Jade Varden's Blog, page 15
May 4, 2015
To Live Deliberately
If I told you I was leaving everything behind to go live alone in the woods, you might think I have gone insane. And maybe Henry David Thoreau's family and friends thought he was crazy, too, when he went off to the woods. He told the world that he did it so he could live deliberately. ...What do you think that means?
The Mad Writer
Henry David Thoreau decided to step outside the real world, the everyday world that the rest of us are forced to contend with, so he could go live in the woods. But he didn't just live in the woods, he wrote a book about it. And when "Walden Pond" was published, the world understood. Henry David Thoreau wasn't crazy when he went into the woods. He was doing research.
He had a very deliberate plan for his book. Before he would write it, he would live it. This is just what Thoreau did when he took off to go live at Walden Pond. His plan looked crazy, sure. It didn't sound like something that would work. Really, who just goes to live in the woods?
Thoreau did, and his weird plan worked. People still talk about "Walden Pond," and the process of writing it fascinates me to this day. He chose to live deliberately, but he did it by creating a deliberate writing plan.
You may not want to go into the woods, and I don’t blame you, but we can follow his example. Come up with a deliberate writing plan. Write with purpose. Find your inspiration, do your research and write...deliberately.
The Mad Writer
Henry David Thoreau decided to step outside the real world, the everyday world that the rest of us are forced to contend with, so he could go live in the woods. But he didn't just live in the woods, he wrote a book about it. And when "Walden Pond" was published, the world understood. Henry David Thoreau wasn't crazy when he went into the woods. He was doing research.
He had a very deliberate plan for his book. Before he would write it, he would live it. This is just what Thoreau did when he took off to go live at Walden Pond. His plan looked crazy, sure. It didn't sound like something that would work. Really, who just goes to live in the woods?
Thoreau did, and his weird plan worked. People still talk about "Walden Pond," and the process of writing it fascinates me to this day. He chose to live deliberately, but he did it by creating a deliberate writing plan.
You may not want to go into the woods, and I don’t blame you, but we can follow his example. Come up with a deliberate writing plan. Write with purpose. Find your inspiration, do your research and write...deliberately.
April 30, 2015
Writing 101 Redux: Paragraph Indents
Do you use the tab button when you're writing a book? After you read today's TBT Writing 101 post, you won't do that anymore.
In today's Throwback Thursday writing tip, I'm going to explain why the tab space is the Devil's own invention.
In today's Throwback Thursday writing tip, I'm going to explain why the tab space is the Devil's own invention.
April 29, 2015
Writing 101: Fear of Commitment
It isn’t easy to devote yourself to one story, just one story, when there are so many stories that want to be told. On Monday, you may get an amazing idea for a story that’s been brewing in your mind for a while. But on Thursday, you may figure out the answer to some nagging plot question on that novel you’ve been working on since January. When you find yourself writing a bunch of different projects at the same time and finishing none of them, you need to ask yourself a question: do you have a fear of commitment?
Sticking it Out
I’ve worked on three different books in as many months, and when I look back at my progress for each one I’m always surprised by how little there is. I work on one story, start thinking about another and switch to it. It’s a good way to get all my ideas down when I’m having them. It’s a terrible way to write a book. Sometimes, authors need to commit to just one project. Otherwise, you might not get any of them finished.
Which is exactly the boat I’m in, right now. By being unable to focus on just one story at a time, I’ve been working on too many at once. That’s a slow way to go about self-publishing, and I can personally tell you I don’t recommended it. Sometimes, it’s hard to commit to writing just one book. Your mind might be filled with more than one story. But almost all the time, focusing on one story is the only way to write something great.
So commit already. It’s okay to devote yourself entirely to one book, and sometimes that’s what you have to do. Make a decision and stick to it until the end. It’s very easy to get distracted. Write down notes and thoughts as they occur to you, but then get back to your main project. Stay committed until the book is finished, because this is how you’re going to get it done and published.
Sticking it Out
I’ve worked on three different books in as many months, and when I look back at my progress for each one I’m always surprised by how little there is. I work on one story, start thinking about another and switch to it. It’s a good way to get all my ideas down when I’m having them. It’s a terrible way to write a book. Sometimes, authors need to commit to just one project. Otherwise, you might not get any of them finished.
Which is exactly the boat I’m in, right now. By being unable to focus on just one story at a time, I’ve been working on too many at once. That’s a slow way to go about self-publishing, and I can personally tell you I don’t recommended it. Sometimes, it’s hard to commit to writing just one book. Your mind might be filled with more than one story. But almost all the time, focusing on one story is the only way to write something great.
