Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 141
January 19, 2014
3 Common Reasons We May Not Feel Motivated to Write
by Bridget McNulty , @nownovel
No matter how badly you want to write, you may find yourself feeling unmotivated. However, by figuring out why you are unmotivated, you can overcome that inertia and get back to putting words down on paper regularly.
One of the most common reasons you may be unmotivated is due to fear. Fear might be telling you that your writing will never be good enough. Fear might be suggesting that you compare your first drafts to the published output of longtime professional writers and wonder why you are not magically producing work that is just as good on the first try. There are a few ways to manage this fear. One way is simply to realize that most first drafts are not very good and that no one starts out as a brilliant writer. One psychological trick involves giving your worries and negative thoughts space and a time limit. Five minutes to vent about all your worst fears may be all that is needed. Finally, keep in mind that most writers are not fearless either, but they keep writing in the face of that fear.
Being too busy can leave you unmotivated as well, and many people do have genuinely busy lives between jobs, volunteer work and taking care of family. If you find that having too much to do is leaving you unmotivated to write, you have a few options. Can you cut any activities from your schedule? Perhaps you can get take-out a couple of nights per week or persuade a family member to take over cooking duties. Another option is to get up half an hour earlier or stay up half an hour later at night. Early mornings before anyone else is awake can be best. Finally, you can look for spaces in the day where you might have time to write including breaks at work, lunch breaks, commutes or even while waiting in line.
Unfortunately, being busy can also mean being tired, and this can be another impediment to writing motivation. It’s hard to be creative when you are exhausted. As with being too busy, try to cut out an activity. If this isn’t possible, look at your nutrition and even your exercise. Eating better and getting a little exercise can give you the energy boost you need.
What are some things that interfere with your writing motivation, and how do you defeat them in order to get that motivation back?
Bridget McNulty is the founder of Now Novel. Now Novel is an easy to use online novel writing course with a helpful creative writing blog .You can find Now Novel on Twitter @nownovel
The post 3 Common Reasons We May Not Feel Motivated to Write appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
January 18, 2014
Twitterific Writing Links
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine(developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 23,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
Have a great week!
A free directory of cover designers, formatters, freelance editors, and more: http://bit.ly/nolbXq
How Morals and Basic Needs Influence a Character’s Positive Traits: http://dld.bz/dfFAQ @BeccaPuglisi
Tips for querying a self-pubbed novel: http://dld.bz/dftSX @Janet_Reid
99 clichés in epic fantasy: http://dld.bz/dftTx
3 Ways to Write Great Supporting Characters: http://dld.bz/dftTW
Do writers need a website? http://dld.bz/dfwKA
How Much Money Is In the Self-Publishing Game? http://dld.bz/dfwKM @jamesscottbell
7 Steps To Road Testing Your Concept: http://dld.bz/dfwKV @bang2write
The 10 Rules of Surveillance Dystopia Stories: http://dld.bz/dfwKY @io9
Teaching writing: shared writing: http://dld.bz/dfwNU @BethMooreTCRWP
A Look at Pacing and Tension on the Opening Page: http://dld.bz/dfwPb @Janice_Hardy
Building a Multi-Layer Table of Contents in MS Word: http://dld.bz/dfwPq
Freelancers–How to Boost Your Sagging Motivation for Writing: http://dld.bz/dfxuT @ticewrites
When Writers Receive Conflicting Advice: http://dld.bz/dfx3v
Rewriting–a checklist for authors: http://dld.bz/dfx5n @Writers_Write
World building–maps: http://dld.bz/dfx5C @rfwriters
A secret to writing the dreaded synopsis: http://dld.bz/dfx5W @annerallen
Tips for Writing Your Novel Like a Song: http://dld.bz/df2da @jawardwrites
I have sucked. I currently suck. I will suck. (Or the life of a writer): http://dld.bz/df2d2 @rebeccaberto
16 ways to get jazzed up about writing again: http://dld.bz/df2d4 @LauraPepWu
Burn Bright and Be Patient: http://dld.bz/df2dF @susankayequinn
How to speak publisher: F is for Foreign rights: http://dld.bz/df2dM @annerooney
10 tips to grow your email list: http://dld.bz/df2eb @jeffbullas
Screenwriting: Classic 80s Movie: “Working Girl”: http://dld.bz/df2eh @gointothestory
The Dutch-Elm Disease of Creative Minds: http://dld.bz/df4ZC @mrkocnnll
The Main Character in Their Own Lives: Does Diversity Make YA SF/F Better? http://dld.bz/df5ah @tansyrr @tordotcom
Does a Blog With Multiple Contributing Authors Dilute Your “Brand?” http://dld.bz/df5a5 @Jenpens2
The Duality of Character Traits–Why We Need the Good, the Bad and Even the Ugly: http://dld.bz/df5a7 @kristenlambtx @BeccaPuglisi
How to make action sequences pop: http://dld.bz/df5aY
Your story’s hero needs to take action: http://dld.bz/df5bm @storyfix
Break the Rules for Style: http://dld.bz/df5bs @Jen_328 @WriteDivas
7 things most writers fear: http://dld.bz/df5bB @SylviaNey
A mantra for writers–do the work: http://dld.bz/df8Ag @NinaBadzin
Tips for writing something you’ve never experienced: http://dld.bz/df8At @rfwriters
Don’t Be Too Quick To Shut Down That Author Blog: http://dld.bz/df8A2 @indieauthor
How to write faster: http://dld.bz/df8AM @goodinaroom
Overused Words To Avoid: http://dld.bz/df8AZ @thewritermama
The Beginner’s Guide to Planning and Writing a Memoir: http://dld.bz/df8Bj @thewritelife
