Janice Hardy's Blog, page 58
December 5, 2019
The Dating, er, Agent-Search Game
By Lisa Lowe Stauffer, @LisaLStaufferPart of The Writer's Life Series
JH: Finding an agent is almost as challenging (if not more so) than finding a publisher for your manuscript. Lisa Lowe Stauffer visits the lecture hall today with tips on how to make the most of your agent search.
Lisa Lowe Stauffer, author of Two By Two (Zonderkidz, 2018) eagerly anticipates the release of the next book in the Outlander series. In the meantime, she stays busy writing books for children and teens, volunteering with SCBWI as the Assistant Regional Adviser to Southern Breeze region, and traveling with her own red-headed husband.
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Take it away Lisa…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
December 4, 2019
Expect the Unexpected: Creating Plot Twists
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyI'm up against a deadline this month to get a manuscript finished, so I'm dipping into the archives again and updating a reader favorite. Enjoy!
A great plot twist is a wonderful thing, be it in the books we write or the ones we read. We revel is that unexpected event or revelation that changes everything we thought we knew and takes the story to a whole new level. We delight in those surprises that make us think, "wow, that was awesome. I never saw that coming."
Trouble is, knowing you want a plot twist is a lot easier than coming up with a good one. There's no formula for devising a great twist, because every plot is different and any number of things can work in a novel.
My trick for twisting my plot is pretty simple:
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
December 3, 2019
Outlines Are for Revision (Say What?) A Different Approach for Your Process
By Spencer Ellsworth, @spencimusPart of The How They Do It Series
JH: Unless you've been lucky enough to find your perfect writing process, odds are anything that might help you be more productive piques your interest. Spencer Ellsworth visits the lecture hall today with a different way to write that uses both plotter and pantser brains.
Spencer Ellsworth has been writing since he learned how. He is the author of The Great Faerie Strike , a tale of the Otherworld’s first labor union, from Broken Eye Books. He is also the author of the space opera Starfire Trilogy from Tor, and many other short works. He lives in Bellingham, WA, with his wife and three children, works at a small tribal college, and would really like a war mammoth, please.
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Take it away Spencer…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
December 1, 2019
14 Days of Writing Prizes, Starting...NOW!
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyIt’s the season of giving, so I've partnered up with Writers Helping Writers and One Stop for Writers to bring you a PRIZE-PACKED Advent Calendar for Writers. And when I say prize packed, I’m talking over $2600 in prizes to be won!
Each day between December 1st and December 14th, a new Advent Calendar Window is available to be opened by you, and behind it? A giveaway for a prize that will greatly help you and your writing career.
Today is my giveaway day, with a chance at a free 12-week online course from my brand-new and coming soon online workshops (more details on this after the new year).
But I just get the honor of launching this giveaway season--there are fourteen more amazing prizes you'll want to go check out.Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
November 28, 2019
Writers: Is Work-for-Hire for You?
By Sherry Howard, @SherLHoward
Part of The Writer's Life Series
JH: Work-for-hire isn't for everyone, but for some writers, it's a great way to get your work in front of readers and make some money. Sherry Howard is back again this month with tips and advice on being a work-for-hire author.
Sherry Howard lives in Middletown, Kentucky, in a household busy with kids and pets. She worked as an educator, and now has the luxury of writing full time. Her debut picture book, Rock and Roll Woods , released in October, 2018. And her middle grade NF, Deep Sea Divers , just released. She has more books in the pipeline for publication soon.
Sherry loves to meet other readers and writers, so be in touch on social media here:
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Take it away Sherry…Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
November 27, 2019
The Help You Need to Craft Stories Readers Love
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyThe #1 thing you can do to improve your writing today
Is your book lacking that…oomph? Maybe your characters aren’t as engaging as they could be. Maybe your dialogue is feeling a bit stiff. Or maybe there’s something wrong with your plot that you can’t quite put your finger on, but you know it’s there.
Just in time for the holiday season, the guys over at InfoStack have created another writing bundle, and this time it's all about craft. Oh, it makes a fantastic holiday gift for your fellow writing pals, too.
