Jade Varden's Blog, page 33
June 12, 2014
Writing 101: The Setting is the Story
During Sex and the City, cast members and writers called New York "the fifth lady." The city was such an integral part of the story, it was even in the title. Here's what some authors don't get: the setting is the story, no matter where you're at. You should always be putting your setting to work...a lot.
Where You At?
The setting is the backbone of your story, and much more. It's the place where your characters live and interact. It's filled with the locations they visit and the stuff they see. In the best books, the setting truly comes alive. The reader ought to feel as though they're in the setting with your characters.
There's only one way for you as the author to do that: write the setting well. Make it such a strong part of the story that it becomes the story. Setting is everything, because it's the world around your characters.
The Hunger Games. Twilight. Setting plays such a strong part in these stories, it dictates just about everything. How can you write a strong setting for your stories?
Research it: Research the heck out of your setting. Use maps, study landmarks, find pictures online -- even if you are capable of visiting your own setting. You really can't learn too much. And if your setting is a fictional place, you can still introduce real elements to make it feel more likely. Study trees and plant life, animal life, to accurately create your world. Picture it: Use actual maps to help create your setting so you can get a real idea of distances and land area. Once again, you can do this even if you're creating a fake setting. Pick a real spot in the world that resembles your setting, and base your map off of that. You don't need a perfect map; no one expects you to turn into a graphic artist. But you do need a visual guide to help you write your story a little more accurately and realistically.Work with it: Once you've established and researched your setting, interact with it. Show the characters out in it. Have them look at trees, walk across grass, shop in buildings and eat at restaurants -- whatever. Make the setting a character, too. This will make your entire world richer, fuller and more believable. And once a book can be all of that, it's a much better book. The setting is the story, so use it well. You are a product of where you're from, and your characters should be as well. Aren't we all shaped by what's around us? Make sure what's around your characters feels real, too. This will create much better writing, stuff that others want to read.
Where You At?
The setting is the backbone of your story, and much more. It's the place where your characters live and interact. It's filled with the locations they visit and the stuff they see. In the best books, the setting truly comes alive. The reader ought to feel as though they're in the setting with your characters.
There's only one way for you as the author to do that: write the setting well. Make it such a strong part of the story that it becomes the story. Setting is everything, because it's the world around your characters.
The Hunger Games. Twilight. Setting plays such a strong part in these stories, it dictates just about everything. How can you write a strong setting for your stories?
Research it: Research the heck out of your setting. Use maps, study landmarks, find pictures online -- even if you are capable of visiting your own setting. You really can't learn too much. And if your setting is a fictional place, you can still introduce real elements to make it feel more likely. Study trees and plant life, animal life, to accurately create your world. Picture it: Use actual maps to help create your setting so you can get a real idea of distances and land area. Once again, you can do this even if you're creating a fake setting. Pick a real spot in the world that resembles your setting, and base your map off of that. You don't need a perfect map; no one expects you to turn into a graphic artist. But you do need a visual guide to help you write your story a little more accurately and realistically.Work with it: Once you've established and researched your setting, interact with it. Show the characters out in it. Have them look at trees, walk across grass, shop in buildings and eat at restaurants -- whatever. Make the setting a character, too. This will make your entire world richer, fuller and more believable. And once a book can be all of that, it's a much better book. The setting is the story, so use it well. You are a product of where you're from, and your characters should be as well. Aren't we all shaped by what's around us? Make sure what's around your characters feels real, too. This will create much better writing, stuff that others want to read.
June 11, 2014
Writing 101: How to Pluralize
To me, pluralizing is one of the easiest tasks you will ever perform with the English language. This is one of the simplest word problems you are ever going to face. The rules could not be any less complex. And yet somehow, people get it wrong every single day. If you follow me on Twitter, you're likely to see me go wild about it on occasion. But that's all going to change, because today I'm going to blog about how to pluralize. Let's put the matter to rest once and for all.
Rules are Rules
There are few rules in life, but if you learn to master them you will keep yourself out of all sorts of trouble. Don't kill anyone. Always relieve yourself within the boundaries of an appropriate toilet facility. And pluralize words by adding s to them.
Do these three things, and you're not going to run afoul of me anyway. In all seriousness, grammar errors are not quite as essential as the rule that you absolutely should not commit homicide. However, myself and many other readers do place a good deal of importance on them.
The thing is, grammar rules are very much hard and fast. The rules don't change, and that should make them quite easy to follow. And if you forget, from now on you can always refer back here and learn the rule yourself. It's not a difficult one if you simplify it.