So commit already. It’s okay to devote yourself entirely to one book, and sometimes that’s what you have to do. Make a decision and stick to it until the end. It’s very easy to get distracted. Write down notes and thoughts as they occur to you, but then get back to your main project. Stay committed until the book is finished, because this is how you’re going to get it done and published.
April 28, 2015
Writing 101: Are You A Modern-Day Playwright?
Different writers have different writing strengths. That’s the nature of the business. Sometimes, writing a novel may not be the best way to showcase your writing strengths. Maybe you are a modern-day playwright.
Screenwriting
Not all writers are strong narratively. It's tedious, and never easy, to describe actions and settings in a way that other people will enjoy. But you may still have stories to tell. Maybe you aren't meant to write novels. Maybe you're a screenwriter.
When your writing strengths lie in dialogue and you excel at interaction, playwriting may be your best option. The days of Shakespeare are over, but modern-day playwrights continue to churn out stories for the screen.
Scripts are mostly dialogue, which makes them perfect for writers whose strength lies here. For each scene of the script, you add some information about setting and offer brief descriptions of the characters. This kind of writing is perfect for some writers. If you’re one of them, try your own hand at writing a script/play.
It’s surprisingly easy to find and download entire scripts online. Look for a movie script, a TV show or even a Broadway play. The scripts that are available to download will be a few years old, but the screenwriting format is always the same. If you can find the script of a show or a movie that you’ve actually seen, that’s even better. This will give you a sense of how the words are turned into a visual medium.
The world needs scripts, and modern-day playwrights are always in demand. Storytelling isn’t confined just to novels, and writers should always look for ways to play to their own strengths. If you struggle with writing traditional novels, maybe all you really need is a new way to write a story. Maybe you’re really a Shakespeare, just looking for a way to fit into this modern writing world.
Screenwriting
Not all writers are strong narratively. It's tedious, and never easy, to describe actions and settings in a way that other people will enjoy. But you may still have stories to tell. Maybe you aren't meant to write novels. Maybe you're a screenwriter.
When your writing strengths lie in dialogue and you excel at interaction, playwriting may be your best option. The days of Shakespeare are over, but modern-day playwrights continue to churn out stories for the screen.
Scripts are mostly dialogue, which makes them perfect for writers whose strength lies here. For each scene of the script, you add some information about setting and offer brief descriptions of the characters. This kind of writing is perfect for some writers. If you’re one of them, try your own hand at writing a script/play.
It’s surprisingly easy to find and download entire scripts online. Look for a movie script, a TV show or even a Broadway play. The scripts that are available to download will be a few years old, but the screenwriting format is always the same. If you can find the script of a show or a movie that you’ve actually seen, that’s even better. This will give you a sense of how the words are turned into a visual medium.
The world needs scripts, and modern-day playwrights are always in demand. Storytelling isn’t confined just to novels, and writers should always look for ways to play to their own strengths. If you struggle with writing traditional novels, maybe all you really need is a new way to write a story. Maybe you’re really a Shakespeare, just looking for a way to fit into this modern writing world.
April 27, 2015
Maybe Sylvia Plath Was Onto Something....
If I told you that I'm about to write a book about a suicidal girl with writer’s block who obsesses about the execution of strangers, you might decide right away that you aren't going to read that book because it sounds depressing. Well, the fact is that this is already a book,and you are absolutely right. It's one of the most depressing books ever written, and everyone knows it. Sylvia Plath was depressed and suicidal, and she wrote the book about it.
When it Shouldn't Work
Seriously, "The Bell Jar" is $&@!ing dark. At one point in the story, the main character goes around asking people how they would kill themselves. The book is so linked with depression, "bell jar" has becomes synonym for being depressed. And from a publishing standpoint, that really doesn't sound like a story that should work. But it did. Sylvia Plath's book is a big bestseller that's still read today. I own two copies of the damn thing, in fact. And I know exactly why this totally depressing book worked so well.
Sylvia Plath committed suicide. Shortly after writing her famous book, she stuck her head in the oven. I'm not telling you that to make you feel sad. I'm telling you that to illustrate a point. Depression and suicide were Sylvia's truth. She quite obviously was truly feeling those things, and she wrote them down.
That is why "The Bell Jar" worked: because she wrote her truth. It wasn't pretty. It wasn't nice. And on the surface, it wasn't even a particularly good or even a particularly original story. She graduated from college and found herself at loose ends, questioning her future and her goals. Pretty much everyone has felt something like that.
