Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 61

Setting Yourself Up for Success

 

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig 

Good to be back from my blog break.  :)  This is another post in my series ‘making your life easier as a writer.’  This one covers how we can set ourselves up for a successful writing session with a little prep work.

We hear a lot about how to ensure easier mornings by preparing the night before (pulling an outfit out, making sure the kids have their school backpacks ready to go, picking up for 10 minutes in the evening), but the same thing goes for writing sessions, too.

I’m an early morning writer, but I think my tips can be adjusted for any writing schedule.

Let family members know what you’re doing.  This is a tip that’s best for those lunch or evening writers, probably.  But one way to help ensure you’re not interrupted is to get everyone on the same page when it comes to your plans.

When you finish a writing session, jot down a couple of sentences to tell your future self where you’re picking up.  I’m hesitant to call this outlining because I know some writers aren’t really keen on it.  This is, instead, more of a mini-outline.  It’s just a device to help you jump into your story faster.   Short is fine.  Mine might look something like this: Sleuth interviews Joan.  Joan says she was at work at the time of the murder.

Leave your laptop on your document so the story is the first thing you see when you open your device again.  Naturally, this will only work if you don’t need the computer for your day job.  But, for me, it really helps me when my book is the first thing I see first thing in the morning.  If the first thing I see is email, I’ll fall down a rabbit hole right away.

Similarly, don’t check email and social media before writing.  Once you do, your time belongs to someone else as you respond to their messages and posts.

Think about your story before you sit down to write.  For me, this is as I’m getting ready in the morning and before I open my laptop.  If you write later in the day, this could mean thinking about your plot during your commute or at quiet times of the day.  This helps me hop right into the story.

Set a timer for focus. I’ve mentioned this a lot, I know.  But in this age of distraction, it’s so much easier to be able to focus 100% on the story when there’s a limit to it.  And frequently, I find myself continuing after the timer goes off because I’m in a groove.

These are just a few ideas, but I’d like to hear yours.  How do you ensure a successful start to your writing sessions?

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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 50,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

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 / Miscellaneous

Writing for Voice First Devices: @Talks2Bots @TheIWSG
Tips for Easier Writing and Promo: Know Your Genre and Write in Series:
Profit Spikes in Short Bursts of Time: Small Projects Writers Should Pursue: @OPA_Authors @WritersDigest

Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting

Biting the Bullet — Tracking a Writing Habit: @MichalskiLiz @WriterUnboxed

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration

Brainstorming & FaceTime for Writers: @AneMulligan @EdieMelson

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers

Nancy Drew – Immortal Female Detective: @burke_writer @killzoneauthors
Literary Disco on the Enduring Genius of Jane Austen: @LiteraryDisco @lithub
5 Recent Novels That Blend Sci-Fi and Horror: @McFlyCahill90 @BNBuzz

Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer’s Block

How to Stop Struggling to Write: @NinaAmir

Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life

There Is No Wrong Way To Write A Book: @aminahmae
Embracing the Delete Key: @DIYMFA @8thcirclepress
What to Say If Friends Ask You to Ghostwrite their Memoir: @jlynchauthor @IndieAuthorALLI
The One Thing Writers Miss When Trying to Improve: @colleen_m_story
Writing While Under the Influence of Emotions: @DawnEndria @WomenWriters
What’s your author persona? How to be yourself online–only better: @annerallen
Roger Ebert, Werner Herzog, Antarctica … and a manifesto for maverick creatives: @Roz_Morris
The Pros and Cons of Experimenting: @JamiGold
Writing At Ninety Six: by Eugenia Lovett West @WomenWriters
One Writer’s New Social Media Promise: @RoniLoren
The Five Stages of Becoming a Novelist: @mythcreants
Make Life Easier By Keeping Writing Files Organized:
6 Destructive Thoughts That Stop You from Writing: @brotzel_fiction @LiveWriteThrive
Is Anybody Out There? One Writer on the Purgatory of Submission: @GlenCadigan @The_Millions

Genres / Historical

Historical Fiction Can Be As Urgent As the News: by Joshua Furst @lithub

Genres / Horror

Have horror movies made a monster out of the older woman? @clarisselou @Independent
Writing Horror Using All Five Senses: @repokempt @LitReactor

Genres / Mystery

Where the Legal Thriller Meets Domestic Suspense: @alafairburke @CrimeReads
Tips on Writing Believable Conspiracies for Thriller Fiction: @JordanDane @killzoneauthors
Alexander McCall Smith is Turning Scandi-Noir on Its Head: by Camille LeBlanc @CrimeReads

Genres / Non-Fiction

5 Tips to Help Readers Enter Your Nonfiction World: @SueBEdwards @womenonwriting

Genres / Screenwriting

How They Write A Script: Paul Schrader: @GoIntoTheStory
How They Write A Script: David Lynch: @GoIntoTheStory

Genres / Young Adult

Writing Realistic Teenagers in YA: @jlturchin
Young Adult is a Confusing Term: @alissagrosso
YA Outside the Lines: @PattyBlount

Promo / Blogging

Must-Have Graphic Design Elements for Your Blog: @KarenBanes
Blogging: About Categories and Tags: @crsmihai

