Riley Adams's Blog, page 207

Twitterific

Here are writing links that I've posted to Twitter in the last week.

I'm delighted that now we have an efficient method of locating resources on writing topics when you need them—via the Writer's Knowledge Base search engine and software engineer and writer Mike Fleming's ingenuity. The links I tweet (which are writers' blogs, agents' and editors' blogs) all are added to the engine to make it easier for you to access the information you're looking for.

Interested in a monthly newsletter with the top writing articles, blogger spotlights, and interviews with industry insiders? Sign up for the free WKB newsletter here: http://hiveword.com/wkb/newsletter . (You can unsubscribe at any time, and your email information is never shared.)

4 distinct levels of competence in writing: http://bit.ly/fyLeBI

Would You Ever Turn Down a Contract? http://bit.ly/igiyeh @jamigold

Find the scriptwriters in your neighborhood: http://bit.ly/hTvynG

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Is there anything an egg can't do? http://bit.ly/eqv923

A few follies of Writerhood: http://bit.ly/eBoPnP

Thoughts on microfiction dark twist stories: http://bit.ly/exeXkc @camillelaguire

Quick public speaking tip : http://bit.ly/i9YH7u

Google alerts--how to set them up and why you need them: http://bit.ly/g98cbG @spunkonastick

Creativity Tweets of the Week – 4/8/11: http://bit.ly/ekqBCq @on_creativity

Plotbot Streamlines Scriptwriting: http://bit.ly/hrMeDu

Keep Characters True To Themselves: http://bit.ly/eYJprM

Best Articles This Week for Writers 4/8/11: http://bit.ly/ibSgYK @4kidlit

Proper Use of The Colon: http://bit.ly/g02QjC

Can Karma Help You Become a Better Writer? http://bit.ly/gRi9bt @jamigold

5 ways to see your manuscript with new eyes. http://bit.ly/ghtzJx @4kidlit

Want High Stakes? Amp up the Stress: http://bit.ly/fbnivd

5 revision tricks: http://bit.ly/ehQhhI

Do characters really need to be likeable? Maybe not: http://bit.ly/ijOx24 @JulietteWade

How to Find the Guts to Take a Leap: http://bit.ly/e4uYOx

An agent says: "Think of me as a conduit, not a gatekeeper." http://bit.ly/fHFi17 @jennybent

How to Survive a Writers Conference: Dos and Don'ts to making it out alive: http://bit.ly/dR3trb

This #FF follow these 12 Tweeters on Twitter http://exm.nr/eFctGl @SheWritesaLot

5 First Draft Tips: http://bit.ly/fxPRyK

Why readers buy books (and how to promote to these readers): http://bit.ly/ebYFjW

Why Agents Take So Long To Get Back To You: http://bit.ly/hdTe3L

Scriptwriters, know your story: http://bit.ly/i2HWZb

Top 5 Writing Tools: http://bit.ly/eiIz68

7 Overused Blog Habits That Look Amateurish: http://bit.ly/hmZZ3F

7 ways freelancers can make clients happy: http://bit.ly/ehJo7t

7 R's of Positivity for the Unpublished Novelist: http://bit.ly/f169Vo

The challenge of writing humor: http://bit.ly/faS5MM @alanorloff @mkinberg

7 Tips to sell your book on Kindle: http://bit.ly/gZNfz6

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Artichoke Dip inspired by Rick Bayless http://bit.ly/etBOLY

If I build it, will they come? http://bit.ly/hZWOww @authorguy

Morning Pages Experiment: One Year Later: http://bit.ly/fOwOBl

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: And the winner of the cheese knife is... http://bit.ly/hwxwb6

6 Reasons Why Romance Rocks: http://bit.ly/gnK01b @writeangleblog

Romantic comedy truisms: http://bit.ly/gBBX2P

The Better Mash-Up: An Exoneration of a New Literary Genre: http://bit.ly/g3KWjl

Worldbuilding Considerations Part One -- Setting: http://bit.ly/gH4jWN

Borders Plan for Recovery Is Described as Doubtful (NY Times): http://nyti.ms/h8CemJ

Not every writer enjoys a writing group: http://bit.ly/hV6Zsu

Description--Gestures and action tags: http://bit.ly/fnuzC1

5 Things a Bad Dog Can Teach You About Writing Good Copy: http://bit.ly/fXJjlc

The Right Time for a Critique Group: http://bit.ly/eN9XfL

A look at literary assistants: http://bit.ly/esYe9T

How Can Authors Reach (Non-Writer) Readers Online? http://bit.ly/grvAXC

Top 6 movies about writers: http://bit.ly/hd5YEr @cristinterrill

Talking plot: http://bit.ly/gBNAia @dirtywhitecandy @victoriamixon

Putting our characters in their place: http://bit.ly/hk32GQ

Kindle: http://huff.to/dV54m5

Writing book acknowledgments: http://bit.ly/hFcY03

67 Things to Remember When Writing: http://bit.ly/gpxlUP @cristinterrill

Orienting by marking insiders vs. outsiders: http://bit.ly/gtEuJp

Reading your novel backwards: http://bit.ly/fVFV7V

How to have an impressive book signing: http://workingwritersandbloggers.com/2011/04/06/how-to-have-a-book-signing-like-t-c-boyle/

Sculpting character: http://bit.ly/h0GFgj

4 Ways to Make Your Writing Schedule Work: http://bit.ly/fn2vAf

Finding Your Voice: http://bit.ly/gLBEdv

Revising by Color: http://bit.ly/ekuFgE

The Old-School Content Marketing Strategy That Scores Freelance Writing Clients: http://bit.ly/dFG68x

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: San Simon Prosciutto Appetizers http://bit.ly/hy2QR9

Story Structure - Four Acts in Erotic Romance: http://bit.ly/dFg1VS @SaschaIllyvich

