Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 8

Finding Meaning Through Writing

Sharing the Books I Wrote in the Past Brings Me as Much Meaning and Purpose as Writing Them Did.  Here’s Why.

By Norman Shabel

A fundamental question people grapple with at all stages of life is: what brings me purpose and meaning?

From a young age, one answer stood out to me: writing fiction.  By the time I was in my twenties I had drafted several novels. Eventually, I penned 7 plays and 8 novels. Putting stories on paper then bringing them out into the world has always brought an unparalleled level of meaning to everyday life.

But knowing what brings meaning is just one side of the equation. Finding ways to engage in meaningful activities amid life’s multiple constraints is another altogether. When I was just starting out, I was extremely busy building a career as a plaintiff’s attorney and prosecutor and raising a family.  I often squeezed writing in while I was hunched over my desk waiting for a jury verdict to come in.  Today, life is calmer and yet, there are always constraints. I no longer have the adrenaline of youth. My family has grown to include grandchildren.Traveling to see them, as well as to spend time with the many other people I care about, keeps me busier than I anticipated. There’s always something.

So, I have found a new way to keep the meaning of writing alive. That is, focusing my energy on sharing the stories I wrote in the past. In many respects, this has proven to be the most meaningful part of my writing journey.

Why?

First, my inspiration for writing was initially sparked by seeing the prejudices and injustices that riddle our legal system while I was practicing law.  These include judges’ and juries’ unconscious biases.  There are also hidden agendas that guide the decision-making process, and alliances between judges and defense lawyers, mayors, police and others in power.  All of this can shape what a jury hears in a case, therefore greatly influencing the outcome – and justice.  In writing legal thrillers, I wanted to show this to the world.  And I did.

For example, my novel Four Women is about four elderly women struggling to retain their homes in Miami despite greedy builders attempting to remove them to make a profit.  The protagonist — their lawyer — also represents a young father who fell into a vat of boiling sulfuric acid at the factory where he worked. He couldn’t sue his employer for negligence because the workers’ compensation laws in Florida favor the employer.  Both situations reflect incidents that, as a lawyer, I saw time and again.

These issues are still prominent in our legal system today, and I am still just as passionate about telling the world all about these behind-the-scenes forces.  Sharing my books allows me to do so.  Knowing that readers will learn from them, becoming more aware as citizens and empowered to take action to fight such injustices wherever they can brings me a tremendous sense of fulfillment.

Perhaps more importantly, I am deeply gratified to share the legacy of the real-life people — women in particular — who inspired many of the characters in my fiction. For example, my mother, Jeannette, who married at 14 and raised four children alone after my father was severely injured in a work accident. Her personal struggles as a welfare recipient inspired her to fight for the rights of others in New York’s welfare system. My Aunt Helen, too, had a formidable spirit, fighting for tenant rights in Coney Island after witnessing landlord neglect.  Aspects of their stories are woven into various novels and plays I have written, including Four Women.  It is immensely gratifying that by sharing my books, I am keeping their legacies alive.

So if you have found something that brings you meaning — whether a hobby, a cause, a learning experience or a creative endeavor — but fear that life’s constraints will hold you back from engaging in it, I invite you to shift your perspective.  The imperatives of reality never go away; they merely evolve.  Instead of abandoning meaningful pursuits or giving up before you start, you can adapt them. For example:

Break them down into a series of smaller steps and take them one step at a time.

Focus on the process and the parts of it that you enjoy instead of the end goal.

Remind yourself why the activity brings you meaning and continue nurturing the aspects most closely related to this.

In my case, the ability to share my stories has always been a key ingredient of the meaning writing brings me.  Today, I consider it a privilege to be able to focus on this aspect one hundred percent.

