Erica Vetsch's Blog, page 66

Keep Your Promise

 by Jan Drexler 

We’ve all heard the advice to start your story with a good hook.

What’s a hook? A hook is your opening sentence or paragraph that catches the readers’ attention and makes them want to read to the end of the book.

We have many resources to help us craft a good hook, but today I want to discuss what happens when a hook goes wrong.

My husband and I enjoy watching movies in the evening. Lately we’ve been bingeing on old westerns from the 1950’s, and we’ve discovered some gems. Of course, there have been some duds, too.

For me, one of those duds was a Robert Mitchum film, The Man with the Gun.

Clicking on the picture will take you to the film. Before we go on, please watch the first 40 seconds. That’s right – ONLY the first 40 seconds. 

(If the link doesn't work, go to Youtube to watch it)

First of all, let’s get past the obvious: NEVER kill the dog in your story!

Okay, now on to the problem.

This is the hook. The bad guy, Ed Pinchot, rides into town and the first thing we see him do is to shoot a dog. Where can this character go from here?

I spent the rest of the movie wondering what Pinchot would do next. Would he rampage through town with his gang shooting up the place? Would he have a showdown with the good guy? Would he try to steal the good guy’s girl?

After all, the opening scene showed his cruelty. A bad guy’s story arc is a negative one, so his first scene should show his negative traits, and we can expect that things will only get worse from here.

But in this story, it doesn’t.

Yes, Pinchot shows up again, but he is consistently the weaker character in every scene he’s in. He doesn’t confront the good guy, we never see him rallying his troops, we never see him take any action at all.

I kept thinking – “But he’ll show up at the end. There will be a big shoot-out like the OK Corral. He’ll almost win, but in the end, Robert Mitchum's character will come out on top.”

I kept expecting it.

And it didn’t happen.

What did happen? Go back to the movie and fast forward to the 1:20 point and you’ll see.

Pinchot rides into town with his boss. The entire movie has been leading to this point. THIS is the big moment. Good vs. Evil. Bad guys vs. good guys.

In fact, we haven’t even seen Pinchot's boss, Dade Holman, until this point. He’s been a faceless threat through the whole story.

But when you watch the clip, you can see that this scene only lasts 90 seconds.

The film attempts to increase the tension throughout the movie, raising the stakes with the shadowy threat of Dade Holman always lurking in the shadows.

But when the final battle comes, it falls flat. No discussion between the characters, no flash of tension. Not even any real conflict.

Yes, I’m pretty sure I muttered bad things at the television through the whole movie. I really didn’t like it.

Why?

Because the storytellers (the writers and director) didn’t live up to the promise they had made to the viewers at the beginning of the movie.

That opening scene said, “This guy here? Watch him. He’s the bad guy, and he’s scary bad.”

The rest of the movie pretty much ignored him.



How does this relate to our writing? 


First of all, don’t promise something that you can't deliver.

That’s what happened in The Man with the Gun. The writers made a promise, but the rest of the story made it impossible to deliver on that promise. It would have been better if the bad guy didn’t shoot the dog, but only threatened to. Then his other appearances in the movie could build on that threat instead of falling short of the promise. 


Second, make your promise fit your character.

The bad guy, Ed Pinchot, was threatening, but he was like a dog barking at the end of a chain. Dade Holman controlled him, and he only went as far as his boss allowed him to.

In that opening scene, he acted on his own…but it was the only time in the movie that he did. 


Third, follow through on your promise.

In The Man with the Gun, the story fell flat because that beginning promise was never resolved.

What could have been done differently? Like I said earlier, the writers could have changed the promise to make it a threat rather than an action. Or they could have made his character’s actions escalate in violence until he finally killed someone. 



Anton Chekov once wrote, “If there is a gun hanging on the wall in the first act, it must fire in the last.”

That means that every element in a story must be necessary, and elements should not make “false promises” by never coming into play.

If you make a promise, follow through. -If Ebenezer Scrooge refuses to let Bob Cratchit put one more piece of coal on the fire in the first scene, he had better send Bob out to buy more coal at the end of the story. -If Will Turner shows himself to be a talented swordsman early on in the film, we had better see him using that blade in stunning ways by the end of the story. -If we see George Bailey risking his life to save his brother when they were children, you know we will witness his heroic actions to save his family, his business, and his town.



Another great example of  writers following through with their promise is the classic children’s book, The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack and Kurt Weise. In the first few pages we see Ping witnessing what happens to the last duck that marches across the wooden bridge to the boat in the evening. After a series of events, what happens at the end? Ping is the last duck. “SPANK came the spank on Ping’s back!”

When I read this story to preschoolers, it never fails to happen. Every child’s eyes widen when they realize that Ping is going to be the last duck to go over the little bridge. They understand the necessary ending because the author set up the situation – promised the ending – in such a clear way. 


Have you thought about the promise you’re making to your reader in your opening scene? Do you follow through with it?

And readers – think about some of the best books you’ve read. Go back and read the opening hook. Did the author follow through with their promises?



Jan Drexler has always been a "book girl" who still loves to spend time within the pages of her favorite books. She lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her dear husband of many years and their active, crazy dogs, Jack and Sam. You can learn more about Jan and her books on her website, www.JanDrexler.com.

 

 

 

 

Sunday Scripture & Prayer Requests

FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT

Light of the World, William Hollman Hunt,
1851-1856, Manchester Art Gallery. [PD-US]

Jesus said to Nicodemus:
“Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, 
so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, 
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish 
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, 
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, 
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, 
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world, 
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light, 
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, 
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

John 3: 14-21

The Seekerville bloggers are praying for YOU and for our entire blog community. If you have any special intentions that need additional prayer coverage, leave a request for prayer in the comment section below. 