In order to make an item plural, which means there is more than one, add s . Like this:
I bought a desk last week because it was on sale. Now, I have two desks.
I couldn't find my left earring but then Eddie saw it in the ashtray. I'm so glad because this is my favorite pair of earrings.
I can use either hand to write, so I can use both hands equally.
Have more than one of something? Just add s . In almost all cases, this rule will work when you're pluralizing anything. It's not confusing. This rule applies even when you're talking about proper names.
I haven't seen you at our weekly meeting for a few Wednesdays now.
I'll keep you in this room for a month of Sundays!
It's something I do on Saturdays. This rule applies to almost all proper names. If you were to clone me, for example, you'd get at least two Jades.
But it doesn't always apply, and this is where some people get confused about it. Because let's suppose that my name was Mars instead of Jade, and you clone me. You can't end up with a couple of Marss, because that's totally wrong. When a word already ends in s, you can't add s to make it plural...but you can add es.
We can't afford to keep up with the Joneses.
If you want to paint all four seasons, we'll need multiple canvases.
I've got too many classes this semester.
This is how pluralizing works, and I know what you're asking. Where does the apostrophe come in? When do you use 's or s' in pluralizing?
You don't. This is a big mistake that I see every day (even more often, if I look at Facebook), and it is horrifying. To pluralize, you add s or es and that's how it's done. Don't add the apostrophe. Pluralizing is an incredibly simple grammar rule. Introducing punctuation to the equation adds totally unnecessary complications. Don't add apostrophes when you pluralize. They have no place. All you need is your s , and sometimes es , and that's all you need to know.
Rules are Rules
There are few rules in life, but if you learn to master them you will keep yourself out of all sorts of trouble. Don't kill anyone. Always relieve yourself within the boundaries of an appropriate toilet facility. And pluralize words by adding s to them.
Do these three things, and you're not going to run afoul of me anyway. In all seriousness, grammar errors are not quite as essential as the rule that you absolutely should not commit homicide. However, myself and many other readers do place a good deal of importance on them.
The thing is, grammar rules are very much hard and fast. The rules don't change, and that should make them quite easy to follow. And if you forget, from now on you can always refer back here and learn the rule yourself. It's not a difficult one if you simplify it.
In order to make an item plural, which means there is more than one, add s . Like this:
I bought a desk last week because it was on sale. Now, I have two desks.
I couldn't find my left earring but then Eddie saw it in the ashtray. I'm so glad because this is my favorite pair of earrings.
I can use either hand to write, so I can use both hands equally.
Have more than one of something? Just add s . In almost all cases, this rule will work when you're pluralizing anything. It's not confusing. This rule applies even when you're talking about proper names.
I haven't seen you at our weekly meeting for a few Wednesdays now.
I'll keep you in this room for a month of Sundays!
It's something I do on Saturdays. This rule applies to almost all proper names. If you were to clone me, for example, you'd get at least two Jades.
But it doesn't always apply, and this is where some people get confused about it. Because let's suppose that my name was Mars instead of Jade, and you clone me. You can't end up with a couple of Marss, because that's totally wrong. When a word already ends in s, you can't add s to make it plural...but you can add es.
We can't afford to keep up with the Joneses.
If you want to paint all four seasons, we'll need multiple canvases.
I've got too many classes this semester.
This is how pluralizing works, and I know what you're asking. Where does the apostrophe come in? When do you use 's or s' in pluralizing?
You don't. This is a big mistake that I see every day (even more often, if I look at Facebook), and it is horrifying. To pluralize, you add s or es and that's how it's done. Don't add the apostrophe. Pluralizing is an incredibly simple grammar rule. Introducing punctuation to the equation adds totally unnecessary complications. Don't add apostrophes when you pluralize. They have no place. All you need is your s , and sometimes es , and that's all you need to know.
June 10, 2014
Writing 101: How Much Does Word Count Matter?
I've always known exactly how long my books are. I know how long they are while I'm writing them and frankly, I'm always far too concerned about it. Once upon a time, books were supposed to fit into certain industry boxes. But now everyone's reading electronically, everyone else is self-publishing and books as we known them are metamorphosing into something that no industry can hope to corral. So how much does word count matter to you, the indie author? And...does it matter at all?
Counting the Words
In the world of books, length has traditionally played a role. For example, if your story is less than 20,000 words it's not a novel -- it's a novella. And if your story is less than 80,000 words it's a little too thin to be labeled an adult book. Could it be YA, perhaps? They're shorter by about 20,000 words.