20 + Free Resources to Create a Simple Ebook: http://dld.bz/de3y5 @lifehackorg
Characteristics of the “Bad Guy” Antagonist: http://dld.bz/df8De @rfwriters
Will Your Novel Be a Best Seller? Ask An Algorithm: http://dld.bz/df8DM @gizmodo
7 Simple Edits That Make Your Writing More Powerful: http://dld.bz/df8DX @jonmorrow
Writers, we are doing it backwards: http://dld.bz/df8EZ @speechwriterguy
A trad.published author’s apology to self-pubbed authors: http://dld.bz/df8Fq @nataliewhipple
How to Outwit Second Novel Syndrome: http://dld.bz/df8Fx @Lisa_Alber
Who cares what others will think? Write the story you want to write: http://dld.bz/df8F6 @BadRedheadMedia
35 Perfect Examples of the Art of the Short Story: http://dld.bz/df8F7 @flavorwire
14 Great Books About To Become Movies: http://dld.bz/df8FA @cinemablend
Creativity In The Face Of Depression: http://dld.bz/df8Gr @HutchingsJulie
50 better ways to say “looks/seems like”: http://dld.bz/df8G5
Smashwords’ Mark Coker: Authors Should Focus on Quality Writing: http://dld.bz/df9mU @STTBooks
How to Save Local Bookstores in 2 Easy Steps: http://dld.bz/df9mW @SnarkyNomad
Why Writers Write About Writing: http://dld.bz/df9na @briaeliza
10 Tips on Self-Publishing: http://dld.bz/df9nf
20 Accounts All Screenwriters Should Follow on Instagram: http://dld.bz/df9qB @screencrafting
How Readers Can Find Your Book: http://dld.bz/df9qX @111publishing
Cash vs. Cache: Why Self-Publishing Pays Better: http://dld.bz/df9rh @contently
6 Best WordPress Plugins for Amazon Associates: http://dld.bz/df9rq
Tips for publishing and marketing your ebook on Amazon: http://dld.bz/df9ry @ProLifeMastery
Writers and rum: http://dld.bz/df9rz @NewYorker @adamgopnik
2014: Increased Competition Between Traditional Publishers and Indie Authors: http://dld.bz/df9rC @passivevoiceblg
1 midlist writer’s 2013 income: http://dld.bz/df9rH @jimchines
Option clauses in book contracts: http://dld.bz/df9rS @busyguru
4 things a good query does: http://dld.bz/df9sb @KourHei
8 Screenwriting Clichés to Avoid: http://dld.bz/df9s4 @screencrafting
The Role of the Rights Department in Publishing: http://dld.bz/df9sE @tordotcom
The Long Tradition of Hating Your Own Work: http://dld.bz/dfA9p @99u
Where Do Character Strengths Come From? http://dld.bz/dfA9t @beccapuglisi
Lessons in character development: parental influences: http://dld.bz/dfA9w @onewildword
The Amateur’s Guide to a Professional Book Package: http://dld.bz/dfA92 @diymfa @melindavan
3 tools that’ll make the submissions process easier for writers: http://dld.bz/dfA97 @chrisrobley
Lit Fic Mags for Spec Fic Writers: Is it Literary? http://dld.bz/dfA9B @sfwa @spitkitten
How to Make a Fantasy World Map: http://dld.bz/dfAAr @tordotcom
Script To Screen: “Wag the Dog”: http://dld.bz/dfABT @gointothestory
Tips for writing your novel faster: http://dld.bz/dfABV @EmilyBenet
Editors Respond Far Better to Positive: http://dld.bz/dfACa @behlerpublish
12 Ways To Be More Focused And Get More Things Done Quickly: http://dld.bz/dfACd @Higher_Boy
On Letting Your Characters Go: http://dld.bz/dfACe @ava_jae
3 Ways the Magic of Dr. Seuss Can Help You Create Unforgettable Copy: http://dld.bz/dfACn @copyblogger
5 writing and reading myths debunked (sort of): http://dld.bz/dfACK @BookPassTime
How to write your book’s first draft like a professional: http://dld.bz/dfDgU @bookbaby
Special Needs in Strange Worlds: Quick Fixes Usually Aren’t: http://dld.bz/dfDha @sfsignal
10 Authors and Publishers to Follow on Instagram: http://dld.bz/dfDhf @heidenkind @bookriot
It’s OK to hate your book: http://dld.bz/dfDhg @johnhartness
Writing vs. publishing (or: “No more half-measures, Walter”): http://dld.bz/dfDhC @chuckwendig
3 reasons writers should be happy about rejection: http://dld.bz/dfDhF @bookbaby
Understanding Tolkien: Why His Landscapes Work: http://dld.bz/dfDkW @mharoldpage
Self editing basics: http://dld.bz/dfDmb @rebeccatdickson
5 Easy Ways To Make Writing A Habit: http://dld.bz/dfDmf @losapala
Comparing a scene as written and as shot: http://dld.bz/dfDmt @johnaugust
Using Index Cards To Outline A Novel: http://dld.bz/dfDmz @woodwardkaren
A writer’s concerns about using 99 Designs: http://dld.bz/dfDm7 @lkblackburne
How Morals and Basic Needs Influence a Character’s Positive Traits: http://dld.bz/dfFAQ @BeccaPuglisi
Book Contests for Indie Authors: http://dld.bz/dfGGJ @JodieRennerEd
Plans to improve the BEA con: http://dld.bz/dfWCf @Porter_Anderson @StevenRosato ##BEA14
The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
January 16, 2014
Writing Books Faster—Without Compromising Quality
By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
These days, it seems as though everyone is talking about writing faster. And there’s definitely a link between the number of books we have available for sale and sales rank…if our books are good.
But that’s the problem. How do we ensure quality while turning out books as fast as we can?
I could write more or faster than I do now. But I don’t want to risk compromising my writing.
Instead, I’ve worked on ways to streamline and fine-tune my process to make the most of the writing time I have. And I’ve become more organized to provide more opportunities to write.
Here are the four big ways I’ve gotten more done with the time that I’ve got (and added a few more minutes, to boot):
1: By using a mini-outline. A mini-outline, as I’ve mentioned before, is useful for a couple of different reasons. One, it keeps me from having to re-read what I wrote the day before, which is time-consuming—I always end writing sessions with a short sentences explaining where I left off. For another, they succinctly tell me what I plan to write that day so I’m not trying to figure out the direction of my story. I keep these brief and specific and designed for that day’s writing.
