Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 158

Twitterific

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig









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A free directory of cover designers, formatters, freelance editors, and more: http://bit.ly/nolbXq



9 Tips To Develop A Winning Blog Personality: http://bit.ly/Z4paNE @HeidiCohen



Should traditional biography be buried alongside Shakespeare's breakfast? http://bit.ly/ZjkYYl @AlisonFlood



Tags, Traits And Tells: http://bit.ly/WsCSLS @woodwardkaren



How to Write a Story: http://bit.ly/WsCVY5 @stephengjones72



5 Keys Steps to Adding Depth to Your Fictional Relationships: http://bit.ly/WGrXsV @JordanDane



Spring Cleaning? 10 Tips for Writers: http://bit.ly/WsD6Tj @WritingFineLine



Worldbuilding Process: http://bit.ly/WsDiC2 @juliettewade



Breaking through writer's block: http://bit.ly/WsDqBp @rxena77



Fall or Fly? http://bit.ly/WGsBGO @johnhartness



Are Email Interviews That Bad? Yes.http://bit.ly/WsDCAK @10000Words



Screenwriters Roundtable: http://bit.ly/WGt8IF @gointothestory



When characters go their own way: http://bit.ly/WsE0yZ



The Value of Taking a Productive Pause: http://bit.ly/WGtpeI @abmarkman



115 Words for "walks": http://bit.ly/WsE9Te @gointothestory



Creating Intriguing Characters: http://bit.ly/WsEjKo @fcmalby



The hidden power of no: http://bit.ly/VGaMeV @RLLaFevers



Writing Authentic Crime: How To Get Away With Murder: http://bit.ly/XQi12t @GarryRodgers1



Are Self-Pub Books the New Slush Pile? http://bit.ly/XQi8uX @rachellegardner



Writing Effective Grief In Fiction: 5 Ideas For Writers: http://bit.ly/VGc7lV @denisejaden



An Experience in Translating a Self-Published Book: http://bit.ly/XQiv8E @selfpubreview



3 Quick Tips for Linking to External Blog Posts: http://bit.ly/XQjLZx @genelempp



How To Sell Ebooks: http://bit.ly/VGdQrd @jakonrath



Another 25 Reasons Your Submissions are Rejected: http://bit.ly/XQkbz8



Your Amazon Author Central page: http://bit.ly/W80Klw @bufocalvin



Feeling Overwhelmed? Social Media Can Make Us Crazy: http://bit.ly/W815Vn @kristenlambtx








AWP president addresses criticism of the conference:
http://bit.ly/ZKv84E @Porter_Anderson




Writing Organizations—Finding the perfect fit: http://bit.ly/ZivCgO @OrlyKonigLopez



10 Qualities of Successful Indie Authors: http://bit.ly/ZivIoH



Describing Character Reactions And Emotions: She Smiled, He Frowned: http://bit.ly/ZiAq5G @woodwardkaren



8 Tips For Approaching Editing Your Work: http://bit.ly/W85JCM @BryanThomasS



5 Facebook Marketing Tips for Authors: http://bit.ly/W85NTf @goblinwriter



How to Make Your Similes Sparkle: http://bit.ly/W85UOC @write_practice



5 Ways to Promote Your Words When You're Not Feeling Worthy: http://bit.ly/ZiAOBb @wherewriterswin



A Critique of a Darker Opening: http://bit.ly/W863lb @janice_hardy



Plot Perseverance and Plodding: http://bit.ly/ZiAVwM @sarahahoyt



Writing the right story: http://bit.ly/ZiBcjc @juliekibler



Physical Attributes Entry: Stomach: http://bit.ly/W86wUl @angelaackerman



Write-Brained: The Neuroscience of Writing and Writer's Block: http://bit.ly/ZiBqqA @robdyoungwrites



Screenwriter roundtable: http://bit.ly/W86ETY @gointothestory



The Storytelling Masters and Their Lessons: http://bit.ly/W86L1N @NightBirder



1984: George Orwell's road to dystopia: http://bbc.in/W86Suj @BBCNewsMagazine



Dreaming up story ideas: http://bit.ly/ZiBRkK @kristinnador



Guy Kawasaki on budgeting for your book: http://bit.ly/ZiC3R7 @jasonboog



ISBNs For Self-Publishing: http://bit.ly/W87akF @laurahoward78 @rippatton



4 Character Essentials: http://bit.ly/ZiCdI6 @josiskilpack



Great Character: The Bride ("Kill Bill: Vol. 1 & Vol. 2″): http://bit.ly/W87waZ @gointothestory



Used e-books: http://bit.ly/ZiCESA



Self-Pub and Trad Pub: Enjoy the Best of Both Worlds: http://bit.ly/15xS9fI @janefriedman @cjlyonswriter



How to Work on More Than One Book at a Time: http://bit.ly/W8nyl9 @jamesscottbell



Writing Rules and Fantasy: Mary Sues: http://bit.ly/ZiWqO6 @VickyThinks



How to Get Your ISBN: http://bit.ly/W8OyRJ @MyBookShepherd



Why Science Fiction Poetry is Embarrassingly Bad: http://bit.ly/ZjvxJC @AmazingStories0



10 Movies That Make Writing Look Incredibly Dangerous: http://bit.ly/ZjwlOW @flavorpill



The Trouble With Adverbs: http://bit.ly/ZjwCRQ @woodwardkaren



Who should read your unpublished work? http://bit.ly/W8PKUY @rachellegardner



A Way To End Ebook Piracy? http://bit.ly/Zjx0zC



Using Ebook Covers to Brand an Author Across Genres: http://bit.ly/Zjxd62 @ddscottromcom



Ebook cover critiques: http://bit.ly/ZldhzD @jfbookman



Tips for writing subplots: http://bit.ly/16dzOFl @gointothesstory



9 Reasons Authors Still Choose Traditional Publishing: http://bit.ly/ZldKli @melissadonovan



5 things 1 self-pubbed writer has learned so far: http://bit.ly/16dzXbL @livewritethrive @SeanYeagerAdv



How to build a storyworld based on character: http://bit.ly/Zle1Vr @Onidroid



Breaking the Literary Atrophy: http://bit.ly/16dAeLN @chicklitgurrl71



How To Write More And Create A Daily Writing Habit: http://bit.ly/ZlejM7 @thecreativepenn








Cooking up a
culinary cozy mystery: http://bit.ly/YvINub
@JudyAlter




Classic Characters Whose Flaws Make Them Great: http://bit.ly/16dAp9N @BenClayborne



Details and Description—Getting the Facts Right: http://bit.ly/ZleuqG @noveleditor



Every Author Needs a Copyright Page: http://bit.ly/XYDRh5 @MyBookShepherd



Keep the Plot Taut: http://bit.ly/XFecOj @Lindasclare



Forcing readers to like characters--admiration: http://bit.ly/13tgXGB @mooderino



Think Like a Publisher 2013: Return on Investment: http://bit.ly/16dAFFV @deanwesleysmith



