Lee Rene's Blog, page 5

Ms. Kristin Aragon, Beta Reader Extraordinaire

Kristin Aragon is a native of the Texas Panhandle, the lovely city of Amarillo. A wife and mother of three, step-mother of two puppies, Kristin lives and breathes books, writing about them on her the book review blog, Better Read Than Dead.

Kristin loves spreading the word about new writers and embracing the amazing characters whom she meets in books. There's nothing better than living a thousand different lives in one lifetime.

*NOTE from Kristin: My blog has suffered immensely over the past year. I let it lapse once I started writing full time, but I hope to start blogging more now that life has slowed down. *

For the past few years, Kristin has become a beta reader/editor, devouring every detail of each book she peruses. She is a master of The Chicago Manual of Style, a stickler for uniformity, a wizard of style. Kristin gives her manuscripts a laser focus, and watches for errors in POV, tense, and repetition. She is also a writer and has two manuscripts that she is readying herself.

Q: Kristin, you are part of a collection of Texas-based writers, editors, and readers. What is it about Texas that brings out the creative juices in writers?

Ahhh, Texas. Everything is Bigger & Better in Texas. Don’t Mess with Texas. Etc. The Lone Star state is so eclectic, in my opinion, it lends to authors’ imaginations without them even realizing it.

I live at the tip top of Texas, the Panhandle, where the land is flat and treeless. The winds blow thorned tumbleweeds from bob-wired fence to bob-wired fence. Cattle roam freely. Most of my life, I’ve despised living here; however, when I do travel to Austin or Houston, I miss the perfect sunsets and sunrises of the Plains. Treeless and barren, there is nothing like the pinks and purples of sunrises. I’ve become a “master” photographer, and by that I mean novice.

The Texas Panhandle is rather conservative for my taste. It is a part of the Bible Belt, which is fine, but we recently had one of our “churches” be declared as a hate group that is a threat to the country. This scares me. Sunsets and sunrises be damned, Austin, Texas is my favorite area.

“Keep Austin Weird” is the motto of the city. My sister lives there and I love visiting her. Austin is known as the “Music Capital of the World.” I’ve had the pleasure of attending SXSW, and while the locals are sometimes irritated because traffic increases and they have to detour at times, I had a blast. You can walk around, go from venue to venue and hear everything from unknown Indie bands to Usher. My husband and I are hoping to go next year. I love that Austin honestly embraces their slogan, “Keep Austin Weird.”

I’m probably one of the few people who would call Houston one of my favorite places. It is huge and the traffic is a nightmare, but at the same time, it holds beauty in its skyline. Shopping in the fourth largest city is a splendor, yet daunting all the same. It sits close enough to the Gulf Coast; a person could easily take a day trip to Galveston or another beach.
When you combine all these settings, the diverse populations, an unparalleled history, and hopefully an open mind, you walk away with inspiring and creative stories. From the famous Route 66 to the coastline, people are impassioned about their state.

Q: I know your mother taught high school English. Can you talk about her influence on you?

Well… I was in the seventh grade when I had her for both English and Speech. My class had approximately sixty students, so I had no choice but have her as my teacher. And, all my classmates referred to her as “Mom” since I addressed her as Mom. I’ve never had so many brothers and sisters. To be utterly honest, I never enjoyed school until I reached my late twenties. Now, I would live in a university, take every class they offer, simply to expand my mind.

My mom ran a strict classroom, only to realize later in her teaching career, softer might work better. I don’t recall what curriculum we studied, but I know it never held my attention. This is not because of her, but because school bored me. We had no advanced placement or honors classes. Every year I sat with the rest of my class, listening to lecture after lecture about the mechanics of the English language.

When I look back now, I wish I had loved high school. I wish I had paid more attention in class, but that was never my thing. Mom would get so mad at me because I wouldn’t start writing papers until the night before they were due and I would magically come out with A’s. She always wanted to “teach me a lesson,” but never could. This continued on into college.

I have picked up one of her habits that annoyed the heck out of me. My youngest, fifteen, loves the word “ain’t” and double negatives are good friends of hers also. We cannot have a discussion without me stopping and making her reword her comments. I look back and remember that my sister and I used to say this stuff just to irritate her, so I’m pretty sure Kara does the same.

Q: You beta read as well as edit. What is the beta-reading process?

The basic definition of a beta-reader “is a non-professional reader who reads a written work, generally fiction, with the intent of looking over the material to find and improve elements.” They tend to read mainly fiction. I only read fiction as a beta-reader. I usually try to work with authors on a chapter by chapter basis so I can give later chapters the same attention I give the beginning chapters.

Once I accept a beta-reading project and receive the first chapter, my first read-through is solely to look for spelling, grammar, run-on sentences, etc.

Once the mechanics are out of the way, I take the chapter apart paragraph by paragraph. I check for inconsistencies and plot-holes. These two things are problems I usually catch in the middle chapters of a book. I have to keep all the characters, settings, and positions in my mind at all times. Sometimes it is like: “Wait, weren’t we in California? She [the author] never mentioned the character hopping a flight to Texas.” Other things can be much subtler, but you get the idea.

One thing I think authors sometimes don’t understand, is why a problem is caught in Chapter 10 instead of Chapter 3 where it started. It’s difficult to catch plot-holes and inconsistencies until I am absolutely sure that’s what is happening.

I have never worked with a difficult author.

Everyone has been so generous and thankful for my help. I try, and you can ask Lee, to always word things politely. I love feedback from the author. If I marked something wrong or what I marked needs further clarification, it makes me a better beta-reader. Lastly, if both I and the author have the time, I really like to do a top to bottom read-through, because, let’s face it, we are all human. Mistakes will be made, but when this book goes to publication, it’s not only the author’s work going public, but mine too.

Q: You love Young Adult and New Adult novels. What authors most capture you and why?

Like many people, Twilight brought me back to reading. I loved to read bodice rippers in high school, but then life took over and between college, working, and… well, partying, I didn’t have time to read. A coworker suggested Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga to me, and from there, I haven’t stopped reading. I know there is controversy surrounding these books, but I fell in love with her characters and their awkward living arrangements and secrets. Yes, it is a love story, there’s no way around it, but why can’t a YA book be a love story? Honestly, the symbolism in this saga enraptured me.

Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments .and Infernal Devices series blew my mind. I recently finished the first book in her new series, The Dark Artifices. Her writing matures with every book she writes. Lady Midnight

Colleen Hoover Colleen Hoover is one author I have on auto-order. I’ve yet to read a book of hers that hasn’t either left me breathless, in tears, or a bit angry. Her writing is passionate, her characters are multidimensional with wit and charm. Also, I love the way Colleen has integrated social media into her publicity. She holds contests on Instagram quite often and the videos she posts crack me up, especially when she’s with Tarryn Fisher. And wow, the Never Never trilogy they co-wrote. It left me with chills. (I haven’t read the last one yet.)