Norman Shabel is the author of eight novels, praised by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano as “terrific, fast-paced reads about the dark side of law enforcement and the judiciary.”  Many of his stories are inspired by his 55-year career as a plaintiff’s attorney and prosecutor, where he witnessed injustice and oppression on a daily basis; others draw on his experiences of Jewish family life and his astute observations of its unique, often hilarious, dynamics.  His novels include The Aleph Bet Conspiracy, Four Women and The Badger Game.  Also a prolific playwright, Shabel has written seven plays, three of which have been produced off-broadway in New York City, Philadelphia and Florida to rave reviews. Among them are A Class Act, Marty’s Back in Town, and Are the Lights Still on in Paris?  Born in Brooklyn, NY, Norman is retired from law and splits his time between New Jersey and Florida. He finds much joy spending time with his adult children, and his grandchildren.

 

 

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LitLinks

 

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

LitLinks are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 70,000 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. Follow the WKB on Facebook here.

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Thoughts After 15 Years of Being Published

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Okay, it’s more like 19 years. My first book, a Myrtle Clover, came out in 2005. But I really count my breakthrough as being in 2009 with the publication of Pretty is as Pretty Dies by Midnight Ink publishing, an imprint of Llewellyn. That’s when I started really putting everything together, both with my writing and with publishing, in general.

Here are a few of my thoughts on publishing:

The rise of digital reading happened a lot faster than I thought it might. And I embraced it quicker than I thought. I remember in 2006ish, I was in a writing group where the other writers were talking about digital books. At the time, they were talking about a Sony ebook reader (I think Sony was first on the scene) and how it would change publishing. At the time, I didn’t think readers would really go for it. I wasn’t sure I would really go for it. I was wrong on both counts.

Hosting as much on your own site as possible keeps stressful changes less-stressful. Twitter changed to X. Facebook shows whatever it wants to show to your followers. Amazon has its own algorithm. Newsletter services come and go and change their rates. But your website is forever. Host your blog there. List your books and their retailers there. You’ll feel less-stressed when changes occur.

Being able to pivot is a great skill in life and writing. I remember in 2020 that the big word was “pivot.” It was thought that restaurants who pivoted by quickly transitioning to takeout or to outdoor seating were the ones that survived the pandemic. The same applies to authors. If we can handle the changes social media, publishing, and AI throw at us, we should be able to make it for the long-haul.

After writing ten books, my income started improving. Part of that may have been audience and the amount of “real estate” I occupied with my books online, but some of it was definitely because it was around that time I was self-publishing in earnest. Yes, I made/make a lot more self-publishing. Proviso: I was traditionally-published first and may have gained an audience that way.

Practice doesn’t make perfect, as far as writing goes. But it sure makes it better. I still need every beta reader and editor I have. But do my books flow better? Are the later ones better than the earlier ones? There’s no doubt.

I’ve noticed changes with my writing as I’ve aged. The writing comes much easier. Sometimes the words don’t come as easily, though. More often, words are on the tip of my tongue, and I have to tease them out. PowerThesaurus has been helpful.

It’s important to keep informed about what’s going on with publishing. This goes along with pivoting. You need to know what you need to pivot in conjunction with.

It’s much easier to continue series than to start new ones. I’ve said this many times, but it’s absolutely true. Long series are profitable. The setting is generally the same. The primary and secondary characters are the same. The biggest challenge is to keep them consistent for readers (which readers like . . . more on that below), while offering something unique with each story so that the series doesn’t become stale.

However, it’s important to start new series. The new series have opened up more income and often new readers who haven’t read my other series (but may, once introduced to my writing).

Readers don’t particularly like change.  Wanting to take your characters/series on a road trip? Want to start a new series? End a series? Often, readers aren’t crazy about any of this. Change needs to be gradual or perhaps under pen names.

Traditional publishing wasn’t awful. But it wasn’t good enough for me to go back to. You don’t have nearly as much control. Rights to various editions are held, but not exploited. Self-publishing is a lot of work. But once you get used to self-publishing, you don’t want to go back.

This is what I’ve got on my list, but what do you think about publishing? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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LitLinks

 

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

LitLinks are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 70,000 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. Follow the WKB on Facebook here.

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Real Life Mysteries: Where Do Stories Come From?

by Mike Martin, @mike54martin

Where do stories come from? That’s a question I get asked a lot. So do other writers. The simple answer is that we get our stories from everywhere. Sometimes it is just a niggling thought that circulated from the back of our mind and percolates into something bigger. At other times it could be a movie or another book we are reading that sparks our interest.

