Riley Adams's Blog, page 197

Productivity

I've been thinking a lot about productivity lately.

This is probably because it's summertime and my schedule is pretty much non-existent.

I'm getting work done every day, but it's not at the same times of day as when the kids were in school. And it's frequently really early.

I read this interesting article called Creative Kryptonite and the Death of Productivity.

Jonathan Fields talks about what happens when we get distracted by social media during our day. There were 2 things in particular that he focused on. One was that we receive "intermittent reinforcement" whenever we get an email, Twitter, or Facebook alert—an actual Dopamine squirt that gets us hooked.

The second thing he mentioned in his post was the Zeigarnik Effect. As Jonathan put it:

Every time we begin a conversation by text, email, twitter, Facebook or Google+, it's like we're opening a new loop. One that, until completed, compels us to want to finish the conversation. To keep checking and responding until the loop has been closed.

Problem is, in a hyperconnected world…the loops never close.

Of course, we all enjoy what we're doing. I know I do. If I had it my way, large portions of my day would be spent catching up with everyone on their blogs, reading tweets, and looking at friends' status updates.

But….I sure wouldn't get anything done!

My solution to this is usually pretty extreme:

Close all my computer windows except for Word.

Put my phone across the room where I can hear it if it rings, but can't check emails, Twitter, etc. on it.

Leave the house with my laptop and go to a place that doesn't have wi-fi (increasingly more difficult to find.)

Write in a notebook (a real notebook) until I meet my goal.

And then I give myself a reward. :) I have to perform for treats.

How you y'all get things done with all the temptations of social media?

Finding Balance While Juggling Life—by Karen Walker

Please join me in welcoming my friend Karen Walker to the blog.

I love visiting Karen's blog, Following the Whispers, because it's a quiet oasis in my busy day. She helps me to think about life in a new light—and I appreciate her perspective. I've read her memoir and found it truly inspirational. Thanks for coming by today, Karen!

I became a mom in 1973. We'd been through the Civil Rights Movement, the Womens' movement, the Viet Nam War. And the Mommy Wars--which, unfortunately, still exist--although it doesn't seem to be as much of an issue as it was back then.

When I gave birth, I was 24 years old chronologically, but not in maturity. I didn't have a sense of self, so trying to juggle my own needs with that of a baby and a husband and friends, etc. wasn't even in my consciousness. I was pretty much on auto-pilot, trying to keep my head above water.

Today, it is common for women to either work outside the home, or, as writers do, work at home, while raising our children, caring for our husbands, and maintaining a household.

The key to juggling all of the above is balance. They tell you when you are on an airplane to put your own oxygen on first, before helping anyone else. There is a reason for this. If you become unconscious, you are of no use to anyone. We must put our own well-being first. I wish I'd known this years ago--it would have saved me years of misery.

When we have kids, this can be most challenging, because we all know, if a child needs something, we drop everything to deal with it. So it becomes a matter of priorities. And the ages of our children and what they can manage on their own versus what needs our immediate attention.

The way I find balance is to only have a few key things I want to accomplish each day. That way, I don't overwhelm myself and can feel successful, rather than a failure because I didn't do what I wanted to do. I make priorities of those few things. On some days, only one or two things get done. The next day, the priorities shift so I can focus on what didn't get done the day before.

Another key to finding and keeping balance is learning to say no. Even to our husbands. And yes, even to our children. Because saying no to someone else is saying yes to ourselves. This is not selfish, as we may have been taught. It is crucial to inner peace and well-being.

To summarize, get clear about what is important to you. Make the time to do it. Say no to non-crisis distractions. And learn to balance your priorities so that you feel successful.

Elizabeth, you seem to juggle your life beautifully. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to blog here about such an important issue.

Blessings,

Karen
Karen Walker is a writer who has published essays in newspapers and magazines, as well as an anthology series. After a 30+ year career in marketing and public relations, she went back to college to complete a Bachelor's degree and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2005 from the University of New Mexico's University Studies program with a major emphasis in Creative Writing. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with her husband, Gary, and their dog, Buddy. When she's not writing, you can find her doing international folk dancing, singing at retirement communities with her trio, Sugartime, hiking, reading, or hanging out with friends.

You can find Following the Whispers: at:

Amazon

Smashwords

Twitterific

Below are writing links that I've posted to Twitter in the past week.

Hope you'll enter this month's WKB giveaway for a chance to win Donald Maass' excellent Writing the Breakout Novel, from our friends at Writer's Digest. Enter the drawing by signing up for the WKB newsletter.

Finger Lickin' Dead released June 7th. Hope you'll consider it if you enjoy mysteries, or know someone who does.Download it on Kindle: http://amzn.to/kh7MAp Mass market paperback: http://amzn.to/lfUE2N ($6.99)

Tomorrow I'm looking forward to hosting Karen Walker on Mystery Writing is Murder. Hope you'll come by!

Making Time to Write Despite the Never Ending To Do List: http://bit.ly/rfpixb

Digital lit: How new ways to read mean new ways to write (Globe and Mail): http://bit.ly/nEz6bY

The Kings Speech - Why is this such a Great Bad Movie? http://bit.ly/r49QZc @StoryMeBad

Why So Few Men Join Book Groups: http://bit.ly/oyHqI2

How some famous crime fiction sleuths got into the business: http://bit.ly/n1J2rX @mkinberg

The Writer as Detective (NY Times): http://nyti.ms/pYkGpe

An overlooked form of marketing--volunteerism: http://bit.ly/ot1c1y @MariaZannini

Best practices for the professional writer: http://bit.ly/nSRjhB @JourneytoFree

Writing for the reluctant teen reader: http://bit.ly/ounoG3

Writing urban fantasy vs. steampunk: http://bit.ly/qhLJNB

Stop Procrastinating By Thinking of Your Future Self: http://bit.ly/puZPqP

10 Ways to Keep a Long-Term Character From Being Hated: http://on.io9.com/rsJ7GD

Roving body parts: http://bit.ly/pnXOHw @authorterryo

Why gratitude is vital for writers: http://bit.ly/nQoe25

7 Tips for Writing a Film Review: http://bit.ly/pXr6Df

Why 1 writer/artist loves Google+ & her tips for newbies: http://bit.ly/obIcU5 @inkyelbows

