Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 27

How Scary Should Cozies Be?

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Happy Halloween, everybody!

On this day of spooky celebration, I thought I'd take a quick look at scares in cozy mysteries, known as being gentler reads than other mysteries in the genre.

Agatha Christie was a founder of the genre and several of her books have scared me to death over the years.  But the scares aren't the so-called “jump scares” where a killer leaps out at you. It's more the tone, the situation (a country house in the middle of nowhere with a killer on the loose), and the ominous general foreboding that the books offer. And, when the killer (they can be plural) is revealed, it often gave me a shiver, too.

Nancy Drew books, crafted for young girls, also did a great job with scares. Maybe “spookiness” is a better word for what they pulled off. A hidden staircase, old secrets, and mysterious diaries lent a sinister feel to the stories.

What kinds of scares are good for cozies? In my mind, they need to be gentle and not protracted. The discovery of a body can definitely be a scary moment in a cozy mystery. Here, though, the scare is more in the surprise discovery and less about the appearance of the body. Avoiding detailed descriptions of the victims is a good practice, actually.

Sometimes the scary moment is more about tension. There's almost always going to be a very tense moment near the conclusion of the story when the sleuth uncovers the killer. Does the killer plan on shutting her up permanently? How does she get away? It's a good place for fast-paced action to drive readers to the end of the story.

Interspersing scary or serious scenes with lighter ones is a good idea. The quirkiness of the genre's supporting characters can be a welcome relief when the story gets intense.

One of the nice things about cozies is the escape it offers to readers. Not only do readers have the opportunity to be armchair sleuths, they're also honorary residents of the town during the story. The danger the mystery offers by interrupting the idyll of the community is eliminated by the end of the book, adding to the contentment and the general sense of having tidied everything up at the end.

How many scares do you like to see in a cozy mystery? Or in your own genre (I think every genre has them!)

Scary Scenes in Cozy Mysteries?
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Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 65,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

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How to Quickly Establish the Setting in Scenes

by C.S. Lakin, @LiveWriteThrive

Setting is largely ignored by writers, and that’s a shame. Setting is not only important in fiction to transport your readers into your story, it’s one of the most versatile tools in your writer’s toolbox.

Regardless of whether the setting is an important element in a particular scene, or you want to be vague, or you’re continuing with your characters in the same place as the prior scene, you should always have your character notice something about his surroundings to ground the character in location early on.

Every time you put your character in a new/different place, you need to establish the setting. Even if your character has been there before, there are always ways he is interacting with the setting.

What is your character going to notice when entering a new space? She’s going to notice things that catch her eye or other senses. She’s going to notice things that are out of place or intrigue her or affect her emotionally. She won’t notice things that don’t matter to her or she ticks off as expected and ordinary.

She will quickly survey the room. Her attention might land on the plastic pink chairs in the children’s dentist office waiting room and the funny rug with a town and cars on it. Maybe the weird antiseptic smell that reminds her of pink bubblegum. But if she’s been in this waiting room a dozen times, she may ignore it all.

However, she’ll no doubt note how many people are in the room, how they’re dressed, approximate ages, what they look like, how they’re positioned, and their moods. But how much time and attention will she give to these elements?

Describe Only What Your Character Would Notice

The answer depends on her mind-set, what she’s thinking about. If she’s preoccupied by something and her “mind is elsewhere,” she won’t notice hardly anything. In that case, you can show her sitting in one of the pink chairs as her young child heads to play with the toys scattered across the funny rug, a brief indirect mention of setting details, as she thinks about what all this dental work is going to cost her and frustrated her insurance won’t cover any of it, trying to figure out which bills to skip paying this month, and how she’s going to afford groceries.

In contrast, if nothing is preoccupying her mind, she might take time to look around her. Bored, she might search for a magazine to read and take in minor details of the room. Or maybe the terse, hushed conversation another parent is having with her misbehaving child draws her attention.

Once you’ve determined what your POV character’s emotional and mental state are for your scene (which should center on the purpose of your scene and the action that’s about to take place), you can decide what she should notice when she enters a new space.

It might be what your character sees when she gets out of her car, what the air smells and feels like, one small detail that catches her eye. Don’t just write out a laundry list of typical, predictable details—think strategically. What will enhance or affect the character’s mood that will work best in your scene?

I’ve heard some instructors suggest a good general rule: have the character notice three things (which are shown as sensory details) when in a new setting or at the start of a scene. Filmmakers call this initial introduction to each new setting an establishing shot—it establishes where the character is, which is crucial.

Here are a couple of establishing shots in Barbara Kingsolver’s novel Animal Dreams:

We left the truck in the company of other pickups and station wagons at the edge of town and walked up into the narrow streets. There wasn’t a soul out, but lines of smoke drifted from the chimneys and the big adobe beehive ovens that squatted in every third or fourth backyard. A black dog pawed at the edge of a frozen puddle. The ladders that connected one rooftop to the next were drifted lightly with snow. One house had a basketball hoop nailed to the end beams. Front curtains everywhere glowed with warm interior light, though it was still early afternoon, and strings of bright red chilis hung by the front doors.

