Riley Adams's Blog, page 16

December 31, 2023

Easy Planners for Writing and Life

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I’ve talked about using planners regularly here on the blog. Although I also use a digital calendar, there’s something about seeing something physically on a page and then striking it off that’s particularly satisfying. Also, seeing a list on paper seems to not only cement it in my brain better, but to make it seem more manageable and less overwhelming.

For a while I was using a composition notebook as a planner. I divided each page with seven vertical lines for each day of the week. I put appointments at the top, then made a list of my usual tasks underneath that for each day. My tasks always include: write, schedule social media, exercise, walk the dog, errands, advertising/other business-related work, etc.

It’s important to note that I’m not a bullet journal person. I’ve no interest in making my planner anything but a functional tool. There are some planners that look like art. Mine is definitely not posing as art in any way.

That process worked really well for years. It was cheap, portable, not very time-consuming, and customizable to whatever my needs were.

Last year, though, I stumbled upon a method that seemed like it would work out even better. I found a free site that offered downloadable calendars. I decided on a weekly calendar that had one week on two pages in a portrait layout. There are gobs of other sizes and layouts, including school year calendars, yearly, monthly, and hourly calendars.

I have a three-hole punch (my kids used to use it for school). Then I just stick it in a 3-ring binder.

Also in the binder are a few section pocket dividers. I’ve found the calendar uses so little room that it’s nice to put more than one year in a notebook, for planning purposes. I put the dividers between the years. In the divider pockets I have everything from small sticky notes to checklists for updating my books.

Scattered among the weeks are blank 3-ring college-ruled notebook paper for me to make additional notes on.

Simple, easy, and effective.

Do you use planners? Online or paper? What’s your favorite way to organize your writing and life?

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Published on December 31, 2023 21:02

December 10, 2023

Planning the Next Year

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I’m much more a fan of a good list than I am a resolution. And I’m even more of a fan of a list when it’s something I can put down on my calendar in bits and pieces, making it all bite-sized and manageable.

Seeing things on paper helps make the ephemeral goals more solid, real. More like deadlines.

Of course we all have personal things we need to get on our 2024 calendar. They might be family trips that should be reserved. Dental cleanings and physicals for ourselves, kids, and pets for the next year. School holidays. Birthdays and anniversaries.

Then there are writing-related things that could go on your calendar. A few things I plan in advance:

Releases. This is easy enough for me because I know how long it takes me to write a book. But for you, it might mean giving yourself a general plan for when you’d like to finish a project.

Cover design. Planning this in advance can save you a good deal of time. Often, cover designers can get swamped. If you wait too long, it may be tough to get on their schedule for your book’s release timetable.

Editing. This can be tougher to plan in advance, if you run into snags. But it’s good to have a plan for getting on your editor’s radar before the book is finished and see what his/her schedule looks like.

Promotion. This often coincides with releases but is also helpful throughout the year if you have a series starter.

Tax prep. The least fun of all. But because it’s no fun waiting to the last minute, I have it on my calendar to collect my writing income and expenses for the year.

Self-care. It might seem like something that doesn’t need to go on a calendar, but trust me, it does. It can be small or large, but scattering reminders throughout the weeks is a good idea and can help prevent burnout.

These are some things I’ve added to my own calendar, but what are you adding to yours? Have you gotten your 2024 calendar yet?

I’ll see you all in 2024! I’m taking some time off for Christmas. Hope you all enjoy the holidays!

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Published on December 10, 2023 21:01

December 9, 2023

LitLinks

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

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

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

My apologies for the formatting for this post! My scheduling app has experienced some hiccups lately, so some of the post was gathered manually. You’ll see a similar pattern when I next post Twitterific in early January. :)

Why Writer Beware Doesn’t Recommend or Endorse Agents or Publishers: https://t.co/zMVj9x74mI @victoriastrauss #wkb61

Writing Motivation: How to Win the Marathon of the Middle of Your Novel: https://t.co/iMAqsHczNV @JerryBJenkins #wkb31

Creativity and Inspiration: defined by negatives: https://t.co/1LJ6ejd72F @austinkleon #wkb32