6 tips for helping writers suspend reader disbelief: http://bit.ly/oRLqjv @damesofdialogue

A nice how-to on creating an ebook: http://bit.ly/oEBpVg

Censoring Books for Kids: http://bit.ly/rcb2Pn @jemifraser

Nice link roundup by 2 historical writers: http://bit.ly/o7I6J4 @2nerdyhistgirls

Fluffing up a flat character: http://bit.ly/olUF17

Fast and Easy Guide to Writing Characters of the Opposite Gender: http://bit.ly/r2QpJh @KMWeiland

Why Your Creativity Is Stuck On Shuffle And You're Not Hearing A Single Song: http://bit.ly/okpcHT

Magical Rooms in Fiction: http://bit.ly/qXfcpR @AwfullyBigBlog

Everything You Wanted to Know About Digital Publishing But Were Afraid to Ask: http://bit.ly/pCKrr8 @DearAuthor

Sex and the Novel: http://bit.ly/oYSkW7 @Sarafurlong

How Much Should an Author's Ebook Royalty Be? Some number crunching: http://bit.ly/pvfEl9 @kellymcclymer

Metafiction: The Forgotten Transformer: http://bit.ly/nOFFl1 @yaHighway

9 Tips For The Perfect Pitch: http://bit.ly/njpYCp

Lessons from the Movies--Planting and Returning Images to Create a Satisfying Ending: http://bit.ly/nhDO8D

Tips for getting in the writing zone: http://bit.ly/oltcpS @SarahKetley

Improving Creativity: The Connect Brainset: http://bit.ly/qkVl8p @lkblackburne

6 great heroes of epic fantasy: Part 1: http://bit.ly/oUhkZj and 2: http://bit.ly/oXQoba

Things not to do as a writer--the rush to publish: http://bit.ly/o9bOfr @LisaKilian

The truth is out there: sci-fi doesn't have to be stupid (Brisbane Times): http://bit.ly/p6nFP3 @brisbanetimes

Writers and Doubt: http://bit.ly/p81WwQ

The real Secret Garden (Telegraph): http://tgr.ph/ozKGuh

The writer takes a walk: http://bit.ly/oVSlRz

The Best Way to Embrace a Negative Review: http://bit.ly/qqqpJ5

Write what you know...or not: http://bit.ly/qsZhma

When writing is hard, write in a herd: http://bit.ly/nIjjBP @BWBODRasch

Tips for crime writers for avoiding "Cabot Cove Syndrome": http://bit.ly/ncGFG4 @authorterryo

5 Steps to Writing a Killer First Chapter – How to Wow Readers: http://bit.ly/nqMNW8

3 protagonists walk into a bar: http://bit.ly/nJGPAI

Tips for writing action well: http://bit.ly/rs165T @Juliemusil @lisagailgreen

Using tarot cards to develop your story: http://bit.ly/qmwgyd @joanswan

The Importance of Knowing & Writing For Our Target Readers: http://bit.ly/poiYUs @JodyHedlund

Identifying the specific reason behind procrastination and making steps to work through it: http://bit.ly/mRqawn

Personalized publishing advice--where to get it? http://bit.ly/q37dES

One writer's 10 favorite writing lessons: http://bit.ly/nGgPxv @jhansenwrites

Handling Content Edits: http://bit.ly/pyNrIe @KatieGanshert

Hands-on plotting: http://bit.ly/pmDER9

A former D&D gamer offers us 10 types of character quirks: http://bit.ly/r1PX4Q @CherylRWrites

An agent on what to do when you get an offer: http://bit.ly/nSXb5N

How to Write a Non-Fiction Query Letter: http://bit.ly/qAkoyT

5 Tips for Making a YouTube Promo Video: http://bit.ly/phhjSz

Writing Historical Fiction: Daring to Own an Icon: http://bit.ly/pDySEm @BTMargins

Getting started with Google+: http://bit.ly/mWYERp

Basics of writing--keeping it fresh: http://bit.ly/rnAkBP

When artificial intelligences start using contractions: http://bit.ly/ph9Phq

Don't lie in query letters: http://bit.ly/qKUDKk

How writing is like ironing linen: http://bit.ly/oDo4Cl

Stop talking about writing and write: http://bit.ly/rjz3AH

3 Ways to Sell Yourself as an Online Writer: http://bit.ly/ph5hmY

Legacy Publishing vs Self-Publishing: Can You Do Both? http://bit.ly/qzwi5f @AJackWriting

Union & Guild Resources for Writers: http://bit.ly/nKX8Kh @galleycat

Why You Can't Buy Creativity: http://bit.ly/qQI0Ka

How *not* to support local bookstores and coffeehouses: http://bit.ly/odNIqF @NinaBadzin

How flexible are you? http://bit.ly/o8PC53 @JodyHedlund

10 Ways to Reach Your Word Count Goals: http://bit.ly/pbpk9e @elspethwrites

How to break your book into chapters: http://bit.ly/oiNSLl @PublishingGuru

A primer on your publishing options: http://bit.ly/r18AkX @HartJohnson

Agents as Publishers: http://bit.ly/nYd7gH @LauraPauling

3 types of mushy book middles: http://bit.ly/q3rutw @FantasyFaction

Dialogue and The Telephone: http://bit.ly/p34RGh

Self-editing checklist--externals: http://bit.ly/rgcc3t

YA vs. Romance Sex Scenes: http://bit.ly/pjJJT5 @yaHighway

3 mistakes 1 writer observed a newbie make at a recent convention: http://bit.ly/pcj7Jz

Why you should become more flexible as a writer: http://bit.ly/pQ717U

How to Throw A Book Party That Rocks: http://bit.ly/o1Uj5o @BTMargins

Editing-Meet the Novel-Killer: http://bit.ly/oog4yk

Taking the "Spookiness" Out of Ghostwriting: http://bit.ly/oMH5p7

Writing A Linked Series - An Agent on Why some work and some don't: http://bit.ly/qBtpIF

