Judith Post's Blog, page 116

Writers’ Groups

I read a blog post a few weeks ago, and the writer gave reasons why she thought writers’ groups weren’t very helpful. I happen to love mine. Not only have I learned a lot from the comments people give there–for my work, as well other peoples’ pages–I also come home recharged, ready to dig into my manuscript. Just being around fellow writers, talking nuts and bolts, shared successes and disappointments, news and markets, gets me excited about pounding the keys again. Some people join our group and stay. Some people join our group and run. It’s not for everyone. It’s HARD to read your work for 15 minutes and then get critiqued. After all these years, I still get nervous when I share my stuff there. Everyone works hard to give positive, helpful feedback, but we tend to be honest about what could be better. After all, that’s why we share, right? To find our flaws and make them better. But that’s not as easy as it sounds.

It took me a long time to learn to listen–really listen–to their feedback without getting defensive. Writing is personal. We pour our minds and passions into our words. It’s no fun to hear that we messed up, but I’ve finally learned that if I just leave my friends’ comments alone for a few days and let them stew, then I can look at them and decide what works for me and what doesn’t.

The blogger who found writers’ groups lacking stated that readers only share a small number of pages with each other at a time, that it’s too hard to determine story and character arcs, to feel if the pacing works. I suppose some of that depends on how often a writer gets to share. In our group, writers read consistently enough for the rest of us to remember how the chapters flow. But the blogger’s right. Reading a work in its entirety is a different thing than hearing chunks of pages at a time. But who says we have to choose between a writers’ group or critique partners? Not so. Most of us break off into smaller groups to trade manuscripts. We rely on Scribes to catch trouble spots and brainstorm ideas to make them better. And then we have critique partners who look at the entire manuscript.

Not every group is like ours. Ours is dedicated to encouraging writers and trying to make their works better, to make them publishable. So, what can we offer each other? What exactly do we look for?

1. Opening hooks. Did we start the story/novel/article at the right place? Or is there a spot 2 or 20 pages farther into the book where the story really starts?

2. Will the first chapter grab and keep a reader, or did we introduce so many characters at once, we drowned the reader and left him confused? Did we bury the book’s big question under backstory? Are we grounded in the story’s setting? Do we know what type of book it is in the first chapter, and what it’s about? Do we know what the protagonist’s problem is and how he might try to solve it?

3. Did we show, don’t tell? Did we use active verbs? Were we careful with word choice? Our group REALLY notices word choice. Did the ideas flow? Did the characters grab us? Do we CARE about them? Did the characters feel REAL? Did the dialogue feel real? Did all of the characters sound the same?

4. Did the tension build as the chapters flow and keep building all the way to the end, or did we go off on a tangent somewhere? Did the story sag? Did each scene move the story? Did each scene have tension? Did we use the right POV to tell the story or that particular scene? Did the characters stay true to themselves, or did the author try to force them to do something to move the story along?

5. And the biggie: Did the pages WORK? Did they have the right tone/mood/style for their genre? Did the tone stay consistent from one chapter to the next? Each genre implies a promise to its readers. A mystery has a crime that needs to be solved. A romance has boy meets girl and a happy ending. Did we deliver?

Our group is pretty eclectic. We write different things–YA, fantasy, Regency, espionage, mystery, urban fantasy, and literary. We even have a memoir writer and a nature writer, who specializes in articles on birding. We don’t always read each others’ genres, and we admit that, but we know what’s expected from them. So we focus on if they’re well-written, not if they’re something we’d read.

Do I value my group? That’s a big, resounding yes. Quite a few of the people who’ve moved away, though, tell me that they can’t find another group like ours, so I know that not every writers’ group is created equal. I value our group’s feedback. If you can’t find a good group, though, I recommend Victory Crayne’s advice on critiques. He gives a good, solid list of things to look at in writing.

http://www.crayne.com/howcrit.html

P.S.

I added a flash fiction story to my webpage. Not a “nice” story. It’s early times in River City.

