Riley Adams's Blog, page 198

My Wrap-Up of Outlining

Writers usually fall into one of two camps—outliners and writers who make the story up as they go along (seat of their pants.)

I'm decidedly a pantster. It's how I wrote my first six books.

Then along came a new series and new editor (who is a lovely, charming, clever woman! Who likes outlines.) :)

So I've now written two books from outlines. And, since I've written both ways now, I thought I'd do my own personal wrap-up of how it went, just in case any of y'all are interested in trying another method.

This is just how it went down for me, as someone who has never outlined a story before. Others will have different experiences!

Pros of outlining

In some ways, I was able to make the mystery itself more complex and puzzling by using an outline. It enabled me to see the different sections of the book and how they connected.

The outline helped me develop the characters before writing the book. I already had a sense of who they were as I started out.

I could more easily spot potential problem areas of the book. I could see when I wrote myself into a plot hole. I could tell when I'd lost track of the theme.

I could easily explain the project I was working on to my agent and first readers before I even finished it.

The actual writing itself went super-quickly after I'd completed the outline and had it approved by the editor. There was very little mulling over.

I knew my editor would like the story that I turned in on June 30th. There were no surprises there—she'd already approved it.

My agent was able to just skim my book as she read it before we turned it in…because she knew we'd already wrangled out the plot ahead of time.

Cons

I wrote way too short as I followed my outline. I had to add about 20,000 words.

I've found that I can either write a very, very short outline or a very, very long one. Writing a mid-sized outline was impossible for me. My outline ended up being 21 pages long.

The outline took about as much time as it took for me to write the book.

Creatively, I felt very tied down with the outline and was less-likely to go off on any interesting tangents with subplots, etc…until I came up super-short, when I decided to indulge myself in the subplots. :) In reality, I could have deviated from my outline. But, working with a new editor, I hesitated doing it.

The outlining process tended to flatten my characters out. It took a while to fluff them back up and give them individuality and their own voice. Writing them in the strictures of an outline seemed to make them feel more like cutouts to me.

Summing up

Would I choose to outline a book, if I weren't asked to do so? No, I sure wouldn't. Were there some benefits to doing so? Absolutely.

But the process for the first book was so tortuous that I asked my editor if I could turn in more of a short, sketched out plan for the plot of the second book—including the murders, suspects, red herrings, clues, killer, hooks, and theme. She said that would be no problem, so I feel a lot better about the short outline that I'll hand in before August 1. It covers all the big stuff, but I don't feel as tied down as I did with the first one.

Do you outline or make up the story as you write? Have you ever tried another approach? How did it work out for you?

Thoughts and Links on Word Count

I had an email recently from a writer who was worried that his word count was too low for his genre.

I sent him a link to some information that I hoped would help him out. And told him that having a low word count is much better than having one that's too high.

Most editors have a range that they want for a particular genre. If you're a debut novelist, then they definitely don't want a 130,000+ book from you. They probably don't even want a 110,000 book from you. It would be considered risky for them…after all, a book that long would be expensive to print and debut novelists don't have a track record for sales or a following.

There is definitely, though, some leeway with word count in a manuscript. If you're a few thousand words over or under the range, it's probably not going to kill your chances. You can always bulk up a book with a great subplot or edit out extras to bring a word count down.

I do keep half an eye on my word count as I'm writing. For one thing, it helps me know if I'm meeting my goals each day. For another, it helps save me some time after my first draft is done if my word count is close to my target.

For additional information on word count and tips for bumping your word count up or down, try these links:

Word Count for Novels and Children's Books: The Definitive Post

Think twice before querying your 291,000 word book

An agent with word counts for different genres

Cutting Down Your Word Count

A Few Words on Word Counts: How to Beef Up or Slim Down (especially for freelance writers, but some tips that will help novelists, too)

An agent on word counts (and here, where she defends her position)

Writing Nowadays–Word Count Violations and You

Bolstering Your Word Count

When your WIP is too short

How to increase your novel's word count

How To Get Ahead When You Are Behind On Your Word Count

Handling Your Word Count

The Writer's Knowledge Base has many articles on word count.

Will the rise of e-publishing mean that word count might rise again? This article from the BookEnds Literary Agency suggests it might, but I'm not so sure. It seems to me that our 21st century world seems to make us all more distracted—phones ringing, texts coming in, Twitter feeds and Facebook status updates. Do we have the attention span for longer books, even if cost isn't an issue anymore?

How close do you track word count? Do you usually find yourself writing over or under your target? (I'm frequently a little under, myself.)

Being a Parent Author—Check Your Ego at the Door

When I'm meeting people for the first time as a mom and a writer, I invariably get the question, "Aren't your children just so proud of you?"