But for me, most of my stories start with something I see on the news or in the media. Something real that pokes me and gets me thinking. I write a light, cozy-type mystery series, the Award-Winning Sgt. Windflower Mysteries, that are somewhat restricted from going into too much detail about crimes and criminals, especially the gory details. But that doesn’t and won’t stop me from talking about real world issues like human trafficking or the opioid crisis. 

But I like it even better when I can find a crime that is interesting, unsolved and somehow less lethal than other types of crime. Yes, some people will always get killed. It is a murder mystery, after all. But credit card fraud or embezzling funds somehow seems cleaner to write about than someone getting knifed or stabbed or shot. Although, all mystery writers do have fun with poisonings, I cannot lie. 

This search for a real life mystery led me to an actual and on-going case of a massive gold heist in Canada. In my latest book, Too Close for Comfort, I try and answer the basic question still remaining in this case. Where is the Gold?

The background is that on April 17, 2023, a robbery occurred at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada, with over C$20 million (US$15 million) worth of gold and other high-value items being stolen. Thieves accessed a secure cargo warehouse and made off with the cash and the shipment of gold bars. While the police investigation is still underway and several individuals believed to be connected to the robbery have been arrested, none of the gold has been recovered.

One expert told the media that he thought that the gold bars “have probably been melted into other forms by now, and may be on a boat somewhere on the Atlantic headed east.”

That’s where Too Close for Comfort, takes over. According to my premise, the gold may have been shipped surreptitiously to Newfoundland, and then melted down so that it could be shipped back across the Atlantic for sale to unsuspected buyers.

To back up my case, there are a number of moth-balled smelters in Newfoundland, including one in Long Harbour that was processing nickel from Labrador. The gold bars could have been melted down and put on a ship or in a container for Europe. Did that happen? We don’t know. All we know is that the gold is still missing. That’s the real mystery.

I hope you will read Too Close for Comfort and see if you can solve the mystery of the missing gold yourself.

Mike Martin is the author of the Award-Winning Sgt. Windflower Mystery series. Too Close for Comfort was released by Ottawa Press and Publishing on October 1, 2024. It is available on Amazon all over the world.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DGVN6LBL (US)

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0DGVN6LBL (CANADA)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DGVN6LBL (UK)

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0DGVN6LBL (AUS)

Real Life Mysteries: Where Do Stories Come From?
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Mike Martin is the author of the Award-Winning Sgt. Windflower Mysteries. The latest book in the series is Better Safe Than Sorry. You can find that book and all other books in the series on Amazon all over the world.

You can follow Sgt. Windflower Mysteries on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAndMore  

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LitLinks

 

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

LitLinks are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 70,000 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. Follow the WKB on Facebook here.