Please join us in praying for the United States--and the world--during this Coronavirus pandemic. Pray for the sick and suffering, for businesses and schools to remain open, for people to be able to work and for our economy to prosper.
We are so grateful for all of you—for your friendship and your support! 

May the Lord bless you and your families and keep you safe.     

Weekend Edition

  






If you are not familiar with our giveaway rules, take a minute to read them here. It keeps us all happy! All winners should send their name, address, and phone number to claim prizes.  Please send to Seekerville2@gmail.com. If the winner does not contact us within two weeks, another winner may be selected.


Monday: Amy Lynn Green explained by you should Know Your Bribery Tiers for Marketing Strategy
Wednesday: Ruth Logan Herne encouraged us to Make That Lemonade!
Friday: Melanie Dobson talked about the importance of Cycling Through Time and joined us for a little Q&A.  Barbara Scott is the winner of a copy of Melanie's latest novel, The Curator's Daughter.


Monday:  Jan Drexler is our hostess. She'll be talking about the promises we make to our readers and how to keep them!
Tuesday: Guest Blogger Kimberly Duffy is with us, tackling that age-old question of how to 'Write What You Know' without boring your audience to death!
Wednesday: Debby Giusti will be chatting about her March release from Love Inspired Suspense--HIDDEN AMISH SECRETS. She'll also include "A Bit of This & That Beginning Writers Need to Know!" Be sure to stop by and join in the discussion.  Friday: Winnie Griggs is our hostess






Did you know?...There is a Facebook group especially for those who enjoy Inspirational Regency Romance? It's true! And it's hosted by Seeker Erica Vetsch (among others!) There are lots of fun posts, book reviews, polls, games, and more. Even if you're just interested in Regency fiction...or you want to hang out with folks who love books as much as you, pop on by! At the moment, we're doing our version of a March Madness bracket, rating the cover art of Georgette Heyer's books! We'd love for you to join in!

Inspirational Regency Readers Facebook Group




HIDDEN AMISH SECRETS Her temporary Amish homecoming could get her killed. Julianne Graber left her Amish life behind after a family tragedy, but now she’s back to sell the family home— and someone’s dead set on getting rid of her. With her neighbor William Lavy by her side, Julianne must uncover dangerous secrets to make sense of the past and present. Can she find justice for her family—and a future with Will—before the killer hits his target?March 9, 2021Order HERE!








Story Structure: How the Act Two Disaster Works in a Novel by Janice Hardy at Fiction University
What Can an Agent Do for Me? by Rachelle Gardner
How Book Brush Enables Introverted Authors to Create Marketing Materials by RL Blaisdell at Book Brush Blog
Confessions of a Writer Who Started Young by Angela Ruth Strong at Learn How To Write A Novel
Writing Process vs Product: Do You Focus on The Doing or the Having by David Duhr at Writers Helping Writers
3 Reasons Writers Should Be Readers by Cara Putnam at Learn How To Write A Novel

Proofreading: Tips and Tricks by Steve Laube
5 Ways to Title Your Newly Finished Novel by Lewis Jorstad at The Novel Smithy
Archetypal Character Arcs, Pt. 5 The King Arc by KM Weiland at Helping Writers Become Authors
When Should We Treat Our Setting as a Character by Jami Gold

Cycling through Time: Why It’s Important to Study the Past and Q&A with the author

By Melanie Dobson
An imposing statue stands outside the National Archives in Washington, DC. On the limestone throne of this monument is a sculpted man with a scroll in one hand and a massive book in the other. Etched below his studious pose is this inscription:

Study the Past

But why is it important for us to study the past?

Writers and historians dig through ancient scrolls and books for countless reasons, but as I searched for the answer to this question, I discovered three reasons why we should all be students of history. Why we should all read the stories of those who’ve gone before us.

Identifying Trends
Racism, the suppression of free speech, rioting, a pandemic—four of the primary issues our country is facing right now are the same threats that the historical and contemporary characters confront in my new time-slip novel The Curator’s Daughter. While I wrote this work of fiction in 2019, I had no crystal ball to see into the future. The stage, sadly, was already set for a crisis.

Identifying trends is one of the main reasons why we should all study history. The Curator’s Daughter is mainly a story about the Holocaust, but it circles back almost seven hundred years to the Black Death, which ignited a violent anti-Semitic blaze across Europe. The Jews, their enemies said, caused the plague by poisoning wells. As a result, more than two hundred Jewish communities were destroyed.

Hundreds of years after Jews were murdered because of the plague, another blaze of hateful rhetoric and lies hit Europe. Adolf Hitler convinced millions of Germans that the Jewish people instigated their humiliating loss of the Great War. His hateful words soon turned into action, and a different kind of plague killed more than six million Jews and countless others from around the world.

At times, this hatred feels like a never-ending cycle as the spokes of another year, decade, century circle around. And free speech, one of our nation’s most valuable commodities, is being threatened as well.

Instead of studying the past today, identifying trends through the years, our society often edits history. In the name of respect, we try to erase the most shameful events. Cover up the embarrassing pieces of our history when we should be shining light on the most horrific of times, sifting through these events to find out what went wrong.

Chronological snobbery is what C. S. Lewis called a civilization that believes it is above repeating the catastrophic events of the past. But instead of believing ourselves to be better than those who came before us, we should humbly admit that we are susceptible to a repeat. As a society, we must identify what went wrong in the past to stop the cycle today. A hard brake before we crash again.

Defeat Evil 
We must study the past so we don’t repeat the genocide from hatred, the animosity that destroys people and communities alike. Then we utilize this information so these same evils don’t cycle again on our watch.

Each individual has a different role in stopping the destruction, a different weapon to wield in fighting evil. When we see the attack coming from afar, how do we gird up for a battle? What weapon do we have to fight?

