Janice Hardy's Blog, page 110
April 5, 2018
Event Goals: Getting the Most Out of Conference Networking
By Damon Suede, @DamonSuedePart of the Indie Author Series
I’ve been with a niche press since I first started publishing romance, and despite some swanky offers from the Big 5, I find that I dig my neck of the niche woods. Of course working outside NYC’s hegemony requires moxie and flexibility, but it also gives me crazy latitude so that I can adapt and respond to market shifts on the fly.
Today, I want to speak to conference networking, which is something I adore and embrace with abandon. Full disclosure: unlike many authors I am an unapologetic extrovert and as a result I have some oddball insights into the way conferences can (and don’t work) for indie authors.
Obviously this is too big a topic for us to cover in one post so for today I'd like to talk about networking goals.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
April 4, 2018
Message for M. Reader: Are You Telegraphing Your Plot?
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Still down with a cold, so I'm pulling from the archives today. Here's an updated (and useful) reminder from 2012 on the perils of telegraphing your plot. Enjoy!
Have you ever watched a TV show or movie, and someone says something that you know is going to come back later and be the key to saving the day? "Well now," says random stranger, "we haven't use that road since a big old sinkhole opened up ten years ago." Immediately, we know that sinkhole is totally where the hero is going to lead the horrible monster or bad guy chasing him at the climax--and he does.
Kinda takes all the fun out of it, right?
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
April 2, 2018
How Writing in Chunks Can Make You a More Productive Writer
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy When I’m working on a new draft, I like to write in chunks. It’s a way of fast drafting in small sections that keeps my productivity high, but also lets me control the story. The smaller chunks allow for spontaneity, but I never let the story run too far without seeing how it fits in with the rest of the plot.
This has kept me from going off on tangents I’d later have to cut, and given me unexpected ideas that turned into the best parts of the novel. Writing in chunks lets me both plot and pants at the same time, so I get the benefits of both processes in a way that works with my writing style.
(Here’s more on fast drafting your first draft)
After lots of trial and error, I’ve discovered that three chapters is the right size for me—four if I’m writing dual points of view—and I develop those chunks of chapters at the same time. Once they’re at “solid first draft quality,” I move on to the next set.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
Next Workshop Event for Janice Hardy: How to Turn Your Idea Into a Novel
Florida Heritage Book Festival Novel Workshop: How to Turn Your Idea Into a Novel When: Saturday, April 14
Time: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Where: St. Augustine, FL
Cost: $85 for a full-day workshop. You also get my Plotting Your Novel Workbook.
Register Here!
This day-long workshop is hosted by the Florida Heritage Book Festival folks.
Ideas hit us all the time, but we don't always know how to turn those ideas into a novel, or what's the best way for us to develop those ideas. In this workshop, you'll learn multiple ways to break down your idea and turn it into a solid plan for your novel. You'll work on exercises designed to help you:
Brainstorm your ideaFind your protagonist and antagonistCreate compelling charactersFind your core conflicts and use them to build your plotDevelop your settingDetermine the key turning points of the plotDiscover your themeFind the right structure for your writing process This hands-on workshop will guide you through the novel-planning process and help you find the plot and story within your idea. By the end of the day, you'll have a solid outline (or guide for those who don't like to outline) to your story.
Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
April 1, 2018
Writing Prompt: The Chain Story: The Tale of the House
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyThis 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.
The house told the real story, if you listened hard enough.
Let the fun begin.
Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 31, 2018
Real Life Diagnostics: Does This Prologue Work?
Critique By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyReal 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: Four
Please Note: As of today, RLD slots are booked through April 28.
This week’s questions:
I'm taking the plunge and sending you the first page of my Prologue for your critique. With respect to our previous correspondence regarding Prologues, I fear that maybe all your red flag warnings apply. However, because of the 26-year time lapse, I don't see how I can bring this into the main body of the novel without interrupting with extensive back-story and flashbacks. So, my questions (based on your four Prologue triggers) would be:
1. Does this opening work?
2. Would you continue reading?
3. Would you stay with the story if you knew this narrator is not the main POV character but nevertheless an important character who helps drive the plot?
4. Would you invest your time and energy reading a prologue knowing the actual story takes place 26 years and a generation later?
5. What, if any, are your expectations from this opening?
Market/Genre: Mainstream fiction
On to the diagnosis…
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 30, 2018
The End is Near: What Makes a Good Ending?
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyThis Week's Refresher Friday takes another look at what makes a good ending.
Some writers have troubles with beginnings, or more commonly, middles, but for me, it’s endings.
I tend to rush them once I get close, summarizing instead of letting things build to the big bang. I always have to rewrite them, usually several times before I get them right. These days, I work hard to figure out my ending before I start the book. I've learned (the hard way) that the easiest books for me to write are the ones where I know my ending ahead of time.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 29, 2018
Understanding Your Ebook Formatting Options
By Marcy Kennedy, @MarcyKennedy Part of the Indie Author Series
Dipping into the archives again today, with a helpful post from Marcy Kennedy on formatting your ebook.
When I first decided to self-publish, one of the decisions that tied my stomach into the most knots was how to format my ebook. I had a meager budget, and I’ll be honest—I’m not exactly a technological wiz kid. I still use an ancient cell phone with no internet capabilities, and I get heart palpitations every time my computer hiccups.
But what I realized was that ebook formatting isn’t nearly as scary as I thought. In fact, I actually fell a little in love with the process. We have a lot of options, which means we can all find the one that works best for us, for our book, and for our budget.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 28, 2018
What's So Wrong With Clichés in Our Fiction? This.
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy
Dipping into the archives today for a fun (and updated) look at why we should reconsider using a cliché in our fiction.
Common writing wisdom tells us to avoid clichés, but those lines still slip into our writing. Often, it's the sneaky phrases that sound right for that particular situation. We can't say why it does, we just feel that a character would say or think a line at that moment.
A line such as this:
This video is probably the best example of why the "avoid clichés" advice exists.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
Dipping into the archives today for a fun (and updated) look at why we should reconsider using a cliché in our fiction.
Common writing wisdom tells us to avoid clichés, but those lines still slip into our writing. Often, it's the sneaky phrases that sound right for that particular situation. We can't say why it does, we just feel that a character would say or think a line at that moment.
A line such as this:
This video is probably the best example of why the "avoid clichés" advice exists.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 27, 2018
5 Essential Truths You Need to Know about The Path to Publication
By Mandy Wallace, @mandycorinePart of the How They Do It Series
JH: Getting published takes work, but for those starting out, knowing what to work on isn't always clear. Mandy Wallace visits the lecture hall today to share some tips on finding a clear path to your first publication.
Mandy Wallace is a writing coach who shares tips and free tools with new writers. Her blog has been named one of the 100 Best Websites for Writers three years in a row, and several of her posts have clocked over 50k social shares each. Pick up a free copy of her Free Tools for Fiction Writers. Because the writing life should be easy (and fun!).
Website | Twitter | Pinterest | Landing Your First Publication
Take it away Mandy...
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
