Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 204

Consciously Making Writing Goals

My writing friend, Jan Morrison, had a great post on Thursday about the book The Kaizen Way by Robert Maurer.

Jan explains that Maurer's approach to life involves asking ourselves small questions to move forward toward goals. Jan said that by posing small questions to ourselves we don't freak ourselves out by goal-planning and subconsciously sabotage our efforts.

I like this idea a lot because while I'm a huge list-maker and goal-planner, the thought of the Big Picture of the next 20 years of my writing life tends to freak me out a little. If you were to ask me, off the cuff, where I'd like to be with my writing 20 years from now, for example, I'd probably be so overwhelmed that I wouldn't even know how to answer the question.

In fact, my agent asked me a similar question about a year ago (we were having a coffee together at a conference) and I looked at her like she'd grown horns.

Sometimes I feel like I can't see the forest for the trees—I'm just so darned busy. I'm working toward the next deadline at all times.

What my agent's question forced me to do last year, though, was to actually pull myself out of my minute to minute scrambling and think about the big picture. It still freaks me out, though. My answer to my agent's question, at the time, was to say that I wanted to keep doing what I was doing right now. That I was interested in exploring other genres and ideas….later on. I was very vague about it all.

Jan posted her list of small questions to herself on her blog post. She gives some good direction on how to start thinking about goals for life and writing. And asking myself questions is a much nicer way to approach goal-setting than making a bulleted list.

I also like the idea of breaking down goals (once I've identified them) into small steps…it makes it so much easier to reach a goal.

Have you set goals for yourself, as a writer?

An Original Story

I just finished reading a very disturbing book all the way from cover to cover—so you know it must be book club time for me. :)

Ordinarily, I wouldn't pick a story to read that gives me nightmares at night, but my book club seems to have a proclivity for picking them.

I was reading the harrowing and unusual tale with great trepidation when I suddenly came across some story elements so familiar to me that they comforted me—and it all started with a crazy wife locked in a remote section of a large house. Jane Eyre! I thought with relief, and was able to keep reading the book club selection. Sure enough, the story was on a real Gothic kick from that point on.

I'll sometimes hear writers worry about writing a really original, breakout story.

But I really don't think there are any really original breakout stories to be written. I think that each of us has the opportunity to do a really bang-up job on an old story in our unique voice.

It's been said that there are only seven basic plots in all of literature. Actually, there have been said to be several different numbers of basic plots, but seven is the number mentioned most frequently.

This site lists 1 basic plot, 7 , 20, and finally, 36 basic plots.

What if there are as many as 36 basic plots in literature? That's still not many.

And yet, with all the similarity in theme, we're not getting bored with books. Or movies, because films are limited to these plot lines, too.

That's because each writer brings something of themselves to the book. It could be an amazing character they created or a fabulous setting. It could be the writer's voice in the way he tells the story.

Just the fact that the writers are all different means that their stories will be unique. Their takes on the stories will be unique. Out of the 36 plots, one writer might use a particular plot in a thriller and another might use it in a romance.

It's our different takes on life that make plots unique.

Do you ever notice this repetition of plots in books and movies? Most of the time, I'll admit, I don't…each story seems very different.

Staying Motivated by Starting Out the Day With a Win

Lately, looking at my to-do list, I've felt pretty snowed. I've got Finger Lickin' Dead releasing June 7th, a book due July 1, and a complete outline for another book due August 1.

And the children are almost out of school for the summer. :)

I'm good at prioritizing the things I need to do, but when everything is a priority, it makes it tough.

What I've found keeps me knocking through the items on my to-do list, is a couple of different approaches.

Some days I'll put several quick and easy tasks on my to-do list—stuff that I need to do, but that only take a second. So my list could have these things on it: 1) Put sunflower seed in the birdfeeder 2) Water potted plants on front porch 3) Put newspapers in recycling bin

Honestly, I feel so smug after crossing three things off on my list, that I start attacking the rest of the to-do list with renewed vigor. Sad, but true.

My other approach is to put the most loathed, procrastinated task on the top of my to-do list. Then, the whole rest of the day, I'm proud of myself for knocking it out. It gives me more motivation to keep crossing things off my list.