There’s a reason the voodoo spirit Manette has downturned lips. http://www.judithpostswritingmusings.com/

Michael finished the cover for my third Wolf’s Bane novel. I love it! Sharon’s formatting it this week, so it will be up soon. In the meantime, here’s the cover for you to see:

New short story on my webpage

Just wanted to let you know I posted a new short story (more like a vignette) on my webpage. Not the usual. A little more gritty. Shocked my poor husband. (I love doing that:) If you’re interested, here’s the link: http://www.judithpostswritingmusings.com/

Writing

I’ve belonged to a writers’ group for years now. Before Scribes, I wrote as a hobby, but when I wanted to get better at it, I sought out other writers who listened to my short stories and gave me feedback. Most of us were beginners back then, but thankfully, we had a few members who knew what they were doing. They’re the writers who taught me to use active verbs instead of passive, to use specific word choice to bring scenes to life and create mood. They taught me the basics, and they encouraged me.

When I decided that I wanted to write a novel, I fumbled through several failed attempts before I finally bought how-to books and learned more about plotting and pacing, but it was my fellow writers who told me that repetition of any kind kills tension, and that tension is what drives a story. I tried lots of different ways to try to make middles move instead of sag, and they shared what worked for them until I cobbled things together to find what worked for me. And while they critiqued and encouraged, I did my best to return the favor. Eventually, in my opinion, we all turned into pretty decent writers, but now we face different challenges. For many of my friends, time has become more and more precious. We worked so hard to learn our craft, we never imagined that we’d learn it and then we wouldn’t have enough time to make it happen. The older we get, it seems, the busier we become. We thought when our kids were little, when we had to write between cooking and cleaning and running kids here and there, that life would slow down once the kids got older or once they moved out on their own. Not so.

Some of my friends’ husbands have retired, and their husbands demand more time, attention. They travel more. They DO more. Some have been promoted so that their jobs are more demanding. Some help care for grandkids. They volunteer and meet friends more often. They have more family obligations–aging parents, kids who come for suppers. The list can go on and on. I listen to new and old members of our writers’ group, and I realize that if you want to write, you have to MAKE the time to do it. No matter what age you are or what stage you’re at in life, you have to make writing a priority, or it won’t happen. At first, it bothered me when someone joined Scribes and showed lots of potential, and then their writing got lost in the shuffle. But now I know that’s a possibility. So is getting discouraged. I’ve watched writers finish books, send them out, and wither under all of the rejections. Or they sell, but don’t make enough money to keep them motivated. It’s no easy feat to keep a dream alive. Success often comes one step at a time, and people can falter before they reach their goals. But if they’re lured away by a new love, a new passion, who’s to say that’s bad? So whatever calls to you, good luck with it, and enjoy.

P.S. If you’re interested, I posted a quick, round table discussion between the characters of my Wolf’s Bane novels on my webpage. It’s VERY short. http://www.judithpostswritingmusings.com/round-table-discussion.html

Writing: to market, to market…

I’m feeling pretty happy with myself. I finished the rewrites for Magicks Uncaged, my third book in the Wolf’s Bane series. Now, I’m waiting to see the cover, and then I’ll wait for it to be formatted and put online. But MY part’s done. At least, on the writing scene. The next “to do” on my list is marketing–not my strongest skill. And the sooner I start, the better.

A long time ago, I did a post on marketing. I haven’t gotten more brilliant at it, but since I’m at that stage again, I thought I’d mention it. In my writers’ group, there’s a wide variety of approaches to promoting books. Some–the more serious, literary writers of our group–pen beautiful, wonderful fiction, try to find a market for it, and then do very little to promote it. I think they feel that it cheapens their talents to hawk their own products. But unless you have a publisher, famous friend, or agent who works his fanny off to sell you, you’d better come to terms with the fact that you need to do it yourself. Readers won’t know your work exists if you just put it out there and let it die. Even publishers expect authors to market their work these days. Some look at a writer’s blog, twitter followers, and social media before accepting his work. So…here are some thoughts.

