a placeholder because we weren’t sure what other direction for the book to take.

When the death acts as a catalyst in some way for other characters’/our protagonist’s behavior.  The death resonates and provides real impact.

If this was a viable direction for the story to take.  If it doesn’t seem like a lazy approach.

Other questions I considered:

Does the placement of the death play a role?  I think it does.  It seemed like many readers of the book I’d read objected to the character’s death because it occurred at the end of the book.

Might genre make a difference in terms of reader acceptance of a character death?  Again—I think so.  In mysteries, we can usually get away with deaths…but what if we murdered a sidekick? Or the detective’s wife or child?  Would readers be as accepting of a death of a main character in a more upbeat romance, for instance?

As a reader, how accepting are you of character deaths?  Are there circumstances where you accept it easier than others?  As a writer, have you killed off main characters in any of your books?

Image: MorgueFile: FellowPacker

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Speaking to Students about Writing

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

When I was asked to speak to the 8th graders at the local middle school, my first thought was, “Oh cool…I can encourage young people to write.”  Then I thought, “Uh-oh.  But these are middle schoolers.  And middle schoolers are scary.”

Then there was a sense of relief that my daughter at that school is in 7th grade and wouldn’t be embarrassed by me, no matter what.

I have spoken at everything from elementary schools to retirement homes.  I don’t think anything intimidated me quite as much as speaking to this age group (middle schoolers are roughly ages 11-14…8th graders being at the upper end of the spectrum).  Let’s just say I made sure I prepared so that I looked like I knew what I was talking about. Middle schoolers aren’t known for suffering fools lightly.  It was career day and I was talking about a career in writing.  Once I focused on the writing, I got through whatever anxiety I had with speaking to this age group.

The amazing thing was how receptive the kids were.  I spoke to roughly 120 kids and found most of them very attentive.

I also heard that other people speaking at career day were a policeman, a fireman, a radio personality, and a banker.  I figured at least I could be more interesting than the banker, right?

As soon as I was asked to help out with career day, I asked my 12 year old daughter for tips in addressing the kids.  She raised her eyebrows and said, “You better use a lot of pictures, Mama.”

That’s when I put the power point together.  With pictures.  Actually, it was Prezi (I used the free version) and it worked really well.

Here’s what I learned from Friday’s presentation:

Get visual. As my daughter said, “Use lots of pictures.”  I also used physical props to illustrate points: a printed-out, marked up draft; an ARC; finished books; old notebooks I’d filled with poems and stories from when I was a kid.

Keep it relevant to them.  I talked about successful young writers, what a writer’s day is like, the future for writers and writing, and why I thought it was a great career. I touched on querying (mostly in the context of dealing with rejection), contracts, and promo, but kept that part brief.

Keep it upbeat and uncomplicated.  Obviously, some of the business aspect of writing or details of promo or even craft details aren’t going to be very interesting when you’re just generally outlining what you do.

Bring treats.  Especially on career day.  Because all those other parents had promo junk from their offices.  I brought candy. :)

Leave time for questions.  I was surprised at the number of questions and the scope of the questions.

Bring a handout/business card/bookmark/something with your email address on there.  Some kids were shy about asking questions in front of others.

Remind them there are many different types of jobs that writers can do.  We’re novelists, but there are also screenwriters, scriptwriters, songwriters, journalists, playwrights, copywriters, game writers…lots of opportunities for content creators.

Some of the questions they asked:

What about self-publishing?  Is that a good choice? (Yes, they did know about this topic!  I was amazed.)

How do you get your ideas?  (Of course.)

Do you make money when people buy books?  How much royalty do you get?

Why do you write under two names?

Is it hard to promote two different names? Do you wish you only had one?

Do you have a favorite book that you wrote?

Have you ever done a school visit?    Spoken to this age group?  What are your tips?

The post Speaking to Students about Writing appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Freelance Writing: Think Like an Editor, Sell Like a Pro

By Jennifer Brown Banks, @jenpens2

There’s great truth to the expression, “You should walk a mile in someone else’s shoes to understand them.” Which is why I’m very fortunate, that when it comes to the field of writing, these stilettos have covered much territory.

In my journey of more than a decade, I have served as a relationship columnist, a ghost writer, professional blogger, and a reviewer. I have penned pieces for digital publications, and for popular print glossies too. Many of which you’ve likely read.

But, what has probably enhanced my creative career the most, was my role as a senior editor of a regional publication, a few years ago.

Walking in these “shoes” helped me to discover that a successful, progressive path in writing is not just about a proficiency with words; it is about the psychology of selling, whether it’s widgets or words.

In my tenure, I had the opportunity to work with and hire freelancers from all levels and backgrounds. I even  saw my “former” self in some of the mistakes and oversights they made in their pitches and submissions. Ouch.