10 tips for a great story: http://bit.ly/hrZvXB @SanguMandanna

Why Writer Friends Are Crucial: http://bit.ly/gRPHIu @4kidlit

Tips for realistically capturing a crisis: http://bit.ly/hZQDR1 @bluemaven

Think like a publisher--all about covers: http://bit.ly/gQ7Ljy

Self-editing checklist--consistency: http://bit.ly/hZ0o0p

Your Better Half: What Happens When One POV is Better? http://bit.ly/hvFk7m

3 Barriers You Must Eliminate to Maximize E-Book Sales: http://bit.ly/hEbl0K

Subtext: The Most Critical Tool in the Storyteller's Box: http://bit.ly/hwgMLc

TADA Method of Studying Character: http://bit.ly/fEiGpk

The Writer's Bane: Describing a Character's Physical Appearance: http://bit.ly/hhkFem

Are You Ready To Query? http://bit.ly/hWWvOe @writeangleblog

Why mechanics matter: http://bit.ly/ihIKEJ @ajackwriting

Acting lessons for writers--vulnerability: http://bit.ly/hJmshG @cristinterrill

Conference Surprises--Ah ha moments from SCBWI: http://bit.ly/dI0lts @WriteAngleBlog

Deliver the Payoff: http://bit.ly/gQDQbf

How to get your book reviewed – by avoiding book reviewers: http://bit.ly/ijOQpU

5 Ways to Make the Most of A Small Blog Audience: http://bit.ly/ijtMJH

How to write cool literature: http://bit.ly/glcFPj

The Learning Sequence and Why It Matters to Nonfiction Authors: http://bit.ly/hMVS80

Why Most Writers Are Blind to Their Own Faults: http://bit.ly/fnqpyV

The signs of a good independent editor: http://bit.ly/f3M7uw @victoriamixon

10 Tools for Author Success, #1 Have a Plan: http://bit.ly/gp1Tqe @SaschaIllyvich

Polishing Your Manuscript: Beyond the First Pages: http://bit.ly/gSJ4OM @yahighway

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Spaghetti and Meatballs—With Chili http://bit.ly/guDrer

Simple tips for the Christian writer: http://bit.ly/dKrrka

40 Questions You Need to Ask Every Copywriting Client: http://bit.ly/fZ2CS8

Mystery Writer's Guide To Forensic Science - DNA Profiling: http://bit.ly/hBOkur @clarissadraper

Survival Tips for the Newbie Writer: http://huff.to/dIEJRk

10 signs you're *not* in the writing zone: http://bit.ly/gDWcgI @elspethwrites

Past tense or present tense? http://bit.ly/f1OZtQ

Advice for Amanda Hocking from authors and agents: http://bit.ly/hVAtCX

Bring attention to your books with promo items: http://bit.ly/ho5C5I

What were this month's most popular writing articles? Sign up for the monthly WKB newsletter for links & interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1

Bringing Out Emotions in Your Scene: http://bit.ly/fM4OeP

Things to do after getting an agent: http://bit.ly/erK6tS

Description 911: Over Expressed Emotions: http://bit.ly/eMeiq8

Why Understanding Conflict Will Make You A Better Writer: http://bit.ly/gw0aMY @bubblecow

Back to basics--writing to a certain length: http://bit.ly/fugsVe

6 Benefits of Agent Representation: http://bit.ly/gQ2ZRz @writeangleblog

Acting lessons for writers--physicality: http://bit.ly/gra6KM @cristinterrill

Preparing for a book club talk: http://bit.ly/egJO7d

3 Questions to Ask Before You Jump on the Indie Publishing Bandwagon: http://bit.ly/hHyTs8

Writing battles: http://bit.ly/haQVwE

4 Ways to Avoid the Pitfalls of a Writer's Solitude: http://bit.ly/hdIdbq

Ambiguity and Anchoring in Fantasy Contexts: http://bit.ly/if9K4S

Think Like A Publisher #5… Some Basics on Production: http://bit.ly/ecwIBy

4 questions to ask about eccentric characters: http://bit.ly/hSYvB3 @flawritersconf

Busted!—Janet Fitch and her unlikable character, Part 2: http://bit.ly/hnnEJz

The new rules for self-publishing: http://bit.ly/ehzTx3

National Poetry Month: http://bit.ly/gHXzGI

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Supernatural Sticky Wings from Cleo Coyle http://bit.ly/hEJ268

Lemmings are cute, but sometimes they just don't think: http://bit.ly/efLCKE @hopeclark

Time to Unclutter Your Manuscript? http://bit.ly/dX166U

I See No Possible Way How This Incredible Cover Letter Could Ever Fail: http://bit.ly/fLXwiI

Never "just description": making description subjective: http://bit.ly/hJ0aWF

5 Writing Tools to Carry in a Conspiring Universe: http://bit.ly/hzefIS

Tiny beginnings--how one writer starts a novel: http://bit.ly/fmzunT

Exploring an Issue for Coherence: http://bit.ly/gekpmw

On creating your press kit: http://bit.ly/hEu6Lq

7 Microsoft Word tricks for writers: http://bit.ly/hvFilv

Paragraphs past and present: http://bit.ly/gz929p

Put your secondary world to the test: http://bit.ly/eraVlN

Agent research: http://bit.ly/fxC1I4 @WriteAngleBlog

How To Create Sympathetic Characters: http://bit.ly/dPfmfd

7 Dos and 7 Don'ts for New Bloggers: http://bit.ly/fpoJwP

New ways to read blog posts: http://bit.ly/dJwkda

Writing for Survival: http://bit.ly/dLabYE

The Secret of Subtext: http://bit.ly/fmDPkB

5 Ways to Persevere Through Blogging Slumps: http://bit.ly/hbPoXE

Freelance writing jobs: Top 10 places to find quality work: http://bit.ly/fX7Ds8

Self-Publishing: 9 Things To Know Before You Make the Leap: http://bit.ly/gCQq6d

4 Top Book Formatting Mistakes to Avoid: http://bit.ly/eA7GuH

Aliens on book covers--human fears transferred into depictions of extraterrestrials: http://bit.ly/egS51V

