Beth Greenslade's Blog, page 131

See Your Work From A Publishers Perspective

So you have finally shut down your laptop and said ‘no more’ to revisions. Your book is done. You are feeling excited, determined and perhaps a little buzzing from all those endorphins (and the unhealthy levels of caffeine you’ve been consuming). So what’s next? You’ll probably be ready to send it off to publishers, and this is the crucial stage.

Most writers dream of getting picked up by a mainstream publisher, however, most are also realistic about the highly competitive market they are entering into. You could just put your manuscript in a drawer and forget about it; you could head down the self-publishing route – however, if you want to throw your hat in the ring, then you need to know how to give yourself the very best chance of success.

So just what is it that publishers look for when they receive a manuscript, and what does it take for them to decide to take a chance on it?

Your query letter

Your query letter is the first thing the editor or decision maker will read when they receive your manuscript. If your query letter is poorly written or doesn’t include the information they need to make a decision there is every chance they won’t even bother to read your book at all. The majority of query letters will tell agents and editors whether or not the author is ready to be published and what they are looking for in a writing career. They want to feel confident not only in the written work and the talent of the author, but also that they will be able to work with them to shape their story into a publishable book.

Both agents and publishers need to make a living, and therefore their decisions are business ones, they want to develop long-term mutually profitable relationships with authors. So you need to give them the impression that you are a person they can rely on. Following their submission guidelines to the letter is of utmost importance. If you refuse to follow their rules from the outset, they will assume you will be difficult to work with and could end up wasting everyone’s time – to them it is simply not worth the risk. Treat a novel submission the same you would do in any job application or business proposal. Be courteous, friendly and business-like. Don’t be overly intimate or too colloquial. Don’t make outrageous claims about your book. Don’t give them your life story. Respect them and their processes – this is as important as the quality of your writing when it comes to getting past that first hurdle.

Your Submission

Again your submission needs to be sent exactly as the agent or publishing house requests. If they ask for it in particular typeface, font size and line spacing make sure you give it to them like that. If they ask for the first three chapters don’t be tempted to send them the first five, even if you think that’s when they story ‘really gets going.’ Your writing should speak for itself. If it’s good enough, you won’t need any gimmicks. If you use flowery language, bright colours, or unusual paper nine times out of ten agents and publishers will see this as a distraction rather than something which enhances your work.

Your patience

Remember how busy agents and publishers are. There is nothing worse from an agents or publishers perspective than an author who calls them every week to see how they are ‘getting on.’

Seeing your work from a publishers perspective can really help you to shape it and present it to them in the way that means you are dong everything you can, and will make choosing your manuscript over the thousands they receive each week seem like a great idea!

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post See Your Work From A Publishers Perspective appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

5 Ways To Get New Writing Assignments

Being a freelance writer is a tough gig. If you are trying to make a living from your writing, ensuring that you have a constant supply of new writing assignments coming your way is imperative.

Freelance writing is a varied and exciting job; you can land some fantastic writing roles where you get to create articles on subjects you are completely fascinated by and passionate about. On the other hand, sometimes you end up writing content that is a little dull – however, it is important to keep paying those bills so taking on jobs that don’t fill you with joy is just part of the role.

If work dries up altogether, however, that’s when things can get pretty scary for the freelance writer. The good news is there is plenty of work out there; it’s all about knowing how to make sure that you get the ones that are worth your time and are going to earn you enough money so you’ll be able to live comfortably!

So how do you get new writing assignments? Here are some helpful tips.

Make sure you know what is going on in the world

Keep abreast of news and trends and always be thinking about how you could write about them from a fresh and interesting perspective. Use significant dates, anniversaries of major events, public holidays and so on to come up with ideas – you could even create a content calendar of useful dates, so you are always planning your ideas ahead of time.

Use your passions

There is nothing more satisfying than writing about something you love. What could you talk about for hours? Where do you have specialist knowledge? What gets you out of bed in the morning? You can use any of your passions and turn them into a great piece of writing. From weird and unusual hobbies to having a fierce opinion about a particular political topic. Writing about what you love and what inspires you will almost always produce your best work too.

