Angela Ackerman's Blog: Writers Helping Writers, page 45

Meet Our Resident Writing Coaches

I���ve had the pleasure of being the Writers Helping Writers Blog Wizard for a year���and have loved working with the Resident Writing Coaches. They���re all talented, generous authors who share their wisdom to help take your writing to the next level.

This is the 7th year of our popular Resident Writing Coach program where we feature writing experts through a series of four blog posts scattered throughout the year. We bring in a mix of expertise, so you benefit from different voices and perspectives from all over the world.

Each year we have some new coaches and some returning, so let me first say goodbye to the wonderful September C. Fawkes and Lisa Hall-Wilson. We greatly appreciate all you have shared with us.

I���m excited to introduce you to our wonderful new Resident Writing Coaches! Please give a warm welcome to���

Suzy Vadori is the award-winning author of The Fountain Series and is represented by Naomi Davis of Bookends Literary Agency. She is a certified Book Coach with Author Accelerator and the founder of the Wicked Good Fiction Bootcamp. Suzy breaks down concepts in writing into practical steps, so that writers with big dreams can get the story exploding in their minds onto their pages in a way that readers will LOVE.

In addition to her online courses, Suzy offers 1:1 Developmental Editing and Book Coaching services, and gives practical tips for writers at all stages on her vlog.

Find Suzy on her website, YouTube, Facebook, Free Inspired Writing Facebook Group, Instagram, and Twitter.

Michelle Barker is an award-winning author, editor, and writing teacher who lives in Vancouver, BC. Her newest novel My Long List of Impossible Things, came out in 2020 with Annick Press. It was a finalist for the Vine Awards and is a Junior Library Guild gold standard selection. She is the author of The House of One Thousand Eyes, which was named a Kirkus Best Book of the Year and won numerous awards including the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award. She���s also the author of the historical picture book, A Year of Borrowed Men, as well as the fantasy novel, The Beggar King, and a chapbook, Old Growth, Clear-Cut: Poems of Haida Gwaii. Her fiction, non-fiction and poetry have appeared in literary reviews around the world.

Michelle holds an MFA in creative writing from UBC and has been a senior editor at The Darling Axe since its inception, though she���s been editing and teaching creative writing for decades. She loves working closely with writers to hone their manuscripts and discuss the craft. You can find Michelle on Twitter, GoodReads, and Amazon.

In addition to our new coaches, we���re thrilled to have these returning masterminds���

Lucy V. Hay aka Bang2write is a script editor, author and blogger who helps writers. Lucy is the script editor and advisor on numerous UK features and shorts. She has also been a script reader for over 15 years, providing coverage for indie prodcos, investors, screen agencies, producers, directors and individual writers.

Publishing as LV Hay, Lucy���s debut crime novel, The Other Twin, is out now and is being adapted by Agatha Raisin producers Free@Last TV. Her second crime novel, Do No Harm, was a finalist in the 2019 Dead Good Book Readers��� Awards. Her next title is Never Have I Ever for Hodder Books. (Affiliate links)

Marissa Graff has been a freelance editor and reader for literary agent Sarah Davies at Greenhouse Literary Agency for over five years. In conjunction with Angelella Editorial, she offers developmental editing, author coaching, and more. She specializes in middle-grade and young-adult fiction but also works with adult fiction.

Marissa feels if she���s done her job well, a client should probably never need her help again because she���s given them a crash-course MFA via deep editorial support and/or coaching. Connect with Marissa on her Website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker with over 20 years in the creative writing industry. Her latest novel, The Beached Ones, released from CamCat Books on July 26, 2022. Her previous novel, Loreena���s Gift, was a Foreword Reviews��� INDIES Book of the Year Awards winner, among others.

Colleen has written three books to help writers succeed. Your Writing Matters is the most recent, and was a bronze medal winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards (2022). Writer Get Noticed! was a gold-medal winner in the Reader���s Favorite Book Awards and a first-place winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards (2019). Overwhelmed Writer Rescue was named Book by Book Publicity���s Best Writing/Publishing Book in 2018. You can find free chapters of these books here.

Colleen frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Find her at Writing and Wellness, Author Website, Life and Everything After, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Goodreads, BookBub and Instagram.

Jami Gold, after muttering writing advice in tongues, decided to become a writer and put her talent for making up stuff to good use, such as by winning the 2015 National Readers��� Choice Award in Paranormal Romance for her novel Ironclad Devotion.

To help others reach their creative potential as well, she���s developed a massive collection of resources for writers. Explore her site to find worksheets���including the popular Romance Beat Sheet with 80,000+ downloads���workshops, and over 1000 posts on her blog about the craft, business, and life of writing. Her site has been named one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers by Writer���s Digest.

Find Jami at her website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, BookBub, and Instagram.

Christina Delay is the hostess of Cruising Writers and an award-winning psychological suspense author. She also writes award-winning supernatural suspense for young adult and adult readers under the name Kris Faryn. Fun fact: Faryn means ���to wander or travel.��� Since that���s exactly what she loves to do, you���ll find juicy tidbits on exotic and interesting places in all her books!

Cruising Writers brings aspiring authors together with bestselling authors, an agent, an editor, and a world-renowned writing craft instructor together on writing retreats. Though on an extended vacation, you can sign up for news about upcoming retreats and fun travel tips here, follow Christina and Cruising Writers on Facebook, or find Kris on Facebook , Instagram, BookBub, and Amazon.