Anything K.A. Tucker K.A. Tucker writes is tragically beautiful. Ten Tiny Breaths & the rest of the books revolving around that series tore my heart to pieces before putting it back together. As with Colleen, K.A. Tucker’s writing is New Adult and includes heat.

I’m going to list a few of my other favorite authors (some of these are debut authors):

Susan Dennard – Truthwitch

Josephine Angelini – Trial of Fire & Firewalker

Victoria Aveyard – Red Queen

Sarah J. Maas – both her series: Court of Thorns and Roses and Throne of Glass

When I need something fun and light to read, I usually look for fun Rock Star Series. Two of my favorite authors are Kylie Scott with her Stage Dive series and Olivia Cunning and all of her rock star series.



Q: Can you discuss your collaborative process with the authors you edit?

I love to collaborate with authors. Editing is an intense process and it demands cooperation and communication from both parties. Usually by the time an author hands over a manuscript, I have taken time to virtually know them via text messages, emails, and other social media. I want to know how thick or thin-skinned they are. If it’s someone who can’t handle constructive criticism, I might change my “tone” in my comments. When someone has been through the editing process a few times and understands, I might just make very short comments, though, you can ask Lee, I try to always be very gentle. These novels are our babies, right.

It is important to me to keep in daily contact with my authors, even if it is just to check in and say hi.

Q: What do you like to see in a manuscript?

Manuscripts that hold my attention must have strong, defined characters. So many people misunderstand the “strong character” remark. Your character can be dying in hospice and you can make their presence strong. We can’t all keep our heroines kicking ass with no emotions. Honestly, that is more of a one dimensional character.

Lee may kill me for this one, but I’m not big on taking descriptions overboard. I tend to become bored and skip over them when I’m cuddled in my bed at night. There are ways to get your descriptions and atmosphere in your manuscripts while still including your characters. As a general rule, at least 50% of a manuscript should be dialogue… I tend to like it more toward 60-70%. As I mentioned, there are ways to make your characters move, discuss, and investigate their surroundings.

Q: You’ve been an early fan of New Adult novels. Can you discuss the sub-category? What New Adult writers do you most admire?

I am so thankful for the sub-genre of New Adult. I’m no teenager, though I do love some YA, I love to read about “adults.” With this genre, authors can add a larger variety of obstacles for their protagonists to conquer. And, maybe as a parent who has seen the darker side of raising a teenager, I can relate to them better. I enjoy the dark atmosphere so many embrace.

So many of the “Twilight Age” readers are now well into college and beyond. I think it is important to provide them with more mature stories, yet not throw them all the way into books which are written about middle-age people. Heck, I don’t want to read about people my own age. I know what my life is about. This generation had been overlooked for so long, and I’m not totally sure why. You can do so much with the New Adult genre.

Yikes, New Adult authors I most admire. This is going to be quite a list, so get ready:

Colleen Hoover

Jennifer L Armentrout

K.A. Tucker

Jay Crownover

Courtney Cole

Jamie McGuire

Jessica Sorensen





Q: Many editors are authors too. Can you talk about your own writing?

As mentioned above, I do have two works of progress saved to this computer. One is a Paranormal New Romance revolving around witchery and magic. I wrote the first draft in NaNoWriMo a couple of years ago. I love the concept, I love my characters, and I love the world in which they live. I’ve had some difficulty getting through the edits, because I am a bit OCD mixed with paranoid anxiety and perfectionism. I change everything, every single time I sit down to look at it. If ever I can get over all my silly phobias, I think it will be quite something.

The second one, which I am currently working on, is near and dear to my heart. Penning this novel is an emotional task at times, which is why it is so slow going. I enjoy a good psychological thriller, but when you are putting pieces of yourself into the manuscript, it is a scary jump. This work in progress is not what I would call a thriller, but it will take the reader on a rollercoaster ride of life events, a variety of severe emotional swings, heartbreak, and eventually a happy for now ending.

Q: What would you say to someone just starting out in the writing world?
First, read. Read anything you can get your hands on from the back of a cereal box to memoirs, romance to science fiction, non-fiction, material inside your writing genre, and everything outside your range also.

Second, write. Write notes to your children or to yourself. Journal. Journal. Journal. Write an exceptionally bad chapter. Write fast and hard. Don’t reread your work until you are ready to stop writing for the day. Whatever you do, just write, every single day.

Next, stop and take in your environment. Write a description about your office space or your child’s backpack. (I could write a novel about the inside of my 15 year-old’s bag.) Get out of your space, go to the park and watch children play. My favorite thing to do is take my laptop to Barnes and Nobles and write. You wouldn’t believe the material you can get from other customers, plus, when I get restless, it gives me somewhere to wander and is an amazing muse.

When it is all said and done, do not be me. Get your work to beta-readers and good editors and get to work on the revisions. Lastly, query those babies. Or if you want to self-publish, do it. But, get a good editor that you can work with, who is willing to look at your drafts multiple times, hire a proofreader if you need to. Just make your work as polished and perfect as you can.

Thanks for having me, Lee. I enjoyed this interview and hope your readers enjoy it.

Introducing Ms. Rachael Tulipano

Rachael Tulipano is a native New Englander living in southern Maine. She is a fiction and content writer with a passion for authoring novels. Rachael graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a B.A. in Communication and minor in Sociology. Her love for creative writing and storytelling sharpened during her college studies, inspiring her to write novels.

Rachael’s finished works consist of the paranormal romance novels Torn

and Mated. Paired with her creative writing, Rachael also contributes editorial pieces to Elite Daily, GenTwenty, and The Niche Movement. Her articles capture the millennial experience and offer guidance to young professionals.

Ms. Tulipano is currently at work on her newest manuscript, Unwanted. .

Which authors have most inspired your love of writing?



Jodi Picoult has been my favorite author since I first started high school. I remember a friend introduced me to Picoult’s novels when I was a freshman. Ever since, I’ve been hooked! Picoult is an absolute wordsmith. In my opinion, every single story she writes is gold.

Picoult’s rotating first person perspectives inspired me to imitate her style in my own writing. It is because of Picoult’s structure that in my novels I use two or three rotating main characters, writing from their perspectives in each chapter, rather than using chapter headings. This style is so powerful because it allows the reader to transition between distinctly different character voices and to get into each character’s mind!



Another author who arguably inspired my writing is J.R. Ward. Ward is best known for her Black Dagger Brotherhood series, which is a very popular vampire collection.

I admire Ward’s strong character arcs and her spin on vampires bonding. In my novels Torn and Mated, I tried my own vampire bonding technique, which differs from Ward’s but was inspired by her all the same.