Tips to Help a Writer Move from Slush Pile to Sold: https://t.co/dXF5unYZpU @PattySmithHall @ediemelson #wkb89

What Pain Has to Offer in Your Novel: https://t.co/xHKUkZiY5r by N.L. Holmes #wkb89

Lessons From the Writing of The Catcher in the Rye: https://t.co/QNLGRLiDaG by Chris Winkle #wkb14

The Agony and the Ecstasy of Uncertainty in Writing: https://t.co/v2AMOC7Qas @JennyHansenCA #wkb31

Tips For Selling And Marketing Your Books Direct To Readers: https://t.co/oIILh1Teqb @thecreativepenn #wkb8b

8 Cozy Mysteries Featuring BFFs and Women Supporting Women: https://t.co/ecfVsY4PpQ @samarayewauthor @crimereads #wkb3b

Don’t let a lyrical voice get away from you (page critique): https://t.co/6h4U6QIDtN @nathanbransford #wkb8

A Few Common Mistakes Writers Make: https://t.co/7sBMFWCruY by Crystal Bowman @ediemelson #wkb11

Self-Publishing Business and Planning Advice: Best Blogs 2023: https://t.co/EKc1in4blb @indieauthoralli #wkb8b

The one-star review : https://t.co/mjtmB9Pe1J @JBernoff #wkb73

5 Historical Mysteries Featuring Unforgettable, Unconventional Women: https://t.co/CgO7fOsdQQ by Ritu Mukerji @crimereads #wkb3b

How to Double Down On Being Human. 5 Ways To Stand Out In An Age Of AI : https://t.co/ISlq2X5dqA @thecreativepenn #wkb31

8 Short Story Collections About the Flipside of Living in a Postcard Destination: https://t.co/ItNkIfTu6g @jhhesler @electriclit #wkb3b

Italy: Piu Libri Piu Liberi Opens Today in a ‘Stable Market’: @Porter_Anderson https://t.co/noCRTHEtWV @pubperspectives #wkb64

Reward Your Readers with a Battle that Earns the Ending: https://t.co/m9mCbvZLSb by Lynette M. Burrows #wkb89

Trauma as an Element in Crime Fiction: https://t.co/zlJ8FzSetn @margotkinberg #wkb44

Why We Write: Artistry, Identity, and Legacy: https://t.co/omawsc57xT by Barbara Linn Probst @writerunboxed #wkb31

Reading Skills in Germany: New Study Results Concern the Market: @Porter_Anderson https://t.co/tzU7BZq8QQ @pubperspectives #wkb64

Mensch Publishing and Ingram in Print-on-Demand Partnership: @Porter_Anderson https://t.co/BpSy8CSAht @pubperspectives #wkb64

Donâ€t Hide Your Emotionâ€”How to Write with Feeling: https://t.co/CDmoWPsvZW by Callie Thomas @goteenwriters #wkb89

When Stuck in a Scene, Look Around: https://t.co/JR7ILx3Xjl @Janice_Hardy #wkb23

The Value of Unread Books: https://t.co/rMgfB0xkAB @aprildavila wkb3b

Submit and Query Like a Salesman: https://t.co/Bt39JzkP8j @PhilAthans #wkb66

Writing Is Typing: https://t.co/i9PmLpTto0 @lindasclare #wkb31

Figurative language from Prince Harry: https://t.co/9rVFG40tBW @pubcoach #wkb89

“The Hot Sheet | Business Intelligence for Career Authors from

@JaneFriedman: https://t.co/o7t6nmzYjX . Get 2 upcoming issues free. @HotSheetPub”

November 2023 Bestseller Lists Via @JaneFriedman @HotSheetPub and Bookstats: https://t.co/0df3eHTD05 #wkb63

Surprising Scientific Reasons Why Reading Is Important: https://t.co/zPfK5EH5gH @BrynDonovan #wkb3b

@TheLeighShulman Always my pleasure, Leigh!