The Writer’s Craft Super Stack is a complete digital collection of tools, training, and resources to help you create captivating worlds, memorable characters, page-turning dialogue, and more.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
November 26, 2019
The Biggest Blocks: Creating Names and Titles in Your Novel
By Bonnie Randall
Part of the How They Do It Series
JH: Character names and novel titles. Some writers can pull great ones out of the air, but for the rest of us...it's a struggle every time. Bonnie Randall shares thoughts on finding the right names for your novel.
Every writer has at least one hurdle that confronts their creativity. I happen to have two:
1. What’s in A Name?
A lot, actually. Names are as crucial to characters as setting is to plot. Sometimes, when I am very lucky, a character will waltz onto the stage of my imagination with his or her first and last name as clear as their plot, darkest hour, and denouement. Most times, though, I have nameless heroes and equally blank villains, and I will struggle through the process of creating a birth certificate that somehow echoes the plot, will be pleasing to the ear of the reader, does not step outside the boundaries of the era his or her story takes place in, and is also unique or meaningful enough that the name will be that character forevermore for the reader who connects with that story.
Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
Part of the How They Do It Series
JH: Character names and novel titles. Some writers can pull great ones out of the air, but for the rest of us...it's a struggle every time. Bonnie Randall shares thoughts on finding the right names for your novel.
Every writer has at least one hurdle that confronts their creativity. I happen to have two:
1. What’s in A Name?
A lot, actually. Names are as crucial to characters as setting is to plot. Sometimes, when I am very lucky, a character will waltz onto the stage of my imagination with his or her first and last name as clear as their plot, darkest hour, and denouement. Most times, though, I have nameless heroes and equally blank villains, and I will struggle through the process of creating a birth certificate that somehow echoes the plot, will be pleasing to the ear of the reader, does not step outside the boundaries of the era his or her story takes place in, and is also unique or meaningful enough that the name will be that character forevermore for the reader who connects with that story.
Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
November 25, 2019
Plotting With the Hero's Journey
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyThe Hero's Journey is a plot structure that's been around as long as storytelling. And with Thanksgiving this week, it's a good time to dip into the archives for a little refresher.
In this mini-series, I've discussed the Three-Act Structure, Blake Snyder's Save the Cat structure, Michael Hague's Six Stage Plotting Structure), and Joyce Sweeney's Plot Clock structure. These are among the most-popular and often-used structures in creating stories, from short fiction to novels to screenplays. This time, let's dig into the hero's Journey.
The Hero's Journey is an archetypal narrative structure created by Joseph Campbell to describe the basic myth format used in storytelling for centuries—the hero on an adventure. It covers classic turning points and elements of the journey that are the basis for most modern storytelling formats.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
November 22, 2019
Teens, Dark Chocolate, and Surviving Writer Limbo
By Veronica Mixon, @WriteVMixonPart of The Writer’s Life Series
JH: Publishing is full of waiting, and waiting for an agent or publishing to get back to you is stressful for any writer. Veronica Mixon visits the lecture hall today to share tips on surviving this writer's limbo.
Veronica began storytelling at a young age, somewhere around three, when a host of imaginary friends lived in her bedroom closet and encouraged her penchant for spinning tales. A career in marketing, twenty years of world travel, and a large and boisterous southern family supply her with ample material for the mysteries she loves to write. She lives on the Georgia coast with her husband and her nine-year-old Standard Poodle, Jasper.
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Take it away Veronica…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
November 21, 2019
Prepare for Public Speaking Like a Pro
By Chrys Fey, @ChrysFeyPart of The Writer’s Life Series
JH: Speaking in public is a nightmare for many people, but it's something authors need to be able to do. Today, Chrys Fey takes the podium today with tips on how to speak in pubic.
Chrys Fey is the author of the award-winning book Write with Fey: 10 Sparks to Guide You from Idea to Publication . Catch the sparks you need to write, edit, publish, and market your book! From writing your novel to prepping for publication and beyond, you’ll find sparks on every page, including 100 bonus marketing tips. Fey is an editor for Dancing Lemur Press and runs the Insecure Writer’s Support Group’s Goodreads book club. She is also the author of the Disaster Crimes series. Visit her blog, Write with Fey, for more tips.
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Take it away Chrys…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