Lisa Poisso specializes in working with new and emerging fiction authors. A classically trained dancer, her approach to creativity is grounded in using structure, form, and technique as the doorway to freedom of movement. Via her innovative Plot Accelerator and Story Incubator coaching, she fast-tracks authors through story theory and development while facilitating an author-paced ���developmental edit in a bottle.���

She holds a journalism degree and has decades of professional experience as an award-winning magazine editor and journalist, content writer, and corporate communications manager. In addition to story coaching, she is a developmental and line editor, aided by an industrious team of retired greyhounds. Her popular Baker���s Dozen newsletter serves up 13 tasty tidbits for writers on a regular basis. Connect with an editor or coach who really gets your work with the Writer���s Guide to Finding & Hiring an Editor. Find Lisa at LisaPoisso.com, download her free Manuscript Prep guide, and interact with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Sue Coletta is an award-winning crime writer and an active member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. Feedspot and Expertido.org named her Murder Blog as ���Best 100 Crime Blogs on the Net��� (2018-2021). She���s also a member of the Kill Zone (Writer���s Digest ���101 Best Websites for Writers��� 2013-2021). 

Sue lives with her husband in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire and writes psychological thrillers (Tirgearr Publishing) and true crime/narrative nonfiction (Rowman & Littlefield Group, Inc.). Sue teaches a virtual course about serial killers for EdAdvance in CT and a condensed version for her fellow Sisters in Crime. She���s appeared on the Emmy award-winning true crime series, Storm of Suspicion. In the fall she���s slated to appear on several episodes of Homicide: Hours to Kill. Learn more about Sue and her books at www.suecoletta.com.  

Find Sue on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Goodreads, BookBub, Instagram, and YouTube.

Tips

If you want to browse past Resident Writing Coach posts, click here.

Check out all the Resident Writing Coach bios! You���ll find:

Editing and coaching servicesFree support through online groupsHelpful resources

Don���t forget to follow them on social media for even more tips and updates!

Pssst���when you comment on their posts, they reply to you! So please share your thoughts and ask questions throughout the year. Angela, Becca and I love working with the coaches. They���re an incredible asset to the Writers Helping Writers blog.

Here���s to another year of amazing posts. Please welcome our Resident Writing Coaches. If there���s a topic you���d like help with, add it in the comments!

The post Meet Our Resident Writing Coaches appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

How to Reveal a Character’s Internal Conflict

If you’ve been on the writing trail long enough, you’ve heard plenty of talk surrounding conflict and the role it plays in storytelling. Whatever form it takes���annoying neighbors, quarrels with loved ones, car accidents, fistfights, ticking clocks���conflict keeps the story moving. It creates tension and complications while also providing opportunities for the character to grow and evolve as they navigate their character arc.

But some of the most compelling conflict doesn’t come from an external source. Rather, it lives within the character. These character vs. self struggles include a certain level of cognitive dissonance, with him wanting things that are at odds with each other. Competing wants and desires, moral quandaries, mental health battles, insecurity, confusion, self-doubt���internal struggles haunt the character because their impacts ripple outward, affecting not only how he sees himself but altering his future and often the lives of the people he cares about. They carry a heft that can���t easily be set aside. 

Internal conflict is also critical for helping the character acknowledge the habits that are holding them back. Without that soul-cleansing tug-of-war, Aragorn would still be a ranger instead of the rightful king. Anakin Skywalker would have denied the goodness within, leaving Luke to die at the hands of the emperor. The Grinch would’ve stolen Christmas.

So it’s important to include this inner wrestling match for any character working a change arc. But equally important is how we reveal that struggle to readers. It’s all happening inside���meaning, we have to be subtle. The information has to be shared in an organic way through the natural context of the story. I’ve found the best method is to highlight the internal and external cues that hint at a character’s deeper problem.

Internal Indicators

If you’re writing in a viewpoint that allows you to reveal a character’s internal thoughts and processes, it’s a bit easier to draw attention to the struggle within. Just show the character experiencing some of the following:    

Obsessive Thoughts

Whatever���s plaguing your character, she���s going to spend a lot of time thinking about it, because the only way to get past the insecurity is to figure out what to do and make a decision. So her thoughts should be circling the issue. You don���t want to spend too much time in her head, because too much introspection can slow the pace and diminish the reader���s interest. But the character should poke at the issue, examining it from different angles. Whatever���s going on in her life will bring her back to her inner conflict, and her thoughts should reflect that.

Avoidance

Like us, characters crave control and certainty, so not knowing what to do can make them feel incapable, afraid, and insecure. Being constantly reminded of their unsolvable problem might be emotionally painful enough for them to try to escape it. One way to convey this is by having them slam the door on a certain train of thought. Show their mind starting to wander in that direction and them deliberately turning away from it. Maybe they get really into work as a form of distraction. They may take avoidance a step further into full-blown denial, destroying paperwork or putting away mementos that remind them of the impossible decision so they can pretend it doesn���t exist. This is how you show that incongruency between what���s happening on the inside and the outside.

Wavering Between Courses of Action (Indecision)

A dilemma is named such because the character doesn���t know what to do. It often takes a while for them to figure out what action to take, and the only way they can do that is to consider the options, so indecision is a major part of internal conflict. Show the character vacillating between choices, playing out various scenarios, weighing the pros and cons. This can be a great way to show the depth of the struggle.

External Indicators

If you’re limited in your ability to plumb the character’s depths���maybe because you’re writing in first person and can’t jump into the head of the love interest or villain���you can still show readers (and other cast members) that struggle. Just figure out the external signs of what’s happening inside, and show those.

Over or Under-Compensation

The character won���t be happy with their own inability to make a decision or take action. If their ego becomes involved or they���re the kind of person who wants to keep up pretenses, they may overcompensate by becoming forceful or pushy. Controlling external people and situations will make them feel better about their inability to control this other area of life.

Or your character could go a different direction. Plagued with indecision, they may become averse to making any choices at all. When even the smallest questions are raised, they defer to others. Letting other people take the lead ensures that the character won���t make a mistake, alleviating some of the pressure.