It's a lot of numbers, and lots of authors (like me) aren't good with numbers. But if you were trying to go the traditional publishing route with your books, I would advise you to pay attention to those numbers. Maybe not as much attention as I pay to it, because that's not good for you, but some attention surely.
But if you're reading my blog, you're probably not going a traditional route. You're probably going the indie route. And in that case, forget about what I said. It's a whole different animal when it's indie books. It's okay to be offbeat, to do your own thing, to forget about all those rules and restraints that big publishing would like to put on books. It's just these qualities that make indie books compelling for so many readers, so embrace it. Write your story. If it's 40,000 words, so be it. If it's 90,000, then that's what you wrote.
Once you start getting into 150,000-word territory and beyond, however, you might want to step back and take a second look at word count. Because I do have an answer to the question: hell yes word count matters, but maybe not in the way you think. Because if there's one thing that indie books cannot be, it's too long .
Short is okay. Some indie authors are making quite the lucrative living by churning out short books that can be quickly digested (and quickly turned out by the writer). But a long book on an ereader is depressing, daunting and a damn nuisance. There are too many shorter books that actually give you a sense of accomplishment as you cruise through them on your ereader (ten percent already and I just started! I'm amazing at reading!).
Self-publishing may not be the best arena for you to be publishing that epic novel that fills up 300+ pages of normal typewritten text. Thick, ponderous books are lovely in their way, but readers can't always see how epic your book is when they go to download it. When a really long book comes as a complete surprise to the reader, you're getting off to a bad start with that reader right away. Give them shorter books instead. Break that epic story into a series, perhaps, or maybe edit yourself down. Too long is still too long, no matter which publishing path you wish to pursue.
Counting the Words
In the world of books, length has traditionally played a role. For example, if your story is less than 20,000 words it's not a novel -- it's a novella. And if your story is less than 80,000 words it's a little too thin to be labeled an adult book. Could it be YA, perhaps? They're shorter by about 20,000 words.
It's a lot of numbers, and lots of authors (like me) aren't good with numbers. But if you were trying to go the traditional publishing route with your books, I would advise you to pay attention to those numbers. Maybe not as much attention as I pay to it, because that's not good for you, but some attention surely.
But if you're reading my blog, you're probably not going a traditional route. You're probably going the indie route. And in that case, forget about what I said. It's a whole different animal when it's indie books. It's okay to be offbeat, to do your own thing, to forget about all those rules and restraints that big publishing would like to put on books. It's just these qualities that make indie books compelling for so many readers, so embrace it. Write your story. If it's 40,000 words, so be it. If it's 90,000, then that's what you wrote.
Once you start getting into 150,000-word territory and beyond, however, you might want to step back and take a second look at word count. Because I do have an answer to the question: hell yes word count matters, but maybe not in the way you think. Because if there's one thing that indie books cannot be, it's too long .
Short is okay. Some indie authors are making quite the lucrative living by churning out short books that can be quickly digested (and quickly turned out by the writer). But a long book on an ereader is depressing, daunting and a damn nuisance. There are too many shorter books that actually give you a sense of accomplishment as you cruise through them on your ereader (ten percent already and I just started! I'm amazing at reading!).
Self-publishing may not be the best arena for you to be publishing that epic novel that fills up 300+ pages of normal typewritten text. Thick, ponderous books are lovely in their way, but readers can't always see how epic your book is when they go to download it. When a really long book comes as a complete surprise to the reader, you're getting off to a bad start with that reader right away. Give them shorter books instead. Break that epic story into a series, perhaps, or maybe edit yourself down. Too long is still too long, no matter which publishing path you wish to pursue.
June 9, 2014
Writing 101: How Should I End Dialogue?
To comma or not to comma. If you're writing a book, you're going to face this question maybe 100 times...if not more. With each line of dialogue you write comes an important question: am I supposed to end it with a comma or a period?
The End of the Sentence
Punctuating dialogue is one of the most confusing tasks you'll face as an author. You're already introducing quotation marks into the mix, which is extra punctuation, and you can't ignore all the normal rules of the game, either. So every time you write a new line, it's a new challenge.
"I read about that on the Internet," he said. "I thought you weren't going to eat carbs anymore," she said.
When it's simple and straightforward, it's easy. You can just tack he said onto the end of everything and call it a day. Some authors say that this is the only way to end dialogue. I say that's boring. Also, not all dialogue is a simple statement. If you're doing your job as an author, it's going to get more complex than that. Sometimes, people don't just say something plainly. Sometimes there's an action to go with the dialogue. Sometimes there's a certain expression. Sometimes there's just more. So how do you write that dialogue? With emphasis on proper punctuation, of course.