How to Market Your Book with 13 Pre-Order Strategies: https://t.co/7LJ12U6a7l @bookgal #wkb8b

Opening in the States: Italy’s 21lettere Expands With 26Letters: @Porter_Anderson https://t.co/N7yk5EEHAW @pubperspectives #wkb84

Expansion Pack: The Contagonist: https://t.co/n0oLVW4MVq @Virgilante @storyempire #wkb89

Mexico: Congress Sales Open; Publishers Report on Market: @Porter_Anderson https://t.co/idbGxuaHEk @pubperspectives #wkb64

Amy Edmonson’s ‘Fail’ is a Win: England’s Business Book of the Year: @Porter_Anderson https://t.co/7NhWfpdQsl @pubperspectives #wkb84

Using a timer when writing: https://t.co/PxpzGAqOSH By Ann Gomez @pubcoach #wkb34

What It Means to Make Your Story Relatable: https://t.co/f3ckPejARU by Deborah Williams @JaneFriedman #wkb89

On the Ending of a Literary Journal: https://t.co/EYyyF6WFCA

How to Write a Nonfiction Book in 2023: https://t.co/1UGaySGQyq The Ultimate Guide for Authors: @storyhobbit #wkb49

Indie Author Magazine Informs the Self-Publishing Community: https://t.co/94rHq20BZX @howard_lovy @indieauthorzine #wkb69

Creative Tips for Crowdfunding: Creative Self-Publishing Podcast with Orna Ross: https://t.co/EQoT9AchF4 @indieauthoralli #wkb76

Mine Your Life for Writing Gold: https://t.co/9fNKzUMyOa @HughCook_ca https://t.co/y0h44xDm0X

Book Metadata, Keywords and Amazon Category Changes: Help Readers Find Your Book: https://t.co/m9bkUW38ih @indieauthoralli #wkb65

Figure Out Your Story’s Magic System Using Story Structure: https://t.co/4TrrADXF1T @KMWeiland #wkb89

Italian Publishers Call for Tougher AI Regulations in Europe: @Porter_Anderson https://t.co/PejVB8I4dw @pubperspectives #wkb64

Marcus Leaver Announces the Formation of Gemini Books Group: @Porter_Anderson https://t.co/ooHDGUXHoz @pubperspectives #wkb64

Sentiment as a Gateway to Character: https://t.co/wPMxwh6b2x by Jan O’Hara @writerunboxed #wkb1

Stressed Or Feeling Guilty About Blogging? Keep Blogging Fun: https://t.co/Sk83qNRK0I @HughRoberts05 #wkb72

Writing A Series Is Like Creating a RPG Campaign:https://t.co/R1wyP5KrPI by Casey Cooper @diymfa #wkb15

Exploring Inner and Outer Conflict in Fiction: https://t.co/5WkM46FerF @livewritethrive #wkb25

How to Mine Your Life for Writing Gold: https://t.co/9fNKzUMyOa @HughCook_ca https://t.co/ee0SCrJEOG

Characterize with Clothing Choices: https://t.co/8DR6bAgHvZ @beccapuglisi @onestop4writers #wkb1

Perfecting Your Pitch: https://t.co/yA0DfFrugA by Lori Z. Scott #wkb68

At Guadalajara: Mexico’s Publishers Promote Sustainability, Social Responsibility: https://t.co/h8bq2fcEDm by Adam Critchley @pubperspectives #wkb64

The Power of Consistency: Crafting a Writing Routine That Endures – Leigh Shulman @TheLeighShulman https://t.co/b91TiWd23v #wkb34

Crime Fiction: In The Spotlight: Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister the Serial Killer: https://t.co/1WfKvzfd58 @margotkinberg #wkb3b

How Should I Portray a Characterâ€s Memory Loss? https://t.co/mZwSfw2jDg @writing_alchemy #wkb89

Dublin’s An Post Irish Book Awards: The 2023 Shortlist @Porter_Anderson https://t.co/Ve19a9g9L7 @AnPostIBAS @pubperspectives #wkb84

Authors Still Need to Follow Social Media Etiquette Rules: https://t.co/trdw9wUy7W @annerallen #wkb71

Frankfurter Buchmesse Names Chile Its 2027 Guest of Honor: @Porter_Anderson https://t.co/aklN1Ec07k @culturas_cl @pubperspectives @book_fair #wkb84

Mining Your Life For Writing Gold: https://t.co/9fNKzUMyOa @HughCook_ca #wkb89 https://t.co/6eazPkOBGt