I don't ever hesitate when answering. Yes, they are proud of me. Of course! I'm Mama. But the truth is, they're not any prouder of me than they are of my husband (who is a computer engineer.)

There are times, though, when they find my insights and career more interesting:

When I go with them into the local bookstore and I answer to 'Riley' when an employee there calls out my pen name. (I always remind them when we go in that the bookstore employees call me by a different name.)

When my editor emails me the book covers.

When I get new promotional materials (bookmarks, etc.)

As a writer, I'm influencing them in some ways:

The other day my son mentioned that he might be interested in journalism, so I must be having some sort of influence! :) Although I had to blink at the journalism…not sure how that industry will be holding up in the future.

When they don't enjoy a book, I always want to know why. They're able to give a critical review of a book and where the writer went wrong (in their opinion.)

They see writing as a business as well as a form of expression. They realize how important it can be to a writer.

Because books are so important to me, I make sure to hook them up with good reads. When I hear of something I think they'll be interested in, I get it. Although I take them to the library and bookstore to encourage them to find books, I spend a lot of time making a targeted search for the kinds of books I think they'll enjoy—I want them to find a treasure (which means they'll continue being eager to read.) I don't leave finding books up to them—and because I'm plugged into the industry, I'm finding some amazing books for them.

Where they get it wrong:

Because I know so many writers, they think I know all the writers. They'll hold up their current books and ask if I know the author. Funnily enough, a couple of times I have. Which just goes to show how amazing social media is. Of course, though, 9 times out of 10 I have no idea who the writer is.

Summing up:

I think it again just proves the point that when we're writing a book, we definitely need to be writing for ourselves and our readers. Family loves us no matter what—but may not love our writing quite as much as we do!

What does your family think about your writing? Are they supportive? Enthusiastic? Interested? Ambivalent? Does the fact you're writing change the way they look at books and reading? Who are you writing for?

5 Easy Questions

It's a good thing my guest post today was only 5 easy questions! I think my brain is still a little fried from my blog tour. :)  Hope you'll pop over to Jill Kemerer's blog today for a fun, short interview.

Characters Who Push

I'm probably not the easiest friend to have.

That's because I really don't enjoy going out.

Honestly, if it weren't for my children and their plethora of activities (and multitudinous errands), I'd probably rarely leave the house.

The funny thing is that the types of friends that I tend to attract are extroverts. This is probably because my fellow introverts are too busy being mellow inside their own houses. And maybe extroverts see me as a challenge. :)

I have one particular extroverted friend—we'll call her Karen. She absolutely adores people and events and feeds off them. She has many, many, many friends and she treats them all wonderfully—she finds these fun, frequently inexpensive events to attend, calls her friends, they have a happy time, many pictures are taken and shared on Facebook.

Of course, though, when Karen calls me up and asks me to go somewhere (at least twice a week), my automatic reaction is, "No." Right out of the gate.

Usually, Karen can get me to recant the no. "Elizabeth! Have you got something else to do then? Because it's going to be a lot of fun. It's free, the band is supposed to be great, the weather is going to be perfect, our girls can play at the playground there at the park. Why don't we go? You can always leave early if you're not having fun. You'll probably find some characters there."

And I do usually go. I'll frequently be a little grouchy at the start, but trying to hide it (with varying degrees of success.) Then…the event is almost always fun, something interesting always happens, my children will have fun. There will be more people I know there. I'll end up talking to them, too. Frequently, characters and ideas and just raw life will pop out at me at these things and demand to be written.

Then I go home and am completely exhausted and withdraw for the entire next day. And Karen will have already gotten a commitment from me to attend some other event. :)

The thing about Karen is the kind of reactions that she can bring out of me. There's that desperate way I seize onto that 'no' at the very beginning (knowing the likely futility of it). And when she pushes me out of my comfort zone, there's my usual irritation. But then, when I'm at these events that I never would have attended on my own, I end up with an odd feeling of accomplishment by the end of it. And I've frequently surprised myself at how much I enjoyed it. Then I crash. :)

I've recognized lately, that I always have a character like Karen in my books. They're secondary characters to my protagonist and always make something interesting happen. They function almost as antagonists (but aren't…the antagonists in my books are murderers.) These characters can create some pretty amazing elements in a book:

Maybe the secondary character provides tension in a scene as they push our protagonists in directions they don't want to go in.

Maybe this supporting character provides some humor (we know the protagonist is avoiding him and what he represents. It's fun to see them encounter the character.)

This character is frequently someone that the protagonist can't quite figure out. And can't really avoid or resist.

