Riley Adams's Blog, page 150

Character and Series Backstory and the Traditional Mystery

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig



Backstory can be a real problem for
writers…if readers find it boring. Many readers won’t put their finger on
exactly what it was that made the story boring, but they’ll put it aside.  No one really enjoys an expository  dump of information—they just want an
engaging story.

In a mystery, this might seem
tricky.  A suspect’s backstory is
frequently what comprises their motive for murder.  How a suspect’s past intersects with the
victim’s past is important.

For mysteries, though, you’ve got a very
helpful element that allows you to work the backstory in fairly seamlessly: the
interview process.  Your sleuth or
detective is trying to find out information to determine a suspect’s
motive. 



My suspect
backstory is frequently revealed through:

The sleuth’s conversation with another
character about the suspect.

Or

The sleuth’s interview with the suspect
himself.

Backstory with a traditional mystery
should, in general, tie into the mystery itself.  Unless you’re trying
to build in red herrings: for example, you could mention Tim is a teetotaler
now because of some terrible drunken episode in his past.  Maybe that doesn’t tie into the current
mystery…but it could make readers wonder if Tim and the victim had a run-in of
some kind during that period in Tim’s life. 
It provides the reader with a red herring.

Exceptions—the protagonist’s
backstory.  If your sleuth has a past
that affects his current life in some way, that’s always relevant.  Protagonist backstory can also tie into an effective
subplot when it deals with the sleuth’s family or romantic relationships.

What about series
backstory?  What if you’re writing
book 2 or book 3 of a series and are worried that readers aren’t following
along?

I think it’s better to fill readers in,
but briefly.  Keep it really succinct.
After all, you might even need to reacquaint even your regular readers if it’s
a traditionally published series…frequently, those books release once a year
and readers might need a bit of a refresher.

Characters recurring from an earlier book
in the series could be quickly identified in a way that won’t be obvious or
irritating to the returning reader.  John, Beth’s brother, commented on….  Short tags
that act as reminders.

If you like, you could also keep some
backstory as a small mystery in itself. 
Regular readers might remember that John and Tom don’t like each
other—and they’d remember why.  But a new
reader might read some of the tension between the two characters, read the
terse dialogue, and wonder about their relationship.  Adding hints as to the source of the problem
can keep a new reader turning pages—as long as it’s ultimately addressed or if
there are more hints to the underlying issue as the story progresses.

You could also reveal backstory with
dialogue (make sure it’s not stilted), a character’s thoughts or memories, or
even flashbacks.  All of those will work
if given in small doses and done well…if it’s not done well, it can be awful.

How do you slip in character
backstory?  If you write a series, how do
you handle series backstory in your sequels? 

Image: MorgueFile: Mensatic

Twitterific

by Elizabeth S. Craig,
@elizabethscraig

 

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Doing Something Different

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig



One of the reasons that I went on break
for a couple of weeks was that I was on vacation in Kenya. :)

It was a wonderful vacation.  We have family that live and work in Africa
and had encouraged us to experience Kenya. 
It was great to have guides who were so familiar with the area (and who
spoke several languages).  We saw the
bustling Nairobi, the lovely Rift Valley, went on safari, and experienced the
Kenyan coast.  It was an amazing trip. (And I'm clearly trying to still catch up, since this post is a day late!)

And y’all know that I rarely even leave
my house unless I’m running errands or shuttling children around—so this trip
was a big deal to me. 



As I’ve mentioned here before, I’m a
planner.  I’m very cautious and need an
abundance of information on something before I experience it—that’s even true
of small events I attend near my home or camps for my children.  I packed weeks before we left…and repacked.
And shifted things from bag to bag.  Yes,
I’m fairly neurotic.

When I talked with friends and family
about leaving, I’d bring up all the aspects of the trip that made me
anxious—the vaccinations we needed, organizing the flights, staying healthy,
our accommodations, etc.

People who knew me best had a particular
reaction to the news.  “Oh, Elizabeth,”
said more than one person, “that will be so good for you.”

They were right and I knew it when they
said it.  We can be too fond of the
familiar, too eager to keep away from crowds, too happy to stay at home.  As writers, it’s also good to grow a
little.  To stray from our comfort
zone.  To fire up our imaginations with
different experiences, different sights, different tastes, different people.

I don’t think we have to go to Africa to
do it, either.  We can push ourselves
into new and different situations nearer to home, too.

Have you broken out of your routine or
your comfort zone lately?  What was it
like?  How did it go?

Word Count

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig



I do like to keep track of both where I
am in a story and how much I’m able to accomplish each day.  That’s mainly because I deal with
deadlines.  I’ve had to feverishly finish
a story before in the 11th hour and
boy, that wasn’t fun (that was also an un-outlined book, so I wasn’t even sure
exactly where I was going with the story. 
Thankfully, it somehow ended up fine.)

I like to pay attention to my progress
also because with my genre, there’s a pattern to the events there and I need to
stay on-target or else my pace may be off. 
I don’t need a bloated beginning—that’s no fun to read.  But I don’t need a bloated ending, either,
with a sleuth going on and on about how
clever she was in figuring out the killer. 
I like a second body near the middle of the book to keep readers
guessing, so I also need to know when I’m about halfway done with the
manuscript.



But—I know some writers who are messed up
by worrying about their progress while working on the first draft.  Tracking their word counts makes them feel
frantic and as if they need to catch up. 
So there’s really no need to keep
up with your progress as you’re working on the story if it makes things worse.