Translation Rights: http://bit.ly/ZleQ0o



Review on gerunds: http://bit.ly/16dAWZn @writing_tips



Tips for writing loglines: http://bit.ly/16dB8If @SHalvatzis



How Twitter lists help writers: http://bit.ly/Zlfawe @ninabadzin



5 Principles of Creativity: http://bit.ly/16dBmiB @Digitaltonto



10 modern horror masterpieces: http://bit.ly/Zlfn2t



Expertise vs. Humility – A Blogger's Battle Royale? http://bit.ly/16dBxub



Bookkeeping for writers: http://bit.ly/16dBBKj @bob_brooke



Screenwriters' roundtable: http://bit.ly/ZlfBa2 @gointothestory



The math of writing fast: http://bit.ly/lIVgw0 @deanwesleysmith



How to Build a Platform before You Finish Your Book: http://bit.ly/XYrXbc @grubwriters



Thomas Edison, Power-Napper: The Great Inventor on Sleep & Creative Success: http://bit.ly/YRx2hm @brainpicker



How to Use What Ifs While Revising: http://bit.ly/XYs46w @ava_jae



What 1 writer wishes he'd known about writing: http://bit.ly/YRxbBE @2bwriters



Tips for dumping info dumps: http://bit.ly/XYsrOn @CompulsionReads



Six sentence story planning for pantsers: http://bit.ly/YRxw7e @ajackwriting



Why Hunter S. Thompson Would've Loved Author Rank: http://bit.ly/XYsSbD @copyblogger



5 Ways to Revise Poems: http://bit.ly/YRxZWU @robertleebrewer



Promise of the Premise: http://bit.ly/XYtjmd @carrieryan



Five Ways to Use YouTube to Promote Your Book: http://bit.ly/XYtmhY @wherewriterswin



Rejection slip scrapbook: http://bit.ly/YRylwX @amazingstories0



Losing Sight of the Target: http://bit.ly/XYtwpm @StinaLL



Tips for dealing with rejection: http://bit.ly/YRysbD @angelaackerman



A dialogue exercise: http://bit.ly/YRyAbj @biljanalikic



English as a Foreign Language: http://bit.ly/XYtRbP



As Barnes & Noble shrinks, small bookstores are born: http://lat.ms/Zxgwrt @latimesbooks



Writing male characters--their reactions to grief: http://bit.ly/14LbLtP @lkblackburne



Plotting and Crafting Action Scenes: http://bit.ly/Zxhe83



Create a Table of Contents to Help Your Readers Navigate Your Book: http://bit.ly/15HpJiB @ninaamir



Successfully self-pubbed authors share 10 tips for finding more readers: http://bit.ly/12HBsA3 @LauraPepWu



The Aftermath of the Agency Model: http://bit.ly/12HBzM1 @pubperspectives



When you're told your story concept isn't "big enough": http://bit.ly/12HBJ5S @Julie_Gray



6 Publishing Trends That Benefit Readers & Authors: http://bit.ly/12HBU18 @mollygreene @tobywneal



3 Easy Ways to Better Dialogue: http://bit.ly/12HC1K9 @lindasclare



The Most Important Quality In Best Selling Authors: http://bit.ly/12HClZj @jodyhedlund



Want to write a book? Thoughts for starting out: http://bit.ly/15HqtEq @4YALit



Analyzing Story Structure: http://bit.ly/15HqxnB @woodwardkaren






Bad news for blog readers--Google Reader
to shutter on July 1:  http://bit.ly/16uISpr @Porter_Anderson
@dcseifert @mmasnick




How to Write a Character From Start to Finish: http://bit.ly/12HCyvt @BrianKlems



What to Expect When You're Expecting…to Be Published: http://bit.ly/12HCE6x @BoydMorrison



Tips for finding coffee shops that will let you sit and write for a while: http://bit.ly/12HCQmf @halophoenix @lifehacker



Tips for creating great characters: http://bit.ly/15HqSql @HookedOnNoir



Writing Gender-Specific Dialogue: http://bit.ly/12HD6BB @writersdigest



Discovery is Publishers' Problem; Readers are Doing Just Fine: http://bit.ly/15Hr0WN @glecharles



How to deal with your moments of despair as a writer: http://bit.ly/12HDgsH @ajackwriting



"'Used Ebooks' Hurts My Brain": http://bit.ly/15HQ6oE @readingape



10 tips for drawing readers to your website: http://bit.ly/12IiY2e @authormedia



A look at the school and library marketing part of the industry: http://bit.ly/12IjbSY @alexbracken



Enemies of the art--failure to focus: http://bit.ly/15HQp2D @kristenlambTX



Is "Discoverability" Even A Problem? http://bit.ly/15HWVXm @bsandusky



Awkwardly charming: Thomas Hardy and the strangeness of bad writing that is somehow good: http://slate.me/12IuJFU @slate



5 Unexpected Tips For Self-Pubbed Authors to Find Success: http://bit.ly/XkG39i @digibookworld



Recipe for a Successful Synopsis: http://bit.ly/14PsQmb @jamigold



Is Your Agent an Asset? http://bit.ly/XkGAbh @behlerpublish



3 Tips for Strengthening Narrative Descriptions: http://bit.ly/14Pt7FU @lkhillbooks



FREE Books: Bane or Boon? http://bit.ly/XkH0OR @SusanKayeQuinn



8 Ways To Fix Online Review Systems: http://bit.ly/14PtBvN @scottmarlowe



What is Wattpad? And how can it help me as a self-published author? http://bit.ly/YpaK6J @bibliocrunch



5 Questions to Ask When Writing Content: http://bit.ly/13QQdjl @jeffbullas



5 Steps to Boost eBook Sales - Listening to Readers: http://huff.to/YpaW61 @markcoker



Why self-publishing authors should think "foreign rights" from the outset: http://bit.ly/13QQiDu @SueCollier



Tips for Twitter newbies: http://bit.ly/13QQMti @blurbisaverb @teconklin



How to write a novel: http://bit.ly/13QR03A @salon @carytennis



Supernatural Horror In Literature: http://bit.ly/Ypc7lS @amazingstories0



Don't be Afraid of Embarrassing Your Grandmother: http://bit.ly/13QR837 @americanediting



On Writing, Christopher Walken and Finding Your 'Wild Thing': http://bit.ly/13QRcji @JudyLeeDunn



6 Tips To Creating A Writing Partnership That Works: http://bit.ly/Ypce0V @goodinaroom



Boost Creativity and Enhance Your Sleep with These Lucid Dreaming Techniques: http://bit.ly/YpcgpB @lifehacker



Building a Street Team: http://bit.ly/XI6rId @EArroyo5 @janice_hardy



3 Quick Ways to Find Hidden Guest Blogging Opportunities: http://bit.ly/XI6vaJ @copyblogger



The Modifier Zone: http://bit.ly/YanIpY @jgetzler



Examples of a coming-of-age theme in fiction: http://bit.ly/10ypp6O @mkinberg



Why noir remains popular today: http://bit.ly/15HoGza @mkinberg



Did Amazon Change Algorithms to Protect Their Readers? The 10,000 Gatekeepers of KDP Select: http://bit.ly/15HpBjc @edwrobertson



Proper Nouns, Pronouns, and Antecedents--a Review: http://bit.ly/12I0Y89 @authorterryo



AWP con: it's become MFA-Con: http://bit.ly/XkJs7Z @Porter_Anderson



March Madness for mystery lovers: http://augustwainwright.com/ @acwainwright



Random House ebook imprints with 'predatory' contracts: http://bit.ly/YpavZr @Porter_Anderson @JamesScottBell @VictoriaStrauss



How to use email to preview your eBook files on an iPad: http://bit.ly/13QSuLo @bibliocrunch @miralsattar




Traditional mystery writers--make the
amateur sleuth's involvement believable: http://bit.ly/ZKTBGQ
@sharonwhopkins


A POV overview: http://bit.ly/XX3qiv @p2p_editor

Cooking Up a Culinary Cozy--Guest Post by Judy Alter

by Judy Alter, @JudyAlter



In another life, I’d probably be a chef. I love being a writer, but cooking is my avocation. I like nothing better than to try out a new recipe on company—usually it works fine, though there have been disasters. But I am known as the “foodie” among my friends. Everyone laughed that I made the protagonist in my Kelly O’Connell Mystery series a non-cook who fed her children pizza or took them out for turkey burgers.


