Angela Ackerman's Blog: Writers Helping Writers, page 10

How to Improve Your Chances of Getting Published

If only there was a magic formula, a secret trick that would improve your chances of getting published. Well, there is���but it isn���t magic or secret, and in the end, it can���t guarantee publication. But it���s still the best formula I know of for getting a shot at a contract. Some of this might not sound like good news, but I think it is, because in my opinion, talent is not the deciding factor in getting published. Instead, it���s hard work, patience, and an openness to feedback���things that are accessible to everyone.

Beginner���s Mind

This is a term that comes from Buddhism. What it means is to approach things with the attitude that you might not know everything, which allows for a willingness to learn new ways of seeing and doing. That���s what creativity is all about���seeing and doing things differently.

One of the best ways to keep an open mind is by reading. Studying novels. Taking them apart. Applying what you learn to your own work and practicing it. Another way is to take classes and workshops, go to conferences, listen to podcasts. Find out how others have done things. What works for them might not work for you, but there are many ways to approach the act of writing a novel. Try them on. See what fits.

Beginner���s mind also means being open to feedback. Honest critique. While feel-good feedback is nice, it won���t land you a publisher. You need to be resilient enough to hear that maybe this thing you���ve created could be better. Maybe there���s a kernel of a good idea there, but the rest of it is, well, compost, and you need to start over.

Does that sound harsh? It���s definitely unpleasant. But I���ve lost count of the number of times I���ve had to start a novel over from scratch with only the shred of the idea left on the page. Two of my published novels were created that way, and I���m just putting the finishing touches on another that also came into being by way of the garbage can.

Bestselling YA author John Green talks about how 90% of his first drafts end up in the round file. Another bestselling author, Barbara Kingsolver, throws out hundreds of pages in the process of finding a novel���s voice. I used to think it was just beginners who threw out work (well, beginners, and me). But now I know this is the process.

Writing is rewriting. It was probably the first thing our novel-writing instructor said to us in the MFA program, and it���s the truest thing I know about writing. The great lines, the poetry, the character development���most of that gets created in revision.��

Steep Grade Ahead

Writing plays a nasty trick on us. Because we learn how to write essays in school���and maybe the odd short story���we assume we know how to write a novel. Writing is writing, after all. It���s words on a page. But that���s like saying that because a person knows how to play the piano, they will automatically be proficient at the saxophone. True, they���ll know how to read music���but that���s the only advantage they���ll have.

The learning curve for writing a novel is steep. I���m talking years. Maybe ten years. That was how long it took me, and I���d been writing for years before I tackled my first novel. And I���m still learning. Every novel I read or edit or write has something to teach me. There will never come a time where I���ll feel I know all I need to know about writing a novel. That shouldn���t depress you. I think it���s exciting, a testament to the genre���s potential.

The Querying Process

All right. You���ve put in the years, you���ve gotten the tough feedback and revised until you���re cross-eyed. It���s time for the rubber to meet the road.

When it comes to querying, improving your chances of landing a publisher is both simpler and more complicated than you might think. Follow the submission guidelines. Widen your scope to include small publishers. Write a decent query letter. Easy.

Your letter won���t make or break your submission. But there are a few things that will: your synopsis and your opening pages.

Your synopsis shows a publisher that you understand structure and can execute the great idea you described in the pitch of your query letter. If the structure is broken, the novel will be broken. They won���t want to read it. That���s why synopses are so hard to write. And it���s why publishers and agents ask for one.

Then come your opening pages, the true showcase of your novel���s awesomeness. You can write the best query letter in the world, but if your opening pages don���t land, if they don���t grip the reader by the throat and insist that they turn the page, the publisher won���t ask for more.

How do you understand structure and write fabulous opening pages? By working hard. By taking apart the structure of novels you���ve read and trying to understand how the author created their magic. By writing and revising and writing and revising. This is what Steven Pressfield meant by turning pro: taking your craft seriously, developing the necessary discipline to see a project through to the end, not being crushed by feedback but instead using it as a learning tool. There will be setbacks and rejections, but a pro keeps showing up day after day and putting in the work. A pro doesn���t give up.

That���s the magic formula. That���s what will give you the best chance of getting there.

Writers Helping Writers holds a monthly critique contest that can help make your opening gleam. Come back to our blog Thursday, February 20 for a chance to win a 1st page critique from Becca Puglisi!

The post How to Improve Your Chances of Getting Published appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Character Secret Thesaurus: Doubting One’s Faith

What secret is your character keeping? Why are they safeguarding it? What���s at stake if it���s discovered? Does it need to come out at some point, or should it remain hidden?