I'm a productivity nut, so please share how you stay motivated and don't get overwhelmed by your to-do lists. Inquiring minds want to know!

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Finger Lickin' Dead launches June 7th

Giving Characters a Chance to Grow

In the book I've just finished writing, my protagonist is a successful, self-assured, retired museum curator. She's moved to a small Southern town to be near her daughter and get a break from the hectic pace of her life.

Of course, things don't go all that smoothly for my character. Besides getting mixed up in a murder investigation (the main plot), she's also faced with a number of challenges on a smaller scale—everything from dealing with the change of pace, to learning quilting (something she'd had no plans of ever learning.) My protagonist is pushed from her comfort zone at every opportunity.

Looking for the perfect way to challenge your character? Ask yourself how they view themselves. What do they think they're good at? What do they find personally challenging?

Why we should play to a character's weaknesses instead of their strengths:

It gives them the opportunity to fail. Who likes perfect characters?

It gives them the opportunity to try again. And persistence is a likeable trait.

It provides additional conflict for your book. Sure we've got the main plot and all the conflict that goes with it. But extra conflict adds tension to a book and makes for an interesting subplot that can motivate the reader to keep reading to see how the character deals with it.

It gives them an opportunity to ultimately succeed. Because we all like to see hard work rewarded.

Have you given your characters a chance to grow lately?

Quick Tip for Character Development

In my blog reading last week, I came across an interesting post on the Seeing Creative blog.

Sometimes I think stereotypes are nice for writers.  I know that sounds odd to say, but if you're writing a minor character--if you have your stock nerd, jock, prom queen, etc., the reader instantly gets the character. There's not a lot of work needed there. It's easy.  And it's easy for the reader, too—particularly if they're trying to get acquainted with all the other characters (the important characters) in your book.

But stock characters won't work for a protagonist or other characters with large roles.  Obviously, if our books are overflowing with stereotypes,  we haven't done our jobs as writers.

A cool way to shake up stereotypes and help create unique characters was mentioned in the post "Creating the Non-Stereotypical Character." Stina Lindenblatt said that author Mary Buckham recently conducted a workshop through her local RWA chapter.  In the workshop, she had the writer either pick the occupation or hobby/interest of the main characters in their novel,  then list 5 character traits associated with those careers.  Ms. Buckham then had the author switch the traits around.  You can see some results here. 

Another good way to create unique character is by blending the traits of several different strong personalities of people you know. 

How do you keep your characters unique?  Do you sometimes use stock characters for minor roles in your book?

Who We Are—the All-Important Bio

I came across an interesting post the other day by Michael Margolis called The Resume Is Dead, The Bio Is King.

In the story's lead-in, the writer states:

If you're a designer, entrepreneur, or creative – you probably haven't been asked for your resume in a long time. Instead, people Google you – and quickly assess your talents based on your website, portfolio, and social media profiles. Do they resonate with what you're sharing? Do they identify with your story? Are you even giving them a story to wrap their head around?

Margolis also gives a list of questions that can help you to formulate your bio in story format.

How many bios/taglines do you need? Probably more kinds than you think.

Blog: I'll admit that the bio, or "About Me" is the first thing I look for on a blog—before anything else. That's because blogging is about developing relationships and I want to know just some really basic information first. What do you write? What's your name (and a pen name is okay—lots of anonymity online)? A picture can help readers identify with you, or, barring that, a book cover or an avatar that you feel expresses a little about who you are. It's nice to also see one additional bit of information about the writer—are they a parent? Devoted dog owner? Avid filmgoer? Wine aficionado?

Email signature: I've mentioned before that this is a great way to tell your friends and family you're a writer. Your email signature could have your blog link under it, and a link to a book or article that you've written. I have a different one for my personal email than I do for my writing-related account.

Twitter bio: Obviously, this one is tricky because of the space limitation. I play with my bio on Twitter from time to time. You can see it above. I'm basically saying what I write (and the name of the different series), giving my purpose on Twitter (tweeting interesting writing links), and then providing my blog address for anyone who's interested.