Promo / Miscellaneous

6 Ways To Collaborate With Other Indie Authors For Better Marketing (And More): by Robert Wood @standoutbooks
Marketing Strategies to Improve Book Sales: @SusanNealYoga @EdieMelson
The Indie Writer Book Launch Guide: @IndieReader

Promo / Platforms

Juggling Two Author Platforms, Is it Worth it? @charitybradford

Promo / Social Media Tips

What Does Your Online Activity Say About You? @RachelleGardner
How to use IFTTT (If This, Then That) with Twitter: @harmony_kent @StoryEmpire
How to Cross-Post to Instagram From Your Facebook Page: @jenns_trends @SMExaminer
10 Tips for Using Social Media and Avoiding the “Cesspool”: @annerallen
9 Free Things Every Author Can Do To Boost Their Visibility On Social Media: @eevijones @pbackwriter

Promo / Websites

Not Enough Website Views? You’re Missing A Major Target Audience: @ABlueGreenGXY

Publishing / Miscellaneous

New Imprint RealClearBooks Aims ‘To Disrupt’ the Political Market With Self-Publishing: @Porter_Anderson @RealClearBooks

Publishing / News / International Publishing

Dora Salamba: Aspects of Piracy Facing Malawi’s Copyright Society: @Porter_Anderson @DMakwinja @pubperspectives
IPA’s Hugo Setzer to Africa’s Publishers at Nairobi: ‘We Need You’ | @Porter_Anderson @IntPublishers @Kenyapublishers
Nigerian Entrepreneurs Chidi and Chika Nwaogu: Monetizing Creative Content | @Porter_Anderson @wearepubliseer @ChidiNwaogu5 @IntPublishers @Kenyapublishers
Publishing Scotland Translation Fund Taking Applications: @Porter_Anderson @PublishScotland
Kenya’s Tonee Ndungu of Kytabu: ‘Enriching Curriculum Content’: @Porter_Anderson @ToneeNdungu
Frankfurt Audio Summit Features Spotify’s Michael Krause: @Porter_Anderson @mkstreaming @pubperspectives
Kenya Publishers Association’s Lawrence Njagi at Nairobi: ‘African Languages’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
IPA’s Bodour Al Qasimi to IPA’s Africa Seminar: ‘Everyone Is Equally Responsible’: @Porter_Anderson via @pubperspectives

Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Pitches

How To Pitch Your Book For TV and Film: @djwilliams316 @thecreativepenn

Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying

A New Agent on What She’s Looking For And a Query Critique Giveaway: @Kerstin_Wolf @NatalieIAguirre
8 Query Letter Don’ts: @KMAllan_writer

Writing Craft / Beginnings

Writing Effective First Lines: @daciamarnold @RMFWriters
Flog a Pro: would you pay to turn the first page of this bestseller? @RayRhamey @WriterUnboxed

Writing Craft / Characters / Arc

Five Characters With Strong Arcs: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants

Writing Craft / Characters / Development

5 Fake Character Flaws to Avoid: by Sara Kopeczky @TheRyanLanz
Crafting The Con Man: @Diana_Hurwitz

Writing Craft / Characters / Protagonists

Writing great protagonists: @AuthorMarilene

Writing Craft / Common Mistakes

9 First Time Author Blunders You Need to Avoid: @MikeLoomis @WritetoDone

Writing Craft / Dialogue

10 Tips For Writing Dialogue: Character Voice (Video): @AuthorMarilene
Action beats and how you use them in fiction: @LouiseHarnby

Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film

John Green describes his fictional role model: @pubcoach
3 Ways Martin Amis Can Help You Improve Your Writing: @FredBobJohn @standoutbooks

Writing Craft / Literary Devices

Using Motifs in Fiction: @kristen_kieffer
How Do Similes Work? @ProWritingAid @KathyEdens1

Writing Craft / Miscellaneous

Raise Your Novel’s Stakes by Narrowing the Focus: @Janice_Hardy
How to Create an External Plot Journey by Developing the Internal Plot Journey (Podcast): @tessaemilyhall
“5 Ways Playwriting Improved My Fiction”: @sharon0884 @10minnovelist
Why Writing Yourself Into a Corner Can Improve Your Writing: @hale_scott @thecreativepenn

Writing Craft / Pacing

4 Pacing Tricks to Keep Readers’ Attention: @KMWeiland

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Outlining

How to Outline a Novel Made Fun and Easy (+ Free Worksheet): @RidethePen

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research

How Much Research Should You Do For Your Book? @ceruleancynic @tordotcom

Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar

How to Edit Punctuation Marks: @tishmartin1416 @A3writers

Writing Craft / Revision

12 Self-Editing Tips: @CherylProWriter
Mixed Metaphors – Don’t Let Them Sneak into Stories: @ZoeMMcCarthy

Writing Craft / Series

“How I Wrote an Extended Series”: @michellecox33 @WritersDigest

Writing Craft / Word Crafting

Choosing Just the Right Words: @KathySteinemann @JamiGold

Writing Tools / Apps

Ten Cool Tricks for Calibre: @thDigitalReader

Writing Tools / Thesauri

The thesaurus is good, valuable, commendable, superb, actually: by B.D. McClay @outline

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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Cozy Mysteries: When Your Sleuth Figures Things Out

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

In every cozy mystery, there comes a time when the sleuth puts together various clues and realizes who the perpetrator is.

