C.E. Paul's Blog, page 3
February 17, 2014
SCWC: The Road to Publication—Theme and Genre
My notes from the Southern California Writers' Conference.
· Publishing vs publishing a best-seller—1 in 300 becomes a bestseller.
· Exercise—write down your daydreams
· Secrets (theme/hook gets you word-of-mouth, gets readers to share your book)o What is your favorite genre?o The “what’s it about” question.o What secrets have been buried on your journey?o Does your hook connect with your theme?
· What compels people to share a story?
· Entertainmento Theme and entertainment (the book needs to be entertaining!)o Readers want romance, mystery, thrillers, YA, and sci-fio Formulas (rules) of genre fiction can stretch/flow free§ They have a positive and negative energy§ They inspire character (flawed), plot, depth, interest
· Read other writers in your genre to get ideas.· Challenge is to give publishers what they want to sell. Stretch the rules!
· Goalso Do your stories have a moral?o Exercise: write one sentence that would make someone buy your book (keep it simple, create emotional appeal)o The pre-eminent theme of great literature is the human heart in conflict with itself. – William Faulkner
· What is different and unique about your book?· Wisdom is based on doubt, don’t be too full of certainty.
· Voiceo Theme links voice/imperfection. You find the voice through imperfection (idiosyncrasies). Let a little imperfection in, it’s a good thing.o Why do you write? To kill old enemies? Without an emotional desire to write, it will be difficult to sustain for the long-haul. What drives you?o Repressed emotions/dominant emotions (you can edit your own life!)o Writing helps us understand and rewriteo Themes are universal stories with appeal
· Stick to the point, don’t meander.
· Toneo Theme in your tone?o “If writing has a morality it is expressed through tone.” – Philip Gerardo Word choice, what’s between the lines, insight, not easy judgment and “a great humanity.”o Steinbeck—“Then the hard, dry, Spaniards came passing through.”
· Assume your readers are more intelligent than you, don’t explain everything to them. Cut out excess. Let tone do the work.
· Spineo Theme is the spine of your story.o Write with courageo The ghost in the machine—are we whole/part?o Primitive theme—inner struggle. Which is the better path?o Exercise 2: what is your main character’s problem? (make it short and sweet)· Nestingo Are you’re themes nesting (themes inside each other/subplots)?o Big picture themes are plot driveno Character themes need an arco Endings need a payoff· Theme-Tensiono Start with the ending in doubto What is your favorite use of tension?o Four types—task, relationship, mystery, surpriseo Which fits your theme?· Cohesiono Does each chapter matter?o Does the ending twist? (element of surprise)o Does the twist reflect the theme?o Can we sense something coming?o Write down a twist that reflects the theme.· Moodo Everything’s related to themeo Dialogue, action, expositiono Cover, website, title, marketing online/offo What is the mood of a novel?o Hopeful, sad/tragic, romantic, exciting, mysterious· Endingso The final battle provides answers to the story questionso The denouement ties up the loose ends . o Should endings serve the theme?o Does your climax prove your point?o Consider outer problems and inner problems· Beware!o Surface gloss does not a bestseller makeo Overload your theme and it will break aparto Lurid language lacks powero Subtext provides needed deptho Resist the urge to explain!! (“RUE”)
· Publishing vs publishing a best-seller—1 in 300 becomes a bestseller.
· Exercise—write down your daydreams
· Secrets (theme/hook gets you word-of-mouth, gets readers to share your book)o What is your favorite genre?o The “what’s it about” question.o What secrets have been buried on your journey?o Does your hook connect with your theme?
· What compels people to share a story?
· Entertainmento Theme and entertainment (the book needs to be entertaining!)o Readers want romance, mystery, thrillers, YA, and sci-fio Formulas (rules) of genre fiction can stretch/flow free§ They have a positive and negative energy§ They inspire character (flawed), plot, depth, interest
· Read other writers in your genre to get ideas.· Challenge is to give publishers what they want to sell. Stretch the rules!