To this day, Picoult and Ward remain my favorite authors!

You have written for youth oriented blogs and magazines. As a recent college graduate, what impressions do you have about the millennial literary market?

This is an interesting question, because the reading habits of millennials appear to be all over the map! My first impression about the millennial literary market is that millennials read less than generations before. Many of my friends either don’t read at all or only read upon instruction, such as for school or work. It’s fascinating because the majority of my readers so far have been much older than me or ones I connected with through social media. Meaning, the majority of my readers right now are not people I went to school with or friends I grew up with. While these people do support my passion for writing, most of them don’t read books regularly.

I believe most of this is attributed to social media.

Millennials tend to spend most of their time on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Any reading they do is typically in the form of online news articles or links their “friends” or “followers” share. Similarly, millennials are scanners. They usually absorb information very quickly by scanning a document, article, book, etc. while not reading with full, devoted attention.

Of course, these reading habits are not consistent across the grid. There are always exceptions, and I actually have met many people through social media who share my love of books. Many of my networks from Twitter who also love writing, love reading. It’s been fun to connect with new people on that platform to exchange favorite titles and support each other’s writing!

As for content in the millennial literary market, it’s difficult to say what millennials are reading. I know when I first graduated my big post-grad purchase was a bulk of “how to” guides. I read titles about how to get a job, how to transition into adulthood, how to know if graduate school is for you, etc. My reading interests didn’t drastically shift, but I would argue the content of literature I read now has widened a bit. I don’t only read Picoult or Ward. I’ve actually been spending some money on new authors to try out their titles and support debut writers.

Additionally, I’ve been making a point to support indie authors and help boost their exposure! I hope fellow millennials do the same, but unless someone enjoys reading it’s difficult to predict.

Can you address New Adult literature? Do you see growth in the future?

My understanding of New Adult (NA) literature is that it captures works that are considered older Young Adult (YA) but not completely Adult. NA is this somewhat new, blossoming market of writing that typically features protagonists in the 18—30 age bracket. I believe most (but certainly not all) of the content in NA lit is typically dark in subject matter.

When I initially began drafting my synopsis of my work-in-progress trilogy Unwanted, I was convinced I was writing YA lit for the first time. Yet, after a fellow author and writing coach read my work, she quickly pointed out my current project falls more into the NA genre. The protagonists are older than your typical YA main characters (mine are 18—20 whereas YA usually features adolescents) and the subject matter of my trilogy is rather dark.

I do see growth in this market. NA lit is bridging the gap between readers of YA and Adult lit. With hallmarks of the NA genre being first-person narratives, drama, and dark issues I believe there is ample room for growth in this market. Readers of newer generations tend to prefer first-person narratives, and I would also argue our tolerance for dark subject matter has grown over the years. With these ingredients, NA literature seems like the perfect recipe for readers!

What are your favorite literary genres and why?

In terms of preferred genres, I’ve always been a fan of romance and the sub-genre paranormal. I’m a romantic at heart. Growing up, I’ve always fallen for the cheesy romantic comedies in film and television. Similarly, once I became a teenager I was reading the likes of Catherine Clark,

Rachel Hawthorne, and related authors.

Their short romances were appropriate for junior high and high school readers and I swooned over them!

Paranormal has also been a layer of my media interests since early adolescence. I grew up watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer with my mom, which was a gateway into other vampire franchises.

True Blood

Twilight, The Black Dagger Brotherhood and


Vampire Diaries are only a few of the paranormal romance books I have read over the years.

It’s difficult to pinpoint why these genres spoke and continue to speak to me so much. Frankly, I’m a sucker for romance, so anything with a love story is perfect for me. My interest in vampires and other paranormal creatures also stems from a place of appreciating fiction and myths. Putting these two genres together resulted in my first novels, Torn and Mated.

You write paranormal novels. What paranormal works have most impressed you? Why do you write in that category?

As aforementioned, I’m a huge fan of J.R. Ward’s The Black Dagger Brotherhood. This particular vampire series most impressd me because Ward is not only a polished writer, but also a mastermind. With over a dozen books in this series, Ward has an exceptional way of connecting the characters throughout each book. Even though most of the books focus on a few characters, each vampire in the brotherhood is mentioned throughout the entire series, allowing their character arcs to continue from novel to novel.

I find the planning in this absolutely epic!

Since I’ve appreciated vampires for most of my life, it seemed almost expected to write in the paranormal romance genre. I wanted to put my own twist on vampires and craft a unique love triangle that challenged trends in the media. Around the time I began writing Torn, it seemed to me that most love triangles featured one woman conflicted between two men (e.g. Vampire Diaries, This Means War, Twilight, etc.). I wanted to take the concept of a love triangle and shuffle the parts around a bit. This inspiration resulted in my novel Torn where the main character Landon Pratt is torn between two women: Bria Lawrence and Natalie Taylor.

Writing for this genre felt natural and exciting. I’m so glad I did!

Can you discuss your writing process?

When it comes to my writing process, I keep things a bit basic. I usually start with a concept and begin drafting the foundation of it. I brainstorm who my main characters are, what their motives are, the setting, the climax/main plot, and a tentative resolution. Sometimes the story changes once I actually begin writing, but it helps if I at least give myself a general structure to follow.

I really enjoy crafting character sketches. I begin with a name and then jot down their features: eye color, hair color, height, weight, strengths, weaknesses, etc. For my own enjoyment, I search celebrities or public figures online and take parts of their physical appearances so I can imagine my characters in my head. It's nice to have a visual!

From there, I draw my plot line. Physically mapping out the contents of my story helps me visualize the journey my characters will embark on. It's nice to use different colored pens to make the whole process fun!

After that, I turn to a blank page and begin writing! After all, what’s more inspiring to an author than a blank page?

As a self-published author, what advice do you have for a new writer breaking into the market?

When it comes to the various methods of publishing, I’m still a bit naïve. I’m learning the differences between traditional, independent, and self-publishing the more I research, explore the market, and network with other writers. I would say the best advice I can give a new writer breaking into the market would be know what your goals are early on.
If bestseller status is your objective, traditional publishing may be the best fit. Not all traditionally published authors become bestsellers, but having your books in bookstores, online, and marketed by agents will improve your chances. If you’re far more concerned with simply having your book out there, regardless of how well it sells, maybe self-publishing is the right way to go. For a fee, your book can be featured on Amazon in paperback or digitally for free.

All methods of publishing have their pros and cons, but you should have an idea of what you want. A great deal of your writing path depends on what you’re looking for. Even though I’d love to sell millions of copies of my books, I haven’t found an agent to represent me. I decided to self-publish Torn and Mated to launch my writing career and build a foundation. I may very well decide to query agents and attempt traditional publishing someday, but for now this is my path.

