Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 202

Tips for Writing Away from Home

This is the first week of summer vacation for my children…and I'm writing on the go more than ever as we go from swimming pools to skating rinks to bowling alleys!  Hope you'll pop over and visit me at Alan Orloff's A Million Blogging Monkeys today for some tips on writing away from home.

Thoughts on Book Promo

Today I'm visiting Spunk on a Stick, talking a little about book promo.  I've tried both traditional marketing and a more modern approach (with varying degrees of success.)  Hope you'll come by and visit. :)

Juggling Plots, Characters, Publishers and Editors…Keeping it All Straight

Today I'm over at P.M. Terrell's blog, with my thoughts on juggling storylines, publishers, characters, and more.  Hope you'll come by and join me!

And…I'm announcing the winner of my Finger Lickin' Dead giveaway over at the Mystery Lovers' Kitchen blog today.  Hope you'll come by for some fried okra and the giveaway results. :)

Tips for Writing a Sequel

Hi everybody!

Today, on the Finger Lickin' Dead blog tour, I'm posting at my friend Hart Johnson's Confessions of a Watery Tart with my thoughts on sequels—including backstory (if you need to), reintroducing recurring characters (so as not to bore your returning readers and not to confuse your new ones), and how to keep things interesting in general. Hope you'll come by and say hi. :)

My random drawing will be tonight for the signed copy of Finger Lickin' Dead. You can enter until midnight ET tonight….

An Inspiring Character

Was there a character or author who inspired you to write?

Although I knew I wanted to be a writer while I was still reading Nancy Drews, there was one character and author in particular who made me decide to go ahead and take the plunge.  I'm on K.B. Owen's blog this morning, talking about my inspiration…and it's a character you might not be familiar with.

17 Tips for a Great Writing Blog

Starting a blog can feel overwhelming. The internet is brimming with writing blogs—how can you find readers when everyone has a blog? Or, if you already have a blog, you might wonder how to get more readers or broaden your platform.

For tips on starting or growing your blog, please visit me today at Anne R. Allen's Blog.  :)

Lesa's Book Critiques gave Finger Lickin' Dead a nice review this morning.

Download the book on Kindle: http://amzn.to/kh7MAp
Mass market paperback: http://amzn.to/lfUE2N

Just a couple more days left in my giveaway for a signed copy of the book.

And congratulations to Mary Aalgaard for winning Jeannie Campbell's giveaway on Thursday's post. :)

Twitterific

Below are writing links that I've posted to Twitter in the past week. I'm running the list a day early because tomorrow I'm visiting Anne Allen's blog. :)

Enter this month's WKB giveaway for a chance to win the "Butt-in-Chair" writer productivity eBook by Jennifer Blanchard.
Two copies to give away! Enter the drawing

My Thursday guest, Jeannie Campbell, from The Character Therapist blog, is giving away a copy of "The Writer's Guide for Creating Rich Back Stories"---comment through midnight ET tonight for a chance to win. Click here and scroll to the bottom of the post.

Finger Lickin' Dead Giveaway: I'm giving away an autographed copy of Finger Lickin' Dead—details here. Several days left in my contest. :)

And here are this week's links:

Best Articles This Week for Writers 6/10/11: http://bit.ly/k4j3Q6 @4kidlit

How Do You Choose Blog Topics? http://bit.ly/kSipOq @JamiGold

The 10 Most Powerful Women Authors (Forbes): http://onforb.es/kmcqPc

Write your novel in 30 days--Day 3: Getting your ducks in a row: http://bit.ly/jH2LLf @Mommy_Authors

Trading Excerpts with Other Authors in the Back Matter of Your Ebook: http://bit.ly/jqNnf0