But the timing of this revelation can take the story on different paths.

Frequently, there’s a scene near the end of the book when the sleuth confronts or is confronted by the murderer.  It’s the ‘moment of danger’ where it looks a little shaky for the sleuth. After all, this is someone who has already killed once (often twice) and is desperate to escape justice.

So when does the sleuth realize the murderer’s identity: before or during this dangerous encounter?

Before the confrontation

When the sleuth puts two and two together before she confronts the killer, it shows the reader that the gifted amateur is genuinely good at detecting.  She’s dug up clues, analyzed them, and has come up with a solution to the puzzle that makes sense.

But…now this smart person heads out to challenge the murderer?  Considering that the cozy sleuth isn’t a member of the police department, this seems very risky.

Possible ways of preventing the sleuth from doing something stupid: 

The killer confronts the sleuth instead of the other way around (the bad guy/girl realizes that the sleuth is onto them).

The sleuth believes herself to be confronting the killer in a safe way (she’s supposed to have backup with her…and her backup had car trouble, forgot, etc.)

During the confrontation

Maybe sometimes the sleuth has duly registered the clues but hasn’t been able to really put it all together in a way that makes sense.  Or maybe there’s a final clue during a normal conversation with the suspect…perhaps the sleuth realizes that the suspect has just negated their alibi or knows something about the crime that only the killer would know.

This solves the problem of the sleuth looking stupid or reckless for putting herself in danger.  But if it’s not handled well, it can also make the sleuth appear to be slow to figure out the puzzle, especially if the reader has already figured it out (and mystery readers are a savvy bunch).

Possible ways of making sure the sleuth looks good through a last-minute realization:

Have an excellent red herring at the very end. Even better if it’s very subtle and both the sleuth and the reader feel that they’ve learned the killer’s identity.  The sleuth could be investigating this lead when she happens into the encounter with the actual murderer.

Have the solution be on the very tip of the sleuth’s tongue.  Hercule Poirot frequently mentioned in frustration that he knew something important that would identify the murderer,  but he couldn’t place exactly what it was.

Additionally:

The sleuth usually explains how she figured out the murderer’s identity.  This explanation could be provided to the police or given to a sidekick, or could even be explained to the killer himself during the confrontation scene.

What I’ve noticed that readers dislike is if the murderer gives a villainous monologue explaining how they carried out the murders. Better to let the sleuth do as much of the talking as possible.

If you’re a mystery reader, what are your thoughts about the sleuth’s discovery of the killer…have you seen the sleuth come off looking silly?  If you’re a writer, is it a tricky scene to write?

Cozy Mystery Writing: When the Sleuth Realizes the Killer's Identity:
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Keep Files Organized

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Today’s post  doesn’t have the most exciting topic: organization.  But if there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that being able to quickly put my hands on writing-related files makes everything easier.  This post is part of a short series I’m doing on making our lives easier as writers.

Organizing Story Files

Everybody will want to find their own method of keeping their files straight.  What works for me is keeping it all together in a folder on Word.  So, for example, with my current WiP, I have a folder entitled Fit to Be Tied  (the title of the book).  Inside that folder, I have everything relating to that book…its cover (I have my covers made early), the book description, the outline, my ‘things to fix’ document, and the story itself.

After the book’s been edited and published, I make a subfolder inside the main folder and put old files in there (I’m funny about not tossing old files. I want to keep them, but don’t want to get confused).  The latest files (the finished book, etc.) remain in the main folder.

Deleting Revised Covers and Ebook Files 

This could mean drafts of covers, revised ebook files, etc.  If you’re anything like me, I have a ton of these things and they can make life very confusing.  Let’s say I’m formatting a book for PDF…but I’m not happy with the way the finished product is, so I tinker with the original file and reformat it.  Then it’s almost perfect, but I want to make a small change, so I do.  Now I have three different PDF files of the same title.  In the short term, it’s easy enough for me to figure out which one is the final file: the properties will show the time it was created and the latest one would be the one I’d want.  But months or a year later when I’m wanting to update something, it takes time to make sure it’s the correct file.

The same goes for corrected translated books, revised covers, updated mobi and epub files.

To make things easier, I have Word folders for Mobi files by series, epub files by series, PDF files, translations, etc. I put the final files (at least final for the time being) in the corresponding folders and then delete the older ones.

Backing Up Files 

This is my semi-annual reminder, ha!  Backing up your work makes your life easier…it just doesn’t immediately seem that way.  But if we spend three months or more working on a book and then it just disappears, that’s a disaster.  I like the backups that occur automatically (you can search those up online…Dropbox is one of them), but I also manually back up to a server and USBs.  I also upload to Google docs.  In the past, I’ve emailed files to myself, too.  Nothing like a little paranoia to keep from losing content!