No, she didn't write about something new. She didn't write about something that no one else knows about. She didn't make up some complicated plot with a ton of twists, like some other writers you may know (hmm...). She just wrote her own truth. There's a whole section in the book about writer's block, and it's good. There are scenes where she's just sitting and looking out the window and feeling sad. I’ve done that, too. So have you.
It's true. That's why it works. Books don't have to be nice. They don't have to be pretty. They don't babe to be complex and they don't have to be full of dragons. If you write about something that's true, you're going to strike a chord. Put true emotions and thoughts into your book. Draw from your own experiences and your own story, even if it isn't thrilling. Write from a place of truth, even if it isn't pretty, and the world will be much more likely to respond to your words.
Sylvia Plath did not live long enough to see her book become the much-loved classic that it is today. Her words didn't save her, in the end. But she did leave them behind for all the rest of us. Put yourself on that page, warts and all. Put down your truth. Words that come from you should reflect who you are. Do that, and readers will notice. They know when they're reading something that's genuine. So be genuine, even when you're in genuine pain.
When it Shouldn't Work
Seriously, "The Bell Jar" is $&@!ing dark. At one point in the story, the main character goes around asking people how they would kill themselves. The book is so linked with depression, "bell jar" has becomes synonym for being depressed. And from a publishing standpoint, that really doesn't sound like a story that should work. But it did. Sylvia Plath's book is a big bestseller that's still read today. I own two copies of the damn thing, in fact. And I know exactly why this totally depressing book worked so well.
Sylvia Plath committed suicide. Shortly after writing her famous book, she stuck her head in the oven. I'm not telling you that to make you feel sad. I'm telling you that to illustrate a point. Depression and suicide were Sylvia's truth. She quite obviously was truly feeling those things, and she wrote them down.
That is why "The Bell Jar" worked: because she wrote her truth. It wasn't pretty. It wasn't nice. And on the surface, it wasn't even a particularly good or even a particularly original story. She graduated from college and found herself at loose ends, questioning her future and her goals. Pretty much everyone has felt something like that.
No, she didn't write about something new. She didn't write about something that no one else knows about. She didn't make up some complicated plot with a ton of twists, like some other writers you may know (hmm...). She just wrote her own truth. There's a whole section in the book about writer's block, and it's good. There are scenes where she's just sitting and looking out the window and feeling sad. I’ve done that, too. So have you.
It's true. That's why it works. Books don't have to be nice. They don't have to be pretty. They don't babe to be complex and they don't have to be full of dragons. If you write about something that's true, you're going to strike a chord. Put true emotions and thoughts into your book. Draw from your own experiences and your own story, even if it isn't thrilling. Write from a place of truth, even if it isn't pretty, and the world will be much more likely to respond to your words.
Sylvia Plath did not live long enough to see her book become the much-loved classic that it is today. Her words didn't save her, in the end. But she did leave them behind for all the rest of us. Put yourself on that page, warts and all. Put down your truth. Words that come from you should reflect who you are. Do that, and readers will notice. They know when they're reading something that's genuine. So be genuine, even when you're in genuine pain.
April 23, 2015
Writing 101 Redux: POV
In life, point of view can change everything. It's the same way for books. The point of view you choose for your story will pretty much determine everything about how that story is told. That's pretty serious stuff. So before you commit to a POV, explore all your options with this vintage Writing 101 post that lays it all out pretty clearly.
When you're done with this post about POV, feel free to read it from the bottom up. After all, changing your point of view can make all the difference.
When you're done with this post about POV, feel free to read it from the bottom up. After all, changing your point of view can make all the difference.
April 22, 2015
Writing 101: 5 Movies All Writers Should Watch
Yes, I am aware that the title sounds weird. Writing and movies, as any novel reader will tell you, rarely go well together. Adaptations have a way of disappointing all readers. But these 5 films aren't necessarily adaptations. They're movies about writers and writing, and they actually get it pretty right. Watch these films, and learn several valuable lessons about being a writer.
Jade's Top 5
Writers write a lot about writing. Heck, even I do it. I have actually advised against using this as a story element. In almost all cases, stories about writers are boring. You and I both know there is nothing exciting about writing. You're just sitting there typing. Sometimes, I might get up to pace around a very small area like a mad tiger, but this is really more maddening than fascinating. But in these 5 films, writing is something that's worth watching.
