Janice Hardy's Blog, page 78
April 4, 2019
To Join or Not to Join a Professional Writers Organization: That is the Question.
By Anne Armistead, @ArmisteadAnnePart of The Writer’s Life Series
JH: Deciding to join a professional writers’ organization isn’t always an easy choice. Anne Armistead takes to the podium today to share thoughts on making that decision.
Anne Armistead earned her English degree from the University of Georgia and her MFA in Creative Writing from Spalding University. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) and the Georgia Writers of Romance (GRW), along with the National and Georgia Sisters in Crime (SinC) organization and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She writes historical fiction children’s stories for Highlights Magazine under Sandra Havriluk. Dangerous Conjurings is her debut historical romance. Under the title Treacherous Hearts, it was the winner of the 2014 YA Fab 5 Wisconsin Romance Contest. Sandra has placed as a finalist the GRW’s Maggies contest, as well as in the RWA Daphne Contest and the YARWA Rosemary contest. Sandra has presented on panels at the 2018 Milton Literary Festival and will present at the October 2019 GRW conference Moonlight and Magnolia on the topic “Turning a Nugget of History into a Novel.” Her latest historical romance With Kisses from Cécile will be released early summer 2019.
Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Take it away Anne…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
April 3, 2019
An Age-Old Question: How Do You Show a Character's Age?
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Some details are difficult to slip seamlessly into the narrative of a story, such as their age. Here's a look back at 2014 that offers tips on how to show a character's age without it feeling awkward.
In some novels, age doesn't matter. The characters are adults and if they're thirty or fifty the book unfolds pretty much the same way. Readers can assume the characters are about the same age as they are (if they're adults of course) and it still tracks.
Other novels read differently depending on the age of the character. Imagine a young adult (or worse--a middle grade) novel if you suddenly said the the protagonist was thirty. Nothing would feel normal and readers would likely assume that author couldn't write.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
April 2, 2019
Five Ways to Create a Memorable (and Distinguishable) Cast of Characters
By Sarah McGuire, @fireplusalgebraPart of The How They Do It Series
JH: Creating unique characters readers can easily tell apart is a handy skill for any writer. Please help me welcome Sarah McGuire to the lecture hall today, with her great tips on creating memorable characters.
Sarah McGuire is a nomadic math teacher who sailed around the world aboard a floating college campus. She writes fairy tales and would be just fine if one day she opened a wardrobe and stumbled into another world. Coffee and chocolate are her rocket fuel. She wishes Florida had mountains, but she lives there anyways with her husband (who wrote this bio in less than three minutes!) and their family.
Website | Goodreads | Twitter |
Take it away Sarah…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
April 1, 2019
That Sounds Familiar: Eliminating Often-Used Words in Our Writing
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyIt takes a lot of work to write well, and sometimes we go for what's easiest instead of what's original. Here's a heavily revised look at word packages.
During the drafting stage of a manuscript, some phrases and combinations of words tend to roll off our fingers and into our stories. Theses phrases aren’t clichés, per se, but they’ve been used so often by enough writers that they carry the same feeling as a cliché when readers read them.
They also tend to sound “right” to us, and that's the problem. We automatically use them without thinking about it, and that robs us of the chance to write something unique to our voice and style.
For example, I don’t know where the term “sodium lights” came from, I just know that I’d never heard of them, and then "The orange glow from the sodium lights” was in about half the novel I read for a while (published and critiqued). Even to this day, that phrase jumps out at me when I see it.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 31, 2019
Real Life Diagnostics: Revising for a Closer Point of View
Critique By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyReal Life 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 Real Life Diagnostics, please check out these guidelines.
Submissions currently in the queue: Zero
Please Note: As of today, RLD slots are open.
This week’s questions:
Am I closer to what is expected in close third person, or am I still off? Do you have a better sense of the scene/place he is? Can you see what is happening or do I need more description? Is there a character voice coming through now? Did I do better with hinting at magic sooner? Is there enough information about what he is trying to do?