For our first responders and military, it might be a literal weapon, but for most of us, we fight with our words. Some of us battle by stepping into the political arena or writing down our stories or teaching our children lessons from the past so they can fight evil alongside us. Others stop the onslaught of evil with love and forgiveness as they care for those who have been wounded in the midst.

Tosha Lamdin Williams, the founder of Family Disciple Me, recently wrote an article called “The Tale of Two Harriets” (linked) about two heroic women in history—Harriet Tubman and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Both women balked at the cultural norm of slavery in the mid-1800s and fought in their own way to free slaves. Harriet Beecher Stowe battled the evil of slavery with written words while Harriet Tubman escorted slaves to freedom. Instead of running away, hiding from evil, these Harriets fought with the weapons of grace and truth.

We read history so we can learn the stories like these and the strategies of how others defeated the evil around them. Then we get to work right where we live, searching for ways to redeem the ruins in our world.

Finding Hope 
Finally, we study the past in hopes of replicating good choices and replacing bad decisions with better ones. We study it to find hope after a cycle of hatred, peace after a pandemic, reconciliation after a family rift. In the pages of history, we find victory that we can cling to as we seek restoration.

We are inspired by the stories throughout history of ordinary people like the two Harriets who did extraordinary things to care for their neighbor. By those men and women courageous enough, even when they were afraid, to stand for what was right.

On the other side of the National Archives door is a second statue, this one of a robed woman engrossed in another book. The words under her sandaled feet read:

What is Past is Prologue

Both statues in front of the National Archives doors were carved in the 1930s—a prologue for us living in 2021—but the reminders on these towering monuments are just as relevant today as we write a new prologue.

Our society is at a crossroads again. Will we wield our words with grace and truth today, or will we be defeated by the evil around us? As we circle again this labyrinth of time, it’s critical that we step mentally into the past and study it. Search for ways to defeat evil and find doors of hope for the next generation.

Stay tune for a special Q&A with Melanie, plus a chance for you to win a copy of Melanie's latest release, The Curator's Daughter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Melanie Dobson is the award-winning author of more than twenty historical romance, suspense, and time-slip novels, including The Curator’s Daughter, which releases from Tyndale House Publishers in March 2021. Melanie is the former corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family and owner of the publicity firm Dobson Media Group. When she isn't writing, Melanie enjoys teaching both writing and public relations classes. Melanie and her husband, Jon, have two daughters and live near Portland, Oregon.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Melanie & Annie
1. Hi Melanie! Welcome back to Seekerville! Thank you for your stopping by. Can you tell us a bit about you, especially for those readers that haven’t met you yet? 

Thanks so much for having me! I’m excited to join you again. I am the mom of two teenage girls (both of them were babies when I started writing fiction!). I love learning the stories in history and am on a quest to follow the teachings of Jesus in my daily life. After seven solid years of writing, rejections, and rewriting, my first novel was published in 2006, and I have now published almost thirty time-slip, historical romance, suspense, and resource books. Just typing thirty is surreal …

2. You've shared about writing time-slip novels the last time you were here. What is it about the WWII era that interests you to continue writing books set during that time?

I like telling the stories from World War II because so many seemingly ordinary people stepped up with courage during that time, even when they were scared, to stand against evil. And what they accomplished was extraordinary. Because many of these heroes were killed, my desire is to keep their legacy alive. Keep telling the stories so we can all remember together and stop the cycle of hatred from repeating itself. 

3. Can you tell us a bit about your latest release, The Curator's Daughter?

Absolutely. This is a story about an archaeologist named Hanna Tillich who cherishes her work for the Third Reich, searching for the Holy Grail and other artifacts to bolster evidence of a master Aryan race. But when she is reassigned to work as a museum curator in Nuremberg, then forced to marry an SS officer and adopt a young girl, Hanna begins to see behind the Nazi facade. Eighty years later, a researcher named Ember Ellis becomes intrigued by Hanna’s story. What she uncovers will force her to confront the heartache of her own past and ultimately the man who wants to silence her forever.

I wrote this book in 2019, but it is also about racism in the name of righteousness, the suppression of free speech, rioting, and a pandemic. Don’t know exactly how that happened except the stage was set for a crisis in our nation long before 2020.  

4. In your latest, The Curator's Daughter, what do you think will surprise readers when it comes to picking it up, particularly if they've read your previous novels? 

I know the stories from that era are endless, but after researching and writing five novels based on events from World War II, I was surprised to learn about the devoted research division of the Nazi Party (Ahnenerbe) that was developed to prove the Aryan heritage of the German people and then some of the frightening details about SS-program called Lebensborn that justified kidnapping thousands of Jewish children from Eastern Europe. Readers might also be surprised at the direction of the present-day plot in this story. I won’t give anything away, but the tone is a bit different than my other novels. 

5. Archaeology plays a key role in The Curator's Daughter. How has research of this profession help or drive any aspect of the storyline?

Becoming an archaeologist was my dream when I was a girl. I loved learning the stories of history and being outside and all the romance of discovering remnants buried for hundreds or thousands of years. As part of my research for this novel, I took an archaeology class and what I learned in those weeks helped drive Hanna’s personality and her passion for this work along with all the logistics of this profession. It also helped me realize that I am much more passionate about crafting stories about the past than digging for artifacts.