Maybe the push that this supporting character gives is actually more of a pull. That's because many protagonists are extroverts and the conflict would be more effective if it was a holding back instead of a push ahead.

Maybe the character is someone who embarrasses the protagonist in public by saying whatever comes into her head, but ultimately presents the protagonist with a truth.

Ultimately, these types of characters can also bring out the best in a protagonist or actually change the protagonist in some way by pushing the character in a new direction. And this is great for a story because it means a deeper, more realistic protagonist.

Have you got any pushy secondary characters or read any you've enjoyed? What kind of effect did they have in the story?

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July to my friends in the States (and Happy Monday to everyone else!) :)

Hope everyone has a great day.  I think I've got some fireworks fatigue (late night last night watching them at the pictured event at the outdoor symphony and looks to be another late one tonight), so I think I'll take a small breather today.

But I will link over to the Mystery Lovers' Kitchen, which has had some great cookout/picnic food recently! (I'm Riley there and post every Wednesday if you enjoy quick and easy recipes.)

For  barbecue-related recipes try:
Riley's Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce
Avery's Burgers and Blue
Cleo's Fire-fighters Ribs
Avery's Strawberry Shortcake (Gluten-free)

Today's post has a nice round-up of recipes for cookouts.

And Cleo Coyle has an amazing cake for the 4th.

To the non-cooks—happy writing!  Hope you'll have lots of ideas percolating today. :)

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 the "Butt-in-Chair" writer productivity eBook by Jennifer Blanchard.
Two copies to give away! Enter the drawing

Finger Lickin' Dead released on the 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)

What Your Cover Should Not Do: http://bit.ly/jE9iSE

5 Things More Important Than Talent: http://bit.ly/mtuc0U

How to shine at a writing conference: http://bit.ly/kukVuq

Better Queries Through Movie Trailers: http://bit.ly/iyv4ok

The screenwriters' trick for plotting: http://bit.ly/kogLaW

The Games We (Don't) Play: How Authors Stay Offline (PW): http://bit.ly/mbjiwb

How Do We Stay Content With Our Own Writing Journeys? http://bit.ly/js0nsc

Possible tax deductions for US writers: http://bit.ly/l421qy

It's all been done before: http://bit.ly/kD069B @lisagailgreen

Creating an author website? A run-down of the top 13 web hosts: http://bit.ly/ilQ6At

10 Things 1 Writer Learned About Writing By Walking Her Dog: http://bit.ly/lkyqP7

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

How to sell e-books to mobile Twitter users: http://bit.ly/ikgt8m

Quicker Release Times With E-Publishing Doesn't Mean a Faster Publishing World: http://bit.ly/mStsDP

Can Your Heroine Be Too Strong? http://bit.ly/mg3LBx

Writing for Parenting Publications: http://bit.ly/lfCc0v

What's holding you back from writing? http://bit.ly/jfDut3 @rachellegardner

7 tips for writing better sex scenes: http://bit.ly/k2Cqdr

Wonder about getting an agent after self-publishing? Links on the subject: http://bit.ly/kZfAql

Magic in Fantasy: Real Magic: http://bit.ly/jAeBcK

Real Life Diagnostics: Voice, Tone, and a Little Bit of Scary: http://bit.ly/ii5TC9 @JaniceHardy

9 ways for writers to use Twitter: http://bit.ly/lub8EP @hopeclark

Contrasting beauty and ugliness in our writing: http://bit.ly/k8D8fU

2011 Online Summer Reading Lists: http://bit.ly/kfKuCU

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

Does the fact that epublishing doesn't require expensive paper, mean that word counts may rise? http://bit.ly/j0TDhJ

7 tips for meeting an agent at a conference: http://bit.ly/iy54Gd

5 Tips for Disorganized, Distracted Writers: http://bit.ly/juJS5B

Twitterific--my week in tweets: http://bit.ly/kVQYdZ

3 Dimensions of Character: http://bit.ly/mdTSzC

Threshold Guardians at the Forbidden Door: http://bit.ly/iz30Cr

10 Varieties of Syntax to Improve Your Writing: http://bit.ly/j0KvK5

An agent on email etiquette: http://bit.ly/meqtn7

Literary Agents Try New Role as Self-Publishing Consultants (PBS): http://to.pbs.org/iRTCIT

Best Book Publicists on Twitter: http://bit.ly/lWLXrw

Plots, subplots, and nonplots: http://bit.ly/k4uYSt

How 20 Bad Ideas Can Kick-Start Your Imagination: http://bit.ly/mUnyA0 @TheCreativePenn

Why the Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood (WSJ): http://on.wsj.com/kfh47W