On Story Arcs: http://bit.ly/lsSw8o

Write Your Query FIRST for a Better Book: http://bit.ly/kUfGL4

Edit in an Instant? Ain't Gonna Happen: http://bit.ly/iTZfJA

It's a Start: The First Line: http://bit.ly/jUyKKd

5 ways to screw up your author podcast: http://bit.ly/iInClc

Yoga for Writers: http://bit.ly/msLXdV

5 Articles on Knowing When to Submit: http://bit.ly/jJj4jH

5 Tips to Stay Encouraged During Querying: http://bit.ly/jYaZKg

Publishing Traditionally Without an Agent - Part II: http://bit.ly/kS9LzN

Amateur-Hour Books: Do You Know the Warning Signs? http://bit.ly/lGkJud

Working Within a Critique Group: http://bit.ly/jaMeRJ

Did You Know? Twitter Hashtags & How to Use Them: http://bit.ly/kETg19 @JanetBoyer

My "Finger Lickin' Dead" release and a chance to win it: http://bit.ly/jy9s1J

The Art of Keeping Your Blog Audience Coming Back for More: http://bit.ly/lrWX8C

Why writing a sleuthing have a lot in common: http://bit.ly/keR6wt @mkinberg

All About Glosses, or Brief Definitions: http://bit.ly/kyicNq

Writing time-management for the harried home-writer: http://bit.ly/kN2aL7

Making thrillers out of classics: adapting Shakespeare's Macbeth: http://bit.ly/mNvEcD

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Black and Blue Burgers http://bit.ly/kKnc5t

Things one writer has learned after completing his 1st draft: http://bit.ly/jJWJxX @JustusRStone

Beware These Writing Pests: http://bit.ly/jT9RD3

The elusive rewards of e-book publishing: http://bit.ly/kpewmT

8 Ways to Develop Better Relationships with Book Bloggers: http://bit.ly/lH1Zn2

The Difference Between Traditional Publishing & Self-Publishing: http://bit.ly/l9FZWG

Write a novel in 30 days--day2--drafting scene cards: http://bit.ly/mnzng6 @Mommy_Authors

Ultimate Blogger's Guide to Search Engine Optimization: http://bit.ly/kkF8PB #amwrting

Man Up: Writing Male POV: http://bit.ly/mSGiUG

Rhythm and Time: Give Your Writing a Beat of Its Own: http://bit.ly/kKl1H8

Actions vs Choices: Crafting Better Plots: http://bit.ly/lv49aR

Mystery writers--create red herrings through scapegoating: http://bit.ly/ip9lhM @jeanniecampbell

Writing for Two Publishers: http://bit.ly/kz7an6

6 tips for friends of mystery writers: http://bit.ly/iHX0zW @MasonCanyon

How idioms and metaphors bring your world to life: http://bit.ly/mOd5PS @JulietteWade

A publishing insider with a market update: http://bit.ly/lEy034

Free e-book on building readership: http://bit.ly/ke08hh @JaneFriedman

Before You Hire an Editor: http://bit.ly/lF7vTY @MuseInks

An agent on the all-important beginning: http://bit.ly/kF0LBR

When Bad Things Happen To Productive People: http://bit.ly/kRazAq

3 things 1 writer learned about writing at Disney World: http://bit.ly/iI9ott

Your characters shouldn't be bored: http://bit.ly/lRTyTk

How to Promote Yourself and Your Book: http://bit.ly/iU4Ymr

Direct Messages & The Power of Positive Tweeting: http://bit.ly/mSp5z6

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: To Havarti and to Hold http://bit.ly/mjJM8F

The Rewards of Writing for the Reader: http://bit.ly/ihNi4o @keligwyn

5 Fluctuating Forms of Gender-Specific Language: http://bit.ly/kz2QdD

101 Twitter Tips: http://bit.ly/mn0Wx6

Writers Need a Web Presence. Here's What That Means: http://bit.ly/jUQB3A

Conflict: the fuel of a story: http://bit.ly/kzsu12

Write a novel in 30 days--day 1--get to your novel's core: http://bit.ly/lYZvki @Mommy_Authors