What I found was that the ones that were the most successful and categorically made the most money, were the ones that understood this important prevailing principle: Editors are “consumers” too.

That’s right. These individuals that we greatly admire, (occasionally suck up to) and aspire to be like, have some of the same basic universal needs that we all do as “consumers.”

Here’s what they want (other than more hours in the day or a winning lottery ticket) …

They want to save time.
They want to save money.
They seek to have their lives enhanced and simplified.
They want minimal stress.
They want bouncing and behaving hair. (Well, that was just Me.)

In essence, today’s busy editor seeks products and services that will allow these fundamental needs to be met, so they in turn can meet the needs of their readership, advertisers, and supporters. (And of course, they’d like to enjoy a decent quality of life in the process.)

Dan Case, Editor of Writing for Dollars, shares that one of the most effective things a writer can do to increase his odds of publication and meet an editor’s needs, is to “strictly follow the submission guidelines established at the magazine’s site.”

So if you‘re on board, today we’ll explore how to not just consider your intended audience in your writing, but to think like an editor, to improve your submission strategy, your rate of acceptance, and ultimately your bottom line.

Tips to minimize an editor’s stress.

Don’t put the “i” in diva!

Here’s a case in point. In my editorial role mentioned earlier, I was fortunate to have some awesome talent respond to my periodic Craigslist postings for writers and columnists. One of these individuals was a southern freelancer who had pretty impressive credentials, very unique spins on article assignments, and who followed directions to the letter. Like Michael Jordan, her “delivery” record was incredible. There was just one problem. She was a “hot shot” that was difficult and demanding to work with. She complained about her modest pay, deadline times, etc. It didn’t take long before I decided that with all her assets, she was a pain in the assets. She was gradually phased out. This is a no-brainer. If an editor has to choose between two writers with equal talent, the one who is flexible and causes the least amount of grief will likely win out. The moral of the story here? Whenever possible, go with the flow. Don’t take big stands on small issues. Always remain professional and respectful. If you want “red carpet” treatment, become a celebrity, not a writer.

Be reliable.

You can have Pulitzer prize winning potential, still if you miss important deadlines, or can’t  be counted on to respond to important emails in a timely fashion, it becomes a problem for all involved. Remember that Murphy’s Law happens. Allow yourself enough time to successfully juggle, and to produce quality work on schedule. The career you save might be your own.

Read and follow the submission guidelines before submitting work or contacting the editor with questions.

A common question that I often encountered was…“Do you accept interviews?”

Though answering questions comes with the territory, it can be frustrating and time consuming when the information is clearly outlined in the writer’s guidelines on the site, for those who choose to read them.

And failing to do so doesn’t provide for a good first impression. Trust me.

How to save editors time.

See the big picture.

Assuming that you understand the publication’s mission and target audience, what else needs to be factored into the publishing equation? How about the competition? The sponsors?  The time of the year? Check the archives. What has been covered recently? Are there any gaps in information that you could tackle in terms of your submission and area of expertise?

Be familiar with different “Content Management” Systems and various Style Guides.

For instance, if you’re a professional Blogger, many jobs now require that you not only know how to engage an audience, but that you also know how to upload your own work on the site for review and approval.  The less “hand holding” and training you require, the more valuable you become to an editor–no matter what type of publication.

Submit work that is properly formatted and requires minimal revisions. Remember, “Time is money.” Proof your work before hitting the “send” button, and don’t rely on spell check to catch all your errors. One writer friend recently shared with me that an editor actually sought to deduct a fee from the writer’s pay for the time that the editor spent preparing the piece for publication. Don’t let this be you.


When turning in an article or feature piece that shares study findings or important statistics, provide the related link or site for verification purposes.

In other words, don’t make the editor have to research your research.

Consult Editorial Calendars.

Editorial Calendars simply organize content by planning and publicizing future themes and publication needs. Writers use them, as do potential advertisers.  Here you’ll find a glimpse of the exact needs of an editor, thereby increasing your odds of acceptance and potentially helping the editor to cover desired targeted topics. Sasee Magazine shares one here: http://sasee.com/submissions/

Whether you’re new to freelancing, or a veteran seeking to increase your acceptance rate and score more paid work, the following tips will not only allow you to get in to editors’ heads, but also in their good graces and ultimately their budgets.

Jennifer Brown Banks is a veteran freelance writer, popular Blogger, and relationship columnist. Her work has been featured at sites such as: Pro Blogger, Men With Pens, Write to Done, and the Well-Fed Writer. Her Blog, Pen and Prosper, was recently chosen as a Top 25 Writing Blog for 2014. When she’s not writing or reading, she’s usually in hot pursuit of a good bargain sale.

The post Freelance Writing: Think Like an Editor, Sell Like a Pro 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.