The attic was pleasantly chilly and smelled of pine. Decades of summer heat have forced droplets of resin out of the rough floorboards, which in cooler weather hardened to little amber marbles that scattered in all directions as we shifted trunks and cardboard boxes. The afternoon is fixed in my memory with the sharp smell of resin and that particular amber rattle, like the sound of ball bearings rolling around in a box. It’s surprising how much of memory is built around things unnoticed at the time.

These descriptions feel personal, and they should. In deep POV, readers experience place through the senses of the character as well as her response to it.

Learn from Your Own Observations

When you leave an air-conditioned dark, cool building in the heat of summer in a place with high humidity, like the deep South, what do you notice upon pushing out the doors?

I notice immediately the brightness and quality of the light. I notice the humidity shift—the moisture in the air and the stickiness on my skin. I’ll then notice nearby sounds and smells, all within a few seconds of exiting the building.

When a character is confronted with a sharp shift in sensory detail, he should notice and react to it. A blind person may not see visuals, but he can feel the hot sun on his shoulders. His other senses are heightened, as would a character who is blindfolded.

Writing instructor Heather Sellers suggests asking these ten questions to help you (and your readers) set the stage wherever you plan to place your character:

Where are we? What room, neighborhood, town, county, place?What time is it? What minute, hour, day, month, year?What is the weather outside like? What’s the atmosphere inside like (lighting, hot/cold, smoky, comfortable, etc.)?Who is there, “onstage”? Who just left? Who is nearby?Who is expected?What just happened?How old is each person “onstage”?What are people wearing? What do they have in their hands?What is in the room/location? What “stuff” is around?What is the dominant smell?

You can come up with your own set of questions, but always keep in mind your POV character can only know what he knows and will only notice what catches his interest.

Practice the technique of showing setting elements indirectly as you move characters through the space they’re in. That’s one of the best way to establish the setting. Use the setting to support or prop up the purpose of your scene, reflect and affect your character’s mood, and ground your character in a place that feels real and tactile.

Don’t discount the importance of setting—it’s the world of your character that you want readers to be drawn into.

Want to master crafting powerful settings? Enroll in C. S. Lakin’s new online video course that will give you technique and exercises to evoke settings that will immerse your readers. You can find all her online courses for fiction writers at Writing for Life Workshops on cslakin.teachable.com.

 

 

C.S. Lakin is an award-winning author, blogger, copyeditor, and writing coach. She has taught thousands of writers how to improve their craft through her blog, Live Write Thrive, and her online school. She is the author of the Writer’s Toolbox series of books on novel writing and does more than two hundred manuscript critiques a year.

 

 

 

 

How to Quickly Establish the Setting in Scenes (by @LiveWriteThrive ):
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Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 65,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.

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Writing a Christmas Cozy

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig 

Hi everyone! I'm guest posting at David Farland's blog today on the process of writing a Christmas cozy mystery. Hope you can pop over and join me! 

Tips for Writing A Christmas Cozy Mystery: https://bit.ly/3eJieGi @davidfarland @elizabethscraig
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Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 65,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.

New Stuff:

 Escape the Plot Forest:  An online event all about plotting, storytelling, and creating a great experience for your readers. Every year, about 3,000 writers from all over the world come together for four days of great interviews and presentations – and you can watch the whole summit live, for free. I'm going to be speaking at the summit about all the ingredients of a cozy mystery on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 10:00 a.m. ET.  Check out the event here (please note this is an affiliate link). 

