Janice Hardy's Blog, page 51
March 23, 2020
Two Free At-Home Workshops to Keep You Busy During Quarantine
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Here are two free at-home writing workshops to get you through the quarantine.
I read (and write) a lot of science fiction, but I never thought I’d been writing a post in response to a pandemic. It’s a bit surreal, and I imagine a lot of people feel the same way.
With so many staying home, there are a lot of bored people out there. Some of them are writers who have an opportunity to start that novel or revise one they’ve been working on. Some of them are folks who’ve always wanted to write and finally have the time to try it.
It’s also a time when people are being cost-conscious. Many are out of work, or have had to close down their businesses to stay safe. It’s harder to find things to do when you don’t want to spend any money.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 21, 2020
WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at a Mystery Opening
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: two
Please Note: As of today, critique slots are booked through April 4.
This week’s questions:
1. Does the reader need additional information on the characters at this time?
2. Does the setup catch your interest and leave you with a lot of questions you want the answers to?
3. Are there areas that definitely need more work?
Market/Genre: Mystery
On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 20, 2020
How I Trick My Panster Brain into Plotting
E. J. Wenstrom, @EJWenstromPart of the How They Do It Series
JH: Plotter or pantser, there's a lot to be said for just getting the story down--even if it's a mess. E.J. Wenstrom shares tips on how to hash out a novel.
E. J. Wenstrom believes in complicated heroes, horrifying monsters, purple hair dye and standing to the right on escalators so the left side can walk. Her award-winning fantasy series Chronicles of the Third Realm War features a peculiar mashup of mythology, folklore, and an extra dash of her own special brand of chaos. It starts with Royal Palm Literary Award Book of the Year Mud (#1), Tides (#2), and Sparks (#3), as well as the prequel Rain (#0).
When she isn’t writing fiction, E. J. Wenstrom is a regular contributor to DIY MFA and BookRiot, and co-hosts the FANTASY+GIRL Podcast.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Podcast
Take it away E.J….
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 19, 2020
How The 12-Week Year Can Help You Write Your Novel
By Rochelle Melander, @WriteNowCoachPart of The Writer’s Life Series
JH: Finding a writing schedule that works is often harder than writing the actual novel. Rochelle Melander shares thoughts on a 12-week process that can keep your focused and productive.
Write Now! Coach Rochelle Melander is a certified professional coach, experienced book strategist, and the author of eleven books, including, Level Up: Quests to Master Mindset, Overcome Procrastination and Increase Productivity . She provides solutions for people who feel stuck, overwhelmed or confused by the writing and publishing process. She is the founder of Dream Keepers, a writing workshop that supports children and teens in finding their voice and sharing their stories. Sign up for her Write Now! Tips Ezine at http://www.writenowcoach.com.
Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Take it away Rochelle…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 17, 2020
How My Self-Published Book Got a Starred Review from Publishers Weekly
By Jenn Gott, @gottwordsPart of The Indie Authors Series
JH: Getting reviewed by the Big Reviewers is a challenge for indie authors. Jenn Gott shares her experience (and tips) on getting reviewed by the industry trade publications.
Jenn Gott is an indie author and a writer with Reedsy, so she basically spends all her time either writing books, or helping people learn how to write books. She firmly believes there is no writing skill you cannot learn with practice and the right guidance. When she’s not working, she enjoys keeping up with the latest superhero movies, reading, and swimming.
Website | Goodreads | Twitter
Take it away Jenn...
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 14, 2020
WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at a Historical Fiction Opening
Critique By Maria D'MarcoWIP 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: Two
Please Note: As of today, critique slots are booked through March 28.
This week’s question:
Does this scene work?
Market/Genre: Historical Fiction
On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 12, 2020
Taking the First Step Toward Your Writing—Every Day
By Shanna Swendson, @ShannaSwendsonPart of The Writer’s Life Series
JH: Some days, it's just hard to get started when we sit down to write. Shanna Swendson share tips on taking that first step and keeping your writing momentum going.
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.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Take it away Shanna…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 10, 2020
6-Point Story Checklist for Powerful Scenes
By Laurence MacNaughton, @LMacNaughtonPart of the How They Do It Series
JH: The scene is the building block of the novel, and the stronger each scene is, the stronger the novel will be overall. Laurence MacNaughton shares his checklist for writing powerful scenes.
The hardest part about writing is getting started. Where should you kick things off? How do you make it exciting? How do you keep the momentum going? To find the answer, use this easy scene checklist. It walks you through everything you need to know to write a scene. Keep your notebook handy.
1. What does success look like to your character?
Every scene revolves around a character who wants something here and now. What does your character want?
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 9, 2020
A Three-Step Plan for Returning to a Partially Finished Manuscript
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Getting back to an old manuscript after a break is often harder than starting one anew.
Last week, I sent my new manuscript off to my agent (yay!). This was a bit trickier than usual, because I’ve been juggling two projects—revising this manuscript while drafting another. They’re completely different markets and genres (an adult science fiction and a middle grade fantasy) so there’s no cross-contamination of ideas or styles, but it did mean that after I received feedback on the adult novel, I had to give it most of my attention to meet my due date.
That left my poor little first draft languishing for two months while I revised the other manuscript. And after two months of ignoring it, it’s a little tough to just dive back in and start writing again.
Being away from a writing project for a while kills your momentum for that project.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 7, 2020
WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at a Puzzling Scene
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. Does it have enough internalization, description, or narration?
2. Am I showing, not telling?
3. Does the dialogue sound natural and believable?
4. Would you want to keep reading?
Market/Genre: Unspecified
On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