At Guadalajara: WIPO and IPA Release Publishing Data Reports: @Porter_Anderson https://t.co/gB6zuWNjNq @IntPublishers @WIPO @FILGuadalajara @Nielsen @karinepansa @andrebreedt @pubperspectives #wkb84

5 Essential Tips for Mastering Scene Writing in Your Novel: https://t.co/azGK3eV9Qe @amydelaforce #wkb23

Beyond stereotypes: portraying realistic LGBTIQ+ characters: https://t.co/FFa1XZjxgh by Arja Salafranca @nownovel

Scary Writing: https://t.co/L6Ce6rIMJj @dlfinnauthor @storyempire #wkb3

Preparing to Promote Your Writing at Online Events: https://t.co/mxCjNdn0bp @KarenHWhiting @ediemelson #wkb84

First Page Critique: The Puzzle Within : https://t.co/BeDPiagiSN @SueColetta1 #wkb8

The Strange and Expansive World of Narrative Craft: https://t.co/H4zSZWP7Nu by Angie Elita Newell @womenwriters #wkb89

When should I use semicolons? https://t.co/qfZKmoLedM by Dana Isaacson @careerauthors #wkbd

Writing The Soul Of Place: https://t.co/h5XVZS9V4P @LindaLappin1 @thecreativepenn #wkb90

The links I shared with writers last week: https://t.co/8sH1H8hiTY . All the links I’ve ever shared (70K+, free and searchable): writerskb..com

Brandon Sanderson’s 3 Laws For Magic Systems In Fantasy: https://t.co/7OUZClM9on by Iris Marsh @bang2write #wkb43

Should Writers Avoid Passive Voice? https://t.co/awQwQe7LJ8 from Mythcreants #wkb89

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On LitLinks:
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Published on December 09, 2023 21:01

December 3, 2023

Mining Your Life For Writing Gold

by Hugh Cook

A writer once observed that someone’s first seven years provide enough to keep that person writing for the rest of their life. An interesting observation, and true for many, I suppose, but it wasn’t true for me. I was born in the Netherlands, and I remember surprisingly little about my first seven years there. My parents decided to immigrate to Canada when I was seven, and that’s when my memories really begin. Shortly after we arrived in Canada and settled in Burnaby, B.C., my parents bought an older house on Morley Street, a short dead-end gravel road with about a dozen houses, a small community contained between a highway at one end and woods at the other.

If the street was a microcosm of Canadian society at large I knew we had moved to an interesting country. Across the street was Gus Dietrich, whom I admired because he drove huge bulldozers parked on trailers in his driveway. Diagonally across from us were the Barkers, whose house hid behind tall, dense evergreens. The family were Jehovah’s Witnesses, and I can’t remember ever playing with their two kids. More interesting to me was Rev. Mackay two houses down the street, a retired United Church minister who also, we discovered, was a nudist. Apparently he went without clothes inside his house, but working in his yard outdoors he bowed to public decency by wearing a skimpy blue loincloth similar to the ones Indians wore in Hollywood movies, the skin of his leathery torso tanned and wrinkled.

I was puzzled by Rev. Mackay, for the only ministers I had experienced in Holland were dominees who wore black togas in church and preached long sermons and taught me catechism—now here was a minister who went around naked! I couldn’t fathom that: Rev. Mackay, dressed in a blue loincloth picking raspberries or hoeing a flower bed. Reclusive Jehovah’s Witnesses, a nudist United Church minister—I knew we Dutch immigrants in argyle socks and strange haircuts must have been an odd lot in the eyes of Canadians, but we had nothing on some of the others.

The person our family was closest to was Miss Morley next door, a single elderly woman whose grandfather the street was named after. Miss Morley was a hefty woman; the grey hair in her bun was as tight as a knot in a wet rope; thick grey hairs sprouted from her chin. She wore blue denim overalls covered with an apron made from chicken feed sacks and lived in an old house identical to ours, and we would see Miss Morley every day, slowly making her way down her back steps to feed the twenty Red Hampshires she kept for eggs. If she was sick I would have to feed the chickens for her, and I would step into her dark, spider-webbed cellar with dirt floor for the chicken feed and water.