In the group of authors I know, there are those who think they’ll only succeed if they market their work to find an agent and a publisher. If you’re looking for a big, New York publisher, you have to have an agent. None of the big publishers, except Harlequin, look at unsolicited submissions these days. Getting an agent is no easy task. Sometimes, you can get one because you know an author who’ll recommend you. Even then, you might get turned down. Agents are as subjective about what they like and don’t like as anyone else. They have specific things they’re looking for. Another way of finding an agent is to join twitter and participate in some “pitch” sessions. (Use the hashtag “pitchwars” or “nestpitch” and follow the leads). If you don’t want to go that route, go to a bookstore and look at the acknowledgements in books similar to yours to see if their agent is listed. Then look the agent up online. OR type “agent” in the search engine of your computer and follow the leads. And do your homework. Find out what clients the agent has and how well he’s sold them. Even with an agent, you might not be able to tempt a big publisher. That’s why some of my friends have turned to smaller publishers. And they’re happy with them. You don’t have to have an agent to submit to most small presses. And if none of those appeal to you, you can self-publish through smashwords or Amazon, etc. If you go the self-publishing route, though, you’re in charge of EVERYTHING. You need to write the best book you can write, make sure it’s clean of any errors, find a topnotch cover, format it, load it, and promote it. And remember. A book cover is usually the first thing a reader notices. It gives a “feel” of what the book’s about, but you don’t have to pay a fortune to get a good one.

No matter what you do, you need to be willing to promote yourself. You need a webpage, a blog (on your webpage or separate), and you should be on twitter and facebook. I have a friends’ facebook page separate from my author’s facebook page. And there are theories about the best way to use all of them. I’ve found #MondayBlogs useful on twitter, but there are more writer twitter hashtags. Paula Reed Nancarrow (whose blog I love for many different reasons) did a survey on twitter and blogging and wrote a few posts on the results. Here’s one of them: http://paulareednancarrow.com/2015/03/23/twitter-bloggers-and-communities-of-practice/

Another blog I always recommend for marketing is Lindsay Buroker’s. Most of us won’t have the success she has (she knew marketing and blogs before she started writing), but she’s happy to share what works for her and what doesn’t. http://www.lindsayburoker.com/amazon-kindle-sales/my-self-publishing-thoughts-after-50000-ebook-sales/ I’ve learned a lot from her blogs. Here’s another one of hers I found useful:

https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/4318779-how-do-you-establish-a-fan-base-before-you-launch-your-book.

Can’t think of anything to blog about? Try Molly Greene’s link: http://www.molly-greene.com/101-blog-topic-ideas/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=evergreen_post_tweeter&utm_campaign=website But remember. When you blog, you’re trying to build an “author platform,” to “brand” yourself. Another blogger I recommend for marketing is Rachel Thompson: http://badredheadmedia.com/2013/12/06/branding-101-authors/. A second, good post on branding by her: http://www.bookpromotion.com/brand-author-book/. She’s worth following.

Just to give you a checklist, these are good for marketing: twitter, facebook, a blog, and a webpage. Most experts suggest blogging at least once a week. Some authors use blog tours to promote their books before they come out. I’ve never done that, but I know authors who’ve had success with it and some who haven’t. If any of you have tried it, I’d be curious if you liked it. I can tell you that I’ve been happy with some of the paid advertisements I’ve used to promote my books and novella bundles. I can recommend kboards and Ereader News Today. They’ve worked for me anyway. And many of them aren’t that expensive. Most have a variety of packages. Anyway, I’ve run on enough for one post. Good luck with whatever you’re working on!

twitter: @judypost

webpage: http://www.judithpostswritingmusings.com/

author’s facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JudithPostsurbanfantasy

just an update

I’m halfway through the rewrites of Magicks Uncaged, my third Wolf’s Bane novel. I hope to have them finished by this weekend. Michael Prete is working on a cover, and then I can send everything to my literary agency. Hopefully, the book will be online soon, so I thought I’d put the first chapter on my webpage. It’s available in the left-hand column under Magicks Uncaged.

http://www.judithpostswritingmusings.com/

Who’d Want to be Methuselah?

