Angela Ackerman's Blog: Writers Helping Writers, page 164

Juggling Genres...Brilliance or Pure Folly?

Today we're happy to welcome Anne O'Connell, an author currently juggling fiction and nonfiction writing, which, as you know, is near and dear to our Bookshelf Muse hearts. Authors are often advised not to switch genres—to find something you're good at or passionate about and stick with it. But the truth is that for many of us, passion isn't confined to a certain kind of story. We need to be able to write (and sell) the stories that interest us, whatever genre they happen to be. But how do we do it successfully? Luckily, Anne is here to talk about her tips on doing just that...





I love to write but don’t want to get boxed into one genre. Does that create problems? Absolutely! Does it keep things interesting? You bet!



On this, the occasion of the launch of my first novel, I pondered briefly on whether or not I’ll be giving up the other writing I do… not a chance! Mental Pause
is my first novel but my first book was @home in Dubai
, a nonfiction book published traditionally by Summertime Publishing, and my second was a self-published e-book about doing your own PR. I enjoyed writing them all equally.



I consider my specialized skill to be simply…. writing. Do some writers have a particular niche they focus on? Most do and many ‘experts’ warn not to switch about, as it makes it difficult to market your services. That’s probably the biggest downside to switching genres. For authors with a following, it can alienate your readers. But sometimes you just need a change, right? If you plan on juggling genres, just promise that you’ll be back. It’ll be part of your messaging. If you’re traditionally published you might have a battle on your hands with your publisher, though. That’s when you might consider turning to self-publishing.



For me, I need the variety. After spending days on end writing web copy for a client, my eyes tend to glaze over and my mind wanders. Sometimes the screen even gets blurry. It’s amazing how invigorating it is to switch gears to a work of fiction. It’s almost as energizing as a brisk walk on the beach.



Switching genres may have its ups and downs but that doesn’t mean it’s not doable. Here are some successful methods for writing across genres:


Look for inspiration to spark an idea (for business writing or nonfiction, it usually comes from a client brief or an area of expertise; for my novel it came from a night sweat). 
Write a synopsis of the idea. Just get it all down… it’s what I call a mental dump. 
Determine the target market for any type of writing before you get too far into it because that will dictate some of your language use and the level of writing. 
Write an outline. For business writing it’s usually pretty sewn-up before I write the bulk of the piece; for nonfiction it starts with a fairly complete chapter outline. But my novel evolved as I wrote it, from a loose idea and a bunch of scenes from my initial mad ramblings of a peri-menopausal woman that I had dumped into a document. I know some authors need to start with a more prescribed outline but your personality will guide you here. The important thing is to just write. 
Do the background research, which is equally as important for both. For nonfiction, it lends credibility and for fiction, believability.



Tempering the Confusion 

If you decide to write multiple genres, be ready to manage a complex communications strategy. I’m in the midst of fine-tuning mine to make sure that it speaks to both my copy writing clientele as well as readers of my novel (hopefully many more to come). The novelist persona is very new so I’m gently introducing that side of me, while maintaining the ‘bread and butter’ of my copy writing side.



Website




I have redesigned my website that I’ve had for more than five years. I’ve made it softer and changed the focus from hard-core business to more of a personal feel. Most of my clients are in the service or consulting industries and are therefore more people centric, so it works well. 
I’ve added a books tab and am creating landing pages for my books (for @Home in Dubai it actually links to a whole different website). 
I have a website builder package that includes unlimited pages so I can add books as I write them. I create and manage my own websites using Go Daddy, which makes it easier and cheaper. I also use the same service for my email database and distribution as well as my online bookshop. 

Social Media 


I have a presence on Facebook, which I’ve been building for five years. I have a personal profile, which I keep for family and friends as well as several pages, one for me as a writer/author and a page for each book. There is some overlap but I try to post fresh content on each so those who are on all of the pages don’t get annoyed. 
I have chosen to only have one Twitter account (@annethewriter). I rotate tweets between all my endeavours, including my volunteer work. I gamble that there’s enough commonality among my Tweeps that if I post a Tweet about my book launch, it’s not going to turn off my current or potential copy writing clients, fellow expats or social media buffs who are following. 
I have two blogs, one for general writing and one for my novel. I think blog subscribers are less forgiving if you switch gears on them too much. I know I’m walking a fine line with that and probably need to streamline my writing blog a bit more. 
Like my website, my LinkedIn profile combines it all with a headline that reads, ‘Freelance Writer, Social Media Consultant and Author’ and sports the same photo that I have on the website. My status updates rotate in a similar way to my Twitter posts but are not duplicated. 
I’ve just started playing around with Pinterest so don’t quite have a handle on it yet but do have my book covers pinned (in different categories) as well as images that link to my blogs on writing and social media. 



These are the strategies I’m using where I’ve combined all of my genres, but there are those that are specific to promoting my copy writing services, nonfiction book or launch of my debut novel as well. For example, the blog tour for my novel was totally different from the blog tour I did for @Home in Dubai. Book reviewers do focus on particular genres so once you have a list built, if you’re switching genres, you probably won’t be able to use much of it again.



When it all comes down to it, you’ve got to do what makes you happy, and for the time being, juggling genres is what does it for me.