Short bio: There are many times that I need a short bio. There are book catalogs for different organizations that ask for short bios and short book descriptions. Panels and conferences want a short bio. If I've written an article for a print magazine (which sometimes I still do, to keep my hand in it), they always want just a line. So it's good to think up a very abbreviated way to tell who you are and where folks can find out more about you.

An adaptable base bio—a basic bio that can be adapted. Mine is a few paragraphs that I can take bits and pieces from, depending on the situation. I have one that's sort of cute and funny when I'm writing humorous guest posts or if I'm talking about fun topics on a panel. I have one that's very businesslike and professional sounding if I'm speaking in a more formal setting or on a more serious topic.

Facebook: Facebook just turns your basic info into a bio for you. Mine says where I work (which are the publishing houses I write for), where I went to school, and where I live. I've been meaning to dabble with my FB bio a bit—it would be easy to change your occupation to "writes traditional mysteries," etc., if you wanted to showcase that info on your FB profile page instead of what your day job is.

Guest post bio/tagline: If you're guest posting, there's probably something that you're trying to accomplish. Wanting to expand your blog readership? Promote a new book? For my upcoming blog tour, I mention my new release first (with a buy link hyperlinked to the book's name….this is the main purpose for my tour), and the name I'm writing the series under (Riley Adams). Then I mention the other series I write. Then I mention my blog, the Writer's Knowledge Base, and my Twitter handle (and I hyperlink those things, so they're live links). Then I figure everyone has all the basics—and can click links to find out the rest. (And it's shorter than it sounds…I think short works better.)

Have you got different bios for different occasions or different social media? Have any tips for writing bios or thoughts on what information you're hoping to discover when you're reading someone's?

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Finger Lickin' Dead launches June 7th

Twitterific

Below are writing links that I've posted to Twitter in the last week.

The Writer's Knowledge Base search engine, designed by software engineer and writer Mike Fleming, makes all these links searchable—try it for searches on plotting, characterization, querying, book promo, and more.

[image error]Anyone signing up for the free Writer's Knowledge Base newsletter this month (and current subscribers) will be automatically entered in a June drawing to receive K.M. Weiland's CD (or MP3) Conquering Writer's Block and Summoning Inspiration CD . Sign up here for the web's best writing links and interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1 . (You can unsubscribe at any time, and your email information is never shared.)

Tips on cliffhangers: http://bit.ly/kknQxX @juliemusil

What Ju-Jitsu Can Teach Us About Writing: http://bit.ly/krFW5S

Creating the non-stereotypical character: http://bit.ly/kSgmks

5 Fixes for Pop-Culture Pile-Ups: http://bit.ly/ka4aTt

Summer Survival Guide for Writers: http://bit.ly/kwuFOE

4 tips for dissemination of info in your story: http://bit.ly/le8Xkb

Writing Myths Busted: http://bit.ly/mr2Vla @yaHighway

Do You Tell People You Write? http://bit.ly/mTDOF1

5 ways to know your characters before you even meet them: http://bit.ly/kyznnc @jammer0501

When You Feel Like a Nobody: http://bit.ly/lAOle9

What Not to Write–The Submission: http://bit.ly/kRjUD5

Using MS Word to Auto-Outline and Keep Track of Revelations: http://bit.ly/jamI6a @4kidlit

How to Turn Your Dream Into a Plan In 5 Simple Steps: http://bit.ly/j4KZlQ

When your agent can't sell your book: http://bit.ly/kpVVee

A look at teachers in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/ifxlUC @mkinberg

How To Make a Super 8 Book Trailer: http://bit.ly/lA2dju

When you're an ind. publishing professional, is the expense of attending BEA worth it? http://bit.ly/kLNGpo

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Dinner tonight - easy as pie! http://bit.ly/kyAsDc

All Stories Are Speculative Fictions: An Inquisitive Supposition: http://bit.ly/jUoaVd

How to Captivate New Readers for Your Blog in 5 Seconds or Fewer: http://bit.ly/lKHOEz

It's wedding season--and an opportunity for a 1-chapter critique: http://bit.ly/iRZwXX @jhansenwrites