Finding Forrester: Sean Connery as reclusive, bestselling novelist living in the inner city? I'm there. This is the story of two great writers. One is at the end of his career, while the other is at the beginning. Connery, the famous author, only wrote one book (how Margaret Mitchell of him) because everyone else kept telling him what his book meant. You can relate, right? Watch the film. Misery: This movie is practically a how-to manual for writers. It illustrates several important lessons. First, back up your work. That's important. Second, don't broadcast the intimate details of your routine and your writing process. Keep some mystery. And thirdly, and this inmost important, don't $&!# with Kathy Bates. Stranger Than Fiction: The plot of a writer’s book coming to life is certainly nothing new, but it’s never been done like this before. Will Ferrell is amazingly charming as the hapless tragic hero who will soon be killed by the worst of all weapons: the pen. Emma Thompson is amazing as an eccentric writer struggling through writer’s block. Anyone who’s been driven half-crazy by a book can relate to this film. Young Adult: Charlize Theron is a writer who has spent way too much time in her fantasy world. She has interesting methods of finding inspiration, and she finds a way to work through her real problems the best way a writer can: by writing it out. This is really a great movie about writing, and how it can start to control you. To really succeed, you have to be in control of it. Almost Famous: A 14-year-old boy lands a gig writing an important piece for"Rolling Stone." Sounds like BS, until you discover that this story is actually based on the real experiences of writer Cameron Crowe. It's a story about finding your voice as a writer, and that's something all writers have to do.
It's easy for writers to become isolated. Sometimes, it's good to remind yourself that you aren't alone. There are lots of other writers out there, and they struggle with the same story issues as you. These 5 films do a good job of reminding you of that, and reminding you that it possible to get the darned book finished anyway. So take a break, watch a movie, and then get back to writing.
Jade's Top 5
Writers write a lot about writing. Heck, even I do it. I have actually advised against using this as a story element. In almost all cases, stories about writers are boring. You and I both know there is nothing exciting about writing. You're just sitting there typing. Sometimes, I might get up to pace around a very small area like a mad tiger, but this is really more maddening than fascinating. But in these 5 films, writing is something that's worth watching.
Finding Forrester: Sean Connery as reclusive, bestselling novelist living in the inner city? I'm there. This is the story of two great writers. One is at the end of his career, while the other is at the beginning. Connery, the famous author, only wrote one book (how Margaret Mitchell of him) because everyone else kept telling him what his book meant. You can relate, right? Watch the film. Misery: This movie is practically a how-to manual for writers. It illustrates several important lessons. First, back up your work. That's important. Second, don't broadcast the intimate details of your routine and your writing process. Keep some mystery. And thirdly, and this inmost important, don't $&!# with Kathy Bates. Stranger Than Fiction: The plot of a writer’s book coming to life is certainly nothing new, but it’s never been done like this before. Will Ferrell is amazingly charming as the hapless tragic hero who will soon be killed by the worst of all weapons: the pen. Emma Thompson is amazing as an eccentric writer struggling through writer’s block. Anyone who’s been driven half-crazy by a book can relate to this film. Young Adult: Charlize Theron is a writer who has spent way too much time in her fantasy world. She has interesting methods of finding inspiration, and she finds a way to work through her real problems the best way a writer can: by writing it out. This is really a great movie about writing, and how it can start to control you. To really succeed, you have to be in control of it. Almost Famous: A 14-year-old boy lands a gig writing an important piece for"Rolling Stone." Sounds like BS, until you discover that this story is actually based on the real experiences of writer Cameron Crowe. It's a story about finding your voice as a writer, and that's something all writers have to do.
It's easy for writers to become isolated. Sometimes, it's good to remind yourself that you aren't alone. There are lots of other writers out there, and they struggle with the same story issues as you. These 5 films do a good job of reminding you of that, and reminding you that it possible to get the darned book finished anyway. So take a break, watch a movie, and then get back to writing.
April 21, 2015
Writing 101: Depression
Doctors sometimes lose patients in the operating room, and it's hard on them. Counselors absorb other people’s problems, and listen to terrible tales of trauma. Actors tap into their deepest emotions and recall their most painful memories, all for the sake of the performance. Writing is one of those jobs that can get you down sometimes, like these others. It's important to keep the business of writing in perspective. This is how you will avoid depression.
No, I Reject You
If I saved every single rejection letter I've ever received, I would probably have to move from my home to save space for the storage. I've been fired from more writing jobs than most people have ever had. And I've received some comments from real readers that made me want to set something on fire. Like maybe my laptop.
Writing can be a bit depressing like this.