Thank you, Anne! It seems to me that while writing different genres can be a challenge, it's the selling different genres that can be a bigger headache. I agree with Anne, that you have to vary your marketing techniques and be prepared to do some extra work in the social networking arena if you want to have success in multiple areas. I'd love to hear more thoughts on this topic. Musers, what techniques have you used to write or market for different genres? What successful methods have you seen others use?





*****



Anne has been working as a freelance copywriter, writing coach and consultant since 2007, specializing in social media, marketing, corporate communications and public relations. She is a regular contributor to Global Living Magazine and Expat Focus. In between clients she squeezes in time for her newly found passion - writing fiction. She and her husband have a passion for travel as well and that adventurous spirit has taken them all over the world. Anne grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia and has a bachelor of public relations from Mount St. Vincent University. She is the author of @Home in Dubai… Getting Connected Online and on the Ground, 10 Steps to a Successful PR Campaign – a Do-it-Yourself Guide for Authors and Mental Pause, her first novel.

Physical Attribute: Toenails

photo credit: shannonkringen via photopin cc

Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel 'list-like', while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight. 




One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.






TOENAILS




Descriptors : shaped, trimmed, painted, glittery, decorated, colorful, glossy, tiny, thick, yellowed, rounded, curved, shiny, short, hangnail, long, broken, peeling, bejeweled, clawed, dirty, thick, brittle, ingrown, pedicured, smooth



Things Toenails Do (and other words/phrases to describe those actions)


Toenails, unlike other parts of the body, don't actively "do" much. Their main function is to protect the toes from injury. People may use them to scratch at an itchy part on their leg, and women often showcase them in summer months by painting them fashionably.



Key Emotions Related to Toenails: 




Worry: because of the almost universal feeling that feet are not overly attractive, men and women are generally self conscious about their feet and so  take care to keep their toenails clean and healthy when they are visible to others (sandal season, going to the pool, etc.) 
Pride: Painted toenails for women are a source of pride, good fashion sense and femininity. Many will keep their nails painted year around to make their feet appear more attractive.

Simile and Metaphor Help:                           





Janice's toenails flashed bright against the sand--a scatter of rubies dropped from a pirate's treasure chest.
Demi's red and black toenails lined up like a row of lady bugs.




Clichés to Avoid :


None that I can think of!

HINT: When describing any part of the body, try to use cues that show the reader more than just a physical description. Make your descriptions do double duty. Example: 



Jenny walked across the ballroom, each step deliberate and slow, drawing all eyes to her. From the diamond hair clips holding back her thick blond hair to the glossy gold metallic toenails peeking out of her three inch Prada sandals, she was every bit the wealthy, well-bred society girl.




BONUS TIP: The Colors, Textures & Shapes Thesaurus in our sidebar might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above! 

Clarity In Writing & The Curse of Reader Assumption

I'm happy to welcome back Dr. John Yeoman of Writer's Village, a writing community dedicated to helping writers succeed. Today he's looking at an important facet of the story-audience connection: reader assumptions.



It is very important that we achieve CLARITY when we write. Is the audience picking up on our exact meaning the way we intend? What viewpoint biases do they apply to what they read? This is a great topic, so please read on for a deeper look!






Are Your Stories Killed by the Curse of Assumption?

by John Yeoman




Would you have misunderstood these opening lines as badly as I did?





‘She cursed her killer Jimmy Choos as she entered the room. The man met her eyes and slipped his Mont Blanc quickly into his pocket.’



Having read too much John le Carré, I assumed that Jimmy Choos was the name of an assassin she’d hired to kill her husband. And a Mont Blanc was a gun, presumably of French design.



My wife got it at once. Of course! This was a style-conscious young woman on a blind date. But I missed it. Why? I’m a reclusive old man.



We can’t always choose our readers. If the reader misunderstands us, our story is lost. And every reader brings to our story their own assumptions.



Try these three ways to avert the Curse of Reader Assumption:



 1. Establish the context of your story at once - unless you want to obscure it.



 Don’t just dump that information on us in the authorial voice, of course. Let the narrator convey it in passing. Here’s a scene from an historical novel, located in London 1598:



‘It was a bright chill morning, the air sharp with the tang of burning apple wood. Mercifully, the rain had abated these past few days, having pelted down relentlessly for several months. No doubt, the farmers were praying now for a good harvest as they bided their time, waiting to sow the fields with what little corn they still possessed. I prayed with them. I had been a farmer once.’



We don’t need to tell the reader that England in 1598 was recovering from three years of rain-induced famine. We’ve suggested it obliquely. and slid in a little information about our character too.



Why might you want to obscure the context?



In China Mieville’s disturbing novel The City & The City the context is initially clear. Or so it seems. A body is found. Detectives gather and chew their nails while they wait for the path report. It’s a re-run of James Patterson. Isn’t it?



No. Ghost-like creatures drift about. The landscape keeps shifting, as if in a dream. Characters freeze until things are back to normal then resume as if nothing had happened. This is an alternative world. The story is a sci-fantasy. Mieville deliberately makes its context - and genre - ambiguous, to unsettle the reader.



2. Keep reminding us of the context.



 Thornton Wilder opens his deliciously satiric novel The Cabbala in a train carriage in Italy circa 1920:



 ‘In one compartment a party drawn from that race that travels most and derives least pleasure from it talked tirelessly of bad hotels, the ladies sitting with their skirts whipped about their ankles to discourage the ascent of fleas.’