Last week, I got the final comments back for my 3rd Wolf’s Bane novel. I’ve made it to the middle of the romance I’ve been working on, but I’m going to take a break now, staple my fanny to my desk chair, (ouch!), and plunge into rewrites. None of the critiques were major. All of them were good, and all of them do-able, so if I work at the manuscript for a week, I’m hoping to have it done. I’m still struggling with a title. I called the book Magicks Unleashed while I worked on it because that fits the story, but there are so many urban fantasies with “Magic” in the titles that I’d like to think of something else.

I combine a lot of different supernaturals in the Wolf’s Bane books. My female protagonist is a witch who falls for a gargoyle, one of the guardians of Bay City. The gargoyles work with a pack of werewolves to protect people from supernatural rogues. In this novel, the characters feel their ages and pasts more than usual. Wedge, the alpha of the werewolf pack, grew up in Oregon, where his father was the alpha of that pack. He’s lived a long time. Not as long as Damian, the gargoyle, who was carved from alabaster and sat atop a church in Europe for ages until the city breathed life into him. Their enemy, Morpheus, was driven away by gargoyles when he practiced the black arts in Europe. Often, the longevity of their lives weighs on them. And long lives can bring lots of baggage. The two young vampires they rescue have been kept caged and mistreated since they were infants.

Writing their stories made me think about mortality, and it didn’t seem so bad. My husband was ready to retire at sixty-five. But what if you were like Methuselah and lived to be 969? Who’d want that? Okay, the alternative is dying. That’s pretty much of a downer, but things are supposed to look up after that, right? A change of scenery is good? What would it be like to be a witch, like Reece or Hecate, and live one lifetime after another?

I found one of my favorite quotes on Jonathan Cainer’s horoscope site. It’s from a top business expert, Stephen Covey. “We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.” My mind can’t wrap itself around immortality, but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t want it here on Earth, as it is now, century after century, even if I didn’t age. I think I’d get tired, emotionally weary. But supernaturals persevere. And good ones, like my protagonists, find meaning in life by protecting mortals who are too weak to protect themselves. If nothing else, that makes for great stories:)

http://www.judithpostswritingmusings.com/

Writing: Kids in Stories

I’m making BLOOD LUST, my third Fallen Angels novel, free on Amazon on April 16, 17, 18, & 19th. It’s the first time Enoch has to interact seriously with kids. He usually avoids them.

I like stories that include kids and their interactions with adults. I’m not talking YA or children’s books, where the kid is the main character. I’m talking mysteries, urban fantasies, and romances where a kid’s one of the cast of characters. Kids put what adults say and do in a different perspective. A kid can make a scene more poignant or more humorous. Kids cut to the chase. They can smell B.S. And they can be hurt, let down. They can internalize sins that aren’t theirs. Of course, adults can, too, but for me, it hits harder when a kid’s involved. In one of her books, and I wish I could remember which one, Martha Grimes showed a crime through a young girl’s eyes, but the girl didn’t realize what she saw. The scenes with that little girl had such emotional impact, the feeling has stayed with me for years. I felt her confusion and fear, her sense that her dog loved her more than her caretakers. I can’t remember the particulars, but I remember that I worried for her.

I get aggravated when an author sticks a kid in a plot just to “use” him or her, as a gimmick, to crank up tension. But gimmicks, in general, annoy me. I like kids, though, so I wanted them to be a key element for Voronika in my Fallen Angels series. She was pregnant when a vampire turned her, and she lost the baby. Vampires can’t reproduce, so she’ll never have a child. Enoch is fine with that. He’s an angel sent to Earth to control rogue vampires, and he ends up mating with one. He tries not to get too attached to mortals, because they’re temporary, and he ends up taking in two young girls whom he rescued. He doesn’t want to keep them. Voronika does. The kids nudge him out of his comfort zone. They demand more than he wants to give. They’re a responsibility he takes seriously, even though their parents abandoned them. It was fun watching him make concessions for them.