The most interesting thing about Miss Morley, however, was that she had a parrot, a red and blue macaw named Polly which she kept in a cage in her kitchen, and on warm summer days when her kitchen windows were open, we could hear Polly’s screeches split the air. I’d never seen anything as exotic up close as Miss Morley’s parrot. The top of its head was a brilliant red sheen, which gradually turned bright blue on its back and the top of its wings, then an electric blue on its stomach. Its long tail feathers were a shimmering blue and red. I didn’t often enter Miss Morley’s house, whose brown wallpaper and wood furniture and linoleum kitchen floor seemed as ancient as she was, but whenever I did, Miss Morley, knowing why I had come, would lead me to the kitchen to meet Polly. She’d taught the bird to say—what else?—“Polly want a cracker.” The round stub of Polly’s leathery tongue, much like the eraser on the end of a pencil, bobbed up and down inside its beak, then the bird would eye me from inside its cage with piercing eyes—perhaps wondering, since she’d performed, why I didn’t indeed give her a cracker. The bird struck me as being infinitely more interesting than the blue budgie named Pickles my mother kept in a birdcage in our kitchen.

These were among the habitants of Morley Street, whose lives were as odd and eccentric to me as we Dutch immigrants must have seemed to them. From these neighbors, though, I learned an important lesson for writers, which is this: the mystery and complexity and staggering variety found in human lives exists not far away from us, but on our very own street—next door—under our noses—lives as luminous as our own if we will but open our eyes.

So here’s an important question for aspiring writers: WHAT IS YOUR “MORLEY STREET”? What neighborhood, what piece of geography, what occupation do you know better than anyone else? For William Faulkner it was his fictional Yoknapatawpha County in Mississippi, which he called his “little postage stamp of native soil.” For Canadian Nobel Prize-winning author Alice Munro, it was Huron County in southwestern Ontario. For Chaim Potok it was the Chasidic community of Brooklyn. And for James Baldwin it was the gay Black experience in white America. Perhaps for you it’s life on a Michigan farm. For others it may be a small town in Iowa or Illinois. Perhaps for someone it’s what working in a factory is like. Or an inner-city neighborhood that’s been transformed from predominantly white folks to Blacks or Hispanics.

Whatever your “Morley Street” is, seek it out, and mine its riches. Here is a good writer’s motto for you: “Fools seek happiness in the distance, but good writers recognize it under their feet.”

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

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Published on December 03, 2023 21:01