My research for this book also took me to Washington, DC, Martha’s Vineyard, and eventually to Nuremberg. If readers would like to read more about my research journey to write The Curator’s Daughter, they can find that info here. (link: https://melaniedobson.com/research/research-trips/curators-daughter-trip/ )

6. Which part of the book is your favorite? Can you share a line/paragraph (without a spoiler)?

I enjoyed writing all the sections with Lilly, the girl taken from her home in Poland. Her story just poured out of me, and I realized later that her journey really represented what many people in Germany experienced at the time—shock, fear, confusion, resignation, and for some, like Lilly, a determination to live much differently that what was intended for her under National Socialism. 
Much later in life, Lilly says, “All King David needed was the stone that God gave him to kill Goliath, and I need to use whatever gifts that God gives me to defeat the giants in my world.” 

7. Let’s chat a bit more about you. Besides reading and writing, what other hobbies do you like?

Wait…there are other hobbies beside reading and writing? ☺ I’m not sure that these would be considered hobbies, but I love to travel and hike and play board games with my family. On most days, I really do enjoy tucking myself away in my favorite coffee shop with a green tea or lavender latte and dream up my next book. 

8. If you had to choose 1 book you've read in the past year that is an absolute must read, what would it be?

Set the Stars Alight by Amanda Dykes. This is a magical, lyrical, time-slip novel, and I will butcher the description if I attempt to describe the plot. Set the Stars Alight is an experience as well as a story. I rarely lose myself to a book these days, but I was immersed in every page of this one. 

9. Which one of your books would you suggest to first time readers of your books to get to "know you" as a writer?

Oh, that’s a beautiful question. Thank you. Catching the Wind is a reader favorite, especially the audiobook which ended up winning the Audie Award for Faith-Based Fiction in 2018 because of the incredible narration by Nancy Peterson. To really get to know me as a writer, though, it would have to be Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor. That was the story of my heart.

10. And to end, what’s next for you and what other can your fans expect?

I just finished my next time-slip novel, and I am so excited to share it with my readers! Sadly, that won’t happen for another year, but this story is about an American Quaker woman named Grace who rescues children from a French internment camp during World War II. Two of the children, a brother and sister, join Grace in Oregon, and they struggle over the decades to restore the brokenness in their story.

Thanks so much for having me back! My life was changed from  researching and writing The Curator’s Daughter, and I hope the lives of readers are changed a bit as well when they finish this story.  

Many thanks to Melanie for stopping by Seekerville today and for your time in answering my questions! We're always thrilled to have you here. 

GIVEAWAYTyndale Publishers is giving away a copy of The Curator's Daughter to one reader today. Just leave a comment below for Melanie and you're entered.
(Seekerville's Giveaway rules applied. Open to US residents with a US mailing address only.)

Make That Lemonade!

 LINK TO TEDDY'S STORY JOINT!!!!!

Start your day with a smile and take the four-plus minutes and go to the link above and see just how easy this all is. :) Really... 

And then come back and we're gonna talk Write That Story!

Okay.... hysterical? I loved it! Sooooo funny! 

Now back to our regularly scheduled program!

WHAT A YEAR.

That's all I'm going to say about it. Not the good... not the bad... not the never-ending aspects of flattening a curve that had a mind of its own.

Let's talk the talk of spring.

Rebirth.

Begin again, like poor old Michael Finnegan. 

It would be so easy to list the bad things. To focus on the negative. To shrug off the positive.

There's no time for that. That's not our purpose here. And I don't mean on this blog "here". I mean on Earth "here".

If we are really God's children, if we are put here to do some good in some way, well, let's go! Let's do it! Off our laurels, off our butts, and into the mainstream of life we go and as we go... let's write that story.

What I found funniest about the skit above was the absolute truth in it. Plot devices. Plot twists. Characters. Writing tomes..... Sometimes we just plain make this gig way harder than it needs to be.

So making that lemonade is two-fold: 

FIRST: Figure out the kind of stories you want to tell.

SECOND: Tell 'em.

Now before the lot o' youse start gnashing your teeth and staring with your yellow eyes and not blinking once (Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak) let me share my theory and then you tell me yours in the comments. Tell me what works... what should work... or if you've been a dormant slug, take this as your moment to awaken-stretch-reach! You've got this!

Goal/Mission/Calling: Write stories that uplift women.

I do this for a lot of reasons, but mostly because we only got the stinkin' vote 100 years ago, that's ridiculous, and we've been second-class in work-related things in many areas for, oh... ever? So I want stories that uplift women, where women rescue themselves but if it's a romance, they find the absolute right man to be their point/counterpoint! 

Plots used:  Prodigal is one of my faves, and like the skit showed, one story can use the same plot device and be so completely different!  

Running on Empty: "Anne Kellwyn has a secret. It's cost her everything to keep it."

Anne fled her life when her abuser threatened to "out" her... and now she's back home to help her dying mother but can this prodigal face the man she loved-- and left-- and still loves? 

Back in the Saddle (Book 1 Double S Ranch): "He’s broke, but not broken..."

It’s been a long time since Colt Stafford shrugged off his cowboy legacy for shiny Manhattan loafers and a promising career on Wall Street. But when stock market manipulations leave him financially strapped, the oldest son of legendary rancher Sam Stafford decides to return to the sprawling Double S ranch in Gray’s Glen, Washington.

A Hopeful Harvest (Book 1 Golden Grove): "Her orchard. His heart. Can they successfully heal both?" 

When her family’s apple orchard is damaged by a storm, single mom Libby Creighton knows the harvest she’s depending on is in jeopardy. Though he prefers a solitary life, Jax McClaren has the skills to revive Libby’s orchard—and her guarded heart. But he’ll have to overcome the secrets of his past if he and Libby are going to have a fruitful future together.

                                                                   ***********

The prodigal theme is used often because it works. So does the sacrificial lamb, the person going off to save the lamb in trouble, risking life and limb. There was a reason Jesus used these stories to relay to the crowds because they are relatable.

But if you don't have a prodigal lying around, an overcomer works just fine! 

