Janice Hardy's Blog, page 35
November 24, 2020
An Exercise in Layering & Depth: 25 Questions to Ask Your Characters
By Bonnie RandallPart of The How They Do It Series
JH: I don't think I know a single writer who isn't interested in better ways to develop characters (grin). Bonnie Randall shares 25 questions to help you figure out just who that character is.
Some of the most telling moments of character definition—for both real people, and the fictional ones we craft—is when they are
made vulnerable forced to choose made to reveal their morals or their values
The following battery of questions, when asked of your MC (or secondary) offer an opportunity into insight as to who they really are…and also illuminates who they envision becoming.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
November 23, 2020
How to Tell if You Should You Give Up On Your Novel and Write Something New
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Not all novels need to be written. Is yours one of them?
Right after my third novel was published (2011), I hit a bad patch of writing. My muse went on vacation, every sentence I typed was a battle, and writing became a chore I dreaded. Although it felt like giving up, I shifted my writing focus to nonfiction until telling stories became fun again. Eventually it did, but it took years.
I wrote a lot of so-so novels during that time. Every single one was based on an idea I loved, but they needed a lot of revising and overhauling to make them work, and I wasn’t sure if revising them yet again was a good idea or not.
Idea #1 frustrated me for two and a half years of revisions. Idea #2 took another two years of my life that went nowhere. Idea #3 was a NaNo project that actually made writing fun again, but then languished when I wasn't sure what to do with it next. It was outside my regular genre and market, and trying to sell that one felt like I was starting over again as a writer.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
November 21, 2020
WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at Character Engagement and Backstory
Critique By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyWIP 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: Zero
Please Note: As of today, critique slots are open.
This week’s questions:
1. Do you like or feel connected to Bess, the main character? It’s difficult to create sympathetic characters without being able to come out and dump all their “tragic backstory” on the page.
2. Am I giving too much away/not giving enough?
Market/Genre: Paranormal
On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.comNovember 19, 2020
5 Dos and Don’ts of a Good Sidekick
By Bethany HenryPart of The How They Do It Series
JH: A great sidekick can add a lot to a novel. Bethany Henry shares tips on how to craft a sidekick that enhances your story without stealing the show.
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
November 18, 2020
5 Ways to Find the Backstory Readers Want to Know
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyReaders don’t mind backstory—as long as it’s something they want to hear about.
My first novel was fantasy, so naturally, I had a lot of backstory. Every character had huge histories and shady pasts, and I couldn’t wait to share every last detail with my readers.
And it turned out about how you’d imagine.
Boring pages, no action, flashbacks that nobody but me cared about. It was a mess.
A person’s past is part of life, and everybody has one—especially fictional characters. But that past isn't always relevant, even if it is interesting. Stopping to explain a character's history tends to bog a novel down.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
November 17, 2020
Behind the Block: Overcoming Fear to Write
By Rochelle Melander, @WriteNowCoachPart of The Writer's Life Series
JH: Fear can hold you back, but you don't have to let it. Rochelle Melander shares thoughts and tips on overcoming the fear that's keeping you from writing.
Rochelle Melander is a speaker, professional certified coach and the author of 11 books for adults, including Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (and Live to Tell About It) and Level Up: Quests to Master Mindset, Overcome Procrastination and Increase Productivity .
Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Take it away Rochelle…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
November 16, 2020
Why You Should Have Judgmental Characters
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy For a strong point of view, let your characters have strong opinions.
In real life, being judgmental might cause a few problems, but in fiction, it's something every character should aspire to. How characters—especially the point of view characters—judge the world around them shows readers what that world is like and how it works (and even non-genre writers need to world build, it's just a little different in the details).
Our characters see something, they judge it as it pertains to their personal views. If we write a scene where a girl walks a dog down the street, how our characters judge that will determine how we'll describe it and even how they'll react to it.
Someone afraid of dogs will see details that support that: large size, straining on a leash to bite them, big teeth. The judgment is "dogs are bad" and the reaction will reflect that.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
November 14, 2020
WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at First-Page Hooks in a Mystery
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: One
Please Note: As of today, critique slots are booked through November 21.
This week’s questions:
1. Does the beginning scene hook the reader?
2. Am I telling instead of showing?
Market/Genre: Mystery
On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
November 12, 2020
The Promise of the First Chapter
By Chris Eboch, @Kris_Bock Part of the How They Do It Series
JH: A novel's first chapter makes a promise to readers about the book. Chris Eboch shares tips on how writers can keep those promises.
Chris Eboch’s writing craft books include Advanced Plotting and You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers.
Chris is the author of over 60 books for children, including nonfiction and fiction, early reader through teen. Learn more or read excerpts at www.chriseboch.com or visit her page on Amazon or Amazon UK. (For other countries click here.) Check out her writing tips at her Write Like a Pro! blog.
Chris writes for adults under the name Kris Bock. Her Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. Get a free 10,000-word story set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café when you sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter. Learn more at www.krisbock.com or visit Kris Bock’s Amazon US page or Amazon UK page. (For other countries click here.)
Website | Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Newsletter
Take it away Chris…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
November 11, 2020
An Easy Tip to Avoid Infodumps in Your Dialogue
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Just because a character says it, doesn’t mean it isn’t an infodump.
Dialogue is one of my favorite parts of writing. It's fast-paced, grabs attention, and usually keeps the reader reading. When two characters are having a zippy conversation, readers feel like they’re hanging out with them and part of the story.
But those conversations can also contain the dreaded infodump-as-dialogue.
Infodumping (throwing in a lot of "need-to-know" information at one time) doesn't just happen to prose. Characters can have conversations they'd never have, talking about things they'd never talk about.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