"You never told me that before." The sadness in his eyes was clear."You said we were best friends." Tears gathered in her eyes when she whispered the words.
When dialogue is more than dialogue, split it into two separate sentences. End the dialogue the way you'd end any other sentence -- with a period -- and then start a new one. Run-on sentences are still run-on sentences, even when they include a line of dialogue.
Always treat dialogue like any regular sentence, and you won't go wrong. Dialogue can even be split up within the sentence, if it's written correctly.
"I don't think so," she leaned forward to whisper, "he told me he's the one who bought it!"
Remember that in the United States, the punctuation for the dialogue goes inside the quotation marks. In British English, the punctuation is outside the quotation marks. Place the quotes correctly but write sentences the same way, and ending dialogue won't be such a big question.
The End of the Sentence
Punctuating dialogue is one of the most confusing tasks you'll face as an author. You're already introducing quotation marks into the mix, which is extra punctuation, and you can't ignore all the normal rules of the game, either. So every time you write a new line, it's a new challenge.
"I read about that on the Internet," he said. "I thought you weren't going to eat carbs anymore," she said.
When it's simple and straightforward, it's easy. You can just tack he said onto the end of everything and call it a day. Some authors say that this is the only way to end dialogue. I say that's boring. Also, not all dialogue is a simple statement. If you're doing your job as an author, it's going to get more complex than that. Sometimes, people don't just say something plainly. Sometimes there's an action to go with the dialogue. Sometimes there's a certain expression. Sometimes there's just more. So how do you write that dialogue? With emphasis on proper punctuation, of course.
"You never told me that before." The sadness in his eyes was clear."You said we were best friends." Tears gathered in her eyes when she whispered the words.
When dialogue is more than dialogue, split it into two separate sentences. End the dialogue the way you'd end any other sentence -- with a period -- and then start a new one. Run-on sentences are still run-on sentences, even when they include a line of dialogue.
Always treat dialogue like any regular sentence, and you won't go wrong. Dialogue can even be split up within the sentence, if it's written correctly.
"I don't think so," she leaned forward to whisper, "he told me he's the one who bought it!"
Remember that in the United States, the punctuation for the dialogue goes inside the quotation marks. In British English, the punctuation is outside the quotation marks. Place the quotes correctly but write sentences the same way, and ending dialogue won't be such a big question.
June 5, 2014
Writing 101: Finding Inspiration
You know you want to be an author...but you don't know what to write about. Coming up with a good idea is one of the hardest parts about being a writer. Don't rack your brain and beat your head against the keyboard. Go hunting, and start finding inspiration.
That's Interesting...
Knowing who you are and what you like is the best way to find writing inspiration. Are you drawn toward romantic movies more than others? Do you choose funny comedies more when you watch TV, or dramatic reality shows? Pay attention to your own interests, and you'll know what sort of stories you ought to be writing.
For example, me. Given the opportunity, I'll watch "Dragnet" and shows about real crimes all day. I'm particularly interested in unsolved cases, and specifically interested in the ones involving missing persons. This is why you can often find this element in my books. My stories frequently revolve around what's unknown.
I find inspiration all the time simply by following my natural preferences. It usually happens when I ask questions. What would this situation feel like? How would I react to a crime like that? What if it was the mother who did it all along?
When I can't stop asking questions, I know I'm inspired. Finding inspiration may be as simple as watching one of your favorite movies. So try getting inspired, and see what happens.
That's Interesting...
Knowing who you are and what you like is the best way to find writing inspiration. Are you drawn toward romantic movies more than others? Do you choose funny comedies more when you watch TV, or dramatic reality shows? Pay attention to your own interests, and you'll know what sort of stories you ought to be writing.
For example, me. Given the opportunity, I'll watch "Dragnet" and shows about real crimes all day. I'm particularly interested in unsolved cases, and specifically interested in the ones involving missing persons. This is why you can often find this element in my books. My stories frequently revolve around what's unknown.
I find inspiration all the time simply by following my natural preferences. It usually happens when I ask questions. What would this situation feel like? How would I react to a crime like that? What if it was the mother who did it all along?
When I can't stop asking questions, I know I'm inspired. Finding inspiration may be as simple as watching one of your favorite movies. So try getting inspired, and see what happens.
June 4, 2014
Writing 101: Realistic Reactions
So what's the secret of creating a great character? It helps if they're a little flawed, it makes me like them if they have problems to overcome. But the real secret isn't in how the character acts. It's how they react to the world around them. And frankly, some writers can't seem to write realistic reactions.
