Imran Siddiq's Blog, page 12

Plotting for Novel 11 #Writing

 

The Festival of Writing – York #FoW15 is where I’m hedging my bets with my current WIP – Novel 10. I hope the plot, underlying conflict, and characters pin enough interest by an agent to take me on.

I hope.

However – whatever the result from York – I shall begin Novel 11.

Below is the draft plot – with approximate word counts. (I have masked the details for obvious reasons).

Starting a new novel before I know the outcome of another does 3 things:

Stops of the heartache of it not being picked up.
Stops me redrafting again.
Gives me a new project to launch my spirit into.

 

The plan is to spend September to December getting the first draft done.

Simple plots stop me from hitting blocks.

Onwards I say. Onwards.

Sorry if this affects your eyesight. Just blink a few times.

Any typos are subject to interpretation…

Written by Imran Siddiq, Young Adult Science-Fiction author. His  views are considered epic by his cats. Follow at @Flickimp, see his released novels and Goodreads ratings. 

 

Synopsis for #FoW15 #Writing

 

Once again, the Festival of Writing is upon us. One amazing event where you can have 10 mins 1-2-1 with Literary Agents and Book Doctors. Trust me, hearing praise, criticism, advice, the truth, or the unwanted truth face to face is powerful and real during a 1-2-1.

Closing Date for tickets is Friday 21st August.

It can make the difference with knowing your direction. Definitely has with mine.

As part of the 1-2-1 submission, you’ll need to submit the First Chapter, a Covering Letter, and a Synopsis. It can feel odd having to condense your novel into one page. Even more that you’re changing the POV, the tense, and the approach.

Don’t fret. With some planning, you can make it easier for yourself.

My approach follows:

Stage One – use a sheet of paper, Excel, or any other spreadsheet tool to list your chapters. Get clear the aim of each chapter in terms of Who, What, and the Outcome.

Who = The players.

What = The key moments

Outcome = Where does the chapter end, or take the reader?

Once listed. you’ll understand what earns its place in the synopsis. You can’t fit every sub-plot, character, car chase, explosion, toaster malfunctioning, or cat pooping outside of the litter tray into the synopsis. It’s meant to be a summary. Be harsh. Be strong. Tell us the main plot, the main conflict, and the key moments that drive us to the end.

You can then group the parts you will use/might use. These help with understanding paragraph structure.

Stage Two – Write it!

Don’t bother with indents per paragraph. Try to keep it on one page. State your contact details in the top left, and details about the novel (genre, word count) in the top right.

DO NOT hide the ending. Make it clear how the novel ends. None of the: Jack pilots the spaceship into the mothership. Will he or won’t he survive? … A big no-non-nein-nay especially if you cover the outcome in your novel.

Note how I stated that we should Tell? Your manuscript is about showing and not telling. In the synopsis, tell like your life depends on it.

Give the synopsis space to breathe. Don’t use tiny margins, small font (I use Times New Roman 12), or blocky paragraphs.

Below, my synopsis came in at 310 words (minus the upper details). Once done… print it off, and read aloud.  Manuscripts are not judged on synopsis alone, but don’t risk putting someone off.

 

In Stage One, I identified 10 Groups, but in the end it came in at 8 paragraphs. Modify it. Hone it. Drill it. Love it.

Any typos are subject to interpretation…

Written by Imran Siddiq, Young Adult Science-Fiction author. His  views are considered epic by his cats. Follow at @Flickimp, see his released novels and Goodreads ratings. 

Fine to Change Characters #Redrafting

 

The pleasurable thing about redrafting is altering the plot, subplots, characters, and locations after you know your ending. It’s become clear to me that some chapters in Novel 10 (WIP) were stagnant in some locations, or the plot dragged without any urgency or reason for standing still. The first sign of my eyeballs rolling is a bad sign, and writers shouldn’t be complacent with hoping that a reader will forgive them.

Readers rarely do.

Other than scything the plot in places, and kicking the world into new settings, I had second thoughts about a sub-character. In this case, the dad. Although he’s a minor subC, and is largely absent for the second half of the novel, his presence plays with my protagonist’s thoughts.