 Whenever the travellers’ conversation starts to roam, Wilder reminds us they’re still on a train:



‘In another compartment an adventuress in silver sables leaned one cheek against the shuddering window panes ... In the pause that followed, fragments of conversation from the various corners of the compartment flowed in upon our minds ...’



 Each incident is linked by the term ‘compartment’ so that we never forget the context.



 2. Use ‘stage business’ to keep us in the scene.



 If you can’t remind us of the context with the repetition of a linking word (or phrase), as Wilder does, call our attention continually to props that define the setting. It’s stage business. If a theatrical producer wanted to suggest a Wild West saloon, he might hang an elk head over the door, put a spittoon in the corner and make the characters use it every moment. Suppose our character is chatting in a modern bar. A long dialogue ensues. Break it up!



Have the speakers cradle a glass, order a snack, check the clock, visit the restroom... all the things that people do in a bar.



Use those props continually to ground the reader in the context of the bar.



 3. Keep the continuity going. 



When you use a lot of frame shifts - switches of point of view, flashbacks, flashforwards and the like - it’s particularly important to retain continuity in the context. Otherwise, the reader gets lost. For example, a woman rambling in the country might chance upon a derelict church:



‘This had once been a graveyard. Nettles, briars, thistles taller than a man’s head. Grey stones poked out like stubs of broken teeth. She remembered her father’s funeral...’



The narrator’s mind then flashes back to the funeral. Ten pages later the reader may have lost their place in the story entirely. So bring us back to the graveyard.



‘She wiped the grave dust from her hands and ran from that dead place. Thistles tugged at her dress and briars tripped her feet but she didn’t notice. In her face was a new resolve.’



Now that long digressive flashback has been restored to its context and the story can resume.



Don’t give the reader a chance to misinterpret your story!





It’s not enough to spell out the context in chapter one and forget it
thereafter. The reader will forget it too. Maybe they’ll put down our
story and not return to it for another month. Or they’re lurching around
town in a taxi, an IPad in one hand and their heart in the other. Keep
reminding us, page by page, of what the story’s all about.



Dr John Yeoman, PhD Creative Writing, judges the Writers’ Village story
competition and is a tutor in creative writing at a UK university. He
has been a successful commercial author for 42 years.



A wealth of
further ideas for writing fiction that sells can be found in his free
14-part story course at Writers' Village. 



A big thank you to John for tackling this! Clarity is so important, and we have to always remember that the audience's education and life experience will place a filter on what they read.



Have you ever read a story where you read something one way, only to realize later that you misinterpreted the writer's intent? Let me know in the comments, and make sure to stop in at Writer's Village. There's a ton of great resources and advice to be found.

Physical Attribute Entry: Hair

Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel 'list-like', while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight. 


One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.









HAIR







Descriptors: curly, ringleted, straight, kinky, wavy, wild, lank, blunt, tame, bushy, frizzy, silky, long, short, flowing, buzzed, cropped, chopped, coifed, styled, gelled, loose, flat, shiny, dull, bouncy, thin, thick, wiry, dyed, streaked, layered, flyaway, balding, patchy, pulled back, tied up, smooth, dry, split, rough, spiky, stiff, straightened, sweaty, greasy, stringy, dirty, uncombed, neat, messy, mussed, tousled, bleached, colored, braided, dreadlocks, bedhead, staticky, cornrows, mohawk, mullet, crewcut



Things Hair Does (and other words/phrases to describe those actions)


Flip: toss, jerk, flick, shake, 
Blow (in the wind): float, flutter, sail, waft, fly, skim, whip, tear, thrash, twirl, buffet, lash, shimmy, sway, slap, flap



Key Emotions and Related Hair Gestures: 


Though hair doesn't do much on its own, people often touch their hair to indicate certain emotions. When nervous or feeling insecure, people do pretty much anything with their hair, such as touching, patting, twisting, pulling, compulsively braiding/unbraiding, pulling, jerking, and finger-combing their locks. 
At times of high anxiety or stress, people might actually pull their hair out, to the point of thinning their hair or going bald in spots. 
A flirtatious person expressing desire for someone else might draw attention to their hair by flipping, shaking, or running their hands through it
When frustrated, people may grab their hair, run their hands through it, or pull it.
A very angry or enraged person may do something drastic like chopping or shaving off their hair.


Simile and Metaphor Help:                         



The shaved hair of her scalp felt prickly and stubborn, like a curled-tight hedgehog saying Screw You to the world.
My mother's stylist was a miracle worker. I turned my head this way and that, viewing my coif from every angle. The curls were the perfect mix of styled and carefree, the color spot-on. Somehow, she'd turned me into a Paul Mitchell model.




Clichés to Avoid : Bleached blondes that are dumb or gullible; sexy, sassy redheads; lice as a sign of dirty hair; the prevalence of redheads in literature despite their rarity in the world's population (less than 2%)



HINT: When describing any part of the body, try to use cues that show the reader more than just a physical description. Make your descriptions do double duty. Example: I tried not to stare at the matriarch's hair but didn't quite succeed. It was the color of rich loam without a hint of white—a glossy shade that inspired both envy and debate among the village women. My mother liked to say that no one Bentri's age kept such hair naturally.