· Goalso Do your stories have a moral?o Exercise: write one sentence that would make someone buy your book (keep it simple, create emotional appeal)o The pre-eminent theme of great literature is the human heart in conflict with itself. – William Faulkner
· What is different and unique about your book?· Wisdom is based on doubt, don’t be too full of certainty.
· Voiceo Theme links voice/imperfection. You find the voice through imperfection (idiosyncrasies). Let a little imperfection in, it’s a good thing.o Why do you write? To kill old enemies? Without an emotional desire to write, it will be difficult to sustain for the long-haul. What drives you?o Repressed emotions/dominant emotions (you can edit your own life!)o Writing helps us understand and rewriteo Themes are universal stories with appeal
· Stick to the point, don’t meander.
· Toneo Theme in your tone?o “If writing has a morality it is expressed through tone.” – Philip Gerardo Word choice, what’s between the lines, insight, not easy judgment and “a great humanity.”o Steinbeck—“Then the hard, dry, Spaniards came passing through.”
· Assume your readers are more intelligent than you, don’t explain everything to them. Cut out excess. Let tone do the work.
· Spineo Theme is the spine of your story.o Write with courageo The ghost in the machine—are we whole/part?o Primitive theme—inner struggle. Which is the better path?o Exercise 2: what is your main character’s problem? (make it short and sweet)· Nestingo Are you’re themes nesting (themes inside each other/subplots)?o Big picture themes are plot driveno Character themes need an arco Endings need a payoff· Theme-Tensiono Start with the ending in doubto What is your favorite use of tension?o Four types—task, relationship, mystery, surpriseo Which fits your theme?· Cohesiono Does each chapter matter?o Does the ending twist? (element of surprise)o Does the twist reflect the theme?o Can we sense something coming?o Write down a twist that reflects the theme.· Moodo Everything’s related to themeo Dialogue, action, expositiono Cover, website, title, marketing online/offo What is the mood of a novel?o Hopeful, sad/tragic, romantic, exciting, mysterious· Endingso The final battle provides answers to the story questionso The denouement ties up the loose ends . o Should endings serve the theme?o Does your climax prove your point?o Consider outer problems and inner problems· Beware!o Surface gloss does not a bestseller makeo Overload your theme and it will break aparto Lurid language lacks powero Subtext provides needed deptho Resist the urge to explain!! (“RUE”)
Published on February 17, 2014 13:40
SCWC: Self-Publishing Savvy: Why, How, Where, What You Need to Know
My notes from the Southern California Writers' Conference.
• Why self-publish? Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
• What is your project? Self-publish if it’s hobby writing; you like telling stories but don’t expect to make a living; a personal record meant to be shared by family
• When you start treating your books like business, then you’re a career writer.
• Self-publish if you are you a perfectionist and an outgoing person who likes things your way and doesn't mind doing all the work if it means you’re control.
• Make sure you build up an internet/social media presence (blog, website). Are you involved in your genre’s organizations? Learn from them, get involved in their activities.
• Write a damned good book, be in a critique group, get beta readers, hire a professional editor…create a damned good book cover! Pay for it unless you’re a graphic designer, make sure it looks good as a thumbnail.
• Release plans: build anticipation on website/social media/blog, do giveaways, have a release party (online or in person)! Café press/zazzle
• ISBN makes your book unique since titles can’t be copyrighted. Createspace will assign one for free, but the publisher will always be “Createspace”.
• Formatting books: booknook.biz, other companies, Createspace. Lulu.com does hardcopies, Createspace does not.
• Smashwords formats for multiple e-readers
• Multiple books require structure—brand each genre (consistent cover schemes), consider creating your own publishing imprint if you write a lot of books.
• You must learn to market without marketing—no one wants to hear “buy my book!” Everyone wants to hear, “How are you today?”