The Mental Cleanse For Writers: http://bit.ly/jdtvLh @Wordstrumpet

Romance novel cliches that can be dealbreakers for readers: http://bit.ly/imIWEd @Sarafurlong

Do you need help with your scene transitions? 261 helpful links: http://bit.ly/fivggV

10 Tips for Spotting Bogus and Predatory Agents: http://bit.ly/iCZg7c @annerallen

Novel Planning Worksheets: http://bit.ly/liW6Bv @traineePRwriter

How to write like no one is watching: http://bit.ly/jIutKm

Promotion Begins With the First Word: http://bit.ly/kxTWEJ @spunkonastick

AOL Hell: An AOL Content Slave Speaks Out: http://bit.ly/jYF2y9

Using ancillary products to promote your book: http://bit.ly/jPADTD

The awkwardness of asking authors for blurbs: http://bit.ly/lGzfty

7 tips for giving a workshop: http://bit.ly/iZAibs @authorterryo

5 tips for your book trailer: http://bit.ly/j4I8xl

50 Things a Writer Shouldn't Do: http://bit.ly/kEhJx8 @ThreeGuys1Book

Keeping motivated--give yourself a deadline: http://bit.ly/iSiaJk

How to Write Faster Prose (And Why): http://bit.ly/ervbti @GeoffreyCubbage

How publishing acquisitions meetings work: http://bit.ly/lE6AxC

Literary Agents: An Endangered Species? http://bit.ly/mu3gFo @annerallen

Fighting the good fight in part 3 of your book: http://bit.ly/jXrm5I

Don't keep your distance – capture the experience: http://bit.ly/lWJnXg @dirtywhitecandy

Are Writers Really A Company of One? http://bit.ly/jn65g6 @jhansenwrites

Narrative focus: http://bit.ly/kqcnwz

23 questions to ask about your plot: http://bit.ly/lCd7pj

How to Outline Your Novel in 30 Minutes http://bit.ly/la4Tem RT @Writtled

Do publishers edit books anymore? http://bit.ly/il8hTx

Less Obvious Channels of Description: http://bit.ly/lZikIE

Has spoiler culture changed the way writers write? http://bit.ly/lrrN24

Heightening Emotional Impact: http://bit.ly/kXJBSG @JulietteWade

SF/F Publications and Social Media: http://bit.ly/j2k5iE

4 Types of Blog Posts That Will Always be Popular: http://bit.ly/iqCC2w

How to Get a Gravatar: http://bit.ly/kB3FwL

Word Count or Why Passive Sentences are Evil: http://bit.ly/jP8G1Y

Defining fantasy subgenres: http://bit.ly/m5yy4U

Freelancers: Avoid Hassles With A Writer's Basic Assignment Checklist: http://bit.ly/lEoQgD

Is Writing A Dream Job, or Just a Dream? http://bit.ly/iypFzE

Are You Making These 10 Mistakes on Facebook? http://bit.ly/lHjXaF

5 Ridiculously Easy Ways To Unblock Writer's Block: http://bit.ly/kYsUgy

2,068 links to help you format & write queries and to help you know if you're *ready* to query: http://bit.ly/fYkgJA

10 Cardinal Rules of Book Blogging: http://bit.ly/jEbx2Z

Plan ahead, writers. Tax links: http://bit.ly/iW3lfN & 1 writer's 5 stages of tax grief: http://bit.ly/mi3SUS @GeoffreyCubbage

50 Things Publishers Shouldn't Do: http://bit.ly/lV0Uus @ThreeGuys1Book

On finding beauty in writing again: http://bit.ly/mM7f11

Get the biggest bang for your buck from your conference--after it's over: http://bit.ly/ix9ybC @ExcuseEditor

Tips for building a blog tour: http://bit.ly/jaSHXe

8 Secrets for Getting into Bookstores: http://bit.ly/k50J23

Does Thinking Count As Writing? http://bit.ly/l30mzh @storyadaymay

20 Practical Tips for Freelance Writers: http://bit.ly/kYfWCO

8 Simple Ways To Share Data Online: http://rww.to/l3Kixw

For the perfectionist writer: 5 ways of tackling perfectionism: http://bit.ly/lZlS2T

8 Ways to Think More Like a Publisher & Less Like a Marketer: http://bit.ly/k9jLIg

The power of social networking: 5 easy-to-remember points for writers: http://bit.ly/leEQZu

What Publishers & Writers Need To Know About Google+ : http://bit.ly/mKuggM @GalleyCat

The art of being different: don't compare and compete, but seek to change the game: http://bit.ly/lVUi77