Should you have a pen name? http://bit.ly/lWPM1k @JamiGold

Checklist for Editors: http://bit.ly/lUdBoV

How Much Of Good Writing Is In The Timing? http://bit.ly/lZHS6Z @storiestorm

Exercise Your "What-if" Muscle: http://bit.ly/k8zJbi @jhansenwrites

8 ways to keep your series from going stale: http://bit.ly/jFLMCJ @mkinberg

Slush Pile Triage: http://bit.ly/iScBmW @literaticat

Author-Agent Speed Dating Service: http://bit.ly/kyIcQa

The Persistent and Damaging Myth About Introverts and Marketing: http://bit.ly/k0n0Ao @janefriedman

A crash course on point of view: http://bit.ly/mgxAuc @Paize_Fiddler

How to read a script: http://bit.ly/jYWNZy

Editing For Self-Publishers: http://bit.ly/lWsnwW

10 Signs You Met Your Deadline: http://bit.ly/k8Xb0M @elspethwrites

5 examples of poorly-written sentences made better: http://bit.ly/mkicu7

An explanation of show, don't tell: http://bit.ly/ktZXbA

Quick tips on finding an editor: http://bit.ly/mxbCWx

Ignoring the Light in YA Fiction: http://bit.ly/kO8cam

Good day sunshine for writers: http://bit.ly/mNlQw6

Warning signs of an idiot plot: http://bit.ly/mAZ9Ri

6 Easy Ways to Get Your Guest Post Rejected: http://bit.ly/jUp8IO

How Honest Should We Be With Each Other? http://bit.ly/llqSND

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: An Easy, Finger Lickin' Southern Side—Pimento Cheese http://bit.ly/luVHZ3

Can't vs. Won't: http://bit.ly/l8PQsD

How to Overcome Perfectionist Tendencies as a Writer: http://bit.ly/izDfJE

Get the Best Bang for Your Blog: http://bit.ly/mAtFrx

How to Write a Scary Scene: http://bit.ly/kffTxM

Creating a Cover: Finding Models: http://bit.ly/kIcktb @camillelaguire

A bad book? No, it's a good book you haven't fixed yet: http://bit.ly/jo3ajo @DirtyWhiteCandy

Subplots--Where To Find Them and How To Use Them: http://bit.ly/lD7c3d

What's for supper at the Mystery Lovers' Kitchen? Cleo Coyle's Bourbon-Berry "Coffeehouse"Rib BBQ : http://bit.ly/kjt0bl

Internalization 101: http://bit.ly/iNfovN

Writer's Conferences—Are They Relevant in the Internet Age? http://bit.ly/iN7Hvu @annerallen

An Agent Says: "Please Don't Serial Query." http://bit.ly/lduU4N

What to look for in an agent: http://bit.ly/ifNvAM @JulieMusil

Promoting Your Book: The Dos and Don'ts of Being a Great Interviewee: http://bit.ly/jgRXgJ

Writing. It's Hard. http://bit.ly/lNf9lu @BTMargins

4 Ways to Make the Most of a Critique Group: http://bit.ly/lHBRpv @janefriedman

Make Your Bookshelf Work for You: http://bit.ly/kG3bir @jhansenwrites

Why perfectionism is so totally overrated: http://bit.ly/jzeBgS

My book releases today! Kindle: http://amzn.to/kh7MAp Print: http://amzn.to/lfUE2N A review: http://bit.ly/lazEjf . Thanks y'all.

How to Plot Wrong, in 3 Easy Steps: http://bit.ly/iPOXef @victoriamixon

The Ultimate Guide to Facebook Marketing: http://bit.ly/jsrdBb

Walking in a Character's Shoes: http://bit.ly/mM8yUk @keligwyn

On "Be" Verbs: http://bit.ly/jCxnJR

Thanks for this review of my new release, @HartJohnson! http://bit.ly/m2Qcr2

6 Easy Networking Tips for Introverts/Writers at Conferences or Events: http://bit.ly/mABvTw

How To Make Your Posts Facebook Friendly: http://bit.ly/iRqsb1

Abstracting the Antithesis: http://bit.ly/kOk8mh

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: 2 Contests, 3 Releases, and 1 Drool-Worthy BBQ Party for Riley, Julie, and Wendy! http://bit.ly/kjt0bl