• Resources: createspace.com, kdp.amazon.com, smashwords.com, bowker.com, booknook.biz, mobipocket.com, APE: Author, Publisher, and Entrepreneur
• Why self-publish? Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
• What is your project? Self-publish if it’s hobby writing; you like telling stories but don’t expect to make a living; a personal record meant to be shared by family
• When you start treating your books like business, then you’re a career writer.
• Self-publish if you are you a perfectionist and an outgoing person who likes things your way and doesn't mind doing all the work if it means you’re control.
• Make sure you build up an internet/social media presence (blog, website). Are you involved in your genre’s organizations? Learn from them, get involved in their activities.
• Write a damned good book, be in a critique group, get beta readers, hire a professional editor…create a damned good book cover! Pay for it unless you’re a graphic designer, make sure it looks good as a thumbnail.
• Release plans: build anticipation on website/social media/blog, do giveaways, have a release party (online or in person)! Café press/zazzle
• ISBN makes your book unique since titles can’t be copyrighted. Createspace will assign one for free, but the publisher will always be “Createspace”.
• Formatting books: booknook.biz, other companies, Createspace. Lulu.com does hardcopies, Createspace does not.
• Smashwords formats for multiple e-readers
• Multiple books require structure—brand each genre (consistent cover schemes), consider creating your own publishing imprint if you write a lot of books.
• You must learn to market without marketing—no one wants to hear “buy my book!” Everyone wants to hear, “How are you today?”
• Resources: createspace.com, kdp.amazon.com, smashwords.com, bowker.com, booknook.biz, mobipocket.com, APE: Author, Publisher, and Entrepreneur
Published on February 17, 2014 13:36
SCWC: Plotters vs. Pantsers: To Outline or Not?
My notes from the Southern California Writers' Conference.
• Plotting can help alleviate excessive re-writes.
• Set milestones to hit (road trip analogy)
• Build plot twists into each milestone, build empathy for characters
• Pantsing enables you to get it down as fast as possible
• Backstory (side trips) helps fill in ‘road trip’
• Turning the characters loose can change the course of a book (despite your best outlining/planning)
• If you want someone to read your book, you have to be willing to hear what they have to say about it
• People can teach you how to write, but in the end you just have to write.
• Risks to both plotting and pantsing—plotting can create too much structure, make the story seem too pre-planned. The ‘life’ of free thought disappears in structured thought. How do you amble while staying on track and not wandering off?
• Conflict drives the story, not the characters.
• Story-telling “beatsheet” in Excel
• Writer’s block – keep a positive outlook. Write through it or work on another story. Just KEEP GOING!
• Figure out what works for you. Beat sheets, flash cards.
• Take risks—don’t worry about what the reader thinks
• Don’t neglect your fact-checking, people live to nitpick. But don’t include TOO much. Just make it sound plausible.
• Plotting can help alleviate excessive re-writes.
• Set milestones to hit (road trip analogy)
• Build plot twists into each milestone, build empathy for characters
• Pantsing enables you to get it down as fast as possible
• Backstory (side trips) helps fill in ‘road trip’
• Turning the characters loose can change the course of a book (despite your best outlining/planning)
• If you want someone to read your book, you have to be willing to hear what they have to say about it
• People can teach you how to write, but in the end you just have to write.
• Risks to both plotting and pantsing—plotting can create too much structure, make the story seem too pre-planned. The ‘life’ of free thought disappears in structured thought. How do you amble while staying on track and not wandering off?
• Conflict drives the story, not the characters.
• Story-telling “beatsheet” in Excel
• Writer’s block – keep a positive outlook. Write through it or work on another story. Just KEEP GOING!
• Figure out what works for you. Beat sheets, flash cards.
• Take risks—don’t worry about what the reader thinks
• Don’t neglect your fact-checking, people live to nitpick. But don’t include TOO much. Just make it sound plausible.