I always wanted to write a culinary mystery, but who can match the inimitable Diane Mott Davidson with her sophisticated and tempting recipes? I have a friend who has tried some and reports delicious results. But in my new Blue Plate Café Mystery series I have reached a compromise—a culinary touch to a cozy mystery set in a small town. Only this is not sophisticated cooking; it’s strictly down home.


Two threads from my life are woven into this café-based series: for almost twenty years, my children and I spent lovely weekends with dear friends who owned Arc Ridge Ranch, outside of Ben Wheeler in near East Texas. Sometimes we went to the nearby town of Edom to a café called The Shed for dinner. The Saturday night special was always fried catfish, and they had a mean lemon meringue pie. Breakfasts were equally tempting, and I can still mentally put myself inside that small restaurant.


But the other thread was cooking at the ranch with Reva, or as my children called her Aunt Reva. Reva was a great, down-home cook, a Missouri farm girl transplanted to Texas. She and I were a terrific kitchen team, though mostly I learned from her as we put together huge feasts. We made everything from pot roast and mashed potatoes to barbecued chicken and potato salad. We  tossed salads and created wonderful desserts. Each of us contributed recipes and ideas. If one of the children got lucky and caught a sizeable bass in the lake in front of their house, we cooked that (after Uncle Charles cleaned it).


Arc Ridge Ranch was a B&B with several two-bedroom cabins, complete with kitchens. Reva stocked the fridges for breakfast with orange juice and usually her famous prune bread (secret recipe—she wouldn’t even share it with me). Most guests were on their own for lunch and dinner, but we were family, and those dinners on the front porch, overlooking the lake, stand out as among the happiest, most peaceful moments in my life.


By the time I compiled a cookbook, Cooking My Way Through Life with Kids and Books, Reva had left us, but I had enough of her recipes to include them along with a tribute to our happy days at the ranch. Charles even gave me the treasured prune bread recipe.


Murder at the Blue Plate Café, the brand new first in the series, has a short appendix of recipes, all from Gram who ran the Blue Plate until her death. But Gram’s recipes are really Reva’s—chicken salad, meatloaf, beans, sheet cake (over which we had endless arguments: she called it sheath cake and I maintained it was a sheet cake because it was baked on a jelly roll sheet). Here’s a new one, her recipe for Toffee Bars, sent to me one year so I could serve it at my annual Christmas party:



Toffee Bars

½ lb. (2 sticks) butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg yolk
2 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9x13 pan.


Cream butter and sugar. Add the egg yolk and beat. Sift in the flour and then add the vanilla. Spread the batter in the pan—it will be difficult to cover all the corners; you’ll have a thick batter that you will probably have to spread by hand, and then it will be thinly distributed. Bake for 25 minutes.
Take the cake out of the oven, cover it with chocolate chips, and return to the oven for three minutes. When you remove it from the oven this time, smooth the chocolate evenly with the blade of a table knife and sprinkle with nuts. Cool.


Makes about thirty pieces, depending on how you cut them.



About Judy Alter:



An award-winning novelist, Judy Alter is the author of three books in the Kelly O’Connell Mysteries series: Skeleton in a Dead Space, No Neighborhood for Old Women, and Trouble in a Big Box. With Murder at the Blue Plate Café, she moves from inner city Fort Worth to small-town East Texas to create a new set of characters in a setting modeled after a restaurant that was for years one of her family’s favorites.


Contact Judy at j.alter@tcu.edu  or visit her web page at www.judyalter.com.
Blogs: Judy’s Stew http://www.blogspot.com and Potluck with Judy http://potluckwithjudy.blogspot.com.



Murder at the Blue Plate Café:





When twin sisters Kate and Donna inherit their grandmother’s restaurant, the Blue Plate Cafe, in Wheeler, Texas, there’s immediate conflict. Donna wants to sell and use her money to establish a B&B; Kate wants to keep the cafe. Thirty-two-year-old Kate leaves a Dallas career as a paralegal and a married lover to move back to Wheeler and run the café, while Donna plans her B&B and complicates her life by having an affair with her sole investor. Kate soon learns that Wheeler is not the idyllic small town she thought it was fourteen years ago. The mayor, a woman, is power-mad and listens to no one, and the chief of the police department, newly come from Dallas, doesn’t understand small-town ways. Kate’s suspicion about her grandmother’s sudden death deepens when the mayor of Wheeler becomes seriously ill after eating food from the café, delivered by Donna’s husband.  When Donna’s investor is shot, she is arrested. Kate must defend her sister and solve the murders to keep her business open, but even Kate begins to wonder about the sister she has a love-hate relationship with. Gram guides Kate through it all, though Kate’s never quite sure she’s hearing Gram—and sometimes Gram’s guidance is really off the wall.


Read an excerpt here: http://www.judyalter.com
Amazon/KIndle: http://tinyurl.com/aakef9d
Turquoise Morning Press: http://tinyurl.com/agueko9
Available for most e-readers at Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/286301
Print available from your local bookseller, Amazon or Turquoise Morning Press

Thoughts on Unreliable Narrators

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig





I'll write this post from a reader perspective since I haven't used unreliable narrrators in my books, and I'll keep the post general so there won't be any spoilers.



I just finished reading a book where the narrator was unreliable throughout the book. Although reading books with unreliable narrators can be a lot of fun, this book was honestly kind of tiring for me. I kept looking for signs that the narrator was believable...or wasn't.  (Narrator was an alcoholic.) It made for an interesting read, but it wasn't what I'd call relaxing.  (Is the narrator drunk now?  Is the narrator in denial? Is the narrator sober?)



Usually, I'm fonder of situations when I think the narrator is reliable and find out later that they're not.  Otherwise, I spend a lot of the book trying to figure out who I can believe.



When it may be easier to get away with an unreliable narrator (without frustrating the reader):



When the narrator is unreliable because of age, species, etc..  Readers understand that children are looking at the world from a different perspective. I've read books where animals narrated.  I've read books where persons with mental challenges narrated.  Readers understand  these narrators view the world through a different lens.



When you use clues.  If you're using an unreliable narrator who readers think is reliable, but actually isn't, I'd advise sticking in plenty of clues that that's the case.  It's fun to have the wool pulled over your eyes (a few movies and a couple of mysteries come to mind), but it's no fun to be completely tricked.  It feels like cheating on the writer's part if there are no small hints that the narrator is unreliable.