Business / MiscellaneousSelling Books In Person At Live Events With Mark Lefebvre: @thecreativepennWriting to Market: by C.S. Boyack @storyempireConferences and Events / MiscellaneousAnne Applebaum: The German Book Trade’s Peace Prize: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / InspirationFind Creative Inspiration From Your Vices: by Tony Tulathimutte @electriclit @electricliteratureCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersFive SF Books Set in the Future… of 2020: @jamesdnicoll @literaryreactor @reactormag10 Literary Books That Made Me a Better Science Fiction Writer: by Charlie Jane Anders @reactormag @literaryreactorEight Engaging SFF Short Stories Told Through Letters: by Ratika Deshpande @literaryreactor @reactormag5 Excellent Middle Books in SFF Trilogies: by Chloe Gong @reactormag @literaryreactorFive Books With Fascinating Magic Systems: by Oren AshkenaziNancy Drew Never Had a Sister: The New Cozy Sleuths: by Lisa Q. Mathews @crimereadsJeffrey Archer: My 10 Favourite Agatha Christie Books: @crimereadsFive SFF Works About Creating, Revising, and Obfuscating History: @JamesDNicoll @reactormag @literaryreactorCrime Fiction: In The Spotlight: Anthony McCarten’s Going Zero: @margotkinberg6 Excellent Thriller and Horror Novels Set in Hotels: by Stephanie Wrabel @crimereadsCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer’s BlockWords of Wisdom on Writer’s Block: compiled by Dale Ivan SmithCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeWhat Fidget Spinners Can Teach Us About Writing: by Christopher SlaterBut Why Are They So Dumb?—When Dudes Write Women: by Elias McClellanTurtle Truths about Writing: @foxprintedWriting with the window open: @AnneJanzerStop Overthinking Everything: Advice for Writers: by Annie Cosby @KMWeilandDormant Periods in a Writing Life: @msheatherwebb @writerunboxedHow Can I Organize My Writing Notes? by Oren AshkenaziCrafting Cohesion: 5 Tips for Building a Strong Network of Writers: @TheLeighShulmanWriting and Anger: @jamesscottbellOvercome Perfectionism: @WriteNowCoachGet Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable: @diymfaGenres / HistoricalResearching for Stories Set in the 1800’s: @TyreanMartinson @DancingLemurPreGenres / MysteryConspiracies as an Element in Crime Fiction: @margotkinbergGenres / Science FictionEighteen Authors, Two Big Questions: What Is the Best Thing Happening in SFF Right Now, and What Do We Need More Of? by Christina Orlando @reactormag @literaryreactorPromo / BloggingHow Easy Is It To Follow Your Blog? @HughRoberts05Promo / Miscellaneous4 Tips for Making Promotion More Palatable: @TrishCrisafulliBook Marketing: Get Out of Your Own Way: by Margot Conor10 Essential Tips for Crafting a Successful Book Marketing Plan: @bookgalHow to Market and Promote Your Book When Publishing Wide: @holly_pocket_ and @selfpubwithdale @indieauthoralli51 Tips to Help Market Your Book: @DiAnnMills @EdieMelsonPromo / PlatformsWriting: Build a Readership Platform: @lindasclarePublishing / MiscellaneousPublishing a posthumous collection. Interview with Alycia Vreeland: @Roz_MorrisPlaytesting Card Games: by Marie Vibbert @SFWAEpigraphs: by Kay DiBiancaPublishing / News / International PublishingAuthors on Storytelling as Resistance: @talitafacchini @pubperspectivesPublishing / Process / FormattingDo You Italicize Book Titles? The Ultimate Guide: @davechessonPublishing / Process / Services to AvoidBeware Social Media Marketing Scams: @victoriastraussWriting Craft / BeginningsFlog a Pro: Would You Turn the First Page of this Bestseller? by Ray Rhamey @writerunboxedWriting Craft / Characters / ArcStory Circle: the Character Arc of the Protagonist: @SueColetta1 @storyempireWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentStrength of Character: by D. Wallace Peach @storyempireHow to Interview Your Characters: by Randy IngermansonWriting Craft / Common MistakesWhat Makes Characters Unlikable? from MythcreantsWriting Craft / ConflictConflict, Conflict, Conflict…The Secret to Punching Up Your Fiction: by Brian Andrews @careerauthorsWriting Craft / Literary DevicesTone vs Mood: Difference, Meanings, and Examples: by Polly WattWriting Craft / MiscellaneousPhilosophical Stakes in a Story: @AuthorDesmond
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Getting Comfortable with Tooting Your Own Horn: 4 Tips for Making Promotion More Palatable

By Patricia Crisafulli, @TrishCrisafulli

The first time I had to write a professional bio, a friend of mine staged a public-relations intervention. “This says nothing,” she said, shaking her head at the scant lines I had written. “Where are your accomplishments?” In the end, she had to write the first draft, and I was only allowed to edit for accuracy.

Despite my long-held dreams of becoming an author and holding a book with my name on the spine, being promotional—and, more to the point, self-promotional—has always been challenging for me. The difficulty is rooted in my upbringing. When I was growing up, the youngest in a trio of sisters, my mother told me, “You have to stop doing so much. You make other people feel bad.” 

Suffice it to say, I believed that talking about what I had done or wanted to do was tantamount to bragging—and bragging was rude and cruel. So even when I accomplished something, I had to minimize or dismiss it. Fortunately, I learned a different lesson over time.