In short, new writers should really consider their goals. Find out what’s most important to you. If you absolutely love writing and can’t imagine doing anything else with your time, put words on paper and kickoff your writing career. Build a website, invest in business cards, become a social media guru, and network, network, network! Many things in life have everything to do with luck and timing, rather than talent. Even if today your writing doesn’t seem to be gaining traction, it doesn’t mean you’ll plateau forever. Believe in yourself and write everyday!

What can your fans expect to see from you in the future?

I’m so glad you asked, Francesca! In the future my fans can expect to see the Unwanted . trilogy debut. I recently completed a first draft of book one, Unwanted. While that’s in the hands of beta readers and editors, I plan to begin writing the sequel Untouchable and the final book, Underlying thereafter.

I’m super excited about this trilogy! It has elements of everything I love most in books: a love story, drama, betrayal, violence, family values, and more. I am hopeful this particular subject matter will entice new readers and generate more buzz about my writing and authorship!

Rachael loves connecting with fans and readers. Here are her links:

Website: www.rachaeltulipano.com

Newsletter: www.rachaeltulipano.com/newsletter

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rachaeltulipano

Twitter: www.twitter.com/rachaeltulipano

Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/rachaeltulipano

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/rachaeltulipano

Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachaeltulipano

Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_unwanted_trilogy[

P is for Procrastinate: the ABC's of Good Procrastination Habits

A fun article by writer, Erica Secor. Erica lives near some trees with her husband and two human-like dogs. When she’s not scoring college English papers, she writes middle grade horror.

I am no marathon writer. I sprint, then break by tackling something, anything else – as long as it’s productive. That is what my definition of a good procrastination habit is: a temporary transition from one task to any other of equal or greater importance.

It only took me three decades to let go of the guilt. So, please, take what you need from the following abecedarian sample of my good procrastination habits:

A is for ARRANGING my books by author, genre, color, width, or font. It depends on my mood and changes weekly. My books are a meticulous collection of research, competition, and inspiration. And they are cared for accordingly.

B is for BRAINSTORMING all those other story ideas that just scratch-scratch-scratch at me until they claw their way out of my brain. I used to ignore them, but now, I embrace them. I don’t leave home without my marble-notebook-of-ideas.

C is for CRAFTING, which counterbalances my writing. And inspires it. Last year I built the haunted dollhouse from my current manuscript. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a handmade dollhouse that I built, see, touch, and/or set fire to (for the sake of story, of course) is worth at least 30,000 for my middle grade readers.

D is for DOING DISHES, which is gross. Instead, I organize those mountains. Even if they’re not “getting clean,” the physical act of organization triggers the same in my writer’s brain.

E is for EXERCISING or in my case, escorting the dogs around the block a few times. I am not an athletic person and that is OK. But the fresh air and moderate aerobic walking does wonders to clear my head before revisions.

F is for FREELANCING and is used by 100% of writers currently typing this sentence as a way to keep all writing-pistons firing without looking at my manuscript.

G is for GAMING that triggers my inner creative problem-solving genius. Plus, board game night at our place forces me to be social which is good.

H is for HAGGLING at flea markets, which isn’t really my thing, but I get a kick out of watching others do it. I might even buy something my characters would like.

I is for IGNORING my manuscript. Life happens and I know my limits. Nothing dampens my creativity faster than forcing myself to sit down and type when it really isn’t a good time.

J is for JOURNALING because no one ever has to read it and I get to vent about the stressors I’m otherwise ignoring.

K is for KNEADING my homemade bread dough. Not only does this warm up my hands before a long morning’s writing sprint, but also: my bread is delicious. And the recipe calls for lots of waiting during which I tackle some chores or chapters.

L is for LAUNDRY As soon as I put a load of laundry in, I think: “Well, I have to be back in 39 minutes. That’s a manageable writing chunk.”

M is for M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN-A-THONS to inspire my creative juices. I love scary movies. If I am going to binge-watch something, it will be what I love.

N is for NAPPING, but this is rare for me. I don’t think I will ever shake that childhood fear of missing out on something important if I sleep during the day.

O is for ORGANIZING my desk. Or my sock drawer. Or the refrigerator. Whatever it is, organizing a physical space gets me thinking about untangling that one plot thread I forgot from Chapter 3.

P is for PROCRASTINATING by writing articles for Authors Publish Magazine about procrastinating.

Q is for QUITTING Yes, quitting which is my brain’s version of a spa day. When I get frustrated with my story, I quit it. I save and close the document. I power off the laptop. Put the laptop out of sight. This way, I’m less likely to write garbage, which is what comes out on the page when I am frustrated.

R is for READING in my genre as research. For me, it’s R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps or P.J. Night’s You’re Invited to a Creepover series. Reading these inspires me and informs me of my competition.

S is for SHOPPING because it gets me out to where the people-things are.

T is for TWEETING about my writing because Twitter is the water-cooler for easily distracted writers. And introverts. I happen to be both. My Twitter community is rife with writers, agents, editors, publishers, and very likely, some of my future readers. Whether they know it or not, they hold me accountable for producing quality, not quantity.

U is for UPDATING my blog about the status of my manuscript which tricks my brain into thinking I am working my manuscript. And because I bleed guilt, I usually end up working on my manuscript anyway.

V is for VENTING about my manuscript to my writing partners and beta readers. They, in turn, debunk my doubts and give me ideas for how to proceed.

W is for WHY am I still tweaking this article? I really should be revising my manuscript.

X is for XEROXING or whatever else I need to do to make sure I have multiple copies saved of my manuscript.

Y is for YOU should be working on your writing, too.

Z is for ZEROING in on how and why procrastinating is good for me, thus justifying my choice to ignore self-inflicted guilt-trips such as W and Y, above.

So, here’s to guilt-free procrastination! And now it’s back to revisions. Just after I proofread this article. For the billionth time.

14 hour days, marketing and dealing with snobbery: my life as a self-published bestseller by Rachel Abbott

British writer Rachel Abbott was born just outside Manchester, England. She now splits her time between homes in Italy and Alderney in the Channel Islands, where she writes full time. Ms. Abbott has just completed her sixth novel. She launched her first novel Only the Innocent in November, 2011.

The book was self-published in the UK through the Kindle Direct Publishing program on Amazon, and reached the number 1 spot in the Kindle store three months later. It held its position for four weeks, and was the second highest selling self-published title in 2012. Since then, Rachel has written four best selling novels, The Back Road, Sleep Tight, Stranger Child and Nowhere Child (a novella). Her fifth book, Kill Me Again, launched on February 17, 2016.