Business / MiscellaneousBusiness Musings: Searching For A Sense of Urgency: @KristineRuschCaveat Scriptor: When Creators Become the Customers: @FoxPrintEdHow to Get Published in Modern Love, McSweeney’s or Anywhere Else You Want: @GuerillaMemoir @JaneFriedmanSelf-publishing News: Enter SelfPubCon's First Line Competition: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLIConferences and Events / MiscellaneousThe UK's £50,000 Baillie Gifford Prize Releases Its 2022 Shortlist: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesGermany's Börsenverein Lists Events for Frankfurter Buchmesse: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_FairFuture Guest of Honor Italy at Frankfurt: 147 Exhibitors: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_FairAt Sharjah's Publishers Conference: Dohle and Al Qasimi Speak: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesAt Frankfurter Buchmesse: Aldus Up's 2022 Programming: @Porter_Anderson @Book_Fair @pubperspectivesFrankfurter Buchmesse Introduces Its International Translation Center: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_FairCreativity and Inspiration / First NovelsAdvice for New Writers: @Kdibianca @killzoneauthorsCreativity and Inspiration / InspirationWrite What You’re Passionate About: @MaeClair1 @StoryEmpireGetting Lost—and Found—in Personal Narrative: @JMcJohnson @brevitymagCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers9 Novels Told From the Perspective of Animal Protagonists: by Talia Lakshmi Kolluri @ElectricLitThe best books for enjoying the delicious coziness of murder: @Shepherd_booksMessy Women in Crime Fiction: A Reading List: @meredithambrock @CrimeReadsFive SFF Stories Featuring Spies, Secrets, and Intrigue: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcomCrime Fiction: In The Spotlight: R.W.R. McDonald’s Nancy Business: @MargotKinberg10 Quietly Effective Suspense Novels: by B. R. Myers @CrimeReadsSeven Very Short Sci-Fi Stories That Can Be Read in Seven Minutes or Less: @LookingForLorna @tordotcomCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeFeatured Writer on Wellness: Brandie June: @brandiejune @colleen_m_storyI Write Wherever My Mind Can Be Free: @1demerith @CatapultStoryWriting As My Healing Tool: @KyomiOconnor @DIYMFAUse Your Library to Save Your Library: @helpfulsnowmanWe Don't Talk About Creative Burnout – This Is Why We Should: @Robert_Rose @CMIContentEnrich Your Fiction by Interviewing Real People in the Real World: @KelleyLindberg1 @RMFWritersWhy We Shouldn't View Other Writers as Competition: @BethVogt @EdieMelsonThe power of ‘if’: how imagining the future helps writers: @BecEvans @beprolifikoFeatured Productivity Tool: Break the Rules: @TheDEBMethodHow to Defeat “Writer Overwhelm” Once and for All: @ChadRAllenYour Writer’s Journey Needs a Road Map: @MiraReisbergKristen Arnett and Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya on Sharing a Writing Space: @Kristen_Arnett @KaylaKumari @CatapultStoryInspirational Indie Author Interview. Jessica Bell: From Music to Writing to Cover Design to Publishing, ‘Multipreneur' Does it All: @Howard_Lovy @IamJessicaBellThe Advantages of Acting Vs. Reacting In Your Writing Career: @colleen_m_storyHow to Focus: Practice Deep Work: @WriteNowCoachGenres / Memoir5 Tips to Help You Write a Memoir about Hard Things: @LiveWriteThriveMychal Denzel Smith on How to Have an Opinion in Memoir: @mychalsmith @lithubEmotional Pacing: Lessons in Writing a Trauma Memoir: by Aggie Stewart @brevitymagGenres / MysteryPortrayals of the Police in Crime Fiction Through the Years: @MargotKinbergA Deep Dive Into the History of Bibliomysteries: @medwardsbooks @CrimeReadsSafety Lessons Courtesy of Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergParking Lot Crime: Writing About Burglaries and Robberies: @piperbayardEngland’s Lake District: All the Calm and Placid Water Hides an Awful Lot of Murder: @chinarhyming @CrimeReadsGenres / Picture BooksOpening Lines for Picture Books: @RobinCurrie6 @A3writersHow Do You Publish a Children's Book? @M_Richmond21 @write_practiceGenres / PoetryPoetry as a Playful and Pleasurable Creative Practice: @markmcguinness @annkroekerPromo / Book ReviewsTo Read or Not To Read Reviews and Feedback: by Steve Hooley @killzoneauthorsPromo / CrowdfundingCrowd Funding for Indie Authors: @IndieAuthorALLIPromo / MiscellaneousAlgorithm Marketing for Authors: @dkparsonswriter @SelfPubFormMarketing Fundamentals to Know If You’re Self-Publishing a Book: by Rose Atkinson-Carter @youfirstwriterHow to Grow Your Audience Using Online Workshops: by Patricia Durgin @A3writersPromo / Social Media TipsSocial Media Basics for Writers: Deal with Unrealistic Expectations: @EdieMelsonPublishing / MiscellaneousA New Venue for Publishers' Backlist: The ‘Yonder' App: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesReflections on 20 years in publishing: @NathanBransfordPublishing / News / AmazonAmazon Bugs: Price Increases, Categories and Terminations: @DaveChessonPublishing / News / DataAhead of Frankfurt Audio: Storytel Makes Its Third-Quarter Report: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesFrankfurt: Looking at Comics and Graphic Novels' Gains in the Market: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_FairPublishing / News / International PublishingRights Roundup: On to Frankfurt's Fairgrounds: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_FairUkrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska Speaks During Frankfurt: @Porter_Anderson @Book_Fair @pubperspectivesAudiobooks: Bonnier's BookBeat Opens in Spain and Italy: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesTikTok and Frankfurter Buchmesse Open a Collaboration: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_FairPublishing / Options / Self-PublishingThe Journey of a Self-Published Author Calls for a Long-Term Mindset: @createastorylov @lornafaithWhat Are The Reasons to Self-Publish? @dkparsonswriter @MelissaAddeyPublishing / Process / Book DesignIndie Author Book Cover Design: What Works in 2022: @IndieAuthorALLIPublishing / Process / FormattingKindle Create Tutorial: Best Free Formatting Software? @DaveChessonPublishing / Process / Services to AvoidScam Alert: Scammers Impersonating Acorn TV: @victoriastraussPublishing / Process / TranslationDo We Need a Support Group? How Translation Can—and Should—Be a Collective Effort: @M_Hutchison @lithubWriting Craft / BeginningsIt pays to be vivid (query critique): @NathanBransfordWriting Craft / Characters / AntagonistsWhen Heroes Have Violent and ‘Evil’ Powers: @cyallowitzWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentFear Thesaurus Entry: Becoming a Parent: @beccapuglisi @onestop4writersWriting Craft / ConflictHow To Give Your Characters Conflict: @KMAllan_writerWhat's the Central Conflict of your Novel? Keep it Center Stage: @beccapuglisi @annerallenWriting Craft / DialogueWriting Dialogue-Centric First Drafts: @Jffelkins @writingcookbookWriting Craft / Flashback and Back StoryHow Should I Fill In Backstory? by Chris Winkle @mythcreantsWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmLessons From the Cursed Writing of Vicious: by Chris Winkle @mythcreantsWhat Writers Can Learn From Casablanca: @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthorsWriting Craft / MiscellaneousHow to Use Prologues: Unexpected Clues @harmony_kent @StoryEmpireThe Book Nook: Create Your Own Syllabus: @LoriTheWriter @DIYMFAIt’s Messy in the Middle: Transgender Narratives: @ColiceSanders @DIYMFAThe Problem Behind the Problem: @ThereseWalsh @WriterUnboxedManaging Time in Summaries @SeptCFawkesWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / ResearchHow to better organize your research: @pubcoachOne Writer's Process for Researching a Book: @pj_hoover @WomenWritersWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / Story ConceptHow to Use GMC (Goal, Motivation, and Conflict) to Test a Story Idea: @AngelaAckerman @onestop4writers @TheIWSGWriting Craft / RevisionImprove Your Writing: Choose to Edit Until It Hurts: @CindyDevoted @EdieMelsonWriting Craft / Revisions / CritiquesHow to Be a Beta Reader for Your Favorite Authors: @DaveChessonWriting Craft / Scenes / ConflictExposing Inner Conflict in non-POV Characters: @kcraftwriter @WriterUnboxedConflict + Choices = Character Agency: @beccapuglisi @KMWeilandWriting Craft / TropesFive Tropes That Sound Cool but Rarely Work: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsWriting Tools / AppsBuild Your Own Digital Planner with Scrintal: @hanque99