Distraction

The human brain can only focus on so many things at once. A character whose mind is consumed with a troubling scenario isn���t going to have much mental time for anything else. As a result, their efficiency and productivity at work or school could take a hit. They may become forgetful. Responsibilities they were always counted on to handle may be done halfway or fall completely to the wayside. These outer indicators will be a visible sign of the chaos beneath the surface.

Mistakes

Characters under extreme pressure don���t always make the best decisions. Their distractibility, combined with any insecurities they may be feeling, can lead to mistakes that get them into trouble. For a character who is usually level-headed and logical, this can be like a neon sign to others that something isn���t right. 

Emotional Volatility

We all know what it���s like to be consumed by a problem we can���t fix. It steals our peace, our sleep, and our joy. This is fine���even normal���for short periods of time, but when it goes on for too long, it starts to take its toll. One of the first things to go is emotional stability. 

A character in this situation may lose their patience, snap at people, or lash out at others. A different character may constantly be on the verge of tears, overwhelmed to the point of every little thing being the last straw. They may experience wild mood swings, reacting to everyday circumstances in unexpected ways. Your character���s response will depend on a host of other factors, including their personality and normal emotional range. Figure out which kind of response makes the most sense and you���ll be consistent in your portrayal of them, even in the most pressing of situations.

This is how you reveal an inner struggle: by focusing on the underlying and visible results of that conflict. The most important thing here is for you to know your character so you can predict how they’ll respond. Then you can clearly show what you know to readers.

Want your conflict to go further? 

The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer���s Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles (Volume 1 & Volume 2) explores a whopping 225 conflict scenarios that force your character to navigate relationship issues, power struggles, lost advantages, dangers and threats, moral dilemmas, failures and mistakes, and much more.

You can also find the whole collection of entries in one place at One Stop for Writers.

The post How to Reveal a Character’s Internal Conflict appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Fear Thesaurus Entry: Becoming What One Hates

Debilitating fears are a problem for everyone, an unfortunate part of the human experience. Whether they’re a result of learned behavior as a child, are related to a mental health condition, or stem from a past wounding event, these fears influence a character’s behaviors, habits, beliefs, and personality traits. The compulsion to avoid what they fear will drive characters away from certain people, events, and situations and hold them back in life. 

In your story, this primary fear (or group of fears) will constantly challenge the goal the character is pursuing, tempting them to retreat, settle, and give up on what they want most. Because this fear must be addressed for them to achieve success, balance, and fulfillment, it plays a pivotal part in both character arc and the overall story.

This thesaurus explores the various fears that might be plaguing your character. Use it to understand and utilize fears to fully develop your characters and steer them through their story arc. Please note that this isn’t a self-diagnosis tool. Fears are common in the real world, and while we may at times share similar tendencies as characters, the entry below is for fiction writing purposes only.

Becoming What One Hates

Notes
Some characters with this fear are worried about becoming someone dark and dangerous���a murderer, an abusive parent, or a psychopath. Others might worry about becoming the person they never thought they could or would be when they were young, from a mercenary capitalist to something more mundane, like a stay-at-home mom driving a minivan. This fear, taken to an extreme, could lead a character to not fully explore their own psyche, emotions, personality, and needs, giving them a skewed view of who they are and hindering the development of their true self.

What It Looks Like
Practicing asceticism or strict religious practices to prevent unwanted behaviors
Avoiding certain groups of people or situations where the undesired behavior may be triggered
Attending long-term therapy
The character seeking reassurance from others that they’re not taking on certain traits or attitudes
Going to extremes���e.g., someone who struggles with a forbidden sexual desire deciding to live a life of complete abstinence
Overcompensating
Voicing criticism of people who represent what the character fears
Becoming defensive if someone says something that suggests the character is similar to what they hate
Living a persona (pursuing hobbies, embracing opinions, etc.) that isn’t true to who they are
Avoiding interactions with the kind of people the character doesn’t want to emulate
Cutting people out of their life who represent what the character hates or who push them in that direction

Common Internal Struggles
Feeling guilty over secret desires to be “that person”
The character trying to accept facets of themselves while also staying true to their morals or principles
Struggling to avoid losing control of emotions or actions
Being drawn to the very people the character wants to distance themselves from
Feeling intense shame and self-loathing (for wanting to engage in certain activities, for being related to someone who exhibits something abhorrent, etc.)
The character wanting to be at peace with themselves but being unable to accept certain aspects of who they are
The character constantly searching themselves for signs that they’re becoming what they hate
The character doubting their instincts and motivations
Living in constant fear that someone will find out their deepest fears or desires

Flaws That May Emerge
Addictive, Controlling, Defensive, Devious, Dishonest, Evasive, Hypocritical, Insecure, Macho, Martyr, Melodramatic, Needy, Obsessive, Oversensitive, Paranoid, Pessimistic, Rebellious, Resentful, Self-Destructive, Withdrawn, Workaholic

Hindrances and Disruptions to the Character’s Life
Coping with anxiety and depression
Not considering other sides of an issue, especially ones that oppose the character’s beliefs
Difficulty developing deep relationships with others because the character doesn’t believe they’re worthy or doesn’t trust themselves to make the right choices
Abusing drugs or alcohol to combat their fears or deal with perceived failures
Living a lie to fit in with others
Being unable to pursue things the character really wants because they’re associated with the thing they trying not to become

Scenarios That Might Awaken This Fear
Having to associate with family members who embody what the character is trying to escape
Seeing media coverage of the type of person they are avoiding themselves
A situation that tempts the character to take a step toward what they’re trying to avoid
Feeling a compulsion to do the very thing that would turn the character into what they fear

Other Fear Thesaurus entries can be found here.

Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (16 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, and then give our Free Trial a spin.