10 of the best teeth in literature (Guardian): http://bit.ly/f2KIWr

WriterDesign: Installing WordPress: http://bit.ly/epkfpV

Best underground lairs in SF and Fantasy: http://on.io9.com/g5FiFh

The Difference Between Copyediting and Proofreading: http://bit.ly/fMdwYz

What your 1st love and your 1st book have in common: http://bit.ly/dS8F68

Setting in tone: http://bit.ly/fFNIai

3 Reasons Your Blogging Resolutions Are Doomed to Fail: http://bit.ly/eJMKWk

How to launch any product (incl. books) using social media: http://on.mash.to/gb3MPL

A writer on what being a published author is like (and what's surprised her): http://bit.ly/e7mjfb

The Ubiquitous, Wandering It: http://bit.ly/fT0XXo

What You Need to Write Right: http://bit.ly/gaDJnJ

Wanted: One Character Willing to Work With No Questions Asked: http://bit.ly/eJsPxL

Preparing for publication: writing your book's premise and synopsis: http://bit.ly/hML4P7

Sustaining curiosity: http://bit.ly/es8wRl @RavenRequiem13

Wanna be a writer… need credibility: http://bit.ly/eCfWjo @mjcache

Are You Ready To Query? http://bit.ly/hWWvOe @WriteAngleBlog

Yes, I Am Original! http://bit.ly/gVlGgD @ellaschwartz

Tips for Writer's Block: http://bit.ly/dQUfWy @WriteTime2

For Career Authors, Staying Published is the Real Challenge: http://huff.to/hjbiGg

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: The 1,200 Calorie Nightmare http://bit.ly/hRepim

Getting the most from a writer's conference: http://bit.ly/hWFvmi

Hitting it big and how to do it: http://bit.ly/hd8NdJ

Avoid the Poison Apple: http://bit.ly/fVovu1

Nice weekly roundup for historical writers: http://bit.ly/h2emXA @2nerdyhistgirls

How To Stop Your Creative Muse Walking Out And Cheating On You: http://bit.ly/eWFjxz

Affording to Write

My son is interested in guitar lessons so I called up a teacher that our friends were using for their son's lessons.

The guitarist and I talked for a little while about scheduling the classes. "Actually," he said, "I'm at the point where gas prices are so high that I am thinking about not driving around to students' houses, but have them to come to mine."

Still trying to work these lessons into our weekly craziness, I asked him where he lived. He hesitated, then mentioned a neighborhood that admittedly doesn't have the best reputation and was a good 30 minute drive from here.

"It's not as bad a place as you think," he said quickly. "The neighborhood is pretty safe. You really wouldn't have to worry about your son here. My wife and I are both artists, so we're just living where we can afford. And I'm holding down three jobs right now and still can't make ends meet."

"Oh, I totally understand," I said. "I'm a writer."

He laughed. "So you're scraping by, too."

"Not even! But I'm luckily married to someone who isn't an artist, so I've got a personal patron of the arts."

It's a sad fact that most writers, artists, and musicians don't make enough to live on. I get asked a couple of times a month if it's possible to make a living writing books. It isn't for me. But maybe if you're writing a blockbuster book or if you end up with a TV or book deal, or if you write a lot of midlist books in a year (and are getting royalties on your backlist)…yeah, you could do it. But I still don't think it's a great living. It makes for nice additional income. Do you have children? Need health insurance? You probably shouldn't even consider leaving your day job.

To get a hint at what most YA, romance (and, I'll add—mystery) writers are making for books, here is Brenda Hiatt's famous "Show Me the Money" post where authors have anonymously written in to tell their advances, etc.

How do most artists get by? If they're not married to someone who can support them, they have a day job.

You could even find a writing-related day job. I've had those in the past. I'll still occasionally submit articles to one of those weekly or monthly free local periodicals that you'll see in restaurants and coffee shops, just to keep my hand in it. But I've worked for them full-time before, too—you can write articles, sell ads, etc.

There are a lot of writers I know who teach—either part time or full-time.

I know quite a few writers who also freelance. I know a couple of journalists, too.

It's probably more fun for a writer to find a writing-related day job, but it doesn't have to be that way, either. And one writer believes that you shouldn't feel pressured to find a high-paying, prestigious day job, either. I read an interesting post a week or so ago: In Praise of Crummy Day Jobs, on the Genreality blog.

In the post, author Carrie Vaughn mentions that many writers overlook the fact that they don't have to find and hold down a career-track kind of job…they can find an hourly-pay gig and then come home and write. She wrote:

The thing about all these jobs: I rarely had to work overtime. They weren't difficult. I usually came home ready to write. In fact, especially at the book store, I'd jot down notes about the current work in progress throughout the day, shove them in my pocket, and in the evening come home, pull out all the notes, and write.

There's a lot of truth to hackneyed sayings…and 'starving artist' definitely isn't too far off the mark.

Although making time to write involves sacrifice, the nice thing about writing as compared with some of the other arts, is that we can easily slip a notebook into a laptop bag or a purse. We can write a couple of sentences here and there. Harder to do that when you're lugging around a harp or a baritone or a canvas.

How do you work writing into your life?

Quick Tip for Public Speaking—Ask a Question

The book club meeting went really well yesterday—there was a great group in attendance and the museum where we were meeting was a great facility.

The format was for me to give a talk to the group first, followed by a Q&A section.

I always like to be really well-prepared when I give a talk—well, actually, I just like to be well-prepared for everything. In the past, this has meant that I put everything on note cards. While I didn't read off the note cards (because that would be incredibly boring for everyone in attendance), I've always memorized my cards.

This time I used a great tip that I came across recently (and I wish I remembered where I read it.) This time I still had my paper with me, but I had a list of questions on it. Questions that I, of course, knew the answers to.

If you ask a list of questions, then answer them, your speech will sound more natural and relaxed. And—you still have a paper to go off of in case you lose your way.

So instead of note cards that detail what I'm going to say, my paper would say:

When did you start writing books?
Why did you choose mysteries to write?
How did you find your first publisher?
When is your next release?

That kind of thing. It worked out really well because I stayed on track but sounded more casual because my speech was less-rehearsed.

