Janice Hardy's Blog, page 91
November 1, 2018
The Indie Publisher’s Toolbox – Part 3: Social Media
By Ray FlyntPart of the Indie Author Series
Thus far we’ve examined an author’s website, blogs, and an author’s newsletter.
The toolbox analogy is apt because, although you may think of yourself as a writer, you still need to build your audience. To be cliché, “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and neither will you reach your full sales potential overnight. It’s a process. At times, it may seem like two steps forward and one backward.
My first published book (before becoming an indie author) was a hardcover priced at $25.95. I joked that you couldn’t get relatives to pay that much for a book. Readers who willingly shell out nearly $30 for the latest Danielle Steele or James Patterson, might be less likely to take a chance on an unknown author.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
October 31, 2018
Shh! It's a Secret: How to Raise Tension and Conflict in a Scene
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Tension is a valuable tool for getting readers to turn the page--no matter what genre you write in. Here's an updated look at a great tip for creating tension.
Conflict and tension are two things writers want in every scene, but it can be rough getting them both in there without a fight. Characters can't always be at odds or butting heads, and "conflict as a fight" gets old pretty fast. Even a solid difference of opinion can only happen so many times before it starts to feel repetitious.
It's also tough to find new ways to build tension when the characters in the scene are friends working toward the same goal. How do you create conflict and not have friends turn on each other?
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
October 30, 2018
8 Ways to Create Character Flaws: Learn All Your Character’s F Words
By Bonnie Randall Part of the How They Do It Series (Contributing Author)
A double shot of Bonnie's wisdom this month--here's another peek at creating solid character flaws.
In my counseling practice, the following F Words are actually called Major Life Areas, but if I say MLAs I either sound jargon-y or like I’m using some sort of strange sports acronym. So let’s stick with F Words (which comes with the added bonus of appeasing the not-so-secret part of me that likes to swear).
When examining a person’s Major Life Areas, we determine their level of function, their level of dysfunction, what they value in life and why. A person’s “F Words” reveal their flaws and lay bare their strengths. In fiction, just like in real life, your character’s F Words will show you how he or she thrives in some areas while struggling in others. Some of his/her Major Life Areas will be over-developed compensators for others that are woefully impoverished and painful for him or her. Difficulty in Major Life Areas reflect both inner and outer conflict—which, in fiction, is gold.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
October 29, 2018
I Quit: When to Give Up on a Novel
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy When it is time to call it quits with your manuscript?
Unless you're one of the rare lucky ones to sell the first book you ever wrote, you'll have that moment when you wonder if it's time to shove your baby in the trunk. I've had those thoughts twice with just one manuscript, and I re-wrote and re-submitted my first novel. The first time I decided it wasn't time to give up and slaved away another year. The second time, I knew it was over.
How?
Well, 50 rejections made it pretty clear that the novel had problems, but what really convinced me was the nagging feeling I'd had that the book wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. Good wasn't going to cut it and get me published. It was hard to admit that I had a decently written novel with an overdone plot. But I knew. Oh, I knew.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
October 28, 2018
Writing Prompt: The Free Write: Nice...Costume?
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy
This week’s prompt is a free write, so take the seed below and run with it. It doesn’t have to turn into anything (unless you want it to, of course), just let the words flow and see where they go.
Write something using this situation as inspiration:
On Halloween night, you’re handing out candy at the door. But one of the trick or treaters’ costumes looks a little too real.
Write as much or as little as you’d like. Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
This week’s prompt is a free write, so take the seed below and run with it. It doesn’t have to turn into anything (unless you want it to, of course), just let the words flow and see where they go.
Write something using this situation as inspiration:
On Halloween night, you’re handing out candy at the door. But one of the trick or treaters’ costumes looks a little too real.
Write as much or as little as you’d like. Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
October 27, 2018
Real Life Diagnostics: Would You Ask for the Full Manuscript After Reading this Query?
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: Three
Please Note: As of today, RLD slots are booked through November 17.
This week’s question:
1. Would you ask for the full manuscript after reading this query?
Market/Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
October 26, 2018
Too Much of a Good Thing: Over Plotting Your Novel
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy This week's Refresher Friday takes another look at a common problem--over plotting your novel.
Often it’s hard to come up with a single plot, but there are writers out there who can spin a tale like they have an unlimited supply. Trouble is, too many plots can spoil a story, and knowing where the line is between complex and complicated can be hard to spot. How do you know when you have a layered story and when you have too much plot?
What’s Going On in the Story?
When I first started writing, I subscribed to “the more the merrier” philosophy. Lots of characters, lots of point of views, lots of plots and subplots. Naturally, I ended up with a mess. It was impossible to tell what the story was about or who my protagonist was. So much was going on you couldn’t tell what was going on.
Eventually, I made it through this all-too-common phase and figured out that less really can be more.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
October 25, 2018
Why You Should Help Kids Write
By Mary Claire Branton JH: We have something a little different today from a woman I met in June at the FL-SCBWI Conference here in Orlando. Mary Claire is a childrens' publisher--but not in the way you expect. Her company publishers books written by children, and encourages young artists of all types. I asked her to share her story, because I've met my own share of amazing young writers, and there's a lot authors can do to nurture the younger generation of writers.
Mary Claire Branton is a member of the Author’s Guild, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, the American Christian Fiction Writers, and serves as an editor and publisher of child authors and illustrators at Charlie’s Port. If you know of a child who is writing or has completed a book, you can send her a query at mc@charliesport.org.
Take it away Mary Claire...
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
October 24, 2018
Do You Get My Meaning? Providing Emotional Clarity in Your Writing
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Emotions don't always come through in our writing, especially during that first draft. Here's an updated look at making our scenes emotionally clear.
There's a lot of writing that happens in our heads and off the page--we brainstorm, we outline, we talk it through with friends, we think about it as we go about our day. All of these writing moments help us understand a scene and what we want to have happen in that scene, but it doesn't always make it to the page the way we want it to.
This happens quite often with the emotions our character feel.
We might have characters feel something or react to something in a scene, and why they do it is very clear in our minds. But those reasons aren't shown in the surrounding text, so for the reader, those actions aren't so clear. Here's an example from my third novel, Darkfall :
"I'm sure Jeatar can find someone to fill in for you." He glanced at Jeatar, who paused and looked at me as if unsure whether or not to agree to that.
I bristled. "There is no one to fill in for me. His people are spread thin enough as it is."The "I bristled" is what inspired this article, because I could see one of my beta readers marking that and asking, "Why is she upset?" There's nothing in the scene that shows why Nya finds this suggestion annoying. She has some issues with the person saying it, but not enough to warrant her reaction based solely on that. Nya's reasons for being upset by this aren't coming through. "I bristled" just isn't enough to carry the emotion behind her reaction if you don't already know why she's upset.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
October 23, 2018
Creating Story Tension: Rooms with an Unexpected View
By Bonnie Randall Part of the How They Do It Series (Contributing Author)
Bonnie is off this month, so here's a return to one of my favorites of hers--using unexpected places to create tension in a story.
Consider a house. Envision its rooms. Think about the living room (or perhaps you say ‘family room’) where everything social goes down: TV, gaming, chatter and kid squabbles (sometimes popcorn mashed between sofa seats). The bedroom, where rest and intimacy happen. The bathroom (restroom, if you’re American) where privacy is expected. The stoop, porch, or front step where visitors are met and strangers are kept at a safe distance from the inner sanctum. Then there’s the kitchen, the ‘heart of the home’. Here we prepare meals (with recipes that are often part of our heritage or history), we break bread, and we share dinner conversation with one another.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