When the book is written from a first person POV.  Then it seems less of an authorial manipulation and more of the character being sneaky or deceptive. In fact, it may be even easier to drop those clues to the narrator's unreliability when the story is written in this POV.



When the narrator is consistent.  That can mean consistently unreliable, as long as they're not hopping back and forth through the whole story.  They can even be consistent when they grow or change as characters, as long as the impetus for the change is believable.



When you don't reveal the narrator's unreliability immediately in the story (although, as mentioned above, you'll need to sprinkle in clues so it's fair to the reader.)  We can probably all think of books or movies that end up with a major plot twist at the end of the story when it's revealed the narrator is a ghost-murderer-lunatic-etc.



If the narrator is likeable.  As a reader, I'll put up with even an inconsistent, confusing, mess-of-an-unreliable narrator if he's likeable...or at least interesting.



In some respects, all narrators are unreliable.  We all approach life with our backstories influencing our perceptions.  If it's done well, unreliable narrators can really add an unexpected and fun element to a story.



Have you ever used an unreliable narrator? Do you enjoy reading books that feature them?  Any thoughts about pulling it off well?





Image: MorgueFile--Schick

Voice Recording as a Writing Tool

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig



Sometimes the whole world seems to work against your getting any writing done.



You know the kinds of weeks or months I’m talking about.  The story doesn’t cooperate. Your schedule goes haywire with unexpected stuff popping up.  Kids come home sick from school.  There are activities all hours of the day and night.



So we keep plugging on, writing when we can.  But sometimes we want to try to make up for lost time.



I’m a big proponent of don’t try to catch up.  Start each day trying to reach that day’s goal, not the day before or the week before, or all the other goals you’ve missed.  Just focus on the goal of the day—you’re not behind.



But some days, I still want to try to make up for less-productive days.  I’ll squeeze in writing when I can.



I’ve gotten to the point where it’s less-often that I try new ways to approach writing.  But sometimes I run across ideas that work better than expected.



I’ve used voice recorders in the past to talk through plots or record ideas on the go (sometimes literally on the go as I  drive long car trips.)  But I’ve never actually used them to dictate my story before.



I have used voice recognition software and still use it from time to time when my carpal tunnel acts up.  I did find, though, that it trips up over my Southern accent sometimes and it distracts me when I see the words coming up wrong on the screen.  I did use the Southern accent setting on the software and I have trained it to recognize words that it’s missed before—but it wasn’t perfect, just a helpful tool when I’ve got a messed-up arm (which happens more often than I’d like.)  At the price (I purchased Dragon, Naturally Speaking for around $50), you could give it a try and see what you think.



When I don’t have any carpal tunnel issues, I’m a very fast typist.  For some reason, it didn’t occur to me to dictate my stories to transcribe, myself, later—until I read a post by writer Katie Ganshert recently: “The Secret to Writing Fast and Furious.”



As Katie put it:

The beautiful thing about this method is that it completely silences the dreaded internal editor.

There’s no back space. There’s no flashing cursor. There’s no blank page. There’s no critical little man sitting on your shoulder, reading each sentence while tutting and shaking his head.

There’s just a red record button.

Katie was able to dictate 25,000 words in three days, using a voice recorder and then typing the results.



My numbers were lower than Katie’s, but still pretty good for supplementary writing.  I averaged about 1,000 words in only minutes before I needed to run off and do a carpool or go to an appointment.  Since I was supplementing writing I’d already done that day, it just added to my word count.



Now, my internal editor was still present, unfortunately. Not only did she make me say, “Scratch that,” about three or four times each recording, but she also told me that my Southern accent stood out particularly strong when I was recorded (my teenage son hastened to agree with my internal editor.)  But I’ve managed to ignore the internal editor and continue on.



I don’t use this method every day.  But I’ve found that if I use it several times a week, it’s really pumped up my word count.  Interestingly enough, I tend to make minor corrections (stronger verbs, better diction) when I type in the dictation…so I guess, in a way, I’m editing as I go when I use this method.



I use a free app that I downloaded on my phone.  My phone is always with me (moms are the world’s emergency contacts), so I’ve always got my voice recorder with me. 



Have you ever used either voice recognition software or voice recorders?  What other methods have you used to increase your word count?

Twitterific

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig









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A free directory of cover designers, formatters, freelance editors, and more: http://bit.ly/nolbXq



3 Ways to Add Tension During Revisions: http://bit.ly/ZEwWAx @janice_hardy



What it Means When Someone Tries to Tell You THE Rules of Good Writing: http://bit.ly/XyUsM8 @io9



Stitching Your Scenes Together with Transitions: http://bit.ly/XXUObp @howtowriteshop



Shout Your Author Message… With a Whisper: http://bit.ly/XyUBPG @thehrgoddess



Options for Dilemmas in a Sequel: http://bit.ly/XXUUQm @kmweiland



3 ways your novel might carry unwanted junk: http://bit.ly/XXUYzG @dirtywhitecandy



The State of a Genre Title, 2013: http://bit.ly/XXV5er @scalzi



Digital Comics Are Getting Cheaper: http://bit.ly/XXVbCJ @PublishersWkly



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Plot Grids: http://bit.ly/XXVnC5 @KarenMusings



Yes, Past Tense Narrators Can Still Die: http://bit.ly/XyW0FZ @chihuahuazero



The Rules of Writing: http://bit.ly/XXVUEf



Stand-alones vs. series: http://bit.ly/XyWfkm @mistymassey



Improve Your Focus by Fidgeting: http://bit.ly/XXWdyT @lifehacker



Rethink Cover Design for a Small, Small World: http://bit.ly/XyWM5P @ElleLothlorien



Extensive vs. Minimal: What is Your World Building Coming To? http://bit.ly/XXWr99 @The_Drill99



Think Like a Publisher: Production and Scheduling: http://bit.ly/XyWWKz @deanwesleysmith



Simplifying the Story Question: http://bit.ly/XYD0Nu @SHalvatzis



The Table Theory of Characterization: http://bit.ly/XYD67C @RyanHowse



The case of the celibate detectives: http://bit.ly/XzYcNq @salon



What agents are doing these days: http://bit.ly/XYDtyY @rachellegardner



The 10 Worst Types of Critique Partnershttp://bit.ly/XYDIKt @donnacooner



Every Author Needs a Copyright Page: http://bit.ly/XYDRh5 @MyBookShepherd



5 Ways To Take Your Writing Farther: http://bit.ly/XzZ9pc @thecreativepenn



Penguin Art Director Giuseppe Castellano on his relationship with editorial: http://bit.ly/XzZp7t @pinocastellano



On writers' power to move readers: http://bit.ly/XYEkjn @BeccaPuglisi



A homonym review: http://bit.ly/XzZYyf



Tips for correcting stilted dialogue: http://bit.ly/XA08Ws @LynDeeWalker



Challenges and choices facing self-pubbed authors: http://bit.ly/XA0hcj @livewritethrive



What 1 publisher looks for in translation projects and translation challenges in the US: http://bit.ly/XA0CvL @pubperspectives