December 2, 2023

LitLinks

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Business / Miscellaneous Business Musings: Totally Different Careers: by Kristine Kathryn Rusch Get paid without guilt: 6 lessons I’ve learned: @jccabel Audiobooks: My love-hate (but mostly hate) relationship with Audible: by @pattyjansen Managing Your Author Business Over The Long Term With Tracy Cooper-Posey: @thecreativepenn Earn Six Figures as a Writer With This One Weird Trick: @guerillamemoir @JaneFriedman Teaching Writing: Three Ideas for Energizing Writing: by Melanie Meehan Wattpad Increases its Offering to Paying Subscribers: @agnieszkasshoes @indieauthoralli What is Selective Rights Licensing for Indie Authors? @indieauthoralli The 80/20 Rule And Novelists: @snowflakeguy Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous IPA’s Karine Pansa Opens Guadalajara: ‘A Union of Cultures to Build’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives Ireland’s Paul Lynch Wins the 2023 Booker Prize for Fiction: @Porter_Anderson @PubPerspectives Ed Yong’s ‘Immense World’ Wins the Royal Society Prize: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @edyong209 Sheikh Zayed Book Award, the 18th Cycle: Three More Longlists: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives At Guadalajara: The EU Hosts Independent Publishers: @Porter_Anderson @PubPerspectives At Guadalajara: WIPO and IPA Release Publishing Data Reports: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration To Be More Creative, Write a Letter to Your Reader: @annkroeker Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers 10 Stories of Women Finding Their Calling in a New Career: @WF_WRITERS @booktrib Creativity and Inspiration / Motivation Creating Character Motivation: The Fallacy of Magical Knowing: @foxprinted Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing How to Establish a Writing Routine: @AuthorMarilene Writing Intervals: The Pomodoro Technique: @joanhallwrites @storyempire Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life Inspirational Indie Author Interview: Karen Heenan. Retired Paralegal Finds Second Career in Historical Fiction: @karen_heenan @howard_lovy When To Let Go Of Your Work: A Guide To Abandoning Projects: @amandalinehan Virtual Writing Communities: Connecting with Fellow Writers Online: @TheLeighShulman The Magic of the Library Book Sale: by Jeanne Kisacky @writerunboxed 4 Writing Tips Cats Teach Us: by Megan Jenkins @nanowrimo Every novel feels like an impossibly tall mountain: @nathanbransford Brain Gym for Writers: by Candyce Carden Genres / Fantasy The Three Secrets to Writing Historical Fantasy: by Tasha Suri Genres / Horror Tropes of Psychological Horror: @MandSMagazine Genres / Mystery Finding Inspiration for Metafictional Murder: @dannmcd @crimereads Keeping Cozies Suspenseful: @shannonsymonds7 The Dream of Making it Big as an Element in Crime Fiction: @margotkinberg How Laws Impact Characters in Crime Fiction: @margotkinberg Event-Prep Tension as an Element in Crime Fiction: @margotkinberg Genres / Non-Fiction Creating reviewable drafts: complete but not finished: @jbernoff Genres / Poetry How to Fill Your Day with Poetry: @cassandra_key Genres / Science Fiction A Better Future: The Allure of Utopian Worlds: @quillinary @diymfa Promo / Crowdfunding Mastering the Crowdfunding Success Mindset: @russellnohelty and @KotarNicholas Promo / Miscellaneous Successful Marketing for Multigenre Authors: Reaching More Readers, With Dale L. Roberts and Holly Greenland: @selfpubwithdale @indieauthoralli How to Organize a Virtual Book Launch Event: 11 Clever Book Promotion Ideas: @bookgal 11 Proven Strategies to Skyrocket Your Book Promotion on Amazon: @bookgal Promo / Pricing 10 Pricing Strategies Every Author Should Know: How to Price Your Book for Success: @bookgal Publishing / Miscellaneous A Look at My Vella Results: @beemweeks @storyempire Publishing: It’s a Smaller World Now: @rcharkin @pubperspectives Penguin Random House Sues the US State of Iowa: @Porter_Anderson @PubPerspectives @penguinrandom Publishing / News / International Publishing Publishing Scotland’s Fellowship Program: Open for Applications: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @publishscotland Germany: Bookwire’s Audiobook Goes to Brazilian, English, Spanish Markets: @Porter_Anderson @PubPerspectives Canadian Publishing Calls Out Ottawa’s Inaction: @Porter_Anderson @PubPerspectives COP28: Switzerland’s Frontiers Introduces an ‘Open Science Charter’: @Porter_Anderson @PubPerspectives Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing Seven Tips for Writing Cover Letters, Pitches, and Bios: by Mira Reisberg Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying A very good nonfiction query (query critique): @nathanbransford How to Turn an Essay into a Book Deal: by Catherine Baab-Muguira @JaneFriedman Publishing / Process / Services to Avoid Imposter Syndrome: The Rise of Impersonation Scams: @victoriastrauss Writing Craft / Characters / Arc Mastering Character Evolution: A Powerful Ladder of Choice: by Laurie Schnebly Campbell Writing Craft / Characters / Development Writing through the generations: The Silent Generation: @gmplano @storyempire Writing Craft / Common Mistakes How to Show, Not Tell: by Georgio Konstandi Showing vs. Telling: @writingandsuch Writing Craft / Conflict The Enemy Within – 8 Tips to Crafting Powerful Inner Conflict : @livewritethrive Writing Craft / Miscellaneous The Expanded Ultimate Story Checklist: Is the story limited to one genre (or multiple, merged genres) introduced from the beginning? @cockeyedcaravan The Expanded Ultimate Story Checklist: Is the story limited to compatible subgenres, without mixing metaphors? @cockeyedcaravan 7 tips to tighten the saggy middle of your story and keep readers engaged: @HelenaFairfax Non-Negotiable: The One Thing That Makes Stories Timeless: @storygrid How Much Exposition Can I Have? by Oren Ashkenazi Is there a dramatic question posed early on that establishes which moment will mark the end of the story? @cockeyedcaravan wkb89 Finding Details to Go with a Basic Plot: from Writing Questions Answered Why Writers Must Be Mean to Their Characters: @SarahSallyHamer @ediemelson Writing Craft / Pacing Writing the Somehow: Pacing and Characters’ Changes: @lindasclare Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting Six Downward Turning Points for Heroes: by Chris Winkle Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research Researching as a Writer: by Resident Vampire Writing Craft / Revision Radical Revision: When the Going Gets Tough, Writers Get Radical: @RuthHarrisBooks Making A Long Story Shorter: by Marilynn Byerly Writing Craft / Scenes / Conflict Five Big Conflicts That Are Too Easy: by Oren Ashkenazi Writing Craft / Series The Secrets To Writing A Series: @KMAllan_writer