Overcomers are the survivors. They've made it through the rough times, the wars, the pestilence, the sorrows, the poverty, the lack, the losses of parents or children or divorce... and they take their lives very seriously because they have something to prove. To themselves... their parents... their ex-wives or husbands or their old friends, the neighbors who thought they'd amount to nothing.... That's where the "How Do You Like Me Now?" attitude can be put into play.

I've done a lot of Overcomer books because I'm an overcomer. I know lots of overcomers. I love them! They're not whiners. They're of the "race that knows Joseph". They're the ones who see a job and do it and even when the going gets tough, they tuck their chins and carry on.

Hush Thackery in "Sweet Hush" was one of those heroines. I love Hush. Deb Smith touched all the right buttons for me in that story because Hush reminded me of myself. THAT'S CLUTCH.

Make the story relatable. 

I have a brand new prodigal story for you! I have two copies of "Rebuilding Her Life" to give away to two lucky commenters.... 

If you're a writer, leave a comment about story themes/tomes/plots and give me an idea of where you're at....

If you're a reader, let's talk reading! 

Either way, thank you for stopping by. Coffee is on! And because it's Lent and some of youse might have forsworn treats, I have some fresh bread and butter that you can have plain or slather it with my homemade jam. Sour cherry or Triple Berry or there's even a pot of Strawberry Rhubarb, a farm favorite! 

Multi-published, USA Today bestselling author Ruth Logan Herne is thrilled to introduce this newest book.... and loving that winter is coming to an end in Western New York where Ruthy runs a growing pumpkin farm with her husband Farmer Dave, a bunch of kids and friends and grandkids and mud.... Friend her on Facebook (she's a conservative Libertarian so be forewarned!) visit her website ruthloganherne.com and you can always visit with her here in Seekerville.... or just straight out email Ruthy at loganherne@gmail.com. 

One Thing That Works For Me with guest Amy Lynn Green: Know Your Bribery Tiers for Marketing Strategy

 

Good Monday morning, Seekerville! I (Carrie) am excited to kick off our new monthly blog series - One Thing That Works For Me - with one of my favorite people on the planet, marketer extraordinaire Amy Lokkesmoe aka author extraordinaire Amy Lynn Green! Welcome, Amy!

Know Your Bribery Tiers for Marketing Strategy

by Amy Lynn Green

I’ve seen a *lot* of author marketing. I’m in year eight as the fiction publicist at Bethany House, which puts me right there alongside authors, answering their questions, checking in on what worked and what didn’t, and analyzing sales stats. Then, when my debut novel, Things We Didn’t Say, came out in November 2020, I got a chance to switch to the other side of the desk.

Do I have time to do everything as perfectly as I would like? Of course not! Have a learned a thing or two about strategy? Mmmhmm. And here’s a big one I want to share that’s been helpful to me.

Basic idea: Authors know they should promote. But they aren’t always sure how to market effectively.

If that’s you sometimes, listen in! Lots of practical tips coming up.

(Disclaimer: Using jargon like “leads” and “bribe” can feel impersonal, like people are only useful if they give us money. This is not true. When you’re interacting on social media and in real life, every person is inherently valuable, even your cousin who thinks romance is dumb or that one reader who always asks when your book will be free. However, when it comes to deciding how to use your time and money, we’re going to focus on book sales.)

The Categories Defined

Stick around the marketing world long enough, and you’ll hear people talking about temperature when referring to how to create customers. Here are some examples for the writing world.

Cold: Someone who has had little or no interaction with you or your books. Such as…

·         A librarian at a conference.

·         A member of a Facebook group for your genre.

Warm: Someone who has interacted with you before.

·         A casual follower of your Instagram or Facebook page.

·         Someone who downloaded your free or discount ebook.

·         A reader who joined your email list to enter a multi-author giveaway.

Hot: Someone who has bought and enjoyed your books before.

·         “Super-fans” on social media who comment and leave reviews.

·         Your street or launch team members.

Key Strategy Questions

When I think through a promotion I’m planning, I first ask myself, “What am I trying to get people to do?” (Leave a review, pre-order a book, join my newsletter list, etc.) Then, I ask, “What category are these people mostly in, and what is needed to motivate them to do that thing?”

Which leads me to what I charmingly call…

Bribery Tiers!

Not everyone needs the same incentive to do something you’d like them to do. Once you determine what category a group is in, you can move on to the strategy thoughts below. This is as close as I can get to the process I use for planning. (Without all the ridiculous rabbit trails…you’re welcome!)

Option One: I’m making this request to mostly cold leads—not people on my social media or newsletter list already, but totally new readers!

Good for you! This group might not need a lot of motivation to be interested in your book, but they’ll probably need an incentive to stay connected with you in some way.

What Might You Bribe Them For?

·         Newsletter subscriptions

·         Social media follows

·         Event RSVPs

·         Anything else that takes them from “cold” to “warm.”

What Might You Bribe Them With?

·         Giveaway prize: your book(s) plus something else (others’ books or a themed item or two) would be ideal. (No need for a huge prize—we’ve found at Bethany House that complex prize packages don’t get any more entries than giveaways of several books.)

·         Newsletter freebie: aka, “lead magnet.” This is something—a short story, a novella, a Top Ten Swoony Kisses PDF, whatever—that people get when they sign up for your newsletter.

·         An event or contest: whether it’s a virtual trivia night with other authors or a coloring contest, this dangles the bribe of “fun experience.” (Note: online book launch parties don’t count here. Those are mostly for warm and hot leads.)

My Example: I started a one-day book discussion for The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (a book similar to mine). It had questions and a few simple giveaways, and I invited followers on my social media and total strangers in reader groups online. About half of those who joined hadn’t read my book. My last post in the event included my social media links with an invitation to join.