How To Look for a Publishing Job at BEA: http://bit.ly/kIBWv2 @galleycat

Creativity Tweets of the Week — 5/20/11: http://bit.ly/ilfAaZ @on_creativity

How one writer revised her work to prepare for publication: http://bit.ly/kqRdLx

Working Backward to Flesh Out Your Plot: http://bit.ly/lp2tNF

5 things 1 writer has learned about increasing tension in a story: http://bit.ly/lX0bJN

Writing mentors (Ntl. Post): http://natpo.st/jzoeZa

Are MFA programs ruining American fiction? (Salon): http://bit.ly/lNA2eh

10 ways to improve your proofreading: http://bit.ly/mpINbH

Sucker punching writer's block: http://bit.ly/iJCLMh

Best Articles This Week for Writers 5/20/11: http://bit.ly/k9MAAX @4kidlit

People-Watching with Purpose: 20 tips: http://bit.ly/l0GAVg

How to earn your info dump: http://bit.ly/l6z6TA

Konrath: Tech Talk and the Active Ebook: http://bit.ly/imEbQH

Writing Descriptions: Setting the Scene: http://bit.ly/m5I4SI

A Deeper Understanding of Craft: http://bit.ly/iu5PFr

Figuring Out Your Genre: http://bit.ly/m0zjxx

On Amazon, is fewer than 5 stars a bad review? http://bit.ly/l2k1MW

The Antagonist: http://bit.ly/jqLKAf

Does Your Manuscript Have a Good Hook? http://bit.ly/iTwUOp

Liberty Media Bids $1 Billion for Barnes & Noble (PW): http://bit.ly/lJHixn

5 Things The Great Books Taught @JaneFriedman About Writing: http://bit.ly/lu9724

Genre and Soy Sauce -- Finding What You Want: http://bit.ly/lp5v8e

5 Types of Eponyms: http://bit.ly/j6Jnib

Past Tense or Present Tense...or Both? http://bit.ly/kC7IY7

BEA Survival Tips: http://bit.ly/lDpQj8

Common Sense Writing Superstitions: http://bit.ly/mLs893 @Rachel__Graves

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: My Summer Challenge http://bit.ly/jBExzn

A question on multiple lead characters: http://bit.ly/iClM9Z

The 5 Horsemen of Literary Apocalypse: http://bit.ly/jtm5Eb

Is there gold in your backlist? Self-publish and find out: http://bit.ly/lhzCB2

The secret to worldbuilding success: http://bit.ly/ihNQPV

Rock Stars and Writers–Yes, We Really Do Work: http://bit.ly/mK2IAd

Resist the Urge to Explain: http://bit.ly/mnPkBD

Are Teenagers Too Young to Write Good Fiction? http://bit.ly/ieRON2

Amazon and Waterstones report downloads eclipsing printed book sales (Guardian): http://bit.ly/mmd3Ov

An Agent on Interiority vs. Telling: http://bit.ly/kUSxeD

Tips on Copy Editing Your Own Work: http://bit.ly/mmQCR9

What to Do on a Writing Vacation: http://bit.ly/kyDh3I

Why Are We So Obsessed With Our Numbers? http://bit.ly/jB78Bq

How fantasy author @JaniceHardy uses real places as a foundation for her world-building: http://bit.ly/inIwfM

Running Mind Movies to Bring Life to Your Characters: http://bit.ly/kSkhhm

5 Tips for Working with Hollywood as a Publisher or Author: http://bit.ly/jqwp1D

Characters who grow on you: http://bit.ly/imhEiX

Stir Up Your Setting–REAL Fictional Settings: http://bit.ly/jA6dCZ

Dos and Dont's for Pitching: http://bit.ly/iEmBjl

Self-editing checklist for POV: http://bit.ly/mCir2O

This Week's Fail Whale–Tunnel-Vision Tweeter: http://bit.ly/m67jjz

How to explain superpowers: http://bit.ly/kQYqEp

How watching bad 80s movies made one writer cooler: http://bit.ly/miwHCS

When is a writer 'good enough'? http://bit.ly/mHDwvm @camillelaguire

3 Reasons Why Personally Visiting a Source (or Location) Will Better Your Writing: http://bit.ly/j6jWm4

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Kid-friendly Porcupines http://bit.ly/l3df8X