Americans can get confused writing for Canadians, unless they write in French: http://ow.ly/uOIGM @mnmarcus

5 Things a Writer’s Yoga Practice has Brought to Her Writing Practice: http://ow.ly/uOHfa @elephantjournal @KimHaasWrites

3 Most Common Complaints About Agents by Scriptwriters: http://ow.ly/uOIu9 @ChadGervich

What To Do When You Have Writer’s Block:  http://ow.ly/uOGAc @thoughtcatalog

Is Hybrid Publishing Always the Best of Both Worlds? http://ow.ly/uOHVX @jamigold

Even the biggest and smartest publishers still have a lot to learn about digital marketing:  http://ow.ly/v00UW @MikeShatzkin

How Libraries and Patrons Can Beat Publishers at Publishing: http://ow.ly/uWOPy @msd2020 @pubsmartcon

‘I Write Because I Love, And My Love Is Writing’:  http://ow.ly/uMsbG @thoughtcatalog @vallarigupte

Before You Publish: Amazon’s Requirements:  http://ow.ly/uMsDt @infolitetech

What Do Agents Like to See When They Google Writers? http://ow.ly/uMsGX @carlywatters

Dollars & Sense for #Writers – how to tell which books to buy and which to borrow: @EdieMelson http://bit.ly/1lLKgdx

Starting Your Own Publishing Business: http://ow.ly/uMu3S @111publishing

In Writing, There Are Rules, And Then There Are “Rules”: http://ow.ly/uMtgi @ChuckWendig

There is no perfect:  http://ow.ly/uMrY4 @lisajanicecohen

5 Things You Should Know about Working with Beta Readers: http://ow.ly/uMu4r @byondpapr

The Neurological Similarities between Successful Writers and the Mentally Ill:  http://ow.ly/uMu5p @thoughtcatalog @Delistraty

Ebook Piracy: – A Writer’s Perspective:  http://ow.ly/uMssE  @gregorybarron

Must a Writer Go Hybrid for a Higher Income? http://ow.ly/uZ1wu

Writers on How They Deal With Criticism :  http://ow.ly/uMui7 @imjasondiamond @flavorwire

#EtherIssue discussion: book and publishing start-ups:  http://ow.ly/uX75x  11 a.m. ET / 3 p.m. London GMT (now) @Porter_Anderson

Finding Your Author Voice:  http://ow.ly/uMuCs @novelrocket @rachelhauck

A Bookseller On Changes in the Profession and Love for the Job:  http://ow.ly/uMtqj @WSHUnews

Maybe the distractions and chaos of our lives are fuel for the writing fire:  http://ow.ly/uMtJd @megrosoff @writerunboxed

Missing persons in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/uZ0cf @mkinberg

So you want to be a game writer? Top 10 tips: http://ow.ly/uMsSD @technorati

Are You Writing the Right Story?  http://ow.ly/uMt3D @janice_hardy @diymfa

Use This Screenwriting Technique to Break Your Copy Down into 4 Easy Steps: http://ow.ly/uMsXN @mktgcopywriter

6 Steps to a Strong Cover: http://ow.ly/uWOoo @pubsmartcon

Tips for faster writing:  http://ow.ly/uL7Da @DebbyGiusti

Creating Your Map to Successful Authorship:  http://ow.ly/uL7bp @ninaamir

What Penguin Random House isn’t doing:  http://ow.ly/uL7T7 @thefuturebook @passivevoiceblg

Querying: Sending Nudges:  http://ow.ly/uWUnt @ibelieveinstory

Shotguns and Rifles 101 for Writers:  http://ow.ly/uL63I @fionaquinnbooks

Harsh Early Reviews of 20 Classic 20th-Century Novels: http://ow.ly/uL7k3 @mental_floss @sseeeaaann

Are You Publishable or Not? Reading the Tea Leaves. http://ow.ly/uL72u @writerunboxed

Telling the Truth About Client-Agent Problems:  http://ow.ly/uL76b @jodyhedlund

Forensic Trace Evidence: Hair and Fur – Info for Writers: http://ow.ly/uL5V1 @FionaQuinnBooks

‘We haven’t hit what epic fantasy is capable of yet’:  http://ow.ly/uL86e @BrandSanderson

What’s your End Game? http://ow.ly/uL7O7 @M_Richmond21

Stories Don’t Expire – Don’t Rush to Publish http://ow.ly/uL6Nk @susankayequinn

Writing and publishing platform “Hi” releases (and a look at other start-ups for writers): http://ow.ly/uWpa7 @Porter_Anderson @craigmod

How a Focused, Limited “Baby Edit” Can Help Improve A Writer’s Style :  http://ow.ly/uL69u @vgrefer