For those who like to track their
progress on the story, there are different ways of doing so.  I think I’ve done all of them.  One is word
count—the actual number of words. 
I do track this from time to time, to make sure I’m on target for the
75,000 words I’m supposed to shoot for.

For me, though, I like tracking my page progress on a day to day basis.  When I’ve got a deadline, I’m writing 3.5
pages a day to stay on goal.  With my
self-published books, I might give myself a little more leeway…but still around
3 double-spaced 12 pt. font Word pages each day. Usually I don’t write them all
at once—writing half of them in the morning when I wake up and half later in
the morning or after lunch.

I set myself a daily goal, but for others
a weekly goal might work better.  If you
have a chaotic schedule, setting a weekly goal can give you a chance to make
your goal by either spreading your goal out each day or having a marathon
writing session all at once to catch up. 


When should
we worry about word counts? 

Definitely before we submit a manuscript
to a traditional publisher because there are genre guidelines. Any publisher is
going to be worried about a 170,000 word book from an unpublished author with
no track record.  My contracts hold me to
75,000 words for my cozy mysteries.  I’m
usually either right under that or right over it. 

Too short is also a problem, although
sometimes it’s not as much of a problem. 
I tend to write really short—Midnight Ink took my 206 page book without
making a mention of plumping it up.  I’ve
also written short for Penguin and haven’t heard any feedback on it (although
they did reduce the price of that book by a dollar compared to the others in
the series.)

More articles on word count:

India Drummond’s “How I Easily
Doubled My Daily Word Count”

Chuck Wendig’s “How to Maximize Your Word Count
and Write More Every Day” (as always, I have to give a warning about the strong language Chuck
uses in his posts…but he does provide excellent advice.)

Do you track word count or pages written?
Why or why not?



Image: Flickr: Tom Raftery

Chapter Length

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig



Hope everyone has had a good last couple
of weeks…I did.  I even managed to have
an adventure…more on that on Friday.

From time to time I get emails or
comments asking about manuscript basics. 
The emails are frequently apologetic in nature as if the writer were
asking something that everyone knew but her. 
That’s just not the case because I see shifts in areas even relating to
manuscript formatting—it’s always worth asking.

This particular question was from another
mystery writer and the question was on chapter length. 



I used to write longer chapters than I do
now.  There are several reasons why I
think I did…although I didn’t put much thought into it at the time.  One reason is that I built in a good number
of section breaks into each chapter.  My
chapters frequently encompassed several scenes (so, there’d be a big change of
some kind at several points in the chapter: a change of setting, a change of
characters my sleuth was talking to, etc.) 
Another reason is that I put my chapter breaks in as I wrote—and I don’t
think I paid very much attention when the last chapter had occurred or how many
pages I was into the new chapter.  There
would simply seem to be a great spot for a chapter break and I’d stick it in
and go merrily on my way. My editors didn’t mind this…I was never asked to
change the location of a break or to make my chapters a different length.

What made me switch to short chapters
were the readers.  Obviously, we’re
talking about genre fiction/commercial fiction here—if you’re writing literary
fiction,  this probably won’t apply.  But the readers actually complained about my
chapter length—both directly to me in email and in customer reviews on online
retailers like Amazon.

That made me immediately change
course.  Readers said that their busy
lives meant that they needed more frequent chapter breaks so that they could
find their place easier (these are obviously readers who are reading the mass
market paperbacks and not the ebooks.) 
They also felt that longer chapters set a slower pace…they felt they
weren’t making progress. 

At this point, I’ve usually got one scene
per chapter.  My chapters are ordinarily
10 pages (double-spaced Word docs…each page at 250 words…although sometimes my
pages have fewer than 250 words since I use a lot of dialogue.)  I haven’t heard a bit of criticism on my
chapter length since then.  And no
comment from Penguin on my change….they don’t seem to mind one way or the
other.  

My other change in the way I approached
chapters was that I inserted chapter breaks at the end of the first draft.  This helps me to keep the breaks fairly
regular and helps me adhere to my 10 page-break goal.  Sometimes, obviously, I’m not exactly 10
pages between breaks.  There will be some
areas in a book where a chapter break is perfect…cliffhanger moments.  So, if I’ve got a body discovered, I’m not
sticking that right in the middle of chapter ten.  I’ll either make chapter ten super-short or change the length of bordering chapters.

Again, as I like to reiterate on these
kinds of posts—there is no wrong or right method.  I’ve never had an editor talk with me about
chapter length.

How long are your chapters, as a
writer?  As a reader, do you have a
preference? 

Twitterific

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig



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 20,000 free articles on writing related topics. It's the search
engine for writers.




Sign up for
our free newsletter for monthly writing tips and interviews with top
contributors to the WKB or like us on Facebook.

Mike Fleming
and writing coach James Scott Bell are offering an online, interactive, writing
program to help make your next novel great. It's called "Knockout
Novel" and you can learn more about it at Knockout Novel.com.


I'm
back from my blog break! :)  Good to be
back.