2: Thinking about my story before opening up the laptop (priming the pump). I write first thing in the morning, so I start thinking about my writing plan as I’m getting up, pouring my coffee, and letting the dog out. It prevents those minutes of staring blankly at a computer screen and helps me get my thoughts in order and get in the writing mode.
3: Outlining the next story in a series when finishing up a book in the same series (described in this post). This is for everyone who writes multiple series…it’s a real time saver. Outline the next story in the series as soon as you finish a book in the series and before making the leap to writing a different series.
4: Making my non-writing life more streamlined. Finding other ways to cut corners during my day. Hello, crockpot. (A few recipes that are pretty steadily in my rotation with the slow cooker: potato soup, hamburgers, creamy chicken, and easy shredded chicken). Instead of having to run last minute errands, I put everything I need to do each day on my Google calendar—and set Google to email me each morning at 5 a.m. with a daily agenda. Using a free timer to help me keep track of the time I spend online checking email or Twitter.
5: Making the most of spare time by using it to write. Even the unexpected bits of small time that accumulate in a day. I use lists to help me make progress on my manuscript when I get an extra 5-15 minutes. I upload my manuscript to Google Drive or SkyDrive to make sure I have my book with me at all times (this also functions well as a backup, since it’s on a cloud).
Are you trying to increase output without sacrificing quality? How are you going about it?
The post Writing Books Faster—Without Compromising Quality appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
January 15, 2014
Best Practices for Self-Publishers
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Today I’m guest-posting at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog with seven best practices for self-publishing success.
The Insecure Writer’s Support Group was founded by writer Alex J. Cavanaugh to support and encourage writers and to provide resources for everything from the writing craft to marketing a book.
Hope you’ll pop over and visit.
The post Best Practices for Self-Publishers appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
January 12, 2014
How Morals and Basic Needs Influence a Character’s Positive Traits
by Becca Puglisi, @BeccaPuglisi
Since Angela Ackerman and I wrote our last book, The Positive Trait Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Attributes, I’ve been thinking a lot about personality traits and how they’re formed. Flaws are incredibly important for a character to have—and, let’s be honest: they’re really interesting to read about. But one of the main reasons we fall in love with characters is because we want them to succeed, to achieve their goals and overcome their flaws; this is where the positive attributes come in. The fact is, every character needs both positive and negative traits, and these traits need to be chosen thoughtfully.
When it’s time to create your character and figure out what his traits will be, you should take into account many factors that influence their development: genetics, upbringing and caregivers, past wounds, environment, peers—all of these things absolutely cause certain traits to organically emerge for a character. (For more information on how these factors influence trait development, please see this post on the topic.) Today, I’d like to zero in on what I believe are the two biggest influencers on trait formation: morality and basic needs.
Morality
Every character—protagonist, villain, sidekick, mentor, etc.—lives by a moral code. His beliefs about right and wrong are deeply embedded in his psyche and will influence his decisions, day-to-day actions, the way he treats people, how he spends his free time—they will impact every area of his life, including his personality. A character will only embrace traits that in some way align with his moral beliefs. Because of this, it’s crucial that we know what our characters believe and value in order to figure out which qualities will define him.
Take, for example, Zack Mayo from An Officer and a Gentleman. Mayo’s morality is largely derived from a traumatic childhood event: finding his mother’s body after she killed herself. Mayo’s father took him in but made it clear that taking responsibility for an impressionable boy wasn’t going to put a crimp in his affinity for drugs and prostitutes.
Fast forward a decade, and Mayo’s moral code has been formed from this sad crucible: look out for yourself because no one else will. Many of his defining traits stem directly from this belief. He’s independent, opportunistic, persistent, apathetic, emotionally withdrawn, and selfish. It would have made no sense for someone with Mayo’s moral code to embrace selflessness or loyalty, because to embody these traits, he’d have to go against his most important belief.
This is why its crucial to know your character’s backstory. All those factors I mentioned earlier? Put those puzzle pieces together to figure out what your character now values, what he believes about right and wrong. Once you know his moral code, you’ll know which traits he’ll embody and which ones he’ll disdain. His defining traits will be pretty much fixed because to reject them, he’d have to reject what he most believes in.
Basic Needs
But sometimes, as authors, a drastic shift in morality is exactly what we want for our characters. This kind of change doesn’t occur easily, but it can happen under the right circumstances. This is where basic needs come into play.
According to psychologist Abraham Maslow, individuals are driven by needs that fall into five categories:
Physiological: the need to secure one’s biological and physiological needs
Safety and Security: the need to keep oneself and one’s loved ones safe
Love and Belonging: the need to form meaningful connections with others
Esteem and Recognition: the need to increase one’s sense of esteem
Self-Actualization: the need to realize one’s full potential and achieve personal fulfillment
The first level is the most important; if a character’s physiological need isn’t being met, he’ll do whatever it takes to meet that need. Once it’s met, the next level becomes the most crucial. And so on.
If you’re crafting a story and you discover that you need one of your characters to undergo a major moral shift, simply take away one of his basic needs. An awesome example of this is the movie Prisoners. Hugh Jackman’s character is a responsible citizen — morally upright and a family man. But then his daughter goes missing (i.e., his need for safety and security is no longer being met). He’s certain he knows who abducted her, but the police won’t do anything about it. He tries everything he can think of to get his daughter back while working within the confines of his moral beliefs. When those ideas run out, he begins wrestling with the options that don’t coincide with his moral code. Desperate to regain his former equilibrium where all of his needs were being met, his morality shifts. He abducts his daughter’s suspected kidnapper and tortures him in an effort to learn of her whereabouts. His basic belief that all human beings are deserving of dignity and respect has changed—and so have his traits. Respect has turned to cruelty. Centeredness gives way to fanaticism. And all of this can be traced back to one need that is no longer being met.