This is some of the important information you need to know about your character���s secrets���and they will have secrets, because everyone does. They���re thorny little time bombs composed of fear, deceit, stress, and conflict that, when detonated, threaten to destroy everything the character holds dear.

So, of course, you should assemble them. And we can���t wait to help.

This thesaurus provides brainstorming fodder for a host of secrets that could plague your character. Use it to explore possible secrets, their underlying causes, how they might play into the overall story, and how to realistically write a character who is hiding them���all while establishing reader empathy and interest.

For instance, let���s see what it might look like if your character���

Is Doubting Their Faith

ABOUT THIS SECRET: When someone starts doubting their faith, it can leave them feeling unmoored. In addition to their inner turmoil, they may face disbelief, anger, and rejection from friends and family members, and even excommunication, leaving them unsupported as they work out new beliefs that align with their values. In extremist faith communities, keeping this process a secret is imperative since even voicing doubts or criticisms might endanger the character���s life.

SPECIFIC��FEARS��THAT MAY DRIVE THE NEED FOR SECRECY: Being Attacked, Being Judged, Being Labeled, Being Separated from Loved Ones, Being Unsafe, Betrayal, Certain Kinds of People, Change, Conditional Love, Conflict, Criticism, Death, Discrimination, Humiliation, Isolation, Letting Others Down, Losing One���s Heritage or Cultural Identity, Losing One���s Social Standing, Losing the Respect of Others, Not Fitting in, Persecution, Rejection

HOW THIS SECRET COULD HOLD THE CHARACTER BACK
Feeling as if they���ve lost their purpose
Pulling away from people in the faith and losing their support
Struggling to make life decisions while their values and morals are in flux
Feeling like a hypocrite for participating in rituals they no longer believe in
Wrestling with fear, anxiety, and depression as they question what they were taught and what they truly believe

BEHAVIORS OR HABITS THAT HELP HIDE THIS SECRET
Continuing to perform religious rituals (prayer, fasting, attending services, etc.) even though their heart isn���t in it
Expressing doubts by posing ���devil���s advocate��� questions
Diving deeper into their existing belief system to try to find answers to their questions
Overcompensating with excessive displays of devotion

ACTIVITIES OR TENDENCIES THAT MAY RAISE SUSPICIONS
Asking exploratory philosophical questions with trusted individuals
Referencing secular or non-religious sources when discussing doctrine
Cultivating friendships with people outside their community

SITUATIONS THAT MAKE KEEPING THIS SECRET A CHALLENGE��
Being in a position of authority in their community where they���re responsible for leading others in their faith
Being seen participating in another faith���s rituals
A disaster or tragedy that highlights the character���s doubts about God, making it more challenging to stay silent

Other Secret Thesaurus entries can be found here. Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (18 unique thesauri and growing) is accessible through the One Stop for Writers THESAURUS database.

If you like, swing by and check out the video walkthrough for this site, then give our Free Trial a spin.

The post Character Secret Thesaurus: Doubting One’s Faith appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Use This Method to Identify Your Story���s Stakes

Stakes are a crucial part of your story because they define what will happen if the protagonist fails. To build reader empathy, you need this piece in place because when the reader sees what���s at stake, and they recognize why it matters to the character, the story becomes important. It matters.

Stakes also create tension when the reader realizes what���s on the line. So when the stakes are referenced early on, readers are more likely to be drawn in and root for the character���s success.

But that empathy connection only happens if the reader can see what���s at stake. And that can only happen if the author knows what���s on the line. Sometimes, it���s obvious. What are the consequences if Sheriff Brody doesn���t catch the shark in Jaws? Death and dismemberment. In the original Inside Out, if all of Riley���s emotions aren���t acknowledged and won���t work together, her identity is at risk.

But other times, it���s harder to identify what���s at stake in a story. So I���d like to share a simple method for figuring that out.

Outer Motivation + Inner Motivation = Stakes

All you have to do is figure out a couple of key elements for your story.

First: the protagonist���s goal. This is their overall objective. It���s what they���re hoping to achieve: getting the girl, enacting revenge, catching the criminal, etc. This is also called the Outer Motivation because it���s what the character is visibly working toward; everything he or she does is in pursuit of this objective. In The Lord of the Rings, Frodo���s goal is to destroy the one ring. In An Officer and a Gentleman, the protagonist���s goal is to become a Navy officer. The story goal should be pretty obvious because it���s what your character is actively seeking and pursuing.

But, often, there���s also something internally driving your character toward their goal. This is called the Inner Motivation because its private and is usually related to self-esteem or personal fulfillment. Figuring this out requires some digging into the character���s psyche and their past, but on a basic level, you can simply ask: Why is the goal so important to them?