 

 

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Build Your Own Digital Planner with Scrintal

by Hank Quense, @hanque99

I’m a planner. I can’t help it. If I have a project to work on, I need to develop a plan. Occasionally, the thought crosses my mind that planning is just a form of procrastinating, but I’m not giving it up. Besides project plans, I like to create annual and quarterly plans but so far, I haven’t been able to find a suitable planner or app to help me with these activities. I’m an author. Authors work pretty much alone so a planning app doesn’t require a lot of features to satisfy my needs.

Naturally, I’ve been attracted to the digital planners that are available and I even bought one. The problem with these planners is that they’re huge, over 500 pages filled with habit trackers, stickers and other nonsense. From all these pages, I was interested in about 15 pages and navigating the planner to get to those pages is difficult.

I’ve written off these planners as nothing I want to use.

To solve this solution, I turned to Scrintal, a new type of productivity app that starts you off with a blank page and let’s you fill it up with what you want, not what someone else thinks you’ll want. In the end, I developed two separate digital planners. The first is for an annual plan for the more strategic stuff. The second is a quarterly planner to be used for tactical plans.

For the annual planner, I began with two cards, one for Goals and Objectives and the second, a to-do list. These are depicted in this screen shot.

The cards look small in this graphic but remember, they are infinitely expandable.

The next step addressed financial planning and results. These are shown in the graphic.

After that, I addressed the ever popular issues of marketing plans and anticipated roadblocks.

I added a few more cards including a card with a link that opens a quarterly planner. This is a separate board that is embedded into the annual board.

You can see my digital planner in read-only format by following this link: https://beta.scrintal.com/b/digital-planner-for-writers-authors–9syns.

Similarly, you can see my quarterly planner here: https://beta.scrintal.com/b/quarterly-digital-planner–7g2m5.

Once you look over these boards, you’ll realize building your own digital planner is quite easy with Scrintal. And you can build one to reflect your own needs, not what someone else imagines you need.

However, once you realize this, a new issue arises (at least it did for me). The new issue is: What else can I build with Scrintal? Hmm.

 

If you’re looking for help with fiction writing, self-publishing or book marketing, check out the resources on https://writersarc.com

This link will display all my courses on Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/user/hank-quense-2/

My website Writers & Authors Resource Center provides material relating to fiction writing, self-publishing and book marketing.

Building A Digital Planner With Scrintal by @Hanque99 :
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Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 65,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.