We’re cruel taskmasters, we authors. But it’s through difficulty that true character emerges, and if we want our protagonists to grow, we have to provide growth opportunities. Know your character’s moral code and choose suitable traits. If you need your character to make a big change, threaten one of his basic needs. Then sit back and watch the metamorphosis begin.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for inviting me to post at your blog today. As a special thanks for the warm welcome, I’d like to give away a PDF copy of my book, The Positive Trait Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Attributes. Just leave a comment to enter for a chance to win. The giveaway runs through January 14th, after which time I’ll pick a winner. Best of luck!
Becca Puglisi is the co-creator of The Bookshelf Muse, an award winning online resource for writers. She has also authored a number of nonfiction resource books for writers, including The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Emotion; The Positive Trait Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Attributes; and The Negative Trait Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Flaws. A member of SCBWI, she leads workshops at regional conferences, teaches webinars through WANA International, and can be found online at her Writers Helping Writers website.
The post How Morals and Basic Needs Influence a Character’s Positive Traits appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
January 11, 2014
Twitterific Writing Links
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine(developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 23,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
Have a great week!
Crafting an effective opening: http://dld.bz/deSwa
10 Commandments for Interview Sources: http://dld.bz/deSwe @urbanmusewriter
12 Reasons Why Breaking Bad Would’ve Made An Incredible Novel: http://dld.bz/deSwk @LukeLeeOfficial
Writing a confession without cliché: http://dld.bz/deSyv
25 Websites To Click If You Are In Publishing: http://dld.bz/deSyy
How to keep rejection letters in perspective: http://dld.bz/deApn @KarenCV
Why 1 writer has chosen self-pub (which he calls ‘team pub’): http://dld.bz/cQDNy @daniel_baylis
Why Writers Must Self-Publish Their Books: http://dld.bz/deY53 @jfbookman
Writing About Emotions… or Why You Have to Go Through Stuff: http://dld.bz/deY5B @kathleenpopa
7 Mistakes Authors Make Online: http://dld.bz/deY5Q @EdieMelson
Advantages of e-readers for older adults: http://dld.bz/deY5R @annerallen
10 Common Elements Of Award Winning Screenplays: http://dld.bz/deY5U @elliot_grove
How Writing a Book Proposal Can Boost Your Sales: http://dld.bz/deY5Y @flawritersconf @AllyMachate
Is Blogging Really Necessary? http://dld.bz/deY6c @writerplatform
3 Rules of Character: http://dld.bz/deY6d @shalvatzis
Is good characterization really about change? http://dld.bz/deY6f @bang2write
How to write down story ideas so you can remember why they were brilliant: http://dld.bz/deY6m @nailyournovel
1 writer’s note to her pre-published self: http://dld.bz/deY63 @deborahcoonts
Author brands – Why Consistency is Worth Paying For: http://dld.bz/deY6A @ollyrhodes @RomanceUni
Resolving the Amazon Keyword Issue: http://dld.bz/deY7m @bookgal
Banning the Negative Book Review: http://dld.bz/deY7C& @nytimes
Do you find your genre, or does it find you? http://dld.bz/deY7K @ventgalleries
How to Turn Down or Leave a Freelance Writing Gig Tactfully: http://dld.bz/deY7N @freelancewj
Character motivation sheet: http://dld.bz/deY7Q @yahighway
7 steps to a great WordPress author website: http://dld.bz/deY7T @ollyrhodes
63 Character Emotions to Explore: http://dld.bz/cMCTj @fictionnotes
The search engine for writers: writerskb.com @hiveword
The search engine for writers: writerskb.com @hiveword
How To Create Distinct Characters: An Exercise: http://dld.bz/dfcM2 @woodwardkaren
To name, or not to name? An unusual case involving oppression: http://dld.bz/deMvu @juliettewade
Writing (Not Overwriting) Description: http://dld.bz/dfht6 @scriptmag
How to Stay Focused & Motivated to Get Your Book Done: http://dld.bz/dfhtQ @FutureofInk
10 Google Chrome Extensions That Save Time And Keep You Organized: http://dld.bz/dfhtT @RWW
1 writer’s Wattpad experience: http://dld.bz/dfhuc @TheWritPlatform
How to improve your writing–subplots and subtext: http://dld.bz/dfhuu @storyfix @writersdigest
Online traps for unwary writers and illustrators: http://dld.bz/dfhu9 @nicolamorgan
Freelancers: Free Bookkeeping with Nutcache: Track Your Expenses and Get Paid: http://dld.bz/dfhuM @tutsplus
The Top 5 Characteristics of a Great Villain: http://dld.bz/dfhvt @RebeccaZanetti
A 5-Step Strategy for Building a Successful Blog: http://dld.bz/dfhv8 @tglong
Do you need a literary agent? http://dld.bz/dfhwx
What Makes You So Special? The Magic to Selling Books: http://dld.bz/dfhw2 @kristenlambtx
5 tools for building conflict in your novel: http://dld.bz/dfhwH @JamesScottBell @writersdigest
7 ways to add subplots to your novel: http://dld.bz/dfhxA @writersdigest @BrianKlems
How to Master Your Creative Writing Process: http://dld.bz/dfkD5 @WritingForward
6 tips for protecting your images on social networks: http://dld.bz/dfkEj @JessieNuez.