What theater can teach about storytelling: http://bit.ly/lo0n5b

Dare To Be A High Maintenance Writer: http://bit.ly/jLIoUL

Why Going Without An Advance Might Be A Good Thing: http://bit.ly/mrAF99 @ajackwriting

The 11th Commandment: calleth not editors: http://bit.ly/ipsEAA

9 Ways to Use Social Media to Launch a Book: http://bit.ly/jHcxui

804 links to help you write your synopsis: http://bit.ly/eWeJtB

6 Benefits of Having an Agent in Today's Publishing World: http://bit.ly/m563KX

How to Find a Mentor in 10 Not-So-Easy Steps: http://bit.ly/ipoVjP @jeffgoins

Kicking Out a Fast First Draft: http://bit.ly/iCS4ny

A Writer's Guide to Organizing a Literary Estate: http://bit.ly/iRiR3z

Writing schedules, writing setbacks (squeeze writing into a crazy day): http://bit.ly/j01DPw @MaggieBarbieri

How To Break Into Ghostwriting: http://bit.ly/kBsgHU @dirtywhitecandy

How Do You Keep Track of Subplots When You Write? http://bit.ly/lcPOun

Tips for using Excel as a writer: part 1: http://bit.ly/mDmRt0 & 2: http://bit.ly/m8dh4O @jhansenwrites

Should Authors Be Amazon Reviewers? http://bit.ly/msoXjy

The difference Between Plot and Subplot: http://bit.ly/jfbt5s

5 tips for getting a publishing internship: http://bit.ly/ktESni @inkpop

Obtaining Cover Blurbs: http://bit.ly/m011xp

The publishing industry is changing...but agents are still needed: http://bit.ly/iorSTP

Why Your Lack of Focus Is A Good Thing: http://bit.ly/iXhBsH

Building a Slow Burning Romance: http://bit.ly/kbRDlq @RoniLoren

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

Query Writing 101: http://bit.ly/kAAd3j

The Most Crucial Step To Effective Book Marketing http://dld.bz/Qf7r @tonyeldridge

How Genuine Are Online Friendships? http://bit.ly/lH1657

What mint chocolate can tell us about writing and finding an agent: http://bit.ly/mhU6AF @alisonwells

How to Build Your Writing Team: http://bit.ly/l8xJTh @jhansenwrites

How to vanquish page fright: http://bit.ly/mnc1yv

4 Novels A Year: The Math of It: http://bit.ly/pC8mH @DeanWesleySmith

How to be Productive and Still Get 8 Hours Sleep: http://bit.ly/md0dRq

Conflict and Structure: http://bit.ly/iKXaU7 @JoanSwan

Tension or Frustration? http://bit.ly/kWEQaG

Magazine Layouts and Your Blog/Website: http://bit.ly/khzxZR @jillkemerer

Making Readers Care About Plot-Centric Characters: http://bit.ly/mR2L4s @JaniceHardy

The Hero's Journey in Kung Fu Panda: http://bit.ly/jego8t @PAShortt

Where does a fan's responsibility lie? Amazon's screw-up with a release: http://bit.ly/lfGuBh @JamieTR

Branding your books with cover art: http://bit.ly/iITorE

The Oxford comma is alive and well at Oxford University Press: http://oxford.ly/mnx8XK RT @BJMuntain

When writers hold a review hostage "for a stellar review of their own." By @lornasuzuki http://ow.ly/5tuD2 RT @Porter_Anderson

Providing Value on Twitter http://dld.bz/aeMqk RT @Bookgal

Using Your Time Wisely on Facebook and Twitter: http://bit.ly/mDnr3X

An Author's Plan for Social Media: http://bit.ly/j9JNIw @chrisbrogan

Is your blog eating you alive? http://bit.ly/ledvvT @jhansenwrites

Floating Body Parts or Her Eyes Flew to His: http://bit.ly/miOusc @Grammar_Diva

3 writing tools 1 writer can't live without: http://bit.ly/jmbtS7#

Varying your sentence length doesn't have to be frustrating: http://bit.ly/j3zXrKRT @WritersRelief @simplywriting

5 Reasons Photography Will Save Your Life (And Writing): http://bit.ly/kKaw56 @BTMargins

For writing quotes and inspiration: Advice to Writers: http://bit.ly/kaOOvq @AdviceToWriters

How to format for Smashwords: http://bit.ly/jC7Mds

Remember the point of your story...don't get carried away by the language: http://bit.ly/iIgAi0 @erinlthomas

Thoughts and tips on blog touring: http://bit.ly/mUNdTd

Using archaeology & human history artifacts to find and design stories: http://bit.ly/kpU7Xe @GeneLempp