6 tips for growing characters: http://bit.ly/qSFsyp @WriteAngleBlog

A Guide to Colloquial Contractions: http://bit.ly/qtnkeI

Why Small Ebook Presses are Thriving And How You Could Join Them: http://bit.ly/ng4YEa @thecreativepenn

Performing plot CPR: http://bit.ly/nitE59 @JulieMusil

Do authors have to be attractive in this business? And mine their personal history for promo? http://bit.ly/ocWQpo @nicolamorgan

How writing and driving are similar: http://bit.ly/osQdvt @LesaHolstine @ThomasKaufman,

5 simple math skills every writer should know: http://bit.ly/qIcO7K @

Cross-marketing your books--locating alternative markets: http://bit.ly/qY4BhP

12 Ways to Turn Your Old, Dusty Blog Archive into Cold, Hard Cash: http://bit.ly/pqCAer

Article Revision Using the Pointings System: http://bit.ly/qC2bTz

How authors can benefit from using YouTube: http://bit.ly/n8IFVn

WordPress Plugins that Make Your Blog Comments Social: http://bit.ly/oLPYJA

Book writing is agony, with little reward. Why is it still pursued? NY Times: http://ow.ly/5DO9y RT @JaneFriedman

Agents are no longer relevant to authors? An agent says no: http://bit.ly/pSNkje

Tyranny of "The Numbers": http://bit.ly/nnEOnK

Dear Young Writer: Advice to Your Younger Self: http://bit.ly/q0ZRXL

The Death of the Publishing IT Department? http://bit.ly/pjspJS @pubperspectives

Google+ Hangouts for Writing Groups: http://bit.ly/q5JdMb @galleycat

4 Elements of a Great Book Signing: http://bit.ly/nHxZno @PimpMyNovel

The 7 Stages of Writing a Sequel: http://bit.ly/nZGbos

How To Sell Songs Inside Your eBook: http://bit.ly/rgm59B @GalleyCat

7 Sound Techniques for Effective Writing: http://bit.ly/oS0bpp

Twitter tools for authors--Twellow and Grader: http://bit.ly/qU2Q6e

Why your reader is your co-writer and 6 tips for letting readers fill in the blanks: http://bit.ly/nWJw4x @KMWeiland

A deep editing analysis that demonstrates the power of cadence and specificity in writing: http://bit.ly/neyG9z @jhansenwrites

16 Ways Fiction is Usually Different than Reality: http://bit.ly/qT7kuu

2 PIs explain white collar crime to crime writers and give tips for writing it: http://bit.ly/nshtCX

How to work theme into your novels: http://bit.ly/qbjrfQ @DirtyWhiteCandy

Making Critical Character Traits Part of Your Plot: http://bit.ly/qVL6AW

What Readers WON'T Miss about Corporate Book Publishers When They're Gone: http://bit.ly/ot0uVm @AnneRAllen

Tips for writing your 1st scenes: http://bit.ly/n7msBR

The dreaded flashback: http://bit.ly/noGjYG

How to speak publisher - C is for Cover: http://bit.ly/nccNZs

Managing Your Time as a Writer: http://bit.ly/qqYeqj

The art of rocking out your identity crisis so you can go on to rule the world: http://bit.ly/oAOY2a

How much description? http://bit.ly/p11bQL @JulietteWade

Tips for providing value on Twitter: http://bit.ly/pv1dsQ

World Building-Part 2: Social and Cultural Aspects: http://bit.ly/nrUPAb

5 must-do publicity tips: http://bit.ly/qpQ0no

The Surprising Key to Becoming an Authority: http://bit.ly/q0mOEX

7 Reasons Creative People Don't Talk about Money: http://bit.ly/qNWNnv

Tips for bringing scenes to life: http://bit.ly/qE1F0J @4kidlit

Have white-board, will plot: http://bit.ly/px9XJT @yaHighway

The Lies Screenwriters Tell (Themselves): http://bit.ly/p4wdzQ

10 public speaking tips: http://bit.ly/pDL9yx @katiewardwriter

Who has authority online? @JaneFriedman with answers: http://bit.ly/qaHqRQ

Is your book's middle saggy? Losing motivation halfway through? Don't give up! Some tips: http://bit.ly/o425Ct @jhansenwrites

The 7 Deadly Sins of Writing: http://bit.ly/pH42sy

Self-Publishing is Like Playing Baseball: http://bit.ly/pNjO82

5 Reasons Why Your Writing Matters (Even if No-One Will Take You Seriously): http://bit.ly/ofMVip

A Google+ cheat sheet: http://bit.ly/npVzr6

12 Easy Steps to The Making of a Book Trailer: http://bit.ly/kP5jpk

Fixing Problem Pacing: http://bit.ly/qHO7Fb

Genre Interruptus: http://bit.ly/ofT0Io

Why copywriting is the secret to building a popular blog: http://bit.ly/pA6m8Y

How to Delete Half Your Facebook "Friends": http://bit.ly/qfdRkb

10 Greatest Unintentionally Hilarious Lines from SF&F: http://on.io9.com/q8cnA9

10 Fantasy and Science Fiction Copycats that Actually Improved on the Original: http://on.io9.com/nHam8t

Getting ISBNs in Canada: http://bit.ly/oUblTz @JustusRStone

Keeping Your Promises To Readers: http://bit.ly/pTnwq6 @ajackwriting

An Agent Answers a Writer's Question on Collaborative Writing: http://bit.ly/nST1u1

How to Cure Writer's Block and Stay Productive: http://bit.ly/nHX6rb

A Writer's Must-Read List: http://bit.ly/nh2uSk @on_creativity

Tips for formatting your manuscript: http://bit.ly/oPlX6i

On rejections: http://bit.ly/nCaoc1

That book was edited? http://bit.ly/qHeIBm

Keeping the Vision in Revision: http://bit.ly/owbtIy @BTMargins

Creating Cover Art: Down & Dirty Tips: http://bit.ly/pnYzC1

Making Marketing More About Them & Less About Us: http://bit.ly/npT2Ha @JodyHedlund

Manipulating Your Reader for Better Plots: http://bit.ly/q1HNP4

An e-publisher says not to query them if you won't blog or tweet: http://bit.ly/nFcXAa

Why We Practice Our Writing

I mentioned last week that I was preparing two books to e-publish. I wrote one of the books three years ago. The other is a book I wrote five years ago.