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When *not* to market your
book: http://bit.ly/14XfNlV @BTMargins
@annbauerwriter

Tips for Making Video Blog
Posts: http://bit.ly/16zbSLn @meghancward

On writing about real
people: http://bit.ly/16zcd0G @tanisrideout

Find the meanings of words
you're not sure of before you use them in your writing: http://bit.ly/16zclgE @ZiggyKinsella

5 writing habits that might
be tripping you up: http://bit.ly/14Xguvt

20 Reasons to Write Your
Nonfiction Book Now: http://bit.ly/14XgRGp
@NinaAmir

Fairy Tales--The Handless
Maiden and Forest Sanctuary: http://bit.ly/16zcSPM
@terriwindling

How to Identify People by
Name in Your Story: http://bit.ly/14Xh1xq
@writing_tips

Passive marketing: http://bit.ly/16zcZKZ

Avoid Repeaters Like These:
http://bit.ly/1210rrh @lynnettelabelle

Are Reviews TOO Subjective
to be Worthwhile? http://bit.ly/17CUnhH
@jodyhedlund

The changing playing field
of publishing: http://bit.ly/1210vaw
@kristinerusch

7 Ways Friends Can Support
Your Book (and How To Ask For Their Help): http://bit.ly/17CUDxo
@bookmarketer

Writing Books for Children
- Traditional Submissions: http://bit.ly/1210RxW
@karencv

Writing Your Memoir, If It
Feels Right: http://bit.ly/17CUQ3x
@kathypooler @SouthrnWritrMag

25 tips for handling
multiple writing projects: http://bit.ly/17CUSsg
@ajackwriting

A Two-Year MFA in Writing
Reading List in One Post: http://bit.ly/12113NN
@PatrickRwrites

Elements of successful
fiction (and making time to write): http://bit.ly/17CV7U5
@JimHarris28

Put a more modern spin on a
Cinderella story: http://bit.ly/1211kQM
@mooderino

Tips for blog post
planning: http://bit.ly/17CVf66

How To Be More Objective
About Your Own Writing: http://bit.ly/1211xDB
@WritersRelief

The Pace of Productivity
and How to Master Your Creative Routine: http://bit.ly/17CVrCm
@brainpicker

3 Ways Serials Can Improve
Your Writing: http://bit.ly/17CVz4H
@susankayequinn

How to Use Hyphens: http://bit.ly/1211R5b @grammargirl

How to manage large casts
of characters: http://bit.ly/17CWguX
@Rachel_Aaron

A Series of Shots for Quick
Action: http://bit.ly/17CWqCG
@livewritethrive

Why Your Protagonist Might
Not Always Be Your Hero: http://bit.ly/1212mfu
@kmweiland

The Modern Writing-School
Paradox: More Students, Fewer Jobs, More Glory: http://bit.ly/17CWNNB
@theatlantic @Jon_Reiner

The 4 Roles of Creativity:
Explorer, Artist, Judge, Warrior: http://bit.ly/1212LhY
@99u

Yes, We Really Do Judge
Books by Their Covers: http://bit.ly/17CXoPg
@IndieReader

The care and feeding of
your imagination: http://bit.ly/1212YSx
@wendypmiller

How To Set Goals Without
Screwing It Up: http://bit.ly/17CXMx6

What to Write in the
"Bio" Section Of Your Query Letter: http://bit.ly/1213aRC
@ChuckSambuchino

LinkedIn for Writers: http://bit.ly/17CY5YH @JanalynVoigt

Overwriting: http://bit.ly/10WreLm @AimeeLSalter

On-site book research: http://bit.ly/15GYfr8 @nancyjcohen

A Short Introduction to
Speed Writing: http://bit.ly/10WrxG0
@FreelanceSw

Are You Ready to Contact an
Agent? Take This Short Quiz and Find Out: http://bit.ly/15GYIK1

When To Let The Reader Into
The Character's Head: http://bit.ly/15H02wm
@mooderino

Depression and Writing: http://bit.ly/10WD8VE @gingersjohnson

Who, Whom, Whoever,
Whomever - How to Decide Which is Right: http://bit.ly/10WDnA3
@nickdaws

Can Screenwriting Contests
Advance Your Career? http://bit.ly/17FXpBU
@MarioOMoreno37

9 Types of Functional
Variation in Grammar: http://bit.ly/14xX7qD
@writing_tips

5 Easy Ways to Publicize
and Promote Your Book: http://bit.ly/17FXAgK
@mpnye

Is there still a role for
the commercial publisher? http://bit.ly/14xXph2
@ScottTheWriter

New trends in ebook
pricing: http://bit.ly/17FXMwo
@laurahazardowen

Anne Rice's Advice On
Writing: http://bit.ly/14xXDEX
@woodwardkaren

5 Ways to Develop a Book
Idea: http://bit.ly/17FY2vg @BrianKlems

Surviving in publishing--an
epic publishing saga: http://bit.ly/14xYlSC
@dancinghorse

Remember to follow these
internet rules via lit. agent @rachellkent http://bit.ly/17FZqhr

Tips for better blog posts:
http://bit.ly/14xZBFq

9 opportunities to promote
your book: http://bit.ly/17FZP3o
@PublicityHound

9 Rules for a Simpler Day: http://bit.ly/14xZSIp @LeoBabauta

What Can Writers Learn From
Actor Interviews? http://bit.ly/17FZYE6
@jeannevb

How to speak publisher: F
is for frontispiece: http://bit.ly/14y0IoD
@annerooney

5 Sound Bite Mistakes That
Will Lose You Freelance Clients: http://bit.ly/17G0wtw
@soundbitesiren

9 Tips on Becoming a More
Creative and Productive Writer: http://bit.ly/14y15zv
@copyblogger

4 tips for writing
antiheroes: http://bit.ly/17G0ZvV
@standoutbooks

The Difference Between
Idea, Premise, and Plot: http://bit.ly/14y1tOi
@Janice_Hardy

