Janice Hardy's Blog, page 86
January 10, 2019
Three Things to Consider When Designing Your Novel's Cover
By Ray FlyntPart of the Indie Author Series
Have you made your New Year’s Resolution yet? I gave up on the usual “lose weight” resolution about 35 pounds ago. I hope you’re planning on sharpening skills on the business side of being an indie author. Columns in Fiction University’s Indie Author Series are designed to share best practices and stimulate your thinking on HOW you can do just that.
As you read, please consider topics for Indie Author’s that you’d like to see covered in the coming year. Share them in the comments section below.
Last month, we discussed book covers. This month, let's look at three things to consider when designing your novel's cover.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 9, 2019
An Easy Tip for Tightening Your Novel’s Plot
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy A loose plot can easily unravel, but tying up the threads strengthens the entire novel.
One of my favorite things about writing a novel is when I make a connection I hadn’t realized before, that fits so well it makes it seem as though I’d planned it all along. It’s my subconscious working in the background no doubt, but it dawned on me that I didn’t have to wait for my inner writer to clue me in—I could consciously look for those connections.
Once I started looking, I found multiple “hidden connections” per book that deepened the plot and made it more unpredictable. The obvious characters became red herrings for the more subtle ones lurking in the background doing “plot things” and making the story work.
Plus, it’s a ton of fun.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 8, 2019
5 Inspiring Books for Writers
By Laurence MacNaughton, @LMacNaughton Part of the How They Do It Series (Contributing Author)
JH: If you're looking for a little inspiration to get your year started, here are some great books to grab.
Did you resolve to finish your novel this year? I salute you. The bad news is that 80% of those who set New Year’s resolutions give up by the second week of February, according to U.S. News. If you need a little help staying inspired this year, here are the best books to keep you going.
I'm always on the lookout for new books to add to my shelf. What titles have you found to be especially useful, interesting, or inspiring? Leave me a comment below, or contact me on my author website at www.LaurenceMacNaughton.com.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 7, 2019
Is Story Structure Strangling Your Writing?
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Recently, two things happened that made me think about structure and storytelling. Jami Gold talked about writing rules and the pros and cons of following them, and a fellow writer expressed frustration over structure killing their story. I’ve spoken to enough writers in my career to know that for every rule, structure, or process out there, there are people for whom it just doesn’t work—or worse, has negative effects on their writing.
I think a lot of the frustration stems from the idea that writing has a formula, and if we just do it “right” we’ll be successful. It’s not story structure that’s the problem, it’s the template idea. Follow X rules and you get Y. Fill in the blanks and you can write a great book. Every story contains the same basic parts.
The kicker…is that this is all true, and it’s all false.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 6, 2019
January 5, 2019
Real Life Diagnostics: Does This Query Blurb Make You Want to Ask for Pages?
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: One
Please Note: As of today, RLD slots are booked through January 12.
This week’s question:
Does this query blurb draw attention and make you want to ask for pages?
Market/Genre: Romantic Thriller
On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 4, 2019
What to Do When Your Novel's Too Short
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyThis week's Refresher Friday takes an updated look at ways to flesh out a novel that's too short. Enjoy!
Before we dive in, just a heads up that I'm over at Writers in the Storm today, asking the question--What Do You Really Know About Your Critique Partners? Come on over and say hello.
Although most word count problems are too many words, the too-short novel does happen. I've talked before about things to do to bulk up a short novel, but today, let's look at a novel that's not just light on one writing aspect (such as not enough description or dialogue), but is actually, truly too short for the market or genre it’s intended for.
This novel has all the right pieces--a solid plot, good writing, good subplots, a complete and solid story--but it's not where it needs to be word count-wise. Just adding more “stuff” to it isn't going to solve the problem, because the book is working great right where it's at.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 3, 2019
5 Tips for Success from an Indie Author
By Shaz KahngPart of the Indie Authors Series
JH: Writers have multiple options for publishing, and going indie is a viable path many authors choose. Please help me welcome Shaz Kahng to the lecture hall today, to share her tips on successfully self publishing.
Shaz Kahng writes from her own experience, having led teams in a few male-dominated industries. She is a retail/apparel chief executive who has previously worked as a research scientist, a global consulting partner, a builder of e-businesses, and a brand strategist. Shaz was one of a handful of female senior executives at Nike. She was also the chief executive of Lucy Activewear and worked with her team to make the company profitable for the first time in history. She graduated from Cornell University and has an MBA from the Wharton School. Shaz lives in San Francisco with her husband and twin daughters.
Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter |
Take it away Shaz...
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 2, 2019
Are You Looking for a Critique Group or Partner?
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy It's Crit Time Again! The 2019 Winter Group is now open!
Back in 2013 I started a Yahoo Group called "Janice Hardy's Critique Connection" to help writers connect with like-minded folks looking for critique groups or partners. It was designed to help people find long-term, quality writing partners, not just places you can toss up your work and get quick feedback.
It went from a one-time event to annually, and now to every six months (I open it up every January and July). If you're looking to join or create a critique group, add more to your existing group, or find a critique partner, odds are you'll find someone here.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
January 1, 2019
Writers: Start the Year with a Clean Slate
By Sherry Howard, @SherLHowardPart of the How They Do It Series
JH: I've always found starting over easier than catching up, and I'm sure I'm not alone. Sherry Howard is our first guest lecturer of the year, and she's here to share some tips on the benefits of tabula rasa.
Sherry Howard lives with her children and crazy dogs in Middletown, Kentucky, a stone's throw from the beautiful horse farms her state is always bragging about. She was an award-winning educator, serving as teacher, consultant, and principal in one of the largest urban-suburban school districts in the US. Sherry loves to read, write, cook, and sit in the sand watching the waves when she can. Her poems and stories have appeared in multiple journals and anthologies. Her picture book, Rock and Roll Woods , released in 2018 to a starred Kirkus review.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Take it away Sherry...
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