In August 2015, Amazon confirmed that Rachel is the UK's bestselling independent author over the last five years. She’s been listed at number 14 in the list of bestselling authors - both traditionally and independently published - over the same five-year period. Her fourth novel, Stranger Child, was the 11th bestselling novel in the first half of 2015 and the most borrowed book during that period. According to Rachel, “Nothing thrills me as much as hearing from people who have enjoyed my novels – and readers couldn’t care less how I am published.”

Rachel recently wrote about her journey and I wanted to share some her experiences as an indie writer.

I’ve sold two million copies of my five novels, but I am still not considered a ‘serious’ author because I self-publish. Last week I looked at the complex set of spreadsheets I use to track my e-book sales and gave a whoop of delight: I had just sold my two-millionth book, something I would never have considered possible just over four years ago, particularly as the vast majority of those sales were achieved through self-publishing. Initially my most ambitious target had been to sell a thousand copies.

It’s been quite a journey, all the more exciting for being so totally unexpected. There is no point denying that I became self-published because I wasn’t able to interest an agent in my first book. I had originally written Only the Innocent for my own pleasure, but I was encouraged by my family to give publishing a go. I contacted 12 literary agents, and they weren’t all negative. At least two said they enjoyed the book, but it wasn’t the type of story publishers were looking for.

Many people believe that if the writing was good, the author would be offered a traditional publishing deal. I mentally shrugged and stuck my novel on a virtual shelf, and it was only when I was researching another book – yes, I enjoyed the experience so much that I was writing a second novel, again with no intention of publishing it – that I discovered it was possible for writers to upload their work to Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing website. I decided to give it a go and the rest is history.

In the last four and a half years, there have been some dramatic and brilliant changes in my life, but my initial vision of days spent doing nothing other than plotting and writing were way off the mark. The self-publishing model can look attractive because, depending on the price of the book, the author can take up to 70% of the proceeds of each sale – which is a bigger return that they would get through a traditional publisher. But, it takes a lot of work to make those sales: when I started to follow my marketing plan for Only the Innocent, I was working 14 hours a day, seven days a week. For three months, not a word of a novel was written. Even now, with my fifth full-length novel, Kill Me Again, released on Kindle less than a month ago, I am still working similar hours, but I love the variety and the challenge.

I’d like to say that there has been a dramatic change in attitude towards self-publishing since I released my first novel. In some quarters that is definitely the case. But sadly there are still some influential people who believe that, first, self-published authors sell a lot of books because they are cheap (Kill Me Again is currently in the Kindle UK top 20 and only one book in the chart is more expensive) and, second, that if the writing was good, the author would be offered a traditional deal. Despite being placed 14th in the UK Kindle chart of all authors over the past five years – above many of my favorite authors – some festival organizers still believe I don’t have as much to say about writing and selling books as a traditionally published author, regardless of their popularity. But that’s a minor gripe, and I am happy to trade the occasional (and diminishing) lack of recognition as a serious author for the unbelievable support that I get from readers. Nothing thrills me as much as hearing from people who have read and enjoyed my novels – readers who probably don’t know, and couldn’t care less, how I am published.

Self-publishing isn’t for everybody. There are some overwhelming decisions to be made: who should design the jacket? Who should edit? Which title is the right title? For all of this, I am lucky to have a brilliant agent, Lizzy Kremer, who supports and guides me. Even now, two million books later, I find it hard to believe – and disappointing to have to accept – that the chance of my books being displayed on the front table in a major bookstore is slim. But never say never!

In the end, it doesn’t matter how a writer is published as long as readers enjoy their work. Although self-publishing was never part of my original plan, it’s been an amazing experience and not one that I could possibly regret.

Presenting Ms. Leela Lou Dahlin!

I can’t think of a name as fantastic for a romance author as Leela Lou Dahlin. Ms. Dahlin, a native of Pittsburg, explained that she derived her nom de plume from the childhood nickname, Leela Lou. “When a babysitter from down south asked me to do something she'd add darlin on the end. ‘Leela Lou darlin, bring me my purse.’ I always said if I ever needed another name it would be Leela Lou Darlin’, but I changed the spelling.”

As a child, Leela Lou started reading the romance novels her grandmother left around the house during her summer vacations. She soon learned to enjoy the type of story that could make a reader have fluttering butterflies in her stomach and tears to her eyes.

Leela Lou resides in southwest Pennsylvania working as a RN Case Manager during the day and spinning her sweetly sexy stories by night.

You’ve been reading romances since you were a little girl. What novelists and books have most influenced you?

I grew up reading Linda Howard, Shiloh Walker, Lora Leigh, Barbara Freethy, and so many others. I couldn’t say which one or ones influenced me the most but it was the feeling these writers were able to evoke in me that made me long to write in a way that would conjure emotions.

You write non-fiction articles for medical journals under your real name. Can you talk about that process? How difficult is the switch from scientific to romance for you?

Writing scientific or answering nursing questions for medical articles is easier than writing fiction and doesn’t require the same creative muscles. The nursing articles are based on facts that have been stated in books and applied to the situation at hand. Romance writing allows your mind to find answers to questions that could be far away from what I would do or maybe the situation calls for something I’d do in real life. The dialog between the characters and the setting are all up to my discretion and it’s a power I love to manipulate. I love words. It’s amazing the feelings and emotions you can create just using the 26 letters of the alphabet.

What is your writing process?

It usually starts with a scene in my ahead that plays out. Sometimes it’s short and other times it’s lengthy but after it plays out a few times I start thinking of questions. Why is this couple where they are? Why are they in this particular situation? Who are they? After I get the answers to these questions I find names for them and then I loosely plot it out. I have to have a name for the book before I start writing and I typically have a picture of what I think they look like (Pinterest is my very good friend) and away I go.

You worked on your earlier novels, A Haught Date and Rumor Has It, with a small publisher, but you chose to go indie with your newer works, A Wish Granted and One Last Fling. Can you discuss the process of doing it yourself? What are the advantages? What are the disadvantages?

The process of doing it myself includes obtaining beta readers that I can trust. People who will honestly tell you what they like and dislike in a story is key. Then you need an editor who can you’re your story and help you fill in gaps or let you know when you need more or less of something. After that you need a proofer (I like using a few of them) before you get your work out there. There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages to both ways of publishing. One of the most thrilling and the most scary thing is that you’re on your own to make decisions…all of them from who you use to when your book will come out. The marketing on both sides is pretty much the same but the stakes seem higher because it’s your time and resources are on the line.

Can you discuss your newest title, One Last Fling?