The book that I wrote three years ago was definitely easier for me to edit. I did remove some 'telling' references and created a deeper POV for the story.

The book that I wrote five years ago? It's taking me forever to edit it.

The problem with the book I wrote five years ago isn't a mechanical problem or grammatical problem.

It's definitely that it's just not a very mature book. I'll read along a little bit and think, "Why would this character do that?" or "Why did I spell out that this character was getting into their car and driving across town? Why not just start the scene across town?"

There's something on every page that I'm deleting, adding, or completely rewording. The only thing that seems really solid is my voice. I'm thankful that's intact or else I'd have to write the book over from scratch.

I'm lucky that I've got a few weeks where I'm not really under any pressing deadlines (except to read my pass pages for the next Memphis book…coming out in November.) So I think I'll just spend some time updating this book and hopefully raising the writing bar to at least my current level of ability.

Sometimes I wonder if showing up every day to write is doing anything for me. Am I actually getting better?

But then, looking back over stuff I've written 3-5 years ago, there's no question of the improvement. Every day you open up that laptop or notebook…..no matter what your goal is—a weekly goal, a monthly goal, whatever…you're improving your craft.

Have you got any old manuscripts? Can you see a difference in your writing from long ago?

Fixing Book Middles and Staying Motivated to Finish Our Book

Today I'm at the Writers in the Storm blog (a great resource for writers, if you haven't visited), talking a little about book middles.

Middles can be tough—not only is it where our plots might start getting a little saggy, they're also where we might lose motivation to finish our book…and when Shiny New Idea syndrome is most likely to strike.

Hope you'll join me there!

The Black Heart of White-Collar Crime by Colleen Collins & Shaun Kaufman

In 1939 sociologist Edwin Sutherland coined the term "white collar crime." He wrote, "White collar crime is crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation." It was a radical redefinition in criminal law as Sutherland was making distinctions not on the basis of an act or intent, but according to the status of the accused.

Unlike Edwin Sutherland's definition, the U.S. Department of Justice's formal definition of white-collar crime disregards class or economic status. However, government prosecutors are far more likely to indict the "upper-class" businessman who works for a major corporation than the middle-class grandmother who buys counterfeit medications from Canada.

The general components of white-collar crime:

• It is a non-violent, illegal act that principally involves deception, deceit, concealment, manipulation, breach of trust, subterfuge or illegal circumvention.

• It is typically committed by a business person or public official

• Its evidence usually involves a "paper trail" that investigators use to prosecute the case.

There are numerous types of white-collar crime, including antitrust violations, bankruptcy fraud, cell phone fraud, credit card fraud, counterfeiting, credit card fraud, environment schemes, healthcare fraud and insider trading.

PIs Who Specialize in White-Collar Crime

As with any crime, there are investigative procedures, then there's the creativity, experience, tenacity and intellect of the investigator. That last one – intellect – is key for an investigator who specializes in white-collar crimes. A homicide detective we know claims that all homicides are easy. He claims that unless they're strategized by organized crime (for example), they're typically cases whose clues are easily followed.

Alternatively, criminals who practice white-collar crime are smart. They are usually highly educated, savvy and familiar with how to manipulate the inner workings of business. A PI who investigates a white-collar crime case has to match wits with these criminals to uncover the crime. Plus, the practice of private investigations is just as much an art as it is a science, so a successful investigator always thinks outside of the box while also applying concepts and procedures.

Next, let's analyze one of our white-collar crime cases by looking at our investigation goals, tasks, unforeseen glitches and end result.

Case Example: The Case of the Disappearing Money

Investigation Goal

An attorney who specializes in probate, elder law, and estate planning/administration asked our investigations agency to investigate what had happened to the money that disappeared from a family's trust fund. The family already suspected a specific member.

Investigation Tasks

Our investigations on the suspected family member included the following tasks:

• Researching public records for significant purchases for land, cars and other high-price-tag items.

• Researching purchases made by the suspect's daughter and son-in-law. Our investigation revealed that the son-in-law had come unexpectedly into large amounts of money that he had used to fund large purchases, one being a new home.

• Checking records in the assessor's and clerk of recorder's offices. We learned the suspected family member had acquired an interest in a pricey downtown condo.

• Surveilling the suspected family member. Although she claimed to be unemployed, we discovered she suddenly had sufficient amounts of money to attend a university full time.

• Investigating suspected family's member's claim that she occasionally babysat for another family member to earn some money. Our investigations, including surveillance, showed she never conducted any babysitting, and that the children in question were enrolled in a daycare that the suspected family member had no ties to.

Unforeseen Glitches

The object of our investigations learned from another family member that private investigators were watching. Therefore, the suspect became cautious, and spent a lot of time looking around the corner whenever they left the house. Too bad that they left so much evidence in public records regarding their acquisitions using family money.

End Result
The lawyer applied for a court order forfeiting the ill-gotten property back to the deceased person's estate. In other words, the pricey downtown condo was taken over by the family members who had been ripped off.

Writing a Sleuth Who Specializes in White-Collar Crime?

If so, think about these character attributes:

• Does she have a background in business or accounting? Is he a former nurse or health care professional? In other words, does your sleuth have training or expertise ancillary to the white-collar crime?

• How identity theft often dovetails with other white-collar crimes. For example, criminals conducting health care fraud often also need to know how to obtain, or buy, personal information such as people's SSNs. Therefore, it's beneficial for a sleuth to have contacts/informants in the identify-theft community.

• Does your fictional sleuth have inside contacts in hospitals, insurance companies, doctors' offices who can provide intelligence?

Thank you to Elizabeth Craig for hosting us today as guests at "Writing Is Murder"! We're giving away a gift Kindle version of How to Write a Dick to one of today's readers who posts a comment/question (name will be randomly picked before midnight today – please be sure to leave your email address for notification). If you don't have a Kindle, there are free downloadable Kindle apps for PCs and Macs (we use the downloadable app at home, and it's great).

