Janice Hardy's Blog, page 100

Real Life Diagnostics: Does This Opening (and Narrator) Work?

Critique By Maria D'Marco

Real Life Diagnostics is a weekly column that studies a snippet of a work in progress for specific issues. Readers are encouraged to send in work with questions, and we diagnose it on the site. It’s part critique, part example, and designed to help the submitter as well as anyone else having a similar problem.

If you're interested in submitting to Real Life Diagnostics, please check out these guidelines.

Submissions currently in the queue: Three

Please Note: As of today, RLD slots are booked through August 25.

This week’s questions:

1. Does this opening work?

2. Is the narrator, the voice appealing?

Market/Genre: Commercial fiction

On to the diagnosis…
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Stephen King’s Ten Tips for Horrific Writing

By Natalie Odisho

Let’s Get Lit: Spotlight on Allegory

JH: I'm introducing a new treat today--a recurring column that will tackle a literary device each month, and show how bestselling authors are using that device in their work. Please help me welcome Natalie Odisho to the Fiction University team! 

Natalie Odisho is an Assyrian-American artist who lives in Dubai. After graduating with a BS from Florida State University, she followed the music to Las Vegas where she worked in editorial and public relations. Now her focus is on acupuncture and telling you to eat only before 7pm.

Website| Instagram

Take it away Natalie...
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

3 Updates Your Author Website Needs Now

By Laurie Dennison, @lauriedennison

Part of The Writer's Life Series

A current, dynamic author website is a crucial tool for connecting with readers. An effective online presence does more than just promote your books and events—it builds your audience by showing your personality, experience, and engagement. If you’re an indie author selling books directly through your website, professionalism is imperative.

(Jami Gold talks about using your author website as your distribution method here)

Whether sellingbooks or services directly or using buy buttons linked to retailers, we all want our websites to represent us well.With the frequent changes in online tech, updating your author website regularly means more than just generating new content. Two major changes in 2018 impact all websites, with direct implications for authors: the release of Google Chrome 68 and GDPR. With three simple updates, your website will present your brand and books professionally whileprotecting your online assets.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

The Long Draft: Do You Have One Manuscript, or Two?

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

I recently finished a first draft of a young adult fantasy novel. This book has a bit of history for me, so it was a relief and gave me a sense of accomplishment to get it done.

However…

It’s almost twice as long as my first drafts typically are—118,000 words instead of 60,000 words. While YA can certainly run higher than 60K words, I have a lot of trimming in my future. Probably in the 30-40K word range.

But as I was discussing the book with a writer pal, she joked about how my draft was two of her books. Which naturally led us to wonder…did I have two books?

It’s not an easy question. Just because I have the words for it, doesn’t mean I have the story for it. Stories need the right structure and flow to work well, so simply chopping the manuscript in two isn’t the solution. It could very likely create a book that just stops, but doesn’t end, and another that feels as if you picked it up mid-story.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Make Your Setting Come Alive

By Jeffery Phillips

Part of the How They Do It Series

JH: Setting plays a critical role in a novel by giving the reader a place to settle in and enjoy the story. Today, Jeffery Phillips returns to the lecture hall for some tips on bringing your setting to life.

Jeffrey “Hammerhead” Philips strapped on a scuba cylinder (when Clorox bottles were BCD’s) for the first time in 1967. Dove for two years, decided he liked the water and obtained his scuba certification from NASDS, then became a PADI instructor. He hasn’t stopped diving since. In 1980 he married the prettiest mermaid in the ocean, Kitty. Today, he lives in Monterey, Tennessee, writing fictionalized events of his travels. He's the author of Murder on Devil Ray Reef and Death at Obeah's Fire.
 
Website | Facebook | Goodreads |

Take it away Jeffery...
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

It’s a Start: What Not to Worry About in a First Draft

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

Let’s continue with first drafts with an updated look at what not to worry about in a first draft.
Writing a novel is a lot of work. There are plots to weave, subplots to finagle, characters to grow, conflicts to craft, and that’s before you get to the actual writing part. With so much to worry about, it might be good to know there are some things you don’t have to worry about until after your first draft is complete (such as spelling and grammar).

Every Last Detail
You don’t need to have every detail in the draft planned in advance. It’s okay if you’re not sure exactly what something looks like or how something works.

Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Writing Prompt: The Chain Story: Crying Foul

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

This week’s prompt is a chain story! I’ll give you the first line, and someone else comments and builds off that line. Next commenter will build off that line, and so on.

In the event of two commenters posting at the same time and sending the story in different directions, just pick the line you like best, or try to incorporate both if you can.


Marcello wasn’t one to cry foul, but every man had his limits.

Let the fun begin.




Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Real Life Diagnostics: Does This Opening Have a Strong Emotional Impact?

Critique By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

Real Life Diagnostics is a weekly column that studies a snippet of a work in progress for specific issues. Readers are encouraged to send in work with questions, and we diagnose it on the site. It’s part critique, part example, and designed to help the submitter as well as anyone else having a similar problem.

If you're interested in submitting to Real Life Diagnostics, please check out these guidelines.

Submissions currently in the queue: One

Please Note: As of today, RLD slots are booked through August 4.

This week’s questions:

1. Does the story qualify as literary fiction?

2. What are your thoughts about the story? Did it have an emotional impact on you without being overly sentimental?

3. What are the strengths and weaknesses of this short story?

4. If this were the opening story of a short story collection, would you proceed to read the whole collection?

5. Has this story done justice to the depth of tragedy of the situation?

6. Which adjectives would you use to describe this short story?

7. What advice will you give to improve the craft of the story?

Market/Genre: Literary short story

On to the diagnosis…
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Start Me Up: Planning and Writing a First Draft

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

I've had multiple writers this week ask me about writing their first novel, so this week's Refresher Friday revisits (and updates) planning and writing that first draft. 

Starting a new novel is both exhilarating and frustrating. There's the excitement of the fresh idea, the promise of the characters, the snippets of cool scenes popping in and out of your head.

Then there's the hard work of actually getting it all down. Figuring out where to start, what to do before you actually begin writing, what process you want to use. Even with four published novels under my belt, I'm no different than any other writer when it comes to first drafts.

Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

WINNING WAY: Establishing Professional Writing Goals Worth Pursuing

By Damon Suede, @DamonSuede

Part of The Writer's Life Series

As writers we have the best and worst job in the world. We get paid to make stuff up. We are captains of our own destiny. The tools necessary are simple and ubiquitous.

When it comes to my career, I treat our industry as a giant, elaborate game because genre publishing really does have rules and roles, strategy and struggle, touchdowns and trophies… No matter how intense the conflict or dire the stakes, no one gets jailed or murdered because they didn’t hit the USA Today list. That perspective helps me keep my nuttiness and anxiety to a minimum no matter how vile or harrowing the experiences of a given moment.

Because I tend to think of writing as a game I'm always keeping the prize in mind. Every game has a goal that allows you to develop a strategy. If you're not the type of person who examines your personal goal motivation and conflict this can present a giant problem. The truth is we are not all the same and we don't seek the same rewards. Different players in different contexts seek different rewards and play radically different games. Some of us love brutal conflict. Some of us gravitate towards gentle, cooperative détentes the human heart is simply too complex to boil down to a single identity or path to happiness.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com