Option Two: Since I’m mostly sharing this promotion on my own social media, most of these people are warm leads already.

Great! This group doesn’t need to be persuaded to connect with you (they probably already are), but they might need an incentive to support or purchase your book.

What Might You Bribe Them For?

·         Pre-order campaigns

·         Requesting your book for purchase from their library

·         Sharing a giveaway or event

What Might You Bribe Them With?

For this group, a mid-level incentive might be:

·         Feel-good factor: if you’re asking for something simple, like adding the book on Goodreads, tell readers how excited you are about the book and how GR adds help people find it. This is often enough motivation for people to take action.

·         Pre-order incentives: I usually recommend keeping these simple, and I prefer digital goodies to ones you have to mail for time/effort purposes. (Ex: soundtrack playlist, downloadable art, recipes, deleted or extra scene, etc.) Having some simple goodies might make warm contacts more likely to buy a book.

·         Signed bookplates and/or simple author swag: unlike cold contacts who need more universal prizes, these people would care about something specifically branded to you and your books.

My Example: I announced on Facebook and Instagram that I’d do a giveaway (of cute stationary) when my book got to 100 reviews on Amazon and 200 on Goodreads. I also talked about how much authors appreciate reviews. A week later, we’d met the goal—most people just needed a prompt.

Option Three: This is aimed at people who already love my books. Hot leads, one and all.

What Might You Bribe Them For?

·         Sharing your cover reveal on social media

·         Leaving a review

·         Going “above and beyond” in some way to spread the word about your books

What Might You Bribe Them With?

·         Sneak peeks: early excerpts or even full advance copies for a select few are GOLD here.

·         A handwritten note or personal email: the #1 thing street team members for Bethany House authors said they appreciate is personal interaction with their favorite authors.

·         Exclusive online event: with a smaller group, to make it more special.

·         Personal prize: if you really want to give something away, make it something simple and close to you, like a DVD you love or your favorite kind of tea.

My Example: I asked on my social media and in my newsletter for volunteers to participate in a cover reveal for The Lines Between Us, my 2021 release. 88 people responded. The only perk was getting the prologue and first chapter of the book.

Concluding Thoughts

Going through this process has saved me time, money, and sanity. I hope it helps you too as you go out there and share about your book.

Any questions? Want me to help you place a group or promotion into the right bribery tier? Comment with details below and I’ll stop by and answer as many as I can.

 ~*~*~*~*~

Amy Lynn Green has been the fiction publicist at Bethany House Publishers since 2013, and her debut novel, Things We Didn’t Say , released in November 2021. It received a starred review from Library Journal and Booklist and is a finalist for the Minnesota Book Awards. You can eavesdrop on her own marketing (just promise not to judge!) by signing up for her newsletter at amygreenbooks.com or joining her on Facebook or Instagram. She and her husband live outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and both love reading, hiking, and playing strategy board games.

 

Sunday Scripture & Prayer Requests

THE THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

Driving of the Merchants From the Temple, Scarsellino,
1580-1585, Capitoline Museums. [PD-US]

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; you shall not make my Father's house a house of trade." His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for thy house will consume me." The Jews then said to him, "What sign have you to show us for doing this?" Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?" But he spoke of the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken. Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did; but Jesus did not trust himself to them, because he knew all men and needed no one to bear witness of man; for he himself knew what was in man.

John 2:13-25

The Seekerville bloggers are praying for YOU and for our entire blog community. If you have any special intentions that need additional prayer coverage, leave a request for prayer in the comment section below. 

Please join us in praying for the United States--and the world--during this Coronavirus pandemic. Pray for the sick and suffering, for businesses and schools to remain open, for people to be able to work and for our economy to prosper.
We are so grateful for all of you—for your friendship and your support! 

May the Lord bless you and your families and keep you safe.       

Weekend Edition

  






If you are not familiar with our giveaway rules, take a minute to read them here. It keeps us all happy! All winners should send their name, address, and phone number to claim prizes.  Please send to Seekerville2@gmail.com. If the winner does not contact us within two weeks, another winner may be selected.


Monday: On Monday, Mary Connealy launched her new release! Elizabeth Litton is the winner of a signed copy of Braced for Love.
Wednesday:  Mindy Obenhaus gave us some insight into the author-editor relationship. The winner of a signed copy of her new release, A Brother's Promise , is... Jeanne Takenaka!!! 
Friday: Debut author, Roulf Burrell, introduced us to all the voices - and characters - occupying his head and how embracing them led to writing his first fantasy novel. Glynis is the winner of an ecopy of Riddley Bundleforth and the Banshee Bell .


Monday: Carrie Schmidt welcomes guest blogger Amy Lokkesmoe (aka Amy Lynn Green) from Bethany House Publishers to kick off our new 'One Thing That Works For Me' series. 

Wednesday:  Ruth Logan Herne is in the house. You never know what to expect!  Friday:  Melanie Dobson joins us to talk about "Why It’s Important to Study the Past." Stop by on March 12th and comment for a chance to win a copy of her latest release, The Curator's Daughter (courtesy of Tyndale Publishers).







Braced for Love is OUTBook #1 - Brothers in Arms Series Left with little back in Missouri, Kevin Hunt takes his younger siblings on a journey to Wyoming when he receives news that he's inheriting part of a ranch. The catch is that the ranch is also being given to a half brother he never knew existed. Turns out, Kevin's supposedly dead father led a secret and scandalous life.

But danger seems to track Kevin along the way, and he wonders if his half brother, Wyatt, is behind the attacks. Finally arriving at the ranch, everyone is at each other's throats and the only one willing to stand in between is Winona Hawkins, a nearby schoolmarm.

Despite being a long-time friend to Wyatt, Winona can't help but be drawn to the earnest, kind Kevin--and that puts her in the cross hairs of somebody's dangerous plot. Will they all be able to put aside their differences long enough to keep anyone from getting truly hurt?