What Would J.K. Rowling Do?
Suppose that you were confronted by a vampire, just suppose. Pretend that you've just been given terrible news. Imagine exactly what you'd do if you were arrested.
Don't just write things down. This is not a viable way to craft a story. See yourself in this world. Envision how you would behave if all the plot twists were happening to you. Always take the time to do that. Just stop, think and imagine.
Because if you don't, your book isn't going to be very good. I can't cite any specific examples, because that would be mean, but I've read lots of books with unrealistic reactions. So I can point out some general examples of what that looks like:
Supporting characters: Don't save the realism for the hero. Everyone in the world should act in a believable way. I once read a book about an alcoholic. This is a meaty inner conflict, and an identifiable character flaw. But in the book, so many people around the alcoholic acted bizarrely that the story was impossible to read. You wouldn't take a known addict to a bar and leave them alone, right? So why should your secondary characters behave so carelessly? And even if they do, shouldn't you explain why?
Fear: I admire bravery as much as the next reader, but there's bravery and then there's foolishness. When your character doesn't cower, get sweaty or even feel a little twinge of worry when facing that vampire (or whatever), I'm not going to believe it. And I'm very kind, so no way will other readers believe it either.
Love: Writing love may be the hardest of all book tasks. If you have never been in love, I suggest simply not writing about it.
Physical confrontation: You can write about a fight even if you haven't been in one, but be realistic. You know how the human body moves. Think about every detail of a physical altercation, and be mindful of the laws of physics and movement.
Good writing is about reaction as much as it's about action. Your characters should always behave in a real way, and react to the world around them sensibly. Fail to do this, and many readers will fail to finish reading your books.
What Would J.K. Rowling Do?
Suppose that you were confronted by a vampire, just suppose. Pretend that you've just been given terrible news. Imagine exactly what you'd do if you were arrested.
Don't just write things down. This is not a viable way to craft a story. See yourself in this world. Envision how you would behave if all the plot twists were happening to you. Always take the time to do that. Just stop, think and imagine.
Because if you don't, your book isn't going to be very good. I can't cite any specific examples, because that would be mean, but I've read lots of books with unrealistic reactions. So I can point out some general examples of what that looks like:
Supporting characters: Don't save the realism for the hero. Everyone in the world should act in a believable way. I once read a book about an alcoholic. This is a meaty inner conflict, and an identifiable character flaw. But in the book, so many people around the alcoholic acted bizarrely that the story was impossible to read. You wouldn't take a known addict to a bar and leave them alone, right? So why should your secondary characters behave so carelessly? And even if they do, shouldn't you explain why?
Fear: I admire bravery as much as the next reader, but there's bravery and then there's foolishness. When your character doesn't cower, get sweaty or even feel a little twinge of worry when facing that vampire (or whatever), I'm not going to believe it. And I'm very kind, so no way will other readers believe it either.
Love: Writing love may be the hardest of all book tasks. If you have never been in love, I suggest simply not writing about it.
Physical confrontation: You can write about a fight even if you haven't been in one, but be realistic. You know how the human body moves. Think about every detail of a physical altercation, and be mindful of the laws of physics and movement.
Good writing is about reaction as much as it's about action. Your characters should always behave in a real way, and react to the world around them sensibly. Fail to do this, and many readers will fail to finish reading your books.
June 3, 2014
Writing 101: What's Wrong With Indie Authors
Notice there is no question mark in the title of this post. I'm not going to attempt to investigate a problem, and point out several generalities that could affect independently published books. I'm going to tell you, plainly, what's wrong with indie authors...and why there are some readers they won't ever get.
Being Indie
For the record, I'm an indie author. Technically I became an indie author when my first self-published book hit the market on Christmas Day, 2012. But I made the decision to become an indie the summer before. So in my way of thinking, I've been an indie author for a while now. I have immersed myself in the community by joining and reading forums, taking part in social media, blogging, and connecting with other bloggers and self-published authors. I have done a lot of research and a lot of blog-reading, and I have reviewed around 15 indie books. These are my qualifications, such as they are.
There's this real piece of work over at Good eReader, who absolutely doesn't pull his punches when he's beating up on indie authors. The way this guy shuns self-publishing, you'd think we were all heroin addicts. But as acerbic as I may find his blog posts, by some measure he's kind in his opinion of indies. Stick around the self-publishing game long enough, and you're bound to hear far worse.
So what's wrong with indie authors? Why does this guy, and so many like him, absolutely hate us? The answer is an ironic one: what's good about indie authors is also what's wrong with them.