Market/Genre: Fantasy
Note: This is a recent (and well done) revise and resubmit. Here’s the original if you’d like to see how the author revised.
On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 29, 2019
7 Tips for Collaborating on a Novel
By Dan Brotzel, Martin Jenkins, & Alex Woolf @CrawleyGroupPart of The Writer’s Life Series
JH: Collaborating with another writer can be a great way to bring an idea to life, but it also comes with its share of challenges. Please help me welcome Dan Brotzel to the lecture hall today, to share some tips on how to work with another writer.
Dan Brotzel’s first collection of short stories, Hotel du Jack, is due out in early 2020. He won the Riptide short story competition 2018, and was Asda Christmas Cracker gag champion, 2004. Martin Jenkins is a freelance writer, researcher and editor. His publications include an experimental novel A New Science of Navigation. Alex Woolf has written over 100 books for young people and old, both fiction and non-fiction, published by the likes of OUP, Ladybird, Heinemann and Watts.
Take it away guys…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 28, 2019
Rejection. What Gives? As if Writing a Book Wasn’t Hard Enough, Right?
By Andrew Wood, @andrewtheauthorPart of The Writer’s Life Series
JH: Writers face rejection every day, and some days are harder to face than others. Please help me welcome Andrew Wood to the lecture hall today to share his thoughts on rejection and how a writer can turn them to their advantage.
Andrew Wood’s first novel, Storm of Fury, was recently published through Inkshares. He’s been pursuing his dream job as a writer for five years, and devotes his time to writing novels and honing his craft. He loves stories, whether they be books, movies, video games or comics, and he’s always on the hunt for more. Andrew grew up on books like Redwall, the Wheel of Time and Harry Potter, and from stories like these his love of writing grew. Now he works full-time to tell the stories he has in his heart, and finally force them on to paper where they belong.
You can find him on Patreon under his name, where he releases monthly horror, fantasy and sci-fi short stories.
Twitter | Patreon
Take it away Andrew…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 27, 2019
Using Story Archetypes to Find Your Plot
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyStory archetypes are useful tools to develop a novel or story.
Although we hear about characters archetypes a lot in writing, I’ve found story archetypes much more useful when developing a story. They’re solid jumping off points to help shape an idea and figure out the best direction to take it.
Story archetypes are the common events or situations often seen in fiction. Coming of age, rags to riches, the quest, getting retribution, earning redemption, battle of the underdog. They’re classic story types readers have come to recognize and even seek out.
Some story archetypes offer clear tropes and plots to follow, while others are more thematic, fitting whichever style or process a writer has. Those looking for more direction might welcome a trope-laden archetype, while those looking for general inspiration might prefer the theme-laden side. For example:
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 26, 2019
When Fiction Doesn’t Work—What Can Be Learned?
By Bonnie Randall Part of the How They Do It Series
JH: You can learn just as much from a bad book as a good book.
Stephen King said “Unless you read, you do not have the tools to write.”
Books that whisk us deeply into a story, have characters who become dear friends, or use language in such a way that leaves us breathless, are powerful tools for writers, because those elements are replicable and take our fiction to higher, deeper, and more meaningful levels.
What, though, about fiction that doesn’t move you in any sort of positive way? Can writing lessons be gleaned from these pieces also?
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
March 25, 2019
How to Get an Extra Novel Written in a Year
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Getting more books written is the goal of many writers, but finding the time to write more can be challenging.
Like many writers, I have a list of book ideas I want to write. Some are nothing more than basic premises, while others have decent outlines and are just about ready to go. The problem with this well of ideas, is that I don’t have time to write them all—even when I love the idea and want to write it.
Over the last several years I’ve spoken of a middle grade fantasy I've wanted to work on. I’ve had other obligations and other books in the works, and this project kept getting pushed back. But a few months ago, I got an opportunity to “sneak” this project into my writing schedule.
I joined a critique group.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