Have you got any public speaking tips? I'm always looking for new ways to improve because public speaking definitely doesn't come naturally to me. :)

Acknowledgments

I have to admit that I enjoy reading author acknowledgments.

These days, a book is really a collaborative effort between a lot of different people operating behind the scenes. At least, these folks are behind the scenes until they're put on the acknowledgments page of a book. :)

These pages were really useful for me when I was researching publishers and agents—because agents and editors are always thanked (or should be) by published writers.

Now I think they're just fun to read. For me, they're a window into the writer's world and the people who are part of it. Plus, it's usually the only personal note directly from the author. For that reason, I've always enjoyed reading them.

The acknowledgments can be tricky for me. I want to make sure I haven't left anyone out, but I also don't want to go on and on as if the page was an Academy Award speech.

There's usually a little list I try to go through in my head to make sure I haven't left anyone out:

Agent
Editor
Agent assistant or Editorial assistants (anyone I know by name)
Anyone who helped with research/sources
Family who put up with me while I was writing. :)
First readers
Writing mentors
People (teachers, etc.) who provided encouragement or support

Do you read the acknowledgments in books? Can you think of any other people who should be included in a list of whom to thank?

The Pleasure of Writing

I've been absolutely slammed with activity the last couple of weeks and it doesn't look like it's letting up until maybe another week down the road.

I was running errands on Monday when I remembered my son had asked me to pick up some nonfiction books for a paper he's writing on typhoid and the American Civil War, so I made a detour into the library.

I pulled out a bunch of books and was about to check them out and scurry off again for more errands when I noticed how peaceful the library was. It was about 11:00 in the morning and there were only adults quietly reading or researching on the second floor of the Morrison Library. I pulled out my notebook from my pocketbook and took a seat.

And just like that (and I'm not a sentimental person) but the craziness of the past week melted away and I felt complete joy.

The funny thing is that I can't really explain why writing is so enjoyable. It's almost like I'm a kid again—pretending. That was fun, too. Except that, as a grown-up, you can't actively go around making things up and pretending….unless you're a writer. Then it's allowed—and encouraged.

Sometimes, the writing isn't as fun. Sometimes the deadlines and the promo and the worry over the story make me forget the fun. Sometimes writing is tedious. Sometimes I'm scared to death that the ideas won't come as obligingly as they always have. Sometimes I look at my publishing contracts and think that I'm just a business person after all, and not a creative person.

To forget the bad parts, when I feel that surge of---well, it's almost an endorphin rush of elation, I remember it. I hold onto it. Ultimately, the reason I keep on writing is my love of writing. The left-brained part of the equation is a more calculated plan involving the readers and what the readers would enjoy reading. That's important, too. But it's my love of writing that keeps me going.

The headlines have been rough lately for writers—bookstores closing, confusing choices to make, a changing future for books. What I keep going back to is the writing itself.

Because even a bad day writing is better than a good day spent doing most other things.

What keeps you writing?

Preparing for a Book Club Talk

In a couple of days, I'm speaking to a book club about my book, Pretty is as Pretty Dies.

It's been a bit of a busy week with field trips, birthday parties, and other activities. So now I'm trying to make sure I'm ready to talk to the book club.

For me, it's all about preparation whenever I'm speaking in public. If I'm not prepared or don't feel like I'm prepared, I'll definitely get flustered.

There are usually two different types of book clubs that I've come across. One type is very casual and you sit in a circle with the other members and engage in the general discussion. The other type is more structured—you'd give a talk about the book or writing or both, followed by a question and answer session.

It's good to know what to expect before you go. This sounds like a no-brainer, but I've been surprised before by groups that functioned as covered-dish suppers/book clubs and felt like I should have brought something (although I was assured I didn't need to.) You might want to ask if you should prepare a talk (and on what subject), or if it will be a more laid-back program.

I never charge a book club for an appearance—to me, it's enough that they've bought my book. But I usually have to regret if the club meeting is too far away…travel expenses have definitely gone up.

I bring small things to give away—bookmarks, magnets, postcards, pencils, etc., Candy is always popular. :) Sometimes I'll bring something larger--a door-prize type gift that I pull out of a hat.

If you have a newsletter, you could bring a signup sheet to collect emails to notify readers of your upcoming releases, etc. Be sure you're being upfront that the list is for a newsletter…and that they can unsubscribe whenever they'd like.

Carry the address of the venue with you and the organizer's cell phone number. Frequently the club meetings are in someone's house and it's easy to get lost. I'll program the address in my GPS, but I have a backup on paper—and I keep the organizer's cell phone number close by, just in case.

Look nice. I usually am dressed nicer than everyone else, but it makes me feel better than being underdressed. And if I dress well, the book club members know that I treated their meeting like a special event and dressed accordingly.

Review your book before you go. Or your cheat sheet on the book. I have a Word document that covers characters and plot twists in great detail. It's easy for me to forget things, especially when I'm under a little pressure. And the book club will have just read the book. It's not good for them to know more about the book than we do!

The questions I get from book clubs are different from the questions I get from writers. (I receive more questions about the book's characters—are they based on real people? What do those people think of my books? etc). I'm prepared to talk more in depth about my characters and their motivations. I'm also prepared to talk about small plot points in the book.

The book club might find hidden meaning in your book…that you didn't intend. I usually just smile and nod when this happens. :) Who knows—maybe I subconsciously included symbolism?

People may challenge you on your book. I think this has happened at every book club meeting I've ever been to. If you're speaking to a big group (15-20 people or more), then you really need to expect some criticism from someone.

Someone may not like a character or might find a continuity error or could disagree with a position they think you're taking in the book. I just roll with it and don't take it personally. Remind yourself going in that you're not there to get defensive about your book…you're discussing it. Most times everyone is very nice, even if they're bringing up a point they didn't like or a problem they had. The more professionally we can handle this kind of situation, the better we look in the end.

They will ask what you're working on next. Practice a succinct summary. If you're writing the first part of your draft or would rather not talk about your book, you could just briefly answer that you're working on a follow-up to the book they read, or that you're working on a new project that's very different from the one they just finished.