Imaginary Audience: 6 Tips on Envisioning Your Readership: http://dld.bz/dfkEs @_RobbieBlair_
4 Branding Tips for Nonfiction Writers and Authors: http://dld.bz/dfkEu @NinaAmir
How to write a book to film adaptation simultaneously: http://dld.bz/dfkGs @orbitbooks
George R. R. Martin: “There Are 2 Kinds of Writers: Architects and Gardeners”: http://dld.bz/dfkG4 @99u
Tolkien Explains Why There’s No Such Thing as Writing “For Children”: http://dld.bz/dfkHb @brainpicker
Tips for writing the perfect logline and why it’s as important as your screenplay (or book): http://dld.bz/dfkJs @noamkroll
78 free, legal movie script PDF downloads: http://dld.bz/dfkJJ @gointothestory
Creating Friction With Clashing Personalities: http://dld.bz/dfkKq @thecreativepenn @angelaackerman
5 Things Novelists Can Learn From Screenwriters: http://dld.bz/dfkK2 @WritersRelief
10 self-pub tips from a bestselling author: http://dld.bz/dfkKG @spalding_author
Tips for setting up book signings as a self-pubbed writer: http://dld.bz/dfkKK
8 of the Best Genre-Busting Books About Writers and Writing: http://dld.bz/dfkKP @flavorwire
Running into set-backs as a writer? Focus on moving forward: http://dld.bz/dfkKU @hopeclark
The Exotic & Erotic Truth about Women Writers: http://dld.bz/dfkKV @francescabiller @elephantjournal
How to Plan Your 2014 Screenwriting Goals: http://dld.bz/dfkKX @CConradt
7 Biggest Threats to Writing: http://dld.bz/dfp5A @Lyndaryoung
Using Story Beats To Increase Writing Speed: http://dld.bz/dfp5P @DavidGaughran
What’s wrong with (some) modern fantasy: http://dld.bz/dfp6a @mharoldpage
4 truths to help you succeed as a self-pub writer: http://dld.bz/dfp6d
Script writing resources: http://dld.bz/dfp6m @rfwriters
7 Tips to Design an Effective Author Newsletter: http://dld.bz/dfqXb @sierragodfrey
3 Writing Tips Learned From NaNoWriMo: http://dld.bz/dfqXd @Janice_hardy
6 Benefits of Self-Publishing: http://dld.bz/dfrau @WritersEdit
Guide to writing deaf or hard of hearing characters: http://dld.bz/dfra3
Writing Therapy to Overcome Life’s Traumatic Events: http://dld.bz/dfra7 @savfmarie @DIYWriting
“Self” Publishing: It Takes a Team: http://dld.bz/dfraF @ElisabethWeed @writerunboxed
On Immediately Trunking Manuscripts: http://dld.bz/ddUrh @ava_jae
2 Must-Dos to Make Your Book Marketing Infinitely Easier: http://dld.bz/dfreA @writerplatform
An explanation of developmental editing: http://dld.bz/dfreE @katiemccoach
How To Succeed In Screenwriting – The Do List: http://dld.bz/dfreT @scriptmag @LeeZJessup
Best practices for social media posting: http://dld.bz/dfrfj @GuyKawasaki
Get more mileage from your blog posts by pre-cycling: http://dld.bz/dfrf7
7 Stages You Pass To Become a Writer: http://dld.bz/ddUqY @Ani_LifeProb
Plotting – 10 Basic Dos and Don’ts: http://dld.bz/dftRe @amandaonwriting
To cut to the chase use offhand remarks in your writing: http://dld.bz/dftRq @ventgalleries
Creative ways of killing your characters: http://dld.bz/dftRQ
Inconsistent Hyphenation: http://dld.bz/dftRY @writing_tips
Literary fiction has a problem with happy endings: http://dld.bz/dftSc @richardlea
6 Scientist Myths That Books and Movies Love To Perpetuate: http://dld.bz/dftSr @amazingstories0
What Authors Want: http://dld.bz/dftSw
Don’t Call It Fanfic: Writers Rework Their Favorite Stories: http://dld.bz/dftS6 @npr
Branding 101 For Authors: http://dld.bz/dftSF @BadRedheadMedia
Author brands – Why Consistency is Worth Paying For: http://dld.bz/deY6A @ollyrhodes @RomanceUni
Banning the Negative Book Review: http://dld.bz/deY7C & @nytimes
Resolving the Amazon Keyword Issue: http://dld.bz/deY7m @bookgal
63 Character Emotions to Explore: http://dld.bz/cMCTj @fictionnotes
Will the price for books ever seem right again? http://dld.bz/dfx7j @Porter_Anderson @MarkCoker @joshfarrington
10 tips for making the most of your award: http://dld.bz/dfyTZ @DinaSantorelli
7 Lessons Learned from Blogging: http://dld.bz/den3c @JL_Campbell @AlexJCavanaugh
A preview of the upcoming #DBW14 con: http://dld.bz/df5kT @Porter_Anderson . Live tweets Mon. at 9aET / 2pGMT / 3pCET
The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
January 9, 2014
A Switch from Writing Standalones to Continuing Story Arcs
By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I used to be a big fan of writing each book in my different series as a standalone. I liked the fact that readers could pick up any book in my series and understand what was going on. If you have continuing stories throughout your series, then obviously the reader has to find the first book in the series if they want to make sense of the subplots.
And, with mysteries, you really don’t need to have a continuing subplot or continuing plot. Each book is a single mystery—a murder or two for the sleuth and reader to figure out together.
My main concern, when I started writing for Penguin, was that the first books in my series wouldn’t stay on the shelves in bookstores—that the stores would stock only the latest book in the series and new readers would be lost if I wrote an episodic storyline.
I write to an older demographic and readers do email me if they can’t find a book in print. But I now feel a lot more comfortable about writing a story arc over the course of a series. The way bookstores are reducing shelf space to make room for non-book products (Nooks, café space, notebooks, toys), I believe that older readers, even those more set in their ways, will venture into the world of online ordering.
I’ve also noticed that I’ve gotten fewer emails lately from readers asking me to help them track down printed copies of older books. My ebook sales figures and royalties have grown, too. It seems clear to me that I’m getting more readers purchasing digital copies of my books than printed ones.
With ebooks, it’s a piece of cake getting an earlier book in a series. All the books are available, at all times, with no end date in sight.
Over the last six months, I started reading in my customer reviews that readers were looking for some character growth or change shown in relationships between characters. I guess that’s natural, since they were reviewing the 4th or 5th book in a series. At that point, they wanted the characters to develop more than they could in a typical standalone mystery (where the plot is mainly centered on the mystery itself).