Tools to Make Scheduling Your Time at BEA Easier: http://bit.ly/lhfiGh

Getting Started: The Hardest Part: http://bit.ly/lGHWNE

5 Ways to Write High-Quality Content – Fast: http://bit.ly/mI2euZ

Does your imagined audience hinder you from writing? http://bit.ly/ikN8Ji

What Is The Point Of Writing A Book If You Have No Online Presence? http://bit.ly/kGVkp1 @bubblecow

Thanks to Diane @TheBookResort for hosting me on her blog: http://bit.ly/luVJxv Finger Lickin' Dead releases Jun. 7th! http://amzn.to/iRM9Hw

42 LinkedIn Groups for Publishing Professionals: http://bit.ly/kRtmaI @galleycat

10 Comma Cases in Which More Is More: http://bit.ly/kRdXtQ

An example of a fiction synopsis: http://bit.ly/ktI4sm

Facing Rejection? Here Are 5 Key Steps To Handle Them Like a Pro: http://bit.ly/iH00rj

The Physiology of Foreshadowing: http://bit.ly/krWrcW

Writing When Life Explodes: It Can Be Done: http://bit.ly/l8L7nE

The Ultimate Money Guide for Freelance Writers: http://bit.ly/j5Mjuw

Myths Of Creativity in Business: http://bit.ly/ioRepP

How to Write a Query Letter to Publishers – Fiction Manuscript: http://bit.ly/jN509Z

Stir Up Your Setting: Using All 5 Senses: http://bit.ly/jOgQTB

To Do Digital Books Right, Writers Will Learn to Talk Tech: http://bit.ly/jMOy0f

How to Send Visitors Away from Your Website in Two Seconds or Less: http://bit.ly/klD4l8

Battling the Stigma of the YA Writer: http://bit.ly/kvGbjH

Anatomy of Conflict: http://bit.ly/ixuVfb

Targeted Writing: Remember Your Audience: http://bit.ly/l9wo0k

Traditional Publishing, Self-Publishing and Control: http://bit.ly/mgsqes

The Handy-Dandy Survival Guide to Shipping Doomed Couples: http://bit.ly/lWGVph

Orchestrating the Thriller: http://bit.ly/mSdCxn @RavenRequiem13

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Easy, Cheesy Bread http://bit.ly/ieGkbz

Copywriting ABCs: Why Every Piece of Content You Create Must Always Be Converting: http://bit.ly/m8lBDt

Place holders in fiction: http://bit.ly/jWlIUA

8 Things Readers Want From Self-Published Authors: http://bit.ly/m1qJnF @janefriedman

How 'Not Writing' Could Save Your Story: http://bit.ly/ij0rXG @storyadaymay

What Disneyland Can Teach Us about World-building: http://bit.ly/l8j2Aw @jamigold

Choosing the Right Stories for an Anthology: http://bit.ly/lYpccO

The 10 Deadly Sins of Pitching: http://bit.ly/jYWL4d

Worldbuilding--Research: http://bit.ly/kfNVc6

The rule of 3: http://bit.ly/mKFiFH

Mix and match characters: http://bit.ly/mAAkel

Writing profanity: http://bit.ly/lbptUP

The 2 most important things to know before hiring a freelance editor: http://bit.ly/iPlphH

Why It's Good For Writers to Love Then Hate Their Books: http://bit.ly/ipRO7B @jodyhedlund

The best writers are the best readers: http://bit.ly/iSwzS0

3 Reasons Description is Important, 3 Reasons It's Not: http://bit.ly/lyUN9b @victoriamixon

The word count debut writers don't need to exceed & word count guidelines for children's and YA: http://bit.ly/ivPO4b

Is the ebook the new query? http://bit.ly/ihVJNj @annerallen

Stir Up Your Setting–Finding a Happy Medium: http://bit.ly/lSjKoW

429 Television Script Ideas That Sold: http://bit.ly/kKu83i @galleycat

100,000 Reasons Why You Probably Can't Banish Envy (and May Not Want to): http://bit.ly/mQCo1a