Many years ago, I read a quote from Marianne Williamson: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us… Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.” Even now, re-reading these words, I can feel something shift inside me, a loosening in my chest that lets me take a deep breath.

With each inhalation, I find the courage to carry out one of the primary responsibilities of being a writer. In a word—it’s stewardship, an attitude and a perspective that make promotion more palatable.

This is our job. Let’s face it—marketing and promoting may not come easily to writers who are more likely to be introverts (even when we appear to be extroverts). We tell ourselves, “Once our books are out there, people will find them.” But in this age of social media and building a platform—not to mention getting noticed in a crowded category such as mysteries—we have to toot our own horns. It’s our job and our obligation to ourselves and to our books.Marketing is really community building. I know, I know … This one sounds like rationalization and justification. But it really is true. Only by speaking up and speaking out about what we’ve written can we engage with a community. Readers are always on the lookout for the next great read, and they deserve to know about our books. Granted, that can be scary because not everyone is going to be a raving fan. Some people will like our stories, some will love them, and some—well, maybe not so much. That’s to be expected—people’s tastes are as varied as their life experiences. But only by connecting with a community can we become good stewards of our stories that deserve to find their readers.It’s not you—it’s them. The characters, that is. When I began writing what became my Ohnita Harbor Mystery Series, I sketched out my protagonist, Gabriela, an authenticator-librarian turned accidental sleuth. Then came her feisty Italian American mother, Agnese; the artist-roofer and love interest, Daniel Red Deer; and a host of quirky characters. In the beginning, they were little more than cartoons, until I got to know them through the process of writing and rewriting. Suddenly, they took on lives of their own and even surprised me at times. The more I fell in love with my characters, the more they deserved to have their story (albeit a fictional one) told—and the more responsibility I felt to introduce them to readers. A few weeks after a book launch event for my first novel, The Secrets of Ohnita Harbor, a reader approached me and said, “I’ve been so worried about Gabriela. She gets herself in so much trouble!” That was the best reaction I could ever imagine—for her (and for me).You’re going to inspire others. One of the first podcasts to host me was Meg Leddy’s Burnout: What I Have Learned So Far. Rather than talking only about my debut mystery novel, I had to get personal about finding the time to create while juggling numerous responsibilities. It was one of the best conversations of my professional life. I unearthed a truth that I had not fully embraced before that podcast: in the midst of a busy life, I energize myself by doing more, not less—as long as that “more” is something I love. To my delight, that podcast inspired others. I heard from friends and strangers alike that they found encouragement to continue their own journeys into creativity and life enrichment. Instead of making others feel bad as I had been admonished as a teenager, I actually made others feel good. 

Yes, our stories are born of hard work, imagination, and talent. But once they are in the world, they exist outside of us. That’s when we have to step up to the challenge of nurturing each book, short story, essay, blog, or any other creative expression. Recognizing that responsibility gives us both courage and permission to toot our horns—and, while we’re at it, ring a few bells. 

 

 

 

Patricia Crisafulli is a New York Times bestselling author and an award-winning fiction writer. She launched her Ohnita Harbor Mystery Series from Woodhall Press with The Secrets of Ohnita Harbor, followed by the sequel, The Secrets of Still Waters Chasm. The third book in the series will be published in 2025.

4 Tips for Making Promotion More Palatable by @TrishCrisafulli :
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LitLinks

 

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

LitLinks are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 70,000 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. Follow the WKB on Facebook here.