Business / MiscellaneousHow Not to Lose Money as a Published Author: @eblackwellbooks @CatapultStoryIndie Author Friendly Book Awards: @IndieAuthorALLIEngaging Educational Markets with Genre Fiction: @atmorrell @sfwaBusiness Musings: How Writers Fail: Yeah, I Already Know That: @KristineRuschWhy a story editor should not copy edit first: by L Cooke @TheStoryEditorYes, you need an editor: @AnneJanzerSelf-publishing News: BookTok Centre Stage at Frankfurt: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLIHow to Sell Books on Amazon with a Stronger Author Brand: @BookgalAI Art: How Will It Affect Indie Authors? @JohnDoppler @IndieAuthorALLIHow To Build Your Publishing Team: @OrnaRoss @Howard_Lovy @IndieAuthorALLIConferences and Events / MiscellaneousMircea Cărtărescu to Receive Guadalajara Literature Prize: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesUS National Book Awards Program Names Its 25 Finalists for 2022: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @nationalbookFrankfurt's Juergen Boos Named Iceland's 2022 Vigdís Prize Laureate: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Goal settingWriting Goals: Seven Ways to Ensure You Reach Them: @nownovel @onestop4writersCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers7 Books That Vividly Capture Hospitalization: @AnnaDeForest @ElectricLitAudible, Libro & Libby for Audiobooks: @aprildavilaFive Novels With Deeply Troubled Protagonists: @swannyauthor @CrimeReadsCrime Fiction: In The Spotlight: Paul Cleave’s The Quiet People: @MargotKinbergCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in WritingWriting through Chaos: @LindasclareWant to improve your writing productivity? @pubcoachCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer's BlockIf You’re Struggling to Write, Lead with Voice: @sonyahuber @lithubCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeTen writers who should host SNL: @jessiegaynor @lithubSix Things I’ve Learned About Writing In My Sixties: by @RosalindStopps @CrimeReadsWhen Your Books Finds an Audience You Didn’t Expect: @courtwrites @lithubEbb and Flow: A Season for Writing… and Forgiveness: @_KaseyLeBlanc @WriterUnboxedInspirational Indie Author Interview. Tanya Anne Crosby: Romance Author Went Indie to Defy the Tropes: @TanyaAnneCrosby @Howard_Lovy @IndieAuthorALLIHow to Beat Your Writer’s Burnout: by Mason Engel @DIYMFAAm I A Writer, Past or Present Tense? @Josh_StallingsWhen a Plotter and a Panster Co-Author a Novel: @MaeClair1 @StoryEmpireMaking Your Life Easier as a Writer: 5 Tips: Five Steps to Writing a Crime Novel Inspired by Your Family (Without Making Everyone Hate You): @CLDauthor @CrimeReadsHow to deal with a creative dry spell: @pubcoachWriting (and Working) While Pregnant: Third Trimester: @AuthorSATBoost Your Creativity with a Break: @lahousewyfe @DIYMFAThe Second Most Important Thing about Writing: @theladygreer @WriterUnboxedDo You Need Personal Experience to Write About Something? @KMWeilandHow to Focus: Commit to Single Tasking: @WriteNowCoachAre You Telling Yourself the Wrong Stories? @FoxPrintEd @WriterUnboxedStop Multitasking: @Catrambo @sfwaPersistence Pays the Weary Writer: @TomBentleyNow @JaneFriedmanStepping Back to Step Forward: Creative Rest for Indie Authors: @OrnaRoss @thecreativepennGenres / HorrorHow To Write Lovecraftian Horror: @CJFitzpatrick91 @HorrorTreeGenres / MemoirTime Travelling: On Timelines in Memoir: by Amy Turner @WomenWritersGenres / MysteryCozy Mystery Writing Tips: by Christina Hamlett @WomenWritersWhy Do Vacation Spots Make Perfect Crime Settings? @LuanneRice @CrimeReadsWhy Are Stories of Captivity and Abduction So Extraordinarily Terrifying? @megelison @CrimeReadsImpossible Murders In Crime Fiction: @Riddlist @CrimeReadsGenres / Young AdultWriting Young Adult Books | Interview with Mindy McGinnis: @MindyMcGinnis @GoodStoryCoPromo / MetadataWhat Are Keywords in SEO, Anyway? A Simple Tutorial: @KathyWidenhous2Promo / PlatformsGenerosity should be your platform: @DanBlank @WeGrowMediaPromo / Podcasts5 Tips To Become a Pro on Podcasts: by David Temple @CareerAuthorsPublishing / MiscellaneousBanning Books Prevents Freedom to Explore Ideas: @MargotKinbergWhat We Talk About When We Talk About Book Titles: @kate_mckean @CatapultStoryA Climate-Crisis Response Checklist for Publishers: @rcharkin @pubperspectivesSpringer Nature Releases Its First ‘Annual Progress Report': @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesDon't criticize a book's editing unless you saw the original manuscript: @NathanBransfordPublishing / News / International PublishingChina Bestsellers in August: ‘Live Streaming' Drives Sales: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesKalimat Foundation Completes a 1,500-Book Donation in Morocco: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesIPA, FEP: A Climate-Crisis ‘Publishing 2030 Accelerator': @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @IntPublishersUkraine's Zelensky: A Video Address at Frankfurter Buchmesse: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_FairFrankfurt Fellow: Interview with Klett-Cotta's Corinna Kroker: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_FairUK's IOP Publishing Has a Transformative Agreement in Mexico: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesTwo Previous Frankfurt Guests of Honor: News from Georgia and Norway: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesRights Edition: Taiwan's Frankfurt Market Spotlight: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Self-PublishingHow to Publish a Hardcover Book on Amazon KDP: @claytonnoblit @WrittenWordMWriting Craft / Characters / AntagonistsLiterary villains who were actually just suffering from burnout: @jessiegaynor @lithubDon't get trapped with a cardboard villain (page critique): @NathanBransford5 Similarities Between Your Hero and Villain: @beccapuglisi @onestop4writers @killzoneauthorsWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentTruth in Fiction: How to Write and Develop Believable Characters: @StoryGridWriting an Un-Put-Downable Character: Dreams: @ACW_Author @EdieMelsonFear Thesaurus Entry: Not Being Believed: @beccapuglisi @onestop4writersOn Characters Making Mistakes: @cyallowitzHow to Use Conflict to Show Character Development: @AngelaAckerman @onestop4writers @Janice_HardyWriting Craft / Characters / EmotionFour More Internal Emotion Techniques: @kathycowleyWriting Craft / Characters / ProtagonistsMain Characters in Children’s Books and YA Fiction: by Krystle Appiah @thenovelryWriting Craft / Characters / Supporting CharactersHow to Write an Awesome Ensemble Cast: @thenovelsmithyWriting Craft / Common Mistakes3 Common Traps That Can Hurt Your Story (And How to Avoid Them): @SurfCityJamesTop 5 Self-Publishing Mistakes Writers Make: @Bang2writeWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmHow to Write a Short Story: Wisdom from CS Lewis: @WriterJimDenney @annerallenPage One: “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” (1991): @GoIntoTheStoryWriting Craft / MiscellaneousCan Framing Devices Be Better Than Terrible? by Chris Winkle @mythcreantsTips for Subplots: @mtjohnson51 @A3writersNo Risk It, No Biscuit: @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthorsSurprise, Shock, and Delight Your Reader: @PeggySueWells @EdieMelsonOvercoming the Preciousness of Your Prose: by F.E. Choe @DIYMFANovels That Shouldn’t Work But Do Work—and Why: @DonMaass @WriterUnboxedWhat Is Your Book About…Do You Know? @LexicalForge @CareerAuthorsWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / PlottingBrainstorm and Write Your Story’s Five Important Foundational Elements: @createastorylov @lornafaithFoolscap Global Story Grid: @StoryGridTypes of Stories: 7 Story Archetypes (and Ways to Use Them): @nownovelWriting Craft / Punctuation and GrammarPunctuating Appositives: @writing_tipsWriting Craft / RevisionHow to edit your book in 5 easy steps: @_GinnyCarterThree Ways to Proof Your Writing: @LindasclareFix Fluff Words –Fillers for Writers to Avoid: @KMazeauthorWriting Craft / TensionWant to Build Tension? Encourage the Reader to Ask Questions: @WriterThesaurus @onestop4writers @JaneFriedmanWriting Tools / AppsScrivener vs. Ulysses: Which Writing Tool Should You Buy? @StoryHobbit @DaveChessonWriting Tools / BooksAuthors to Read to Improve Your Writing: @MilesOl82108029 @HorrorTree