Why You Should Read Short SF/F Fiction: http://bit.ly/ifDSVl @sfsignal

Putting the Gender in Genre: http://bit.ly/j6gMAq

Speaking at libraries: http://bit.ly/lEgSgl @JohnBetcher

Crime fiction sleuths who hold their relationships together: http://bit.ly/mrGMaW @mkinberg

Writing Advice ~ Overcoming Fear: http://bit.ly/mNHlNw @shelli_johnson

The value in red pens of death: http://bit.ly/lNyW9y @KarenVTavares

Are you accidentally dismembering your characters? http://bit.ly/ltHkUZ @p2p_editor

3 Feedback Traits 1 Writer Loves: http://bit.ly/kwFxwE @marybaka

8 Steps to More Concise Writing: http://bit.ly/lWfOtL#

10 Tips For Building Your Writing Checklist: http://bit.ly/j0N76Q

Agents as publishers: http://bit.ly/m4S8OO

Top 10 ways to make or break your relationship with your agent (after you sign): http://bit.ly/lIMn0G

A mystery writer shares her annual income and expenses: http://bit.ly/mBzgEv

Creativity Tweets of the Week — 7/1/11: http://bit.ly/iGylQe @on_creativity

The vanishing advance: http://bit.ly/jGL9EZ

Things you can safely leave out of your query: http://bit.ly/k9jwGK

Best Articles This Week for Writers 7/1/11: http://bit.ly/liI3XU @4kidlit

The Arc of Your Story: http://bit.ly/mPEbNI

5 Reasons to Blog Anonymously (and 5 Reasons Not To): http://bit.ly/kYPyXN

The Secret to Mastering Plot–Getting Primal: http://bit.ly/m4A52Y

Reaching Out to Bookclubs: http://bit.ly/kMCfZF

Misplaced Modifiers: How Not To Lose Your Reader: http://bit.ly/mqbLP8

Isolating and Understanding the First "Pinch Point": http://bit.ly/ijNUIU

Prepping for the Market: http://bit.ly/mCpikT

Examples of dangerous delusions in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/jvM86k @mkinberg

7 Reasons Why Your Writing Dreams Aren't Coming True: http://bit.ly/mk2FkH

Will Self-Pubbing Hurt My Chances? An agent answers: http://bit.ly/lZkchG

Is It Time to Hit the Reset Button on Your Blog? http://bit.ly/jWBPi4

When to Capitalize Words for Compass Points: http://bit.ly/lZGu6K

Transitions from scene to scene: http://bit.ly/mj1cNB

6 things NOT to do during TV and radio interviews: http://bit.ly/iPtFrj

Show versus Tell: Macro-, Micro-, and When to Use It: http://bit.ly/l2l5YU @stdennard

5 ways to write when we're not actually writing: http://bit.ly/kgc1sz @JulieMusil

How to write fiction that reads fast: http://bit.ly/mexyiC @JaneFriedman

5 Traits That Foster Success: http://bit.ly/jHhze0

7 Ways to Help Others with Your Writing: http://bit.ly/k9Otqm

Feedback on Your Work: Knowing What to Ignore: http://bit.ly/l8QMEA

Reasons manuscripts get rejected: http://bit.ly/j5jSFE

5 Telltale Signs of an Amateur Writer : http://bit.ly/mrvcQQ

Indistinguishable From Magic: http://bit.ly/kZw15Y

7 Ways Freelance Writers Can Find Better Pay: http://bit.ly/k5tuqn

9 Tips for Emailing Important People: http://bit.ly/ijx6hl

Protecting Your Online Life With Secure Passwords: http://bit.ly/jk3ttd

Procrastination: The Ultimate Writing Tool: http://bit.ly/kYmtLN

Extreme vs Mundane Protagonists: http://bit.ly/jcDX44

The Hero's Journey: A Thumbnail Sketch of Real Life: http://bit.ly/jKzwm9

Writing About Faith And Religion: http://bit.ly/iPNNnr @thecreativepenn

DRM and e-publishing: http://bit.ly/kcDRyN

Slowly, Alzheimer's Erases a Poet's Gifts and Memories (NY Times): http://nyti.ms/k9KH1v

Writing Worksheets and Other Tools

I'm doing something a little different today, since it's the July 4th weekend here in the States.

I've tweeted some writing worksheets I came across lately and they received good play on Twitter. I thought I'd link to them here, too. Just in case you've got writing planned for your long weekend and enjoy using worksheets. :)

The Diary of a Trainee Paranormal Romance Writer blogger, Catherine Pawsey, has really outdone herself, digging up resources for writers. She rounded up some very useful worksheets. Among them:

The Novel Notebook
The novel-writing diagram

Planning a story Plot Tree Worksheet Plot/Character Movement Scene Chart Scene Outline Setting Worksheet Story Plan Checklist The Complications Worksheet

Please check out Catherine Pawsey's site because she also links to other resources, including workshops on various topics like pacing. If you scroll to the very bottom of her blog, there will be a list of tools.