14 Blog or Website
Essentials for Writers: http://bit.ly/17G15DT
@jillkemerer

5 Ways to Find the Right
Freelance Book Editor: http://bit.ly/14y1AJN
@stacyennis

Proactive vs. reactive
characters: http://bit.ly/11SjzsQ

Your Website is Outdated
Because: http://bit.ly/17HDnqJ @hostbaby

Why Google Plus is
Essential for Authors: http://bit.ly/11SjOnA
@bookmarketer

Traditional Publishing And
Their March to the Future: http://bit.ly/17HDxhH
@deanwesleysmith

Thoughts on Parenting a
Writer: http://bit.ly/15dagnX @mollybackes

Letting go of scarcity
thinking: http://bit.ly/11IIIoB
@rachellegardner

How to use GIMP for design:
http://bit.ly/12HSPjx , http://bit.ly/12HSPjB , http://bit.ly/12HSPjD , http://bit.ly/12HSPjF @clarissadraper

Booksellers finding success
through a leaner ordering method that helps eliminate returns: http://bit.ly/16veQkE @kristinerusch

Things a scene needs: http://bit.ly/19gzI08 @mooderino

How to create a style sheet
for your manuscript: http://bit.ly/17HEd6M
@rachellegardner

Traumatizing Your
Characters: Intrusive Recollection: http://bit.ly/11SksBG
@finesarah

Don't Dumb down Your
Characters to Make Your Plot Work: http://bit.ly/17HEoz6
@americanediting

Buy Some Fresh Eyes: Let
Your Novel Rest: http://bit.ly/11SkARC
@lindasclare

How Would You Make the
Movie of Your Book? http://bit.ly/17HEEy1
@janice_hardy

Songwriting--horror themes
in heavy metal music: http://bit.ly/12I5pzn
@BubblewsBlog

Managing Your Facebook
Privacy: http://bit.ly/11SkWYo @lifehackorg

Nourishing the Self by
Finding the Time to Write: http://bit.ly/11Sl4qT
@SarahHackley @womenwriters

Most Common Mistakes: A
Surefire Sign You're Over-Explaining: http://bit.ly/17HFjQ7
@KMWeiland

Tips for writing faster: http://bit.ly/11SlzRR @michellerafter

7 Things to Know about
Getting Your Author-Published Book into Libraries: http://bit.ly/17HFU4a @SusanWAlbert

9 Master Class Twitter
Tips: http://bit.ly/11SlX2T
@pubperspectives @BrandYou

A Psychological Self-Help
Tool for Fiction Writers: http://bit.ly/17HGhvu
@writerunboxed

Character Building Tips for
Writers: http://bit.ly/17HGuPv @jeanoram

Character Archetypes: The
Creator: http://bit.ly/11Smm5j
@jeanniecampbell

9 Ways to Write Smarter,
Not Harder: http://bit.ly/17HGZJp
@carlywatters

Is the Character Me? Yes!
And, no! http://bit.ly/17HH3sG @jeffcohen

The importance of finishing
our writing: http://bit.ly/11SmIJ1

The Verminous Hazards of
Research: http://bit.ly/17HHnYq
@womenwriters @berylkingston

The Locomotive in Science
Fiction Literature: http://bit.ly/11SyF1x
@clarkesworld

Yoga for Writers: http://bit.ly/11SyKCi

Tips for being a better
blog guest: http://bit.ly/17HUdpx

The Five Times Treatment: http://bit.ly/17HUitp @womenonwriting

Complications Of
Storytelling: http://bit.ly/11Sz9Vg
@mooderino

Increasing your enthusiasm
for writing: http://bit.ly/11SA3RM
@pyrosama

What Should You Expect from
a Freelance Editor? http://bit.ly/11SA7AZ
@ThereseWalsh

Tags & Traits:
Characterization And Building Empathy: http://bit.ly/17HVNaL
@woodwardkaren

10 Stupid Writer Tricks
(That Might Actually Work): {language}: http://bit.ly/11SAg7s
@chuckwendig

Publishers know their
audience--but variety might sell, too: http://bit.ly/11SAoUD
@museinks

25 Things You Should Know
About Young Adult Fiction: http://bit.ly/10q5ULT
@chuckwendig

Tips for Researching When
Writing: http://bit.ly/16FD4Iv

What Makes Writing Fun: http://bit.ly/10q67yT @deanwesleysmith
@woodwardkaren

25 Types of Author Tweets
(with examples): http://bit.ly/16FDizo
@duolit

Why it's Good to Rush to
Get Published: http://bit.ly/16FDui0
@lyndaryoung

4 Lessons for Independent
Authors: http://bit.ly/16FDDlq @chrisrobley

7 Things to Understand
Before Traditionally Publishing Your Book: http://bit.ly/10q6Qjl
@ninaamir

When you're character's
observing: http://bit.ly/10q6Tvw
@JordanMcCollum

12 tips for getting past
writer's block: http://bit.ly/16FEaDW
@12most

Writing a great scene: http://bit.ly/16FEkve

"Deepening in" to
a scene of oppression: http://bit.ly/10q7u0s
@juliettewade

Writing Books for Children
- From Contract to Sales to a Writing Career: http://bit.ly/15QyBjV
@karencv

Scriptwriting (horror): The
New French Extremity: An Endeavour into Excessive Violence: http://bit.ly/1aWvP20 @the_artifice
@__Jameswalker

Would you pay readers back
for reading your book? http://bit.ly/15Qz4CB
@galleycat