Colleen Collins and Shaun Kaufman are co-owners of Highlands Investigations in Denver, Colorado. Their ebook How to Write a Dick: A Guide to Writing Fictional Sleuths from a Couple of Real-Life Sleuths, is available on Kindle and Nook.
Colleen Collins is a co-owner of Highlands Investigations in Denver, Colorado. Her articles on private investigations have appeared on various Internet sites as well as in PI Magazine, Romance Writers Report, Pursuit Magazine, PInow.com and other publications. She is an active member of the Private Eye Writers of America and the Mystery Writers of America. She has written 20 novels for both Harlequin and Dorchester, several of which have placed in the finals for national competitions, including the prestigious Holt Medallion and RITA awards.

Shaun Kaufman, co-owner of Highlands Investigations, has worked in and around the criminal justice field for more than 30 years, as a former trial attorney and a current legal investigator. He has published articles in PI magazine, the Denver Law Review, as well as authored numerous briefs for the Colorado Court of Appeals, Colorado Supreme Court and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. As a trial attorney, Shaun hired and managed private investigators, training them on such issues as ethics, death penalty litigation, homicide and gang evidence, and search and seizure techniques.

Quotes

"Forget Google and Bing. When you need to research PI work, go to the experts, Colleen Collins and Shaun Kaufman: they live it, they teach it, they write it. How to Write a Dick is the best work of its kind I've ever come across because it covers the whole spectrum in an entertaining style that will appeal to layman and lawmen alike. This will be the industry standard for years to come."
- Reed Farrel Coleman, three-time Shamus Award winner for Best PI Novel of the Year and author of Hurt Machine

"If you want authenticity in creating a fictional private investigator for your stories, then this is a must-have reference book. Its authors, Colleen and Shaun, are living, breathing PIs with years of actual experience in the PI game."

- R.T. Lawton, 25 years on the street as a federal special agent and author of 4 series in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine

Becoming Flexible

My writing friend Jody Hedlund has an interesting post today on being flexible.

Traditionally, I've not been the most flexible person, internally What that means is that, if I'm volunteering for you at school, or if you're a friend that I've got a lunch date with, or if my child is coming to your house to play, and your plans change suddenly—I'm extremely pleasant and understanding about it on the outside. "It's no trouble at all. No, I totally understand. We'll take a rain check."

On the inside, though, I'm a big mess. My day has changed in a way I wasn't prepared for. Now I need to look at all my lists and switch them out. Figure out a new game plan. It stresses me out. Which is ridiculous, but I'm Type A . It's just the way I am.

Writing, actually was the first place I learned to be flexible.

This, I attribute completely to the fact that even rats in mazes can be trained to recognize rewards for successes. They'll remember the successful path through the maze to end up with the treat at the end. And every single time I was flexible with my writing, I ended up with some sort of small success or reward.

I responded to stimuli. :)

It started with my first editor. I'd actually hired an independent editor back in 2003ish. He was the kind of editor that took no prisoners and didn't suffer fools lightly. I'd never, ever shown anyone my fiction, so this was a rough initiation into revision for me. On the one hand, since I grew up with my English teacher dad, my grammar and mechanics were in good shape. But there was all kinds of stuff that needed to be ironed out with showing-not-telling, etc.

I suffered through the process. It irritated me to make changes to a manuscript that I thought was good enough to sell. I made all his suggested changes, but saved an old copy that I didn't revise. And, was astounded to discover that his suggestions made my book much better.

To this day, 9 times out of 10 I take the suggestion of first readers and my editors.

Then there was the querying process. Which took forever for an impatient person like me. I was absolutely bent on having a particular agent at this particular agency. I'd done the research and this person seemed like the perfect match.

Then came the rejection.

I remember actually thinking that I'd just write another book and try again to hire this particular agent. But I realized that wasn't an effective Plan B. Instead, I was flexible and started sending out queries to many agents who represented cozy mysteries. And got another flurry of rejections. So I decided to change the plan again and send directly to targeting publishers.

And ended up with a contract. Another little reward for flexibility.

Promo was another area where I needed to learn flexibility. I wasn't wild about promoting. I wasn't happy about leaning social media. I don't enjoy selling things.

Being flexible with marketing means that not only have I sold many more books than I would have if no one knew me, but means that I've also developed many online friendships along the way.

Now I'm trying to be flexible again. I'm trying to respond to a changing publishing industry. Which is hard—I worked hard to get published traditionally. But I'm quick to recognize change (even if I never like change), and so I'm preparing a book I wrote several years ago for e-publishing.

This hasn't been easy for me, either. I've been used to having a publisher's art department come up with concepts, having them to the interior book design, not worrying at all about the actual process of publishing a book. But I'm going with the flow again—why not publish both ways? That way I've got all my bases covered. Flexibility.

Now if I can only be flexible when my children's plans for the day change! I'm working on it.

How flexible are you as a writer? Have you seen a payoff when you are?

Finding the Underlying, Specific Reason for our Personal Procrastination

Sometimes I put things off.

There are many different kinds of things I put off.

Replying to emails.  Making a doctor's appointment for a family member.  Writing a particular scene in a book.

I've found that if I can just identify why I'm putting something off , I have a much higher chance of finally finishing the task.

Not answering an email? Is that because I have to check a particular date and I don't have my calendar near me? Because I need clarification on what the original emailer is asking  of me? Because I need to plug a conference into my GPS to find out if it's within drivable distance?

Not making a doctor's appointment? Is that because I'm not sure what type of specialist would handle the particular medical issue?  Because my family member's schedule is too in-flux to nail down an appointment date? Because I haven't researched what questions to ask the physician?

Not writing the next scene in my book?  Is that because I feel the character's motivation isn't clear?  Because I'm not sure how I want the scene to end up?  Because I'm not sure how to approach the scene—with tension?  Humor? Action? Pathos?  Because I'm not sure the scene is necessary? Because I'm worried I'm repeating myself?