Business / MiscellaneousHow to Analyze a Magazine Before Writing for It: @LindaGilden @EdieMelsonAI and Indie Authors: Navigating Rights, Ethics, and Opportunities: A Webinar with Orna Ross and Matty Dalrymple: @indieauthoralliConferences and Events / MiscellaneousKlett-Cotta’s Martina Hefter Wins the German Book Prize: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers5 Great Psychological Thrillers About Reunions and Old Secrets: by Amber and Danielle Brown @crimereads10 Thrilling Books About Women on the Verge: by Holly Baxter @electriclit @electricliteratureComing to Terms With Climate Fiction: by Molly Templeton @reactormag @literaryreactorIn The Spotlight: Jill Johnson’s Devil’s Breath: @margotkinbergSix Great Thrillers Where Bodies Are Hidden: by Barbara Gayle Austin @crimereadsCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeThe 7 Habits of Highly Ineffective Writers: Powerful Lessons in Personal Sabotage: by Joni B. Cole @JaneFriedmanLessons Learned from 13 Years as an Author Entrepreneur: @thecreativepennWhat Is The Perceived Value Of A Writer? by Lisa NormanHow to Handle Writer Jealousy: by Kate M. Colby9 Things My Canine Friends Taught Me About Blogging: @ediemelsonTorn Between Two Projects: @jamesscottbellBeyond the Pages: The Legacy of Our Words: by L. A. MitchellHow to Trust Yourself as a Writer (Not Relying on Advice Too Much): @KMWeilandWhat learning French has to do with writing: @pubcoachEmbracing the Power of Words: A Guide for Writers: @KHutch0767 @ediemelsonGenres / HumorHow Authors Can Use Humor in Their Stories: by Doug LewarsGenres / MiscellaneousWriting Graphic Novels and Comics With Rob Harrell: @WriteNowCoachGenres / MysteryMake Mysteries Less Complicated: Humdrum Settings as the Backdrop for Tense Mysteries: @margotkinbergWhen Multiple Narrators Tell the Story of a Crime: by Kelsey Rae Dimberg @crimereadsGenres / Picture BooksHow to Write a Children’s Book in 9 Steps: by Angie AndriotGenres / RomanceSeasoned Romance Empowers us All: @stellafosse @womenwritersPromo / BloggingBlog Idea Clear Out: @KMAllan_writerThe Truth About Writing On Medium: The Surprising Pros And Cons You Can’t Ignore: @colleen_m_storyPromo / Book Descriptions and CopywritingLoglines—One-Sentence Torture Devices for Writers: @KelleyLindberg1 @RMFWPromo / Book ReviewsHow to Write a Book Review: Tips and Tricks: by Brandi BadgettPromo / MiscellaneousUnlocking the magic: 10 tips for crafting irresistible children’s book freebies: by Chelsea Tornetto @sandrabeckwithTypes of Marketing Campaigns for Authors: @KarenHWhiting @EdieMelsonPublishing / MiscellaneousAsk the Book Doctor: What Agents and Publishers Want: by Bobbie ChristmasBetween the Lines: What Is Missing in the Diversity in Publishing Discourse: by Thomas Gebremedhin @literaryhub @lithubPublishing / Options / Self-PublishingMy First Novel Was a New York Times Bestseller. I’m Self-Publishing My Third Novel Today: @cynswanauthor @janefriedmanPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / PitchesPitching your story in 3 mins or less: @katysegrovewriterPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingIs a publishing professional going to steal your book? @lisapoissoPublishing / Process / Services to AvoidSome Rare Accountability for a Fake Literary Agency Operation: @victoriastraussWriting Craft / Beginnings9 Ways To Craft The Perfect Opening Line: by Kathryn, The Fake RedheadWriting Craft / Characters / AntagonistsHow to create a great villain: @nathanbransfordWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentInnocent Archetype: Definition, Examples, and Writing Tips: by Shane MillarWriting Craft / Characters / ProtagonistsFive Tricks to Make a Badass Protagonist Less Insufferable: by Chris WinkleWriting Craft / MiscellaneousGoing Beyond Those First 50 Pages: by Sarah “Sally” HamerFood and Drink as Essential Elements in Fiction: @crystallyn14 @careerauthorsUsing the Enneagram to Find the YOU in Your Story With Dani Abernathy: @daniabernathyauthor @sacha_black7 Tips to Writing a Story with Two Time Periods: @cwallowitzShowing Thoughts in a Compelling Way: @LauraDrakeBooks4 Must-Ask Questions Before You Start Your Novel: @Janice_HardyShould Your Novel Have a Prologue? @bang2write @WriterThesaurus3 Important Reminders About Writing Heavy Characters: @bang2writeWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / PlottingHow a Pantser Learned to Plot: by Tonya R. MooreWriting Craft / RevisionA Deep Look at Deep Editing: @livewritethriveWriting Craft / Revisions / CritiquesThe Ultimate Guide for Giving and Receiving Feedback: @angelaackermanHow to Find Beta Readers and Critique Partners: @authorSATWriting Craft / ScenesBring Scenes to Life with Nonverbals: @foxprintedWriting Craft / Series5 Tips to Keep a Long-Running Series Fresh: by Brian Freeman @careerauthorsWriting Craft / Settings and DescriptionUsing Colors in Your Books: @Nicholas_Rossis @storyempireWriting Craft / TropesMagician Archetype: by Shane MillarWriting Craft / Word CraftingWords that pack a punch: by Jan Sikes @storyempireWriting Craft / World-BuildingHow Much of My World Should I Build? by Oren AshkenaziWriting Tools / MiscellaneousWorth Every Penny: Six Writing Investments That Paid Off Big-Time: by Maggie Smith @rmfw