Published on February 17, 2014 13:32
January 6, 2014
Homicide John.
My short story, "Homicide John", is available as a FREE download from Jan 5-9. I'd love for you to check it out! I wish I could make it free forever, but I will definitely make it such as often as I can. It was my first time publishing to Amazon, so learning as I go....
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HO161PG
EDIT: I took it down. Obviously 99 cents is too steep for the equivalent of 6 pages. I certainly learned from the experiment. It did well while it was free, though - 136 downloads in 5 days! Thanks to everyone for their support.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HO161PG
EDIT: I took it down. Obviously 99 cents is too steep for the equivalent of 6 pages. I certainly learned from the experiment. It did well while it was free, though - 136 downloads in 5 days! Thanks to everyone for their support.
Published on January 06, 2014 19:53
January 3, 2014
Word Aversion.
I have this “thing” that I do.
I have a dozen—or perhaps 2 dozen—RSS feeds set up to track the news. Most of it is science and technology-related. I’m too lazy to go searching for it, you see. I make it come to me. Every few weeks or so, I click on one of the feeds and then do a search for “robot.” Then I leisurely peruse the articles relating to robots. Some are dumb. Some are interesting. Some are meh, and some are mind-blowing. But the one word I see a TON of is “drone.” Drone this, drone that…drones here, drones there, everywhere a drone-drone. The word is so ubiquitous and overused that it just started getting annoying. It has become the cool catchword that everyone and their mom has started to abuse. I mean, most consumer "drones" are just fancy remote-control helicopters, for God's sake. And those have been around forever.
So I made it my mission, my persistent goal, to absolutely NOT use that word in my book (which is difficult, considering it deals with futuristic technologies). It has gotten to the point where the mere mention or sight of it makes me want to do something violent. Like throw something. I’ve added it to the list of words I dislike. The word “moist” is also on that list. I can’t stand that word.
Anyone else have any irrational aversions to certain words?
(Not an entirely relevant comic, but I just love the little Walter White/Heisenberg pork pie hat.)
I have a dozen—or perhaps 2 dozen—RSS feeds set up to track the news. Most of it is science and technology-related. I’m too lazy to go searching for it, you see. I make it come to me. Every few weeks or so, I click on one of the feeds and then do a search for “robot.” Then I leisurely peruse the articles relating to robots. Some are dumb. Some are interesting. Some are meh, and some are mind-blowing. But the one word I see a TON of is “drone.” Drone this, drone that…drones here, drones there, everywhere a drone-drone. The word is so ubiquitous and overused that it just started getting annoying. It has become the cool catchword that everyone and their mom has started to abuse. I mean, most consumer "drones" are just fancy remote-control helicopters, for God's sake. And those have been around forever.
So I made it my mission, my persistent goal, to absolutely NOT use that word in my book (which is difficult, considering it deals with futuristic technologies). It has gotten to the point where the mere mention or sight of it makes me want to do something violent. Like throw something. I’ve added it to the list of words I dislike. The word “moist” is also on that list. I can’t stand that word.
Anyone else have any irrational aversions to certain words?

Published on January 03, 2014 12:39
November 25, 2013
Peaceful Genocide!
Check it out, a writer friend of mine released a book today. Yippee! If you like sci-fi thrillers, check it out! Available on Kindle and paperback from Amazon.
KindlePaperback

KindlePaperback
Published on November 25, 2013 15:34
November 18, 2013
Phasms Cover Reveal!
So, not only is it my friend/critique-buddy's birthday today, but it's also the cover reveal for her very first novel! What an awesome birthday present :D I'm so very proud and happy for her. Cheers, Barb! And may you drink scotch to your heart's content tonight!
Here is the cover in question, in all its splendid glory:
*heavenly choir*
Below are a few notes about the book and its sexy author :D
Kelsi always Knows when bad things are coming, but even she never thought she’d lose her husband at only twenty-three. Since he died, she’s been living her worst nightmare.
