Jan Christensen's Blog, page 7
June 20, 2015
CLUTTERED ATTIC SECRETS
After receiving a midnight phone call, professional organizer Tina Shaw rushes to her best friend’s ancestral home to determine if Leslie really saw a ghost. Tina doesn’t see one in the cluttered Newport, Rhode Island, Victorian attic, but does hear strange noises. While she tries to reassure Leslie, they’re drawn outside when police and firefighters arrive. A murdered man has been found in Leslie’s side yard.
A note in his pocket reads My name is Joshua Young in childish printing. Leslie’s father’s name is Joshua Young, the men are about a decade apart in age, and the man was killed outside the house where Leslie’s father grew up. Tina must help her friend find the answers to who the murdered man really was and why he was killed. And to what’s making the noises in the attic.
While Tina is absorbed in helping her friend investigate, a quarrel with her boyfriend, Hank, begins when he demands she quit because it’s too dangerous. He has ties to the police, and when Tina suspects he’s holding back information from her, her Irish temper flares even more.
The secrets behind Joshua Young’s murder are bigger than Tina ever imagined. Can the murderer be stopped before killing again?
Cluttered Attic Secrets illuminates the real spirit of friendship and is a suspense-filled mystery with many secrets and ghostly occurrences, a little romance, and a few organizing tips to help you tame your own secret clutter.
June 10, 2015
THE 80/10 RULE FOR WRITERS
You’ve probably been told how important good grammar and punctuation are to becoming a good writer. And they are.
You may have been made aware of certain “rules” or even current fads for writing fiction. “Show don’t tell.” “Eliminate all ‘wases.’” “No head hopping.” Then you scratch your own head when you see a best-selling author do all of those things. On one page.
You might have learned about story arcs, the snowflake graph, the best way to outline, structure, beginnings, endings, and a huge amount of other tips and tricks.
But still you don’t get it done. You don’t finish a story or a novel. You get stuck in the middle. Or even at the beginning. You think your skills are pretty darned good, but what good are they if you can’t finish what you start, or even get started in the first place?
There’s a new “thing” (I don’t know what else to call it, although it’s usually called a rule) going around about the 80/20 rule. This rule says that 20% of whatever you’re trying to accomplish is worth more than all the other 80%. So, you should concentrate on accomplishing that 20%.
I believe the 80% for writers are all the rules, guidelines, and mechanics of writing, and throw in the business side there, too. The 20% is the story, which is made up of words, sentences, and scenes. If you’ve read a lot and paid attention to how things are written, your subconscious probably knows a great deal about what is good writing and what isn’t. But all that reading, both about writing advice and fiction, can’t teach you how to put words on the page.
So, is there a trick for that? I think there are several.
First, stop worrying. Quit wondering where your next idea is going to come from, how you’re going to set up the murderer to be caught, how you’re going to fill the page.
Second, if you don’t have an idea right now, just pick one at random. It doesn’t matter what it’s about, who the characters are, pick anything. An object, a place, a person, a situation. Pick one of those things and start writing about it.
Third, eventually your idea will tend to peter out. This is where you stop and think consciously. Up until now, your subconscious was just doing stream of consciousness about what you decided to write about. Now, you need to start focusing more on a story.
Fourth, be pro-active in thinking about what to write next, about where your story can go from here. Use either pen and paper or your computer keyboard to let the ideas flow. Ask yourself “what if” questions. List all the possibilities that could happen next, no matter how outlandish (you may decide to write humor where outlandish is good).
Fifth, pick the idea you think is the most interesting, the most fun, the most unique, the best of all you’ve thought of.
And sixth, write some more until you come to the point where you have to repeat steps four and five.
If you insist on outlining, you use the same process. As you outline, just as those who do not, you will come to spots where you are stuck. Personally, I don’t outline for this reason. My first draft is basically my outline more fleshed out. And because this system is the way I write, I rarely have to make major edits to the story. So, I save a lot of time.
Some of the ease from this comes with more writing. Like most things, the more you do, the easier it gets. Usually.
And getting back to the 80/20 “rule.” Do the process steps over and over again while learning the current rules and fads for writing in this decade. In other words, pick them up as you go—don’t make them your main focus.
This works for me. I’ve had days when I’ve written three thousand new words in a novel. Most days I can get one thousand down, and many days I can pretty easily get close to two thousand. Each thousand words takes me approximately an hour or so to write, after a short time brainstorming with the what if/what happens next process.
I believe in learning by finding out how other people who are experts in their fields do things. I don’t classify myself as an expert—I’m not that arrogant. But I can tell that many prolific, successful writers, use this method. They may not even realize themselves how they’re doing it.
Give it a try. And let me know if it works for you.
May 20, 2015
ANOTHER BLOGGER’S RANT ABOUT COMPUTING
I thought this was interesting enough to share. If you read the comments, you’ll see what I have to say about using computers nowadays.
If I had more time, I could do my own post about this topic, but I need to go edit one of my novels. Right now.
May 2, 2015
GUEST POST ABOUT TIME MANAGEMENT FOR WRITERS
Having trouble getting started writing every day? Here are some tips on how to manage your writing time.