Timing: Indie authors have the luxury of publishing on their own schedule and no one else's. Where Stephen King must wait for about a year for his finished manuscript to start selling on Amazon, the indie author can start selling theirs immediately. It's a double-edged sword. Indie authors often feel pressured to publish, and quickly, in order to gain and maintain fan interest. This rush to publish can result in a sloppy finished product, something that readers hate. Many people think all indies are sloppy. What they don't understand is that indies aren't any sloppier than any other kind of author -- they just don't have a team of editors at their disposal, and the rush to publish makes it impossible to find one.Design: If you're an author, you're also an artist. Words are your medium. The printed page is your canvas. But you don't necessarily know how to make things visually appealing. I know I don't. I have almost no eye for art, color, composition or any of it. There are plenty of indies who are design-challenged, like me. The trouble is, we have to come up with our own book covers don't we? Many people shy away from indies because they find the covers to be poorly-designed. But when you combine high-priced graphic design with indie authors who are working with a small budget, you get what you get. I'd like to remind the world that the Beatles' White Album had nothing on the cover. The cover is overrated -- it's what's inside that counts. Promotion: Indie authors promote too much. This is a complaint you'll see a lot (especially if you spend time at Good eReader). Well, traditional publishers promote a lot as well. They drive me crazy with their flashing ads, and I absolutely hate those ambiguous commercials that James Patterson puts out. People with something to promote have to promote, and indie authors more than most. The market is competitive, attention spans are short and when Twitter doesn't like it people do get banned. All the people who want to play social media police would be using their time much more wisely to speak out against those who incorrectly use "your," "their" and "too." That would make the world a better place. Getting rid of all the book promotions really wouldn't change Twitter so much. The Huffington Post tweets links all day every day.
What's wrong with indie authors? That question has several different parts. Some of them just haven't got a break from the big publishing industry. Some of them are a bit off-beat, and they're too risky for the corporate types to take on. Some of them have no idea what they're doing, and didn't take the time to figure it out first. And a few of them probably aren't meant to be authors or writers of any kind. But there are plenty of really bad books that got published by the big companies anyway, and lots of indie books that really deserve it. Some of the most famous names you've ever read self-published first.
So here's the final answer on what's wrong with indie authors: nothing that readers and honest reviewers can't fix. The more feedback you give an author, the better they will become as an author. You form an opinion about every single book you ever read, you know you do. Share it. Instead of avoiding the indie authors, give them what they want. Read their work and tell them what you think about it. Be your own judge of every indie book and every indie author you read, and don't take any blogger's word for it...not even mine.
Being Indie
For the record, I'm an indie author. Technically I became an indie author when my first self-published book hit the market on Christmas Day, 2012. But I made the decision to become an indie the summer before. So in my way of thinking, I've been an indie author for a while now. I have immersed myself in the community by joining and reading forums, taking part in social media, blogging, and connecting with other bloggers and self-published authors. I have done a lot of research and a lot of blog-reading, and I have reviewed around 15 indie books. These are my qualifications, such as they are.
There's this real piece of work over at Good eReader, who absolutely doesn't pull his punches when he's beating up on indie authors. The way this guy shuns self-publishing, you'd think we were all heroin addicts. But as acerbic as I may find his blog posts, by some measure he's kind in his opinion of indies. Stick around the self-publishing game long enough, and you're bound to hear far worse.
So what's wrong with indie authors? Why does this guy, and so many like him, absolutely hate us? The answer is an ironic one: what's good about indie authors is also what's wrong with them.
Timing: Indie authors have the luxury of publishing on their own schedule and no one else's. Where Stephen King must wait for about a year for his finished manuscript to start selling on Amazon, the indie author can start selling theirs immediately. It's a double-edged sword. Indie authors often feel pressured to publish, and quickly, in order to gain and maintain fan interest. This rush to publish can result in a sloppy finished product, something that readers hate. Many people think all indies are sloppy. What they don't understand is that indies aren't any sloppier than any other kind of author -- they just don't have a team of editors at their disposal, and the rush to publish makes it impossible to find one.Design: If you're an author, you're also an artist. Words are your medium. The printed page is your canvas. But you don't necessarily know how to make things visually appealing. I know I don't. I have almost no eye for art, color, composition or any of it. There are plenty of indies who are design-challenged, like me. The trouble is, we have to come up with our own book covers don't we? Many people shy away from indies because they find the covers to be poorly-designed. But when you combine high-priced graphic design with indie authors who are working with a small budget, you get what you get. I'd like to remind the world that the Beatles' White Album had nothing on the cover. The cover is overrated -- it's what's inside that counts. Promotion: Indie authors promote too much. This is a complaint you'll see a lot (especially if you spend time at Good eReader). Well, traditional publishers promote a lot as well. They drive me crazy with their flashing ads, and I absolutely hate those ambiguous commercials that James Patterson puts out. People with something to promote have to promote, and indie authors more than most. The market is competitive, attention spans are short and when Twitter doesn't like it people do get banned. All the people who want to play social media police would be using their time much more wisely to speak out against those who incorrectly use "your," "their" and "too." That would make the world a better place. Getting rid of all the book promotions really wouldn't change Twitter so much. The Huffington Post tweets links all day every day.