The post Fear Thesaurus Entry: Becoming What One Hates appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Phenomenal First Pages Contest

Hey, wonderful writerly people! It���s time for our monthly first-page critique contest

If you���re working on a first page (in any genre except erotica) and would like some objective feedback, please leave a comment. Any comment :). As long as the email address associated with your WordPress account/comment profile is up-to-date, I���ll be able to contact you if your first page is chosen. Just please know that if I���m unable to get in touch with you through that address, you���ll have to forfeit your win.

Two caveats:

      Please be sure your first page (double-spaced in 12-point font) is ready to go so I can critique it before next month���s contest rolls around. If it needs some work and you won���t be able to get it to me right away, let me ask that you plan on entering the next contest, once any necessary tweaking has been taken care of. Resources for common problems writers encounter in their opening pages can be found here.

      This contest only runs for 24 hours, start to finish, so get your comment in there!

Three commenters��� names will be randomly drawn and posted tomorrow morning. If you win, you can email me your first page and I���ll offer my feedback. 

We run this contest on a monthly basis, so if you���d like to be notified when the next opportunity comes around, consider subscribing to our blog (see the right-hand sidebar). 

Best of luck!

PS: If you want to amp up your first page, grab our helpful First Pages checklist from One Stop for Writers. And for more instruction on these important opening elements, see this Mother Lode of First Page Resources.

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The Finishing Line: How to Celebrate A Completed Book

So, you���ve finished your book. Congratulations! Writers often work alone, with very little validation. We have to struggle uphill, putting up with rejection and radio silence.

This is why we absolutely MUST celebrate our completed books. Here���s how ���

1) Acknowledge the Win

Look in the mirror and tell yourself you’re the main wo/man. Remind yourself LOTS of people want to be writers … but very few of us manage to get words on paper, never mind make it out the other side to publication.

So first things first, pat yourself on the back for your achievement. That’s it!

2) Take a Break

Confession time: I used to find finishing a book a bit of an anti-climax.  This meant I wanted to fill the hole my last story had left, so I would go straight from one book to another or start editing without a break.

Unsurprisingly, this took its toll VERY FAST … and I ended up burning out, HARD. Learn from my mistakes!

3) Tell Your Writer Friends

If you have a group of personal writer friends, tell them you’ve completed your book. They will get what a big deal this is, so will celebrate with you.

If you DON’T have any personal writer friends, that’s okay. Drop in to Twitter, insta or Facebook and tag ME as @Bang2write. 

I will congratulate you and so will the Bangers. W000t! You can also use hashtags like #WritingCommunity to find writer friends too.

4) Treat Yourself

It’s true that many of our friends and loved ones won’t ‘get’ what a big deal it is to finish a book. (Hell, many of them think we’re just mucking about – boo).

When I finish a book, I go for a walk. It’s great to get away from my desk and be at one with nature. I even go when it’s windy and rainy! I love to see how dramatic the British countryside can get.

If I’ve just done a MAJOR edit or had a book published, I go one further and treat myself to a block of my favourite chocolate. I have expensive taste – it’s ��3.50 for a small bar. Yikes! But that’s okay, I’ve earned it. So think about whatever it is you like to do … and do it. You deserve it.

5) Remind Yourself

Sometimes writers tell me finishing books makes them anxious. This will usually because they feel daunted about about revising the story.

Other times it will be because they have to ‘reset to zero’ by moving on and starting a new project.

Remind yourself every writer feels this way. What’s more, you know now you CAN finish a book. You’ve done it before and you’ll do it again. YOU GOT THIS!!! 

So what are you waiting for? Go CELEBRATE!

The post The Finishing Line: How to Celebrate A Completed Book appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Fear Thesaurus Entry: Crowds

Debilitating fears are a problem for everyone, an unfortunate part of the human experience. Whether they’re a result of learned behavior as a child, are related to a mental health condition, or stem from a past wounding event, these fears influence a character’s behaviors, habits, beliefs, and personality traits. The compulsion to avoid what they fear will drive characters away from certain people, events, and situations and hold them back in life. 

In your story, this primary fear (or group of fears) will constantly challenge the goal the character is pursuing, tempting them to retreat, settle, and give up on what they want most. Because this fear must be addressed for them to achieve success, balance, and fulfillment, it plays a pivotal part in both character arc and the overall story.

This thesaurus explores the various fears that might be plaguing your character. Use it to understand and utilize fears to fully develop your characters and steer them through their story arc. Please note that this isn’t a self-diagnosis tool. Fears are common in the real world, and while we may at times share similar tendencies as characters, the entry below is for fiction writing purposes only.

Fear of Crowds

Notes
Crowds make a lot of people nervous. Some people simply fear the large numbers of people present; for others, it may be a heightened sense of perceived danger and unknown behavior, being left alone in the crowd, or the overload of the sensory experience of sounds and smells and even of being touched. Your character’s fear of crowds may be the result of a natural aversion to groups of strangers, concerns about germs or contagion, connected to a wounding event, or tied to a fear of having a panic attack in public. For the latter, see the AGORAPHOBIA entry.

What It Looks Like
Refusing to attend crowded events, like graduations, large family reunions, and concerts
Avoiding amusement parks, zoos, fairs, and other cultural destinations
Having difficulty taking public transportation
The character having a panic attack if they’re unexpectedly stuck in a crowd
Always asking to meet at smaller venues for social gatherings
The character hiding in a corner or out-of-the-way place when they encounter a crowd
Making excuses not to attend certain events
Having an escape plan in mind when a crowded venue can’t be avoided
Scoping out exits upon arrival
Clinging to friends or family at large events
Scanning the crowd for points of danger
Timing attendance to coincide with off-peak times or low volumes of people��
Experiencing sensory overload in a crowd from the noise or proximity of too many people
Always leaving large events early (making a token appearance)��
Needing time to recharge and be alone after being in a crowd