It’s a title I came up with listening to the excitement a friend of mine had with a television show called the Bachelor. I wondered what would happen if you mixed the looking for love/marriage with another show I like called Undercover Boss. What if the love interest was an unknown? Ryder Blake is an up and coming chef in the area who is creating the food for the Millionaire Match Up but he’s also the surprise billionaire Kaleb Derry (anagram Ryder=Derry and Blake=Kaleb) This started my mind going and I came up with the opening of the book where we have Daisy who is an event planner who’s family needs financial help because of an accident her sister was in and the high medical bills that came from it, but Daisy also has an interview with the family for a chance to plan the wedding. The bantering dialog between Daisy and Ryder was quick and witty. I knew they were going to be a good match.

Your covers are terrific. Who does them? What is your process of collaborating with an artist?

My cover art is done by another author named Jan Meredith. She is fantastic and she spoils me a little bit. I tell her briefly what the story is about and she rattles off a few ideas which I say I like or I don’t. Then she puts a few together and asks me what I like or don’t about them and she tweaks them accordingly. She’s done both of my indie titles and I have another series that she’s already completed. That woman is unbelievably talented with her words and her covers.

You write erotic romances, not over-the-top with sexual content, but still erotic. Would you consider writing “tamer” romances in the future?

I write the story as it comes to me. This should probably tell you the naughtiness of my mind…lol. I’m not against writing tamer if the story demanded it, but the scenes that play out and the characters in them are far from tame.

What advice would have for a new writer breaking into the market?

This is not a quote from me but it’s the best piece of advice I’ve ever seen for a writer and that is ‘write the story you want to read’. The fads will come and go…stepbrothers, motorcycle clubs, bsdm, etc…If what you want to write falls into the category that is popular then great but if you want to write about something that you’ve not seen out there or that’s not as popular write that as well. You could be the one to bring that topic to the foreground and have everyone else chasing your tale with stories of their own.

What will your fans see from you in the future?

I plan on writing more of the stories that move me under my Leela Lou Dahlin name. I am co – authoring a MM book with the talented Draven St. James under the pen name of LL Dahlin that I will use for books I write that aren’t strictly MF contemporary erotic romance. I’m so excited to bring out the books of my heart and I appreciate you, Francesca, for asking these awesome questions.

Using the em dash —

My writers group had an interesting discussion on using and over-using the em dash. A member of the group shared this interesting article from www.thepunctuationguide.com

The em dash is perhaps the most versatile punctuation mark. Depending on the context, the em dash can take the place of commas, parentheses, or colons—in each case to slightly different effect.

Notwithstanding its versatility, the em dash is best limited to two appearances per sentence. Otherwise, confusion rather than clarity is likely to result.

Do not mistake the em dash (—) for the slightly narrower en dash (–) or the even narrower hyphen (-). Those marks serve different purposes and are further explained in other sections.

Em dashes in place of commas

A pair of em dashes can be used in place of commas to enhance readability. Note, however, that dashes are always more emphatic than commas.

And yet, when the car was finally delivered—nearly three months after it was ordered—she decided she no longer wanted it, leaving the dealer with an oddly equipped car that would be difficult to sell.

Em dashes in place of parentheses

A pair of em dashes can replace a pair of parentheses. Dashes are considered less formal than parentheses; they are also more intrusive. If you want to draw attention to the parenthetical content, use dashes. If you want to include the parenthetical content more subtly, use parentheses.

Note that when dashes are used in place of parentheses, surrounding punctuation should be omitted. Compare the following examples.

Upon discovering the errors (all 124 of them), the publisher immediately recalled the books.

Upon discovering the errors—all 124 of them—the publisher immediately recalled the books.

When used in place of parentheses at the end of a sentence, only a single dash is used.

After three weeks on set, the cast was fed up with his direction (or, rather, lack of direction).

After three weeks on set, the cast was fed up with his direction—or, rather, lack of direction.

The em dash in place of a colon

The em dash can be used in place of a colon when you want to emphasize the conclusion of your sentence. The dash is less formal than the colon.

After months of deliberation, the jurors reached a unanimous verdict—guilty.

The white sand, the warm water, the sparkling sun—this is what brought them to Hawaii.

Multiple em dashes
Two em dashes can be used to indicate missing portions of a word, whether unknown or intentionally omitted.

Mr. J—— testified that the defendant yelled, “Die, a——,” before pulling the trigger.

From the faded and water-damaged note, we made out only this: “Was ne——y going to m—— K——, but now ——t.”

When an entire word is missing, either two or three em dashes can be used. Whichever length you choose, use it consistently throughout your document. Surrounding punctuation should be placed as usual.

The juvenile defendant, ———, was arraigned yesterday.

Spaces with the em dash

The em dash is typically used without spaces on either side, and that is the style used in this guide. Most newspapers, however, set the em dash off with a single space on each side.

Most newspapers — and all that follow AP style — insert a space before and after the em dash.

Producing the em dash

Many modern word processors will automatically insert an em dash when you type a pair of hyphens. Otherwise, look for an “insert symbol” command. If you are using a typewriter, a pair of hyphens is the closest you can get to an em dash.

An interview with the fabulous Chloe Blaque

It’s my honor to interview Loose Id writer Chloe Blaque. Ms. Blaque is the author of Survival of the Fiercest and Doing London.

Chloe doesn’t bother with timid virgins. Her books revolve around passionate, career-driven women who are every bit the alphas their male lovers are.

The New York based writer leads a double life, writing non-fiction pieces by day and contemporary, spicy romances by night. She is a traveler, a student of human nature, an observer of the literary scene.

Chloe, what led you to write in the romance genre?

A few years ago I got really frustrated with a non-fiction project I was working on, to the point where I was creatively blocked. My mentor suggested I switch gears and write something fun. I’ve always read romance so it seemed like a no brainer. I didn’t think it would go anywhere, but I had the first three chapters of Survival of the Fiercest in a few days.

Why do you label your romances “exotic” rather than erotic?

Mostly because my stories are set in exotic locations. I get a lot of inspiration from travelling. I just got back from Hokkaido, Japan and found it so visually stunning that I’ve been working on a romance set in those snow covered mountains.

Maybe it’s just me but I think meeting and falling for someone totally different than you, in a foreign land no less, is the ultimate romance. It also seemed fitting since I’m straying from erotic romance to pen a steamy contemporary romance. It’s till high heat, but more subtle.

What romance writers do you read?

I have so many that I pick up and love, I’m still getting through the pile I got from RWA last year. I’ll say that Kresley Cole is a favorite and someone just recommended Beverly Jenkins’s Forbidden so I plan on picking that up. In general, I read everybody, but I stick to contemporary romances with a high heat level.

What other literary genres have caught your eye?
I’d love to write a mystery/ thriller one day.

I finished Night Film by Marisha Pessl last year—it blew my mind.

Have you ever considered writing less steamy romances or in another direction?