On sale now!
A BROTHER'S PROMISE

He didn’t realize he wanted a family… Until he suddenly became a single dad. 

After his sister’s death, rancher Mick Ashford’s determined to ensure his orphaned niece, Sadie, feels at home. And accepting guidance from Christa Slocum is his first step. But just as Christa and Sadie begin to settle into Mick’s heart, Sadie’s paternal grandparents sue for custody. Now Mick must fight to keep them together…or risk losing the makeshift family he’s come to love.
Get your copy HERE!Read the first chapter here.


HIDDEN AMISH SECRETS Her temporary Amish homecoming could get her killed. Julianne Graber left her Amish life behind after a family tragedy, but now she’s back to sell the family home— and someone’s dead set on getting rid of her. With her neighbor William Lavy by her side, Julianne must uncover dangerous secrets to make sense of the past and present. Can she find justice for her family—and a future with Will—before the killer hits his target?March 9, 2021Order HERE!
AND WISHING BRIDGE IS ON SALE! 
You can buy all three of Ruth Logan Herne's bestselling Wishing Bridge books for $6.97/Kindle Editions... What a great way to add this amazing collection to your library. 
LINK TO AMAZON






6 Places Infodumps Like to Hide in Your Novel by Janice Hardy at Fiction University
4 Easy Peasy Ways to Make Book Marks for Readers by LA Sartor at Book Brush Blog
Harnessing the Power of a Kiss by Bethany Turner at Learn How To Write A Novel
Archetypal Character Arcs, Pt 4. The Queen Arc by KM Weiland at Helping Writers Become Authors
Identity Publishing by Dan Balow at Steve Laube Agency
How to Copyright a Book: A Step by Step Guide by CS Lakin at The Self Publisher
Mind-Mapping: Using the Way We Think to Create Story by Sarah Sally Hamer at The Write Conversation
Self-Published Authors: Amazon Exclusive or Go Wide? by CS Lakin at Live Write Thrive
How Long is a Short Story? by Elaine Mead at Writer's Edit
Revisiting Characters by Shannon Taylor Vannatter at Inspy Romance
Also Boughts and Amazon Recommendations by David Gaughran
Shifting Gears in Your Writing by James Preston at Writers In The Storm
Grammarly Review - Is Grammarly Worth the Money? at Write To Done

When the Stew Badgers the Cook, It's Time to Write

Welcome debut author, Roulf Burrell!

Audra here. Fantasy books wear many hats. Rabbit holes leading to wonderland; Yellow brick roads; Board games sucking players into the  other dimensions. Endless plots filled with fantastic possibilities - Roulf Burrell offers it all by the bucketfuls. Enjoy the adventures of an array of unforgettable characters and share the experience with your friends. 

How you write a fantasy novel is a bit like how you cook up your favorite stew. You prepare and add all your best ingredients. You get out the beans, your favorite meats, and stir it up properly. With fantasy, you set up a world, add mythical characters, splash in some magic and mix it into a respectable three act structure. After it simmers under the heat of tension, you get a delightful word-meal that tantalizes the imagination. The rewarding end to a good recipe.

But why do you write a fantasy? That is quite a different question entirely. Imagine you open the cupboard and a bag of beans steps forward, hops down onto the counter and insists you prepare a pan of water so they can relax in the pool and begin to soften. You open the icebox door and find the leftover ham, still clinging to the bone, arguing with the hamburger as to who makes better stew. They both turned to you, insist you include them, exclude the other meat, and put the light out. The salt is claiming to be de-iodized kosher and refusing to mix if the ham is allowed. The bay leaf, who is running from the Food and Drug Administration, will only stay if the meal is Keto compliant. And the canned tomatoes are indeed stewed, ala the Smirnoff bottle on the shelf next to them. You collect the whole complaining lot, deciding for your own sanity you'll turn them all into stew–and quickly fire up the pot.

This absurd illustration strikes close to the mark as to why I wrote my fantasy, Riddley Bundleforth and the Banshee Bell. Some of these pesky mythological creatures whipped up in my mind wouldn't leave me alone. They demanded a story.

The female banshees kept arguing with each other. I assumed male banshees existed, but the females definitely screamed about that. I am the author, so I insisted one male must hang around to continue the species. The females, or 'shees as I call them, quickly made his life as harsh and nasty as their faces. By the way, they informed me they take great satisfaction in their gruesome visage.

It turns out this lone, unlucky male carries with him the entire potential from the other males. This allowed those males to flee life with the female ‘shees, which they were zealous to do. So the ‘shees take out their frustrations on him and accidently crack the castle bell.

The castle blacksmith should've been quite happy at her forge; a bell to fix. Being half ogre, she has tremendous strength, a natural bent towards working with metal, and thicker skin that is troubled less by hot sparks and flame. So imagine my irritation when she began to complain to me that she wanted a suitable husband. I saw she had too much ogre to suit most men, but not enough ogre to survive an encounter with males of that nasty species. I wanted to be an author. Now I'm a matchmaker for every discontented, half-monster, iron monger waving a hammer?

My vain little Fairy Queen took it as an insult if "the wrong sort of creature" copied her gown,
or crown, or anything else about her. Of course, some evil gremlins found this out and did exactly that. Being both a royal queen and a gentle fairy, she promptly declared war.

Then my leprechaun started whining because his pot at the end of the rainbow didn't have any gold in it. And this is my fault, how? Because I put him in this castle teaching and making magical candles. He was supposed to be filching dwarven coins and taunting dragons for their jewels. Well, pardon me, Mr. Lucky Charms.