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Published on December 02, 2023 21:01

November 27, 2023

Keeping Cozies Suspenseful

by Shannon Symonds ,@shannonsymonds7

As writers, we talk a lot about the hook, the first sentence, the first page, the thing that sucks you into a book and won’t let you go. You might think the hook is what is happening. I think the hook is who the action is happening to and why we care about them. Readers stay up all night or become emotionally invested in cozy mysteries when they care about what happens to the main character and the people in their world.

When I read a book, I slip between the covers and into the main character’s life and escape my own reality. I must feel invested in the outcome and be interested in the person the action is happening to. Consequently, when I pick up a new book and read the back, or the first page, I need to relate to the protagonist, see their flaws or lessons they need to learn, and care about what is at stake, or I will put the book down.

You would think that if I am planning to slip into the skin of a protagonist, I would want that person to be smart, beautiful, and practically perfect. For me, and for readers, the opposite is true. There isn’t a person alive who doesn’t have something they need to learn, a flaw, or a haunting experience affecting their decisions. Perfect is predictable. Because I’m not perfect, I want to spend time with characters I relate to. When you choose a best friend, do you want it to be someone who has all the answers, or someone that understands your struggle?

I once had the pleasure of attending a training by Lisa Cron, the author of Story Genius. She talked about the importance of caring about protagonists, showing their flaws or lessons they need to learn, and writing a book that takes the reader with them on a journey of change.

“Do you know what your protagonist’s external goal is? What specific goal does his desire catapult him toward? Beware of simply shoving him into a generic, ‘bad situation’ just to see what he will do.” Lisa Cron, Wired for Story, The Writer’s Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers From the Very First Sentence.

When I plot a cozy mystery, I start by building a world that I would love to live in. I have a general idea of who will die and how they are murdered. Then I develop characters I hope readers relate to and care about.

I begin by making detailed character sketches of the main and secondary characters, their motivations, the stakes, everything, including their quirks and flaws. Solving the mystery and helping someone else isn’t the happy ending of the story. The moment the main character understands her flaws, and grows or changes, is the ending that stays with readers long after they close the book. I love it when I make a reader cry with joy as the character learns a lesson or changes.

The villain matters. If they are too evil, they’re obvious, and the suspense is gone. The victim also matters. They need to be important to the reader, the protagonist, their friends, and family.

In every book I create friends who are comic relief. Pets, and fun characters allow the protagonist to talk about what is happening and learn from a friend like a wise, older woman.

A relationship map helps me look for ways to raise the stakes. I map love triangles, family members or friends that are possible targets, or the wrongfully accused character that is important to the protagonist. I try to find at least five red herrings within the relationships surrounding the main character or their friends and family. Each relationship connection gives the protagonist another reason to take unusual risks as an amateur sleuth or to ignore bumbling law enforcement.

Once I know who I am writing about, I solidify the means, motive, and opportunity.

I am a plotter. I use a method I learned from Jessica Brody, the author of Save the Cat Writes a Novel. I find that it helps me pace the story, know when to raise the stakes, create a darkest night, and basically move things along.

