Janice Hardy's Blog, page 116
January 28, 2018
Writing Prompt: The Skill Builder: Pace Yourself
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy This week’s prompt focuses on an exercise designed to work on a particular skill or technique, such as a POV exercise or character builder. Today’s skill:
Pacing
Pick a scene from your current project and copy it into another file. If it’s a slow-paced scene, revise it so it’s fast-paced. If it’s fast-paced, revise to slow it down. It might require changing elements of the scene, but that’s okay. This is just for fun.
If you want to challenge yourself, find a way to keep the original intent of the scene while dramatically changing the pace. For example, writing a slow-paced action sequence that’s still exciting won’t be easy, nor will a fast-paced soul-searching period of reflection.
For tips and advice on pacing, try these articles:
And the Pace is On: Understanding and Controlling Your Pacing
7 Tips to Improve Your Novel’s Pacing
Move Along: Fixing Pacing Problems
The Perils of PacingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 27, 2018
Real Life Diagnostics: Does This Science Fiction Opening Work?
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: Three
Please Note: As of today, RLD slots are booked through February 17.
This week’s questions:
1. Does the opening work?
Market/Genre: Science Fiction Crime
On to the diagnosis…
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 26, 2018
Overcoming Adversity Through Adverbs
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy This week's Refresher Friday takes another look on why it's okay to use adverbs. Enjoy!
You've no doubt heard it over and over: never use adverbs in your writing. Sound advice, but if you follow it to the extreme, you could miss out on their very useful properties.
As bad a rep as adverbs have, they're actually pretty handy during a first draft. They allow you to jot down how a character feels or how they say something without losing your momentum. You can keep writing, and go back and revise later.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 25, 2018
Working with a Freelance Editor (Part Two)
Editor Mollie TraverBy Jana Oliver, @crazyauthorgirl Part of the Indie Authors Series
Part One of my Q&A with freelance editor Mollie Traver is available here where we discuss her time at St. Martin’s Griffin, the different types of editing and how she made the transition from Big Five editor to freelancer.
Purely by chance, Mollie and I reconnected at the perfect time for both of us: She was launching her editorial business and I was in need of a topnotch professional. I'd just worked with an editor who'd offered good work in the past, but this time they rushed the proofing and it went bad in a heartbeat. Bad like me receiving a note from a NY Times bestselling author, who'd I'd ask to blurb the first book in my Chandler Steele series, kindly informing me there were typos in the finished manuscript. Same with one of my critique partners who reported there were no less than ten typos in the first twenty-five pages.
Ugh. (I used much stronger language than this.)
Simultaneously I was in contact with St. Martin's (who published my first four Demon Trappers books) on a separate matter and learned that Mollie was no longer with the publishing house. A bit of GoogleFu located her on Facebook and I asked if she was editing freelance. I rejoiced when the answer was yes. Since then she's offered full editorial control on the Chandler Series (developmental edits all the way through) as well as editing and proofreading for a number of other projects, including the last three books in my Demon Trappers series.
So let's dig in....
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 24, 2018
The Difference Between a Sequel and a Scene
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Last week I wrote about scenes and plotting, and a commentor asked about sequels. While answering the question, I realized I’d never written specifically about sequels, so let’s fix that today.
Sequels are one of the more misunderstood and confusing aspects of fiction. They’re just as important to a story as a scene, but they don’t get nearly the same amount of attention or analysis from a How-To standpoint.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 23, 2018
Who Are Your Role Models? On Art Informing Life
By Bonnie Randall Part of the How They Do It Series (Monthly Contributor)
As a clinical social worker for over 20 years, I can attest to having had many times when my practice has informed my fiction. My experiences in the counseling room, for example, have helped me understand human nature—and, thereby, character development—in a way that few other practices would. Every day I spend counseling is the equivalent of many long and intense conversations—which in turn have allowed a learning about the rhythm, pace, and the natural cadence of dialogue that perhaps I would not know otherwise.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 21, 2018
Writing Prompt: The Story Starter: Sorry for Your Loss
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy This week’s prompt is a story starter, so take the element provided and turn it into a story of any length you choose. If you’re stuck on size, I suggest aiming for 1000-2000 words.
Write about the loss of something dear.
It can be a person, animal, item--even a personal belief or truth someone cared about. Dig deep and use your own personal experience with loss to tap into the same emotions, even if your story is pure fiction.
Write whatever this triggers, and use these details however you wish. Put them together, use them separately, make one a detail in a scene, whatever inspires you—run with it. Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 20, 2018
Real Life Diagnostics: Would You Keep Reading this Fantasy Opening?
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 February 10.
This week’s questions:
1. Does the opening give one a sense of place; i.e. This is Olympus?
2. Does the opening conflict sound dire enough to be believable?
3. Is the writing sufficient for an opening scene or should it have more conflict?
Market/Genre: Fantasy
On to the diagnosis…
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 19, 2018
Free Show, Don't Tell Workshop (and More) at the OCLS Writers Conference in Orlando, FL
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyOn Saturday, January 27, 2018, I'll be giving a free workshop on Show, Don't Tell at the Orange County Library System Writers Conference.
Hope to see you there!
About the Conference
Make 2018 the year you finish and publish a novel. The OCLS Writers Conference will provide the tools and knowledge you need to reach your writing and publishing goals this year. Authors and publishing professionals will teach workshops on both craft and business topics.
This conference is free to the public, but registration is required for all attendees.
Take a peek at all the great workshops offered:
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 18, 2018
The Long Con: Ten Things You Need to Know About Going to Conventions as a Writer
By John G. Hartness, @johnhartness Part of the Indie Author Series
JH: Please help me welcome Fiction University's newest faculty member, John G. Hartness. He'll be writing about his indie author experience and expertise every other month.
John G. Hartness is a teller of tales, a righter of wrong, defender of ladies’ virtues, and some people call him Maurice, for he speaks of the pompatus of love. He is also the best-selling author of EPIC-Award-winning series The Black Knight Chronicles from Bell Bridge Books, a comedic urban fantasy series that answers the eternal question “Why aren’t there more fat vampires?” He is also the creator of the comic horror Bubba the Monster Hunter series, and the creator and co-editor of the Big Bad series of horror anthologies from Dark Oak Press and Media. 2015 has seen John launch a new dark fantasy series featuring Quncy Harker, Demon Hunter.
In his copious free time John enjoys long walks on the beach, rescuing kittens from trees and recording new episodes of his podcast the Writer’s Journey, where he interviews other writers and explores their journey to writing success. John is also a contributor to the Magical Words group blog. An avid Magic: the Gathering player, John is strong in his nerd-fu and has sometimes been referred to as “the Kevin Smith of Charlotte, NC.” And not just for his girth.
Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Patreon | Podcasts
Take it away John...
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