Bring extra books. If you have other books, bring them, too. Sometimes, book club members will ask you to sign a book for them to give as a gift. You'll also need to bring ones, in case you need to make change.

I enjoy book clubs because they're frequently the only times I get to meet with readers in person (conferences are mainly made up of writers). Have you talked to book clubs before? Got any additional tips?

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Interested in a monthly newsletter with the top writing articles, blogger spotlights, and interviews with industry insiders? Sign up for the free WKB newsletter here: http://hiveword.com/wkb/newsletter . (You can unsubscribe at any time, and your email information is never shared.)

On Dialect

On Saturday, my son had a paintball party for his 14th birthday. The paintball fields were run by a company in a rural area about 45 minutes from Charlotte.

While we were out there, there was another group playing simultaneously—a group of 12 year old girls from a private school in the Charlotte area.

One of the girls from the other group had a problem with her paintball gun and handed it to the referee, an employee for the paintball company.

He fiddled with it for a while, then called her over. What he said (and the cigarette dangling out of his mouth didn't help, either) sounded like this: "It ain't dooin' it no moah."

"Excuse me?" the 12 year old private school girl asked.

He repeated it.

"I'm sorry…could you say that again?" I could tell she was listening very, very hard now.

He repeated it. The same way without trying a different approach.

"I'm sorry?" She looked at me for help translating.

"It's fixed," I said.

I don't know if it was the double-negative, the ain't, the poor grammar, his very thick Southern accent, or the cigarette, but she couldn't understand a word the young man said.

The fact that she had to work that hard and still couldn't figure out what he was saying perfectly illustrates my reasoning for not writing (much) Southern dialect in my very Southern books.

I think it's best to go light on dialect and instead try using phrases, idioms, and word choices that locals of an area would use. For me, I'd rather stick with the rhythm of Southern speech (it has a definite lilt and pattern) than take a stab at phonetic spelling (which would be really tiresome for a reader.)

Yes, Southerners drop consonants like crazy. A Southern drawl can string out a short word into an 8 syllable one.

It would get old to read. And pulls the reader out of the story.

Why use dialect when there are so many other ways to convey the feel of a region?

Better to use vocabulary choices that Southerners would use: pocketbook instead of purse, tote instead of carry, buggy instead of cart, cut off instead of turn off.

Better to just say that a character speaks in a thick accent and show other characters struggling to understand them.

Better to include Southern foods and drinks to convey a sense of the South: grits, gravy, biscuits, barbeque, sweet tea, bourbon.

Better to show the slower pace of the South by writing about characters on screened porches in rocking chairs.

Better to detail unusual or interesting Southern customs surrounding funerals, family gatherings, and other special occasions.

Do you have trouble reading dialect? How do you convey a sense of your region in your writing?

Twitterific

Here are writing links that I've posted to Twitter in the last week.

I'm delighted that now we have an efficient method of locating resources on writing topics when you need them—via the Writer's Knowledge Base search engine and software engineer and writer Mike Fleming's ingenuity. The links I tweet (which are writers' blogs, agents' and editors' blogs) all are added to the engine to make it easier for you to access the information you're looking for.

Interested in a monthly newsletter with the top writing articles, blogger spotlights, and interviews with industry insiders? Sign up for the free WKB newsletter here: http://hiveword.com/wkb/newsletter . (You can unsubscribe at any time, and your email information is never shared.)

3 Layers of 'Layering' in Fiction: http://bit.ly/hu97Ct

Will They or Won't They? Plotting With Yes or No Questions: http://bit.ly/igYkCB

Desk Fitness: A Series of 11 Simple Stretches for Writers: http://bit.ly/dGBDIy

An agent on: What the Fiction Editor Looks For: http://bit.ly/gQ0Wna

7 Books on Writing for Every Writer: http://huff.to/hEGNOh

Is Your Procrastination Misdiagnosed? http://bit.ly/fiqaTM

The Art of Handling Criticism Gracefully: http://zenhabits.net/criticism/

Honor Your Readers, Hire an Editor: http://huff.to/hzJjb5

3 Writing Lessons I Learned from an Elementary School Field Trip: http://bit.ly/gNMwDh

Good Cop, Bad Cop of the Digital Future: http://bit.ly/hscKZR

Why you need to make yourself completely unavailable: http://bit.ly/hAfyoE

Query Tips: Knowledge Gleaned From Years of Stalking Agent Blogs: http://bit.ly/eAqQt6 @WriteAngleBlog

How to Get Reviews for Self-Published Books: http://bit.ly/eaR0rN

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: AWFUL FOOD http://bit.ly/fD5bGW @CleoCoyle

It's just make-believe: http://bit.ly/hmgsoU @rachellynes

Eliminating Often Used Words: http://bit.ly/fUShzy

Magical Words and Amusement Parks: http://bit.ly/dLFR5a

Tools For Writers: 14 Free Alternatives To Microsoft Word: http://bit.ly/fRH5i5 @bubblecow

Some thoughts on mystery reading and writing: http://bit.ly/f1dssc

Dummies guide to publishing an ebook on Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords: http://bit.ly/hRAdIg

Creativity Tweets of the Week – 4/1/11: http://bit.ly/hT3wpT @on_creativity

Fear Management for Storytellers: http://bit.ly/ghUw9y

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

The most important problem for publishers to solve over the next 10 years: http://bit.ly/gUElZj

Kurt Vonnegut Story Grids for Writing & Editing: http://bit.ly/gmQPCe

A List of Literary Rejections: http://bit.ly/gJgxaA

Establishing An Author Presence on Social Networking Sites: http://bit.ly/i4mHTa

2 sides to motivation: http://bit.ly/fapEor @WriteAngleBlog

Taxes and the Expenses Related to the Business of Writing: http://bit.ly/fbHMkb @hopeclark

Grammar Blip: The Serial Comma: http://bit.ly/g8YV3r @mesummerbooks

Formatting tips for Scrivener 2.x: http://bit.ly/gGQKBc

Publishing expert @janefriedman on the future of publishing http://bit.ly/ibHzVf & her new e-release: http://bit.ly/gbh8Y6