Put it this way – he’s the dad, and he’s not the dad – or not in the eyes of the protagonist.

I didn’t want ‘Dad’ to have this overarching control over the protagonist, but I did need him to have influence. There had to be an element of hatred from the protagonist to Dad, and some belonging, because without the dad there’s no other family member to rely upon.

Confusing…

An option was to turn the dad into an uncle – but the uncle v nephew scenario has been done to death in YA.

Instead I opted to convert dad into a stepdad. Again, that scenario has been played out many times, though it fit with the disharmony between the two. There is no evil intent with the character, except that he isn’t a blood relation to the protagonist. I can still throw elements of respect and family into the mix, as well as arguments of why the protagonist has a right to challenge the stepdad.

It’s the whole – “You’re not my real dad” scenario – but in a far less soap-opera dramatical manner. Think of a robin realising that the cuckoo brother is different for reasons other than consuming a radioactive worm.

Trust me – it’s given me freedom to explore alternate thought processes, and make the concerns that both parties have about one another – a little more believable.

PS – the novel is a Science Fiction YA. Just goes to show that the important things aren’t always the robots, the devices, the automatic-extending walking canes, or the smartphone capable of holographic projection. Characters and their relationships hold the strings of reality that readers need, otherwise why would the reader care about their lives?

PPS – there are no radioactive worms in this novel.

Aiming high

I have been vacant from blogging for months. No excuses except that fitting writing in amongst my day job has been tough. Hang on – didn’t I just state that there’d be no excuse, and then I went and gave one. *Face palm*

Let’s get down to my current aims.

I am tweaking Novel 10 and am ever hopeful that I can make an impression at the Festival of Writing 2015 – York. Heck – I say this every year, however, I have a wonderful feeling about this novel.

There’s an inner spirit to it that should appeal to many – and if I have applied it correctly – do something different in terms of Science Fiction that hasn’t been done before. I think. I’m sure. I still think.

I am aiming high with this novel. Next week it’ll be flying off to my editor. It’ll cost me. It’ll hurt me. It’ll destroy what I’ve written (in some way) – but it’s needed. Editors are valuable in every sense. Any help in tightening this novel could be the extra push I need.

Nothing is guaranteed. I may leave York with nothing more than the passion to write my next novel. If so – then so be it.

The main thing is that although I have been scarce – I am still writing.

We never give up.

(Any typos above were caused by demons that I cannot vouch for).

Epic Music helps my #Writing

 

Written by Imran Siddiq, Young Adult Science-Fiction author. His  views are considered epic by his cats. Follow at @Flickimp, see his released novels and Goodreads ratings. 

 

There was a time when I used to write in absolute silence. Even inhaling became a distraction for me. No sound was allowed to invade the intimate privacy between me and my keyboard. Pure lockdown.

(Please don’t comment on how tapping on the keyboard would have created noise as we’ll enter a paradoxical debate over self-inflicted noise versus external rackets).

During redrafting I found that my voice or approach in narrative didn’t differ much between settled scenes in comparison to immediate/volatile scenes. I deduced that my mood during writing hadn’t adapted to the scene. So, I started acting out scenes to really get my blood boiling. For a while it kind of worked. And then I booted up Youtube.

There are thousands and thousands (or millions if you prefer the shorter way of saying it) of music videos out there that capture a particular mood. They can really help to put you into a scene, and often do more. A sudden bang of drums, a female vocal, the tinny resonance of an epic rush of a chorus, or the atmospherics pleasures of a mysterious setting can take your writing places.

It’s working for me in many ways.

I have to write with whatever is the latest music released by some epic posters.

Below is my fave list if you’re writing fantasy, science fiction, or anything that contains drama, emotion, action, or any other setting that needs a little punch.

 Prime Chorus

Pandora Journey

One Hour Station

Dragon Storm

Just search for ‘Epic Music’ on Youtube, and look at the latest vids. There’ll always be something epic.

 

Written by Imran Siddiq, Young Adult Science-Fiction author. His  views are considered epic by his cats. Follow at @Flickimp, see his released novels and Goodreads ratings. 