You pour your heart out to a blank page. You put yourself on it, embed your personality deeply into every word. You polish it and perfect it. You clean it up and market pretty. You read it to yourself, and you picture all the moments that you put into your writing. You create something out of nothing, like a real artist. And then, someone comes along and they stomp all over it. Welcome to writing.
So, are you depressed yet?
As a writer, your success and failure is determined by how other people receive your work. This is stressful. It is very easy to become saddened by rejection or negative reviews. You may, from time to time, feel depressed. And as a writer, there's a good way for you to deal with that: write about it.
If you're struggling with your career, you're in a unique position to be qualified to write about a character who is struggling career-wise. Does something sad happen to a character of yours? You have firsthand knowledge of writing about sadness. Use your feelings to channel them into your writing. Don't let depression because of writing sink you.
Because it can. Self-doubt, second-guessing and sadness happen. But you don't want it to happen too often. Pick yourself up, and try to find a way to turn those feelings into good writing. If you feel too sad too often, you may need to take a few extra steps.
No, I Reject You
If I saved every single rejection letter I've ever received, I would probably have to move from my home to save space for the storage. I've been fired from more writing jobs than most people have ever had. And I've received some comments from real readers that made me want to set something on fire. Like maybe my laptop.
Writing can be a bit depressing like this.
You pour your heart out to a blank page. You put yourself on it, embed your personality deeply into every word. You polish it and perfect it. You clean it up and market pretty. You read it to yourself, and you picture all the moments that you put into your writing. You create something out of nothing, like a real artist. And then, someone comes along and they stomp all over it. Welcome to writing.
So, are you depressed yet?
As a writer, your success and failure is determined by how other people receive your work. This is stressful. It is very easy to become saddened by rejection or negative reviews. You may, from time to time, feel depressed. And as a writer, there's a good way for you to deal with that: write about it.
If you're struggling with your career, you're in a unique position to be qualified to write about a character who is struggling career-wise. Does something sad happen to a character of yours? You have firsthand knowledge of writing about sadness. Use your feelings to channel them into your writing. Don't let depression because of writing sink you.
Because it can. Self-doubt, second-guessing and sadness happen. But you don't want it to happen too often. Pick yourself up, and try to find a way to turn those feelings into good writing. If you feel too sad too often, you may need to take a few extra steps.
April 20, 2015
Am I Turning into Emily Dickinson?
In my neverending game of which writer am I comparing myself to now, I’ve realized that I may be turning into Emily Dickinson -- without the poetry and the super creepy death imagery, I hope. Not to say that any writer wouldn’t want to be like Emily Dickinson. But for the record, she did die unpublished and lived most of her life in her room. And maybe I’m becoming like her.
There are worse fates.
They Called Me to the Window, For
Emily Dickinson sat in her room, looked out her window, and wrote poems about the house across the street. She penned poetry on a few other topics, as well, and never shied away from frankly looking at death. I think that on the surface, anyone would be a little bit leery of the young woman who never comes out of her bedroom and writes poetry about death. Because it’s weird, or at least it’s not quite the average. Emily Dickinson was what’s known as a recluse. She shut herself away and isolated herself from the rest of the world. The only reason that it’s not considered to be totally insane is because Emily Dickinson was a brilliant poet. We’ve been trained to accept that genius and insanity belong together.
But I’m learning that being insane does not also make you a genius. In most all cases, it just makes you insane. And sometimes, I question my own sanity. After all...I am a writer.
Word Crazy
It's tempting to lose ourselves in words. To write madly, ceaselessly, to stay inside that world that lives on the page. It's thrilling to think about that world, to work out plot and figure out twists. To examine characters and picture the pretty setting. It's not always easy to be in the regular world. Emily Dickinson hid from it, and sometimes I don't like it, either.
Some reviews are ugly. Some rejection letters are really cold. Sometimes you get overwhelmed with other responsibilities, and you can't find the time to write. That's when you might start thinking about shutting out the world, putting your head down, and living with only the words.
And here's what I say about that: it's okay. All writers have a little Emily Dickinson in them, I think. We all have the ability to shut out the world and get lost with those words. Sometimes, that's exactly what you should do to get yourself back on track and back in the right mindset. But you can't spend too much time looking at the house across the street.
Because seriously, Emily Dickinson really was a little bit crazy. It is not healthy to stay in the same room, day in and day out. Even in her own way, Emily found a way to connect with the world that so frightened her. She kept up a rich life through correspondence. Every writer has to find their own ways to stay connected with the world, and hopefully you'll do it in an even healthier way than Emily Dickinson.