Her nights are filled with dreams of a Dark Haired Man, but her days are full of guilt, because the Man fills her with longing and confusion, promising to give her all she needs, all she wants, all she feared she’d never have again.
If only the dreams would stay in her head where they belong.
Kelsi starts seeing the Dark Haired Man in her waking life, shadowing her wherever she goes. And when her mysterious new neighbor, Aiden Hardt, knows about the Man in her dreams, Kelsi worries she can’t trust her own mind.
"He’s not what he seems."
But even Aiden’s cryptic words don’t frighten her as much as the way she feels around him. Kelsi must sort through her emotions and figure out what’s real before she can ever hope to have a normal life again.
-About the Author-
Barbara was born and raised in Southern California, but left to explore the world courtesy of the U.S. Navy. After traveling the world, she forced herself to live a humble life in in San Francisco, New York and Norfolk, Virginia. She now calls San Diego home and you won’t pry her out with a crowbar.
She would be the first to tell you her husband, Henry, is the inspiration for all the romance, and the real Charlie - who is as cute as he sounds in her books - is a terrorist. When not working for the U.S. Navy, she can be found running, reading or writing. She firmly believes a well-rounded diet consists of coffee, scotch, chocolate, popcorn and Luna Bars. In that order.
She's a graduate of CUNY and Penn State - and manages to write a decent line here and there despite those burdens.
Social Media Links https://twitter.com/bak229 http://nofilterinstalled.blogspot.com https://www.facebook.com/NoFilterBetweenBrainandMouth
Here is the cover in question, in all its splendid glory:

*heavenly choir*
Below are a few notes about the book and its sexy author :D
Kelsi always Knows when bad things are coming, but even she never thought she’d lose her husband at only twenty-three. Since he died, she’s been living her worst nightmare.
Her nights are filled with dreams of a Dark Haired Man, but her days are full of guilt, because the Man fills her with longing and confusion, promising to give her all she needs, all she wants, all she feared she’d never have again.
If only the dreams would stay in her head where they belong.
Kelsi starts seeing the Dark Haired Man in her waking life, shadowing her wherever she goes. And when her mysterious new neighbor, Aiden Hardt, knows about the Man in her dreams, Kelsi worries she can’t trust her own mind.
"He’s not what he seems."
But even Aiden’s cryptic words don’t frighten her as much as the way she feels around him. Kelsi must sort through her emotions and figure out what’s real before she can ever hope to have a normal life again.
-About the Author-

Barbara was born and raised in Southern California, but left to explore the world courtesy of the U.S. Navy. After traveling the world, she forced herself to live a humble life in in San Francisco, New York and Norfolk, Virginia. She now calls San Diego home and you won’t pry her out with a crowbar.
She would be the first to tell you her husband, Henry, is the inspiration for all the romance, and the real Charlie - who is as cute as he sounds in her books - is a terrorist. When not working for the U.S. Navy, she can be found running, reading or writing. She firmly believes a well-rounded diet consists of coffee, scotch, chocolate, popcorn and Luna Bars. In that order.
She's a graduate of CUNY and Penn State - and manages to write a decent line here and there despite those burdens.
Social Media Links https://twitter.com/bak229 http://nofilterinstalled.blogspot.com https://www.facebook.com/NoFilterBetweenBrainandMouth
Published on November 18, 2013 03:00
September 21, 2013
My Fancy-Pants Website.
So...
I updated my blog with my website, but I didn't actually post that I have a website now. It's a little bare-bones at the moment, but I expect things might begin snowballing as the year ends.
Check it, yo!
http://www.cepaulwrites.com/
I updated my blog with my website, but I didn't actually post that I have a website now. It's a little bare-bones at the moment, but I expect things might begin snowballing as the year ends.
Check it, yo!
http://www.cepaulwrites.com/
Published on September 21, 2013 22:09