Closing the Gap: Moving from Notebook to Story: http://bit.ly/XYJYSp @SJacksonRodgers



6 Ways to Evoke Emotion in Poetry and Prose: http://bit.ly/YgLj75 @AJWagoner



Description tips: http://bit.ly/VwtIhl @cockeyedcaravan



7 Tips for creating a PowerPoint Presentation: http://bit.ly/YgLsrf @nicolebasaraba



How SF Can Highlight Our Historical Bias: http://bit.ly/134Uijn @MattMitrovich



Improve Your Writing By Eliminating Redundancies: http://bit.ly/Xb2fjP @melissadonovan



Verbal Deprivation: http://bit.ly/YXRw8W @pprmint777



Scrivener and yWriter: why 1 writer uses neither: http://bit.ly/Xb2FXj @janelebak



10 tips for marketing your book release: http://bit.ly/YXRNsp+|+Duolit%29 @danasitar



When the Writing Life Finds You: http://bit.ly/YXRTQY



What's Your Character Aiming For? http://bit.ly/Xb2YBs @AimeeLSalter



5 Edits to Strengthen Your Writing, Right Now: http://bit.ly/YXS2nl @janice_hardy



Bleak stories can be as consoling as self-help: http://bit.ly/YXXJlp @guardianbooks



Upside of Distraction: http://nyti.ms/Xb8qVd @nytimes



Who's on your team? http://bit.ly/YXY8UH @JaelMchenry



English literature's 50 key moments from Marlowe to JK Rowling: http://bit.ly/Xb8ELR @guardianbooks



Screenwriters' roundtable: http://bit.ly/XIS2HM @gointothestory



10 mistakes 1 writer has made with his writing career: http://bit.ly/XFbSa0 @ajackwriting



How to Style Profanity: http://bit.ly/XISkhT @writing_tips



How To Use MailChimp--From Sign-Up To "Send": http://bit.ly/XFcdtw @JeriWB @mollygreene



Tips for better dialogue: http://bit.ly/XISDcI @americanediting



The Peril of the Contemporary: http://bit.ly/XFcBrM @MykeCole



Intelligent Science Fiction: http://bit.ly/XIUbDv @PeterCawdron @SciInMyFi



Keep the Plot Taut: http://bit.ly/XFecOj @Lindasclare



When we defend romance reading as escapism, the critics win: http://bit.ly/XFesNl @dearauthor



Marketing Idea: Developing a Song Playlist for Your Novel: http://bit.ly/XIUOgr @KathyLynnHarris



Considerations for worldbuilding: http://bit.ly/XFeWTz @Figures



How To Write Perfect Press Releases: http://bit.ly/XIVsKO @thecreativepenn @rule17



When should you look for another agent? http://bit.ly/XIVCBN @breeogden



5 Things That Should Be On Every Writer's Bucket List: http://bit.ly/XFfJDY @danasitar



Crossroads: Romance – More Powerful than You Could Possibly Imagine: http://bit.ly/WvKEza @KgElfland2ndCuz



Forcing readers to like characters--admiration: http://bit.ly/13tgXGB @mooderino



A writer shares revision examples from her own work: http://bit.ly/Y4vJeU @rebeccaberto



Screenwriter roundtable: http://bit.ly/13uGqzC @gointothestory



Top 10 Mythical Creatures: http://bit.ly/Y4vOzj @smashinglists



The Way Publishers Create Marketing Copy is Stranger Than Fiction: http://bit.ly/13uGEXs @digibookworld



A sf/f writer experiments in literary thinking: http://bit.ly/Y4w01x @juliettewade



What to Do When You're Hit With Heavy Editing: http://bit.ly/13uGNtV @TiceWrites



A look at a classic horror novel: Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House: http://bit.ly/Y4w8Oo



The Real Cost of Ebooks for Libraries: http://bit.ly/13uH6oy @digibookworld



Good Writing: Using The Senses: http://bit.ly/Y4wk0g @woodwardkaren



Tips for writing loglines: http://bit.ly/13uHfsb @Julie_Gray



4 Reasons Not to Compare Yourself with Other Writers: http://bit.ly/Y4xf0F @LyndaRYoung



Brainstorming: scenes: http://bit.ly/13uIR5d



Organizations Building Diversity in Science Fiction and Fantasy: http://bit.ly/13uJ1JD @DeborahJRoss



Forcing Readers To Like Characters: Admiration: http://bit.ly/13tgXGB @mooderino



Tips for talking to book clubs: http://bit.ly/13uJkUU @Lit_Gal



Tips for exploring and exploiting your relationship with your characters: http://bit.ly/Y4xCbv @donmaass



Building Character – The Art of Genuine Interactions: http://bit.ly/13uJz2h @Fictorians



How 1 writer multi-tasks her projects: http://bit.ly/Y4xI2Q @jillkemerer



Tips for finding music to write by: http://bit.ly/13uJITr @JulieEshbaugh



Storytelling in the graphic form: http://bit.ly/Y4xPvl @ghostfinder



6 Ways to connect with other writers: http://bit.ly/13uJYSg @charmaineclancy



Writing Tip: Maximize Your Excitement: http://bit.ly/XjVU5B @ava_jae



7 Little-Known Strategies To Get Your Deadbeat Blog Working For You: http://bit.ly/ZeCvB2 @problogger



Staying Motivated: The Accountability Factor: http://bit.ly/XjW0Kw @howtowriteshop



Awaiting judgment: http://bit.ly/ZeCNrD @mikemartinez72



Identify Your Novel's Plot Points: http://bit.ly/XjWbWc @Lindasclare



The Football of Story: http://bit.ly/ZeD1yU @storyfix



For the busy writer: 10 Essential Email Habits: http://bit.ly/13AkOlk @leobabauta



Is anyone still querying? http://bit.ly/15rXYu8 @CreepyQueryGirl



An editor urges writers to dig deeper: http://bit.ly/13Al03Y @behlerpublish



5 tips for writing humor: http://bit.ly/15rYad4 @fictionnotes



5 Cases of Premature Reference: http://bit.ly/13All6J @writing_tips



One Million Words Of Crap And Other Wisdom: http://bit.ly/15rYxEh @YAHighway



On the Interbook Indecision: http://bit.ly/13Als2b @KgElfland2ndCuz



Critiquing loglines: http://bit.ly/15rYHvC @thestorydepartment



Being Social Can Bring Extra Promotion: http://bit.ly/13AlC9T @rltheauthor



Tips for improving dialogue: http://bit.ly/15rYOXT @americanediting



Essential Characteristics of a Thriller Hero: http://bit.ly/13AlOWx @JodieRennerEd



Writers--get up and move: http://bit.ly/15rZ2OH @InkyBites



Drawing the Reader in through Character Emotion: http://bit.ly/13Am08q @BeccaPuglisi



Orphan Works: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Weighs In: http://bit.ly/15rZfS2 @victoriastrauss



Why Do Authors Choose Traditional Publishing or Self-Publishing? http://bit.ly/13AmgUR @digibookworld