Common Internal Struggles
The character wondering what’s wrong with them
Second-guessing their own feelings and fear
Growing angry at what they feel is their own shortcoming or irrational fear
Struggling between wanting to feel safe but not wanting to miss an important event
Feeling dissatisfied with their limited scope of activities
Wondering if they’re overreacting
Being unable to carry on a conversation with a stranger and feeling ashamed or insecure about it
Seeing pictures online of events they missed and feeling left out, wishing they could have participated

Flaws That May Emerge
Antisocial, Compulsive, Fussy, Inflexible, Inhibited, Insecure, Irrational, Obsessive, Paranoid, Resentful, Withdrawn

Hindrances and Disruptions to the Character’s Life
Being unable to maintain stable friendships or romantic relationships
Barriers arising between themselves and family members who downplay or don’t understand their fear
Missing out on important milestones for family and friends
The character being unable to enjoy the events they do attend because of worry and fear
Turning down promising job opportunities with large companies
Hurting their career prospects by refusing to attend company gatherings
Worsening symptoms leading to agoraphobia

Scenarios That Might Awaken This Fear
Seeing a news report of a tragic event that played out in a crowd (at a train station, amusement park, etc.)
Being asked to speak at a friend’s wedding reception
Being triggered regarding a past trauma that occurred in a crowded area
Getting lost in a crowd (if the character is a child)
An outbreak of a contagious disease
Family or friends downplaying the character’s fear��
Being forced to attend a large work gathering��
Being surrounded by people and feeling the onset of a panic attack

Other Fear Thesaurus entries can be found here.

Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (16 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, and then give our Free Trial a spin.

The post Fear Thesaurus Entry: Crowds appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Feedback and Editing: The Right Eyes at the Right Time

Unless you wrote your book exclusively for your own satisfaction, once your creative vision is on the page, it���s time to zoom in on how the book works for readers. The key is getting the right kind of feedback for where you are in the revision and editing process���and dodging the kind that will pull you off track.

Much of this choice hinges on your editorial budget. You could do most or all these steps for yourself at no cost, but the quality of your book will reflect the quality of the production behind it. Most writers end up drawing on both free and paid feedback options.

Let���s make sure you���re leaning on the right options at the right time.

Writing Feedback: Stage by StageWith a newly complete manuscript

Volunteer feedback is perfect at this stage of your book���s development. One or two alpha readers (often a spouse, critique partner, or close friend) provide that initial gut check on what���s hitting home and what���s missing the target.

During second and later drafts

As you continue working through early drafts, crowdsourced feedback continues to be your best bet. Lean on your peers in critique partners and groups, collecting enough opinions to sort out which point to genuine issues and which simply refer to personal taste.

Active drafting can be an opportunity for coaching or mentoring on story problems identified by critique buddies���a character arc that refuses to gel, saggy pacing, a general lack of zing���if your budget and time comfortably allow it. A little one-on-one help from a pro now could prevent you from filling your manuscript with pernicious errors that will inflate your editing rate down the line. (Incorrect use of dialogue tags and action beats, I���m looking at you!)

Before you���re ready for professional editing

Once you sense you���re nearing the limits of your ability to improve your book on your own, it���s time to bring in beta readers. Beta readers provide high-level, subjective, personal feedback such as ���the pacing felt slow in the middle��� or ���I just didn���t like that character at all.���

Although paying for beta reading ensures the readers will finish the book and return feedback, it���s not necessary to hire a pro. In fact (unpopular opinion ahead), an editor is the wrong choice for beta reading. The reason is simple: Beta reading is not Editing Lite. It���s designed to generate genuine reader reaction, not analysis from a trained professional.

When you���re ready for professional editing

When you���re ready for professional editing, marching in with a request for a particular type or level of editing puts you at risk of getting precisely what you ask for���whether your manuscript needs it or not. It would be like relying on Dr. Google to diagnose a physical ailment, then convincing a local doctor to prescribe strictly the medications and treatments you���ve decided you need.

Choose your editor with care. You deserve a specialist who resonates with you and your work, not whoever offers the lowest rates and immediate availability.

Once you���ve found the perfect editorial collaborator, let them recommend what your manuscript needs. Their recommendations should be based on what will best support your story, your writing, and your publishing goals. If your editor hasn���t reviewed all those points, you can���t be sure you���ll get what you need.

Between edits

Another popular point for beta reading is in between edits. For example, betas can check whether the revisions you made after a developmental edit satisfy the needs the edit identified.

Don���t use beta readers beyond the point at which you���re willing to make big-picture changes. Once the story is settled, it���s time to move forward into editing.

Before you query

Raw talent shouldn���t mean raw material, and having your manuscript edited before you query agents and publishers helps you get your foot in the door.

���Our agency consistently see proposals that are okay, but simply not written at a level that is needed to break into the market,��� writes literary agent Steve Laube. ���Agents are not freelance editors so there is only so much we are willing to do to fix a project. I have said it this way, ���If I get something that is 90% ready, I can take it the rest of the way. But if it is only 80% ready I will kick it back to the writer with a rejection. We are looking for the best of the best.������

Agents are not there to provide you with free editing. In The Shit No One Tells You About Writing (season 2, episode 1), literary agent Cece Lyra advises writers not to expect feedback from an agent until ���your writing is so, so good to the point that your agent is actually ready to sell it, then he���ll give you editorial feedback. ��� Your agent���s job is to sell your work. You need to have other sources of feedback too.���

Authors like Bianca Marais (The Witches of Moonshine Manor) seek out professional help before sending their manuscripts to agents. ���I think as writers, we need to get into the habit of seeking out the expertise that we want, and that means paying for it,��� she notes in The Shit No One Tells You About Writing (season 2, episode 1), ���but it makes the agent���s job that much easier to be able to sell the work because the work is so much more polished and professional at that time.���

Before you self-publish

Self-publishing your work means assuming the responsibility for producing a professional-quality product���and that means paying for professional-caliber editing.