Craft an Exceptional Elevator Pitch: http://bit.ly/kZCNlC @Bookgal

5 Mixed-Up Malapropisms: http://bit.ly/jd1ENr

Crime fiction examples of tightly linked series and series that are more loosely connected: http://bit.ly/jyAdi0 @mkinberg

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: (Low Fat!) Strawberry Shortcake Muffins from Cleo Coyle http://bit.ly/jW1YNH

Amazon Book Sales Page Tips: http://bit.ly/k0P7yd @thecreativepenn

10 Reasons To Love & Embrace Platform-building: http://bit.ly/mNe9Kw

Why Writers Need Writer Friends: http://bit.ly/kvgNAg

Gardening and writing--filling the well by following the love: http://bit.ly/ilizet

Ready to query but don't know where to start? http://bit.ly/fYkgJA

15 Tips for Accomplishing More in Less Time: http://bit.ly/mfxG6B

Dealing with Discouragement: http://bit.ly/jK6YU7

Social Media for Unpublished Writers: http://bit.ly/kQuuHj @cheshirescribe

7 Weekly Book Marketing Goals You Can Adopt Today: http://bit.ly/kluqZD

Can Writing Be Taught? http://bit.ly/iewWnq @2bwriters

Show vs Tell: http://bit.ly/isnMOV

The Secret Ingredient of Original Stories: http://bit.ly/k1f8Mq

Stir Up Your Setting–Making Setting a Character: http://bit.ly/jSxbu0

21 Ways to Create Compelling Content When You Don't Have a Clue: http://bit.ly/jBq91Q

10 Simple Ways to Double the Speed of Your Writing … Right Now: http://bit.ly/mHEz8B

Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 5/13/11): http://bit.ly/j2pTAy

You must refrain from rewriting, except to editorial order: http://bit.ly/mFpLae

You don't have to have a book to be a writer: http://bit.ly/ihKUcq @Harrison314

An agent explains what's in a publishing contract: http://bit.ly/l0Q5Bt

How to Create Characters That Are Believable and Memorable: http://bit.ly/lUW9xv

When it Makes Sense to Have Multiple Blogs: http://bit.ly/jcqTJo

Wait! Don't Query Too Soon: http://bit.ly/jKIdQ3

An agent on starting a novel in the wrong place: http://bit.ly/lafnAA

The Right Tools for Planning a Writing Group: http://bit.ly/jFzAkS

An agent rants about prologues: http://bit.ly/kmdR5Q

Are you over-editing? http://bit.ly/mdUiHX @juliemusil

Use Manuscript Markers for Your 1st Draft: http://bit.ly/kqXu3r

The Ultimate Guide to Twitter Marketing: http://bit.ly/mmj9uD

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Cardamom Pound Cake http://bit.ly/lSCzU1

Beginning In Media Res: Some Options: http://bit.ly/kqGf3S

Shrugging and Pursing: http://bit.ly/kdSDQr

What NOT to Write: The Query Letter: http://bit.ly/iSc0or

That duck in the T-shirt is a boy: The gender divide in children's lit: http://natpo.st/inReKc

How to Turn a Blog Post into a Press Release: http://bit.ly/myqDn6

Fiction and Empathy: http://bit.ly/l3uKIX @wordrunner

How to Avoid Writing-related Panic Attacks: http://bit.ly/jw48JX

Writer's Knowledge Base -- Search 8000+ articles on : http://bit.ly/dYRayA

Beyond the First Draft—The Query Letter: http://bit.ly/jEN1uh

How Science Fiction Movies Can Help You Write Novels: http://bit.ly/jtu75I

Worldbuilding, part 1: It's not just for science fiction anymore: http://bit.ly/iWvGwG