Once I've identified what's making me stall, it's easy for me to make a list of steps to finish the task.

The email—pull out my calendar. All my calendars.  Email the person back to make sure I understand what they're asking.  Take out my GPS and figure out the conference location and whether it's feasible for me to attend.

The doctor's appointment—set a timer and research the issue online to prepare.  Call my family doctor for specialist recommendations.  Make the appointment, knowing nothing is set in stone and appointments can be changed, if needed.

Not writing the next scene?  Skip it and come back to it later.  Make lists of all the ways the scene is improbable.  Make lists of all the ways I could fix that improbability.  If the character motivation is in question, what would make this particular character want to do this particular thing?  Is there something in his backstory?  Some fear or desire?  Label it and incorporate it into the story.   Not good at writing action or a tension-filled scene?  Set aside 20 minutes to research writing blogs for tips.

Do you sometimes procrastinate?  What's your method of working through it?

Fluffing Up a Character

I mentioned during my post on outlining, that I'd found that the outlining process tended to flatten my characters out. I'd had to fluff them up later, during revisions.

So I got a tweet asking exactly how one goes about fluffing up characters. :)

I think there are lots of ways of doing this. Character worksheets are one of them. You can print out some worksheets and answer some questions about your characters…stuff that helps you think more about what makes them tick. Or you can interview your character…pretend you're a member of the press (reputable or tabloid) and fire off some questions.

Some days I spend the day with one of my characters. It sounds a little crazy (and probably is), but it works. I wrote a post about it on Penguin's blog.

The quickest thing I did to unflatten a flat character was a little trick I picked up somewhere. Since flat usually equates stock character, I made a list of all the stereotypes a particular character might have. For instance, one of my characters was a police officer. Lots of stereotypes for policemen come to mind: hard boiled, aggressive, cynical, etc. Then you make a list of the opposite of some of those traits. Soften the opposing traits and incorporate them into the character in a showing-not-telling way. My cop became a frustrated novelist who'd do anything to keep the peace so he can keep working on his manuscript.

Remember where your characters came from—who was behind their genesis? Are they an amalgam of several different people? What makes those real people real and interesting to you? Incorporate some of their traits, quirks, talents, dislikes, and attitudes.

There are lots of ways to fluff up a flat character. What are some of your approaches?

Twitterific

Below are writing links that I've posted to Twitter in the past week.

Hope you'll enter this month's WKB giveaway for a chance to win Donald Maass' excellent Writing the Breakout Novel, from our friends at Writer's Digest. Enter the drawing by signing up for the WKB newsletter.

Finger Lickin' Dead released June 7th. Hope you'll consider it if you enjoy mysteries, or know someone who does.Download it on Kindle: http://amzn.to/kh7MAp Mass market paperback: http://amzn.to/lfUE2N ($6.99)

5 types of writers who might be struggling: http://bit.ly/jMWlbH @hopeclark

How some famous crime fiction sleuths got into the business: http://bit.ly/n1J2rX @mkinberg

9 Mistakes Most Freelance Writers Make That are Keeping Them Poor: http://bit.ly/k8Qvry

Why you shouldn't delete all the occurrences of 'was' in your manuscript: http://bit.ly/mN2A5d

How To Make It As An Independent Bookseller (NPR): http://n.pr/mposnn

5 tips for writing horror: http://bit.ly/jsME3h

7 reasons not to use social media marketing: http://bit.ly/iXo0j7

The Importance of Choosing Your Perspective: http://bit.ly/muOFtJ

Tips for writing picture books: http://bit.ly/mBh3QV

5 Motivational Mistakes That Sound Like Good Ideas: http://bit.ly/kIQxzH

21 Sneaky Tactics to Generate a Buzz on Facebook: http://bit.ly/k32X3o

Digital makes territorial rights "obsolete"? http://bit.ly/l1L3QJ

10 Lessons From Vampire Diaries: http://on.io9.com/iWF38D

6 Ways to Instantly Improve Facebook Fan Engagement: http://bit.ly/l7Qe3H

Dystopian Rites of Passage: http://bit.ly/mK0mY3

What if a writer could only have 1 appearance on the best seller list? http://bit.ly/ijcDlD

The Eternal Shame of Your First Online Handle: http://bit.ly/iMlPGN

6 Excellent Tools For Writing Without Distractions: http://rww.to/lr0lTU

Researching Your Story – A 4-Step Strategy: http://bit.ly/m0vqq6

Common writing errors: http://bit.ly/iF6epO

Happy 4th of July to my friends in the States. has an Ind. Day cake with serious WOW factor: http://bit.ly/jBQ9Yk

6 easy ways to keep your freelance clients happy: http://bit.ly/iMg0b1 @merylkevans

Want to Blog, But Don't Know Where to Start? 5 Tips for Newbies: http://bit.ly/iW1oFE

Editors: Getting Sued for Doing Your Job: http://bit.ly/mM4y3z

10 editing tips: http://bit.ly/lAo1KT

How should you price your ebook? http://bit.ly/lf2qR8

A helpful thesaurus for settings, emotions, symbolism, & weather--now with character traits: http://bit.ly/eIGRMO @AngelaAckerman

Cross Marketing from the Obvious to the Sublime: http://bit.ly/lxt3YG

Scene and Chapter Endings: http://bit.ly/iTotjp

For quotes that inspire writers: follow @Quotes4Writers

Using book excerpts for promo: http://bit.ly/msjEet

Pictorial Writing Process: http://bit.ly/lKXNfX @HaleyWhitehall

Chunking and what to write right now: http://bit.ly/jl9gAT @iainbroome

Mushy Middle Syndrome: http://bit.ly/iDq8qG @FantasyFaction

Can't seem to finish a novel? A theory: http://bit.ly/iiAt3W @KarlaErikaCal

Screenwriters share their process on "The Best and the Brightest": http://bit.ly/iZaHvo @scriptmag

How to Successfully Sell Magazine Articles: http://bit.ly/kgC1ih

5 Writing Lessons from the 4th of July: http://bit.ly/kUEQkS @iggiandgabi

Agencies Becoming Publishers--a Trend and a Problem: http://bit.ly/lOKOb9

Literary authors & philosophers are both fugitives of pop culture: http://bit.ly/mxRdB9 @agent139