In An Officer and a Gentleman, why does Zach Mayo want to become a Navy officer? There are lots of possibilities, but the true reason becomes clear when you know his backstory. His mother committed suicide, abandoning him as a ten-year-old. He was sent to live with his father, who was an excellent drinking buddy but not good for much else. And his dad���s military career had them moving all over so he could never put down roots. What Zach craves more than anything is belonging, and becoming a military officer will provide that for him. This is going to meet an internal need that���s missing. Belonging to a group is his inner motivation.

One interesting connection to note:
the inner motivation will often point back to a missing human need.

If you���ve followed Angela and me for long, you���ve likely heard about Maslow���s hierarchy of human needs and how it fits into character arc. The full explanation is here, but to summarize, there are 5 needs that are common to all human beings. If any of these are missing, people become vulnerable, and they���ll take action to fill the void.

Very often, that missing need is the inner motivation.

So, when we���re thinking about how to create meaningful stakes for a character, it���s helpful to zero in on which need is missing or most important to them���and be sure it���s tied to their inner motivation. For Zach, he���s missing love and belonging. He���s chosen a goal that, if he succeeds, will usher him into a ready-made community. So what���s at stake if he fails? Not belonging���continuing to live in isolation, alone.

SIDEBAR: It���s important to note that not every protagonist has an inner motivation. This happens a lot in stories that are plot-driven rather than character-driven: thrillers, action/adventure, etc. Think: Indiana Jones, Lara Croft, and vintage James Bond. Those stories are all about the character achieving the goal rather than them growing and maturing, so that internal piece isn���t necessarily needed. In stories like these, the stakes will be very obvious: the end of the world, someone dying, the Nazis getting the Ark of the Covenant and becoming all-powerful, etc.

Bonus: You Can Start from Anywhere

The cool thing about this method is you don���t have to know all your story elements at once; you can start with the inner or outer motivation to figure out the rest of the pieces.

Example 1: Start with the story goal. You know you���re writing a romance with a protagonist who���s looking for true love. What missing human need will be filled if they succeed (inner motivation/human need)?�� What���s at stake if they fail?

Example 2: Start with the human need/internal motivation that���s driving their behavior. You know your character inside and out, so you���ve already identified their wound and the human need that���s been compromised. Let���s say it���s Esteem and Recognition. What story goal might they pursue that would fill that void? What���s at stake if they fail to reach their objective?

And now you know how to figure out what���s at stake for your story. Convey that to readers early on, and you���ll show them why the story matters, making it engaging and difficult to put down.

Additional Stakes Resources:

Make the Stakes Personal
Tips for Raising the Stakes
Use Stakes to Establish Reader Expectations

The post Use This Method to Identify Your Story���s Stakes appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Thirty Ways to Promote Your Book

Depending on where you are on your writing journey, you may be finding out that writing your book is just the beginning of your journey as a writer. Finishing a book is a huge accomplishment, requiring significant time, energy, focus, and love. Job number one in a writer���s life is getting that darned book finished, polished, and then out into the world. But the reality in today���s market, whether you publish traditionally, use a hybrid publisher, or publish independently (Self Publish), you as the writer will have to get involved in spreading the word so that readers can find your book.

Yes, I���m talking about marketing and promotion. Even if you���re with a big publishing house, it���s rare these days to get a ton of budget or support for your book���s promotion, especially if you���re new on the scene. This comes as a shock for many new writers, who���ve watched umpteen Hollywood movies depicting huge book tours and lines down the block assembled to meet an author. The reality is more like calling around to see if bookstores will let you do a signing, and then wiling away hours, hoping that shoppers will stop to talk.��

Many writers find the idea of marketing their books terrifying, thinking that dancing on social media, or spending a fortune on ads and hoping for the best are the only options to get potential readers��� attention.

���But Suzy������ I hear from writers when I ask what their plan is for marketing. ���I hate public speaking, and I see you doing it but it���s just not for me.���

The good news? You don���t have to do any of the things I do. There are dozens of other options.  With my background in building businesses, I���ve always been fascinated with how writers promote themselves and their books, and jump at every chance I get to find out what���s working for writers I meet, and what isn���t. As a result, over the years I���ve personally tried dozens of strategies to reach readers ��� some that worked, and some that didn���t. I���ve also worked with hundreds of writers who are successfully marketing their books, each with their own special flair.