The Festival of #Writing #FOW15 is here

 

Written by Imran Siddiq, Young Adult Science-Fiction author. His  views are considered epic by his cats. Follow at @Flickimp, see his released novels and Goodreads ratings.

 

What could I say about the Festival of Writing – that you won’t already know?

Except that it’s flipping brilliant!

Book yourself onto the Festival of Writing.

Awesome.
Amazing.
The greatest festival of writing you could ever imagine.

 

And I’m not just saying that.

Book yourself onto the Festival of Writing.

This will be my 5th in succession, and each year the passion to attend never wanes.

See my previous posts/review if you dare to doubt me.

FOW 2011
FOW 2012
FOW 2013
FOW 2014

 

Do you want to mingle with writers? learn from experts? Develop your voice? Understand dialogue? Get clear your POV? Hone your genre? Realise that there are many out there in the same boat as you, or that some have found ways to become better?

 

And most of all – do you want to meet Editors and Literary Agents?

 

That’s right – get yourself a 1-2-1 slot with an agent to have your manuscript reviewed – and possibly considered.

Book yourself onto the Festival of Writing.

Consider this … the cost of a festival and meeting agents – versus – a holiday where you’re wondering why an agent is taking you on. Okay – that was a little too direct, but the advice from agents could make the difference with your journey as a writing.

Believe me – when you leave the festival – your drive to write will be ‘Epic’.

 

Written by Imran Siddiq, Young Adult Science-Fiction author. His  views are considered epic by his cats. Follow at @Flickimp, see his released novels and Goodreads ratings.

The 3rd Self Publishing Conference May 2015 #Writing

 

Back for a third year in succession is the Self Publishing Conference in Leicester (United Kingdom). Unfortunately I won’t be there for the 3rd year due to brother’s wedding plans (damn) – but I would strongly recommend that anyone considering Self Publishing attend.

Just jumping into publishing isn’t a great idea without considering avenues, options, and what you should do to make an impact.

The Conference takes place on Saturday 9th May 2015 at the University of Leicester. Once more the event brings together key figures in the self-publishing industry for the benefit of self-publishing authors. 

http://www.selfpublishingconference.org.uk

The conference is the perfect day out for authors thinking about, or already involved in, self-publishing their work. Whether you are going it alone or using a self-publishing company, the multiple sessions on a wide variety of topics will be invaluable. The 2015 conference features Keynote Speaker, Bridget Shine from the Independent Publishers Guild (IPG), who will talk about the rise of indie publishing and the day rounds up with an interactive Indie Author Exchange. Other speakers include;

•Dr Alison Baverstock (Kingston University) who will guide authors through key decisions in self-publishing.

•Literary agent Judith Murdoch (Murdoch Literary Agency) on getting an agent.

•Ben Cameron (Cameron Publicity & Marketing) on the key points of book marketing.

They are joined by Sue Magee (TheBookBag.co.uk), Diego Marano (Kobo), Cressida Downing (The Book Analyst), Stuart Evers (NetGalley), Helen Lewis (Literally PR), Ayisha Malik (Cornerstones) and Clive Herbert (Nielsen Book) who between them will guide authors through everything from making sales, getting book reviews to publishing an ebook and editing manuscripts. Registration is £60.00 per person – this includes a delegate’s pack, morning coffee, buffet lunch, afternoon tea, an early-evening drinks reception and a wide choice of sessions  on different aspects of self-publishing. Use the tabs above to explore more about the 2015 conference and to watch videos and see photos from the 2013 and 2014 conferences. 

Offering multiple sessions on self-publishing and giving authors the chance to meet other self-publishers and specialists in the field, this conference is ideal for all budding authors.

http://www.selfpublishingconference.org.uk

 

 

Use Trello for Plotting

 

www.TRELLO.com can be utilised to plot and keep handy details about your chapters, characters, and settings.

It’s free and has a high level of interactivity about it.

I have found it extremely useful for plotting  and the below video (made by me) will explain how why you should too.

Fantastic for:

Plotting
Describing Chapters
Characters
Images
Rearranging items

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEwm4b6yHOY

Let Concept Art Fuel Your Stories

 

Doodling can have a greater effect than ruining your last post-it.