How to Revise (When You'd Rather Just Drink): http://bit.ly/mS4QAI

Twitterific--my week in tweets: http://bit.ly/mvgje5

One important reason for a day job: http://bit.ly/lmKFVm

Against Professionalism: http://bit.ly/maJOFq

Characterization is important–character is key: http://bit.ly/lS4jhz

Why Doesn't Your Blog Click? http://bit.ly/lyGoZd @hopeclark

Tips for selling more books on the Kindle: http://bit.ly/kSR0Xk

One writer's process: http://bit.ly/lPhPmJ

Short writing tips from a variety of published authors: http://bit.ly/k2Lfiz

On nature and nurturing your inner Gladys Kravitz: http://bit.ly/lln0BF

Advice to teens wanting to publish: http://bit.ly/ljhbkY

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Kate Carlisle's Weeknight Taco Casserole http://bit.ly/j7oVmV

Plot Devices and Other Stupid Things: http://bit.ly/igpzuy

How to Build an Email List: Rich Man, Poor Man List Building: http://bit.ly/libkdP

Stereotyping people by their favorite author: http://bit.ly/mEGeV7

Like With Like = Great Story Flow: http://bit.ly/lGnT9i

Plot Development: Climax, Resolution, and Your Main Character: http://bit.ly/j5Ub1E

Writing Beautiful and Unique Snowflakes: http://bit.ly/lyXHnr

Putting the Character into Characterization: http://bit.ly/lIq8cT

What to do with short stories: http://bit.ly/jpCfjS

Sign up for the monthly WKB newsletter for the web's best writing links and interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1

8 Ways NOT to Describe Your Main Character: http://bit.ly/iEuG4j @victoriamixon

The Power of No: http://bit.ly/mI6fdT

Social media is for interacting, not BSP: http://bit.ly/jJ6ZdD

3 lessons from the "Vampire Diaries": http://bit.ly/iPTE6C

Why You Should Build Your Freelance Career on Your Own Domain: http://bit.ly/iAV4k8

3 Ways to Know When to End Your Chapters: http://bit.ly/l4NHCL

Using tags to sell books or ebooks on Amazon: http://bit.ly/lGyt07

Getting With the 21st Century

Overall, I'm feeling pretty smug that I'm adapting to the changing publishing environment.

I have a Kindle. I'm not at all opposed to putting backlist items out as ebooks (I've even got a book in mind for it). I edit my manuscript on my Kindle when I'm on the go. I feel fairly progressive.

But when the Charlotte Observer called me up last week and offered to give me a special price to make the move to an electronic edition of the newspaper, I was practically speechless.

"It's an exact reproduction," the sales representative said soothingly. "Even the ads. It's a PDF.'"

"Uhhhh…" I said.

"When you go out of town, you can still read the Charlotte Observer. You can read it anywhere in the world!"

"Ummm…." I said.

"It's interactive, too. And you can search the archive, make the font size bigger, and you can access it 24/7! And it's a lot less expensive than the print edition."

It all made a lot of sense…I just couldn't do it. But first of all, I asked if I had to do it—was the print edition going under in the immediate future? Because I'd rather read an e-edition of the newspaper than lose my local paper altogether.

It wasn't to the point of the print edition disappearing, thankfully. There's still something very nice about unfolding a newspaper and sipping my coffee while catching up on the news.

But I'm 40---and the representative, laughing a little, said that was the gray area. She said that everyone over 40 was very indignant at the thought of losing the physical, newsprint paper….that everyone under 40 was excited to get the same paper, as an e-edition, for a much lower price than the printed edition.

This is interesting to me, because I think a lot of Kindle users are middle aged and up. But maybe there's a difference between getting a book on a reader and receiving a newspaper that way. I know there's a difference for me. And I'm not sure I want to interact with my newspaper, anyway.

Are there some areas where you're just not wanting to make the switch yet? Or are you fully onboard with the ebook revolution?

5 Star Reviews

I was speaking to a group of writers a couple of weeks ago when a question came up about what my opinion of a good review on Amazon was.

I winced, because I knew what the questioner was getting at.

If I were reading a movie review, 3 out of 5 stars means a good movie to me. Maybe it's no Academy Award winner, but it's good entertainment. It's no waste of time to watch. 4 stars seems to mean very good to me…maybe a more complex plot with some top-notch acting. 5 stars? I should be watching Casablanca, Citizen Kane, or The Manchurian Candidate (1962).