Syntax and Flow (Should we learn linguistics in school?) http://bit.ly/kqtgsN

How Independent Bookstores Can Use Google & Groupon: http://bit.ly/llGXel

Using Twitter to promote your blog: http://bit.ly/juDUMP

How long should you wait to write a sequel? http://bit.ly/lnTjsX

Just because it's true doesn't make it good: http://bit.ly/kpxNoA @authorterryo

Why You Should Keep Hard Copies of Your Writings: http://bit.ly/m7HgT5

A Novel Approach To Marketing = Authenticity: http://bit.ly/ieNTif @joanswan

Openings that annoy: http://bit.ly/ipaoXI

What the heck's historical about it, anyway? http://bit.ly/mqpK3k

7 ways to write more when you're already at maximum: http://bit.ly/l3QJIN

Should You Use RT or the Retweet Button on Twitter? http://bit.ly/luUaRh

What If You Think You Might Be a Mediocre Fiction Writer? http://bit.ly/lv1I5s

Conflict = Tension = Emotion: Part 1-- http://bit.ly/inwstX Part 2-- http://bit.ly/mwUkqe

Archetype vs. Stereotype: http://bit.ly/jQWToO

3 multitasking tips for swamped writers: http://bit.ly/jBl8DJ

Are you setting summer goals? http://bit.ly/iuFTCp

Querying a Collaboration: http://bit.ly/kB0KCt

Tips on Pitching your Manuscript: http://bit.ly/jZNrcz

25 Ways for Writers to Take Action: http://bit.ly/mzCsJW

Finding your voice: http://bit.ly/lamyHJ

5 Pairs of Compound Words, and How They're Compounded: http://bit.ly/my6QG6

Feedback that dramatically changed writers' stories: http://bit.ly/jNQZph

Tools To Promote Your Author Blog: http://bit.ly/m8awW4 @galleycat

Publishing On The Kindle: Top Tips: http://bit.ly/ifzuwR @thecreativepenn

Should you sign an agency agreement?: http://bit.ly/lhS3Ii

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Blueberry Mango Muffins http://bit.ly/iEpECv

Tackling the Synopsis: http://bit.ly/iKvPJn

How to rise above cliche: http://bit.ly/iPHQqc @LauraPauling

The 5 Secrets of Great Storytelling: http://bit.ly/mG2nj0

Should you only send queries to your A-list of agents first? http://bit.ly/kSc3Tz

How 1 writer got her agent: http://bit.ly/j3Cch1

A deconstruction of "The Help," with a focus on plot structure: http://bit.ly/korXPe

Empathy and characterization: http://bit.ly/li4XEi

How writing is like Interior Design: http://bit.ly/iXhtaz

What Writers Mean by "Flow": http://bit.ly/lboLZ9

You Have Your Elevator Pitches, Now What? http://bit.ly/mq1QT0

Sane and solo: 20 tips for people who work at home: http://bit.ly/jVZlLC

The Little Extras That Will Make an Editor Love Your Query: http://bit.ly/iFC6Kn

The end of bookstores? (National Post): http://natpo.st/jRaD4k

The Opening Chapter: http://bit.ly/iDdOwH

What not to do as a writer: run: http://bit.ly/kyFXoq

A Short Course in Line Editing: http://bit.ly/lhbrZ5

How to Make YA Fiction More Diverse (The Atlantic) : http://bit.ly/mvNPV1

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: And then there was the time she put sugar in her salt shaker ... http://bit.ly/jTO0B8

5 Tips for Staying Encouraged During Querying

Being a writer isn't easy.

Publishing is a business that demands a thick skin—but writers are frequently artistic, thoughtful, and sensitive.

How do we stay encouraged during the tough querying process?

Hope you'll visit me at Karen Walker's Following the Whispers blog today for 5 tips for keeping positive.

*********************

It's here! Finger Lickin' Dead released Tuesday in a bookstore near you. Hope you'll consider it if you enjoy mysteries, or know someone who does.