BONUS TIP: The Colors, Textures & Shapes Thesaurus in our sidebar might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above! 





photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography via photopin cc

Book Signings That WOW

photo: rickbucich via photopin cc

The idea of doing a book reading or author signing sort of terrifies me. I don't know why this is, because I love writers--we share the same passions and interests. It's great to chat with them at conferences, see what they are reading, discover what they are writing themselves. I always leave a conference with new friends, and in today's digital world, some faces to go with the names I recognize online!



So WHY should I be so frightened of a book signing? The people there show up because they are interested in my book, and what I have to say, right?



I don't know how to pin down my fears exactly, but if I had to get to the root of it all, it would be to say I am afraid of screwing up, of doing or saying something stupid that I can't undo. Yet, book events are important to authors and for building relationships with readers, so I need to move past my worries. I bet many of you feel the same!



Lucky for us, my friend Rochelle Melander, author of Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (and Live to Tell About It) has some excellent words of advice on how to handle such an event! Please read on, and prepare to bookmark this gem of a post to reference for your own next book signing. GIVEAWAY ALERT! Rochelle is also kindly giving away a copy of her book. Details below!






Book Signings that Wow

By Rochelle Melander




Last month, I headed out on a cold Friday night to attend an author event at my favorite local bookstore. Truthfully, I dreaded it. Okay, the idea of having pizza and wine with a friend sounded good. But then schlepping through the snow and ice to sit through a long and boring reading—not so much fun. Unless . . . the event wows. And this one did.



Mystery author Ian Rankin told stories (in his lovely Scottish accent) about how his newest books came about. (I won’t spoil it for you, but know it involved a secret military camp, a rock star, and drinking.) By the time he started answering questions, we’d laughed and shed a few tears. When Rankin signed my book, he asked: “So how was the evening for you? Did you enjoy it?”



You’re probably thinking, “But Rankin’s a star AND he has an accent. How can I wow like he does?” Never fear! Here’s my no-fail plan for wowing audiences at book events:



 Get the Right Attitude. When Ian Rankin asked me, “So how was the evening for you?”—I knew he’d approached his talk thinking: how can I make this event work for my audience? Face it—people can spend their night and their cash in a gazillion different ways. If you want to get them to attend your event and buy a book, you need to make it worthwhile for them. Start by asking yourself: how can I best serve my audience?



Promote Your Event. In the days leading up to the book signing for Write-A-Thon, I had a recurring nightmare that no one showed up for my event. It happens. I’ve been the only attendee at more than one author event. When I asked Daniel Goldin, owner of Boswell Book Company in Milwaukee, WI, how to get people to events, he offered great advice:



 *Invite people! Ask your family, friends, and acquaintances to come to your event. Goldin says, “The best thing is person-to-person selling, and a personal contact will always be more effective than a bulk mailing. "I'd love for you to be there" is probably more effective than ‘I think you'll like my book’”



*Pursue publicity. Connect with as many local media outlets as possible. Don’t overlook local bloggers—sometimes they can rally a dedicated group of fans better than a spot on a local television show. Goldin says, “Press is light years better than ads. You get the chance to tell what your story is about and why folks would connect.”



*Build good will with other authors. Be the kind of author who supports other writers. Blog about your friends’ books and events. Write reviews of their books and post them online. Goldin added, “Put your money where your mouth is (figuratively) and attend your friend's events too. It's like getting invited to a wedding—they'll support you if you support them.”

Plan your event. Don’t be the author who stumbles through a too-long reading while the audience members surf the net on their smart phones. Successful book events appear effortless. The author may sound like he spontaneously sang a few bars of a favorite old drinking song, but I’m sure he practiced. The authors who wow plan and practice their talks.



*Tell stories. I’ve attended more than a hundred events, and I always prefer hearing authors tell stories over listening to them read from their book. According to bookstore owner Daniel Goldin, “You can throw 5 minutes of reading into it, but make sure you're a great reader. One technique that seems to work well is telling the story that leads to how the book got written. If you can expand that to 15 minutes, you've got half your talk.”



*Connect with the audience. When I attend a talk, just like when I have coffee with a new friend, I’m looking for how we connect. Goldin affirms this, “The #1 reason why someone buys the book at an event is emotional. You connected with them somehow and you're promising that the book is more of the same.” You cannot manufacture connection. But you can give an event that creates connection: be open and authentic. Tell stories that show why you are passionate about this topic or these characters.



*Add Value. Think about the unique ways you and your book can add value to the event for the crowd. At my event, I gave everyone a complimentary bookmark (that was printed with a fun saying and info about my book). In addition, I held a drawing for Write-A-Thon goodie bags, filled with delicious treats and tools for a writing marathon. At other book signings I’ve attended, authors have given out temporary tattoos (Jeff Kinney), brought in artifacts from their childhood (Patricia Polacco), and served cake (Debra Brenegan).



 *Keep it short, Sherlock! Give some people a microphone, and they can talk for hours about how great they are. Don’t be that person! According to Goldin, “Leave the crowd wanting a bit more. You will always go longer than you think. Aim for 30 minutes, and never go over 45.” As you plan your talk, don’t forget to include fifteen minutes for questions.