Do you have a 3-year plan?  http://ow.ly/uL6St @loriculwell

How To Write A Romantic Suspense: http://ow.ly/uL6iO

Confessions of an Outlier:  http://ow.ly/uL5Ka @HughHowey

5 Ways to Jump Start a Stalled Story:  http://ow.ly/uL7eQ @EleriStone

4 Simple Reasons Why Many Writers Don’t Succeed:  http://ow.ly/uL6HN @grammerly @bang2write

How To Use Social Media To Get Your Underdog Film Made: http://ow.ly/uHq06 @nofilmschool @robmockler

Refusing To Review Books Marketed To One Gender Is Counterproductive:  http://ow.ly/uHplK @lilitmarcus @thefrisky

Writing Faster: Breaking the 10,000-Word-Day Barrier and Composing a Rough Draft in 2 Weeks:  http://ow.ly/uHpOa @goblinwriter

The death of the Western – again http://ow.ly/uHpW0 @JohnRosePutnam

Don’t explain away the magic:  http://ow.ly/uHpZz @TheGrahamMilne

10 Tips for Writing a Short Story:  http://ow.ly/uHoGC @LynHornerauthor

20 Ideas for Creating and Marketing Your EBook:  http://ow.ly/uHqyB @jeffbullas

There Are No Mwuahaha Villains in the Artistic Life http://ow.ly/uHpmj @Jan_Ohara @writerunboxed

Creating a Fantasy World: Names:  http://ow.ly/uUJNz @iulienel @fantasyscroll

Your book sucks: are authors being bullied with one-star Amazon reviews? http://ow.ly/uHqxG  @hayleycampbelly

Worry About Your Writing? How To Fall Back In Love With It: http://ow.ly/uHoGl @Jill_Jepson

Tips for Taking Your Reader on a Road Trip:  http://ow.ly/uUaa3

Active Setting and Why it Should Matter to You:  http://ow.ly/uHoG1 @MaryBuckham

Why we don’t need (and shouldn’t want) a publishing deal:  http://ow.ly/uHplj @chrisrobley

A New Voice in the Book World: The Author:  http://ow.ly/uTTJB @Porter_Anderson @thoughtcatalog

Blogging: Focus on the Discipline, not the Results:  http://ow.ly/uHqy8 @ryanbattles

6 Steps to Becoming a Successful Indie Publisher:  http://ow.ly/uHqxc @1106design @GutsyLiving

1 writer’s process for editing as she goes: http://ow.ly/uTqWu @authorterryo

Amazon for Authors–Tools and Thoughts:  http://ow.ly/uHpZb @Wordstrumpet

How to Publish With Your Own Imprint: http://ow.ly/uHplc @PeaceNicole

Murder in the library–examples in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/uTqhw @mkinberg

How to Develop Your Plot With Three-Dimensional Conflict http://ow.ly/uHpZS @EmilyWenstrom

How to Find a Critique Partner and Set Ground Rules:  http://ow.ly/uHoGS @JeriWB

Handle synonyms with care:  http://ow.ly/uFDS6 @Roz_Morris

Romance E-Book Bundles: A Blight or a Bonus? http://ow.ly/uFDwi @EroticRomNews

Seasonal Writing Disorder http://ow.ly/uFCEs @lydia_sharp

The Changing Role of Agents:  Read Before You Query (or Self-Publish): http://ow.ly/uFFld @ForewordLit @annerallen

Killing the Top Ten Sacred Cows of Indie Publishing: Can’t Get Indie Books into Bookstores?  http://ow.ly/uFF6y @deanwesleysmith

5 Reasons to Talk About Your Writing:  http://ow.ly/uFCDE @MGMinded

How dense is too dense?  http://ow.ly/uFDFg @ventgalleries

10 Best Things About Being A Writer:  http://ow.ly/uFEJ2 @joannegphillips

How to Know Your Book’s Audience:  http://ow.ly/uFERK @JanetKGrant

Catch the Reader’s Attention:  http://ow.ly/uFEhD @noveleditor

Writing A Novel: Finishing Well:  http://ow.ly/uSmyi @lindasclare

How To FOCUS on Writing:  http://ow.ly/uOHeU @PatrickLenton

Writing For TV: Trial Scripts/Shadow Schemes:  http://ow.ly/uOIHj @scriptwritinguk

Freelancers: Your Editor (Probably) Didn’t Steal Your Pitch. Here’s Why. http://ow.ly/uOGzL @contently @rkaufman

Your Writing Doesn’t Have to Be Good: http://ow.ly/uOIzw @danasitar

The Science of Literary Criticism : http://ow.ly/uOHrR @joshuarothman @newyorker

SHAKESPEARE system for helping authors figure out self-publishing:  http://ow.ly/uOGzh @sffworld @passivevoiceblg