Download it on Kindle: http://amzn.to/kh7MAp

Mass market paperback: http://amzn.to/lfUE2N

Giveaway: I'm giving away an autographed copy of Finger Lickin' Dead—details here.

Red Herrings: Scapegoating Characters By Jeannie Campbell, LMFT

I'd like to welcome Jeannie Campbell, the character therapist, to Mystery Writing is Murder today. Jeannie's take on character motivation and the psychology of characters on her blog, The Character Therapist, is a great way to develop your characters and give them some depth.

And, I'm over at Mason Canyon's blog, Thoughts in Progress, today, with a post titled: A Mystery Writer's View of the World (and 6 Tips for Friends of Mystery Writers). Hope you'll join me!

Good mystery writers know all about red herrings. Red herrings are clues that are designed to mislead readers and make them suspect the wrong characters for whodunit. Of course, the placement of red herrings is deliberate because you want to keep the reader surprised as the story unfolds who the true culprit is.

In the world of counseling and psychology, families do this all the time. It's called scapegoating. A common example is when a child gets pinned as the guilty party when in actuality, the dysfunction in the family stems from the mother or father's relationship.

Families do this to draw attention away from the actual problem and on to someone else. "My absentee parenting and alcohol abuse is not the problem. Little Junior is. See how he constantly throw tantrums?"

Never mind the fact that he throws tantrums as a way to cope when Dad's drunk and abusive. At least when he's having a tantrum, Dad doesn't hit Mom because they both turn their focus on him.

Writers end up scapegoating characters all the time, especially in mystery writing. We want our readers to focus attention elsewhere while we hide the truth from them. In counseling, this deflection is not good and actually interferes with the therapeutic process. In mystery writing, this distraction is a necessary evil {strikethrough} pleasure that makes the mystery harder to solve.

When I'm counseling a family that is exhibiting a scapegoating tendency, it truly gives me a headache. All the anger and stress and frustration is directed at one person, an any attempt on my part to lighten the scapegoat's load is met with denial.

I'd like to propose that mystery writers should be so good at scapegoating that any attempt on the author's part to weave in clues pointing to some other killer or thief would be met with reader denial, as well.

If you've done the work to throw off the reader, make them truly buy into it. Make the case so ironclad that the reader says to himself, "Well, it has to be Colonel Mustard. I mean, he mentioned how attractive and costly that candlestick was earlier in the book. His fingerprints were even found on it next to the victim. He had to have done it."

This is exactly what scapegoating families do. They will drag out one piece of evidence after another to prove their point that Little Junior is the problem (read: culprit). "He won't listen. He doesn't obey. He screams and kicks. He's out of control."

Once you've gotten the reader rattling off a list of evidence that points to Colonel Mustard and you have them summarily dismissing other clues you planted that show his innocence, you've done your scapegoating job well.

I hope that I'll get a chance to connect with many of you over at my new website, The Character Therapist and my blog. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter and receive the Writer's Guide to Character Motivation for free!

Also up for grabs to one lucky commenter of this post is the Writer's Guide to Creating Rich Back Stories. Leave a comment and don't forget to include your email address!

Some Finger Lickin' Reviews, a Guest Post, and a Cover

I've got a guest post this morning at the Book Resort: Nancy, Trixie, Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot…and Me.

I want to thank Mason Canyon at Thoughts in Progress and Diane at The Book Resort and Hart Johnson at Confessions of a Watery Tart for their generous reviews of Finger Lickin' Dead.

Later today, I'll be talking about 8 Things You Can Do To Keep Your Series From Going Stale at Confessions of a Mystery Novelist with Margot Kinberg (about 3:00 ET).

Giveaway: A signed copy of Finger Lickin' Dead: http://tinyurl.com/3j7rfcr

And I've got a new cover. :)

Publishing is funny…it's very, very slow. Painfully slow. Then suddenly, everything moves at the speed of light. :) Here's the cover for my November 1 release, Hickory Smoked Homicide:

Thanks so much, everyone, for all your support and encouragement! I really do appreciate it. :) What do you think of the cover?