No, I like a steamy sex scene and my books will always have them. There seems to be a fine line between what is considered erotic and not, but I don’t think about it when I write. I pen a sexual encounter based on the story and the characters, it never really feels like a conscious decisions to go one way versus the other.

Please tell us out your newest work.

My current work in progress is a contemporary romance with multi-cultural characters set in the wine region of Brazil. It’s a little adventurous, very sexy, and the hero is a broken bad boy with a good heart. My heroine is smart, successful, and thinks she has it all figured out. Spoiler alert, she doesn’t. I’d love to say more but the manuscript isn’t final yet. Soon!

What direction do you see the romance genre taking in the future??

Your guess is as good as mine. This market is changing so fast! One day new adult is hot, the next day no one is acquiring it. It makes your head spin. Self-publishing is growing tremendously, which is great for an author’s autonomy. And it’s great for readers who now have access to anything and everything they ever wanted in a book. If you want African American unicorn shape-shifting heroes, you can find them. Or you can write it yourself and publish it.

I think the future includes more diverse romance within all genre’s-and when I say diverse I mean LGBTQ and Multi-cultural. Also, I predict an increase in BBW and mature heroines. The latter will be a slow climb, but it’s already happening in the indie world. The question is when will the traditional world catch on?

I know what I’d like to see, and that’s diverse romance getting as much marketing and shelf space that Caucasian M/F romance’s do. Period.
What locales most interest you to write about?

Any place that has its own romance. I endeavor to take my reader from her couch to the water falls of Costa Rica and the cobble stone streets of Paris. Look for Italy, Tokyo, and of course Brazil, from me within the next 12 months.

What do you think about the future of multi-cultural romances?

Well, as long as there are readers and writers of multi-cultural, then there is a future. Multi-cultural isn’t going anywhere, actually it seems to be growing. But defining multi-cultural is the issue because every book that has a non-Caucasian heroine is labeled multi-cultural. And then it’s slapped in a different section of the retail store-whether online or brick & mortar. Why is this label necessary? It’s not. If white people can enjoy the TV show Empire, then they can enjoy my book.

RWA made a point to hold a discussion regarding diverse romance at the 2015 conference. I wasn’t there, but I’m glad they dedicated space and time for it.

However, I was at the Pocket books Spotlight when a white author stood up and challenged the Pocket panel on adding more diverse authors to their roster. When Pocket said, “There is a separate line for those books” shit hit the fan. Seriously, in that moment, the twitter-verse exploded. RWA has since written an open letter to Pocket scolding them. The point is, people are talking, and I think that’s a good thing for all diverse romance.

Tips to Becoming a Better Writer — From a Terrible Writer

A great post from Huffpost Books by writer Tom Ayling

I was a certified bad writer. I even had documentation to prove it. Literally, legal documentation was ordered to confirm how terrible my skills were, I suppose, just in case anyone challenged this truth. My parents, or the school, or somebody paid thousands of dollars to have me tested, and then I became a certified bad writer. The document confirming my terrible skills was an IEP.

Ironically, I would have admitted I sucked at writing for a lot cheaper, but nobody asked me! Whatever. We pay people to tell us what we already know every day, so no shame there.

To paint the picture further, I went from Kindergarten through 12th grade with about 1700 people, give or take. If there was a list of writers from best to worst, I would have been dead last. This does not bode well with college acceptance committees. Therefore, all of my friends went away to college, and I went local to become a hermit. During the first two years of college, I did three things: I read, I wrote, and I exercised.

My life was disproportionately focused on improving my skillset.

Being bad at math, too, I did not understand how to increase my skills. I thought more practice would add up to improve my overall skill (1+1+1+1=4), but I wrong. Overall skill, in fact, is exponential (1+2+4+8+16=31).

The growth of skill tends to be exponential on the front end and incremental on the back. This is not to say I’m so grand a writer, but it is to say that by applying the skills below, you can be. Some are great performers, some are great teachers, and few are both. I don’t know if either apply to me, but what I do know is that each technique below increased my writing skill dramatically (Meaning when others read my writing, they don’t immediately question if English is my primary language, anymore).

1. Become a murderer
Kill that filtering voice inside your head. Unfilter and unleash the creator within you. Edit after.

2. Grab your reader’s attention
In any story, start with the most intense part- the arc. Start there no matter where it lays on the storyline: beginning, middle, or end.
PS- This tip works amazingly for verbal storytelling, as well (“Did I tell you about the time I got hit by a car?”)

3. Shorter is better
The Flesch-Kincaid Score, developed by The Navy in 1975, calculates the readability level of writing.

Simply put, there are two parts to the Flesch-Kincaid readability test: The Flesch reading-ease (determines how easy something is to read) and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (determines the years of education one must have in order to understand a text).

Scoring a 5.1, means that your written text is at a 5th grade level.

Now the question remains, do you want to write at a low-grade readability level or a high-grade readability level? Think about your audience. To give you an idea from the article by Contently, here’s a few scores:
· Affordable Care Act — 13th grade level
· Academic paper about reading — 11.5 grade level
· JK Rowling — 5.5 grade level
· Stephen King — 6.1 grade level

4. David Theory
August, 1504: A crowd marvels at Michelangelo’s masterpiece, David.

“It must have been difficult to sculpt such a masterpiece. How did you do it?” a brave boy asks.

“It is easy. You just chip away everything that doesn’t look like David,” Michelangelo replied.

You cannot edit a blank page. The key to writing is to allow yourself to write terribly. Write. Write. Write. Then, write some more. After writing all you can, begin the editing phase, removing large chunks of your work, just as Michelangelo did with a slab of marble.

5. Write with your speaking voice
You have communicated this way all your life. Write the way you talk to avoid sounding stiff and robotic.

6. Add value with every sentence
Self-explanatory; cut the clutter. Move the story forward with every line. Ways to increase value are facts, anecdotes, humor, dialogue, etc.

7. Consistency
When I do not feel like writing, it is a sign I need to. The fastest way I know how to enter a groove is to write in the same place, at the same time, every day.
The key to achieving a great flow is consistency.

8. Read every day
I listen to podcasts a few times per week. A commonly asked question is, “What are you reading?”
Not once have I heard a guest draw a blank. These people always have an answer because they are always reading. However, this cannot be said for the overall population.

According to Statistics Brain, thirty-three percent of high school graduates never read another book after high school. Forty-two percent of college graduates never read another book after college.

Mind-blowing. A book is one of the greatest investments out there. The breakdown for a book in the top 10% (a New York Times Bestseller, etc.): It takes 10,000 hours to become a master of a craft, so let’s say on average, it takes an author a fifth of that- 500 hours- to compile experiences and information for a book. These 500 hours condense into a 250-page book, which costs $15. Umm... What? Sign me up! Actually, you sign up- sign up for my monthly book recommendations, here.