Now, if it's Amazon, then it's totally different. Many of the published authors that I know consider anything less than a 5-star review something of a slap in the face. I'm not saying that's right or wrong…I'm just saying that's what I've heard. Of course, none of us feel good about a 1-star or 2-star review, but most authors aren't rejoicing over a 3 or 4 star one, either.

If I were to apply the same rating system to books that I apply to movies, I'd make a book like The Complete Works of Shakespeare a 5 star, The Great Gatsby a 4 star (because it's VERY good, but not really on par with Shakespeare), then I think many of the rest of us would be 3-star-good. Good entertainment… a nice read… good use of a reader's valuable time.

Would I actually use this scale to rate my friends' books? No, I sure wouldn't. I wouldn't have a whole lot of friends left. The way the Amazon scale runs is more like a recommended/not recommended rating—if it's 5 stars, you heartily recommend it. If it's fewer than 5 stars, in the Amazon environment, you're not really recommending the book to others. I'm not saying this is right, but it seems to be what authors and what I think many Amazon readers believe. Amazon could practically switch to a Facebook-esque thumbs up or thumbs down symbol and just cut to the chase, if that's the way we're all treating their ratings.

To me, it looks a little phony to have all 5-star reviews. It has the appearance of being in cahoots with our reviewers. I just don't think that everyone is going to love my book. I'd love it if everyone did, and I deeply appreciate the readers who feel that way, but the reality is that different readers enjoy different types of books. Some might love my book, some might think it was pretty good, some might put it down and pick up a thriller instead. I know I prefer some types of books over others.

The emphasis on a standing ovation review was driven home to me on Wednesday at the pharmacy when I was asked by my pharmacist to call a number on my receipt and complete a survey to be entered in a drawing. "But please," he said, "don't give us any fewer than 5 stars. Anything less than that is a strike against us, in Corporate's eyes. If you're only somewhat satisfied, please just don't fill out the survey at all."

It left me with a icky feeling that someone could suffer negative consequences from an overall favorable review of their service.

What do you think? Has Amazon changed the way we think about book rating and review? What's a good review on Amazon? Are you hesitant to give fewer than five stars for a book?

Characters Who Grow on You

When I first took my now-14 year old son to kindergarten, I didn't completely understand the elementary school carpool line. Actually, I didn't understand it at all. And there seemed to be a lot of rules that I wasn't aware of—where to turn in, which entrance was for what grade, where it was acceptable to drop off your child, where it wasn't.

My very first day in the carpool line, I pulled up to the curb by the sidewalk that led into the school. But I didn't pull up at the right place. As my son got out of the car, the teaching assistant—a stern-looking older lady—bent to look through my passenger window and fussed, "Excuse me! You'll need to pull up allllll the way up here in your car. That way more cars can pull up behind you! We don't have all day to unload!"

She was very indignant at my carpooling ineptitude. I was indignant, too. Here I was, a kindergarten parent with a baby in the backseat….how the heck was I supposed to know how the crazy carpool line worked?

We'll just say that I started off with a negative impression of this teacher.

Over the years, though, I learned a lot more about the teacher from volunteering at the school. She has an old-fashioned way of phrasing sentences and a dry, sharp wit. She's extremely well-read and sometimes makes obscure literary references that perfectly match whatever situation we're in.

She's now one of my favorite teachers at the school—and I think I like her even better than some other teachers because I so thoroughly disliked her at the beginning.

As a reader, I've felt the same way about characters that have grown on me. Particularly if the protagonist and I both share the negative opinion of the supporting character.

I remember, as a kid, thinking that Ben, the gardener in The Secret Garden was a total grouch. Then, as I reader, I found out with Mary that Ben was friends with a robin, was a real lover of nature, and was excited for Mary to start gardening.

Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series was another character that I detested at first, but then found really grew on me.

So I'm not really talking about a character that changes and becomes more likeable, I'm talking about one who stays the same, but has characteristics that eventually, maybe grudgingly, make the reader like them.

I was thinking about this the other day in the carpool line, realizing I wanted to write some more characters that a reader can grow to like…because I've enjoyed reading them so much that I'd love to try my hand at writing one.

Have you read any characters that grew on you? As a writer, have you written any?