SEO for Blogging in 7 Simple Steps: http://bit.ly/jxLFa6

6 things 1 writer has learned about publishing: http://bit.ly/mnxVAI

5 packaging ideas that make your article stand out: http://bit.ly/jtTjDw

How editors make a difference: http://bit.ly/iXlsBd

4 Reasons Why You Must Take Responsibility for Your Own Marketing: http://bit.ly/lwiIXs

1 writer's battle plan for finding an agent: http://bit.ly/j3Cch1

Creative prompts to inspire writers: http://bit.ly/fxp2iY @WritePrompts

7 Platforms Changing the Future of Publishing: http://bit.ly/mePp3D

7 Distraction-Free Writing Environments for Authors: http://bit.ly/iKyOom

How to Punctuate Introductory Phrases: http://bit.ly/igAI23

How to Make Interesting Headquarters and Bases for Superheroes and Villains: http://bit.ly/jdjzFo

How to wield back story with panache: http://bit.ly/jUeUth

Don't write your book for everyone--write it for someone: http://bit.ly/iK1Vft @jaelmchenry

A scriptwriter says you'll have to hustle if you're an LA outsider: http://bit.ly/joHE3N

Is Your Opening Line Lying to Your Readers? http://bit.ly/kMPoQH @KMWeiland

Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing: Writing is Hard: http://bit.ly/k811QR @DeanWesleySmith

When Your Character Doesn't Act Like Herself: http://bit.ly/keqGze @lisagailgreen

4 Ways Writing Reminds Us We're Alive: http://bit.ly/kTAawd @VictoriaMixon

The New Midlist: Self-published E-book Authors Who Earn a Living: http://bit.ly/iOBzLK

How to speak publisher - C is for Copy editor: http://bit.ly/mLyeC8 @annerooney

Want to add conflict to your story? Try a pushy character: http://bit.ly/nfUgn8

John Green: A Social Media Marketing Success Story: http://bit.ly/k6sBp2 @annerallen

An agent on the problem with conference pitches: http://bit.ly/jsMWvv @greyhausagency

Variations on a Theme: http://t.co/2pziyWs @agent139

Struggling with Burnout? Word Poop Happens: http://bit.ly/lb2Ce4

General revision tips: http://bit.ly/m2Of5o

Just how relevant are bathrooms? http://bit.ly/orVVQ9 @juliettewade

An interesting writing challenge...that focuses on setting habits: http://bit.ly/rrk9Wp

Enhancing Your Descriptions: http://bit.ly/r7Ng4u @JaniceHardy

An agent on how to write a terrific author bio: http://bit.ly/pm67qm @rachellegardner

The Green Lantern Movie: How *Not* to Plot a Story: http://bit.ly/oJm3T0 @JamiGold

60 Rules for Short SF (and Fantasy): http://bit.ly/oJbL6n

Need tips for plotting? http://hiveword.com/wkb/search?q=plot

Why newspapers can't stop the presses: http://bit.ly/o1j0KU

Editing - Who's on the Page? http://bit.ly/oR9Mwp @AuthorTerryO

7 Things You Can Do Today to Improve Your Book Design: http://bit.ly/oUWbIp

Drawing paranoia: http://bit.ly/nBS9sb @RavenRequiem13

5 reasons blogging makes you a better writer: http://bit.ly/p8PaAd @jammer0501

Thanks to @JillKemerer for hosting me on her 5 Easy Questions today: http://bit.ly/pCFZG1

How an Agent Can Kill Your Career: Involuntary Manslaughter: http://bit.ly/qO9HBU

Dialogue: Let's be real: http://bit.ly/p8aLnp

3 ways to make online relationships matter: http://bit.ly/qca5zL @JaneFriedman @tonyeldridge

A scriptwriter says to "get your community on." http://bit.ly/l8tnD7

How to organize a blog tour for your new book's release: http://bit.ly/qcDNdb

Rethink firing your agent: http://bit.ly/pWQRbm

The rhythm of dialogue: http://bit.ly/nfxfNo @FantasyFaction

Giving Away Free Copies of Your Book as a Promotional Tool: http://bit.ly/nCrkC4 @JodyHedlund

How To Find Reviews on the Book Blogs Search Engine: http://bit.ly/q6Wq4V @GalleyCat

What makes for a good 1st sentence: http://bit.ly/n29vap

10 Ways to Craft a Sense of Place: http://bit.ly/nY25X8 @CherylRWrites

5 lessons 1 writer learned from TV: http://bit.ly/nOloEz @CherylRWrites

How Busy Writers Can Stay Productive & Keep Their Sanity: http://bit.ly/r4A6w4 @JeffGoins

5 things Lady Gaga can teach us about writing: http://bit.ly/oBpvRH @JulieMusil

Share Your Blog With the World: http://bit.ly/oJmdcb

3 types of writers: http://bit.ly/qEQjQd @Writtled

10 Classic SF and Fantasy Books That Were Originally Considered Failures: http://on.io9.com/nUus2I

Is Your Platform Plan Getting in The Way of Actual Success?: http://bit.ly/rglUSg @LisaKilian

5 Great Reasons to Start Your Facebook Page Right Now: http://bit.ly/pnkGD9

This Week's Fail Whale–The Touchy Tweeter: http://bit.ly/mPAP6L

Motivation and Conflict: http://bit.ly/oRPsLy

The Power of Persistence in Indie Publishing: http://bit.ly/paAW9F

Can Editing Be Fun? Maybe: http://bit.ly/oCJbc9

Parent Authors—Check Your Ego at the Door (who are you writing for?): http://bit.ly/qMsZW6

Using profiling and archetypes to develop characters: http://bit.ly/ndnPua

How To Get Feedback On Your Novel That Will Actually Help: http://bit.ly/qhQ6Km @bubblecow