A developmental editor will help you master and refine the principles of story structure, genre, and storytelling technique. Your need for this level of editing may diminish as you master the craft, but you can���t afford to launch your writing career with limp storytelling.

And when it���s time for line editing and copyediting, your friend the English teacher can tell you if you have a problem with dangling participles, but they probably haven���t the foggiest about publishing industry standards for fiction style and punctuation. Get a professional copyedit.

Proofreading could be a suitable time to loop in friends and family who���ve promised to help. Vet their recommendations carefully���their knowledge of current grammar and usage or publishing industry standards will not always be on target���and be clear that you���re asking for help identifying typos and objective errors. Collate and compare volunteer findings, then get a professional editor or proofreader to review the results. You may be able to get this done as part of your editing follow-up or at an extremely low rate.

Keep Hold of the Creative Reins

Finally, follow these three guidelines for incorporating feedback into your work at any stage.

1. Don���t seek creative feedback from anyone you wouldn���t entrust with molding your book���s creative vision.

2. Take responsibility for learning your craft. ���The conscious writer listens to everyone, tries everything, but follows no one; they are their own guru,��� advises story development consultant Jeff Lyons. ���(The conscious writer) takes responsibility for their failures as well as their successes and knows that they, not some fortune cookie, are the only ones who can solve their writing problems���and they love that responsibility.���

3. Don���t get sucked into an endless feedback loop. Gather constructive input, make your decisions and revisions, and move on to the next novel. You want a writing career filled with books, don���t you?

Onward!

The post Feedback and Editing: The Right Eyes at the Right Time appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Point of View: Is Deeper Always Better?

Until relatively recently, most stories were written with an omniscient point of view (POV), which follows the story and characters from an all-knowing distance. But over the past several decades, storytelling techniques have trended to a closer POV, focusing on one character and their experience at a time. In fact, for many genres, the expectation now is to use Deep POV for third-person stories, relating the story from within the POV character���s head (much like how we���d write first-person stories, just with different pronouns).

With the trends and expectations pushing toward a deeper POV, we might wonder if that means we should never drop out of Deep POV. What if we keep the POV ���close��� to one character���s experience, but relate some of the story from a shallower perspective that���s not so deep inside their head?

When might we want to use a shallower POV���and why?

Choosing POV: What���s the Point?

The POV we choose shapes readers��� perspective of the story, story events, and whatever message we���re trying to share. For example, the POV we choose affects a reader���s view of the cause-and-effect flow, narrative momentum, immersion strength, emotions of arcs at the scene level, what characters notice about situations, priorities of various story goals, etc.

So the question of when we should use Deep POV���and when we shouldn���t���comes down to which option will shape readers��� perspective the way we want. Will Deep POV help or hurt our intentions for the reader experience?

Because Deep POV usually creates a sense of immersion and emotional connection between the reader and the character, it���s gotten more popular over the years. However, for some situations, Deep POV won���t deliver the experience we want readers to have.

Deep POV, Immersion, and Emotional Connections Download this POV tip sheet

In general, the deeper the POV, the deeper the immersion���the sense that we���re not just reading words on a page but experiencing the story, right down to tandem visceral responses along with the POV character. Yet we also need to keep in mind that anything that takes readers out of the story disrupts that sense of immersion.

With Deep POV, readers also tend to feel a stronger emotional connection to the POV character, as they experience the story as the POV character. The story is told 100% subjectively, as readers learn of only the POV character���s thoughts and emotions, not those of the other characters. Readers are more likely to prioritize the same goals as the POV character and forgive any mistakes, as they have a deep understanding of the character���s secret longings and foibles. Yet sometimes that deep understanding of the POV character isn���t what we want for the story.

Obviously, this experiential style of POV requires a lot of showing rather than telling, in order to bring readers along the character���s journey, step by step. That���s why advice to increase our levels of showing often go hand-in-hand with the advice to use Deep POV, but showing isn���t always best for our storytelling.

If we understand how Deep POV, immersion, emotional connections, and showing are all linked, we can start to predict when Deep POV might not serve the experience we want for our readers.

When Might Deep POV Hurt a Reader���s Experience?

Here are five situations when we might want to use a shallower POV to create a better reader experience:

Situation #1: Avoid Reader Boredom

We���ll start with the most superficial situation: Telling vs. Showing. The advice to show more than tell often makes writers think that showing is better than telling. However, telling isn���t bad or something to be avoided.

For example, we wouldn���t want to use a lot of showing and Deep POV in a scene if the result would be boring, such as when it would be better to skip forward with a transition of time and/or place. Sure, the POV character might need to bring another character up to speed, but if that repeats a bunch of information the reader already knows, readers shouldn���t have to experience that repetition along with the character.

Tip: Briefly switching to a shallower POV to allow for a transition, perhaps with a telling-style summary of what the reader missed, can prevent reader boredom.

Situation #2: Share Future Knowledge with Readers

Most stories are written in ���literary past tense������rather than normal past tense���which means that story events are described as though they���re happening in the story present. However, some stories use normal past tense, which means that the events have already happened within the story itself.

Think of how in some stories, the narrator already knows how everything turns out. They might even interject with lines like: ���I didn���t know it yet but������ or ���If she���d only known, she would have������

While many of these stories are told by a narrator sharing a tale from their past with a framing device, some instead simply use the technique of a shallower POV to include those types of lines. The story might briefly shift to a shallower POV to give a preview of events yet to come, as the story���s future already exists due to the use of normal past tense.

Whatever technique we use to include those types of lines, normal past tense adds distance to our storytelling, as those ���If she���d only known��� lines remind readers that they are reading a story. And unless our character is a fortune-teller, Deep POV doesn���t work for sharing future story knowledge.

Tip: For some stories, the normal past tense and a shallower POV for some lines makes sense if sharing future knowledge with readers is what we intend.