Keep an open mind

Don’t stick to one niche or genre. Explore lots of different publications and lots of different avenues. You might find yourself writing about some strange topics, but at least it will keep it interesting. Also, make sure when you pitch that you give the editor several different ideas. They may not like them all, but this way you increase your chances of them liking at least one of them!

Know your limits

Don’t take jobs that you know you’ll hate, and don’t take ones that pay so little you’ll resent doing them. Similarly, don’t take on jobs that you know you can’t do well. If you promise an editor the world and can’t deliver, they won’t want to work with you again.

Pitch early

Most magazines and publications will have finalised what is going into their next edition months in advance. If you have an idea, particularly if it is time sensitive, make sure you pitch well ahead of time. Remember the whole pitching, negotiating, writing, publishing, invoicing process takes time so make sure you factor this in to ensure those pay checks keep on rolling in!

Staying organised and ahead of the game will help you make sure you constantly have new writing assignments to work on. These tips should help you continue to come up with new ideas and get them to editors well in advance of any deadlines to give you the best chance of success.

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post 5 Ways To Get New Writing Assignments appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Got A Book Deal? What Every Author Needs To Know

Getting a book deal is an incredibly exciting time for any author. Having spent much of our careers being told how difficult it is, particularly in this overly saturated, highly competitive market, it can feel nothing short of a miracle should a publisher or agent choose you and your work to take to the next level.

However, as with every kind of business contract, entering into a book deal is not a decision that one should take lightly. It is easy to feel so flattered and grateful to be ‘one of the lucky few’ that you can sign away on the dotted line before you have even given your contract a thorough read through and made sure that you understand what it all means.

So if you have received a book deal, how can you make sure that you are happy with all the terms and that you aren’t going to regret it further down the line? Here are some things that every author should know.

Timing

If an agent of publisher approaches you saying that they would like to offer you a book contract, it is important to understand how long the process will take.

Much like buying a house the process of actually negotiating and securing your book deal can be lengthy and arduous, and until both parties agree and sign, it can fall through at any time. Of course, this can be incredibly nerve-racking, particularly for the first time author who will fear their dreams could come crashing down at any moment. If you are signing with a reputable publisher or agent, rest assured that it’s highly likely you will get there in the end!

Negotiating

OK so it’s not quite the same as haggling at a market stall for a piece of holiday tat, but be aware that you can negotiate your book deal. If you feel there are terms of your contract you are unhappy with, it is OK to enquire about them and see if they can be amended to something you feel more comfortable with.

Of course, there is a balance here. If you go in all guns blazing and argue every single point this may set off warning bells with them that you won’t be particularly easy to work with. However, politely asking if there is room for manoeuvre on one or two points is perfectly acceptable.

Understanding

Unless you are well versed in the terms and clauses of a typical book contract, it is advisable to hand it over to a professional to give it a once over before you sign. This may cost you money, but it is so worth it to ensure everything is as it should be, and also gives you the opportunity to ask any questions or get them to explain any technical jargon to you.

Continuing

Just because you have received some interest in your book, make sure you are always working on the next thing. It is quite common for publishers to offer a multiple book deal when providing a publishing contract – they’ll want to know that you are not just a one trick pony and can continue to produce great work (and therefore lots of lovely revenue) for them.

While, as with any job, it is important to have a break sometimes, don’t just sit around and wait for that contract to hit your doorstep. Keep writing and working on your new ideas so you always have something to offer.

Landing a book deal is a genuinely exciting time in any author’s life. Before you pop the champagne, however, just make sure you understand exactly what it means and what they expect from you – this way you are far more likely to continue enjoying a satisfying and lucrative relationship with your agent or publisher for many years to come.

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post Got A Book Deal? What Every Author Needs To Know appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

The Most Common Obstacles For Writers To Overcome

Many people believe that writing is one of those things where you either ‘have it or you don’t’. But this is just not the case. It might be tough, but the good news is that you CAN become a better writer, it simply takes courage, persistence, and hard work.

One of the difficulties with really getting into the writing game is that there are many challenging obstacles you have to face. Getting over these obstacles will see you go further and further on your writing journey, improving and learning every step of the way.