What's wrong with indie authors? That question has several different parts. Some of them just haven't got a break from the big publishing industry. Some of them are a bit off-beat, and they're too risky for the corporate types to take on. Some of them have no idea what they're doing, and didn't take the time to figure it out first. And a few of them probably aren't meant to be authors or writers of any kind. But there are plenty of really bad books that got published by the big companies anyway, and lots of indie books that really deserve it. Some of the most famous names you've ever read self-published first.
So here's the final answer on what's wrong with indie authors: nothing that readers and honest reviewers can't fix. The more feedback you give an author, the better they will become as an author. You form an opinion about every single book you ever read, you know you do. Share it. Instead of avoiding the indie authors, give them what they want. Read their work and tell them what you think about it. Be your own judge of every indie book and every indie author you read, and don't take any blogger's word for it...not even mine.
June 2, 2014
Writing 101: Use Your Experience
I have never been to ancient Greece, because I am not capable of time travel...but I've written about ancient Greece. With enough research, authors have the ability to write about pretty much anything -- any environment, any setting, any action. But if you want your book to feel real and resonate with readers, use your experience. Personal experience can be translated to any character in any setting...if you know how.
In My Shoes
A strong literary character is only strong because of what happens to them in the book. Suffering loss, getting married, being heartbroken, going hungry -- these things make a book interesting and can shape a character throughout its pages. If you haven't experienced these things, you can still write about them. But if you choose to write about things that have happened to you instead, your book is going to be much richer.
You've been hungry before. You probably know what it's like to feel pains in your stomach, to feel the lethargy of an empty belly and the sharp awareness that comes with deprivation. And if you haven't felt that, you may not want to include a starving scene in your book (because how would you know?).
But maybe you have been full. Perhaps you've swam in the ocean, or been inside a fitting room with lots of clothes to try. Even the small, mundane experiences you've had can be used to create a rich tapestry for your book. If a killer is stalking your heroine, why not put her in a tiny fitting room and have the stalker show up in that situation? You've been inside the room before, so you can no doubt imagine all the rest. If you've been to an amusement park, send your ensemble cast of characters off on an adventure of their own.
Use your experience to paint more realistic pictures, good stuff and bad stuff. Boring stuff and amazing stuff. Weave those real experiences into your fiction, and it will come together to create a journey that feels more lifelike to your readers. Good writers can turn eating eggs into a thrilling action scene. So sit down, have some eggs, and turn that into literary gold. I know you can do it.
In My Shoes
A strong literary character is only strong because of what happens to them in the book. Suffering loss, getting married, being heartbroken, going hungry -- these things make a book interesting and can shape a character throughout its pages. If you haven't experienced these things, you can still write about them. But if you choose to write about things that have happened to you instead, your book is going to be much richer.
You've been hungry before. You probably know what it's like to feel pains in your stomach, to feel the lethargy of an empty belly and the sharp awareness that comes with deprivation. And if you haven't felt that, you may not want to include a starving scene in your book (because how would you know?).
But maybe you have been full. Perhaps you've swam in the ocean, or been inside a fitting room with lots of clothes to try. Even the small, mundane experiences you've had can be used to create a rich tapestry for your book. If a killer is stalking your heroine, why not put her in a tiny fitting room and have the stalker show up in that situation? You've been inside the room before, so you can no doubt imagine all the rest. If you've been to an amusement park, send your ensemble cast of characters off on an adventure of their own.
Use your experience to paint more realistic pictures, good stuff and bad stuff. Boring stuff and amazing stuff. Weave those real experiences into your fiction, and it will come together to create a journey that feels more lifelike to your readers. Good writers can turn eating eggs into a thrilling action scene. So sit down, have some eggs, and turn that into literary gold. I know you can do it.
May 30, 2014
The Life of a Book
"How would you like to live in a world where you would be judged just by your hair color?"
"I was always curious about the characters, history, events and everything else going on in the novel at all times."