What Do All These Successful Authors Have in Common?They play to their own interests and strengths. What I love to do may not be your cup of tea���so don���t do it! If speaking and teaching in front of crowds, or talking with strangers is your kryptonite, find another way. You can use your written words to reach audiences by blogging, writing articles, or simply sharing your writing in creative places. ��They don���t spread themselves too thin. Pick one or two areas to focus on, and go deep, learning everything you can and giving it your all. If you choose to learn the art of promoting yourself and books using online ads and you focus your energy there, you���ll eventually get great at it. If you start a social media account or a blog on a topic related to your book and post regular content, you���ll attract a community of readers who might be interested in your book. If you try to do all the things, you���ll exhaust yourself, and you will see fewer results, making you wonder if all the hype about ���marketing��� is worth it.They show up consistently. Once you���ve found a strategy you enjoy and can sustain over time without burning out, do it consistently. These days, I focus on just two things: my Inspired Writing Newsletter for writers, and my Show, Don���t Tell Writing podcast . These are both free weekly content and have grown my community to over 12,000 amazing writers. When you���re first starting out, choose one thing you can do regularly, whether it’s monthly, biweekly, or weekly, and show up consistently. Resist making excuses, or giving up too soon. Over time, your audience will build.They show up as ���themselves��� when they interact with readers. Don���t be afraid to let your freak flag fly, whether that���s your obsession with Hot Wheels collectibles, poetry, or your relentless pursuit of perfect grammar. The biggest mistake I see writers make is trying to make all their communications with potential audiences so formal that their Voice and Point of View are missing. Readers are interested in knowing what their favorite writers are really like. And the bonus? Being yourself is much easier to sustain over time than trying to be who you think others expect you to be.They promote year-round, not just when they have a new book coming out. Even if you haven���t published your first book yet, the time to start building your author platform to promote your books is now. Get your feet wet as soon as you can, and try things out. It might take you a minute to learn which strategies give you the most joy and result in meaningful interactions with potential readers. But start somewhere. If you have 12 people in your audience waiting for your book when it comes out, that���s better than zero.��

As you explore your options to promote your books and find readers, you���re building a creative life for yourself. The best part is that you get to be creative about what that looks like. By all means, gather inspiration by watching and learning from writers you admire. But don���t try to emulate what they���re doing exactly, or marketing will feel like a chore, and you���ll quit. Instead, notice what those writers are doing that looks doable for you, and what feels exciting for you to try���and then try it.

Not Sure Where to Start?

I���ve compiled this list of 30 Ways to Promote Your Book, along with some thoughts on how I���ve seen each of them successfully implemented. I guarantee there���s at least one on this list that will fit your writing goals, your personality, and your available time for building up your public presence as a writer.

Enjoy!

The post Thirty Ways to Promote Your Book appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Character Secret Thesaurus: Faking an Illness

What secret is your character keeping? Why are they safeguarding it? What���s at stake if it���s discovered? Does it need to come out at some point, or should it remain hidden?

This is some of the important information you need to know about your character���s secrets���and they will have secrets, because everyone does. They���re thorny little time bombs composed of fear, deceit, stress, and conflict that, when detonated, threaten to destroy everything the character holds dear.

So, of course, you should assemble them. And we can���t wait to help.

This thesaurus provides brainstorming fodder for a host of secrets that could plague your character. Use it to explore possible secrets, their underlying causes, how they might play into the overall story, and how to realistically write a character who is hiding them���all while establishing reader empathy and interest.

For instance, let���s see what it might look like if your character���

Is Faking an Illness

ABOUT THIS SECRET: Why would someone fake being seriously ill? Being sick might garner attention or sympathy from others. It may result in a financial settlement or provide protection from an abusive environment. It could also be the perfect way to get out of a commitment. How this secret affects the character will depend not only on their reasons but also on the severity of the illness. Cancer, for example, is more difficult to simulate than a stomachache, with more complicated and long-term ramifications should someone discover the truth.

SPECIFIC��FEARS��THAT MAY DRIVE THE NEED FOR SECRECY: Abandonment, Being Physically Touched, Being Returned to an Abusive Environment, Being Separated from Loved Ones, Being Unsafe, Change, Crowds, Failure, Having No Purpose, Isolation, Leading, Letting Others Down, Mediocrity, Never Finding Happiness, Not Being in Control, Putting Oneself out There, Relational Commitment, Sex

HOW THIS SECRET COULD HOLD THE CHARACTER BACK
Becoming accustomed to avoiding responsibilities and not taking risks
Becoming inactive and sedentary
Losing advantages at work
Self-isolating to maintain the ruse and becoming lonely

BEHAVIORS OR HABITS THAT HELP HIDE THIS SECRET
Faking symptoms of the illness
Canceling social events or plans
Calling in sick at work
Fabricating medical appointments
Purchasing medication and leaving it out where people can see it
Asking others to run errands for them

ACTIVITIES OR TENDENCIES THAT MAY RAISE SUSPICIONS
Acting more chipper than they should be if they were truly sick
Being spotted in public looking perfectly fine
Contradicting themselves or saying things that aren���t true about their condition
Clearly using their illness to avoid responsibilities

SITUATIONS THAT MAKE KEEPING THIS SECRET A CHALLENGE��
Being offered the trip of a lifetime
A deadline coming up for something they���ve always wanted to do
Developing a real, acute condition that requires medical attention

Other Secret Thesaurus entries can be found here. Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (18 unique thesauri and growing) is accessible through the One Stop for Writers THESAURUS database.