The headmaster interrupts to tell me that the frost giants who cool the palace are feuding with the fire sprites who heat it. They all want more gold, but nobody at my castle has any. Who ever heard of the air conditioning system not getting along with the furnace? Does your washer and dryer fight over whether they get paid or when they are serviced? Of course not. Even as I shoo the headmaster away, a tiny four-legged step stool kept running back and forth, insisting on retaining the services of a carpenter.

Only one solution—throw them all out of my head and onto some paper. I could create a proper world to live in, which might allow me more serious writings, like Gone with the Killed Mockingbird or Gatsby's Great Expectations. A book befitting an author of my abilities.

But something stopped me. My conscience. It didn't seem fair to leave all of them there struggling with their issues when, with a few taps on my keyboard, I could provide some badly needed resolutions. If I took care and skill, I might produce an entertaining story for the folks in my life. For you see, I also imagined these mythical types could help each other! That’s a lesson which my own world needs!

So it's with a small amount of pride, but a tremendous amount of mental relief, that I offer up my maiden effort in the fantasy genre. It's a genteel fantasy, full of curiosities, belief, and light. Reminiscent of the Chronicles of Narnia in its tone, and Diana Wynne Jones in its style. I hope you’ll give it a read—though I am not responsible if the characters start pestering you as you nod off at nights.

Roulf Burrell
Escape the Mundane. Explore the Magical.

Hey Everyone! Audra here again. To celebrate his debut book, Roulf is offering an ebook of Riddley Bundleforth & The Banshee Bell. Leave a comment and you'll be included in the drawing. Check the Weekend Edition on Saturday!

--- * --- * ---

Roulf Burrell was an information manager for a quasi-municipal, raw water acquisition and transfer agency (read faceless government bureaucrat) for 25 years before early retirement. Having quit the government, he dropped the “bureaucrat” and rented a face (the picture is the best one he could afford.) Determined to write the kinds of books that had offered him a respite during his troubled teenage years (a time that lasted until he was 50,) Roulf started Riddley Bundleforth & The Banshee Bell .  He is now working on the sequel, Riddley Bundleforth & The Hag Rider.

Website:  https://www.RoulfBurrell.com

Amazon Author's page: Roulf Burrell  

The Author-Editor Relationship

by Mindy Obenhaus
When I received my first contract with Love Inspired Books in 2013, I was so tickled to be able to use the phrase “my editor.” It meant I’d finally achieved my goal of becoming a published author.
While I’ve been with Love Inspired for eight years now, I’ve changed editors several times. I’m currently with my fourth editor, plus I’ve worked with two additional editors when my regular editor was on vacation or had some other extenuating circumstance. With each change, there was that momentary twinge of “What if she doesn’t like my writing? What if she doesn’t like me?”

Of course, my worries, while understandable, were all for naught. Yes, every editor has their own way of approaching things. Each has a different personality. One may not care for a particular turn of phrase I'm prone to using, while another never mentions it. Yet in each case, the transition turned out to be a positive experience. I’ve learned from each editor and that has grown me as a writer. How? By adhering to some basic principles. 
Be professional – Your editor is your partner. He/she has entered into a contract with you, like someone you might hire to remodel your bathroom. You are to provide the expected work to their satisfaction at the time you both agreed to, and, along the way, they will provide input in the form of revisions/edits. Yes, their requests might have you groaning or wondering why they bought your book in the first place. Still, you shove those feelings aside and get to back to work. 

Don’t argue with your editor. If you have a valid point you’d like to discuss with them, do it in a respectful manner. And don’t ever share your displeasure on social media. This should go without saying, I know, but there’s always one. Be open – Discuss your career goals with your editor. This is particularly true if you change editors or are nearing the end of your current contract. Be sure to bring a new editor up to date on your career thus-far. Let them know how many books you’ve done with that publisher. Tell them your plans for the future. Are you already working on a proposal for a new series with them or are you looking to go in a different direction? You never want to burn any bridges. However, if you plan to stay with that publisher, your editor will be your advocate in growing your career.
Don’t make demands. Editors don’t want or need difficult people when there are many talented authors waiting in the wings.
Be flexible – This is a must no matter where you are in your writing career because things are always changing. If you find yourself having to work with a different editor, embrace the change. If your editor feels as though the second half of the book would be better done a different way, schedule a time to talk with him/her to discuss those changes, then go into the meeting with an open mind. And never forget that editors are people, too. They make mistakes and overlook things which can occasionally result in a tight deadline for you. Whenever possible, do your best to meet that deadline. Of course, the flipside of that coin is that sometimes life throws us a curveball and we find you’re not going to be able to meet a long-established deadline. If that happens, contact your editor right away and let them know the circumstances so they can work with you.
Don’t dig in your heels or set unrealistic goals/deadlines.
The author-editor relationship should be one of mutual respect and your attitude helps set the tone. By being professional, open and flexible, you’re opening the door to the possibility of a wonderful career.
Now it's your turn. What elements do you think are important to a successful author-editor relationship?
In other news, A Brother’s Promise, book two in my Bliss, Texas series, is now available! Leave a comment for a chance to win a signed copy (U.S. mailing addresses only, please). Also, I’m in the midst of a blog tour with JustReads Tours and there’s a nice prize package involved. Click here for details.

A BROTHER'S PROMISE

He didn’t realize he wanted a family… Until he suddenly became a single dad. 

After his sister’s death, rancher Mick Ashford’s determined to ensure his orphaned niece, Sadie, feels at home. And accepting guidance from Christa Slocum is his first step. But just as Christa and Sadie begin to settle into Mick’s heart, Sadie’s paternal grandparents sue for custody. Now Mick must fight to keep them together…or risk losing the makeshift family he’s come to love.
Get your copy HERE!

Award-winning author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, two sassy pups, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com