I’m a little bit of an organizational nerd, so I’d love to hear how everybody else keeps their stuff straight! How do you make your life easier by managing your files?

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Know Your Genre and Write in Series

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Today I’m posting another entry in my series ‘making life easier as a writer.’  With today’s post, I want to add a proviso: this advice is only if you do really want to make life easier. If you aren’t writing commercial fiction or if you’re really wanting to pursue a one-off book, that’s definitely what you should do.

Genre:  Especially if you’re just starting out (but even if you’re a veteran writer), it’s easiest to write a story that fits perfectly into a particular genre…especially a genre that you’re very well-read in and acquainted with.

For one thing, these stories have certain parameters and reader expectations.  Those help you keep your story on track.  For example, with cozy mysteries, readers are expecting an amateur sleuth, quirky recurring characters,  and a lack of blood, gore, and profanity.  Following a genre’s conventions can help you plan and execute your story.

But that’s not all it does.  Each genre has its super-fans who read as many new books as possible each month.  So, in many ways, you have a built-in audience, too (provided you’ve also paid attention to book design, a strong story, and good editing).

Sometimes I’ll hear new writers say that their story has ‘something for everyone.’  That can be code for ‘I haven’t targeted an audience.’  I recently watched a series on Netflix that did have something for everyone.  But the lack of focus meant that the reviews complained about the screenwriters not knowing what kind of show it was: was it a family drama?  A historical piece on social turmoil? On politics in the 1700s?  Social change?  In the attempt to fit it all in, the show didn’t satisfy anyone.

Series:  One reason writing in series makes a writer’s life easier because usually everything after book one has already been established. You’ve already created the setting and readers are familiar with it.  You’ve already developed the main characters and the huge amount of work that goes along with that is mainly finished. The groundwork has been laid and you can focus on other aspects of your story.

Another reason that writing series is easier is because it can be easier for readers to find your books online if you have more ‘real estate’ on the retail sites. Plus, once you’ve hooked readers on book one, you’ll be able to funnel them into the other stories. After all, readers have also made an investment in your stories, time-wise, and it makes sense for them to continue in the same story world they’ve gotten used to.

Do you write series or standalones? Or, as a reader, do you have a favorite genre? Do you enjoy reading series?

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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 50,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

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.

Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous

During BookExpo: BookBrunch Announces American ‘Selfies’ Awards: @Porter_Anderson @BookExpo
‘Milkman’ Audiobook Wins 2019 CAMEO Awards USA: @Porter_Anderson @BookExpo @jacksthomas
The International Watty Awards at 10 Include a Wattpad Books Contract: @Porter_Anderson @wattpad
Lambda Literary 2019 Awards Issued in 24 Categories in LGBTQ+ Content:@Porter_Anderson @LambdaLiterary @pubperspectives
US Author Tayari Jones Wins 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction: @Porter_Anderson @WomensPrize @tayari

Creativity and Inspiration / First Novels

How to Write a Novel: 10 Crucial Steps: @writing_tips

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration

Writing Rules: Should You Always Write What You Know? by E. J. Runyon @annerallen

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers

8 Novels That Blur the Line Between Memoir and Fiction: @rachelahoward @ElectricLit
The Enduring Lessons of Apocalyptic Fiction: @Hanna_Jameson @CrimeReads
6 ways to address your book collection without going pure Kondo: @ASimpleDan @scottishbktrust
How to Read Like a Writer and Boost Your Writing Skills: by Joslyn Chase @write_practice
30 of Webster’s Worst Words: @helpfulsnowman
Looking for Myself in the Stories of Sib Lit: @margredwhite @The_Millions

Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writing Quickly

Slow Writing: @MFournierWatson @WomenWriters
How Writing Faster Can Vastly Improve Your Storytelling: @KristenLambTX

Creativity and Inspiration / Success

The Myth of the Consistently Great Writer: @carrievmullins @ElectricLit

Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life

Do You Know the WHY Behind Your Writing? @LisaEBetz @A3writers
How to Irritate Your Editor and Annoy Your Reader: @KerryJDonovan @FionaQuinnBooks
6 tips on writing process to help you grow as an author: @writingcookbook @LouiseHarnby
7 Hard Truths of Working as a Professional Writer: @SueColetta1
The Unexpected Key to Persevering in the Writing Life: @colleen_m_story
How to Write When Writing Scares You: @WriteNowCoach
After the Book Launch: Afterglow or Aftermath? @CathyParkKelly1 @WomenWriters
When a Reader Figures Out What Your Book is Actually About: @MarciaAButler @lithub
Reasons for Writing Slumps: @LisaLisax31
Prepping for MFA Programs as a Person of Color: by Hebah Uddin @lithub
Reasons to Study Writing: @WritingForward
Lose The Mental Clutter and Find Your Focus: @sowulwords @DIYMFA
Health Tips for Writers: @WritingForward

Genres / Fan Fiction

6 Ways That Fanfiction Makes Your Writing Stronger: @ceruleancynic @tordotcom

Genres / Horror

From Hell to a Haunted IKEA: An Interview with Horror Writer @grady_hendrix : @ScreamHorrorMag

