Janice Hardy's Blog, page 18

A Guide for Writing Strong Female Characters

By Bethany Henry

Part of The How They Do It Series

JH: Representation in fiction leads to a more inclusive society. Bethany Henry shares ways to write strong female characters, as well as harmful pitfalls to avoid.

Bethany Henry writes fantasy novels, and blogs about writing and wellness at bethany-henry.com. When not writing, she can often be found on the frisbee field, drinking tea, or reading picture books with her two little girls. Sign up for her email list for weekly posts on writing craft—along with fun extras like quotes and freebies.  

Website | Blog | Facebook | Pinterest | Email List

Take it away Bethany...Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Let's Get Creative and Write From the Heart (Two Free Workshops This Week)

A quick heads up about two free events this week.
If you're a subscriber, you already know about this, but if not...I'm participating in Write From the Heart, a free two-day writing workshop Thursday and Friday.

And from Wednesday to Friday, there's also a free creativity conference (I'm not part of this one, just passing along the info).

Write From the Heart: August 5 - 6, 3pm EST
You’ll learn how to cultivate a writing practice that not only works for you, but feels nourishing. You’ll dive in and learn how to listen to the heart of your story--and how to translate that pulse onto the page.

Plus, some practical tips on how to:
heal writer’s blockcreate healthy writing habits embody your characters create emotionally resonant scenesand include a handful of must-have scenes You'll also get my workshop on Developing Stronger Internal Conflicts in Your Novel

Over two days, eleven experts will help you reorient your writing practice, cultivate your authentic voice, and align you with the heart of your story--all so you can create and finish the book you were born to write!

Grab your complimentary ticket here.  The workshops will be recorded and a replay will be available for 72 hours after the event. 


The Creativity Conference: August 4 - 6
Creatives from around the world are invited to join us on a journey of exploration to explore the essence of creativity in all its forms. Together, we will search for that elusive moment in which something truly original is brought into the world.

Explore these ideas in 72 online presentations and panels, and 3 keynotes with musicians, dancers, designers, photographers, filmmakers, fine artists, authors, and more. We will learn about the impact of technology, the purpose of poetry, inspiring environments, and extraordinary creative tools.​

Register here.

Both events are free. 

Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

The Benefits of a DIY Personal Writer’s Retreat

By Jodi Turchin, @jlturchin

Part of The Writer's Life Series

JH: Getting away from your regular writing routine can shake up your muse and boost your productivity. Jodi Turchin shares tips on how to create your own writing retreat.

Jodi Turchin is a Young Adult novelist represented by Dawn Frederick at Red Sofa Literary. She’s also a photographer, a high school English teacher, an adjunct college professor, and a former actress and director.

Website | Twitter

Take it away Jodi…

Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Don’t Let These Plotting Errors Knock Your Novel Off Track

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

Here are five common plotting mistakes to avoid when writing a novel.

Plots are tricky things. They ought to be easy, since they’re just the steps characters go through to resolve a novel’s conflict, but for a lot of writers, those steps are loaded with traps and pitfalls. These writers have no trouble creating deep, fascinating characters and crafting compelling character arcs for them, but how they get those characters from Point A to Point B mystifies them.

Plotting doesn’t come naturally to all writers, same as developing characters, world building, or writing snazzy dialogue. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Once we identify (and accept) what we’re weak at, we can work on improving those areas and paying a little more attention to them in early drafts.

When plotting, it helps to remind yourself that a plot is the series of events that illustrate a story. It’s not the theme, the characters, the character arc, or the idea behind the novel—just what the characters actually do.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at Hooking Readers with Action on the Opening Page

Critique by Maria D'Marco

WIP 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 WIP Diagnostics, please check out these guidelines. 

Submissions currently in the queue: Eight

Please Note: As of today, critique slots are booked through September 25.

This week’s questions:

1. Does this opening scene hook the reader? Does it work?

Market/Genre: Romantic Suspense

On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Word Count Is Not the Only Metric for Productivity

By Spencer Ellsworth, @spencimus
Part of The Writer's Life Series

JH: Putting too much focus on word counts can derail a writer from what really matters—the story. Spencer Ellsworth shares thoughts and tips on how to be productive without stressing over word counts.

Spencer Ellsworth is the author of  The Great Faerie Strike  from Broken Eye Books and the Starfire space opera trilogy from Tor. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and three children, and would really like a war mammoth if you know a guy.
Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Take it away Spencer…

Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

What My Literary Heroes Taught Me about Writing

By Rochelle Melander, @WriteNowCoach

Part of The Writer's Life Series

JH: We can learn a lot from other writers. Rochelle Melander shares things that have made a difference in her writing, as well as her writing life.
Rochelle Melander is a speaker, certified professional coach, and the bestselling author of twelve books, including  Level Up: Quests to Master Mindset, Overcome Procrastination and Increase Productivity  and the forthcoming children’s book, Mightier Than the Sword: Rebels, Reformers, and Revolutionaries Who Changed the World through Writing. Through her writing and coaching, she helps writers, creatives, and entrepreneurs overcome distractions and procrastination, design a writing life, turn their ideas into books, navigate the publishing world, and connect with readers through social media. She is the founder of Dream Keepers, a writing workshop that supports teens in finding their voice and sharing their stories. 
Blog | Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Take it away Rochelle…

Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

The Danger of Infodumps (And How to Avoid Them)

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

Infodumps aren’t the end of the world for a novel—as long as you keep these things in mind.

One of my critique groups has two cozy mystery writers in it. While I don’t write cozies, I am writing a private detective series, which is why I’m in this group. One surprising thing I’ve learned, is that cozy readers love infodumps.

They like learning about something new. They want their amateur sleuth to give them mini-lectures on the dangers of radon gas or how a proper English breakfast is made.

This makes it a little hard to critique those pages, since all my instincts are screaming “Danger! Danger! Infodumps ahead!” In most genres, all that extra information is bad.

However, it is a great reminder that not all infodumps are created equal. They do have their uses, and when done well, a little infodumping actually makes the story clearer (and sometimes more interesting).
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at Narrative Flow in a Sci-Fi Opening

Critique by Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

WIP 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 WIP Diagnostics, please check out these guidelines. 

Submissions currently in the queue: Seven

Please Note: As of today, critique slots are booked through September 11.

This week’s questions:

1. Does this opening work?

2. Does this page start the story with a strong enough premise to interest the reader?

3. There is no dialogue with another human so is the internalization effective?

Market/Genre: Science Fiction

On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Sell More Books with a Marketing Mindshift

By Jenna Harte
Part of The Writer's Life Series
JH: Marketing is about more than selling books and sharing new releases. Jenna Harte discusses ways to shift your thinking about marketing and build your readership.
Jenna Harte is a die-hard romantic writing about characters who are passionate about and committed to each other, and frequently getting into trouble. She is the author of the Valentine Mysteries, the first of which,  Deadly Valentine , reached the quarter-finals in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Award in 2013. She has a contemporary romance series, Southern Heat, and a cozy mystery series, Sophie Parker Coupon Mystery Series. 
Romance authors can join her free writing community for support, accountability and more at WritewithHarte.
Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | YouTube
Take it away Jenna...

Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com