Defeating these barriers helps writers grow, develop their skills and become braver, more determined and more likely to success than ever before.

So, what are the most common obstacles that writers must overcome? Knowing what to look for can make all the difference!

Creating a plot that works.

This may seem obvious, yet coming up with a viable plot is harder than one might think. You can have a big idea, be full of enthusiasm and excitement, start writing, get four chapters in a realise it just isn’t going anywhere. All that time and energy has gone to waste, and you have no choice but to retreat, re-think and go back to the drawing board.

Carefully planning and researching before you start any piece of writing is a good idea – even then sometimes you’ll get far into a story and realise that something doesn’t quite add up. However usually (and hopefully) these inconsistencies can be rectified rather than having to start all over again.

Writing something original.

Some say that every single thought you have ever had has been already thought by someone else somewhere else – essentially that nothing can be truly unique. This is rather disheartening for a writer!

Trying to make your story original, and attention grabbing, while also following the rules of the genre you are writing in is tough to get right. The truth is no matter how hard we try we can’t help but be influenced by the stories that we read and however unconsciously we do it, elements of them are bound to come through in our own.

Getting our characters just right

Our characters have to be intriguing and believable; Our readers need to care about what they say and do. They must be rooting for them, or perhaps hoping for them to meet their untimely end! Our characters must go on journey’s and grow and change and interact, or survive or be defeated. Developing the characters in a story is one of the hardest challenges a writer must face, but it is one of the most important too.

Doing your research

Despite all the advice telling writers to ‘write what they know,’ many choose to write about anything and everything, whether they haver experienced it or not. The important point is to do your research. If your main character works in a hospital, go to one – observe how it is laid out, how people talk to one another, and all the different characters that come in and out. If you are writing a novel set in a particular period, find out about it -what did the people wear? What did they eat? What did the world look like then? Don’t be lazy when it comes to research as readers are eagle-eyed creatures and are sure to pick up on anything that doesn’t quite ‘fit!’

Writing dialogue

Normal speech is littered with pauses, people trailing off, and people talking over one another. Getting dialogue right in a book is so tricky. You can’t write verbatim as people would talk in real life, yet to have to make the reader believe that they are. Perfecting writing dialogue takes time and patience – practice makes perfect after all.

Self-editing

Learning to edit your work is a massive challenge, and often it takes a good few attempts to get this right. You have to learn not only to be incredibly thorough to ensure you weed out any errors but also to know when you are too involved in your work and need to step back to avoid ruining it! Understanding when to say ‘enough is enough’ is another huge part of the editing process – the temptation to go on forever is one that most writers are familiar with.

As writers, becoming familiar with the obstacles we must face each and every time we sit down to write a new piece of work means not only are we quicker to identify them when they arise, but also learn how to tackle them, and in some cases, eliminate them all together. Doing so makes the creative process easier and more enjoyable, and the resulting work undoubtedly more refined and exciting too.

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post The Most Common Obstacles For Writers To Overcome appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

10 Signs To Show You Are A True Writer

Do you ever wonder whether you can class yourself as a real writer? What makes one? Do you have to be a published author, or can you call yourself a writer if you only sit down to write once a month for an hour?

There are so many factors that go into what makes a writer great. Deep down inside however is the only way you’ll know if writing is your calling. It is never too late to start writing, so if you think you might be a writer, here are a few things to look out for to be sure you are a one at heart!

Do you dream of writing?

Do you imagine sitting at your computer, coffee in hand, behind a beautiful oak desk looking out through an enormous open window to rolling hills and sparkling blue skies? Do you think about seeing your book on the shelves of a well know bookstore, or being interviewed on TV or in the press about your story?

OK so the reality for most writers is far from this – but it’s good to aim high, and if you are dreaming about being a writer, you probably really want it.

Did you write as a child?

Many writers are often able to recall their passion for writing starting very early on. Did you always write stories when you were younger? This could be a sign that you were meant to write!

Do you always guess the ending?

When you read a book can you always figure out what is going to happen before you get to the end? Do you watch movies and immediately know who will end up with who, who is going to die, who is the baddie? Having this kind of intuition suggests that you naturally understand how stories should work to satisfy audiences – so maybe writing your own is a good idea!