Genres / Memoir

How To Create Perfect Settings In Your Memoir – Or Any Other Book: @Writers_Write

Genres / Mystery

What is a Cozy Mystery? @Ellen__Jacobson

Genres / Romance

Why Conflict Is so Hard to Create in Romance: @Janice_Hardy

Genres / Short Stories

How to Write Great Flash Fiction: 10 Things You Need to Know: by Tonya Thompson @ServiceScapeInc

Genres / Women’s Fiction

What Do We Really Mean By ‘Women’s Fiction’? by Rachel Howard @lithub

Genres / Young Adult

5 Tips for Writing a Young Adult Fiction Book: @sammicaramela @thewritelife
Why Are So Many Fictional Teens Entering Cults? by Katherine Cusumano

Promo / Miscellaneous

5 Ways to Market Your Audiobook Without Ads: @jessicakayeEsq @JaneFriedman
How To Promote With Your Posse: @PaulineWiles @BadRedheadMedia

Promo / Platforms

How To Build An Author Platform: @DavidGaughran

Promo / Social Media Tips

55 Best Hashtags for Writers in 2019: @DaveChesson

Promo / Speaking

How To Craft An Introduction for Your Speaking Engagement: @YvonneOrtega1 @EdieMelson
How Not to Bore Your Audience at a Reading: @viet_t_nguyen @lithub

Publishing / Miscellaneous

Wolff’s Trump Sequel Hits Headwinds, as NPD Reports Political Books Slowing: @Porter_Anderson @npdgroup @MichaelWolffNYC
AAP Honors Jerry Nadler as House Judiciary Launches Tech Antitrust Probe: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Hedge Fund Elliott Management Agrees to Buy Barnes & Noble, Daunt to Run Both: @Porter_Anderson @BNBuzz
Writer @mike54martin Explains Why it Takes a Community to Win an Award:

Publishing / News / Amazon

Tracking Sales with KDP’s New Reports:

Publishing / News / Data

Côte d’Ivoire’s Isabelle Kassi Fofana: Publishing’s Need for ‘Reliable Data’: @Porter_Anderson @Kenyapublishers

Publishing / News / International Publishing

At BookExpo: Sharjah Publishing City Signs Ingram Lightning Source: @Porter_Anderson @IngramSpark
UK Publisher Malcolm Edwards Steps Down from Hachette’s Orion Group: @Porter_Anderson @orionbooks
Nigeria’s Gbadega Adedapo: African Publishers’ Lagos Action Plan: @Porter_Anderson @RasmedPublicat1
PEN America Slams Trump, English PEN Names Sissay for Pinter Prize: @Porter_Anderson @PENamerican
China Bestsellers for April: World Book Day Promotions and Camus: @Porter_Anderson @trajectory @pubperspectives
Quantifying Markets: Nielsen’s Andre Breedt on Industry Research in Africa: @Porter_Anderson @AndreBreedt @pubperspectives
Canadian Publishing Reacts to the ‘Industry Committee’ Copyright Report: @Porter_Anderson @CdnPublishers @kedwards2
Books to Film: Frankfurt’s Cannes Program Takes Publishers, Agents to France: @Porter_Anderson @ZeitgeistLit

Publishing / Options / Self-Publishing

How To Make A Living As A Self-Published Writer: @FredBobJohn

Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing

How an Anthology Editor Weeds Submissions: by Elizabeth Zelvin @CareerAuthors

Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying

Seven Submission Tips From a Literary Agent’s Slush Pile: @ALWyss411 @kristen_kieffer

Publishing / Process / Book Design

25 Beautiful Examples of Book Illustration: @ReedsyHQ

Writing Craft / Beginnings

First Pages and Character Emotion: @beccapuglisi
Psychology for writers: first impressions matter: from The Dragon’s Den

Writing Craft / Characters / Arc

The Character Arc in Six Specific Stages: @LiveWriteThrive

Writing Craft / Characters / Development

Essential Character Tips for Fiction Writers: @Beth_Barany
5 Character Tools You Absolutely Need to Know: by Savannah Cordova @ReedsyHQ
3 Easy Tips for Creating Strong Characters: @AbigailFalanga @NaNoWriMo

Writing Craft / Characters / Emotion

How To Write With Emotional Truth: @Bang2write

Writing Craft / Common Mistakes

Limiting the Number of Characters Introduced in a Book:

Writing Craft / Conflict

Does My Character-Driven Story Need an External Conflict? @mythcreants

Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film

5 Ways Toni Morrison Can Improve Your Writing: @FredBobJohn @standoutbooks

Writing Craft / Miscellaneous

Stock Gestures in Fiction: @AJHumpage
How to Write an Ensemble Novel: @rxena77
Minimum Words, Maximum Impact: @GoIntoTheStory
Using adverbs in fiction writing – clunk versus clarity: @LouiseHarnby
17 Writers on the Role of Fiction in Addressing Climate Change: @ingredient_x @lithub

Writing Craft / POV

Deep POV: Anchoring Words: @JaxMHunter @RMFWriters

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Outlining

An Easy Outlining Method for Writers Who Don’t Enjoy Planning: by Rayanne Robison @kristen_kieffer