As a reader, I can find continuing storylines frustrating, if there isn’t enough of the story’s conflict resolved in the book. It just gives a very unfinished feel, or lends a teaser-like quality to the story. But for these mysteries, it’s easier to manage—the main plot, the whodunit, is always neatly tied up at the end in cozy/traditional mysteries. So the only threads I leave dangling have to do with the characters’ subplots and their relationships. I’m hoping that gives readers enough of a sense of story completion/resolution while piquing their interest in upcoming books in the series and future character growth.
This has resulted in a big shift for me with my writing. I’ve also carefully listed the order of books in my series on my website to eliminate any confusion there (and that list was also in response to reader request).
What about you? As a reader, do you enjoy reading episodic storylines? As a writer, do you write them? Have you changed your approach, like I have?
Image: MorgueFile: VeggieGretz
The post A Switch from Writing Standalones to Continuing Story Arcs appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
January 7, 2014
10 Tips for Making the Most of Your Award
By Dina Santorelli, @DinaSantorelli
So you’ve won an award for your book. Very cool. You should be congratulated not just for winning, but for having the gumption to enter that competition in the first place. Just submitting an entry in a contest means that you think your work is good enough to win, which, in my book, is an achievement whether or not it actually does. So good for you!
But now that you have won, after you’ve pinched yourself and celebrated with a much-deserved pat on the back, you’ve got some work to do. That award is something that separates you from all the other authors out there, so you need to let your readers and fans know about it. Here’s how:
Announce your award in the signature of your email. As a freelance writer, I send out lots of emails every day, and not every person I do business with knows about my fiction work. Therefore, every email I send has a nice fat signature at the bottom that makes recipients aware that 1) I was voted one of the best authors on Long Island for two consecutive years; 2) that I was named the best author in Nassau County last year, and 3) that my debut novel Baby Grand was an honorable mention, genre fiction, in the Writer’s Digest 21st Self-Published Book Awards. I also include links to join my mailing list and to buy my book from Amazon. Why not? You’ve got the space—and their attention.
Announce your award on each of your social media profiles. Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. Google+. Tweak each bio to include your win so that your followers and potential followers can see your happy news. I also like to tailor the language and information I use for each social media audience—i.e., I take a more business-y approach on LinkedIn and keep it fun on Facebook.
Include the details of your win on your Amazon profile. Author Central gives you lots of room to work with, so you may even want to include some of the judge’s comments, if you have them.
Buy stickers for your book that proclaim: I am an award-winning author! On Vistaprint, I made up these cute circular stickers that I put on the paperback editions of Baby Grand; they mention my 2nd Place win as Best Long Island Author. It cost me under 20 bucks. Or, you may want to go ahead and redesign your book jacket.
Make use of the contest organization’s marketing materials. For being voted one of the best authors on Long Island, Long Island Press gives out a laminated “Official Winner” placard. I bring this with me to all my appearances, from signings to vendor fairs.
Send out press releases. Again, the key is to let as many people know that you’ve won, and newspapers and news websites can have broad readerships. I send most of my releases to local media, but you can also send off a few to trade pubs that write about publishing.
Be on the lookout for opportunities to tout your win. When Sandra Beckwith posted on social media that she was working on a blog post about awards and was looking for input from authors, I contacted her and was honored to be featured on her Build Book Buzz site.
Run a promotion. What better way to celebrate an exciting achievement than with prizes? Give away signed copies of your book or something special related to your book—my recent Facebook giveaway featured a Believe tag and chain from Origami Owl. (If you run your promotion on Facebook, keep in mind the social media site recently changed its rules regarding sweepstakes.)
Run an ad. Long Island Press, which runs the Best of Long Island awards each year, runs its contest results in a three-part newspaper series and offers winners the opportunity to run ads to thank fans for voting for them. See if your contest organization offers advertising opportunities. If not or if the pricing is out of your range, check out alternative venues, such as Facebook or local newspapers, which have more affordable rates.
Write a guest blog. It’s what we authors do, after all. Write. You can discuss any aspect of your award win—why you entered the contest, how it felt to be recognized—or, as in the case of this post, you can offer advice to other authors on how they can make the most of their award wins too. Good luck!
About Dina:
Voted one of the best Long Island authors for two consecutive years, Dina Santorelli has been a freelance writer for over 16 years and has written frequently about travel, entertainment, lifestyle, bridal, and pop culture. Dina’s latest book, Daft Punk: A Trip Inside the Pyramid, will be published by St. Martin’s Press on January 21, 2014. She is currently working on a sequel to her award-winning debut novel, Baby Grand, a top-rated Mystery/Thriller on Amazon Kindle. For more information about Dina, visit her website at http://dinasantorelli.com.
The post 10 Tips for Making the Most of Your Award appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
January 5, 2014
For Those Who Write Multiple Series
By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
One thing about the holidays is that I’m always around people a lot more than I usually am. In fact, I really can’t think of a time in the last couple of weeks when I was alone in the house. I did really well, actually, keeping up with my modest writing goals, but part of me is glad that school is back in session today.
I definitely socialize more during the holidays than I do any other time of the year—and yes, it’s exhausting. But it’s interesting, too. I always get a different perspective when I’m talking with people I barely know about my writing.
This party season, I discovered that non-writers think it’s rather unnatural that I write three series. The writing-related questions I answer at parties are progressing now, since I’ve been outed as a writer for a couple of years. I’ve just given up avoiding talking about writing when I’m at a party. Especially since, several times, I’ve suspected that it was the only reason I was invited to the party to begin with. So we’ve moved past the why did you choose to be a writer? and how long have you been writing questions to the other stuff. Now it’s: remind me again—what names do you write under? and how many books again have you written? And did you go to school for that? And—in evidence this particular holiday season—… Elizabeth, why on earth did you choose to write three series?
Writing three series was something that I just happened into. A progression of events. I explain that I didn’t just sit down one day at home and take out three sheets of paper and start penning three different books. I had a series that was canceled by the publisher that I took up on my own to self-publish (first series). I had an editor who was interested in the books I was writing for the first publisher, who encouraged me to audition for a series they wanted written for Penguin (second series). Then my agent heard from an editor who was looking for a Southern writer to create a series involving quilting and mysteries (third series).