 

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Make Mysteries Less Complicated

 

by Elizabeth S. Craig 

There’s something to be said for making mysteries less complicated. It’s no fun for the reader when the murderer is revealed, and they’re not sure who the character is. It’s also no fun if the mystery is so convoluted that it’s hard to follow.

I’ve read a couple of mysteries lately that were very confusing. Once the puzzle was solved, I had to go back through the book to try to see how the pieces fit together. I read reviews of the books, curious what other readers thought. Like me, they’d been lost in the plot.

Here are a few tips to keep your mysteries complex without making them too complicated:

Limit suspect number:  I usually work with five suspects, with one of them eliminated in some fashion during the course of the book. If you have too few suspects, the mystery might not have enough of a surprise ending. Too many, and they’re just tough to keep up with.

Remind readers who the suspects are and how they connect to the victim:  You can work with a slightly larger cast of suspects, but you’ll need to remind readers who the suspects are if they’ve been off-stage for too long. It’s also important to quickly remind readers who the suspect is (David, Jack’s former employee, entered the shop).

Avoid similar-sounding names: Avoid names that start with the same letter, or that rhyme with each other (Bill and Bob, Stan and Dan).

Cut out unnecessary and confusing elements:  In one of my recent mysteries, I’d outlined two cold case deaths that the sleuth was investigating. When I was writing the book, though, it seemed confusing to have two deaths that had taken place a decade or more earlier. Instead, I had one cold case death and one recent death of a character who knew too much.

If you write mysteries, what have I missed? As a reader, what elements do you find confusing in books?

Make Mysteries Less Complicated:
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LitLinks

 

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

LitLinks are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 70,000 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. Follow the WKB on Facebook here.