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Concept

The Series Premise: @stacitroilo @StoryEmpire

Writing Craft / Revision

Editing for Authors: 7 Ways to Tighten the Story and Cut Costs: @KristenLambTX
Reasons You Should Read Your Story Aloud: @janetmorrisonbk

Writing Craft / Revisions / Critiques

Setting Up a Critique Group: @ClaireFayers

Writing Craft / Settings and Description

Lengthy Literary Descriptions: Pet Peeves as a Reader: @Peter_Rey_
Master List for Describing Weather: @BrynDonovan

Writing Craft / Word Crafting

How to Avoid Writing That’s as Clear as a Mountain Stream: by Chris Sumberg @sfwa

Writing Craft / World-Building

Tips on How to Build a Fantasy World for Your Novel: @NYBookEditors
Worldbuilding a Series: Writing without a Plan: @JamiGold

Writing Tools / Apps

How to Use Google Forms to Track Your Writing Sessions: @katelyneknox
10 Useful Apps for Writers to Help you Create: @nownovel

 

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It Takes a Community to Win an Award

by Mike Martin, @mike54martin

Darkest Before the Dawn won the 2019 Bony Blithe Award as the best light mystery of the year. Wow!!

I was more than a little surprised to win. Mostly because of the competition. Alan Bradley who writes the fabulous Flavia DeLuce series with a precocious and adorable 12-year-old female sleuth and fun-loving trouble maker. Vicki Delany who is uber-famous as the author of 34 books and is currently writing three mystery series. Elizabeth Duncan who is a two-time winner of this award and who writes the coziest of mysteries set in Wales. Plus, a brand-new crackerjack author in Auralee Wallace who is destined to win many awards before too long.

So, I was shocked and delighted to win and mumbled a few words of thanks to the organizers and an even more bungling acknowledgement to my daughter who gave me the gift of being there with me to witness this miracle. And to my partner, Joan, without whom, I can say with certainty that there be no Sgt. Windflower, let alone awards and accolades.

Since I didn’t think I was going to win I had no acceptance speech prepared. Now that I’ve had a few days to think about it I have a few more things to add. I hope you’ll bear with me.

First of all, I take no personal credit for creating Sgt. Windflower or for writing 7 books so far in the series. (New book coming this fall) Where would I come up with that character, let alone find 600,000 words or so to talk about him and whatever might happen to him and his imaginary friends? That came from what I call the creative flow. All I had to do was to tap into it. The same way that Sgt. Windflower walked out of the fog one night and started telling me his story. I just wrote down he said. I hope he doesn’t stop talking or I’m doomed.

Secondly, Joan my partner encouraged me when I felt awful and that my writing wasn’t very good and that it was too hard to be an independent writer because I had to do everything myself. Some of that was true. Especially my early writing. She said to keep going, that I would get better and that it would get a little easier along the way. Some of that was true, too. Mostly about getting easier because I worked harder and didn’t let the small things get me down.

Thirdly, writing is a solitary act but it takes a community to write a good book, let alone win an award. My community includes my siblings who have supported me through the days of dark, very dark poetry and always said they loved my stuff, even when it truly sucked. My extended and adopted family and friends who came to every event and bought my books deserve a lot of credit, too. So do my writing colleagues and friends, some of whom are beta readers from the beginning and those who toil behind the scenes in Ottawa Independent Writers and Crime Writers of Canada. Words of advice, small plugs here and there, invitations to guest blog and to co-host events, all made me believe that if they thought I was a good writer, maybe I could live up to their ideals.

In order to get here I also had help from an army of proofreaders and editors as well as book bloggers and reviewers who were willing to take a chance on an unknown quantity like me. Elizabeth Spann-Craig is one of them!! Plus, independent bookstores and store managers in some of the biggest stores in Canada took my books and let me set up that table near the front of the store. You know the one where everyone tries to avoid you on the way in and smiles at you, with pity, on the way out. It was frightening and exhilarating all at the same time. Thank you!!

Last, and always, the people who buy, borrow, and if you have no other choice, steal my books I salute you. Readers are the lifeblood, the oxygen for writers. We do not exist in our own imagination. We live in yours. Thank you more than I can ever express. My commitment to you is to try and write the best possible story that I can and I hope that I can continue to hold your interest and your trust.

One more thing. If you are new to this writing racket, stick with it. If you can’t find a publisher to take your work, don’t be afraid to step out on your own. Just make sure that you write and produce and edit and proofread your book, the baby that you will bring into the world, to the very best of your ability. Take the time you need to do it right and you will be rewarded. You may or may not win an award. But you will receive many gifts along the way. Be grateful, like me, for the opportunity and you will be a success.

Mike Martin is the author of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series.

Here’s where you can get Darkest Before the Dawn

Darkest Before the Dawn is available in many bookstores across Canada including Chapters/Indigo and many independent stores.

Amazon:

USA – UK – CA – AUS – IN

Chapters/Indigo

Follow Sgt. Windflower Mysteries:

Facebook

Twitter:

@mike54martin

Mike Martin is the author of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series which is set in small communities in Newfoundland on the eastern tip of Canada.