On my webpage, I put a short snippet from Blood Lust.

http://www.judithpostswritingmusings.com/index.html

The Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Lust-Fallen-Angels-Book-ebook/dp/B00QSBNY1C/ref=sr_1_6?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1429110777&sr=1-6&keywords=judith+post

Writing: A Crap Shoot

One of my good writing friends, Kathy Palm, wrote a wonderful blog post recently. She signed up to judge pitches and the first 300 words of manuscripts. She’s a slushie. And she makes the point that writing is subjective. I’ve judged writing competitions before, and I can tell you, you learn a LOT from doing that. What, for you, makes a story good? What doesn’t work? Because sometimes, most times, if the writing’s clean and good, it comes down to personal taste. That’s why marketing is so important. Pick the right places to send your stuff. Kathy put it eloquently. I highly recommend her post. Hell, I highly recommend her blog:) https://findingfaeries.wordpress.com/2015/04/06/nestpitching-oh-the-words/

A long time ago, I heard Mary Higgins Clark at a mystery conference, and she said the same thing. Back then, I was writing mystery short stories to send to magazines and anthologies. That was a learning curve, too. What one editor criticized in a rejection letter, another editor might praise, and what one editor rejected, another might buy. Mary Higgins Clark told us that before she became famous, she’d send her stories to 20 editors at a time, and often what 19 editors rejected, the 20th might buy. That’s the thing about writing. Perfecting your craft is just the beginning. It’s easy to reject a writer who tells more than he shows, who uses passive voice more than active verbs, or doesn’t know grammar and sprinkles commas here and there like confetti. But those writers aren’t your competition. YOUR competition is other writers who write well. So why would someone–even a reader–choose your manuscript over other manuscripts that are done well? Now, you’re getting into personal taste. Most editors–and I think readers, too–are looking for something that’s similar to what they already read, but different. Different in a way that surprises and excites them, that keeps them turning the pages. It can be voice. An author’s voice is a compelling tool. It can be a twist on the same-old, same-old–adding dry humor to something that’s usually treated seriously. Anything that makes your writing individual. But the bottom line is–what one person loves might leave another person cold.

All you can control is trying to write a really good story. If you get everything right–a great opening hook, an awesome set-up, compelling characters, great plot, perfect pacing, voice, tone…the works, you could still be rejected. But what I’m trying to tell you is not to take it personally. There’s some fan out there who doesn’t like Stephen King. (Pretend you didn’t see that, Kathy). And as much as I love Ilona Andrews, Faith Hunter, and Patricia Briggs, some of my friends tell me that I don’t need to lend them the new books I’ve bought of theirs. Okay, let’s be honest, most of my friends don’t even want to read MY books. They’re not into urban fantasy. Some of them aren’t into romance either. Does that hurt my feelings? Um, no. Because do I like what they read? Hardly.

So, grow a thick skin. Pretend you’re an elephant or rhinoceros. When a dart of criticism hits you, let it bounce off. But do your best. Because only your best will make you competitive with the others who know their stuff. And then cross your fingers, light incense, and hope the planets are aligned for your sign of the zodiac. Because the rest is a crap shoot.

My webpage: http://www.judithpostswritingmusings.com/

my author facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JudithPostsurbanfantasy

twitter: @judypost

Who Wins–me or my characters?