If you like, swing by and check out the video walkthrough for this site, then give our Free Trial a spin.

The post Character Secret Thesaurus: Faking an Illness appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Be Our Valentine: Save 25% at One Stop for Writers��

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, Becca and I want to ensure you have a bigger budget for any I-Love-You gifts, so for the next two weeks, you can snag a One Stop for Writers subscription at 25% off with the code VALENTINE25.

We love helping writers bring their strongest, most immersive fiction to the page. One Stop for Writers offers the best of our descriptive thesauruses, guidance, tips, and tools.

What Will You Find at One Stop for Writers?

CHARACTER BUILDER
CHARACTER ARC BLUEPRINT
TIMELINE TOOL
STORY & SCENE MAPS
WORLDBUILDING SURVEYS
IDEA GENERATOR
WORKSHEETS & TEMPLATES
THE STORYTELLER���S ROADMAP
SHOW-DON���T-TELL THESAURUS DATABASE
& MORE

Make your description shine in every scene by using our 18 signature descriptive thesaurus lists:

EMOTIONS
EMOTION AMPLIFIERS
NEGATIVE TRAITS
POSITIVE TRAITS
CHARACTER MOTIVATION
FEARS

WEATHER
SETTINGS
TALENTS AND SKILLS
PHYSICAL FEATURES
EMOTIONAL WOUNDS
CONFLICTS

THEMES & SYMBOLS
TEXTURES
SHAPES
COLORS & PATTERNS
OCCUPATIONS
RELATIONSHIPS

Save 25% Off All Plans

If it would help you to have a powerful story support tool helping you plan, write, and revise, sign up & become part of the One Stop family. Don’t forget to use this code to save 25%:

VALENTINE25

To redeem this 25% discount:

Sign up or Sign inGo to Account >> My Subscription and choose your planAdd & activate the VALENTINE25 code in the box provided. (You’ll see this one-time discount apply onscreen.)Enter your payment details, click the terms box, & hit subscribe!

Already a subscriber? Just add/activate this code on the My Subscription page and it will apply the discount to your next invoice. Woot!

Sale ends Feb 20th, 2025.

The post Be Our Valentine: Save 25% at One Stop for Writers�� appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Book Structure for Disorganized Writers

A while back, I shared a post at WHW about Scene Writing, and why it���s such a valuable tool for writers (especially those like me, whose brains get easily overwhelmed by details). This post also shares my tricks for keeping a story organized even if you have a disorganized brain or process.

A Word About Writing Process���Adapt everything you learn to your own unique brain

Like underpants, writing process is personal. You’ll find out what fits YOU the best by trying it on for size. At the end of the day, the only writing process you need to embrace is the one that allows you to finish your stories.

It took me a long time to figure out that I couldn���t write linearly like all my friends. I had to find the process that worked for my brain. My brain needed stories to be in tiny pieces.

My old life:

(That’s the life of creating unfinished stories that taunted me.)

Whenever I’d get stuck, I’d stop. I’d stare at the page, clean my kitchen drawers, come back to the page and stare some more. Sometimes there was crying. Almost always, after a few weeks, I’d berate myself for being a hack, give up and start another story.

My new life:

Now I just pick a new scene and write it and the pantser half of my brain works the problems out. Most important, this method lets me keep writing. That immersion is what keeps most writers engaged with their story.

How does ���process��� work for a new writer?

The problem for most new writers is they don���t know what works for them yet. There���s a lot of trial and error when you���re new.

You���ll have to ask (and answer) questions like:

Am I a plotter or a pantser?A linear writer, or an out-of-order writer?Am I more productive in the morning or at night?Do I like to use 3-Act Structure or the W-Plot?

A lot of what you try as a new writer won���t work for you. That���s okay ��� keep trying things out until you are able to produce a finished story. You might not even love the first story or two, but you���ll still be proud you finished it.

A View of My ���Scene-Focused��� Process

The abbreviated description of my process is that I���m a Plantser and a Story Quilter. That means I plot a little, I free write a bit, and I piece the story together scene-by-scene.