Writer @mike54martin Explains Why it Takes a Community to Win a Writing Award:
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Limiting the Number of Characters

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig 

This is the second post in a short series about making our lives easier as writers. One thing that I’ve tried to be more conscious of as the years have gone by is limiting the number of characters I introduce in a story or series.

With a cozy mystery series, for example, the field of characters is already going to be pretty crowded. You have a sleuth and a sidekick and around five suspects. And then you have recurring characters: friends and family of the sleuth and  some sort of police presence.

The more characters we add, the harder it is for readers to keep up.  And we run the risk of not having the space to make the characters more than one-dimensional.

One bit of advice is not to name every single character in your book.  The waitress at the diner can just be the waitress.  If we name her, we may be making her role in the story seem more important than it is…and leave readers trying to remember another name.

Another tip is to evaluate the number of characters you’re introducing. For my new series, I took a look to see if it was possible to combine roles.  In one instance I could, which just meant that a character needed to help out with a cat rescue at the beginning of the book.

More reading about combining character roles can be found here:

Clare Langley-Hawthorne’s “A Cast of Thousands”

If you do have a large cast of characters even after combining roles, there are ways to help readers keep track of them. It’s a good idea to make characters distinguishable from each other by using quirks, diction, and recurring details about their physical appearance as reminders.

You can also tag supporting characters who haven’t been on stage for a while (Jane’s hairdresser, Sheri, opened the door). Or: Sheri walked in. “Long day at the beauty parlor, y’all. Three customers didn’t show up!”

More information on working with large casts of characters can be found here:

September C. Fawkes’ “Working With a Large Cast of Characters”

As a reader, do you ever have trouble keeping up with a lot of characters?  As a writer, how do you try to help readers keep up (I’ve seen some books with a ‘cast of characters’ list at the front)?

Making Life Easier by Limiting the Number of Characters We Use:
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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 50,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

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 / Miscellaneous

Ghosting is not stealing…unless it is. @Janet_Reid

Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous

Canadian Publishers Association Honors Gregory Younging Posthumously: @Porter_Anderson @CdnPublishers
At BookExpo: New York Rights Fair Brings Programming With It: @Porter_Anderson @BookExpo @pubperspectives

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration

New Research Has Discovered a Formula for Creativity: @RuthHarrisBooks

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers

How to Survive a Trip into the Woods: Key Lessons From Fantasy Books: @nicolemhill @BNBuzz
7 Space Operas and Adventures to Read If You Loved A Memory Called Empire: @nataliezutter @tordotcom
Why Villain Schools Are Having a Pop Culture Moment: @emburack @tordotcom

Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing

How To Write When You Don’t Feel Like It: @10minnovelist

Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer’s Block

9 Weird Ways to Beat Writer’s Block: @HopeBolinger @WritersDigest

Creativity and Inspiration / Success

8 Counterintuitive Things That Can Contribute to Success: @KarenBanes

Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life

The Importance of Knowing You: @jcwalton24 @DIYMFA
Top Tips for Running a Writers’ Group This Year: @brotzel_fiction @PENPROSPER1
When Slow Writing Leads to Great Writing: by Tara East @LiveWriteThrive
Finding Wonder in a Writers Group: @claireneedell @CareerAuthors
How to Make Decisions in Your Writing: @colleen_m_story
The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Authors: by Rebecca Langley @standoutbooks
Writing A Novel? 3 Easy Tips To Make It Fun: @angee
Battling the Doubt Monster: @AlizaMannAuthor @Janice_Hardy
How a Reader Turns Into a Writer: by Daniel A. Roberts @TheRyanLanz
Advice for getting over a writing slump: by Bucket Siler

Genres / Miscellaneous

Young Adult vs. Middle Grade Fiction: Which Are You Writing? @ReedsyHQ

Genres / Romance

What Makes a Romance? Seven tips: by Shannon Donnelly

Genres / Science Fiction

Top 9 Influential Female Characters In Science Fiction: @Bang2write
20 Useful Subreddits For SFF Writers: @wvancamp

Genres / Screenwriting

Script To Screen: “Rocky”: @GoIntoTheStory

Genres / Short Stories

9 Reasons You Should Write Short Fiction: @AnnieNeugebauer

Promo / Book Reviews

Ways to Get Book Reviews: The Power of Recommendation: @Bookgal @BookWorksNYC

Promo / Miscellaneous

How to Take a Great Book Photo for Social Media: @nedadallal @penguinrandom

Promo / Newsletters

How to Set Up Automated Emails for Reader Magnets: @rachelmcwrites @IndieAuthorALLI

Promo / Platforms

Personal Branding for Authors: What It Is And Why It’s Essential: @KimberleyGrabas

Publishing / Miscellaneous

Audiobooks: 5 Tips For Better Narration And Performance: by Jules Horne @thecreativepenn
Your book needs CIP data—here’s why: @BookDesignBook
How to Create Large Print Editions of Your Books With Vellum: @tonyriches
Canadian Study: Library Patrons Tell Researchers They Buy More Books: @Porter_Anderson @BookNet_Canada @pubperspectives