Plagiarism: http://bit.ly/1aWw39u @MBTPonderers

Writing Dialogue for
Novels: Tips for Cursing: http://bit.ly/15Qzmt3
@AdriennedeWolfe

With a serial, EVERY scene
is an important scene: http://bit.ly/1aWwikP
@CamilleLaGuire

10 promo tips: http://bit.ly/1aWA4e6 @ethanfreak

Neil Gaiman on "Why
Fiction is Dangerous": http://bit.ly/1cyWfVA
@tordotcom

Hashtag creation tips: http://bit.ly/1aWAfpQ @bookmarketer

The Real Reason Coffee
Shops Boost Productivity: http://bit.ly/1cyWG2k
@davidburkus

Dealing With Perfectionism
As A Writer: http://bit.ly/1aWAn8N
@VeronicaSicoe

What Is Horror? http://bit.ly/1cyWZu5 @annieneugebauer

1 author explains his
picture book process: http://bit.ly/1aWAxwI
@writersdigest

4 Changes to English So
Subtle We Hardly Notice They're Happening: http://bit.ly/1cyXBzD

How to read more blogs in
less time: http://bit.ly/1aWAUHR
@rachellegardner

7 ways to make sure your
ideas don't take off: http://bit.ly/1aWAYY6
@lifehackorg

De-Deifying Agents: http://bit.ly/1cyY98Q @CharleeVale
@writeangleblog

Hooking the Reader: The
Character Investment: http://bit.ly/1aWB7L2
@kayedacus

Is There a Place for Style
in Genre Fiction? http://bit.ly/1cyYqZi

Race, Identity, and
Writing: http://bit.ly/15QRKST
@Kathy_Crowley

How to escape a schedule
and write: http://bit.ly/1aWGLg8
@emilywenstrom

5 apps for writing and
blogging: http://bit.ly/15QS0RK
@michellerafter

Worldbuilding--families: http://bit.ly/1aWGOIZ @juliettewade

Dealing with commas and
adjectives: http://bit.ly/1aWGXvP
@RayRhamey

A Book Club Guide To
Discussing Short Story Collections: http://bit.ly/1aWH7n2
@BTMargins

The Successful Children's
Writer: Many Eggs, Many Baskets: http://bit.ly/15QSEPb
@cbiclubhouse

3 things 1 writer has
learned in the past 5 years: http://bit.ly/1aWHYEj
@dorothydreyer

1 writer's struggle with
deadlines: http://bit.ly/1aWI7HO
@mstiefvater

Uncomfortable Truths: Five
Authors Who Do Not Live Up To Their Mythology: http://bit.ly/15QUtM0
@cathinnorway

6 Tips for Finding the
Courage to Write: http://bit.ly/15QUNu0
@QuipsAndTips

Writing to Trends: http://bit.ly/1aWJciK @SaraBLarson
@cvaldezmiller

3 writers on writing and
creativity: http://bit.ly/15QVZO4

Blog Break

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig



Hope everyone is having a good summer so far. 



 I’m going to take a couple of weeks off, but
will  return to the blog on Sunday, July 21 with Twitterific.





 Happy writing!

Twitterific

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 20,000
free articles on writing related topics. It's the search engine for writers.

Sign up for our free newsletter for monthly
writing tips and interviews with top contributors to the WKB or like us on Facebook.

Mike Fleming and James Scott Bell are
offering an online, interactive, writing program to help make your next novel
great. It's called "Knockout Novel" and you can learn more about it
at Knockout Novel.com.

I have a new book
out. :) Rubbed Out
debuted on Tuesday.




A free directory of cover designers,
formatters, freelance editors, and more: http://bit.ly/nolbXq

9 facts about life that 1 writer has
learned from writing about death: http://bit.ly/146pdcc
@danasitar


Pitching To Understaffed Media: http://bit.ly/180lNxw










Cause-related marketing: http://bit.ly/19WSqhd
@Kaylee_Kendall


Traumatizing Your Characters: How
Vulnerable is Your Character? http://bit.ly/146pWKk
@finesarah

Answers to 18 Self-Publishing Questions: http://bit.ly/180lVNk @jfbookman

Marketing Toolbox: Ebook Cards: http://bit.ly/146qjET @JLeaLopez
@writeangleblog

Moving Out of Your Writing Comfort Zone: http://bit.ly/146qpwc @do_north

3 Resources for Setting: http://bit.ly/146qIqM @SherlockedSarah

3 Myths That Are Killing Literary
Culture: http://bit.ly/180mBlL
@michellerichmon

How to Become a Your Own Story Idea
Generator: http://bit.ly/180mKWq
@manon_eileen

Is Your Outline Killing Your Novel? http://bit.ly/146rJPQ @michellerichmond

Writing reviews--some guidelines and
suggestions: http://bit.ly/180ncnI
@SmartBitches

25 Things To Know About Sexism &
Misogyny In Writing & Publishing: http://bit.ly/146tfkS
@chuckwendig

Adding gravitas to your writing with
quotes: http://bit.ly/146vdl9

Script To Screen: "The
Searchers" : http://bit.ly/180oSNO
@gointothestory

The Literary Appeal of Gods, Goddesses
and Myths: http://bit.ly/180oVcF @sfsignal

Are Your Multiple POVs Killing Your
Story's Suspense? http://bit.ly/146vwws
@KMWeiland

4 types of book titles that 1 reader is
tired of: http://bit.ly/180p3bX
@BooksAreMyBFs

Selling your publisher on a particular
title: http://bit.ly/146vLrt
@AdriennedeWolfe