Do you love to read?

Always having a book on the go may simply be a hobby for you, but if you actually love reading, and can’t help finding yourself analysing the writing and story structure perhaps you want to give writing your own book a go.

You do it because you love it

While the idea of being published and having a huge number of people read your book sounds amazing to you, you still write even if no one is there to read it. You might have written several books that haven’t been picked up, or you might only write journals or poems or short stories that you share with family and friends, post online, or perhaps you don’t share them with anyone at all! A real writer does it for love it alone.

You couldn’t stop, even if you wanted to

You write because you feel you must. It’s hard sometimes, and often a struggle to get started. However, you always end up with that itch to get something off your chest, to write that idea down, to see where your writing takes you, and when you do, it feels glorious!

You see stories everywhere

Are you a daydreamer? A wild fantasist? Do you have your head in the clouds? Writers tend to have overactive imaginations and see stories everywhere. If you constantly feel creatively inspired, it’s time to put that pen to paper.

You love telling stories

Are you always the one around the campfire making up stories for your family and friends, or do your kids love it when you tell them your own stories rather then those from a book? If your stories are already in demand, just think what could happen if you wrote them down!

You love language

Do words excite you? Do you love learning new ones? Do you get excited when you find a new, intelligent and exciting ways of describing something? If you get all funny over a perfectly written sentence, then it sounds like you might just be a writer!

You always wonder where the day has gone

You sit down to write in the morning, then before you know it the sun is going down! Time seems to change it’s way of working whenever you write; you become completely immersed in the world you are creating – this not only means you are a writer, but you are probably a pretty good one too!

Finding out whether you are a true writer can be a magical and exciting journey. Do any of these signs sound like you? If so you are probably already there!

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post 10 Signs To Show You Are A True Writer appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

10 Things That only Writers Will Know

Ah, writing. It’s a funny old game is it not? In fact, it is probably fair to say that there is no other job quite like it in the world. Until you live the life of a writer there are just some things that you can’t possibly understand!

Here are ten things only writers will know:

1. Working for free

No other job requires you to work yourself to the bone, suffer hideous rejections, be told to go back to the drawing board even though you have put your heart and soul into something, or spending hours writing brilliant, polite, well-thought-out enquiry letters only to be ignored entirely. Oh and not getting paid for any of it!

There is nothing quite like looking back over the past three years exhausted and penniless to know that you’re a real writer now my son.

2. The midnight sweat as a deadline approaches

Deadlines, deadline, deadlines. When you first agreed to take on that job you had bags of time, and then somehow life just got in the way. Now you’ve got to send it off in 8 hours, and you are still staring at your blank computer screen unsure where to start with that horrible ‘I haven’t done my homework feeling’. We’ve all been there. It’s no fun.

3. The excruciating pain of writing

Writing sometimes feels like being asked to sing in front of a group of strangers when you know that you sound like a bag of cats (or something like that). It feels terrifying; you get nervous. That inner critic continuously mocks you and tells you you’re not good enough, that you are dumb for even trying.

Many people think being a writer is easy. But there are few other jobs where the mental torture is quite so intense and consistent, regardless of how successful you become!

4. The myth of writer’s block

Writers know that writer’s block doesn’t actually exist. It’s just an excuse for not doing your work!

5. Having to take constructive criticism with a smile on your face *grits teeth*

When you have poured your heart and soul into something seeing it being chopped up, changed, ripped apart, etc. is pretty heartbreaking. Even if they are right, and have made it loads better, it still hurts.

6. Being constantly indebted to everyone around you

You neglect your family, make your friends read a chapter of your book every single time you change a single word, constantly harass everyone you know to buy your book, write you good reviews and generally be your biggest fans. Sound familiar? Yes, we writers owe the ones we love a great deal indeed!

7. Understanding that stealing is OK

Writers are influenced by other writers and imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? At least that’s what we tell ourselves when we blatantly nick that very good idea/ character trait/ phrase from someone else.