Situation #3: Limit an Emotional Connection to the POV Character

Wait���don���t we want readers emotionally connecting? Yes, but with some stories, we want to encourage readers to emotionally connect with the story itself or with other characters, not with the POV character of a scene.

For example, some stories include scenes from the villain���s perspective. Those scenes are sometimes written in a Deep POV style when the author wants to hide the villain���s identity, but in many other instances, the villain scenes are written in a slightly shallower POV than the rest of the story, as the author doesn���t want to encourage an emotional connection between readers and the villain.

In other stories, perhaps with a large cast of POV characters, it might make sense to encourage readers to connect to the overall story more than to any one character. Or those stories might start and end scenes with shallower POV to help ease the transition from one POV character to another.

Stories with an unreliable narrator might want to avoid readers feeling too betrayed when they learn their connection to the POV character wasn���t as close as they thought. So they might include selected details from a shallower and more objective perspective to give readers subtextual hints of the truth.

Tip: For some situations, we might want to discourage, or at least temporarily lessen, a reader���s emotional connection to a specific POV character by using a shallower POV in certain sections.

Situation #4: Tell the Story Beyond a Character���s Ability

Obviously, there are some stories where Deep POV doesn���t make sense at all, such as when the story we want to tell ranges beyond characters��� knowledge. However, there are some situations where most of the story is in Deep POV, but the POV character temporarily loses their ability to share the story experience with readers.

For example, if we want readers to know that our POV character is experiencing a dream, we might include a few lines with a shallower POV to transition into the dream. We might do something similar if a character is drugged or unconscious (or nearly so).

Or think of a scene where the POV character is emotionally numb, perhaps near catatonic. In that case, we might pull back the POV a bit so readers aren���t stuck in that numb situation with the character and we can give details that force the story���s narrative forward.

Tip: In some situations, we may want the storytelling to still feel like Deep POV, while we bend the ���rules��� of the technique a bit to move the story forward with a few shallower POV lines or details.

Situation #5: Maintaining Immersion Requires a Shallower POV

Above, I mentioned that Deep POV usually increases a reader���s sense of immersion. However, there are some instances when a Deep POV that creates a strong emotional connection with the POV character would overwhelm readers.

Think of a story where the POV character experiences such intense situations and/or emotions that the reader could feel uncomfortable. For example, extreme grief or sexual assault could make a reader pull back from the immersive experience to protect themselves from mental or emotional trauma.

In other words, some story situations can trigger readers to break immersion themselves. So if we want to maintain immersion, we might choose to use a shallower POV to prevent readers from feeling the need to pull back.

If readers already have the context for what the POV character is going through, the emotional connection can remain with a sense of sympathy, rather than the sense of empathy that a Deep POV might entail. As I���ve posted about before on my blog: The reader���s ���flavor��� of the emotion can be more powerful, intimate, and immediate than what they would experience if the author tried to tell them ���here���s what this emotion feels like.���

Tip: In some situations, readers will feel a stronger emotional connection if we give them room with a shallower POV to experience their own reaction to events, rather than trying to match the reader���s emotional journey to the character���s experience.

Not Sure of the Best POV Choice?

As with most things writing-related, there���s no one ���best��� choice for our story���s POV. We need to keep in mind our goals for the story and the experience we want readers to have. The issue is also made even trickier by the fact that we���re not always writing in the POV style that we think we are.

One of the best things we can do to address all those concerns is to learn more about our POV choices, as well as the pros and cons of each style. By being informed, not only will we be able to make better POV choices, but we���ll also make sure any shifts from Deep POV to a shallower POV (or back again) are smooth enough to not cause speedbumps for readers. *smile*

Have you read stories that are primarily Deep POV but include some shallower POV sections? Did the technique work for you (and if not, why not)? Can you think of any other situations where a shallower POV section might make sense for a Deep POV story? Do you have any questions about shallow vs. Deep POV?

The post Point of View: Is Deeper Always Better? appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Fear Thesaurus Entry: Becoming a Parent

Debilitating fears are a problem for everyone, an unfortunate part of the human experience. Whether they’re a result of learned behavior as a child, are related to a mental health condition, or stem from a past wounding event, these fears influence a character’s behaviors, habits, beliefs, and personality traits. The compulsion to avoid what they fear will drive characters away from certain people, events, and situations and hold them back in life. 

In your story, this primary fear (or group of fears) will constantly challenge the goal the character is pursuing, tempting them to retreat, settle, and give up on what they want most. Because this fear must be addressed for them to achieve success, balance, and fulfillment, it plays a pivotal part in both character arc and the overall story.

This thesaurus explores the various fears that might be plaguing your character. Use it to understand and utilize fears to fully develop your characters and steer them through their story arc. Please note that this isn’t a self-diagnosis tool. Fears are common in the real world, and while we may at times share similar tendencies as characters, the entry below is for fiction writing purposes only.

Becoming a Parent

Notes
Becoming a parent is a huge adjustment and will naturally come with some anxieties. But for some characters, this natural worry can tip into a motivating fear. It could stem from a deep aversion to being responsible for another person. It might arise from a physical or mental condition that limits the character or they’re afraid of passing on to a child. For others, potential parenthood can act as a trigger that reminds the character of their own past trauma. Whatever the cause, this fear will be the driving factor behind decisions that will greatly impact the character’s life.