Writing for Children: Four Traditional
Publishing Steps: http://bit.ly/180penC
@karencv

How to Nail the Opening of Your Blog
Post: http://bit.ly/146w19J @copyblogger

What's the best price for a
self-published ebook? $3.99, Smashwords research suggests: http://bit.ly/180pkvK @laurahazardowen

Even Alpha Writers Need Beta Readers: http://bit.ly/146wiJI @tiffanyreisz  @Janice_hardy

How Book Advances Work: http://bit.ly/180pqTU @michellerichmond

Character arcs at the climax: an example
in high art: http://bit.ly/180pu69
@JordanMcCollum

Thriller, Conspiracy and Action: http://bit.ly/14MSOdm @cockeyedcaravan

Death by Comparison: http://bit.ly/12epcAg @beccapuglisi

The Pace of Productivity and How to
Master Your Creative Routine: http://bit.ly/14MSXNN
@brainpicker

An Inside Look at Today's Book Reviewers:
http://bit.ly/12epfvH @BooksAndPals

An agent lists 10 recent queries and what
made her request the manuscript (or not request it): http://bit.ly/14MTkbk @forewordlit

Looking for ways to feel grateful when it
comes to our writing: http://bit.ly/14MUnrD
@Amy_Lamont

Gift Your Reader, Not Yourself: http://bit.ly/14MVCHo @SouthrnWritrMag
@LindaAcaster

Author Confidence or Self-Doubt? http://bit.ly/12es1RS @loislavrisa

World-Building 102: The Word-Smith's
Craft: http://bit.ly/14MVGqs

Bestselling Fantasy Author Raymond E.
Feist on Thirty Years of Writing: http://bit.ly/12es93A
@refeist @amazonbooks

Wanted: Literary Mentor: http://bit.ly/14MVPtY @marcomcgrath
@parisreview

Why Mid-List Indies & Agents Don't
Add Up: http://bit.ly/12esun5
@JoeNobodyAuthor @IndieReader

School Visits: Seeking Them Out and
Setting Them Up: http://bit.ly/14MW6NM

Finding an agent: http://bit.ly/12esG5D @Fictiffous @beth_barany

When you've written yourself into a
corner, sometimes other writers can help you get out: http://bit.ly/14MWfRk @gaslightvt

Hacking away at your opening: http://bit.ly/12esWBI @MartinaABoone
@clazebnikwrites

What Makes Fiction Good? It's Mostly the
Voice: http://bit.ly/14MWA6y @theatlantic
@tanehisi

How to Write a Novel: 7 Tips: http://bit.ly/12etWWw @jennifermcmahon
@ChuckSambuchino

1 writer likes likeable characters--and
dislikes a new way of dismissing female writers: http://slate.me/1c1ykxP @slate
@jenniferweiner

An advocate for minimalist punctuation: http://bit.ly/123KUv9 @mstibbe

Give your Nemesis a plausible world view:
http://bit.ly/1c1z6ee @gointothestory

How to transform a comment troll into a
human being: http://bit.ly/123LxEJ
@paidcontent

10 ways to accelerate your writing
process: http://bit.ly/1c1B91X @mstibbe

Rejection: A Critical Device: http://bit.ly/123MFsb @litreactor

What Your Reading Rules Reveal About Your
Personality: http://bit.ly/1c1BrpH
@onetruejeantt

8 Symbols That We Turned Into Words: http://bit.ly/123MRHL @mental_floss

Getting Over Writer's Block: Listen To
Your Characters: http://bit.ly/1c1Cg1A
@woodwardkaren

Music inspires a short story writer's
plots, mood, and characters: http://bit.ly/123NvoC
@jonpinnock @byRozMorris

Seven research tips for informed writing:
http://bit.ly/1c1D6eW @Claredodd

Business Basics for Today's Writer—Cover
Letters and Proposals: http://bit.ly/185CPKF
@EdieMelson

9 Practices for Cultivating Creative
Life: http://bit.ly/13ZWgQT
@CreatvEmergence

10 Points About Possessives:  http://bit.ly/185D4oM
@writing_tips

Getting organized as a writer: http://bit.ly/13ZWvLu @jennaavery

8 Steps to Create Visually Appealing Blog
Posts: http://bit.ly/185Degb @rbelliston

Branding Yourself as a Scriptwriter: http://bit.ly/13ZWEyE @jacobkrueger

3 Ways Your Book Can Sell Itself: http://bit.ly/185DoE2 @selfpubtoolkit

A quick tip to improve your writing: http://bit.ly/13ZWNCm @changeitupedit

Self-Editing Tips and Tricks: http://bit.ly/185DFqD @KristenJett

3 Tips for Naming Characters: http://bit.ly/13ZXfAw @write_practice

As an Author, Is It Worth Being in the
Amazon Associates Program? http://bit.ly/185E3Wb
@goblinwriter

World Building Tips Learned at the
Louvre: http://bit.ly/13ZXlrE @Janice_Hardy

The importance of word of mouth: http://bit.ly/185Edg7 @Kristinerusch

Attracting Screenwriting Representation
with a Strong Body of Work: http://bit.ly/13ZXw6h
@scriptmag

Using Excel to track writing goals and
make financial goals: http://bit.ly/185EsI0
@woodwardkaren

A 3-week map for boosting your
start-of-day productivity: http://bit.ly/13ZXITg

The climate of criticism: http://bit.ly/185EFuY @jodyhedlund

Is There A New New Wave of Science
Fiction, And Do We Need One Anyway? http://bit.ly/185JFj7
@tordotcom @davidmbarnett

