Janice Hardy's Blog, page 99

Wait For It: Hook Lines and the Dramatic Pause

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

All novels need those "Dum--Dum--DUM!" moments to keep readers hooked and turning the pages.  
There are a lot of ways to control the pacing on your stories, and one of my favorites is the dramatic pause. Not only does it draw attention to what’s usually a great line, it gives readers a moment to fully appreciate whatever it is you just said. They’re the lines that give readers goosebumps and think, “man, this is gonna be good.”

The dramatic pause is frequently found in hook lines--those one-line phrases that add punch to a scene. Their job is to hook you and keep you reading. What makes them work so well is that they’re often (though not always) set apart in their own paragraph, a moment of silence that catches the eye and makes you pay a little more attention to them. They carry meaning, hint at what’s to come, and often pinpoint some critical aspect of the story in some way.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Path to Success: Writer as Entrepreneur

By Ray Flynt

(Part of the Indie Author Series)

If you’re reading this Indie Author Series, you’ve probably already made the decision to become an “indie author.” Congratulations!

Or maybe you’re just beginning your journey in the world of publishing and trying to learn more. Good for you. Knowledge increases your chances for success.

I’ve signed on to contribute a monthly column on the business of writing, but I’d like to spark conversations, prompt questions, compel debate, and explore alternative ideas through your comments.

Chime in. Sound off. We’ll learn together.

Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

How Dramatic Irony Can Heighten Tensions and Strengthen Plots

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

Dramatic irony is a fun way to create tension in a story while building a strong plot.
Dramatic irony is a wonderful tool to create mystery and tension in a novel. Not only does it allow you to convey vital information, it lets readers in "on the secret' and makes them feel like they're part of the story. 

For those unfamiliar with the term, dramatic irony is when the reader knows information but the characters don’t, and some of the story's tension comes from wondering what will happen when those characters finally meet or realize the truth.

(Here's more on dramatic irony)

There’s a lot of fun for readers to imagine how things would be different if only the characters knew what they knew (this works especially well in the romance department). It's also fun to play one character off another, which can add a nice layer of mystery since the reader might not be sure which character is telling (or knows) the truth and which one is wrong.

Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

One Simple Trick to Write Everything Better

By Laurence MacNaughton, @LMacNaughton  

Part of the How They Do It Series (Contributing Author)

What if there was one single trick that could help you write better, faster, and easier than ever before? What if that trick could help you organize your thoughts, get started sooner, and finish every writing project, from a blog post to a novel?

There is such a trick. And as a full-time writer, I use it every day.

The trick is deceptively simple. It's a single word: CODE.

That's an acronym for Collect, Organize, Draft, and Edit. Those are the four separate steps in the writing process.

As writers, we tend to try to do several of those steps at the same time, and that's when we often run into problems. Our thoughts get jumbled. We backtrack. Make false starts. Get frustrated.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Is That You? Developing Voices for Different Point of View Characters

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

Unique, stand out characters have unique, stand out voices, so it's important to consider how every character in your book sounds. 

Voice is important in a novel, and there’s more than just your author’s voice. Characters have voices too, and making those voices distinct in multiple point of view stories helps readers keep track of who’s who.

It’s also a good way to develop those characters into solid personalities, as knowing what they sound like can help you determine who they are (and vice versa). 

The Sound of…Someone 
Crafting character voices for a multiple POV story isn’t that different from creating the voice for a single POV tale. Everyone has their own speech patterns, favorite turns of phrase, physical reactions or gestures while speaking. But what really shows off a character's voice is their internalization.

Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Writing Prompt: The Free Write: Where Did Everybody Go?

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.

Take this situation and see where it goes:

The protagonist wakes up and everyone is gone—except for a strange girl who wasn’t there before.
The details are up to you. Write as much or as little as you’d like. Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Real Life Diagnostics: Does This Opening (and Narrator) Work?

Critique By Maria D'Marco

Real 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 August 25.

This week’s questions:

1. Does this opening work?

2. Is the narrator, the voice appealing?

Market/Genre: Commercial fiction

On to the diagnosis…
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

Stephen King’s Ten Tips for Horrific Writing

By Natalie Odisho

Let’s Get Lit: Spotlight on Allegory

JH: I'm introducing a new treat today--a recurring column that will tackle a literary device each month, and show how bestselling authors are using that device in their work. Please help me welcome Natalie Odisho to the Fiction University team! 

Natalie Odisho is an Assyrian-American artist who lives in Dubai. After graduating with a BS from Florida State University, she followed the music to Las Vegas where she worked in editorial and public relations. Now her focus is on acupuncture and telling you to eat only before 7pm.

Website| Instagram

Take it away Natalie...
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

3 Updates Your Author Website Needs Now

By Laurie Dennison, @lauriedennison

Part of The Writer's Life Series

A current, dynamic author website is a crucial tool for connecting with readers. An effective online presence does more than just promote your books and events—it builds your audience by showing your personality, experience, and engagement. If you’re an indie author selling books directly through your website, professionalism is imperative.

(Jami Gold talks about using your author website as your distribution method here)

Whether sellingbooks or services directly or using buy buttons linked to retailers, we all want our websites to represent us well.With the frequent changes in online tech, updating your author website regularly means more than just generating new content. Two major changes in 2018 impact all websites, with direct implications for authors: the release of Google Chrome 68 and GDPR. With three simple updates, your website will present your brand and books professionally whileprotecting your online assets.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com

The Long Draft: Do You Have One Manuscript, or Two?

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

I recently finished a first draft of a young adult fantasy novel. This book has a bit of history for me, so it was a relief and gave me a sense of accomplishment to get it done.

However…

It’s almost twice as long as my first drafts typically are—118,000 words instead of 60,000 words. While YA can certainly run higher than 60K words, I have a lot of trimming in my future. Probably in the 30-40K word range.

But as I was discussing the book with a writer pal, she joked about how my draft was two of her books. Which naturally led us to wonder…did I have two books?

It’s not an easy question. Just because I have the words for it, doesn’t mean I have the story for it. Stories need the right structure and flow to work well, so simply chopping the manuscript in two isn’t the solution. It could very likely create a book that just stops, but doesn’t end, and another that feels as if you picked it up mid-story.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com