 *Practice. Once you know what you’re going to say and read, stand up in front of your family or pets or even a dozen stuffed animals and do it. Then give the talk twenty more times until you don’t feel stupid or, if you do feel stupid, you don’t care!



 But what if I’m terrified? Get used to it. Everyone is. For most of us, speaking tops list of things we fear, along with heights, snakes, and spiders. According to author and certified professional speaker Mandi Stanley, the best way to manage fear is to remember, “It’s not about you, it’s about the audience.” If you need more practical help, she lists several tools in her book The No-Panic Plan for Presenters: An A-to-Z Checklist for Speaking Confidently and Compellingly Anywhere, Anytime :



*Remember that the audience wants you to do well.

*It’s easier to speak to people you know—so get to the event early and talk to people as they come in.

*If you have extra adrenaline or nervous energy, go in the restroom and jog really fast for a few minutes. If your hands still shake, Stanley recommends that you don’t hold paper. That way, no one will see you shake!



 After the event. Go home and collapse. You did it! The next day, send a hand-written thank you note to the people who hosted your event. If possible, send chocolate! Why? Bookstore owners, booksellers, and other event coordinators work hard to promote your event and sell your book. A note helps you to be remembered as that kind author who gave a great talk and said thank you (as opposed to the cranky one who sneered at them). And who knows, that might help you get another signing when your next book comes out!



Your turn: What are your tips for creating book events that wow?





Rochelle Melander is an author, speaker, and certified professional coach. She is the author of ten books, including Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (and Live to Tell About It .



Rochelle teaches professionals how to write good books fast, use writing to transform their lives, navigate the publishing world, and get published! For more tips and a complementary download of the first two chapters of Write-A-Thon, visit her online at www.writenowcoach.com. (TIP: Rochelle always has great advice, so look her up on TWITTER & FACEBOOK.)



GIVEAWAY DETAILS: Rochelle is generously giving away a print copy (US & Canada only) of her book to a commenter today, so if you'd like to try your luck, just comment! We'd love to hear if you've been to a book signing, and what was successful (or not so successful) about it! That way, we all have more ideas of how to do host a great one ourselves!

Physical Attributes: Shoulders

photo credit: flyzipper via photopin cc

Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel 'list-like', while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight. 


One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.








SHOULDERS




Descriptor s : muscled, broad, narrow, thin, willowy, thick, freckled, tanned, sunburned, veined, bulky, rounded, tattooed, strong, roped with muscle, bony, sloped, iron, pale, pimpled, solid, lean, big boned, raw boned, brawny, muscular, solid, rippled, stocky, well built, ripped, coltish; soft, smooth, compact, slight, wispy, burly, wide set, swimmer's build, chiseled, firm, limber, taut, bulky, shapely, stooped, graceful, bowed, straight, hairy, dimpled, peeling


Things Shoulders Do


lift: raise, curl, hoist, heave, boost
tense: tighten, harden, strain, bulge, ripple, twinge
push: nudge, jam, shove, knock, thrust, prod, poke, jostle
drop: sag, lower, cave, plummet, bow



Key Emotions and Related Shoulder Gestures: 


Disappointment or Resignation: shoulders tend to drop or cave in a moment of defeat, or pull forward and as body posture loosens, curl over one's chest
Indifference or Confusion:  When a person conveys they don't care or they don't know the answer to something, a common response is a one or two shoulder shrug, often paired with broken eye contact.
Wariness or Anger: In moments of high stress, the shoulder stiffen and muscles grow taut. This is the physical manifestation of fight or flight, as the body prepares to battle or run.

Simile and Metaphor Help:                           



The ropey, firm rises of his shoulders provided a map for my fingers to explore.
Anna ducked out of the change room in her borrowed swimsuit, her chalky, sun screened shoulders as pale as twin moons.


Clichés to Avoid :



Shrugging one's shoulders is often overused when a character is being non responsive during a dialogue exchange. It's not a gesture to avoid, but one to take care in not overusing.



HINT: When describing any part of the body, try to use cues that show the reader more than just a physical description. Make your descriptions do double duty. Example: 



Andrew's tight t shirt pulled off like a second skin, revealing broad, sun-browned shoulders that my fingers ached to touch. The hard life of a ranch hand certainly agreed with this cowboy.




BONUS TIP: The Colors, Textures & Shapes Thesaurus in our sidebar might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above! 

Bring Your Inner Creativity OUT & Stop Writer's Block!

Good news! Plot Whispering guru Martha Alderson is visiting today as she releases The Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts: Easy Exercises to Get You Writing into the world.



I know that finding inspiration and getting our writing mind running can be a struggle at times, and so having a book that offer s prompts and wisdom on how to connect with our creative inner selves is a great tool for our writer's chest.



Martha agrees, and so is putting 3 books up for grabs to 3 lucky commenters. To win, comment on which danger(s) listed below most plagues you. Share a method you’ve found helpful banishing writer’s block, and your name is in the draw!



The Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts gives you the inspiration and motivation you need to finish every one of your writing projects. Written by celebrated writing teacher and author Martha Alderson, this book guides you through each stage of the writing process, from constructing compelling characters to establishing an unforgettable ending. 



 Here's some great answers to an area that trouble's many: writer's block. If you've had it before, you know how terrible it is, and how hard it can be to climb out of it. Please read on!