Check out the rest of Marilyn Meredith’s blog while there. She is such a gracious hostess. Thanks, Mariyn!
Comments welcome!
April 9, 2015
KINDLE SCOUT PROGRAM
I’m sorry to report, my new novel, CLUTTERED ATTIC SECRETS, did not make the cut in the Kindle Scout program. Thanks to all of you who voted. I will be publlishinng it myself in the next week or so, all going well. Thanks again!
March 9, 2015
KINDLE SCOUT PROGRAM ENTRY
http://amzn.to/1A7LTZ4
My latest-written novel has been placed in the Kindle Scout program. I put up my information on the program’s website with a cover, description, and the first few chapters, plus author bio. My next step is to ask people to vote for my title. The more votes I get, the better my chances of getting a contract. It will only take a minute or two to hit the “Nominate me” button at the website. Please do, and thanks.
http://amzn.to/1A7LTZ4February 14, 2015
FIFTY SHADES OF GRAMMAR CHART FOR A CERTAIN BOOK
Grammarly is at it again, this time with a neat graph about the controversial grammar in Fifty Shades of Grey. Here’s the graph:
For more details and commentary about the graph, go here:
Fascinating stuff. Except, it doesn’t address the overuse of the same words I’ve seen pointed out in reviews. I admit, I only read part of the first chapter before giving up–you know just where the story is going, after all. But it’s fascinating to know that what reviewers are pointing out as errors are accepted in other work, or at least overlooked. You have to admit, Grammarly did a greatjob with this.
January 7, 2015
PRESENT TENSE MAKES ME TENSE
Out of the last four or five books I’ve read, three were written in present tense. I don’t know if these books were classified as literary fiction, but one was definitely a mystery. I picked them up because the premises intrigued me, and they had a lot of good reviews. I rarely check the Look Inside feature on Amazon, depending more on word of mouth and reviews to pick what I’ll buy next. But after this experience, I will check inside every single time Look Inside is available.
It was a shock when I started reading each new story to find it was written in present tense. My first thought when that happens is, I don’t like present tense. Why not? Mainly because I’m not used to it. I’m reading, not listening to someone tell a story, and usually, writers write fiction in past tense. Also, there’s the pretension factor. Used to be only literary works ever used present tense. Now they’re used in some of the mysteries I read. I’ve heard it’s to help the reader get into the story more. Doesn’t work for me. And when I put the book down for a while and then go back to it, that present tense jars me every time. It often also jars me at the beginning of each new chapter for some reason.
The current book I’m reading has immediately disappointed me, as did the others written in present tense when I first started them. The author is going to have to work harder to make me like her book. And she’d better not slip and suddenly write in past tense for a few paragraphs. (Haven’t we all seen that?)
But wait, there’s more. This book started off in present tense. Very quickly, the character is remembering something in the past, so the tense switches to past. But it’s not obvious at first that the person is thinking of the past, so as a reader, I thought the author made a mistake. It does make sense to go to past tense when a character is remembering something. But now I was even more annoyed. I was annoyed when I figured out that the book was going to be in present tense. Then I was annoyed when I thought the author switched to past tense by mistake. Then I was annoyed at the change not being well set-up.
All within about three pages.
Are you a writer? Please do not try this at home. Or anywhere. Especially if you don’t have a stable of good editors to look out for the pitfalls. This was published by a big NY publisher, so it was edited several times, I’m sure. And I’m also sure the editors thought this was just dandy.
I carried on reading because the premise was still good.
Then this book got even stranger. The second chapter switched point of view and to past tense. And then, and then, when we went back to the first character’s POV, it was in past tense.
I have whiplash. Excuse me while I go get my neck brace. And maybe a new book to read.
December 30, 2014
REVIEW OF SECRETS OF HONOR BY CAROL KILGORE
If you like suspense.
If you like interesting characters.
If you like an intriguing plot.
If you like a little romance with your mysteries.
If you like crime in high places—
I have a book to recommend.
Carol Kilgore’s latest crime fiction with a kiss novel involves beautiful women and beautiful jewelry. It features the President of the United States and his first lady. And a hunk, Dave, for the main character, Kat Marengo to hanker for. Kat and Dave are working for a secret agency with ties to Homeland Security. They are tasked with watching out for suspicious persons at an event the President is attending, and they each have special skills for doing that, Kat in particular.
The stakes are raised when the First Lady secretly places a note in her hand asking Kate to meet her later. When she does, the First Lady tells Kat a friend’s daughter has been kidnapped. That’s when things get dangerous. For the First Lady who is willing to trade herself for the safe return of the girl, and for Dave and Kat who decide to locate the child and bring her home.
Well, of course you’ll have to read the book to find out if Dave and Kat get together. And if they accomplish the First Lady’s mission. The jewelry adds an interesting note, as does Kat’s expertise with disguises.
Grab a copy here either in print or ebook format:
You won’t be disappointed.
December 24, 2014
GUEST POST UP
GUEST POST UP AT KNOWING MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU KNOW
http://theidlemusingsofawritersmind.blogspot.com/
Check it out!