Why Looking at the "Big Picture" Can Be Bad: http://bit.ly/hvUDCa

8 Great Fantasy Cities: http://bit.ly/hMfSzr

Writing the breakout novel: Part 6--voice: http://bit.ly/hk19FB

A look at libraries in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/fLVLyB @mkinberg

Ask Your Characters Some Tough Questions: http://bit.ly/ecpKq7

And The Winner Is ... Brevity: http://bit.ly/fijpVK

An Agent On Why "No" Comes Quickly...But "Yes" Seems to Take Forever: http://bit.ly/gKbj8V

4 Key Self-Publishing Categories: http://bit.ly/dV0DBN

An Erotica Writer's Manifesto: http://bit.ly/fAx3RX @WriteAngleBlog

Of Spatting Gods, Extraordinarily Heavy Laptops, Flights, Quests, Contests, Archetypes, Stuff Like That: http://bit.ly/fkoBaj

Finding the Inspiration to Write: 10 Tips for Immediate Results: http://bit.ly/gT7H9Z

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Ruby Glazed Cornish Hens on warm spinach salad http://bit.ly/fdYS7z @CleoCoyle

10 Steps for Editing Your Own Writing: http://bit.ly/h9evKy

Writers must be resilient enough to handle rejection and long waits: http://bit.ly/hv5xrA @wendypmiller

Published authors offer advice to their pre-published selves: http://bit.ly/gtjitp

How to Leave the Best Comment in the History of the Web: http://bit.ly/hH4yCI

Choose Your Own Adventure—Plotting Solutions When You're Stuck : http://bit.ly/gvrr92

DIY MFA chats and general info on Twitter chats: http://bit.ly/i2jeTt

10 New Twitter Tools That Will Make Your Life Easier: http://bit.ly/gizYvL

In the Company of Debut Writers: http://bit.ly/fYIf6o

How not to handle bad reviews (Guardian): http://bit.ly/ikAhia

7 Cheat Sheet Resources For Your Blocked Blogging Brain: http://bit.ly/hvB18M

How to speak publisher - B is for Black plate: http://bit.ly/hfjgmX

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

Real Writers Aren't "Aspiring": http://bit.ly/eSVPgv

A Bucket List for Writers: http://bit.ly/hqZ472

The need for your protagonist to have someone to love and someone to hate: http://bit.ly/hCI3Bl

Writing the breakout novel: : Part 5 - A Vivid Setting: http://bit.ly/gRS18s

Book Marketing: Your Online Press Kit: http://bit.ly/gSgEcn

The Five C's Of Creating A Likeable Protagonist: http://bit.ly/gkvswX @ajackwriting

4 Useful Twitter Automation Tools and How to Use Them: http://bit.ly/hWOf1F

Getting Started with Barnes & Noble's Pubit!—A Mini-Tutorial: http://bit.ly/emQuvO

How to Do a Structural Edit on Your Book: http://bit.ly/e1cs4u

How to Write and Publish the (almost) Perfect Book: http://huff.to/fEtSIm

Shhh; When A Reaction To Your Work Really Means: Shut Up! http://bit.ly/hFntin

Your Book Launch: Soft or Hard? http://bit.ly/e1to2n

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Red Potatoes with Cheddar http://bit.ly/ijoiou @CleoCoyle

Finding Something When You've Got Nothing: http://bit.ly/eZ67Ik

Plotting Method: The Blind Men and the Elephant: http://bit.ly/g5KPKF

5 signs you left your heart on your pages: http://bit.ly/fVsAEO

Just Say No to Everyone But the Voices in Your Head: http://huff.to/e6NTUo

Social Media for Authors: Start Slow: http://bit.ly/gHsWyY

How to Create an e-Book in 7 steps: http://bit.ly/gCygFW

Three Story Skills that Self-Published Novelists Need: http://bit.ly/hDoQBE

4 Links To Overcome Publishing Despair: http://bit.ly/ecLyZP

3 ways to know your novel's great before you even write it: http://bit.ly/fN2yA1 @jammer0501

Top 10 hashtags for writers on Twitter: http://bit.ly/i3kFpy & some for fun: http://bit.ly/gXr8JK

5 Tips for Writing Better Settings: http://bit.ly/fX12OJ

The 4 Cs of Grading Your Story Like a Diamond: http://bit.ly/eDrIzl

The 10 Commandments of the Successful Author: http://bit.ly/h10F7e

Traditional vs. Self Publishing: How Much Does the Debate Matter? http://bit.ly/eG2GBz #jamigold

7 tips for rising above rejection: http://bit.ly/eRurEa

Writing the breakout novel: Part 4 - A Deeply Felt Theme: http://bit.ly/fXAyy0

How to Increase Your Novel's Word Count: http://bit.ly/fGPuQ5

Standing up for libraries: http://bit.ly/fSgRX9

The Editor's Hat – 11 Tips for Your Second Draft: http://bit.ly/idjFBc

Breakdown of a terrific first chapter: http://bit.ly/hpzMma

The Path to Publication: http://bit.ly/dYcqTf

7 Questionable, Yet Widely Accepted Devices in SciFi: http://bit.ly/i7SM2x

What's it like going to the iPad2 release? http://bit.ly/g28qx0 @ipadgirl

Creative Confidence: http://bit.ly/f1434O

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Quick Bacon and Mushroom Pasta http://bit.ly/hteo3F @CleoCoyle

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

Building your fantasy world – Fantasy Creatures part 3: http://bit.ly/gXhSy0

Story Structure vs Voice in YA: http://bit.ly/g5WPaW

Creating a Steampunk World is Not as Easy as It Might Seem: http://bit.ly/gfGeck

Foolproof Ways to Attract Your First 1,000 Blog Subscribers: http://bit.ly/hUxGl6

Mystery Writer's Guide To Forensic Science - Collecting Evidence VII: http://bit.ly/eVrOKR @clarissadraper

Quick and Dirty World Building: http://bit.ly/htvm8b

Spring Forward! 5 Writing Exercises to Season The Poetic Muse: http://bit.ly/gX2PVd