Hope's Rebellion has been reviewed at It's a Book Life. Read the whole thing to find out what the reviewer didn't like about my newest book, and see if you agree!
Get your copy of Hope's Rebellion at Amazon, Smashwords or B&N.
"I was always curious about the characters, history, events and everything else going on in the novel at all times."
Hope's Rebellion has been reviewed at It's a Book Life. Read the whole thing to find out what the reviewer didn't like about my newest book, and see if you agree!
Get your copy of Hope's Rebellion at Amazon, Smashwords or B&N.
May 29, 2014
Writing 101: So What is Passive Voice?
Do you write in the passive voice? Do you know what that means? If you don't, that's okay. I still have trouble with distinguishing passive language myself. It's one of those ephermal writing characteristics that can, very subtly, alter the tone of your book. I'm not one of those writers who are against writing in the passive voice, because every author should strike their own tone when writing their own work. But I do feel that writers ought to know the difference between active and passive voice...because how can you decide if you don't understand both choices?
We Were Writers
Now, I could get really technical with the forthcoming description of passive voice. In my research for this post, I've discovered that this is the most common approach. But when writing about something that's complicated, taking a highly technical approach isn't likely to help most people. So I'm going to do my best to put it in plain English.
The difference between passive voice and active voice is subtle, but if you can spot it you can spot it. See if you can:
We were walking hand-in-hand.
vs.
We walked hand-in-hand.
He was carrying the bucket.
vs.
He carried the bucket.
See the difference? In both pairs, the top sentence is the one written in passive voice. In each instance, the subject of the sentence (we and he, respectively) is separated from the verb. The bottom two sentences in each pair are stronger, with the subject and verb appearing together. Both sentences are correct, and both have the same meaning. But there's a small variation in the tone of each. We walked is more direct than we were walking.
Look for certain words that will tip you off if you're writing in the passive voice. Variations of the verbs to have and to be often indicate passive voice. Examples:
He was talking to Shelby over there.
She has been giving me funny looks all day.
And if you go shopping around for writing tips elsewhere (though I don't know why you would!), you'll find that many authors advise you to avoid writing in the passive voice. As a freelance writer, it's something that editors have criticized me about in the past as well. But when you're writing your books, you know what tone you want to strike. The passive voice may suit a weak-willed or timid character. It may be useful in a situation where the character feels powerless, or frightened.
If you write in the active voice a little more sparingly in a book, and use passive voice throughout, you can make a bigger impact with certain scenes. Abruptly switching from passive to active voice can be jarring. It can make a scene feel quicker, more direct and actionable. It can make the pages feel a little more exciting.
So what is the passive voice? It's a writing tool. It's something you can use to make your writing feel a certain way. As an author, you should always use all the available writing tools at your disposal...no matter what those other tipsters might say.
We Were Writers
Now, I could get really technical with the forthcoming description of passive voice. In my research for this post, I've discovered that this is the most common approach. But when writing about something that's complicated, taking a highly technical approach isn't likely to help most people. So I'm going to do my best to put it in plain English.
The difference between passive voice and active voice is subtle, but if you can spot it you can spot it. See if you can:
We were walking hand-in-hand.
vs.
We walked hand-in-hand.
He was carrying the bucket.
vs.
He carried the bucket.
See the difference? In both pairs, the top sentence is the one written in passive voice. In each instance, the subject of the sentence (we and he, respectively) is separated from the verb. The bottom two sentences in each pair are stronger, with the subject and verb appearing together. Both sentences are correct, and both have the same meaning. But there's a small variation in the tone of each. We walked is more direct than we were walking.
Look for certain words that will tip you off if you're writing in the passive voice. Variations of the verbs to have and to be often indicate passive voice. Examples:
He was talking to Shelby over there.
She has been giving me funny looks all day.
And if you go shopping around for writing tips elsewhere (though I don't know why you would!), you'll find that many authors advise you to avoid writing in the passive voice. As a freelance writer, it's something that editors have criticized me about in the past as well. But when you're writing your books, you know what tone you want to strike. The passive voice may suit a weak-willed or timid character. It may be useful in a situation where the character feels powerless, or frightened.
If you write in the active voice a little more sparingly in a book, and use passive voice throughout, you can make a bigger impact with certain scenes. Abruptly switching from passive to active voice can be jarring. It can make a scene feel quicker, more direct and actionable. It can make the pages feel a little more exciting.
So what is the passive voice? It's a writing tool. It's something you can use to make your writing feel a certain way. As an author, you should always use all the available writing tools at your disposal...no matter what those other tipsters might say.