9. Nonfiction or Fiction?
I read nonfiction to build my knowledge-base, and I read fiction to increase my creativity and writing ability. It’s not enough to just read books; they must be GREAT books!

10. Always take notes
Inspiration sparks opportunity. If you are out and an idea hits you, capture it.
Richard Branson, Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway and Beethoven all carries a notebook everywhere.

11. Stand tall
If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. A missed opportunity is gone forever. Seize your opportunities.

12. Rinse & Repeat
Sixty years ago, writers would spend four years writing a book, publishing it, then waiting for a response. This was painful, especially if the responses were negative. It killed writers (quite literally).

Today, you can write an article in half an hour, edit for another half an hour, then “publish” and have thousands of views in less than a week. Response time: Immediate.

13. Reap what you sow
I am afraid to share my ideas, stories and feelings; it feels safe to hold them in. However when I lack emotional connection while writing, I produce dull content.

You reap what you sow. If I intend for reader to be moved, I must wield that emotion through my words, even if it’s scary.

14. Expert flaw
“I am not an expert on X. A is much more knowledgeable on X. I shouldn’t even touch X.”

Comparison suffocates the life out of creativity.

15. Information anxiety (understand your reader)
Before we lived in the information age, information was bought low and sold high. Now information is everywhere, and now we have entered the creative age.

In Geoffrey Numberg’s review of “The Information” he said, “That’s the sense of information that enables people to claim that a copy of the daily New York Times contains more information than the average 17th-century Englishman encountered in a lifetime,”
The degree of difficulty to gain readership is becoming more and more apparent because information is so easily accessed, but here’s a tip to keep your reader entertained.

Eye-tracking studies have discovered readers follow text in an F-shaped pattern. Therefore, using subtitles to define topics inside of your stories is critical. Hence, this article has subtitles down the left side,all of which are to get your attention!

16. **SPOILER ALERT** Begin at the end. Know your desired outcome
Whenever I pick up a great book, I flip to the back and read the conclusion. I do this to highjack the writer’s mindset and understand the desired outcome. People say, “That ruins books!”

Okay, maybe they’re right, but it also teaches me how to guide my reader through a story, via a real, first person experience.

In general, what I have found is the writer has a desired intent throughout the entire book. The writer understands the ending before writing the beginning, so it seems.

Closing note: it’s important to express, that all of these qualities don’t matter if one factor is missing. That factor is a deep seated passion to WANT to be better.

To become a better writer you must want it.

The Bad, The Good, and The Editors

Notes from an Sleuthfest, 2016 from author, Maris Soule


This “Editors’ Roundtable” included Chris Knopf (Permanent Press), Erin George (Henery Press), Anne Speyer (Ballantine Books), and Neil Nyren (G.P. Putnam & Sons).

Turn Offs.
They all agreed that the following problems acted as turn offs when reviewing a manuscript.

1. Too many exclamation points
2. Too many semicolons
3. Too much backstory.
4. Not starting book soon enough.

Turn Ons
1.Good writing
2.A good plot
3.Good characters

Suggestions the editors made
1.Read dialogue aloud. If it doesn’t sound like what you hear, change it.
2.SHOW don’t TELL.
3.Interesting characters.
It can be the same plot you’ve seen before if the characters are interesting. Character drives the book.
4.Voice

Which is one of those illusive things where you know it if it’s there.

Someone in the audience asked how many queries/proposals/manuscripts they read in a year and how many they purchased. The editors could only guess what the total number of new material might be, but most mentioned around a thousand a year…and most said they only went to contract with 4 to 10 new writers a year. Not exactly what a packed room of writers wanted to hear.

PITCH TO PUB FEEDBACK: 7 TIPS ON WRITING GREAT FIRST PAGES

A Post by Mica Scotti Kole

First pages are the WORST.I, and many others not up to par in Pitch to Publication this year, relearned this hard fact as we scoured this year’s #p2p16 and #tenqueries Twitter feeds. However, the gracious P2P editors have not left us science fiction and fantasy writers without some awesome first page feedback!

7 THINGS GOOD FIRST PAGES HAVE:

IMMERSION IN THE WORLD.

The fantasy or sci-fi world of a story has to be a big part of its telling. When setting is seamlessly blended with exposition without over-explanation, the reader becomes immersed in the world, and everything else will ring truer for it.

One Fix:
Don’t merely describe the world. Make it a part of the action.

A NON-CONFUSING PRESENTATION.

Your reader cannot be confused, or you’ll lose them! Choose natural details that will heighten the clarity of your scene, and avoid too many expository details, which can overwhelm or tangle up the reader.

One Fix:
Have a friend go through the first pages and simply underline the places where they got confused. Work on them in chronological order. Do several rounds with different readers.

AN UNDERLYING SOMETHING.

Foreshadowing, a hint at theme, or just some additional thing to engage the reader on another level will help to reel them in.

One Fix:
Stand back from your book and consider its morals and themes. Create a word web with a theme at the middle. Make branches of major points that express that theme, and foreshadow those. Create a list of trigger words related to your theme, and use those trigger words in your text. As always, less is more; don’t be heavy-handed.

TENSION (AND ACTION IF POSSIBLE).

Always begin with an active scene. No sit-still conversation, dream-having, or rising-from-unconsciousness; there must be a struggle, an intrigue, a physical act that engages the main character. Even if your scene isn’t a gunfight, tension—a close cousin to action—must occur, or the reader will not be drawn in.

One Fix:
Intertwine character emotion with anything passive you are describing (and make sure the description is necessary!). You can also add foreshadowing; dialogue is a good way to do this, but don’t overdo it. A line or two can work.

INTERESTING MC AND STRONG SENSE OF VOICE.

Readers must get a good sense of your character and who they are, and they must care about them. The character should stand out in some way, not physically, but mentally.

One Fix:
Write out your main character’s mental features, perhaps using a word web or similar tool. Then, tailor every act that he/she performs in the first pages to indicate one of the traits.

AN AVERSION TO TROPES.

A character running from something. Someone stuck in a dream. A history-of-the-world prologue. All of these are tropes, and they’re boring.

One Fix:
Remove the tropes and see where that leaves you. You might be surprised what a good, heartless, soul-crushing cut can do. And if that really, truly doesn’t work—try giving the trope a solid, unmistakable twist.

A TIMELY START.

The beginning must occur in the right space in time. Commonly, manuscripts start too early in the story, but they can start too in-the-thick-of-things as well.

One Fix:
Jump to a later point in your manuscript. This can mean skipping the first paragraph, the first few pages, or even whole chapters. You could delete what came before (do this if possible), rearrange it, or feed it into later pages as backstory or flashbacks.