Business / MiscellaneousWhen to Seek Permission for Quotes in Memoirs, Maximizing Global Distribution, and More: @MichaelLaRonn and @sacha_blackConferences and Events / MiscellaneousUK: The £50,000 Baillie Gifford Prize Names Its 2024 Shortlist: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers5 Family Dramas Full of Chaos, Rivalry and Devotion: by Kelsey Hall @booktribFive Sci-Fi Stories About Body Hopping: by Lorna Wallace @reactormag @literaryreactorTracking the Sharp Turn of the Campus Novel Over 30 Years: by Savannah Cordova @reedsyhqCrime Fiction: In The Spotlight: Catherine Chidgey’s Pet: @margotkinbergFour Gothic and Neo-Gothic Novels About Mothers: by Gail Lukasik @crimereads12 Essential Types of Poems Every Writer Should Know: @davechessonCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in WritingStop Letting Circumstances Get In the Way of Writing: @ninaamirSix Writers on Getting Words on the Page: @lithub @literaryhubCreativity and Inspiration / Success10 Things Every Author Must Do to Be Successful: @bookgalCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeWhen You Realize You Don’t Want to be a Writer After All: by Sarah Callender @writerunboxedA Journalism Career as Inspiration: by Don Butler @ButlerDonBenefits of Writing Your Work Using Pen and Paper: @Christinaq.WriterWhen Your First Language is Role-Playing Games: by Edward Carmien’Tips to Help Develop a Healthy Perspective on Winning Writing Awards: @CindyDevoted @ediemelsonWhen authors pivot to a new genre: by Alessandra TorreProven Keys to Writing a Good Book: @WriteNowCoachRethinking Your Bucket List Accomplishments: @terahsharris @writerunboxedSo You Call Yourself a Writer. Now What? by E.S. FosterGenres / FantasyFive Common Problems in Urban Fantasy Worldbuilding: by Oren AshkenaziGenres / HistoricalUsing Newspapers to Inform Historical Fiction: by Liz Gauffreau @storyempireGenres / MysteryGenre Expectations: Writing Classic Mystery and Cozy Mystery: @ACW_Author @EdieMelsonEmpathy and Crime Fiction: How Do You Make Readers Root for the “Unrootable”? by Steve Hamilton @crimereadsCrime Fiction With an “Inverted Mystery” Structure: @margotkinbergPromo / Book Descriptions and CopywritingWriting a Fiction Blurb: by Stephen Geez @storyempireGoodbye Boring Bios! How To Write A Bio That Gets Results: @bang2writePromo / PlatformsSpontaneous Generation and Author Platform: by Doug Sofer @JaneFriedmanPublishing / News / International PublishingThe Fast, Exuberant Rise of Comics in Italy: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesItaly Reports Book Industry Slowdown: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Self-PublishingSelf-Publishing Training Manuals And Focusing On Your True Fans With Guy Windsor: @thecreativepennWriting Craft / BeginningsFirst Page Critique – Untitled Comedic Crime/Black Comedy: @burke_writerWriting Craft / Characters / ProtagonistsIf your protagonist is bored, you can bet your reader will be too: @nathanbransfordWriting Craft / ConflictWriting Authentic Battle Scenes: by Ian J. MillerWriting Craft / DialogueHow to Write Dialogue (with Examples): by Polly WattWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmFive Ways House in the Cerulean Sea Gets Oppression Wrong: by Chris WinkleAgainst All Odds, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Shows Us How to Make Sequeldom Fun: by Emmet Asher-Perrin @reactormag @literaryreactorWriting Craft / Literary DevicesHow to Enhance Your Theme Through a Central Metaphor: @jessicastrawser @careerauthorsWriting Craft / MiscellaneousThe Secret Sauce for Writers: Intuition: by KimBoo York @janefriedmanCo-Authoring: How to Keep the Drama On the Page: by Midge Raymond @janefriedmanUsing Fiction to Interrogate Celebrity, Politics, and Mental Health – A Talk with Elissa R. Sloan: @kristanhoffman @writerunboxedWhat is Freytag’s Pyramid?: Definition, Examples & More: @themaltesetigerMaking Trouble During An Ordinary Day And Other Character Words of Wisdom: @killzoneauthors2 Options That are BETTER than the Advice to Write What You Know: @TimSuddeth @EdieMelsonThe Chronology of Story: Foreshadowing: by Kay DiBiancaCan a Prologue Establish Dramatic Irony? by Oren AshkenaziMoving metaphors give me vertigo: @jbernoffHow to Write the Grand Gesture for Any Story, Any Genre: @septcfawkesWriting: The Middling Middle: @lindasclareWriting Craft / Revisions / CritiquesYour Beta Reader Options: @LisaPoisso @TheIWSGWriting Craft / SeriesAbout Writing Trilogies: @worddreams @storyempireWriting Craft / TropesHow to Strengthen Our Story with Tropes: @jamigoldWriting Craft / Word CraftingSome Clean Cuss Words For You: @TheGrammarDiva153 Vivid Verbs and How to Use Them Effectively: by Randal GilmoreTighten Up: by Ann Gordon @rmfwWriting Craft / World-BuildingBalancing Story and Worldbuilding at Any Writing Stage: by E.S. FosterWriting Tools / AppsAI is Just a Tool; Your Creativity Makes Your Content Yours: @FauziaBurke

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