How To Write A Compelling Pitch and
Synopsis: http://bit.ly/1402mRg @fcmalby

How Reading Makes Us More Human: http://bit.ly/185JQLu @theatlantic
@LoveLifeLitGod

Top Five Things Not to Put in your Query:
http://bit.ly/1402wrM

Develop Your Writing Through
Inspirational Self-Critics: http://bit.ly/185K7xK
@lizstrauss

De-Clutter Your Mind to Become a More
Productive Writer: http://bit.ly/1402Jet
@ticewrites

How to Build a Stockpile of Good Writing
Ideas: http://bit.ly/185KhW9 @chrisrobley

What if Your Antagonist Isn't a Person? http://bit.ly/1402Q9T @kmweiland

Setting as a Character: http://bit.ly/185KqZy

Physical Attributes Thesaurus Entry:
Back: http://bit.ly/1402VKJ @BeccaPuglisi

Write a Query Letter that Compels Agents
and Editor to Read More: http://bit.ly/185KBnA
@ninaamir

A brief history of Jennifer Weiner's
literary fights: http://bit.ly/140368Z
@salon @DPD_

Publishing Jargon-Buster: Ten Words
Unpacked: http://bit.ly/185KYPb @tordotcom
@BellaPagan

Save the Cat! Video: José Silerio on Beat
15 – Final Image: http://bit.ly/1403unJ

How long does it take to learn how to
fight? Training up your protagonist: http://bit.ly/185Lcpq
@ajackwriting

Your First Idea is Not (Usually) Your
Best: http://bit.ly/1403EeT

How Character Emotional Development
Merges with Thematic Significance: http://bit.ly/185LlZW
@plotwhisperer

Turning Story Opening Don'ts Into Dos: http://bit.ly/1403K69 @lisagailgreen
@angelaackerman

10 Things to Remember About Sequels: http://bit.ly/185LxIK @Janice_Hardy

10 Reasons Why Short Stories are Hot: http://annerallen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/short-is-new-long-10-reasons-why-short.html
@annerallen

Good Writers' Habits: Make Backups: http://bit.ly/185LYmh @lyndaryoung

Nonfiction--How to Produce a Competitive
Analysis of Your Book: http://bit.ly/1404h88
@ninaamir

4 Tricks for Improving Your Fiction in
One Day: http://bit.ly/185M8Kn
@victoriamixon

Writing an opposite gender: http://bit.ly/1404uIt @jeffcohen

10 common promo mistakes: http://huff.to/185Mvol @Bookgal

When Does a Writer Become an Author? http://bit.ly/1404Q1Q @AnnieNeugebauer

Creating pre-publication buzz: http://bit.ly/185MFfl @swkehoe

Writing the Smart Synopsis: http://bit.ly/14052OM @nancyjcohen

Memoir Writing: Scene, Summary, and
Musing: http://bit.ly/185MYXD @KarenJordan

Booksellers finding success through a
leaner ordering method that helps eliminate returns: http://bit.ly/16veQkE @kristinerusch

Thoughts on Parenting a Writer: http://bit.ly/15dagnX @mollybackes

3 lessons 1 writer has learned from slush
pile reading: http://bit.ly/132ld17
@kaneville

A simple writing task to achieve
mindfulness: http://bit.ly/132lOQp
@cptnrandy

Do Writers Need to Write by Hand? http://bit.ly/11V1IBi @writeitsideways
@serbaughman

Why 1 writer tracks word count progress: http://bit.ly/132lZLu @ava_jae

Old School Weird Fiction – The Bones of
Horror: http://bit.ly/11V1UjT
@ApexBookCompany @marysangiovanni

Read 5 books very similar to yours: http://bit.ly/132mghM @GLeeBurgett

So you're a writer and you think you want
to be an agent? http://bit.ly/11V2gai
@carlywatters

Writing the High ROI Screenplay: http://bit.ly/132mEwA @storydepartment

Military Romances and the Veteran Hero: http://bit.ly/11V2HkK @heroesnhearts

Poisonous mushrooms in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/19ObGtK @mkinberg

Which way should B&N go from here? http://bit.ly/14oj90w @BKGKristen
@laurahazardowen @Porter_Anderson










The Foolscap Method of Outlining: http://bit.ly/1aDzcfQ
@SPressfield
 

The Appeal of Spy Fiction--Guest Post by Jordan McCollum

Title: Why Spy? The appeal of spies in fiction



by Jordan McCollum



Maybe it's just a guilty pleasure. Maybe it's an obsession. Maybe it's simple wish-fulfillment fantasy. But with the popularity of everything from James Bond to Burn Notice, it's tough to deny the appeal of spies in fiction.



The glamour and the gadgets (and the girls!) are only the beginning of the coolness, however. Sure, spies get the coolest tools on television, but unsurprisingly the reality is a lot less glamorous and entertaining.




But it's not just the veneer of fiction that keeps us reading and watching spy stories, and I highly doubt much of the audience is interested in the politics and intrigue of made-up people. (We're scarcely interested in real politics & intrigue these days!)



So why is spy fiction so perennially popular? I think it traces back to the simple facts of the job itself. In real life, most spies don't directly save lives, catch bad guys, and engage in gunplay. Their real lives are much more quiet and covert, and largely involve trying to get other people who already have access to share or steal secrets.



Secrets. Even in real life, spies trade in secrets every day. And that's a big part, I think, of the subconscious appeal of the spy. Most people have a negative connotation with keeping secrets. We might keep confidences, but keeping secrets, it seems, is when other people don't tell us something we almost have a right to know, something important.