Deep POV: http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2011/03/deep-point-of-view-part-two.html

What were this month's most popular writing articles? Sign up for the monthly WKB newsletter for links & interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1

Tips for chapter writing: http://bit.ly/eX52ds

4 ways to use the Myers-Briggs personality types in your novels: http://bit.ly/fyRZWL @p2p_editor

8 Keys to Self-Publishing Success: http://bit.ly/gjufWx

Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing: Which Way Will You Make More Money? http://bit.ly/dKIGKD

Do you love your characters enough to torture them? http://bit.ly/heXPVf @authorterryo

Thoughts on whether writers should write to a genre or "dumb down" their books, if requested: http://bit.ly/gWs9iQ

Visuals of our characters: http://bit.ly/f3ZFfD

Surviving Edits in 12 Easy Steps – advice from an editor: http://bit.ly/idka3D

10 Reasons Writers Might Drink: http://bit.ly/gjlfWD @elspethwrites

4 things not to do at an agent panel: http://bit.ly/gOi305

You THINK it's on the Page, but … NOT! (Making sure our writing is clear for our readers): http://bit.ly/hUxbSY

The Beauty of Things Unsaid (Advice for the 2nd Draft): http://bit.ly/g0iK2f

Writing the breakout novel: Part 3 - A High Stakes Plot: http://bit.ly/hjw4SO

What exactly goes into Act I anyway? http://bit.ly/h3qKbA

10 Steps to Secure Your WordPress Blog From Hackers: http://bit.ly/fIfjzy

10 Reasons Why You Should be Blogging: http://bit.ly/hICrU0

6 Reasons Google Books Failed (NY Review of Books): http://bit.ly/g7vyEk

Avoiding the conditional in our writing: http://bit.ly/gM0aVg

Info on and tips for the RWA National conference: http://bit.ly/eJ0Pc9

Interview with Mark Coker, Creator of Smashwords: http://bit.ly/gFRZ3o

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Maple Madness: Smoky-Sweet Maple Vinaigrette from Cleo Coyle http://bit.ly/gfU1VT @CleoCoyle

A gift to the muse: http://bit.ly/f2MGqM

In praise of crummy day jobs: http://bit.ly/dJNcJq

Introducing the villain: http://bit.ly/eSQmvV

What one writer has learned from judging writing contests: http://bit.ly/honTuF

Resource roundup for historical fiction: http://bit.ly/dLOQwO

How to form a quick revision list for your weaknesses: http://bit.ly/eGDxSl

Tips for restless writers: http://bit.ly/fojZJt

Building a Magic System for Your World: http://bit.ly/e8wsnl

10 steps for growing novel-sized story ideas: http://bit.ly/fIgFTP

The Death of the New York Times Book Review? http://huff.to/eBU56v

The #scriptfrenzy challenge--30 days. 100 pages. Held during April. Info: http://bit.ly/fOOucc and daily inspiration: http://bit.ly/ez57jE

Like With Like = Great Story Flow: http://bit.ly/h2UDs0

A Million Ways Not to Write a Book: http://bit.ly/eKWDSR

Have faith – there is a book at the end of the tunnel: http://bit.ly/fLKh5X

Writing the breakout novel: Part 2 - Larger-than-life characters: http://bit.ly/hbDBpB

Should writers follow screenwriting tricks? http://bit.ly/fjhveY

Tips for writing sequels: http://bit.ly/fPKxLB

Recap of a forensics panel from the Left Coast Crime conference: http://bit.ly/ezYgC8 @authorterryo

10 Lessons One Writer Learned From Her Dog: http://bit.ly/eMmMkQ

Self-Publishing: Carnival of the Indies: http://bit.ly/f54b3U

Why Writers Should Take Their Own Advice: http://bit.ly/esRFrg

What's the Use In Writing? More Than You Think: http://bit.ly/gyN77B

Becoming a Freelance Writer? 10 Keys to a Busy Writing Career: http://bit.ly/hbE31d

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Carrot Purée http://bit.ly/eDTcyL @CleoCoyle

An agent's list of pet peeves: http://bit.ly/dFeVhe

Rules for Short, Effective Emails (writers usually get this concept...but nice to forward to friends who don't) :) http://bit.ly/efOSm3

For scriptwriters--Loglines and how to write them: http://bit.ly/eb0YDV

How to Enrich Your Descriptions: http://bit.ly/dZ26Zo

Top 50 Literary Magazines: http://bit.ly/g3ggIC

How To Deal With Rejection: http://bit.ly/hDDJNU

Key Story Elements: Opening Image: http://bit.ly/fNta7F

Self-Promotion as an Act of Generosity: http://bit.ly/emaW5d

Twitterific--the week in tweets: http://bit.ly/gUo3EJ

How to Become a Copy Editor: http://bit.ly/dX6MVx

The 5 best unfollow apps and why you should use them: http://bit.ly/g12KvQ

The Case of the Best-Selling Author (Mary Higgins Clark--WSJ): http://on.wsj.com/eZGKg0

Royalty-free music for book trailers: http://bit.ly/eYxFr2

Write Scenes Rather Than Reports: http://bit.ly/fhUizi

Subconscious Storytelling: http://bit.ly/hSkfY6 #amrwiting @storiestorm

21 Excuses for Why Your Novel Isn't Finished Yet: http://bit.ly/dOHYNe

Writing a breakout novel: Part 1 – An Inspired Concept: http://bit.ly/hhUWxo

Creating the best-worst character. Do you need to? http://bit.ly/eeDCIB

How to Organize a Writers' Night. Loosely. http://bit.ly/dIuVAV

Authors reveal the secrets of their craft (Guardian): http://bit.ly/i1ukfy

WriterDesign: Domain & Web Hosting: http://bit.ly/f2wU5n

The Essential Zen Habits of 2010: http://zenhabits.net/zh2010/

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Welcome Guest Blogger - Libby Fischer Hellmann! http://bit.ly/gEIVQT @CleoCoyle

5 Ways Romance Can Enhance Your YA Story: http://bit.ly/f0zXXI

Storytelling for Business Bloggers: http://bit.ly/h09WNL @victoriamixon

How To Fill Out Flat Secondary Characters: http://bit.ly/g8CdWq @ajackwriting

How to Write Horror: http://bit.ly/eRh2cL

Want to get up earlier to write? 25 Ways To Wake Up Early: http://bit.ly/fcFLEK

Now with over 7000 links to help #writers find resources: http://bit.ly/dYRayA

Pouring Cold Water on the Kindle-ing: http://bit.ly/gq5nFm

3 Writing Lessons I Learned from an Elementary School Field Trip

I was a chaperone all day Thursday for the 4th grade field trip to Raleigh, North Carolina, our state capital.