Most of life is a compromise, at least, for me. I’m a Libra. Sign of the scale. Always searching for a middle ground, a sense of balance. It’s no different with my writing. Did I mention I have a thing about security, too? Okay, that adds to the mix. That means that when I start a book, I need to feel like I can rev my engines at Point A, write for seven chapters and get a flat tire (or some other plot twist) in chapter 8, fix it and hit the road again, only to end up in a garage at the middle of the book. The middle means another fix, so that I can skid into the last breakdown three-fourths of my way to the finish. This time, the mechanic tells me that his fix either solves my problems or not. The last fourth of the book, bless it, pretty much knows where it’s been and how many miles it has to go. It knows, too, that it will probably end up in a mad derby with lots of crashes at the big, final battle, but it can limp home. Knowing those key plot points gives me courage. Writing 28 plot points, like I did for the new book I just started, gives me security.

My plot points are just dots on a map that my characters have to reach. I give them sketchy directions and wish them the best. That’s where the give-and-take comes in. I have ideas on how my characters will get to each spot. I can see Brody helping his brother convert a wing of his lodge into four guest suites. I can see Harmony staying at the lodge to finish her book and meet her deadline. I know they’ll bump into each other and sparks will fly. But did I know that Brody would trudge through the snow to rescue a duck? Nope, didn’t have a clue, not until he told me that he and Ian had to take care of the family dog when they were growing up, and they loved that dog. He can’t stand by and let an animal suffer if he can help it. I didn’t see that scene coming. Do I care? No, because Brody got to Point F on his map. He just didn’t do it the way I expected. But it caused the result I was looking for–Harmony looks at Brody in a new way. If, however, Brody decided to take a side trip and skip Point F altogether and change the direction of the story, then Brody and I would have to have words. And I’m not afraid of him. If he doesn’t go to Point F, my new minor character–an ambulance driver–will take him there.

I know I’ve talked about plotting more than usual lately. It’s because that’s what I’ve been working on, but I’m finally past it. Hopefully, my mind will be on something different for my next post. Suggestions are welcome.

I have friends whose stories are character driven, and I admire their work. They create their characters and plot a Goal, Motivation, and Conflict, then give their characters free will. It works for them. It wouldn’t work for me. I don’t trust my characters that much. Hell, I don’t trust myself that much. It would feel like I was driving cross-country, blindfolded, just meandering from one place to another. My friends don’t have that problem. Their inner compass guides them, but I can get lost in a big hotel. When my husband and I feel adventurous and take off for rides, he drives and always knows if we’re going north, heading east, or taking a diagonal. I never know where the heck I am. I have no sense of direction, so I need a road map. And some security. I don’t always need 28 plot points, but I sure don’t mind having them. I’ll have less chance of getting lost.

Oh, and BTW, have a wonderful holiday, whether you celebrate Passover or Easter or a blissful day to relax.

http://www.judithpostswritingmusings.com/

Plot points: can you brainstorm?

Today, I finished 28 plot points for my new novel. One, hopefully, for each chapter. I don’t always write that many, but I didn’t want the novel to have “soft” spots, so I wanted to see where the twists fell and how the tension built. I might change things as I go, but at least I have sign posts to guide the way. So hip, hip, and time to hit the keys! I had an awesome thing happen to me while I plotted, though. A close friend and fellow writer started e-mailing me questions about my new characters. What brings them together? she asked. What pushes them apart? How does one’s divorce affect him? How does it affect his relationships with women? I had character wheels for anyone important in my story, but her questions prodded me to think of my characters in a new way, in a different light.

Her questions made me think of the dynamics of the story–the interactions and their aftermaths. She plots in an interesting way. She draws circles for each of her main characters and has them arc over one another, so that the area that Circle A and Circle B share are where those two characters interact and how. And that reminded me of a writers’ group in town that used to meet to brainstorm their story ideas and plots. My writers’ group rarely does that. We all tend to struggle with our characters and their journeys on our own, then we write pages and share them. But when we do that, and we have what we think we need to start a book, or when we’re stymied and unsure, I wonder if it would help to brainstorm with each other BEFORE we put too many words on paper. I can’t decide if that would help me or confuse me. Would it send me off in the wrong direction for me? Have any of you out there tried it? Did it work for you? Just curious:)