The fact that I didn’t turn down either of the series that was offered to me shows that I really am nervous about turning down work. I think working in publishing can be feast or famine—if you’re offered work, you should go ahead and take it. So I’ll stay a hybrid writer in at least the short-term, since I’m contracted through 2015.
Now for the juggling. As I’ve mentioned before, it’s doable—mainly because I’m rarely in the position of needing to draft two books at the same time. I’m usually editing one and drafting another. Or working solely on one book at a time, which is what I prefer.
One big thing I’ve noticed is that it can take a while for me to get my head back into a series after working on another one. So this time, I’ve done something completely different and it worked really well for me. I outlined the next book in the series after finishing a book in that series.
I know this sounds like a no-brainer, but this has not been my approach in the past. I’m a victim of Shiny New Idea syndrome, too, you know. It’s even worse when you write multiple series. And when you’re a hybrid writer, if you receive a check in the mail to start working on a different book than the self-pubbed one you’re currently writing, then you put down that self-pub book and start working on the other one, even if you’re still getting great ideas for the book you’d been working on.
In late-August, I put down a Myrtle Clover book that I was writing (I was about ¼ of the way through the book) and started writing Southern Quilting mystery #4. I turned it in by January 1 and my instinct was to immediately go back to the Myrtle Clover I was writing, since Southern Quilting mystery #5 is due in August 2014. I’d been thinking about the Myrtle Clover book while writing the book for the other series. Ideas for the book, bits of dialogue, funny twists kept popping up, completely unbidden and usually while I was deep into writing the quilting mystery. I’d record those on a separate Word doc and keep on working—on deadline, after all.
So you can see how I was totally ready to pick back up with that uncompleted book. But I thought…yeah. This is what happens every single time. And then I complain that it takes me forever to outline the next book for Penguin because I’ve got Myrtle Clover characters populating my brain and not the quilting characters. Or it will be the Memphis Barbeque series characters in my head. Whichever.
This time I did the smart thing, the responsible thing, and outlined that next Penguin book. The characters were all fresh in my head. The characters’ interrupted continuing subplots (because I’ve given up writing standalones—more on that later) were still familiar to me. I brainstormed a scenario for the murder that would pull my sleuth into the fray, I came up with some likely suspects, I even recognized that the story accidentally (subconsciously?) had a theme and tweaked the subplots I’d sketched out to better reflect it. It took me a fraction of the time that it took me to outline the previous book in the series. I’m really kicking myself for not doing this before.
Honestly…I probably should go ahead and write that first chapter now, too. I’ll be asked for that teaser chapter and I’ll be neck-deep in the Myrtle book and will need to hustle out the first chapter. Maybe that will be what I’ll work on for the next few days and then I’ll go back to the Myrtle. Or at least just get a rough draft done for it.
A bit of a rambling post here from me and I apologize for that…the upshot is that I’ve found it’s a lot easier and quicker to sketch out a draft of the next book in a series when finishing a project in that series. Even if I’d rather be popping back over to write a different series.
If you write multiple series, are you all over the place with it, as I’ve been? And, if you don’t write multiple series…have you thought about it? Had any ideas for other books?
The post For Those Who Write Multiple Series appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
Twitterific Writing Links
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 23,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
Have a great week!
Sound in Novels: http://dld.bz/de759 @livewritethrive
Writing combat in fantasy–10 tips: http://dld.bz/de75M @fantasy_faction
5 tips on writing outside your genre: http://dld.bz/de75X @LeagueWriters
The Myth of Daily Word Count: http://dld.bz/cY5V9 @cerebralgrump
Emotional Barriers in Fiction: Intro to Emotional Channels : http://dld.bz/cY5TS @NakedEditor
Write the story you want to read: http://dld.bz/de76y @BonnieGrove
How to keep rejection letters in perspective: http://dld.bz/deApn @KarenCV
11 Ways to Doom Your Freelance Writing Career: http://dld.bz/deApr
Why Every Writer Should Join a Writing Group: http://dld.bz/de4ns @writersedit
Myth–to sell, you must write what’s hot: http://dld.bz/de3pe @deanwesleysmith
4 Key Book Publishing Paths: http://dld.bz/cU564 @janefriedman
2014 Writing Progress Spreadsheet: http://dld.bz/dezXh @jamieraintree
Inside stories of memorable children’s books: http://dld.bz/deu5M @PublishersWkly
“Every scene should advance the story”: http://dld.bz/deApy @gointothestory
Twisting your plot: http://dld.bz/deAp7
Tips For Marketing Your Novel On Amazon: http://dld.bz/deAp9 @chgriffinauthor
Two books that help with the drafting and revision processes: http://dld.bz/deApG @jamigold @beccapuglisi
Dear Video Game Developers, Hire Real Writers: http://dld.bz/deApK @DragonsRDelish
5 Things to Know: http://dld.bz/deAqa @sfwa
The Wide Margin: Tell the Cat to Beat It: http://dld.bz/deAqf @scriptmag @KDelin