 

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Making Your Life Easier as a Writer: 5 Tips

 

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

The writing life isn't necessarily an easy one. For me, it's a cycle of outlining, drafting, editing, and publishing with weekly business relating to promo. I enjoy a lot of aspects of being a writer, made a bit easier by a system I have in place for getting everything done (and for getting books sold).

Here are 5 tips for making your life easier as a writer:

Establish a writing routine. This is by far the most vital aspect of the process. My routine is a daily 5 a.m. thing, but yours might be at night, your lunch hour, or squeezed into carpool lines and waiting at doctors' offices. It could be daily, weekly, or bi-weekly. The important thing is that it's yours . . . and that, when you sit down to write, it's almost like muscle memory.

Focus on finishing one book before starting another, if you're a beginner. I wish someone had given me this advice in my early-twenties. Instead, it took me until my early-thirties to figure it out. If you're completely soured on a project, of course you should end it. But if you can't seem to finish any projects, make notes for whatever bright, shiny thing is distracting you . . . and then return to your original book.

Read lots of books, especially in your genre. The most important thing is to know your genre inside and out. Are there subgenres of your genre? What do those look like? What are reader expectations for your genre, so you can be sure to deliver them? I've also (in my case, rather grudgingly) found that it's very, very helpful to read outside of my genre. It kickstarts my creativity in a different way, gives me a different perspective, and exposes me to lots of new ideas and approaches.

Set up a basic website in your name and include an email signup. This is a business-oriented task, but an important one. I'd have a lot more newsletter subscribers if I'd started earlier. I see lots of newer writers really reticent about websites and newsletters. You can set up both for free through both WordPress and MailerLite (you'll have to pay once you get to 1,000 subscribers).  You need to have an online home (make sure it's under your name, not your series or book name) and a way to, eventually, reach out to subscribers to let them know you have a book ready to publish.

Back up your work. This is a boring but oh-so-vital way to make your life easier as a writer.  You can do it many different ways: backing up to the cloud, backing up to a USB thumb-drive, or even backing up by sending yourself an emailed attachment of your document. The important thing is to back up often so you don't lose your hard work.

How do you make your life easier as a writer?

5 Ways to Make Your Life Easier as a Writer:
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Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 65,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.