For example, in my recent novel, Booked for Murder, before the book begins, the main character, Ivy, left a short, but traumatic relationship. We meet her as she leaves a shelter with a new identity and is on a bus. We clearly see her trust issues and how they impact her relationships. We also see that although in her past she was strong and confident, she blames herself for what happened to her. She questions everything, including her new relationship with an older woman who gets on the bus, Aggie. Her new friend offers to help her. Readers tell me they love Aggie. I plant a seed of doubt. Did Aggie really just happen to be on the same bus, or did she get on the bus looking for Ivy?

Whether you are a plotter or a pantser, you can ask yourself how each character, act, or part of the story raises the stakes, moves the plot forward, and changes or affects the protagonist.

In my case, no matter how carefully I plot a story, the characters seem to take on a life of their own and completely derail my plans. They present opportunity after opportunity to send readers in the wrong direction, choose the wrong killer, and care deeply about the outcome. You might think my plotting was a waste of time. I think anything that inspires me to create suspense in a world you want to slip into and never leave isn’t a waste of time. When my plans are tossed out the window, the magic happens, and the book begins to write itself. It is always better than the story I planned.

Shannon Symonds writes in an old house by the sea, where her 6 children, their children, 30 or 40 of her closest relatives, and dogs come and go constantly. She loves laughter, a good mystery, running on the beach, deep sea fishing, and bonfires.

In 2021 she was awarded the Author Ready Author to Watch Award for her By the Sea Cozy Mystery YA series. Her books can be found at Deseret Book, Barnes & Noble, Costco, and Amazon.

Shannon’s books on Amazon @shannonsymondsauthor @cozymysteriesbythesea on Instagram

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Published on November 27, 2023 03:11

November 25, 2023

LitLinks

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On LitLinks:
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Published on November 25, 2023 21:01

November 18, 2023

LitLinks

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends! I’ll see you back here on Sunday.

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Published on November 18, 2023 21:01

November 12, 2023

Writing for the Wee Ones

by Mike Martin, @mike54martin

What’s different about writing for children than for adults? I hadn’t thought about that until recently when after 13 books in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series I ended up with two children’s Christmas books. How did that happen anyway?

Maybe I’ll start with what’s the same about writing, no matter what the age. To my mind at least, it is always about the story. Characters and theme and plot and story arc are important, but ultimately it is about telling stories. Stories that have enough depth and weight to them to be interesting to readers. They have to be engaging and interesting so that people, of any age, will want to sit and read or listen to them.

Secondly, and this is just my preference, I prefer to write about positive things. Finding and keeping happiness. Dealing with life on life’s terms but not getting stuck in the muck. Speaking of muck, I don’t like much of it. I prefer to write and read clean literature. It can deal with mature issues; I do write murder mysteries and sometimes kill people after all. But I choose my erotica to be personal and my swear words to be private.

Both of those latter terms helped when I made the shift, at least temporarily, to the children’s side of the aisle. I don’t have to censor my thoughts or add another filter. I already have a handle on that stuff. Plus, I think that most of what ends up in books as salty real-life dialogue is just for dramatic effect versus artistic endeavour.

What about writing children’s stories? What’s different? A whole lot actually. I find it’s somewhat easier to write for children. Mostly, because you don’t have to convince them that an animal can talk. Why couldn’t rabbits or beavers or cats talk? Children are open to the possibilities, especially younger ones. That’s before we teach them rational thought and not to believe everything that people tell them.

The two biggest things about writing a book for children in my opinion are that we shouldn’t deliberate scare or frighten them, and that they should always, always have a happy ending. The world is scary enough for small people. And if there really is something that should be afraid of, like crossing a busy street, we teach them to look both ways before crossing. And we try and get through the sometimes-scary parts quickly, so they see that they can be brave and do that too.

All of my other suggestions are optional, but the happy ending is mandatory. I envision parents and grandparents sitting and reading to or with their wee ones Probably at the end of the day when everyone is getting a little sleepy, and it’s time for dreamtime. A nice happy and positive ending brings a glow to their hearts, and everyone can rest, relax and go to sleep peacefully.

The best words I could hope to hear from wee ones would be: “Poppy or Nanny, that was a good story.”

Mike Martin is normally the author of the best-selling Sgt. Windflower Mystery series. But now he is also the author of two Christmas books. The latest is A Friend for Christmas. Available on Amazon everywhere.