Formatting chapter titles and numbers: http://dld.bz/deAqk
On Writing Characters Who are Nothing Like You: http://dld.bz/deAqp @ava_jae
12 Secrets to Selling More Books at Events: http://dld.bz/deAqr @wherewriterswin
3 skills to make it in publishing: http://dld.bz/deAqv @forbes
“Minimum words, maximum impact”: http://dld.bz/deAqy @gointothestory
Cataloguing Your Influences: http://dld.bz/deAq3 @chris_shultz81
Growing a thick skin: http://dld.bz/deAq9 @womenwriters @katelaity
How writing affects our brain: http://dld.bz/deAsk @Sibbyy
Writing books that sell themselves: http://dld.bz/cY5VW
The Editing Hit List: http://dld.bz/deAs9 @JoshuaEssoe
14 Simple Steps To Ensure Success With Your Writing for the Next 12 Months: http://dld.bz/deAsC @nickdaws
3 Ways Commuting Can Enhance your Creativity: http://dld.bz/deAsU @nicolegulotta
“Test your story concept”: http://dld.bz/deAtm @gointothestory
Which profession drinks the most coffee? http://dld.bz/deAtv @ruethedayblog
Script To Screen: “Adaptation”: http://dld.bz/deAt3 @gointothestory
The Everyday Author’s Guide to Establishing a Book Marketing Plan: http://dld.bz/deAtK @TMRadcliffe
This is How Huge Door-stopper Fantasy Novels Get Made: http://dld.bz/deMuW @tordotcom
14 things a screenwriter learned pitching in Hollywood: http://dld.bz/deMuX @TIMJOHN1
Think Bigger About Your Nonfiction Book or Writing Business: http://dld.bz/deMva @schwerdtfeger
Elmore Leonard on the Mortal Sin of Dialogue Tags: http://dld.bz/deMvk
Write Outside The Lines of Your Book: http://dld.bz/de74c @JosinMcQuein
Are self-published Authors guilty of sabotaging their trade? http://dld.bz/deMv3 @twelvedaysjade
Not all small presses are equal: http://dld.bz/deMv8 @author_sullivan
Omnipotence is Impotence: Or Why Control Freaks Make Poor Fantasy Writers: http://dld.bz/deMvW
10 things that fuel 1 writer’s obsession with a story: http://dld.bz/deMwk @mythicscribes
Too much vertical space in your manuscript? http://dld.bz/deMwM
Is Gaming Bad for Fiction Writers? http://dld.bz/deMwW @daycathy
Author website tip: keep your homepage simple: http://dld.bz/deMxf @bookgal
The bookselling brain: http://dld.bz/deMxz @thefuturebook
How Catching Fire Fixed All the Worst Mistakes The Hunger Games Made: http://dld.bz/deMx3 @io9
Tax tips for freelancers: is it a business or a hobby? http://dld.bz/deNSt @lizstrauss
Have You Thanked Your Readers Lately? http://dld.bz/deNSB @loriculwell
Death and the Self-Pubbed Writer: http://dld.bz/deNSQ @JAKonrath
Script Symbology: Symbol Systems: http://dld.bz/deNTd @scriptmag
The Difference Between Presume and Assume: http://dld.bz/deNTr @epbure
Fan Fiction: The Next Great Literature? http://dld.bz/deNTx @pacificstand
Time Block Projects to Stay Focused and Motivated: http://dld.bz/deNTG @RealLifeE @CreativityPost
5 tips for writers from author Paul Harding: http://dld.bz/deNTQ @PublishersWkly
1st draft blues: http://dld.bz/deNTU
How to Practice Writing Every Day: http://dld.bz/dePB3 @WritingForward
8 ways to rev those writing engines: http://dld.bz/dePBC @JordanMcCollum
10 Key Terms That Will Help You Appreciate Fantasy Literature: http://dld.bz/dePBH @io9
“Each scene must be a drama in itself”: http://dld.bz/dePEr @gointothestory
The helpful reader–discoverability: http://dld.bz/dePE6 @kristinerusch
How The Maltese Falcon inspired film noir: http://dld.bz/dePFh @Willjhodgkinson
Don’t Fall For Vanity Radio: http://dld.bz/dePFr @victoriastrauss
“25 Reasons I’m Not a Writer”: http://dld.bz/dePGa @jdiddyesquire
11 Ways to Level Up Your Writing: http://dld.bz/dePGm @DelilahSDawson
Outlining A Story: When Advice Differs: http://dld.bz/dePGv @randysusanmeyer
Writing in the internet era: http://dld.bz/dePGJ @therejectionist @nathanbransford
Meet my metaphor: http://dld.bz/dePGP @pageturner
Should Readers Be Able to Modify Book Content? http://dld.bz/deSuV @BooksAndPals
Keep a Personal Account of Your Progress: http://dld.bz/deSvb
The Tricky Art of Pacing: http://dld.bz/deSvc @beccapuglisi
26 of Noah Webster’s Spelling Changes That Didn’t Catch On: http://dld.bz/deSvh @mental_floss @ArikaOkrent
Worldbuilding: Rituals for the Dead: http://dld.bz/deSvx @marshallmaresca
Your Novel’s Timeline: http://dld.bz/deSv2 @lindasclare
5 Budgeting Tips for Freelancers Living on an Inconsistent Income: http://dld.bz/deSv4 @UrbanMuseWriter
Your Individuality is Your Greatest Asset: Writing and Marketing as You: http://dld.bz/deSvQ @cateartios
Helpful Definitions for Modern Authors: http://dld.bz/deSvV @nytimes
63 Character Emotions to Explore: http://dld.bz/cMCTj @fictionnotes
A 4-step process for goal-setting for writers: http://dld.bz/deZSY @nickdaws
14 Publishing Predictions for 2014: http://dld.bz/deZTd @authormedia
2013 TED Presentations from Writers: http://dld.bz/deZTe @galleycat
How to Keep Your Writing Going for All of 2014: http://dld.bz/deZTg @deanwesleysmith
29 Plot Templates: http://dld.bz/deZTn @fictionnotes
Is Your New Year’s Resolution Killing Your Writing? http://dld.bz/deZTp @jacobkrueger
Writing resolutions–2014 and beyond: http://dld.bz/deZTu {lang} @chuckwendig
3 tips to meet our goals in 2014: http://dld.bz/dfb7w
The search engine for writers: writerskb.com @hiveword
2014 resolutions–restoring emphasis on content instead of word count: http://dld.bz/dfduH @Porter_Anderson @DonMaass @chuckwendig
Tips for young writers: http://dld.bz/dfhsK @aidylEwoh
804 SF themes, motifs, and terminology: http://dld.bz/dfb8x @SFEncyclopedia @john_clute
The psychological progression of story: http://dld.bz/dfgkJ @camillelaguire
Examples of standalone mysteries in crime fiction: http://dld.bz/dfnPm @mkinberg
The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