How to Make Your Book Popular:  http://ow.ly/uOHWq @literaryeric @pshares

40 Things An Author Absolutely Must Do To Succeed: http://ow.ly/uOHWR @kevparsons

6 Tips For Getting Your Work Discovered: http://ow.ly/uOIHN @JessGrose @fastcompany

Why It’’s So Hard To Get Published (And It’s Not Amazon’s Fault)  http://ow.ly/uOHfF @lucyleid @thoughtcatalog

The Writers Alley: Exposition: What Is It? What To Do With It? http://ow.ly/uOIBo

Using Emotional Discharge to Power Up Your Story:  http://ow.ly/uOIGX @writingeekery

Free Collaborative Screenwriting App Adds Intuitive Outlining Tool: http://ow.ly/uOHrU @bartondeepwood

Do spoilers for books actually improve them?  http://ow.ly/uOHry @guardianbooks @carmitstead

Writing A Murderously Good Mystery: The Importance of the Murder Victim: http://ow.ly/uR9o6 @woodwardkaren

4 Ways to Improve Your Writing: http://ow.ly/uRahv @kmweiland

Going to Battle with the Inner Voices:  http://ow.ly/uRaho @Jodi_Kendall

Telling Tales on the Publishing Industry:  http://ow.ly/uR9Eb @thexmedic

Interesting and Unusual Ways to Sell Your Book:  http://ow.ly/uR9E8 @heavenencounter

Writers at Work: Cathy Pickens:  http://ow.ly/uRaD3 @hank_phillippi

A message to publishers about book marketing: how to rise above the din:  http://ow.ly/uRaqo @JonnyGeller

How I Write: David Baldacci: http://ow.ly/uR9G3 @thedailybeast @davidbaldacci

Small publishers are benefiting from changes in the industry:  http://ow.ly/uR9Xh @guardianbooks @passivevoiceblg

When The Old Ways Work (Discoverability):  http://ow.ly/uR9os @KristineRusch

Scriptwriting: Should Writers Pay Up Front For Representation?  http://ow.ly/uR9VW @LeeZJessup @scriptmag

Was it noir, literary, or pulp fiction?  http://ow.ly/uRaig @CalebPirtle

11 Ways to Successfully Promote Your New Book:  http://ow.ly/uR9Xo @smallbiztrends

Write a thriller: Know the plot’s destination:  http://ow.ly/uR9nu @MattReesAuthor

5 Valuable Charts That Show How Publishing Is Changing: http://ow.ly/uRaHd @Janefriedman

How to be a Good Critique Partner | Wise Ink’s Blog:  http://ow.ly/uRagX

5 things 1 Writer has Learned from (almost) 4 Years of Publishing at Amazon: http://ow.ly/uSl8W @TraciTyneHilton

Controlling How Much of YOU Appears in Your Fiction:  http://ow.ly/uSlpy @cateartios

An agent on ‘Does a writer still need an agent?’ http://ow.ly/uSh2G @BFLAgency @alison_morton

Writing Prompts to Stretch Your Conceptual Skills:  http://ow.ly/uSgGd @ConnieBDowell

Why This Story? … Or 8 Questions They’re  *Really* Asking:  http://ow.ly/uSlc9 @bang2write

10 Tips for Becoming a Better Writer:  http://ow.ly/uSh7i @EileenMaksym

The 3 Deadly Symptoms of Self-Doubt:  http://ow.ly/uSlzA @beccaquibbles

Why Authors Should Consider Graphic Novel Adaptations:  http://ow.ly/uSl1N @NAMartist @thecreativepenn

How to get self-published books on the shelves of local bookshops:  http://ow.ly/uSlS4 @L1bCat

A Look at Ebook Subscription Services:  http://ow.ly/uShaP @ninjadueces22

Sex Tips for Screenwriters:  http://ow.ly/uSh5p @BigBigIdeas @scriptmag

On Authorial “Frauditis”:  http://ow.ly/uSgZU @vgrefer

Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The First Act: http://ow.ly/uSh8g @kmweiland

Why Crime Fiction Is the Most Popular Genre:  http://ow.ly/uSlxc @joelgoldman1

‘I Made the Mistake of Starting a Small Press and So Can You’:  http://ow.ly/uTAqO @passivevoiceblg

Recommended Resources from industry expert @JaneFriedman:  http://ow.ly/uSgGp

5 Things You Can Learn From The Colbert Report’s Head Writer:  http://ow.ly/uSgGy @heyitsopus

Book Reviews: The Good–The Bad–The Ugly:  http://ow.ly/uTBDo @eNovelAuthors

Daunted by Book Promotion? Don’t be.  http://ow.ly/uTz3l @CarolineSandon @womenwriters

Experimental Writing: It’s About More Than Looking Weird on the Page:  http://ow.ly/uTzvH @SequoiaN