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 Angela:
What dangers are responsible for writer’s block?



Martha:
I address writer’s block on the first page of my new book, The Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts: Easy Exercises to Get You Writing.



“But you’re stuck. You can’t seem to get going. And what seemed so easy and so urgent now appears as a huge obstacle sitting in front of you, blocking your path to fulfillment.”



Writers beware of the three major dangers responsible for writer’s block.



1) Disorganization

2) Uncertainty

 3) Lack of Knowledge about How to Write a Story with a Plot



Angela:
How does one pull oneself free of writer’s block?



Martha:
I have always been fascinated by energy, which is why the Universal Story so delights me. I love the idea of an energetic path that cycles through the beginning and the end of a story, and everything else in life, too. Sometimes the energy builds and sometimes it fades, like the waves near my house. I appreciate that you can’t force a story to come any more than you can force a wave to break. However, there are three magic elixirs, one each to cure the three major dangers for writer’s block. Practice them liberally to ensure the path of creativity stays clear and wide open.



1) Replace Disorganization with Discipline 

I cringe even writing the word discipline, like I’m writing a bad or even evil word. Yet for writers with jumbled ideas, cluttered workspaces, stacks of stories started and stopped at varying degrees of completion, writing in moments of sublime inspiration followed by weeks and months of writer’s block isn’t working.



 Discipline once referred to an avid pursuit. At some point in history, discipline became linked to punishment and quickly fell out of favor, especially with creative and more permissive people. An everyday discipline is not nearly as romantic as being struck by inspiration. Yet every successful writer I know writes daily.



The most successful writers write full-time everyday.
Discipline demands self-control. Self-control requires emotional maturity. How does one achieve emotional maturity, you ask? Same way as your protagonist achieves her full character emotional development, through trial and error and trauma and plunging into the dark night of the soul. The protagonist’s emotional development takes place over time and culminates at the end of the story in a lasting transformation. The character’s emotional development can be plotted from the beginning to the end of the story.



Your emotional maturity develops from writing a story with a plot from beginning to end and culminates at the end of the story. This means you write every day. Even when you don’t want to, even when you don’t know what to write and when there are so many more important things to do than write, you sit down, wait and write what comes. Rather than punishment, discipline grants you access to a wondrous world.



At first, establishing a daily writing discipline takes persistence and will-power. You try and fail and pick yourself up and try again. The more consistently you follow-through with the intentions and promises you make to yourself, soon your writing discipline becomes automatic, a habit, a routine. Rather than controlled by whim or strong emotion or wait for inspiration to strike, a disciplined writer writes.



Consistency creates habits and routines. Every time you write repeatedly with strong purpose, intention, and emphasis, the habit or routine enters the realm of a ritual. Finishing happens when you write consistently.



Today I write.



When you’re writing a first draft, committed not to show anyone until you’ve written all the way through to the end and started rewriting, use your critique group instead as a place to publicly state your writing intentions. Having your intentions witnessed increases your likelihood of discipline and success.



 2) Replace Uncertainty with Confidence 

To write takes confidence and energy. Something haunts you—a line of dialogue, a character; an event whispers to you like an invitation to sit down and write. Imagine for a moment that perhaps something in the invisible world wishes to manifest in the visible world. You—yes, you—have been chosen to make that dream a reality. You can always say no. However, once you say yes, the energy and commitment you bring to that task is sure to rise and fall as you follow the path on which your story leads you.



In appreciation of how fragile most writers’ confidence, I added to the PWBook of Prompts daily affirmations reminding you of your goals. Each time you renew your commitment to yourself, you renew your energy for your story. The more committed and highly energized you are, the more successful you’ll be at writing everyday. Suddenly, the ritual of showing up for your dreams empowers you to seize that which you most want.



Learning new concepts and exploring new ideas in your writing can fill or deplete you of energy. Daily affirmations lift your vigor, refocus your beliefs in yourself, and keep you writing. The ritual of repeating an affirmation every day at the same time becomes the anchor that keeps you grounded when life and your story fall apart around you.



Affirmations provide inspiration and foster creativity as you follow the more concrete plot elements of writing your story from beginning to end. Every day you repeat an affirmation, you are symbolically focusing your thoughts on your goals. Daily repetition of an affirmation builds positive, upbeat energy.



3) Replace a Lack of Knowledge about How to Write a Story with a Plot by Studying Plot and Structure 

The more you know about plot and structure, the more confident and disciplined you grow and the more easily your ideas fall into place.



 As a plot consultant and teacher, I meet writers who talk about writing but don’t actually write. I meet others who write endlessly but never get anywhere. In every case, it means the writer doesn’t know what to write next. Writers who know what comes next in a story with a plot and have a plan and pre-plot, no matter how vague, are less apt to experience writer’s block than writers who don’t know what goes where in a story with a plot. The writing prompts in the PW Book of Prompts take care of that for you with daily plot prompts to prompt your imagination and expression toward the plot and structure considerations at the exact spot where you are in writing your story. Increase your appreciation and knowledge of plot and structure and move from blocked and frustrated to writing the story all the way to the end.



Thank you, Angela, for allowing me space to share my passion for plot with your friends and followers. I invite you all to join me virtually on March 6th to Track Your Plot at the Scene Level, a webinar hosted by the Writer’s Store.

