Jeffe Kennedy's Blog, page 31

First Cup of Coffee – February 9, 2023

Have some project you really want to do? Why you should put it in motion today! Also thoughts on worldbuilding in Fantasy, monetary systems, making mistakes and fixing them, and how pitching never gets easier.

Three Simple* Steps to Entice Reader Engagement

Exciting day today! For today only, 200 of the most amazing books in Fantasy Romance, Gaslamp Romance, Monster Romance, and Paranormal Romance are FREE! Go load up your eReaders by clicking here https://farofeb.com/freebooks/ Below are some samples of the books available, including my own DARK WIZARD.

This week at the SFF Seven we’re talking about what makes readers invested in a story. It’s an interesting question, really, and the subject of much debate. I think every author would love to know the “magic formula” for making this happen in every book. Sometimes, though, it can be a real surprise what readers latch onto. There’s always an element of unpredictability there that’s part of the joy of creating and storytelling. (Which is one reason why I believe Artificial Intelligence (AI) will never supplant human creativity, but that’s another discussion.)

So, my thoughts on ways to engage readers and entice them into being engaged in a story?

Give them characters that feel like they could be best friends
Whether it’s found family, besties, romance, or a protagonist we fall in love with, readers want characters who feel like real people they know and care about.Give them a world they want to live in
We read to live in other worlds, even if they’re a simulacrum of the world we live in. Readers love that opportunity to step outside of their daily lives.Give them a story that inspires emotion
Happy, sad, tragic, romantic – the feeling of a story is what lingers after we close that final page. Even if a reader can’t recall plot details, they’ll remember how a book made them feel.

*Of course, none of this is actually simple. It takes craft, talent, and lots and lots of practice. Read widely. Re-read your favorites. Observe how other authors accomplish this and emulate shamelessly!

 

First Cup of Coffee – February 7, 2023

How to write a synopsis – or, at least, fake it the way the pros do! Great news on BANDITS and next steps there. Also, why agents/editors ask for partials, why you should include your profession in your query, and other crazy checks.

First Cup of Coffee – February 6, 2023

About the evolution of recognizing oneself as a writer, claiming the name, and other steps newbies can take to move from the furtive phase of writing to feeling confident in that skin. Also, it’s FaRoFeb!

ROGUE FAMILIAR Delayed Release

If you preordered ROGUE FAMILIAR on the Zon, you will have gotten a notice that I’ve postponed the release to March 25. Alas! The good news is that I don’t think it will really be that long. I picked that date because it was the full 30 days out that Amazon allows me to postpone, just to give myself some breathing room. I expect I’ll be ready ahead of that date and will keep you all informed. Better to release ahead of that than push again! I know you all understand, which I greatly appreciate.

 

First Cup of Coffee – February 3, 2023

I’m back! Talking about the amazing VIP tour of NASA’s JPL facility, the visit from Darynda and our upcoming talk on Twilight, plus reflections on how my business and leisure travel are so intertwined now.

First Cup of Coffee – January 26, 2023

RUBY is out in the world, completing my re-release of the Facets of Pasion books. Otherwise I’m waxing on about Buffy the Vampire Slayer and my love for Spike, including thoughts on whether their relationship was “abusive.”

Becoming a Better Writer – How to Do It?

      Buy eBook Direct From Jeffe – $4.99

ROGUE FAMILIAR has a cover!! I’ve been loving the enthusiasm for it, too. It’s a great inspiration to me as I write Selly’s hunt for Jadren.

This week at the SFF Seven we’re talking tools for writers who aren’t beginners. I seem to be hearing a lot of interest in this topic lately. I’ve been contemplating setting up some online classes and not long ago I asked for input on what kinds of classes people would like to see from me. (Feel free to comment or message me if you have ideas or requests!) One of the suggestions that came up often was a desire for classes for more advanced writers, targeting those who’ve written several books but want to learn how to keep getting better at it.

So, I’ve been working up some lists of more advanced topics I could teach – and thinking back to where I learned the intermediate and higher stuff. Some of it is always going to be self-study. Reading other authors. Listening to other writers talk about their process. Re-reading favorites to study how those writers accomplished what they did. I think those are the best tools.

But I’d also like to see more craft-focused workshops, classes, and discussions out there. For quite a few years, it seems, the bulk of information offered to writers seems to focus on business. There are countless opportunities to learn Facebook ads, newsletter marketing, keywords, BookBub ads, Amazon ads, ad infinitum, ad nauseam. Why? Because those are easy to teach. Teaching craft is a much more daunting prospect. In fact, I’ve heard debates among creative-writing professors about whether the craft of writing can be taught at all.

At any rate, this isn’t a very informative post, I know. I’m not offering any good tools here (other than the above), but rather food for thought. Improving craft is something we all (well, most of us) want to do. I’m thinking up some ways to get at it. Suggestions welcome!

 

 

First Cup of Coffee – January 24, 2023

How my day went all to hell yesterday with several pieces of bad luck. More importantly, I’m talking about my bestie Grace Draven, some stuff she’s dealing with, and her upcoming Go Fund Me.

First Cup of Coffee – January 23, 2023

On husbands and their Opinions and other thoughts on women as writing and publishing professionals. (Yes, this particular dynamic is a binary, IMO.) Also maybe my new author headshot?