Romance in Urban Fantasy – Keeping it Real: http://bit.ly/15rZoVE @sfsignal



Collaborative Writing: http://bit.ly/13AmAmD @bluemaven



Script To Screen: "The Insider": http://bit.ly/15rZA7h @gointothestory



31 Simple Ways for Writers to Maximize Efficiency in a Home Office: http://bit.ly/U06r5f @lifehackorg



Words that aren't actually approved words: http://bit.ly/YmORc6 @writing_tips



Worldbuilding and Plot: http://bit.ly/WmAZuR @davidbcoe



How to Find Your Creative Sweet Spot: http://bit.ly/WmCf0X @emilywenstrom



What it Means When Someone Tries to Tell You THE Rules of Good Writing: http://bit.ly/XyUsM8 @io9



How to Write Non-Fiction & Keep Your Friends: http://bit.ly/Z3JK0T @write_practice



Self-Publishing: Prioritizing Fast, Cheap, and Good: http://bit.ly/Zjeetr @jamigold



Ideas about the future of bookselling: http://bit.ly/Z4gMOl @MikeShatzkin



The Business of Screenwriting: Bidding War: http://bit.ly/Zjew3E @gointothestory



Traditional Publishing by the Numbers: http://bit.ly/Z4hiM4 @passivevoiceblg



What writers need to know about the business of writing: http://bit.ly/Z4hwmz @kristinerusch



Writing a realistic plea bargain scene: http://bit.ly/Z4i9fK @DADiaries



How To Use Stereotypes In Writing Fiction: http://bit.ly/Z4itv0 @VeronicaSicoe



9 Essential Apps for Writers: http://bit.ly/Z4iWNO



The Opening Hook of a Book: Is It Important or Not? http://bit.ly/ZjgvVw @jodyhedlund



Why Children Hold The Key To Your Future As An Author: http://bit.ly/ZjgG39 @jonathangunson



Types of conflict in fiction: http://bit.ly/Zjh9CD @SarahAveryBooks



Promoting for the reluctant promoter: http://bit.ly/Z4oB6H+|+Duolit%29 @duolit



12 tenets that guide 1 pro writer: http://bit.ly/ZjkKjV @katrinschumann



Eliminate Deadline Stress: http://bit.ly/Z4oZlC @RealLifeE



10 Ways Readers Can Help Authors: http://bit.ly/ZjkRvS @scottmarlowe



100 stock photo and art websites: http://bit.ly/Zecxxx



Data points for the NYT Review of books--which pubs got full reviews this week and in which genres: http://bit.ly/VtT65Z



Online journalism today--pay issues and controversies: http://bit.ly/W81CXi @JaneFriedman @nate_thayer @alexismadrigal @Porter_Anderson



5 Tips for Handling Details in Our Stories: http://bit.ly/Vu38UG @authorterryo



Did Amazon Just Kill a Golden Goose? http://bit.ly/VvrkWM @geoburke



A preview of the AWP con, #AWP13, beginning Thursday: http://bit.ly/Z4uz7A @Porter_Anderson



What Barnes & Noble’s Tra­vails May Mean. Or not. http://bit.ly/WGtZJt @Porter_Anderson @eoinpurcell



Women Writers' issues well-covered at upcoming AWP con: http://bit.ly/W7HsNl @Porter_Anderson



5 Steps to a Great Product Description: http://bit.ly/W8P9mt @annerallen @mredwards



Missing person themes in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/13KwW3d @mkinberg

Writing the Historically Accurate Novel

Guest Post by Charles Brokaw




Re-writing History: Uncovering The Oracle Code



Writing an adventure novel based on ancient mysteries is a great way to bring together historical realities with exciting characters and a thrilling plot. The newest addition to the Thomas Lourdes series, The Oracle Code , required a great deal of research exploring some history’s most mysterious myths regarding Alexander the Great and the truths, questions and the skepticisms, all of which have been battled over by historians for years.



Using primary and secondary sources, I wanted to explore these myths even more and take what is known to be true and build on it.



Beginning With The Atlantis Code



Every book in the Thomas Lourdes series begins with some real-life event or bit of historical information. For example, The Atlantis Code, the first in the Thomas Lourdes series, was based on historical information about the lost city of Atlantis. In the summer of 2004, satellite photography showed artificial formations of land that displayed a near identical description of Atlantis. The formations were discovered in one of Spain’s great national parks, in the city of Cadiz. The odds of excavating the finds were pretty small although the inability to dig and the uncertainty of the pieced-together information only fueled our fire. We wanted to know more. We wanted to uncover the lost city of Atlantis.



In researching and documenting all of the information that we discovered, our research team began to imagine what it would be like if the satellite imagery did in fact turn out to be Atlantis. We also thought the idea of hidden ancient code was fascinating—inevitably leading to the first addition to the Thomas Lourdes series, The Atlantis Code.



An Archaeological Journey Continued…



The disappearance of the tomb of Alexander the Great is one of the greatest archaeological mysteries to date and is a subject that piques my interest to no end. As a writer and academic fascinated by history, Alexander’s accomplishments in such a short-lived time have far surpassed any man to follow, leading me to question the very existence of the oracle and what role she played in Alexander’s divine existence and bitter end



Reading and reviewing each historical document pronouncing the mishaps of his early death has led archaeologists and historians alike to question the disappearance of his tomb that stood for centuries, untouched, in a sacred area of ancient Greece. This automatically begs the question, “Does the tomb of Alexander the Great and the oracle of Delphi’s secret still survive?”



An ancient scroll holding its location was said to materialize in Afghanistan. In writing The Oracle Code, a friend of mine along with a crew of researchers followed me on my journey to gain a deeper understanding of the Afghan culture—the food, clothing, trade routes and location where each scene took place.

 

Herat, Afghanistan—the location of the dig and one of the main cities in which the book takes place has an extensive history, dating back to the ancient times. Its location on the ancient trade routes of the Middle East, and Central and South Asia made Herat a vital city to research, especially when looking into the disappearance of Alexander the Great.



Without giving the story away, I welcome you to read The Oracle Code and to allow your mind to travel to a land that is not often associated with buried treasure and yet holds endless mysteries under the sand. By piecing historical data with conjectures, will you be able to discover what might have happened to the tomb of Alexander the Great and the Oracle of Delphi.



Charles Brokaw is a pseudonym for an author, academic, and college educator living in the Midwest. He’s had a rich and varied life, and is fascinated by history, human accomplishment, and archeology.

Should Writers Query Publishers or Self-Publish?

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig






I've gotten quite a few emails and direct messages on Twitter lately, asking whether I'd advise writers to query publishers or self-publish.



I've not offered much opinion on this question. For one thing, the issue has gotten (sadly) contentious and I'm cautious about entering online frays. For another, I don't like telling people what they should do. I can't possibly know what's going on in their lives, with their story, with their mindset, in order to give them good advice.



But I've noticed that my being wishy-washy and reluctant to comment hasn't won me any fans, either. One frustrated writer DMed me back on Twitter, asking me to just please give them an opinion. That's what I'll do--give an opinion. So here it is, with a proviso: this may not be the right thing for you to do. I'll tell you what I would do.



Although it’s hard to tell you what I'd do as a brand-new writer with my first manuscript in my hand facing this type of choice...because I'm just imagining that. I'm not in the same situation. Right now, I'm positioned pretty well--I'm not making gobs of cash, but I make a tidy monthly income with very little promotion. I have a fairly large online platform. I have a couple of different traditionally published series and a standalone with large publishers. This would not be the same situation for a new writer.