What does that look like in practice?

1. I start by making a list of all the scenes I know.

Like many writers, each book usually starts with an idea or a scene that comes into my head fully formed. I write that scene to get it out of my head and onto the page. I keep writing until all the initial scenes are out of my head.

Usually, there are between 5-10 scenes that come with the initial idea. When I���m lucky, this list includes some key turning points of the story.

2. I make folders for all those scenes in Scrivener.

That folder list is key for me. It means when I sit down to write, I have a list of places I can go in the story. Sometimes something will come to me all Pantser-like and I make a folder for that one too.

3. I try to brainstorm early.

Near the beginning of the process, I bat some ���what if���s��� around with my writing peeps and decide on the overriding theme for the book and the internal and external conflicts for the main characters. I might be wrong, but it gives me a place to start.

Note: Scrivener has places for characters and research. For me, they���re part of my at-a-glance folder list over in the left sidebar. I can click on them to add, or when I need a refresher on a character for a scene.

4. Sometimes I get lucky.

During #3 above, sometimes the turning points make themselves known. I���ll often share the story with someone I trust, and ask if they see any major logic holes. If I���m lucky, they find one! Finding logic holes early, before I���ve done a ton of work, makes me way less cranky later in the process.

5. I keep writing until I���m out of scenes.

Sometimes that means I���m actually done with the book, and sometimes that means I have to beg some nice writing friends to do a manuscript swap. This step is usually when I begin the Second Draft work, which means using all those cool plotting and polishing tips that Plotters use on their first draft.

My Top 3 Tips for Getting Unstuck

Despite our best intentions, we all get stuck sometimes. OneStop for Writers is a great place to start when you get stuck. These smaller steps help me, too.

1. Change locations.

Typically, the act of moving to a new writing space can jiggle up some writing inspiration. This can be from your desk to the couch, from inside to outside, or from the library to a favorite restaurant or coffeehouse.

2. Use a digital timer.

I tend to use my cooking timer. When I don���t want to write, my deal with myself is I have to do at least 30 minutes of work on my fiction.

We can do anything for half an hour, right?

While it doesn’t sound like a lot, it really makes a difference. If I’m not digging the writing that day, I know “I only have to do this crap for 30 minutes.” If things are going well, I���m likely to go way longer than 30 minutes.

3. I print a list of all the scenes I know in table form.

This trick requires a printer and scissors, and I���m known to do it when I���m getting to the end of a book. Margie Lawson gave me this brilliant idea, and it works when I have difficult scenes that I don���t want to write. You could also handwrite your to-do list and make a game out of it.

I print the table of all those scene prompts and cut it up until each scene is on its own slip of paper.I find a pretty container and I put all the slips of paper into it.Every time I sit down to write those final scenes, I randomly choose one from the container until they���re all gone.

Margie is so smart.

Why Scene-Focused Writing Is a Great Organization Method for Me.

The first major advantage is that I rarely get stuck.

Everything is visible to me at a glance. I just pick a scene from my to-be-written list of scenes (aka: my Scrivener folders/documents) and get writing. Eventually all of them will get written.

Here���s an example

A starting scene list for a made-up romance novel:

Initial MeetingScene in the Coffee ShopJob interview at the clinicReunion with SisterFight about parents��� funeralFirst look at sister���s houseDiscovery of parent���s will in the garageFlesh out mom���s mental illnessConfront sister about secrets

The second major advantage (for me) is that I can see the story structure visually, without getting overwhelmed.

As I write those early scenes and begin seeing the bigger picture, I start making more folders. Every so often in the process, I���ll move those folders around, so they feel more logical.

Scenes and turning points will move into a logical three-act structure, which organically shows me plot holes. I can color code scenes (folders or documents) in Scrivener if I want to make unwritten scenes stand out more, which is great for an at-a-glance to-do list.

In a Word document, I can���t see the structure at a glance, and it stresses me out. I feel like I don���t know where to start or where I���m going. I lose scenes. It���s easy for me to get overwhelmed, and then the writing isn���t so fun anymore.

An example of my Scrivener folder list further in the process:

Act I

Amanda and Archer meeting in CoffeehouseAmanda���s job interview at clinicAmanda chats with Unknown character about Disliking ArcherDay 1 at Clinic WHERE ARCHER WORKS

Act II

Need a scene with heroine���s BFF ��� Topic TBDReunion with SisterFight about parents��� funeralFirst look at sister���s houseFind excuse for social occasion with sisterTalk with Archer in Clinic KitchenDiscovery of parent���s will in the garageFlesh out mom���s mental illnessDate with Archer at pubConfront sister about secretsAll is Lost Moment

Act III

EndingFinal Thoughts

Whether you���re innately disorganized like me or a detailed plotter, finishing a book is a big task. There are a lot of moving parts to be organized. Scrivener is my tool of choice, but I have friends who do things differently and stay organized.