These worksheets are excellent and are from our friends at the Adventures in Children's Publishing blog (but are for all genres):

The Scene Conflict Worksheet - Developing Tension in Your Novel

Plotting Made Easy - The Complications Worksheet

Character Worksheet Part 1

Character Worksheet Part 2

Character Worksheet Part 3

Character Worksheet Part 4

Writer's Digest worksheets—from story idea maps, to scene cards, backstory, cliffhangers, research…you name it.

Jody Hedlund has a Character Worksheet

Heather McCorkle's Character Arc Worksheet

A show-don't-tell PDF worksheet by Toni Buzzeo

Worksheets don't work for you, but still need some direction? Try these posts instead:

Kaye Dacus' series on Creating Credible Characters

Janice Hardy on plotting.

Janice Hardy on creating characters.

Outline your novel in 30 minutes

Worksheets can help some writers organize their story, and can give others a helpful push in the right direction. I don't always use them, but sometimes they can get me thinking about new directions for my story. See anything that might be helpful?

Weather Can Be Murder—by p.m.terrell

I left Mississippi a day early. I thought I could get ahead of the approaching monster storm, but instead I found myself driving through Alabama between tornadoes. I knew the road well; my book tours had taken me along this route at least twice a year. But the road became unrecognizable as the sky turned black in the middle of the day and the rain pelted my windows in a sideways stream that screamed of the high and dangerous winds. The light poles that had illuminated the Interstate on past trips now collapsed like wet spaghetti, their warped bodies turning the right lane into an obstacle course.

My desperation propelled me forward, just like the characters in my books. I knew if I stopped, the next tornado approaching from behind would find me there, alone and vulnerable along the highway. My only hope was to drive faster than it was travelling, to come out on the other side, where I knew the sun was still shining and the roads were passable.

The weather had become an antagonist, just like it had in my books.

Weather can set the stage for any emotion. A snowstorm can isolate the characters from the outside world, making them prime for a romance—or a murder. A hurricane can be the catalyst for an adventure: a ship blown off course, a protagonist fighting to survive and even triumph, a family forced to overcome their personal grievances and help one another. Even a driving rainstorm can interrupt telephones and electricity, plunging the characters into darkness and a suspense-filled black hole. Nose-diving temperatures can turn a stroll through a park into a nightmare survival story; heat and humidity can become a metaphor for a stifling existence.

Writing is part creative and part technical know-how. As a former computer analyst, I found myself analyzing those books that terrified me, those movies that gave me nightmares. I dissected the scenes right down to the sentences and use of descriptors; I watched movies sometimes frame by frame to analyze the atmosphere.

Mysteries and suspense are made more effective by the darkness. Like the road I knew so well in the bright sunshine, weather—darkening skies, wind and rain—turned it into something I had to fight against.

In contrast, comedies more often occur in the daylight. Romances, while they might occur because of bad weather, often involve scenes that are light. It makes the heart lighter and happier to picture a field of wildflowers in the spring sunshine, two lovers strolling hand-in-hand as the butterflies flit around them and the birds sing their greetings.

Now picture the same field at the tail end of winter, when the fields are still yellowed and dormant. Before the butterflies have a chance to emerge, before the birds begin to lay their eggs, a tornado is spotted on the far horizon, darkening the sky, moving directly toward the two lovers. The wind has become a deadly force, hurling debris in all directions; a driving rain is threatening to turn the field into a lethal bog.

The weather has the power and ability to change the imagery against which your characters appear. It is more potent than wallpaper or a room's surroundings because the weather is alive.

After your climactic scene, the weather can set the stage for what lies ahead: the sun rising over the field, the warmth of the summer, the chirping of the birds, ushering in a new beginning. The character has made it through to the other side.

p.m.terrell is the internationally acclaimed, award-winning author of twelve books, including contemporary suspense/thrillers and historical adventure/suspense. You can learn more about her at www.pmterrell.com and the true stories behind her historical work at www.maryneely.com . She has joined the City of Lumberton to host Book 'Em North Carolina, an innovative Writers Conference and Book Fair, on February 25, 2012. Learn more about it and how you can participate at www.bookemnc.org .

Thanks so much for coming by today, Trish! I'm looking forward to attending Book 'Em in February. And what do y'all think about weather and what it adds to a setting and a story?