What It Looks Like
Avoiding situations where they would be responsible for children, such as babysitting or volunteering with young people
Avoiding sex
Becoming a pro-choice activist
Clinging to youthful activities (spending recklessly, partying, hanging out at the bar, etc.)
Being highly independent
Sabotaging relationships that become too intimate
Being highly outspoken about the decision to not have children
Becoming defensive when others ask if children are in the future
The character obsessively watching her menstrual cycle to be sure a pregnancy hasn’t occurred
The character taking medical steps to avoid pregnancy, such as having their tubes tied or getting a vasectomy
Relationships fizzling with friends who become parents
Devoting themselves to other pursuits (career, fitness, volunteerism, etc.)
Overachieving in other areas

Common Internal Struggles
The character fearing they would be like their own parents if they had children
Feeling selfish or cowardly for the decision not to have kids
Desiring intimacy in a relationship but being too afraid of becoming pregnant
Desiring children but not wanting to pass on a family history of abuse, mental illness, dysfunction, or addiction
Not wanting kids but feeling a sense of loss at seeing people with a strong parent-child bond
A desire to have children warring with the fear of being a parent

Flaws That May Emerge
Childish, Defensive, Insecure, Judgmental, Nervous, Obsessive, Resentful, Stubborn, Timid, Withdrawn, Workaholic

Hindrances and Disruptions to the Character’s Life
Frequently changing romantic partners before things get too serious
Ongoing strife with a spouse or partner who wants to have children
Friends and loved ones not understanding the character’s choice to not have kids
Sex being paired with anxiety or fear
Being expected to work holidays, weekends, and extra shifts because the character doesn’t have a family to take care of

Scenarios That Might Awaken This Fear
An unexpected pregnancy
Falling in love with someone who wants to have children
Being asked about when the character is going to start a family
Being expected to produce an heir to continue the family name or business
Not having access to birth control
A close friend dying or becoming seriously ill during childbirth
Being sexually assaulted or abused
Having to parent a friend’s child due to unforeseen or tragic circumstances
Experiencing symptoms of pregnancy

Other Fear Thesaurus entries can be found here.

Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (16 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, and then give our Free Trial a spin.

And Don’t Forget…

We have a Conflict Thesaurus Launch celebratory giveaway on now, but today is the last day to enter.

You definitely want to try and win some of our favorite writing guides, so find the entry form here.

And while you’re checking out the giveaway, don’t forget to look into the Writers’ FIGHT CLUB Story Contest! Submissions must be in by September 16th, so send in your story soon. We can’t wait to see you flex your conflict-writing skills!

The post Fear Thesaurus Entry: Becoming a Parent appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Release Day: The Conflict Thesaurus (Volume 2) Is Here!

A new writing guide is joining the family today, so please say hello to the SILVER Edition of The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles.

In this second volume of The Conflict Thesaurus, we continue our in-depth exploration of challenges, roadblocks, adversaries, and hindrances in all forms. Conflict has many superpowers, and is the golden thread that binds plot to arc, providing the complications, setbacks, and derailments that make the character���s inner and outer journeys dynamic.

This book will help you build a story that has conflict at different levels so characters have multiple problems to grapple with. It will also show you how to leverage friction and tension, force characters to make hard choices, and use adversity to provide key life lessons that will lead to growth, so they can become the person they must to achieve meaningful goals.

Here’s a more detailed look at this book.
Find the full list of conflict scenarios (& sample entries) here.
Here’s what people are saying about The Conflict Thesaurus.
And here’s where you can buy it, print and digital.

Conflict can be explosive, or subtle. It may inconvenience your characters, or devastate them. And whether it’s internal or external, readers can’t get enough of it, and neither can we.

So for the first time ever, Writers Helping Writers is sponsoring a writing contest!Introducing…

Conflict comes in all shapes and sizes – a physical altercation, personal struggle, relationship friction, a danger or threat…the possibilities are endless. As storytellers, we need to write conflict well. This story contest is a chance to show us what you can do!

Ready to go pen to pen against other creatives and submit a story to our WRITERS’ FIGHT CLUB?

Step into the ring with your original story, any genre, that shows your character navigating one or more of these conflicts from our Conflict Thesaurus Vol 2:

Being Injured
Experiencing Discrimination
Losing a Vital Item
Telling the Truth but Not Being Believed
Being Trapped
Having Unwanted Powers

Or, one of these conflicts from our expanded Conflict Database at One Stop for Writers:

A Romantic Competitor Entering the Scene
Getting Caught in a Lie
Needing to Sacrifice One for the Good of the M any

Stories must be 750 – 2000 words in length. Our official contest rules, deadline, and how to submit can be found here:

WRITERS’ FIGHT CLUB CONTEST

Now let’s talk prizes!

First Place:

A $100 US cash prize
Two 1-year subscriptions to One Stop for Writers
(One for you, one for a friend, a $210 value)
A $100 US donation to your choice of charity that helps those impacted by conflict (domestic violence, war, human trafficking, etc.)
A professional edit of your submission by our amazing Resident Writing Coach, Lisa Poisso
+ Bragging rights!

Second Place:

A $50 US cash prize
Two 6-month subscriptions to One Stop for Writers
(One for you, one for a friend, a $120 value)
A $50 US donation to your choice of charity that helps those impacted by conflict (domestic violence, war, human trafficking, etc.)
A professional edit of your submission by our amazing Resident Writing Coach, Colleen M. Story
+ Bragging rights!

Honorable Mention:

A professional edit of your submission by our amazing Resident Writing Coach, Lisa Poisso
+ Bragging rights!

SUBMISSIONS WILL BE CAPPED AT 100 ENTRIES & THE DEADLINE TO ENTER IS SEPTEMBER 16TH. FIND OUT MORE.

Giveaway Alert!

We also want to give away some of our favorite writing books, so two lucky winners can choose a 5-pack of digital volumes from these below:

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

This giveaway is subject to our legal policy, and runs until September 10th, midnight (EST). Good luck, and watch your inbox!

Thanks for celebrating this new book with us!

Conflict Thesaurus GOLD EDITION

Conflict Thesaurus SILVER EDITION

Feeling generous? Give this post a share! And good luck in the giveaway & writing contest!

The post Release Day: The Conflict Thesaurus (Volume 2) Is Here! appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.