I���ve seen great books organized all these ways:

Using a notebook and writing by hand with Post-its and dividersUsing Word documents with headings or Master/Sub DocumentsUsing software like Plottr and ProWritingAidCreating folders on the computer and saving each chapter as a documentWriting the book in a single Word or GoogleDoc file

Figuring out your writing process and how to keep your stories organized are two of the most important things you will ever learn as a writer. I���m wishing you a smooth journey!

The post Book Structure for Disorganized Writers appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Character Secret Thesaurus: Concealing a Sexual Identity

What secret is your character keeping? Why are they safeguarding it? What���s at stake if it���s discovered? Does it need to come out at some point, or should it remain hidden?

This is some of the important information you need to know about your character���s secrets���and they will have secrets, because everyone does. They���re thorny little time bombs composed of fear, deceit, stress, and conflict that, when detonated, threaten to destroy everything the character holds dear.

So, of course, you should assemble them. And we can���t wait to help.

This thesaurus provides brainstorming fodder for a host of secrets that could plague your character. Use it to explore possible secrets, their underlying causes, how they might play into the overall story, and how to realistically write a character who is hiding them���all while establishing reader empathy and interest.

For instance, let���s see what it might look like if your character���

Is Concealing Their Sexual Identity

ABOUT THIS SECRET: A character concealing their sexual identity is living a double life, caught between the fear of exposure and the risk of immeasurable personal loss. But coming out could mean losing their support network, family, or sense of safety, making it a secret many will go to great lengths to protect.

SPECIFIC��FEARS��THAT MAY DRIVE THE NEED FOR SECRECY: Abandonment, Becoming What One Hates, Being Attacked, Being Judged, Being Labeled, Being Separated from Loved Ones, Being Unsafe, Betrayal, Change, Conditional Love, Conflict, Death, Discrimination, Humiliation, Isolation, Letting Others Down, Losing Financial Security, Losing One���s Social Standing, Losing the Respect of Others, Not Fitting in, Persecution, Putting Oneself out There, Rejection, Trusting Others

HOW THIS SECRET COULD HOLD THE CHARACTER BACK
Feeling inhibited in relationships, especially romantic ones
Letting a potential soulmate go so the secret remains hidden
Feeling as though no one truly knows or understands them
Feeling undesirable because they���re hiding who they are

BEHAVIORS OR HABITS THAT HELP HIDE THIS SECRET
Dating a partner they���re not attracted to or are incompatible with to keep up appearances
Lying about current or past relationships to align with their perceived orientation
Deliberately avoiding LGBTQ+ spaces or conversational topics
Avoiding people they fear may disapprove of their orientation

ACTIVITIES OR TENDENCIES THAT MAY RAISE SUSPICIONS
Going to a bar or club that caters to a different sexual identity
Consuming media that caters to a different sexual identity
Roleplaying romantic connections with partners who attract them in safe scenarios (e.g., video games, bedroom games, etc.)
Developing emotionally intense relationships with people they���re actually attracted to

SITUATIONS THAT MAKE KEEPING THIS SECRET A CHALLENGE��
Feeling sexually attracted to someone who returns the feelings
Feeling unsatisfied in a long-term romantic relationship
Being highly visible in their social standing so their life is intensely scrutinized
Engaging in a secret romance with someone they���re attracted to

Other Secret Thesaurus entries can be found here. Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (18 unique thesauri and growing) is accessible through the One Stop for Writers THESAURUS database.

If you like, swing by and check out the video walkthrough for this site, then give our Free Trial a spin.

The post Character Secret Thesaurus: Concealing a Sexual Identity appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Making Nice Guys & Girls Realistically Flawed

We���ve talked a lot around here about why characters need flaws. Those negative traits make characters relatable to readers, they contribute to their arc, and, oh, a whole bunch of other things. Flaws are especially important for any character navigating a change arc, where their weaknesses are keeping them from success and growth is necessary for them to realize the need for change.

Most of the time, creating flawed characters isn���t too hard. But it���s more difficult for certain kinds of characters than others���particularly if you���re writing a character defined by kindness or niceness. This is the nice guy/girl trope, and while it can work for a protagonist, it���s most often reserved for secondary characters, such as a friend, ally, or love interest.

The nice guy or girl is defined as being a decent, kind, and morally upright character who tends to make good decisions. That makes the question of flaws more challenging because this person, by definition, is good. It���s their defining trait, what readers should associate with them. The key to making to make this kind of character realistically flawed while still maintaining their defining goodness is to be careful which negative traits you give them.