Get lost in the words, sometimes. Be like Emily, sometimes. Shut out the world, sometimes, and focus on your words. But then you throw open the doors and windows, and you take a good look around again. It's okay to be a little like Emily Dickinson. To get a little dark if that’s where you need to go. Just remember to let the light back in sometimes, too.
There are worse fates.
They Called Me to the Window, For
Emily Dickinson sat in her room, looked out her window, and wrote poems about the house across the street. She penned poetry on a few other topics, as well, and never shied away from frankly looking at death. I think that on the surface, anyone would be a little bit leery of the young woman who never comes out of her bedroom and writes poetry about death. Because it’s weird, or at least it’s not quite the average. Emily Dickinson was what’s known as a recluse. She shut herself away and isolated herself from the rest of the world. The only reason that it’s not considered to be totally insane is because Emily Dickinson was a brilliant poet. We’ve been trained to accept that genius and insanity belong together.
But I’m learning that being insane does not also make you a genius. In most all cases, it just makes you insane. And sometimes, I question my own sanity. After all...I am a writer.
Word Crazy
It's tempting to lose ourselves in words. To write madly, ceaselessly, to stay inside that world that lives on the page. It's thrilling to think about that world, to work out plot and figure out twists. To examine characters and picture the pretty setting. It's not always easy to be in the regular world. Emily Dickinson hid from it, and sometimes I don't like it, either.
Some reviews are ugly. Some rejection letters are really cold. Sometimes you get overwhelmed with other responsibilities, and you can't find the time to write. That's when you might start thinking about shutting out the world, putting your head down, and living with only the words.
And here's what I say about that: it's okay. All writers have a little Emily Dickinson in them, I think. We all have the ability to shut out the world and get lost with those words. Sometimes, that's exactly what you should do to get yourself back on track and back in the right mindset. But you can't spend too much time looking at the house across the street.
Because seriously, Emily Dickinson really was a little bit crazy. It is not healthy to stay in the same room, day in and day out. Even in her own way, Emily found a way to connect with the world that so frightened her. She kept up a rich life through correspondence. Every writer has to find their own ways to stay connected with the world, and hopefully you'll do it in an even healthier way than Emily Dickinson.
Get lost in the words, sometimes. Be like Emily, sometimes. Shut out the world, sometimes, and focus on your words. But then you throw open the doors and windows, and you take a good look around again. It's okay to be a little like Emily Dickinson. To get a little dark if that’s where you need to go. Just remember to let the light back in sometimes, too.
March 30, 2015
Writing 101: The In-Book Preview Page
I remember the first time I cracked open "Flowers in the Attic" by V.C. Andrews. I'm one of those readers who always starts right at the beginning and looks at every page. I begin with the dedication, I read every author's note, and I'll even skim over the Table of Contents before I get started. But when I found a page before the story that was an exactly copy of a page inside the story, I didn't know what to make of it. It was the first time I ever saw an in-book preview page, and it totally blew my mind. So now I'm wondering: do you put these pages in your books?
The Preview
Does anyone remember the preview page of "Flowers in the Attic," by the way? It's this amazing intense scene with the evil Grandmother, and everyone's calling each other by their names and they're all in this small room together and it's totally confusing but it's also terribly exciting. That page accomplishes exactly what a book excerpt is supposed to accomplish. And maybe you should be adding it to your book, after all.
If you're going to do an in-book preview page, there are certain things you want to think about in order to pick the perfect page. Keep this stuff in mind, and follow it, and you should find just the right page to show off to the readers you want to hook.
Don't choose a page that's going to give away any major book spoilers, and choose just one page. You don't want the preview to bleed over into another page, because this is just a taste of what's to come. Pick the perfect in-book preview page, and you just may give someone a lifelong memory of how great your writing really is.
The Preview
Does anyone remember the preview page of "Flowers in the Attic," by the way? It's this amazing intense scene with the evil Grandmother, and everyone's calling each other by their names and they're all in this small room together and it's totally confusing but it's also terribly exciting. That page accomplishes exactly what a book excerpt is supposed to accomplish. And maybe you should be adding it to your book, after all.
If you're going to do an in-book preview page, there are certain things you want to think about in order to pick the perfect page. Keep this stuff in mind, and follow it, and you should find just the right page to show off to the readers you want to hook.
Don't choose a page that's going to give away any major book spoilers, and choose just one page. You don't want the preview to bleed over into another page, because this is just a taste of what's to come. Pick the perfect in-book preview page, and you just may give someone a lifelong memory of how great your writing really is.