7 Other Types of Pronouns: http://bit.ly/rnf8Xn

Using Method Acting in Your Writing: http://bit.ly/r7SGP1 @SammyBina @LTWFblog

Why you should honor your deadlines: http://bit.ly/nqEliM

An agent answers questions on pitching: http://bit.ly/q6Sa9O @greyhausagency

Links to help you research publishers (including whether they're reputable or not): http://bit.ly/mSa8qB @Spunkonastick

4 steps to creating an online writing group: http://bit.ly/nYzl4Q

How to Get Started With Google+ : http://bit.ly/nBCQ89

5 Stages of Rewrites: http://bit.ly/oHc9bg @MistyMassey

Death by Critique - 6 Tips on How To Avoid It: http://bit.ly/oAUmZr @RoniLoren

8 Tips To Help You Get Started Writing: http://bit.ly/n6V0Iw

Finding an Agent: A Little Un-Advice: http://bit.ly/r63Koa

How to Introduce Major Characters: http://bit.ly/pvLrsY

Where to Find Free eBooks for Your Amazon Kindle: http://bit.ly/pW1XNz

Tips for writers who struggle with mental illness: http://bit.ly/oJJWCK @CordeliaCallsIt

21 Dangerous Blogging Mistakes (and How to Fix Them): http://bit.ly/qZ3mIJ

How Twitter Landed One Author A Book Deal: http://bit.ly/pQQimI @TheCreativePenn

3 of the deadly myths of history (using archaeology & artifacts to design stories): http://bit.ly/qjPMO2 @GeneLempp

Writing the 2nd novel (you'd think it'd be easier): http://bit.ly/n6BPX2

Don't Just Create "On Demand," Create For You: http://bit.ly/nye7o8

What base is your novel on? http://bit.ly/pLT2jk @catewoods

25 tips for boosting blog traffic: http://bit.ly/p253dX @WriterTank

Search my tweets-- http://dld.bz/KPgS

Think Like a Publisher: The Time It Takes: http://bit.ly/nnpAQt @DeanWesleySmith

The Vetting Process: How Ideas Become Written Works: http://bit.ly/oKJyeC @GeoffreyCubbage

Tips for keeping on top of our email: http://bit.ly/qfHNam @AlexisGrant

Adventures in Small-Press Publishing: Book Construction and Release: http://bit.ly/qQJsyI

6 Tips for Adding Some Heat Between the Sheets: http://bit.ly/nZ84vm

Creativity Tweets of the Week — 7/8/11: http://bit.ly/mX4F6o

10 tips for writing fiction: http://bit.ly/mRZRYI

Scene Antagonists and Big Boss Troublemakers: http://bit.ly/mRAbuX @4kidlit

All about word count: http://bit.ly/rdBW2C

Are You Addicted to Finding a Literary Agent? http://bit.ly/p2xekP @NinaBadzin

Pumping Up the Plot: 6 Vital Signs of a Healthy Plot: http://bit.ly/oo8MaF

Superhero Tropes: Kick Ass: http://bit.ly/qpSjqT @PAShortt

How a name can kill a story: http://bit.ly/phc6qp

Enhancing dialogue: http://bit.ly/qqZQdo

Recognizing the Screaming Power of Narrative Sub-Text: http://bit.ly/oU02Mv

Why agents don't give reasons with rejections: http://bit.ly/re8iKa

10 Reasons Why Brainstorming is so Important: http://bit.ly/org8yp

Beverly Cleary at 95: A Talk With the Author Who Created Ramona Quimby (The Atlantic): http://bit.ly/rglerN

Surviving a critique without killing yourself or other people: http://bit.ly/o0HIMi

Economy of Words: http://bit.ly/pZ5BxK

Short Stories vs. Short Story Collections–Which Sell Better? http://bit.ly/qahDW9

Thinking about going on a blog tour? Helpful links: http://bit.ly/lCYjSS

The art of more (money, readers, love): fighting off the scarcity complex: http://bit.ly/o8fBqx @justinemusk

What happens when a writer outlines a book for the 1st time? My wrap-up of outlining: http://bit.ly/nL1x9G

Tips to keep your characters from sounding the same: http://bit.ly/nlXvWW @Grammar_Diva

How To Succeed As An Accidental Publisher, A Self Publishing Odyssey: http://bit.ly/qFOV2f @TheCreativePenn

10 Basic Rules of Blogging: http://bit.ly/rcQgDV @WriterTank

Tips for Being a Healthy Writer: http://bit.ly/mTS8XQ

The Myth of Having More Time Someday: http://bit.ly/pPX0Y4 @jodyhedlund

Mainstream Publishing is not a dirty word: http://bit.ly/oUoGE9

5 Ways to Increase Your Writerly Wellbeing: http://bit.ly/pjU9Rd

"Ancient Magic"—magic of the divine and the fantastic: http://bit.ly/oCHV9P

9 Insider PR Tips for Attracting Media Attention: http://bit.ly/ob5qKG @HubSpot

7 Excellent Reasons to Enter Writing Contests: http://bit.ly/n7sdY2

50 Years Without Hemingway: http://bit.ly/riDyNa

Are Creative People Dishonest? http://bit.ly/p70moN

How To Reduce Technology Frustration and Write Distraction-Free: http://bit.ly/pmMa9E

Avoid being writerly: http://bit.ly/o61BPd

Forget your weaknesses--attack your strengths: http://bit.ly/pOWCCp

Screenplays and screenwriting books that aspiring screenwriters should read: http://bit.ly/oIDpdG

Agents Assisting Authors with Self Publishing, Good Idea? http://bit.ly/q05KXC

Creative Kryptonite and the Death of Productivity: http://tinyurl.com/3cpa7ss

Why Pitches Fail: http://bit.ly/mTePZB

How to Stop Getting Rejected as a Freelance Writer: http://bit.ly/qXtRWX

Trendsetting 101: http://bit.ly/mOMJLx

The good, the bad, and the ugly of Google Plus: http://oreil.ly/qq0SmP

Bringing Scenes to Life: http://bit.ly/roFYRe @4kidlit

Why ghostwriting? http://bit.ly/omza3Z @ExcuseEditor

How to Use Batching to Become More Productive: http://bit.ly/n4jbae