Knowing me, I would want to try being traditionally published with a book.  This may tie into my age and the fact that when I grew up, book choices were either hardback, paperback, or a book included with a vinyl record. I wanted to be an author who had a physical book on a physical shelf. If I were twenty years old instead of nearly forty-two and didn't have that much of a past with paper books...I might feel differently. In fact--I'm sure I'd feel differently.



Digital Book World recently published results of an author survey. They asked which factors influenced the writers' decisions to publish traditionally or to self-publish. Looking at the results, I disagree with the writers surveyed. They cited distribution as a major reason for choosing a traditional publisher. I think that distribution is quickly becoming unimportant, because of digital availability. It will become even less important as readers lose their local bookstores. Barnes and Noble, a major bookseller here in the States, recently stated they expected to close 200 stores in the next ten years. More on the issues that may cause in the post, "More thoughts about the future of bookstores, triggered by Barnes & Noble’s own predictions for itself" by industry expert Mike Shatzkin on his blog.



As far as the surveyed writers' other listed factors that would make them consider traditional publishing, I can agree with "editorial help" (which can be absolutely amazing and provide an incredible education...if you're hooked up with a good editor). I do think that you can find an absolutely fantastic freelance editor to work with and receive a similar education...so this shouldn't be your primary reason to traditionally publish. I can also agree with "publisher prestige," except that I don't think of it that way--I think of it as giving the writer a boost of possibly greatly-needed confidence....if they need it.



If you choose that route, should you go through an agent or go on your own? My answer to that is changing. I don't think it's necessary to go through an agent. Be careful which agent you choose and what you agree to, if you choose to sign with an agent. If you do get an agent, you might want to get one to only help you with that one book, instead of getting signed on as a regular client. If you try to find an agent, don't spend too long looking. I spent far too long and it distracted me from my primary aim--finding a publisher. I'd consider querying publishers directly.  I do have an agent.  She's helped me find additional work via her contacts with editors.  But times are changing.  Publishers appear to be more open to working directly with unagented authors.  And, when you sign with an agent, you need to be sure that you know what you’re agreeing to.  There are times, for sure, when an agent can be useful, even for self-published authors: foreign rights, audio deals,  etc.



How long should you spend trying to get a traditional publisher, if you choose that route?  How many books do you have? If you only have the one book, work on another book as you query. And...if you're not getting any bites in six months, I'd consider assembling my team for self-publishing. Please--make sure the book is professionally edited. If you need help with your editor search, I do maintain a free database of freelance editors and other ebook professionals here.



I wouldn't put all my eggs in one basket. If my book were accepted by a publisher...great. But I'd be thinking ahead to my next project and seriously consider having that one be self-published.



The reason behind that is primarily financial. Advances from publishers are decreasing and I don't see them going up anytime soon. The production schedule takes about a year. Royalties are usually paid quarterly and are frequently not impressive. Your royalty percentage will obviously  be a lot lower than going directly through an online retailer like Amazon or Barnes and Noble or Smashwords.



I'm well-positioned to make decent income by self-publishing...and I do. But let's say you're a debut author and are selling a book that's not exactly a commercial product. Maybe you sell only a few books a month.



You might consider that book a flop. But the difference is that it will remain available to readers. If that book were traditionally published and was a flop (obviously, it would sell more copies than a few a month, even doing poorly), then that could effectively be the end of your traditionally published career. Your book would be sent back as returns from the bookstore, the publisher would eventually destroy the excess copies (likely after asking you if you wanted to buy them back at a discount), and no publisher upon looking up your Nielsen BookScan numbers would be thrilled at the prospect of taking on your next book.



But with your self-published book,  let's just call it a slow starter, not a flop. You write another book. And another book. You start developing a reader base (if you write well and have a professionally packaged product) and that base begins buying your earlier books--which are still available for sale and are not pulp in Manhattan somewhere.



 

Last year my traditionally published income included royalties on several older books, an advance payment-on-publication for one title, and acceptance advance income on two titles releasing this year. But I made more on my two self-published titles (much of the year it was only two, since my third was released in October)...one of which was intermittently free.





This advice also goes for traditionally published authors--increase revenue through self-publishing. Is there anything you've gotten your rights back to that you could self-publish? Do you have something you could write on the side...maybe an idea that had been rejected in the past? Could you write short stories just to at least experiment?



So there you go...my two cents, today, on this subject. Not everyone will agree, and there may not be a standard right answer to this question...each writer is different. Ultimately, you're the one who knows what's right for you. My two cents on this subject might change as the industry changes (probably will). I'm a hybrid writer. I'm currently writing a book that I won't pitch, but will self-publish. Looking into the future, it will be very important to stay current with industry news and changes. It's a great time to be a writer because we have choices. And we have the opportunity to do well while doing something we love.



What are your thoughts on the benefits of traditional or self-publishing, or both? Has your opinion changed over the years?



 

Avoid Reader Confusion

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I’m the kind of person who likes to know everything about an event before I attend. 



Where should I park? What should I wear? How many people will be there?  Should I bring money?  Should I bring my own chair?  What about bottled water or a lunch? How early should I arrive?  Should I stay until the end or may I leave early? Do you have any helpful tips at all to help me navigate this event?



This is because I really dislike being confused.  And, naturally, the gods conspire to make me as addled as possible.  I’ll pore over websites and email event organizers and remain as clueless as ever.



The last couple of weekends I’ve been way out of my depth at two events for my daughter.  A week ago it was a piano competition and this past weekend it was a science competition.  Both times I accidentally violated the rules (I know….me!  A rule violator!) by going into areas where adults weren’t allowed.  I know: you’d think I’d notice there were no other adults around, but no—I’m a writer.  I can be foggy.  Apparently, they’re worried about parents cheating by providing help to their kids during the competitions.  (If they only knew how very little I know about music and science, this wouldn’t have been a problem….)



So I was fussed at by event organizers a couple of times and embarrassed by daughter. Of course, I embarrass my children by just existing, much of the time.  The irritating thing is that the event organizers hadn't listed this important bit of information on any of their flyers or on their website. They were probably just so accustomed to organizing and attending the yearly events that they forgot what it's like to be a newcomer to them. 



This feeling of utter confusion is the last thing I want my readers to go through.



I do want to give them unanswered questions to keep them reading. I do want to give them something to think about and puzzle over.  I do want to give them a mystery to solve.  But there’s a lot they could be confused about, if I’m not careful.



Potential areas where we could confuse readers:



Character motivation.  Why is Harry suddenly acting so different? 



Character identity.  Who’s this character again?  He hasn’t been onstage for a while…



Plot.  It’s fine to have a twisty plot, but are you making it too hard for the reader to follow along? 



Setting.  Where are we now?  Check your transitions to make sure you’ve eased the reader into the new location.



Character identity in a different way.  If we’ve got Molly and Sally and Len and Ian, maybe we need to rethink our names.