I’ve found a new way of blending photographs and then going crazy with inspiration to create images. From them I’ve found tales forming in their own right. I now see landscapes or settings that could warrant a place in a future novel or short story.

Let me enlighten you below:

Step 1: Find images – from the web, a Facebook post, Twitter, or your own photographs. It doesn’t matter how different or varied they are. The more different the better.

Step 2: In Photoshop, or another preferred digital art tool – set up a grid. I built mine on a 40cm x 30cm file.

Step 3: Next – pick any image and place it behind the grid.

Step 4: Pick another image. Go for something completely different. Chaos if images is great.

Step 5: Then mess around with the size, the blending of the image layer, or the opacity to mesh it with the first image.

Below, I’ve shrunk it to be 4 rectangles big, lowered it’s opacity, and moved to the top right corner. (See it?)

Step 6: Repeat with as many images as you want…

Until you have a Chaotic Image!

In total I used 11 images bashed together.

Step 7: Pick an image in one of the squares, and start changing it.

Use the existing colours to blend away with other parts, or totally overhaul the square because you’ve spotted something in the detail that’s given rise to an idea.

Let your mind be free.

Below is what I did with the bottom left corner image.

BEFORE

AFTER

Yes, I know it’s not perfect, but it’s not meant to be.

It’s a concept. An idea. A seed that could grow later on.

After much work (well 3 hours in total) – I eventually did every image.

REMINDER of BEFORE

FINISHED CONCEPT ART

Click to view larger image

Now – what stories can you see?

Avoid 3rd Party E-book distributors

 

 

I dare not preach – but I bring a warning of using 3rd Party E-book formatters and distributors that take a slice of your royalties.

I’ve got nothing against persons/companies that convert your manuscript into the Epub or Mobi format for E-book consumption. Yup – no problem at all. I pay someone to convert my novels into Epub/Mobi for a single charge of £20. And they do a cracking job within a few days. Will share details if asked – or tweet me: @flickimp 

My issue is around companies that either charge a walloping amount to format and distribute for you – or they don’t charge initially, and instead take a cut of your royalties later.

Let me explain.

Cost to convert manuscript into e-book = £0 [Woohoo]

Cost to upload to Kindle/Apple = £0 [Even better]

Cost when an e-book is sold =  20% of sale price.

Stop. Did you notice that? They don’t charge 20% of the royalty rate – but 20% of the sale price. If (with Kindle) – you’re making 35% royalty from a sale – then this company have taken a slice of that- thus meaning your earnings will be 15% of the sale price.

Of course – by the time you hit the 70% royalty rate, you’ll earn more than you pay the company as commission – but the amount you could lose out just can’t be ignored.

Look at the blue column:

You’ll earn 70% royalty on a novel set at 2.99

Of the 2.09 royalty received – you’ll pay 0.60 to the company – and that brings your earnings down to 1.50

You’ll probably say “so what” – because you’re earning more than them. Yes. True. But if sales pick up – you could be paying out for more than the service received.

Let’s say you sell 100 books in Month 1. Your received earnings (before tax) = 149.50, and the company receive 59.80.

But what if you sell 100 books per Month for a year? Then the company will receive 717.60

Whoa !!! Hold on. You’ll give 717.60 for a service that I can get for a one-off charge of £20?

The chances of selling that many e-books is low – and few hit the headlines as success stories – but spare a thought for what you’re paying out. Can you imagine the excellent critique, advice, or editing that you could get done if there was an extra 717 in your pocket?

Be careful.

There’s already lots of help out there to get your novels onto Kindle. It’s free.

One last point.  When a company goes bust, they’ll usually terminate distribution. And although you could re-upload – you’re likely to lose the 50 Amazon reviews you’d gained over the time that you were the company.

This post is not aimed at any company or the hard work that some put in. But I’ve seen and heard of many tales where the unsuspecting get taken for a ride. Spend your money on good covers, editing, critiques, proofing, and marketing, rather than feeding the few that are waiting … in the shadows … with their claws out …