Lisa Hall-Wilson's Blog, page 14
August 10, 2017
A Simple Tip To Increase Tension in Fiction
Have you considered the importance of doors? No matter what kind of story you’re writing, being able to increase tension in a scene, to get the reader to shift to their edge of their seat, is tricky business. Doors are an opportunity to pause, force the character to take a deep breath. Commit to the next step of the journey.
“Be an opener of doors.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Doors not only shut an opening, they provide a measure of privacy, security even. Ever noticed how characters will often paus...
July 26, 2017
Surprise Your Readers
How do you surprise readers? The reality of genre fiction, especially, is that you know how it ends. The guy gets the girl. The good cop catches the bad guy. The ordinary girl triumphs over the monster. You get the idea. Novels promise an escape, entertainment, characters a reader would call a friend, a story world a reader doesn’t want to leave, but we also have to surprise readers.
Surprise is not a cheap thrill. It’s not a garish jumpy-outty slasher moment or even the curled-toes-and-ti...
July 18, 2017
Biggest Mistake Authors Make On Facebook
Photo credit: garryknight via Visualhunt
I have done a lot of critiques for writers trying to build platform using Facebook. Facebook is my happy place. I spend a lot of time there. For many years, I was paid to hang out on Facebook. I follow a lot of authors on Facebook and am “friends” with dozens more. I see new and emerging writers making the same mistake over and over and over.
We know that within the Facebook economy that reactions (formerly likes), comments, link clicks, and shares are...
July 17, 2017
Guest Post: Using Personal Vows To Increase Story Tension
It’s summertime here and the sun is shining. My outdoor office is my favourite place to be and my fingertips are flying across the keys working on new stories. Today, I am guest-posting over at Kristen Lamb’s blog. I would love for you to send Kristen some blog love and leave a comment!
Want to raise the stakes for your character through internal conflict? Deep POV is a great technique to bring out this tension because it allows the reader deep into the character’s psyche and allows for an in...
July 3, 2017
Even Square Pegs Get Lucky Once In A While
I had the absolute pleasure to win a national award for my debut novel. Now, awards are completely subjective and my novel might not ever win another award, but I don’t really care. After spending several years feeling like the orphan at the fiction party, it was nice to get that nod “good job.”
I arrived at the black tie gala in a 50s va-va-voom pink and black polkadot dress, and everyone else was wearing either a formal gown or something in a shade of black. I can’t even fit in even when I...
June 30, 2017
Are You Playing Facebook Roulette With Your Profile?
A lot of authors (indie and trad) are using their Facebook Profiles to build platform. The friend limit is still 5,000 but if you turn on the Follower option there’s no limit. You’re not violating any rules by doing this as long as you don’t try to sell anything directly from your Profile (as per Facebook’s TOS). You can share blog posts, photos, start conversations, generally be a decent human who makes a living from their writing and likes to connect with readers.
The problem is when autho...
5 Tips for Awesome Author Facebook Launch Party
Ever done a virtual book launch party through a Facebook group? How has that gone? I’ve attended a few, some were OK – most were…not a lot of fun. However, this last week I joined a friend’s Jamberry nails Facebook party. I’ve never had a manicure. I paint my nails black and am done with it — however, even I was participating for prizes in this group because it was so well done. This is something I’m seeing a lot more of from these home-based businesses, but this was a stellar online party wi...
June 29, 2017
Anger: 5 Shades Of Seeing Red
Everybody gets angry. Whether you’re irritated or enraged, it’s not a simple emotion. Stephen King says fiction is truth inside a lie. We must have characters react honestly and authentically, but how much do you know about getting angry?
Anger is a universal emotions. It’s impossible to write a novel and not include anger some form or other. Anger motivates, intimidates, inspires change, fights back, breaks hearts, and can mend things. But, because it’s universal, writers don’t think they ne...
June 28, 2017
Readers Want To See Oz
One of the most common questions authors and writers trying to use Facebook to connect with readers and their tribe is: What Do I Post?
When a reader takes the time to search out an author on Facebook, when they Like your page or request to be your friend – what value are they looking for? Have you ever asked yourself this? If you haven’t got an answer to this, you’ve sabotaged yourself before even beginning. Readers don’t understand the creative process. They fall in love with our voice, ou...
May 1, 2017
Lemon in hand, will you choose love?
There are many situations in life that offer an opportunity to harden or soften our hearts. Every loss, victory, grief, betrayal, doubt, success, and love (new, old, and unrequited) forces a choice upon us. The Bible promises God will replace our hearts of stone with hearts of flesh.
The problem? Soft hearts bleed, hurt, tear, faint or fade away, but this sold-out, sacrificial, even-if-it-kills-me loving is what we’re called to. We’re called to love, and hardened hearts can’t love the way Ch...