 



Martha Alderson, aka the Plot Whisperer, is the author of the Plot Whisperer series of plot books for writers: The Plot Whisperer Book of Prompts: Easy Exercises to Get You Writing, The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories – a companion workbook to The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master. She has also written Blockbuster Plots Pure & Simple (Illusion Press) and several ebooks on plot.



As an international plot consultant for writers, Martha’s clients include best-selling authors, New York editors, and Hollywood movie directors. She teaches plot workshops to novelists, memoirists, and screenwriters privately, at plot retreats, RWA, SCBWI, CWC chapter meetings, at writers' conferences and Writers Store where she takes writers beyond the words and into the very heart of a story.



As the founder of December, International Plot Writing Month, Martha manages the award-winning blog for writers, awarded by Writers Digest 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. Her vlog, How Do I Plot a Novel, Memoir, Screenplay covers 27 steps to plotting your story from beginning to end.



Super helpful as always Martha--it is always great to have you on the blog. I have learned so much about writing from your books, blog and videos. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge with us!



**Don't forget! You could WIN 1 of 3 copies of  Writing Prompts, so tell me in the comments which danger(s) listed below most plagues you. Share a method you’ve found helpful banishing writer’s block! Print (US only) or ebook (International), the choice is yours! 

The Magic of Misleading

When I was a teenager, my mom used to like popping out from around corners and scaring me. I had to be super careful when I came home and the house was dark; just getting from the front door to my room was an adventure because at some point along the way, I knew she was going to get me. Sounds mean, but I actually loved it. And I still love that element of surprise in the stories I read—when I think it's headed one direction and then, WHAM! Surprise! Something happens that I totally didn't see coming, but when I look back, all the clues are there.



This kind of misdirection is magical, but like any good trick, it's hard to pull off. There's not a lot of information out there about how to effectively mislead the reader in a way that doesn't make them hate you forever, but Michaelbrent's here today with some great advice on the topic. So listen and learn, people. Listen and learn...




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I’ve always liked magicians. Who doesn’t? For me, a kid who had trouble getting girls to even look at him, I was fascinated by any guy who could convince a girl to get dressed up in what more or less amounted to lingerie and then let him cut her in half, or throw knives at her, or stab her with a sword while she was floating in a water-tank full of sharks that had angry bees superglued to their teeth.





photo credit: Paul-W via photopin cc



The magic was cool, too. But mostly it was the fact that the guy got his pretty assistant to do all that stuff, whereas the girls I knew probably wouldn’t call 911 if I took a bullet for them.



Then I realized that the girl was part of a magician’s act. That he counted on me watching her. Because while I was watching her, he was doing the magic. He was setting up the trick, he was preparing to wow me with the surprise.



It’s a lesson I’ve taken to heart and put to use ever since.



I’m a writer. I’ve written movies, numerous #1 bestselling novels, and am consistently one of Amazon’s bestselling horror writers. And one of the things I like to do most is surprise the audience. My novel The Haunted has spent almost a full year on Amazon’s bestselling Ghost Horror list, and my newest scare-fest Darkbound bowed a few weeks ago and is currently beating out folks like Joe Hill and Dean Koontz on Amazon’s Hot New Horror Releases. Partly (I hope) this is because the books are generally cool. But there’s no denying that a large part of their punch is packed into endings that catch the readers off-guard. They get to the end of the book expecting one thing… and when they get something completely different, they are not only happy, they are absolutely delighted.



So how does a writer go about doing that? How do you mislead your audience in such a way that when the final revelation comes, readers are caught flat-footed… and love you for it?



Well, let’s go back to magic. Remember when you were a kid and your idea of a magic trick was to hold out an object, then demand that your mom close her eyes and you would then run off and hide it? “Open your eyes,” you would say. And Mommy would clap and coo and shout with delight. But not because the magic was any good. No, it was because that kind of reaction is, I’m fairly certain, required under the U.S. Constitution. Mommies must love our tricks.



But non-Mommies? Strangers? Even (gasp!) readers?



They’re a bit tougher.



Readers demand a better magic show. The whole nine yards. Flaming pigeons bursting out of our sleeves, disappearing monkeys, and even – especially – those skimpy assistants. 




Because those assistants are what makes the trick work. Great authors – like great magicians – know that the secret to misdirection isn’t withholding information, it’s giving extra information, and focusing the audience’s attention on that.



A pair of examples: I was recently driving to a conference where I was going to be talking authory stuff to a bunch of fans. On the way I listened to an audiobook, a suspense-thriller by a big-time writer. But I stopped listening rather abruptly when I started screaming because the author had, for the bijillionth time, said, “And then the super-spy told the other super-spy the plan. It was a cool plan, an awesome plan. And the two super-spies started doing the plan stuff, because they were super. But I, the author, won’t tell you what the plan was, because now you will be surprised when you find out. Mwahaha.” 




Okay, I’m probably paraphrasing. But it was pretty close.



Contrast that to the classic twist of recent times, The Sixth Sense. We’re so busy focusing on the ghosts, the scares, the plight of the little boy who we believe to be the protagonist, that we completely miss what was there the whole time (SPOILER ALERT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS OR SO): the fact that Bruce Willis was a ghost! Eek! But the clues were all there. The filmmaker didn’t hide them. He presented them all. He just gave us extra information, and made sure we paid attention to that instead of to the key stuff he planned on re-springing on us later.