It was a long day, but a lot of fun.  The kids in my group were great. And I did learn a little along the way (and not just about state government.)

Lesson 1: Remember that our culture isn't static.  Even small references to "modern" society can date our book. 

At one point in the trip, I was the traffic cop at the girls' restroom—letting several in when several came out.  Or, at least, that was the general idea.  But no one was coming out of the restroom at all and soon I heard sounds of great consternation coming from within: "Mrs. Craig!  Mrs. Craig!"

I ran in, thinking the worst.  The girls were standing there with soap dripping from their hands.  "The sinks are all broken!" they cried out.

Well, no, they weren't.  But the plumbing in this particular building was from the 1960s.  These were faucets you had to turn.  And there was a hot faucet and a cold faucet.  These girls—now y'all, this shocks me too—were expecting to hold their hands under the faucet and have the water automatically turn on.  If the faucet wasn't a Delta style or a lever style or didn't automatically turn on, then they didn't know how to work them. 

This is the generation we're writing for, too.  And their kids. Because our books will live forever in digital format.

Lesson 2: Be willing to change our game plan to make the reader's experience better.

We were touring our state's Museum of Natural Science.  I had 6 kids in my group and 4 floors of the museum to tour in about 1 hour.  Everyone else had started on the bottom floor to work their way up, so I started at the top to work our way down.

We'd seen the butterfly room, the arthropod zoo, the dinosaur exhibit, the mountains-to-the-sea exhibit, and were just heading to the escalator to see the 1st floor exhibit last.  Another adult came up, "Did your group see the reptiles on the 3rd floor?  There are staffers there who are letting the kids touch the snakes."

Well, of course we went back upstairs. The children just loved those snakes.  Between petting the snakes and washing our hands afterward, we never did tour the first floor.  But the snakes were the highlight of the trip for the children, as they told their parents, later. 

There might be a point in our book where an idea comes to us on improving our book for our readers. These ideas usually come to me in the third quarter of my first draft.  Sometimes this results in a drastic plot restructuring. It can be a lot of work to change the game plan, but ultimately, it's worth it for the readers.

Lesson 3:  Remember our audience.

It was the very end of a long day of touring.  We'd been to 2 museums, the capitol building, and were finally in the legislative building. 

The children were exhausted and the tour guide was being very detailed about the legislative building design and cost. (The building was a sort of 1960s style Art Deco Revival.) She was using big words that I likely wouldn't even write, since I have a folksy voice in my books.  The children, literally, were falling asleep—nodding off as she droned on.

She wasn't engaging the children.  She wasn't making the experience interesting or fun for them.  So…she lost them. 

When we're writing a book, it's fine to use academic language—if we're writing for academics or writing a textbook.  But a more conversational, engaging style works better for many books.  We want our readers to enjoy themselves enough to keep reading, after all.

I learned a whole lot of other stuff, too.  If you give a 9 year old girl a digital camera, she'll take a picture of just about everything in a museum. :)

Have you made any discoveries about writing lately? 

***********

Interested in a monthly newsletter with the top writing articles, blogger spotlights, and interviews with industry insiders? Sign up for the free WKB newsletter here: http://hiveword.com/wkb/newsletter . (You can unsubscribe at any time, and your email information is never shared.)

Random Thoughts on Mystery Writing and Reading

I thought I'd do a post on mystery writing, since I haven't for a while. If you're a mystery writer, be sure to add your own random thoughts on mystery writing below. If you're not, maybe you'll consider reading a mystery (or writing one yourself?) :)

The structure of the books is really appealing to me, as both a reader and a writer. I think I like the comfort of having the victim and suspects introduced, motives uncovered, red herrings and clues sprinkled.

Petty motives for murder are sometimes more interesting than the big motives. And more believable. It's eye-opening to read the local paper and discover what small things resulted in murder.

I love sidekicks. They keep my sleuth from having boring internal monologues about whodunit.

I always seem to start my story with the victim. Who they were is what shapes the story.

I love, as a reader, being able to solve the mystery alongside the sleuth. I work hard to make sure that my readers are kept in the loop as the crime(s) are being investigated.

Suspects get confusing if there are too many of them or if there is more than one suspect with the same grievance against the victim. It's also confusing if suspect names are too similar.

I've heard people say that it's not as important that an amateur sleuth has a reason to investigate the crime. But, to me, their involvement needs to be plausible or else the reader is already feeling doubtful about the plot.

Having friends and family suspected of the murder, being a suspect themselves, and being a close friend of the victim are all great reasons for a sleuth to be involved in the investigation.

Being surprised by the ending is incredibly satisfying as a reader. I try to make that happen for readers.

If the sleuth doesn't already have a personal relationship with one or more of the suspects (if they're all just guests at a resort, for instance), I think it's nice if the sleuth develops a friendship or relationship with a suspect. It makes for great conflict.

I like the feeling of being unsure about whom to trust in a mystery—are some of the suspects lying? Are all of the suspects lying? Who is telling the truth and when?

Do you read mysteries? If you do, what do you enjoy about the genre? And—if you don't—what's your favorite thing about the genre that you read or write?

******

Interested in a monthly newsletter with the top writing articles, blogger spotlights, and interviews with industry insiders? Sign up for the free WKB newsletter here: http://hiveword.com/wkb/newsletter . (You can unsubscribe at any time, and your email information is never shared.)