8. The joy of finding the right words

When you get something just right it makes your heart soar. Being a writer is a rollercoaster ride, but the high’s – they make it all worthwhile.

9. That deep breath before you start

You’ve opened your laptop, you’ve put a cushion behind your back, you’ve made a vat of coffee big enough to keep you awake for three days. You take a deep breath and begin.

10. That notebook/ napkin/ text message

Our houses are littered with notebooks that, if someone else read would make them question our sanity, our bags are full of scribbled on napkins that we can hardly make out, our phones are jammed up with weird, middle of the night text messages to ourselves that barely make sense. When the ideas come – no matter when or where, we must capture them!

Being a writer is a weird an excellent job! What else do only writers know?!

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post 10 Things That only Writers Will Know appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Does Your Personality Type Change The Way You Write?

It’s natural to think that the way you view the world, your past, your experiences and knowledge are all going to have an effect on your writing. This is what you will draw from, how you will understand emotions. In fact, it is tough to write without using what you know as inspiration for many of the characters and their journeys – even if you don’t consciously intend to.

But it is not just the things we see and do that shape our writing. Our personality type can also have an effect. If you are naturally bold and assertive, this will come through in your writing, the kind of language you use and the choices you make. If you are playful and cheerful, calm and gentle, shy and awkward, or organised and practical-minded again the way you write – the way you work and ultimately the stories you tell will be influenced by this.

Understanding your personality type can help you interact and appreciate others as well as understand yourself better, and getting to know the strengths and weaknesses of it can also benefit your writing.

There are an enormous number of personality tests out there, and each has different ways of describing them, some, such as the famous test by Carl Jung’s and Isabel Briggs divide personalities into sixteen types, and you can be a combination of more than one. Others keep things simpler and use animals to define different types of personalities – a lion for a brave, strong type, a bird for a flitting, crowd-pleasing, socialite and so on. However, they do tend to all look for the main dominant aspects of your personality and then can pick out the positives and negatives of each.

Let’s take a look at some of the main types

Those who consider themselves brave, confident and determined are fantastic at writing because they will persevere, they have determination, are focused on their goals and won’t give up. They aren’t likely to procrastinate and prefer to just ‘get on with things’ – very helpful when it comes to writing!

However, they can also be arrogant – therefore unwilling to accept criticism (however constructive) and find more ‘menial’ tasks rather dull, which means going through their manuscript with a fine tooth comb is something they dread!

More social, communicative individuals who love people tend to feel creatively free, they love to experiment, have a natural flair and are great at networking and building relationships (it’s useful to be charming in the writing game)! However, they can quickly run out of steam, can be quite disorganized too!

If you are highly organized and practical, this can be incredibly useful when it comes to writing your book. You will have done all your research thoroughly, mapped out each chapter, and know all your characters inside out. You’ll be methodical and analytical, can enjoy editing, and always push yourself to do more.

However, being so systematic can stifle creativity, and you can end up getting so bogged down in plotting and organising that you can run out of steam before you begin!

Calm and laid back types are brilliant to work with, they don’t get stressed out, are dependable and work consistently. However, this can be a problem when it comes to self-motivation. This personality type tends to dislike change so if significant edits are required this can also be a problem!

All these personality types have different strengths and weaknesses that will affect the way your write in a positive or negative way. The good news is that whichever one you think you are, if you can identify areas that you excel in, and more importantly the ones you don’t, you can then begin to build upon your strengths and work on your weaknesses to become a better writer all round.

So, what kind of personality type are you?!

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post Does Your Personality Type Change The Way You Write? appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

How To Become A Confident Writer

Many writers suffer from a lack of confidence and crippling self-doubt, and while it is important to be aware of how good your writing is, often this inner critic can be very destructive. There is certainly a difference between wanting to improve, to learn to widen your readership and continue to be successful, and being so afraid and worried that you’ll never get anywhere, that you’ll be rejected or ridiculed, or never be able to live up to your own standards that you don’t even try in the first place.

Being concerned that your writing isn’t good enough it certainly not the same as it not being good enough. In fact, many famous writers suffered from the same anxieties.