A Self Publishing Success Story: http://ow.ly/uTBX0 @MJRose @MegWClayton

Why it’s time to stop thinking of writing as a profession:  http://ow.ly/uTBcm @damiengwalter

Authors: Warning Signs That You’re Being Scammed: http://ow.ly/uTu6U @bookgal

3 Easy  Tips to Promote Your Book http://ow.ly/uTuqF @lindasclare

Cover copy tips:  http://ow.ly/uTzfx @eNovelAuthors

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

When an Unreliable Narrator Needs a Little Help

by Deborah Nam-Krane, @ dnkboston

It took me almost six years to publish my series The New Pioneers, even though I had four completed novels. Part of my delay was that it takes a number of chances. At its heart, it’s romance with chick lit elements. However, each novel has its own special character to reflect that story’s heroine. Thus far, The Smartest Girl in the Room has explored Emily’s coming-of-age and The Family You Choose has uncovered the dark family secrets that haunted Miranda. Harel. But Jessie Bartolome’s story, The China Doll, is where I’m taking the biggest risk.  While The Family You Choose reveals a secret you didn’t realize was there until the very end, it’s clear from the outset that The China Doll is a mystery with a capital M.

I’m pretty confident my readers can handle the genre-tweak; it’s the main character that made me nervous.

Jessie is the youngest of The New Pioneers’ main characters. She’s eighteen when her story opens,  albeit a worldly (and world-weary) eighteen. An eighteen year old can be responsible for her own narrative, but the question that’s stalked her for several years reaches back to when she was a very young child- and arguably before she was born.  We all know how much fun it is to read from the perspective of an unreliable narrator (Holden Caulfield, we hardly knew ye), but I have a complicated mystery I need to resolve. I want us all to have fun, but I also want to give my readers a big payoff. Jessie needs to tell her story, but she’s going to need help. And because this is a big story that affects many people, she’s going to need a lot of it.

I dropped a number of hints in The Family You Choose, but this deserved more background. Annabelle Hendrickson Abbot could supply the perfect amount of information, but she’s been dead for over twenty years. Worse still, her connection to Jessie is tenuous and an extended presence in her story wouldn’t make narrative sense. However, Annabelle’s perspective needed to be included, so I wrote a short story to do just that. An Engagement answers some questions left over from The Family You Choose and then presents some of its own- all of which will be answered in The China Doll.

Arguably, the best way to counter a hazy memory is with facts. I can’t give away who does that here (but it’s in Chapter 16!), but I can tell you it’s someone who knows how to dig and has been motivated to do so. That motivation is going to beg the question: what is the difference between facts and truth? In my series, that question is personified by Jessie’s older but in some ways just as fragile cousin Richard Hendrickson.

It’s been clear since The Smartest Girl in the Room that Jessie’s spirited temper is in some way related to Richard’s burdens, and in The China Doll we will finally understand the heartbreaking depth of the sacrifices he made as a child to protect the ones he loved. But…Richard’s memories are also those of a child, albeit older, and the opinions he formed as a result might warrant closer inspection. That, or he might find they’re a dangerous blind spot that’s hiding something very important. He’ll get some help from a very unexpected source to do just that, and therein we might begin to find the answer to everyone’s questions.

Does Jessie lose something as a heroine because she needs help piecing together her story? I don’t think so. All things being equal, the agency of a child is diminished compared to that of an adult, and ironically we see that in Richard’s recollections. In the final accounting, this novel and the rest of the series isn’t about what happened to my characters as children but what they can do about it now that they’re adults. I will leave you to decide by the end which cousin has more agency in the present, and which one needs a shake to the shoulders.

***

Hypocrisy, half truths and lies…

Sick of being treated like she’s going to break, Jessie Bartolome is back to her old ways and calling everyone on their hypocrisy. Sheesh! One little breakdown and even easygoing Martin Shepard thinks she’s too fragile to handle their age difference. Good thing her older and equally yummy teaching assistant Robert Lester thinks otherwise…right?

After spending so long cleaning up after everyone else, Jessie’s cousin Richard has never had the time to start a life of his own. However had he managed to find his girlfriend Zainab? So what is Richard going to do now that everyone else has grown up? Marry Zainab and start a family? Things have never been that easy for a Hendrickson…just ask his cousin Michael.

Richard’s mother, Lucy, is one of the most powerful women in Boston… so when is she going to put a stop to the blackmail ruthless Alex Sheldon has holding over her for years? And if Richard knows more than he’s letting on, why hasn’t he gone after Alex himself? The question is, how much does he- or anyone else- really know?

Welcome to the Bartolome/Hendrickson family.

The China Doll is Book Three in The New Pioneers series.

Deborah Nam-Krane published The Smartest Girl in the Room and The Family You Choose in 2013.  She just released An Engagement and will be releasing The China Doll at the end of March. She reserves the right to incorporate mystery, politics and history into her romances whenever she sees fit.