As a reader, a good surprise can be one of the most gratifying experiences I have. But there’s a difference between a final revelation that ties together everything I already know and forces me to look at it in a completely new light… and a junky plot “twist” that the author throws at me out of left field with no warning whatsoever. One of them is a hoot, and makes me not only read the book again, but go around trying to get others to read it like I’ve just joined some kind of highly literary cult. The other just makes me want to hunt down the author and shake him/her until all the minutes he/she has wasted of my life are somehow tossed loose.



Authors are, by and large, solitary folks. We sit in our caves (we call them offices, but most of them are kind of dim and smell a bit odd, so “cave” is probably more apropros) and have only our own thoughts for company. That’s the bad news.



But the good news is that we can call up that attractive assistant at any time. To provide flash, dazzle, and interest. To give information we want our readers to have, so that the audience will not pay attention to the real information that will set them up for a surprise later on. Withhold everything and it’s irritating. But give a little extra, mislead properly… and it’s magic.











Michaelbrent Collings has written numerous bestselling novels, including his latest novel Darkbound. His wife and mommy think he is a can that is chock-full of awesome sauce. Check him out at www.facebook.com/MichaelbrentCollings or michaelbrentcollings.com.

Making The Pages Cry

Woooot! It's FRIDAY, y'all! And I've just discovered that instead of spending hours looking for free photos that fit my posts, I can just spell out what I want to say with my kids' magnetic letters. I have a feeling you'll be seeing more of these incredibly professional images in the future.



Riveting as this is, it's not what I popped in to say. What I really wanted to share is that I'm over at Kristen Lamb's blog talking about how to infuse emotion into your writing. If you're not familiar with Kristen's blog...oh my heavens. Just...go. Right this second. It's a gold mine of instruction and inspiration for the creative soul. I hope to see you there.



Have a great weekend! And if you are looking for some super awesome fun, don't forget to check out WANA Con. This digital conference is a great value, packed with amazing publishing talent and a huge learning opportunity!

Lengthening the Chain: Part 2

A few weeks ago I shared a bit of wisdom I learned from Bruce Coville at the Florida SCBWI's winter conference. In that post, I related how important it is for us, as writers, to lengthen the chain for our readers. Bruce went on to share a few practical ways for us to do this:





1. Take Your Art Seriously, But Also Take Yourself Seriously As A Business Person . Learn to read contracts. Learn to negotiate. Know what's happening in the industry. 




This is important because the more secure you are from a business standpoint, the more attention you can give to the writing of your stories. Confidence creates freedom—from indecision, from worrying that you missed something, from stressing over having to do something that you know you suck at (like balancing the checkbook or creating a marketing plan). If we can educate ourselves on the business-y things, we'll become more confident in our abilities, which frees us up to focus on the writing.




2. Take Your Art Seriously But Take Yourself Lightly. Strive to be great, but also try to be good. 




Oh my word. How awesome is this? Because good people do good things, right? If we're so tied up in our craft and our ego, how will we have time for the real world and the people in it? Craft is important, but kindness and patience and forgiveness and truth-sharing—these are the gifts that truly help others. If we embrace these good things and practice them ourselves, not only will we be helping others in real life, but the goodness will also come through in our writing.




3. Never Throw Anything Away. Ideas are usually better than your skill level. 




He talked about going back years later and rewriting an earlier story idea that he hadn't been able to do justice to at the time. My skill level hasn't evolved quite that far, but I HAVE learned the fine art of cannibalization. That story stinks, but the setting is really unique and interesting. Let me use that in my WIP. This idea is pedantic and elementary, but I love the character. Into my new story he goes. Truly, no idea is without value.








4. Embrace the Unfinished Chord. Leave something for the reader to dream about. 




As a musician, I LOVE this analogy. An unfinished chord is...somewhat unsettling. It fills you with this itching desire for something more. This is one of my criteria for a truly great book: reading the final page and thinking about the story...and thinking. Going to bed and waking up...still thinking. As an author, I'd love for each of my stories to leave a little question in the reader's mind. Something to keep them thinking and make them wonder and maybe start them asking questions they wouldn't have asked before.




Good stuff, yes? Thank you, Bruce Coville, for sharing your wisdom and thereby lengthening all of our chains.




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And one last bit of good news...




INDIERECON STARTS TODAY!









If you're an author (or want to be), you must make plans to attend the Indie Revolution Conference, or as we like to call it: Indie ReCon - making Indie publishing a mission possible! While the conference focuses on Indie publishing, there will be tons of advice that will benefit writers who utilize all publishing styles.  And during the conference, our presenters and partners will be giving out loads of prizes - including new kobo e-readers. 



Best of all, you can attend online, for FREE. That means you can stay snuggled in your pajamas, sipping a beverage of your choice, while we deliver the content to you. The conference runs February 19 through the 21st.  Sign up now to ensure you don't miss important news and for a chance to win even more prizes.  (We promise we don't spam.)  So GO. Sign up now. You won't regret a single minute of this amazing free conference.







*photo credit: visualpanic via photopin cc
**photo credit: medically_irrelevant via photopin cc