Pick Forgivable Flaws

Not all weaknesses are viewed as equal; some are more accepted than others and are easier for readers to ignore or write off. If your nice guy character is prejudiced, violent, or cruel���those flaws are strong and could easily override their positive qualities to the point that readers will no longer see the character as good. So consider weaknesses that are less extreme and more acceptable, as we see with the following nice guys and girls:

The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Esmerelda’s kindheartedness and empathy are offset by her na��vet��. This is often a sign of weakness, but it makes her vulnerable and often goes along with her positives, making it an easy one to overlook.Pride and Prejudice: Charles Bingley lacks assertiveness, letting his sisters and Mr. Darcy influence him and override his own desires.Birdbox: Olympia, by her own admission, is too soft, and you know straight off that she���s not going to make it. (Extra points for the backstory in this movie that lays the foundation for her flaw.)Frozen: Olaf is so friendly and eager to help, no one really notices that he���s not so bright.The Bear: Pete, the main character���s brother-in-law (whose niceness is a welcome change in this dysfunctional family) is a little too nice. His attempts to help make him look awkward and not very capable and show that he has no clue how to work within the family.Show How the Flaw Creates Vulnerability

Vulnerability is the primary driver for reader empathy, because when you can show that a character is vulnerable, readers soften toward them. And when their flaw is the thing putting them at risk, readers tend to focus their antagonism more on the trait and less on the character.

Know (and Show) the Why

Why is your character disorganized or impulsive or a worrywart? Where does their flaw come from? There���s a reason people are the way they are. Many factors can play into flaw development, including

Negative influencers, bad role models, and abusive caregivers.Emotional wounds and painful memories.Unjust/unfair experiences.Negative life lessons.Environmental exposures (such as growing up in a dangerous neighborhood and developing certain flaws that aid in survival).

PSST: The One Stop for Writers��� Character Builder helps you explore these and other factors that contribute to the development of authentic and well-rounded characters.

Delve into their backstory to see which flaws make sense and where they might have come from. Then you can give readers a plausible and heart-tugging reason for the character���s unattractive trait���something outside of their control that has made them the way they are. Readers will overlook even a really unpopular trait if they see it���s the result of the character being hurt, wounded, or influenced in some way.

One of my favorite examples of this is Melvin Udall from the movie As Good as It Gets. (Okay, so he���s not a nice guy; he���s a total jerk. But the vulnerability principal applies to flaws in all kinds of characters.) Abrasive, prejudiced, selfish���you dislike Melvin on sight. But then you see that his behavior is the result of an untreated mental health condition that has left him isolated and alone. He actually craves community, but his off-putting flaws make it impossible for him to connect with anyone. And suddenly, you���re rooting for him. You want him to be and do better.

Showing the ���why��� also ensures that the negative trait you���ve chosen makes sense for the character. It wasn���t picked off a list and just plugged into their story���which is good, since that���s not how traits form. It developed like real-life flaws do, from past experiences, wounding events, and influencers. So make sure you know where the flaw came from, and be sure to show that to readers.

This post is a response to a question from one of our readers, which I originally replied to via a quick video in one of our newsletters. If you have writing- or industry-related questions you���d like us to answer,  we���d love to address them . And to receive our occasional newsletter that contains answers to these questions along with other helpful writing advice, sign up  here .

The post Making Nice Guys & Girls Realistically Flawed appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Phenomenal First Pages Contest

Hey, wonderful
writerly people!

It���s time for Phenomenal First Pages, our monthly critique contest. So, if you need a bit of help with your first page, today’s the day to enter for a chance to win professional feedback! (We’ve had past winners tell us they’ve found their dream editors through this contest, and even ended up with offers of representation!)

Entering is easy. All you need to do is leave your contact information on this entry form (or click the graphic below). If you are a winner, we’ll notify you and explain how to send us your first page.

Contest DetailsThis is a 24-hour contest, so enter ASAP.Make sure your contact information on the entry form is correct. Three winners will be drawn. We will email you if you win and let you know how to submit your first page. Please have your first page ready in case your name is selected. Format it with 1-inch margins, double-spaced, and 12pt Times New Roman font. All genres are welcome except erotica.Sign Up for Notifications!

If you���d like to be notified about our monthly Phenomenal First Pages contest, subscribe to blog notifications in this sidebar. 

Good luck, everyone. We can’t wait to see who wins!

PS: To amp up your first page, grab our  First Pages checklist from One Stop for Writers. For more help with story opening elements, visit this Mother Lode of First Page Resources.

The post Phenomenal First Pages Contest appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.