As an addendum to this story—I was feeling strung-out after my earlier confusion, when I finally felt like I belonged at one of these events. At the science competition, a group was about to go into a testing room—and had no pencils. For this event, if you’re not prepared, you’re out.  There was great panic among the team of middle schoolers—until I reached in my purse and pulled out six or seven Ticonderogas and two pens.  :)  How often do you get to save the day as a writer?  Not very often. There’s never anyone who calls out, “Is there a writer in the house?”  But finally—I was part of the group!



How do you keep readers in the loop?



Image: MorgueFile: Guilane Nachez

Twitterific

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig



Twitterific is a compilation of all the writing links I shared the previous week.

 

The links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 19,000 free articles on writing-related topics. It's the search engine for writers.




Sign up for our free newsletter for monthly writing tips and interviews with top contributors to the WKB or like us on Facebook.




Mike Fleming is working with author and writing coach James Scott Bell to offer an online, interactive, writing program to help make your next novel great. It's called "Knockout Novel" and you can learn more about it at KnockoutNovel.com. Plus, all the data is stored in your Hiveword account for easy access.

A free directory of cover designers, formatters, freelance editors, and more: http://bit.ly/nolbXq



The 5 Least Promising Scenes for a Superhero Story: http://bit.ly/W4bs9D



10 things writers should know about knives and knife fighting: http://bit.ly/15nS26A @ajackwriting



11 ways to support a writer's new book: http://bit.ly/W4bKxg @ChuckSambuchino



Are Unrealistic Expectations Killing Your Writing Career? http://bit.ly/15nSiCy @cerebralgrump



How 1 writer has dramatically increased her word count: http://bit.ly/W4bWfV @KatieGanshert



How to Correct an Awkward Interruptive Phrase: http://bit.ly/15nSstx @writing_tips



How to Get Your LCCN (Library of Congress #): http://bit.ly/15pb6Br @MyBookShepherd



2 Ways to Hook and Keep Your Reader: http://bit.ly/W5jxLg



Why We Should Try Writing in Second Person: http://bit.ly/W5jCP8 @write_practice



The Case Against Blogging: http://bit.ly/W5jHCu @SarahPinneo



Using stock photos for your self-pub covers? Remember, other authors can use the same image: http://bit.ly/15pciof



Book Design, Internet Marketing and the Nature of Human Consciousness: http://bit.ly/15pczHL @jfbookman



How to Write Better Dialogue: http://bit.ly/W5kZNA @SHalvatzis



Self-Pubbed Authors Share 5 Things They Learned in 2012: http://bit.ly/W5l3gw @livewritethrive



Tips for showing, not telling: http://bit.ly/15pcOmg @beccapuglisi



Character Development: Lack and Compensation: http://bit.ly/W5laIT @AimeeLSalter



Don't Worry About Other Writers Stealing Your Ideas: http://bit.ly/15pcYda @ava_jae



The central question of our plot: http://bit.ly/W5lhEe @Diana_Hurwitz



Tracking Time in Your Novel: http://bit.ly/W5lmYw @PBRWriter



7 tips for staying motivated by self-created deadlines: http://bit.ly/W5lrLT @JennaAvery



An introduction to kid lit: http://bit.ly/15prv8M @DIYMFA



How to Deal with Crushing Feedback on Your Creative Work: http://bit.ly/15prJgh @markmcguinness



Think Like a Publisher 2013: Projected Income:



3 Warning Signs When Bringing Your Own Emotions into Fiction Writing: http://bit.ly/YwP4r7 @cateartios



To Space or Not To Space and Other Typewriter Formatting Throwbacks: http://bit.ly/YwPeif @howtowriteshop



Options for Reactions in a Sequel: http://bit.ly/YgKJGz @KMWeiland



The Difference Between Book Wholesalers and Distributors: http://bit.ly/YwPZHX @BookMarketer



Sympathetic Characters: Betrayal: http://bit.ly/VttNQb @mooderino



Writing Without Expectation: http://bit.ly/YwQYrJ @aswinn



Should Overseas Publishers Americanize Their Authors' Names for US Distribution? http://bit.ly/Vtuby7 @EdNawotka



Ian McEwan: "My Uneasy Relationship with Fiction": http://on.tnr.com/VtuPf3# @TNR



What Makes a Writer Want to Rock Out? http://nyti.ms/YwSEBj @jrobertlennon



11 Reasons Your Blog is on a Road to Nowhere (And What to Do About It): http://bit.ly/YjAamw @problogger



5 lessons 1 writer has learned along the way: http://bit.ly/VtvT2J @jmstro



Serious Fiction and #LegitLit: Creating a Hybrid Home: http://bit.ly/YwUjqC @JennieCoughlin








A writer reports how her
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Giving Too Much Away

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig



As I wrote last week, I’ve really had a time with my current story. I’ve kept moving forward with it, but wondering about the root problem with the book. There were many problems with the story (oh boy!), but I couldn’t figure out what the global story issue was.



As I was finishing another scene where I was just treading water, I finally hit on it: I’d answered all the questions I’d posed.



Not the murderer, obviously…I haven’t gotten to the end of the book.  But I stated everything, up front, at the very beginning of the book.



So, I basically introduced suspect #1, stated the suspect’s motive (same with suspects 2-4) and spent the rest of the draft rehashing what I’d already told the reader.



That makes for a boring book.



And it’s extraordinary that I did this, because I’d had this same revelation several books ago and vowed never to get into this mess again.



There is a very basic, if time-consuming, fix.  When I write my second draft, I’m taking out every instance where I outright gave away the motive.  I’m going to hint that there is a motive and indicate that the character is a suspect through gossip, observation, etc.  Then the sleuth actually gets to go talk to people and uncover motives.



That’s what sleuths do.  And I’d just taken away the sleuth’s job from her.  No wonder my protagonist, Myrtle’s, voice was out of whack throughout the story.  Myrtle was uncomfortable with the way I was writing the book.



Of course, this entails rewriting the entire first third of the book. 



I don't think I've ever had quite as massive of a rewrite, but I know my plan for addressing it--not until the first draft is over.  So, how do you accomplish such a feat?  Just mark (I use Word's highlighting option) the place where you started writing the book after you made your dreadful realization. So I'm marking a sentence in my book.  Everything after that point is in line with my discovery--I'll be uncovering motives of the suspects after that point. 



Then I'll rewrite the beginning of the book to reflect the change.



How to avoid getting into this mess to begin with (whatever your genre):



Ask yourself what your protagonist knows.  If he or she knows too much at the beginning of the story, then you’re going to have the same problem I had—you’ll be rehashing some of the same stuff repeatedly.



Think about what information you’ve given the reader at the beginning of the story or early on.  If you haven’t raised enough unanswered questions, are they going to get bored?  Will they keep reading even though there’s really no answers to be found later on?



The questions posed don't have to be as big as mine (motives for suspects).  You can do the same with smaller questions: what does this character have to hide?  Why are two friends now not speaking to each other?  Why did Jim lose his job?  What was behind Selma's emotional outburst at dinner? Delaying answering these smaller questions increases tension and helps provide the story with some extra intrigue. And holding off revealing the answers gives the readers incentive to keep reading.



Have you ever given too much away too early in your story?  How do you remind yourself not to?  I’m considering a big sticky note on my laptop…



Image: MorgueFile: Alvimann