Janice Hardy's Blog, page 52
March 6, 2020
What's My Motivation? Tips on Showing Character Motivations
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Knowing what motivates a character to act not only makes for a great read, it also makes it easier to plot.
Understanding character motivations is a big part of plotting. Why your characters (especially your protagonist and antagonist) do the things they do determines how your plot unfolds, since they'll have reasons for choosing Option A over Option B.
Of course, showing those motivations without banging a reader over the head can be the hard part. Especially if the reasons aren't clear to the character.
While you don't have to know every single reason why your character does every little thing, if what they do affects the plot or story, it's a good idea to know why they did it. Otherwise, you might end up with a reactionary protagonist or a character who's just acting out plot, but doesn't really care about what happens. Those kinds of characters can leave a story feeling flat and lifeless.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 5, 2020
Successful Self-Publishing: Learn Your Craft
By Laurisa White Reyes, @lwreyesPart of The Indie Authors Series
JH: Before you jump into publishing, learn how to write well. Laurisa White Reyes shares tips on things to do if you want a successful writing career.
Laurisa White Reyes is the award-winning author of seventeen books, including 8 Secrets to Successful Self-Publishing . She is also the founder and senior editor of Skyrocket Press and teaches English composition at College of the Canyons in Southern California. Visit her website at www.SkyrocketPress.com.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |
Take it away Laurisa...
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 4, 2020
3 Reasons That "Perfectly Good Scene" Is Boring Your Readers
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy A weak scene doesn’t mean the end of your novel.
It’s a lot easier to spot a weak scene than a boring one. Weak scenes have problems that usually stand out, either to us, or to our critiquers or beta readers. But boring scenes? They like to hunker down and stay just enough under the radar to avoid revision, because they seem like a perfectly good scene. They work, but just not as well as they should.
How to Tell if Your Scene Is Boring Your Readers
This is tricky since we can’t loom over our readers and peek into their heads to know how they feel while they’re reading (wouldn’t that be helpful?). But we can ask our critique partners and beta readers to let us know when they start to skim a scene, or when a scene isn’t grabbing their attention.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 3, 2020
The Importance of Backstory (Or How the Brain Connects the Present to the Past)
By Kassandra Lamb, @KassandraLamb
Part of the How They Do It Series
JH: Your character's emotional reactions stem from their backstories, and when those don't mesh, reader disconnects can happen. Kassandra Lamb explains how the brain can help us write stronger character backstories.
Kassandra Lamb is a retired psychotherapist/ psychology professor turned mystery writer. She is the author of the Kate Huntington Mysteries and the Marcia Banks and Buddy Cozy Mysteries, plus a non-fiction guidebook, Someday is Here! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing and Publishing Your First Book . She also writes romantic suspense under the pen name of Jessica Dale.
Her specialty as a psychotherapist was trauma recovery, and today she brings us her insights into how the brain connects our past to our present, and the implications for writers regarding characters’ back stories.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Bookbub Profile | Goodreads
Take it away Kassandra…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
February 29, 2020
WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at a Romance Query Letter
Critique By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyWIP 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 14.
This week’s questions:
I fear it reads more like a book cover blurb instead of a query. I'm not sure if I should bring in more to increase conflict but I am trying to sell a romance. Should I?
Market/Genre: Romance Query
On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
February 27, 2020
The Dangers of Chasing the "Blockbuster Novel" Dream
By Maggie Wells, @MaggieWells1Part of The Writer’s Life Series
JH: There's a lot about writing and publishing that's beyond a writer's control. Maggie Wells shares thoughts on one of them, and what we can do about it.
By day, Margaret Ethridge is buried in spreadsheets. At night, Maggie Wells pens tales of people tangling up the sheets. The product of a charming rogue and a shameless flirt, you only have to scratch the surface of this mild-mannered married lady to find a naughty streak a mile wide. Maggie has a passion for college football, processed cheese foods, and happy endings. Not necessarily in that order.
A hybrid author of 40 novels and novellas, Mags has been published with Sourcebooks-Casablanca, Kensington/Lyrical Press, Harlequin-E, and Carina Press. She is represented by Sara Megibow of kt literary.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Take it away Maggie…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
February 26, 2020
Oh, Woe Is Me: Strengthening Character Goals
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Characters drive the plot, because they want something badly enough to act to achieve (or avoid) it. But don't make it easy on them.
When I'm plotting a novel, one of the first things I ask is "What does the protagonist want?" It's a critical question to understand my plot and even my novel, because if I don't know the goal, I can't possibly write a novel that illustrates how the character tries to achieve that goal.
And that's what a novel is at the core: a character trying to have their way and get what they want.
What they choose to do is going to create the plot. Why they choose to do it will create the motivations and stakes. Together, characters, motivations, stakes, and plot make readers want to read on. I've found understanding the why make it's a whole lot easier to figure out the what.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
February 25, 2020
The Story on Your Heart Is the Story Readers Want to Hear
By Bonnie RandallPart of The How They Do It Series
JH: There are a lot of reasons not to write that novel you're itching to write. Bonnie Randall shares a lot of reason why you should.
“I had this really cool dream sequence in my story, but…dream sequences will make an agent stop reading, so I can’t.”
“I have a prologue but all the writing articles say they’re a no. So I can’t keep it.”
“I have this amazing plot on my mind, but the characters are all overdone—so I can’t write it.”
“I’ve sketched out this beautiful book of schedules, budget planning, inspirational quotes and lists, but there are so many already on the market. So I can’t write mine.”
I follow many writers on social media, and over the last several weeks this theme—I want to, but I can’t—has recurred, in variant forms, again and again. So much, in fact, that I want to scream:
“WHO TOLD YOU THAT?!”
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
February 22, 2020
WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at an SF Prologue
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: Two
Please Note: As of today, critique slots are booked through March 14.
This week’s questions:
1. Does the prologue draw you in?
2. Does the flashback work?
3. Do you understand what his problem is?
4. Do you get a sense of his character/is the character voice working?
5. Are there places I'm telling when I'd be better off showing?
Market/Genre: Science Fiction
On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
February 20, 2020
Writing Takes Work, Even When You're a Pro
By Joyce SweeneyPart of The Writer’s Life Series
JH: Writers are always learning, and sometimes, we need reminding of the basics like everyone else. Joyce Sweeney shares thoughts on facing the things you stink at, even when you know how to do it.
Joyce Sweeney is the author of fourteen novels for young adults and two chapbooks of poetry. Her books have won many awards and honors. Joyce has recently switched to writing adult fiction and is represented by Nicole Resciniti of the Seymour agency.
Joyce has also been a writing teacher and coach for 25 years and offers online classes. In 2019, she, Jamie Morris and Tia Levings released Plotting Your Novel with The Plot Clock (Giantess Press). At this writing, 62 of Joyce’s students have successfully obtained traditional publishing contracts.
Joyce lives in Coral Springs with her husband, Jay and caffeine-addicted cat, Nitro.
Take it away Joyce…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