Blog Tour Thoughts

I think blog tours are wonderful.

How else can you promote your book, meet writers, reach readers worldwide, and get better Google rankings? For free?

I do some guest posting during the year on different blogs, but a tour is different—it's a concentrated effort and a lot of guest posts during a short period of time.

I've done a couple of blog tours and there are some things I think I do well and some things I'd have done differently.

Let's start out with what I could have improved. :)

Time: The release, very close to a deadline I had for another series, sneaked up on me. I think I gave enough time to my hosts to fit me into their schedule…but barely. And it would have been nice, on my side, to have had a little more time to write my posts.

If I'd thought ahead, maybe I'd have come up with a cool logo for a blog tour visual. I've seen some that other writers have done and thought they were really cool.

Reach: I think I do really well to reach out to writers. I know where writers are, I'm familiar with their blogs, I'm comfortable. Would it be better in the future to vary my tour and include some stops on mystery blogs that readers hit? Probably! I did help facilitate getting my book to some book bloggers, so I tried…I'd give myself a C there.

Where I did better

I posted on a variety of blogs, some of which might have been new to my regular followers.

I posted on topics that I thought would be interesting to readers and would get good play on Twitter and Facebook.

I tried to think of topics that would work best for my hosts' sites.

I tried to bring traffic over to my hosts' sites and be conscientious about responding to comments.

Important to remember:

Be sure to send buy-links for your book to your host.

Be sure to send head shots and cover pics to your host (some will want one or the other, not both…and I always picked my cover over my image.)

Write a pithy bio that tells a little about who you are and what you write.

You may want to check in with your hosts the day before to tell them you're looking forward to the post the following day (and possibly to remind them that it's supposed to run.)

If you're on Twitter or Facebook, post the link to your daily post and what the topic is that you're writing on.

How long can you keep up? Don't make your blog tour so long that you get exhausted with it.

Thank your hosts.

My thoughts on what blog tours accomplish:

I found new followers, even though I wasn't really posting.

I got a good amount of cover recognition and some author branding.

I did sell some books and meet some great writers.

Thanks again to my tour hosts! Below is a list of all my tour stops, my topics and the links to the posts:

8 Ways to Keep Your Series From Going Stale--Confessions of a Mystery Novelist: http://bit.ly/mu4cUf

A Mystery Writer's View of the World (and 6 Tips for Friends of Mystery Writers)--Thoughts in Progress: http://bit.ly/iHX0zW

Staying Encouraged During Querying--Author karen walker...following the whispers: http://bit.ly/jYaZKg

How to blog--17 tips--Anne R. Allen's Blog: http://bit.ly/mmcwKD

Hamish Macbeth--a huge writing inspiration for me--K.B. Owen, mystery writer: http://bit.ly/j6gB1R

Tips for writing sequels--Confessions of a Watery Tart: http://bit.ly/lzc6uT

Juggling Plots, Characters, Publishers and Editors…Keeping it All Straight--Official Blog of p.m.terrell: http://bit.ly/ju2YCv

Book promo--traditional and 21st century methods: Spunk on a Stick: http://bit.ly/lHHtOq

7 tips for writing away from home: A Million Blogging Monkeys: http://bit.ly/lQhMnf

What super powers would be useful for writers? Alex J. Cavanaugh: http://bit.ly/lYzFXM

7 tips for writing away from home: A Million Blogging Monkeys: http://bit.ly/lQhMnf

What super powers would be useful for writers? Alex J. Cavanaugh: http://bit.ly/lYzFXM

Tips for those tricky book middles--The Other Side of the Story: http://bit.ly/lYzFXM

The appeal of a small town setting--The Creative Penn: http://bit.ly/mi9jqr

Need to get to know your character? Spend a day with them--Penguin's blog: http://bit.ly/jB3B9Z

How to find writer resources--Jami Gold-- http://bit.ly/lPa9Fb

How secondary characters can help our story--The Daring Novelist: http://bit.ly/ko7mnW

6 Tips for Moving Your Story Forward: Penguin's Blog: http://bit.ly/lCyS8R

Writing schedules, writing setbacks--The Stiletto Gang: http://bit.ly/j01DPw

Generous Reviews (thank you!):

Confessions of a Watery Tart: http://bit.ly/m2Qcr2

Thoughts in Progress: http://bit.ly/j8vwAq

The Book Resort: http://bit.ly/lazEjf

Lesa's Book Critiques: http://bit.ly/iYu5QC

My Year on the Grill: http://bit.ly/lWO5Pd

Joe Barone's Blog: http://bit.ly/klDuGk

Anyone else have anything to add or thoughts/tips on blog tours?