While Deborah is active on her blog, Facebook page and Twitter account, the best way to keep in touch is through her mailing list. She only sends out newsletters  to announce new releases- and to give her subscribers special discounts on her work.

The post When an Unreliable Narrator Needs a Little Help appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Must a Writer Go Hybrid for a Higher Income?

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I’ve been hearing a lot lately about author earnings—self-published, traditionally published, and earnings from what writer Bob Mayer coined “hybrid writers.” I think that the chart that started it all (and the report’s data has since been questioned by a variety of writers, notably Hugh Howey), is this one from Digital Book World’s Dana Beth Weinberg last December:

Hybrid writers do come out pretty well on the chart.  And I’ve seen similar data on various other charts I’ve seen.

I worry about this.  Being a hybrid writer has worked for me…so far.  It’s a good gig…if you can get it.  But I feel like things are shifting a little bit already (as it always seems to in this business).

For one thing, my income was a lot more balanced between my Penguin books and my self-pub books in 2012.  Then in 2013, my self-pubbed income far outweighed my trad pubbed income (66% self-published income).

I do think starting out being published by a traditional publisher have helped me in some ways.   But notice the ‘buts’:

I feel like I got a solid introduction to mystery readers and name recognition.  But—this was a Big 5 publisher with an already-established group of avid readers for a popular subgenre.  There are dedicated readers (and we love them) that will read all the cozy mysteries Penguin puts out every month. They even know the pub schedule for these books—they always release the first Tuesday of the month.  This helped me get a toe-hold…no question.

Would I have gotten the same boost from a smaller publisher?  I can actually answer that question—no.  My debut novel was a 2009 mystery from Midnight Ink.  It didn’t take off and the series was dropped by the publisher, although the book has since become a much stronger-seller than that first Penguin book in 2010 (because I’ve self-published four sequels to the Midnight Ink book since then).

I had excellent developmental and copyediting and learned a lot from my editors.  I was able to apply that to my self-published books.  But—I know other traditionally published writers who have not had the wonderful editors that I’ve had.  They really gained nothing from the experience.  (In fact, I had one dud, myself.)  Besides, there are excellent freelance editors to be had.  Yes, you have to pay for them out of pocket, but a well-written, well-edited book has the potential to recoup money paid up-front.  Digital publishing’s long tail means that over the years, the book can potentially find an audience and pay back our investments.

I had distribution to physical bookstores and libraries.  This also helped gain me new readers.  But—I think distribution of physical books is becoming less important.  I know that my ebook sales are higher than my print sales…every month.  Even for my traditionally published books.

Frankly, my self-published book prices look amazing next to my trad-published book prices on my Amazon author page.

You’ll notice I don’t mention marketing support as a benefit of traditional publishing.  :)

You’ll also notice that I don’t mention cover design and formatting as a benefit.  I do love my trad covers. I think they’re intricately drawn and clever with the hint of danger in the cozy setting.  But I can buy an awesome cover, myself.  Formatting is something I hand off  and get back a day later.  It’s not a deal-maker for me to stay with trad pub for these services, although it’s a nice bonus.

What I feel now: I’ve gotten what I’m going to get (mainly) out of the experience as a hybrid author.

I feel that the benefits that I’ve received are winding down.  I’ve gotten a great education from my  talented editors.  I’ve received exposure in physical bookstores and libraries and an introduction to a dedicated reader base.  I hate to sound like I just want to take my ball and go home, but that’s likely the ultimate direction I’m heading in.

Mainly, now…I feel as if my self-publishing production is slowed down because of traditional publishing.  I wince as I say that, but it’s the truth.

Why I’ve continued being a hybrid so far:

I had someone in the industry ask me last week why I’m still a hybrid (I signed another contract extension last August).  Mainly I continue working with my publisher because I love the characters and my readers love the characters… it hasn’t seemed like a great idea to stop writing the series.

Random Observations:

I’m thinking—if you really are going to query publishers for the above benefits, it might help you more if you went through a publisher who gets you good distribution and a decent advance and no funny business in the contract (a Big 5, if you can swing it…and do watch that contract.  Especially with a Big 5).  A larger publisher will likely trump a smaller one in terms of distribution reach and establishing a large reader base.  You should get the same level of editing at many smaller publishers as you would at a larger one, though.

Maybe my main point is that you don’t have to remain a hybrid writer.  You could start out as a hybrid author, soak up all the knowledge you can, and then self-publish afterward.

Assisted self-pub: This is for the folks who are interested in trad pub because of the cover design, editing,  and formatting.  I was recently asked if I’d be interested in having a publisher to do my self-publishing for me—a package that would include the covers and formatting, etc.  I wasn’t, actually.  Not if it means giving up part of my royalty.  I can subcontract out that work myself, and I have a team in place. Now if I had no time because I had a demanding day job or had really overwhelming family obligations or just knew I’d never be self-published if I didn’t buy a package…then I’d do it.  I’d just be very careful about how much royalty I was giving up or what the terms were.