Stephen King said “Writing fiction, especially a long work of fiction can be a difficult, lonely job; it’s like crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a bathtub. There’s plenty of opportunity for self-doubt.”

Sylvia Plath said “And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”

Charles Bukowski said “You are better off doing nothing than doing something badly. But the problem is that bad writers tend to have the self-confidence, while the good ones tend to have self-doubt.”

You get the picture.

So how do you overcome self-doubt and become a confident writer?

Here are some practical tips.

Stop aiming for perfection

Your writing doesn’t have to be good at first. In fact, it is more than likely to be pretty bad. What you must remember is that not all brilliant writers were born that way. It’s all about practice, experimentation and good old fashioned perseverance. The most important thing to do is get those words out and down on paper. You don’t have to show them to anyone, just write your story down. Once the bare bones of a story are all laid out, you can start the real work, shaping, adding, editing, scoring out whole chapters and starting again. Your first draft of something is just that – a first draft, and it might look nothing like your finished piece. But unless you write that first draft you won’t get anywhere at all.

Read lots of books

Books are study guides for writers. Reading lots of books is a fantastic way to improve your skills and learn different writing techniques. You can see who inspires you, see who influences you, and also see who doesn’t float your boat at all. I have struggled through some incredibly famous and celebrated books and simply haven’t ‘got’ them. No book will be universally loved so understanding that whatever you write won’t be either can help you feel more confident about sharing it with the world.

Practice every day

You can’t expect to get better at writing unless you actually write. Practice makes perfect so make sure you keep on practising. If you finally pluck up the courage to write and then wait another month before you do it again, you are going to be faced with the same struggle each and every time. Make it a habit, make it normal, and soon it won’t feel so scary anymore.

Share your work

Every single writer gets rejected. So bite the bullet and share your work with others. If you join a writers group or writing class you’ll know that everyone is in the same boat, everyone is nervous and so it is more than likely people will be kind. However, you’ll also get some constructive criticism too which will help you to improve your work further.

Take comfort in the numbers

Being successful isn’t necessarily to do with being good. When it comes to creativity there are so many talented people in the world; some get recognition for their talents, and some don’t. You might write a groundbreaking book however if it doesn’t get read by the right publisher or doesn’t get seen by the right people you may only sell and a handful of copies and you may end up completely heartbroken and convinced you are a terrible writer.

Unfortunately, all writers need to be prepared for the fact that they may never become bestselling authors – but writing is still something amazing, that can bring us great satisfaction and joy – so if writing is what you love, do it with confidence, and you never know where it might take you!

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post How To Become A Confident Writer appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Why Your Minor Characters Are So Important

When it comes to writing your book, you will no doubt include a whole host of characters. Some play bigger parts than others – your main protagonist(s) for example, are hugely important and must be interesting and engaging (though they don’t necessarily have to be likeable) to keep your reader immersed in your story and curious to know what happens next.

However, from the barista who spills coffee down your characters new shirt to their fusspot mother – often the minor characters are the ones that surprise you, and play a bigger part in your story then you initially thought they would.

Not all your characters are going to be equal, they won’t all get the same about of ‘page time’ and readers certainly won’t gain an insight into the thoughts, secrets and desires of those characters who don’t have a leading role. However, they all have a part to play, and minor characters still need to be carefully thought out, however seemingly inconsequential in the grand scheme of your book.

Great writers know it is important to pay attention to your minor characters, to spend time perfecting them and make sure that each and every one services its purpose.

Let’s take a look at why they are so important.

Invisibility

The world is full of people, some we interact with and some we don’t. If you want your book to seem believable (regardless of whether it is set on this planet or not) your protagonist will undoubtedly come across different characters in every scene. Whether they are sitting in a crowded bar or walking down the street, omitting these people that brush past them or give them a strange look or hand them their drink will make your world will seem empty and strange.

All these characters need to be observed and then forgotten. Your reader shouldn’t be distracted by them, yet their presence must be there – otherwise your reader will be distracted by the lack of them. When writing these ‘vanishing’ characters, you need to make sure they don’t suddenly take centre stage. Don’t have them doing anything that demands a readers attention – fidgeting, looking nervous, acting suspiciously and so on. In a way you must force yourself to write these characters as stereotypes, their behaviour should be completely ordinary for the kind of person they are. A waiter wears a waiters uniform and hands the protagonist their drink – nothing more.

