Janice Hardy's Blog, page 39

The Fascinating World of History, Gender, and Characters in Deborah J. Ross's "Collaborators"

By Deborah J. Ross

Part of The How They Do It Series

JH: Creating alien worlds and cultures is a staple of science fiction. Deborah J. Ross shares how she developed the world and cultures in her novel, Collaborators.

Deborah J. Ross is an award-nominated writer and editor of fantasy and science fiction, with over a dozen novels and six dozen short stories in print. Her work has earned Honorable Mention in Year's Best SF, and nominations for Lambda Literary Award, Gaylactic Spectrum Award, the National Fantasy Federation Speculative Fiction Award for Best Author, and inclusion in the Otherwise Award List, Locus Recommended Reading, and Kirkus notable new release lists. She has served as Secretary to the Science Fiction Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) and chaired the jury for the Philip K. Dick Award. When she's not writing, she knits for charity, plays classical piano, and practices yoga. 
Her novel Collaborators releases today.

Website | Goodreads |  
Take it away Deborah…

Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

5 Ways to Fix Too-Perfect Characters

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy 
We all dream about that “perfect person,” but in fiction, perfect people make for bad novels.
Writing has a certain level of wish-fulfillment to it. We envision characters with traits we admire, develop relationships we dream we could experience, and brutally dispose of people who picked on us in high school (maybe that’s me?). 
But sometimes in our strive for perfection, we go a tad overboard and create characters we’d probably hate if we met them in real life. 
Why?

Because they’re perfect. They have it all—looks, talent, life fulfillment, their friends all love them and they never have to struggle to get through the day. Even if that day requires facing off against a serial killer, a boardroom of CEOs, or a dark wizard with some serious family issues.

Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

How to Get Readers Onto Your Mailing List... And Keep Them!

By Dave Chesson, @DaveChesson

Part of The Indie Authors Series 

JH: A mailing list helps authors connect to their readers, and keeps them updated on their books. Dave Chesson shares how to encourage readers to sign up for your list. 

Dave Chesson is the founder of Kindlepreneur.com and creator of Publisher Rocket, a software that helps authors market their books more effectively.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Take it away Dave…
Connecting with your readers is an important part of being an author, whether you’re independently published or traditionally published. Why? Because staying in touch with past readers gives you the chance to tell them about future books! Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at a First Chapter Ending

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: Three

Please Note: As of today, critique slots are booked through October 17.

This week’s question:

Would this be a good enough dramatic ending for the first chapter to make you want to read more?

Market/Genre: Middle Grade Historical

On to the diagnosis…

Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Character Creation Made Easy-ish

By Jacqueline Myers 
Part of The How They Do It Series 

JH: Figuring out who your characters are is often harder than figuring out your plot. Jacqueline Myers shares tips on how to create characters with ease.

Jacqueline is currently happily at work on her second mystery series (under the pen name, Gilian Baker) while sharing what she's learned with other writers. Using the synergy of personality theory and brain science, Jacqueline coaches writers using a proprietary methodology that helps them overcome their debilitating creative blocks so they can write un-put-down-able books.
If you are struggling, she'd love to see how she can support you! Schedule your free story strategy session here. You can also email her at jacqueline@intuitivewritingcoach.com.

Grab her first cozy mystery, Blogging is Murder, for FREE here. 

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

The Recipe for Writing a Great Scene

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy 
A great scene is a lot like a great meal. It whets an appetite for more, it fills up the senses, and it satisfies the hunger.  

A lot of things can happen in a scene. Plot things, character things, backstory things. We even describe them as “this is the scene where Bob finds the body in the trunk,” as if the scene has one purpose only. 
But great scenes subscribe to the other rule of three: Every scene needs at least three reasons for being in your novel.

That doesn’t mean three plot things, however. It means that every scene will accomplish multiple tasks. 
It might advance the plot, develop a character, reveal information, describe the world, explore the theme, raise the stakes, up the tension, foreshadow an event, etc. Which three (or more) elements in a scene is up to the writer.

Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Employ the Four Seasons to Enhance Atmosphere in Your Novel

By Bonnie Randall

Part of The How They Do It Series 

JH: Dipping into the archives today for a golden oldie from Bonnie Randall on how writers can take advantage of the four seasons to establish tone and mood in their novels.

Frankie Valli alone can’t establish a mood in your novel—but the literal four seasons just might.

First, though, let’s consider what comprises atmosphere. Certainly the five senses play a leading role, but real richly atmospheric pieces also play off a reader’s presentiment to a location, their innate responses to it. 
Consider, for example, author Barbara Michaels (aka Elizabeth Peters). Michaels loved setting her Gothic mysteries in sprawling old mansions with closed off wings and dusty rooms. 
BOOM! there’s your atmosphere; all of us can immediately appreciate the sense of dread, fear, mystery (maybe even doom) when faced with an old building like this. Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Atmospheric Pressure: Employing The Four Seasons To Enhance Atmosphere

By Bonnie Randall

Part of The How They Do It Series 

JH: Dipping into the archives today for a golden oldie from Bonnie Randall on how writers can take advantage of the fours seasons to establish tone and mood in their novels.

Frankie Valli alone can’t establish a mood in your novel—but the literal four seasons just might.

First, though, let’s consider what comprises atmosphere. Certainly the five senses play a leading role, but real richly atmospheric pieces also play off a reader’s presentiment to a location, their innate responses to it. 
Consider, for example, author Barbara Michaels (aka Elizabeth Peters). Michaels loved setting her Gothic mysteries in sprawling old mansions with closed off wings and dusty rooms. 
BOOM! there’s your atmosphere; all of us can immediately appreciate the sense of dread, fear, mystery (maybe even doom) when faced with an old building like this. Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at Finding the Right Opening Scene

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: Zero

Please Note: As of today, critique slots are open.

This week’s questions:

1. Is there too much telling and not showing?

2. Am I’m forcing too much background into the opening?

3. Does the dialogue sound natural and believable? Is there too much dialogue?

4. is there anything you think I should improve on that I didn’t notice?

5. Would you want to keep reading?

Market/Genre: Unspecified

Note: This is another story we’ve followed through multiple revision.

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

Don’t Fall Prey to The Dark Side of Good Writing Habits

By Shanna Swendson, @ShannaSwendson

Part of The Writer’s Life Series 

JH: Building good writing habits is a great idea, but be wary of changes that negatively affect other aspects of your life. Shanna Swendson discusses the dark side of even good habits. 

Shanna Swendson earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas but decided it was more fun to make up the people she wrote about and became a novelist. She’s written a number of fantasy novels for teens and adults, including the Enchanted, Inc. series and the Rebel Mechanics series. She devotes her spare time to reading, knitting, and music. Her next release will be the paranormal mystery Interview with a Dead Editor , coming October 1. 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Take it away Shanna…

Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com