I do feel grateful for my start in the business…and incredibly, incredibly lucky. I have no rancor in me at all…and I’ve loved working with the industry pros that I’ve had the good fortune to associate with.    I’m speaking strictly from a business…a financial…viewpoint.

It  does worry me that some writers may think they’ve got to be a hybrid writer to be bringing in good income.  Because the pros of being hybrid are definitely shifting.  Or maybe the pros remain but there gets to be a point where you’ve maxxed out your advantage.  It might not be a forever thing.

Thoughts on this?   I’ve just dumped a bunch of opinion out there and just personal experience out there…everyone has different needs, so my approach won’t fit for everybody.  At least we have choices, right?

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Tips for Taking Your Reader on a Road Trip

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

There are many things that I really like about writing series.  For one, readers seem to love them.  I think that’s because they have more of an opportunity to really get to know the characters and become invested in them.  They also enjoy becoming part of a familiar world…the setting we’ve created in our books.

As a writer, I like series because they’re much easier for me to write.  I establish my regular characters, create a world, and then come up with fresh adventures in each book.

The problem is that, after a while, either the readers seem to get restless (at least their customer reviews tend to reflect this sentiment) or the writer feels a little restless.  This has happened to me a few times.  In Memphis Barbeque book four, I decided that I would (clearly, since the series mentions Memphis)  set the book in Memphis, but I would center the book’s action around a large barbeque festival/competition there instead of the barbeque restaurant the book is usually centered around.  In Southern Quilting mystery three, I took my characters out to a remote location in the mountains and stranded them there the entire book.  And now, for my 7th Myrtle Clover book, I’m planning for most of the book’s scenes to take place at a retirement home.

The good part about doing this—it makes the story feel a little fresher for series writers.  It makes things fresher for readers, too.

The bad part about doing this—editors aren’t wild about it.  And readers may think they want something different, but not realize that there’s actually a comfort in familiarity.  They may not want things as different as they think.

How these road trips went for me:

In the Memphis book, Rubbed Out, it went the easiest.  I had some of the book’s action back at the familiar hangouts.  The regular characters that the readers loved were all still in the book—and in a believable way, because they were all attending the local festival or competing in the barbeque contest. I had the best of both worlds there.

In the Southern Quilting book, Quilt Trip, it was admittedly tough.  My editor raised several concerns when I shared my outline with her.  She commented that readers love the familiarity of a particular setting and that they enjoyed seeing all of their favorite regular characters in a book.  She had a point—I know I feel the same way when I’m reading a series or watching a television show and a book or episode leaves out one of my favorite characters. I feel a little cheated.  So I revised my outline to incorporate as many of the core group of regulars as possible on the road trip…while trying to keep it believable.  And I offered to set half the book back in the old setting if she still wasn’t wild about it.  But I’d sold her on it.  And I was glad because I was so gung-ho to write that book.

The only problem was that it’s very hard to write a book from one limited setting.  This was a Southern Gothic inspired book with a crumbling Victorian mansion as the setting—and an ice storm that cut off the house from the rest of the world.  You have to work especially hard to make things lively and keep conflict and excitement going.  It’s tough.  About halfway through the book, I wasn’t sure if I could keep it up any longer, but then I got an idea for an additional obstacle or two to throw at the characters. It ended up being one of my favorite books and I haven’t yet gotten any direct reader complaints about the way I handled the road trip.

I’m a little more nervous about the 7th Myrtle Clover book that I’ll be writing in about a month (it’s fully outlined now). Readers of that series are very set in their ways and I do hear directly from them if I make any changes.  And this will be a change.  But I realized how much easier it was to write the Memphis story by having the story’s action switch between the new setting and the older, familiar one.  So I’m planning to make it more like that story and less like the (difficult to write) quilting mystery.

In Summary:

Readers like series regulars.  Unfortunately, those regulars live in the town that you’re leaving behind as the character(s) go on a road trip.  Is there a way that you can either believably bring some of them along, or incorporate those characters into your novel in other ways?

It can be tough to sustain a story at a limited location (or a country house mystery…which is what I was trying to create when I wrote Quilt Trip) for the span of a whole novel.  Could you have half your action in the old, familiar setting and half on the road?

Basically, you’ve probably considered this because you either wanted to world-build a little or experiment somehow.  We just have to make sure it works.  It’s a risky proposition, really—we’re taking something our readers find familiar and comforting and pushing them to expand their boundaries.

Have you ever taken your readers on a road trip?  How did it go?  How did you satisfy your series’ readers?

Image: MorgueFile: andi

 

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