Fuelling action

A minor character can, however, help your protagonist make a decision, have an epiphany, or suddenly remember something important which changes their course of action. This is where minor characters can be crucial to the development of your story. In this case, they should be more noticeable. Some eccentricity or something exaggerated about the way they act or speak should catch the readers and the main characters attention – this then catalyses a series of events, some of which the minor character might be involved with, but eventually they too disappear once they have served their purpose.

Comic relief

Minor characters can also be extremely handy when it comes to creating comic relief. If you book is full of tension, occasionally this should be broken by coming relief. A minor character that crops up throughout the story who has an amusing appearance or always does the same repetitive but hilarious thing, or manages to deliver witty one-liners can be extremely instrumental when providing comic relief for your audience.

Providing contrast

Minor characters can also be used to highlight different characteristics in your main character. If everyone else is dressed in drab and dreary outfits and your protagonist bursts into the room in a bright orange jumpsuit and flamboyant hat, they’ll be noticed even more. If everyone in the room is chattering 100 miles an hour and roaring with laughter yet your main character stays silent this only further highlights the contemplative/ scared/ angry mood that they are in.

Minor characters are incredibly useful in a book, they are the pawns of the chess set, and you can keep moving them around to protect your main characters, but ultimately what you do with them just might win you the game!

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post Why Your Minor Characters Are So Important appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

How To Structure Your Story

We’ve all been told time and time again how important it is to have a solid story structure. This is all well and good, and we know that having a beginning, middle and an end is fairly standard.

But when it comes to actually developing a story structure many writers glaze over assuming the story will naturally unfold by itself. This is unfortunate as when authors do dedicate time and effort to this – it can make all the difference. In fact, the story structure is so often overlooked by writers, and yet it is arguably the most important part!

As with all elements of novel writing, creating a solid story structure cannot be entirely prescriptive. It is up to individual writers to figure out how they like to work, and what works best for them. However, there are certain elements, which if followed, give writers the greatest chance of creating a story structure that will hold its own, have a significant impact on your readers, and bring your story to life.

So what exactly are they? Let’s take a look.

What’s your point?

The most important part of your story is understanding exactly what draws readers in? What is that hook that you’ve got that turns your story from being just another book to one that readers simply cannot put down? The hook is what drives your story forward, what captivates your audience, what makes you reader desperate to know what happens next, and, here’s the tough part, your hook needs to be written into your very first chapter otherwise you’ll lose half your readers before you have even begun.

Take your time.

The first 20% of your book can be about introducing your characters, setting the scene and mood and indicating what the reader can expect from the rest of the book. It may seem like a lot, but readers need to get to know the characters, as well as the world in which they live and to care about what happens to them before you delve into the main action. If you rush this part when you start building up the drama, no one will care.

Start a chain reaction

Your story should contain a series of events and should explain how your characters are affected by and react to these events. Early on in your story, you should start a chain reaction. The first event that happens should catalyse all the rest and should act as a ripple, spreading further and further out so it becomes something effects everyone and everything.

Set off explosions

At several points in your story, you should cause explosions. These catastrophic, mind-blowing events or revelations disrupt the ripple; they change the course of the action; they make your characters see things in a different way. The closer you get to the end of your book the more these explosions should go off. Your main characters stop reacting to what is going on around them and decide to start acting instead! This leads to the climax of your story the major point where all the action and drama comes to a head.

And breathe…

The end of your story is where you readers should be able to sit back in their seats and take one big deep breath. Here is where you resolve loose ends and decide whether you’ll leave your readers feeling relieved and happy, or heartbroken and devastated. Either way is fine, but make sure you leave them feeling something!

Structuring your story in this way will help you ensure that you hook the reader in, create memorable and engaging characters, keep your reader turning those pages and then letting your story come to a satisfying end. So, next time you are writing, pay more attention to your story structure – you’ll be so glad you did.

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post How To Structure Your Story appeared first on Writer's Life.org.