Publishing / News / International Publishing

France’s Publishing Trio at Goutte d’Or: Looking for a ‘Drop of Gold’: @oliviasnaije @edgouttedor @pubperspectives
South Africa’s Puku Foundation: Children’s Books To Save Languages: @Porter_Anderson @PukuBooks@Kenyapublishers
Five Questions for Russia’s Boris Kuznetsov: Netflix and ‘Fashionable Reading’: by Eugene Gerden @pubperspectives
Talking With: Ama Dadson of Ghana’s AkooBooks: AudioBooks in Africa: @Porter_Anderson @DadsonAma @akoobooks

Publishing / Options / Self-Publishing

Not Just Self-Published: @joyerancatore

Publishing / Process / Book Design

5 Tips for Better Book Cover Typography: @ReedsyHQ @WritersDigest
The Unused Alternative Covers Behind 5 Modern Literary Classics: @lithub

Writing Craft / Characters / Antagonists

Writing awesome antagonists: @AuthorMarilene

Writing Craft / Characters / Development

Tips for Character Development: @davidfarland
Have you asked your character these questions? @kayelleallen
Writing Character Motivation Circles: @Lindasclare
5 Ways to Craft Strong Female Characters: by Kassandra Flamouri @DIYMFA
Occupation Thesaurus Entry: Geologist: @AngelaAckerman

Writing Craft / Conflict

Understanding Conflict: @Janice_Hardy

Writing Craft / Dialogue

Tips for Tagging Dialogue: @SarahSallyHamer @EdieMelson

Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film

Top 10 fictional takes on real lives: @WillEaves @alexpheby @GuardianBooks

Writing Craft / Miscellaneous

Plot, Character, and Theme: The Greatest Love Triangle in Fiction: @KMWeiland
Writing a Fictional Expert When You’re a Real Life Amateur: @parnellhall @CrimeReads
The Math of Storytelling: @valerie_francis
Goal-Oriented Storytelling: Novelty: @mythcreants

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Naming

10 Best Character Name Generator Tools: @TCKPublishing

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Concept

So Many Ideas, So Little Time: @RachelleGardner

Writing Craft / Revision

Five Tips and Four Myths About Preparing To Edit Fiction: by Jacquelin Cangro @kristen_kieffer

Writing Craft / Settings and Description

Describing Locations in Realistic Fiction: 5 Tips: @paulapuddephatt
Five Setting Details With Horrifying Implications: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants

Writing Craft / Word Crafting

Trouble With Combining Words: @eseckman @TheIWSG

Writing Craft / World-Building

Character-Centered World Building (Podcast): @RowennaM @DIYMFA

Writing Tools / Miscellaneous

Tips for Writing with Dictation: @KyleRbrtShultz @phoenix_fiction

Writing Tools / Resources

A Free Template for Brain Dumps and Other Resources: @hwrightwriter

 

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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KDP Reports

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

On Monday, I’ll be picking up on my blog series ‘making life easier as a writer.’  But today I wanted to point out something new (still in beta) on the KDP dashboard in case you’ve missed it (and I know lots of you probably noticed this earlier than I did!)

KDP is rolling out their new reports section and my first impression is that it looks really helpful.

I’m one of those authors who absolutely hates doing metrics on ads or tracking sales. I know it’s something important but delving down into spreadsheets and the business aspect has always been something of a drag.

I love that Amazon is making this easier.  For one thing, I like to keep track of which series sells better. For another, I like to see which individual books seem to sell strongest in a series…and try to figure out what the magic formula was so that I can duplicate it again.

Here’s what Amazon says the benefits of the new reports are: (see more information here).

Benefits of the new reports

The new KDP reports improve upon the existing ones by allowing you to:

Use the Dashboard to see how your books are performing
Display data for more than one book on a single graph so you can compare books and see title-level trends
Choose to see graphs as a line or bar chart
Estimate your monthly royalties in a single currency of your choice
Estimate your monthly royalties from KU and KOLL before the KDP Select Global Fund is announced for that month
Use your phone and other mobile devices to view reports

For me, the bar chart (pictured at the top of the post) makes my earnings a lot more understandable than the line chart.  Plus, when you hover on a particular day on the bar chart, it will drill down to show you estimated royalties per day and per title.

I also really like seeing at a glance what my anticipated royalties for the month so far are.  No math involved.  :)  You can choose your currency, too.

And then, under settings:

Another cool feature is seeing the top formats and marketplaces.  Even though I roughly know the ratio of ebook to paperback sales, it’s cool to see it in this format:

I also like seeing where my sales are coming from (although no surprise that the majority are from the US).

To reach this new reports section, go to your KDP dashboard, reports, then click on the beta notification at the top of the page.  Or, more directly: https://kdpreports.amazon.com/dashboard

Amazon is still tweaking this.  On my beta reports dashboard, they state: “Welcome to the new KDP Reports beta! We’ll be adding more reports — including historical data for Sales, KENP Read, and Royalties — in the future, so stay tuned!”

How good are you about tracking sales?  Tracking sales per series?  Are you as bad at spreadsheets as I am?  :)

Tracking Sales with KDP's New Reports:
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