Me having fun, freshman year of college





When it comes to spies, though, keeping secrets is the honorable thing. They pledge their lives to keeping secrets—and with these secrets, lives can hang in the balance.



Sometimes spies must even keep secrets from those they love—even big secrets. Like many aspects of the spy life, this is a lot more popular in fiction than in reality. It does, however, happen. From what I hear, the official rule in the CIA's Clandestine Service is you can tell your significant other about your job once you're engaged. A story at a CIA training facility goes like this:

After months of training in DC, and several months of more in-depth instruction far away from family and friends, CIA trainees are allowed to bring their closest family members for a family weekend. As part of the weekend, family members are loaded onto a bus for a tour of the Farm facility.



One year, the instructor-turned-tour guide clapped his hands and welcomed the family members to the CIA.



One woman leapt to her feet. (In some stories, she's even holding a young child.) "The CIA?" she exclaimed. "My husband works for the CIA?!"

While that story is probably fictitious, it carries at least an ounce of truth: Spies are expected to keep secrets, even from the people closest to them—and that's a good thing! For me, that's one of the most interesting aspects of the job, even more than the fictional glamour and mystique, and even more than the lives they save: it's the personal costs that can run so high.



What do you think? Do you read or watch spy fiction? Why?



About the Author




An award-winning author, Jordan McCollum can't resist a story where good defeats evil and true love conquers all. In her day job, she coerces people to do things they don’t want to, elicits information and generally manipulates the people she loves most—she's a mom. Jordan holds a degree in American Studies and Linguistics from Brigham Young University. When she catches a spare minute, her hobbies include reading, knitting and music. She lives with her husband and four children in Utah.



Visit Jordan:  BLOG & WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS



Jordan's first novel, I, Spy, is out now: Canada's the last place you’d expect an American spy. But even idyllic Ottawa has deadly secrets—and so does CIA operative Talia Reynolds. There's only one thing she can't do: tell her boyfriend Danny about her Top Secret occupation. When her latest target turns around and targets Danny, her schedule isn't the only thing suffering. To save her secrets and her country, Talia must sacrifice the man she loves. More about I, Spy | Amazon  Kobo | direct from JordanMcCollum.com.

Cause-Related Marketing

by Kay Kendall, @Kaylee_Kendall

Everyone knows the publishing world is in
upheaval and it’s a dog-eat-dog world as far as promoting books is concerned.
At first the various ways to connect through social media seemed to be
heaven-sent, yet now, after only a year or two, folks on authors’ chat groups
across the Web lament that book sales are flagging. They say that the kinds of
promotions that used to work are not as effective anymore.

What’s an author to do?

 My
own debut mystery DESOLATION ROW was published by Stairway Press of Seattle
just this spring, and of course I have been going full-tilt with online
marketing. Lately I’m turning the bulk of my attention back to mystery number
two, but when I write for days on end and let the promotion slide, my sales
figures fall. So, like a yoyo, I pop right back to do more online marketing.

You know the drill. Facebook, Twitter,
Goodreads, blogging and/or guest blogging. And now, as if all us authors didn’t
have our hands full already, Everyone
says that an author has to add Google+

What is a poor besieged author to do?

In an earlier incarnation in life I was a
vice president of public affairs with American Express. This was in the late
eighties when the company was pioneering the concept called cause-related
marketing. Now I have begun my own version of that, and I suggest that you at
least consider it. It isn’t something you will have to do daily. The concept is
no longer brand new in the world of marketing, but it is not yet old hat in the
book world.

Simply put, you as an author know what
charitable causes have resonance with you. Find one that also relates to
something in your book. Then promote the fact that you will donate a part of
your royalties to that worthy cause. Both sides of the equation win. Even if
this does not sell more of your books today, you show your true colors as a
caring person about something that is not frivolous, something that is near and
dear to your heart. The homeless, arts in your community, a hospital funding
drive. The list is truly endless.

For example, DESOLATION ROW is set
against the backdrop of the Vietnam War. In 1968 a young bride from Texas uses
her CIA-honed skills to catch the real killer when her husband lands in a
Canadian jail for murdering the draft-resisting son of a United States senator.
Read the whole book and you will find that the overall thrust is pro-soldier
and anti-war.

Because of that ethos, and because I have
supported the organization for more than 30 years, I am choosing to donate a
portion of my royalties to the Paralyzed Veterans of America.  When I talk about that, I not only share with
readers where my heart lies but also profile a worthy organization that does
essential work.  Remember: the connection
between your writing and your cause is key.

I urge you to look at your writing and
your own causes. See what will work to make both sides of that equation gain
prominence and profile. A position that is win-win for all concerned is always
best. And as we used to say back in the day—slightly amended to what I am doing
now…WRITE ON!

=============



Kay Kendall is an international award-winning public relations executive
who lives in Texas with her husband, five house rabbits, and spaniel Wills. A
fan of historical mysteries, she set her debut mystery during the Vietnam War,
a key conflict of last century not already overrun with novels. Kay says her
mysteries feature women caught in their own battles during that unusual war
era. "In Desolation
Row I explore what life was like for a
typical young woman--not a headline maker, not a Hanoi Jane or Angela Davis,
but a moderate who nonetheless got swept up by history's tides during the
turbulent sixties. All that turmoil lends itself to drama, intrigue, and
murder." Kendall's now working on her second Austin Starr mystery, Rainy Day Women.