Business / MiscellaneousHow to Work with Literary Agents: @LucindaLitNYC @sacha_blackBusiness Musings: The Business Mindset: @KristineRuschDoes physical media matter? @DanBlank @WeGrowMediaHow to choose a platform for online editorial training courses: @LouiseHarnbyLessons Learned From 11 Years As An Author Entrepreneur: @thecreativepennSelf-publishing News: Amazon Agrees to Reform its Ebook Returns Policy: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLISpotify Gets Ready To Go Big On Audiobooks; IBPA Sets New Guidelines for Hybrid Publishers: @Howard_Lovy @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLIGrow Your Writing Business by Stepping Away From Your Computer: by Alexander J. Lewis @JaneFriedmanConferences and Events / MiscellaneousColombia in Spain: Bogotá Is Guest of Honor at Liber 22: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesFrankfurt Preview: An Executive Talk with Planeta's Jesús Badenes: @porter_anderson @pubperspectives @LondonBookFairFT Names Shortlist in the £30,000 Business Book of the Year: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesThe UK's £25,000 Royal Society Science Book Prize Names Its 2022 Shortlist: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPrix Voltaire: Thailand's Same Sky Is Its New Laureate: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesSheikh Zayed Book Award Programs at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2022: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_FairIn the UK: Illustrator Joseph Namara Hollis Wins Klaus Flugge Prize: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / InspirationTry This Writing Prompt to Get the Creative Juices Flowing: @annkroekerWriting Tip: “Your Mess Is Your Message”: @JennyHansenCAFinding (and Writing) the WOW in the World: by Steven James @CareerAuthorsCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers7 Books Featuring a Chorus of Voices of Color: @kimrgarza @ElectricLit9 Voices That Capture the Sound of Modern Scotland: @ScribePedersen @ElectricLit5 Must-Read Frankenstein Retellings: @jenabrownwrites @LitReactorCrime Fiction: In The Spotlight: Jacqueline Bublitz’ Before You Knew My Name: @MargotKinberg9 Books About Monstrous Transformations: @LeticiaUrieta @ElectricLitAlice Feeney’s Favorite Locked Room Mysteries: @CrimeReadsCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeWhat I Learned at Residency — How to Believe In Myself Again: @karisrogerson @LitReactorHow to Focus: Dump Distractions: @WriteNowCoachThe Creative Paradox: @grantdrawsExpanding Your Author Life – A Case Study: by Grace Sammon @WomenWritersWriting Success Built Through Connections: by Janis Robinson Daly @WomenWritersDon’t Fall for These 5 Writing Myths That Can Set Back Your Writing: @JoniBCole @JaneFriedmanWhat If You Have What You Need to be a Writer? @NatalieAHart @WriterUnboxedHow to Keep Your Heart in Your Writing: @DrMaryAnnDiorioThe Upside of Impostor Syndrome: @annerallenMy Long, Winding, and Very Crooked Writing Journey: by @stone4031Gear Up for Fall: by Marcia Peterson @womenonwritingHow to embrace idea doubt: @pubcoachThe Trials and Tribulations of Writing the Second Book: @YasAWriter @WriterUnboxedHow to Write a Book Without Getting in Your Own Way: @TheeNerdwriter @lithubUntangling My Character’s Story of Grief from My Own: by @VictorManibo @lithubGenres / DystopianOn Finding Community and Writing Through A Dystopia: @CateHolahan @CrimeReadsGenres / HorrorHow To Write More Engaging Horror Stories: by Frank Hamilton @HorrorTreeGenres / MysteryAgatha Christie's Use of Setting: @MargotKinbergVinyl Records as Elements in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergHow to Write a Murder Mystery: 7 Tips to Captivate: @nownovelGenres / ScreenwritingScreenwriting: How to Handle Blocks of Scene Description: @GoIntoTheStoryPromo / BloggingHow Bloggers can Consistently Produce 1,000 Words Per Day: @MarcGuberti @NinaAmirReach Your Blog Readers by Learning to Use Hashtags, Titles, and Images: Correctly @EdieMelsonPromo / PlatformsMy Author Platform Mistakes and How To Avoid Them: by @LisaEBetz @A3writersPromo / Social Media TipsHere Are 10 Top Tips For Hosting Twitter Spaces: @BadRedheadMediaPromo / SpeakingHow a Writer Can Resolve a Software Issue and Meet a Deadline: @YvonneOrtega1 @EdieMelsonPublishing / MiscellaneousLaunching a Book? Here’s What You Need to Know: @BookgalPublishing / News / International PublishingThe Challenge of African Publishing: @thenewpubstd @BodourEmerald's 2022 Inclusivity Report Adds Indigenous Research: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesStorytel Rolls Out Its Service in France: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCactus Communications Launches PhrasePerfect Search Tool: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesIPA General Assembly: ‘We Emerged Stronger': @Porter_Anderson @IntPublishers @pubperspectivesIPA Joins Criticism of Tsitsi Dangarembga's Conviction: @Porter_Anderson @IntPublishers @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Self-PublishingThe way we were – self-publishing 2005 and now: @Roz_MorrisPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingShould You Talk About Querying While Querying? @authorsatPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / RejectionsHandling Rejection (and What Rejection Letters Mean—and Don’t Mean): @FoxPrintEdPublishing / Process / TranslationInternational Translation Day: Curtis Brown's Rights Teams: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesWriting Craft / Chapter EndingsAbout Chapter Endings: @annehawkinson @FloridaWriters1Writing Craft / Characters / AntagonistsBrainstorm Your Villain and Write Vivid Details about Your Antagonist’s Backstory: @createastorylov @lornafaithWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentWant Lifelike Characters? Create a Character Bible: @AngelaAckerman @onestop4writersWriting Truer Characters: @LindasclareFear Thesaurus Entry: Death: @beccapuglisiThe Number One Tool to Help Writers Create 3-Dimensional Characters in Story: @ZenaDellLowe @EdieMelson9 Questions to Ask Your Character: @jessicastrawser @CareerAuthorsWriting Craft / Characters / EmotionStoryville: Hate From Love—Complex Emotions in Characterization: @richardgthomas3 @LitReactorWriting Craft / ConflictUse Conflict to Target a Character's Soft Spots: @AngelaAckerman @onestop4writersWriting Craft / DialogueHow Do I Keep Dialogue Scenes Dynamic? by Chris Winkle @mythcreantsWriting Craft / DiversityCharacters and Diversity: Gender Identity: @gmplano @StoryEmpireRelating to Diverse Characters: The Common Denominator: @vmburns @CrimeReadsWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmFive On-Screen Monsters and the Real Folklore Behind Them: @grnethercott @tordotcomPage One: “The Reader” (2008): @GoIntoTheStoryFive Stories With Too Many Characters: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsOur Favorite Sentences: @parisreviewGreat Scene: “Get Out”: @GoIntoTheStoryHow the First Iron Man Movie Writes the Perfect Character Arc: by Rachel Leitch @KingdomPenMagWriting Craft / MiscellaneousReconfigure Your Memories: @JenessaAbrams @CatapultStory7 Tips to Writing Underwater Fantasy Adventures: @cyallowitzHow to Write Serialized Fiction for Kindle Vella: @JillWilliamson @GoTeenWritersTen Elements Of A Story You Should Know: by Pamela Hines @fictionaryFlat Adverbs: What Are They? @TheGrammarDivaWriting About Characters Starting Over: @CbraleyDianne @DIYMFA7 Tips for How to Add Complexity to Your Story: @KMWeilandWriting Craft / POVClose to You: Writing in Third Person Close: by Brenda Copeland @CareerAuthorsWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / NamingSeven Tips For Choosing the Perfect Name For Your Characters: @Freida_McFadden @CrimeReadsWriting Craft / Punctuation and GrammarJames' or James's? Making Names that end in “S” Possessive: @SeptCFawkesWriting Craft / RevisionFix Fluff Words – 14 Fillers for Writers to Avoid: @KMazeauthorWhat to Expect from the Revision Process: @bookendslitStory Development and Execution: Macro-Level Self-Editing: @stacitroilo @StoryEmpireWriting Craft / Revisions / CritiquesHow to deal with beta readers: @pubcoachWriting Craft / SeriesSeries Fiction: @JoanHallWrites @StoryEmpireHandling information in an ongoing series: @authorterryo @killzoneauthorsWriting Craft / VoiceWhat is the “narrative voice?” @NathanBransfordWhat Celebrity Blogging Did to My Writing Voice: @Lyzasterous @CatapultStoryWriting Craft / World-BuildingWhy You Should Theme Your World: by Chris Winkle @mythcreants

 

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