Toi’s Comments (group member since Mar 11, 2017)

Toi’s comments from the The Insecure Writer's Support Group Book Club group.

Here are my thoughts on "The Book" questions.

9. 28 weekends of this step-by-step plan is dedicated to the detailed planning of the novel, with 20 weekends dedicated to writing the rough draft. Does this seem like a reasonable balance?

Yes. For a first-time writer and or a writer with limited time to write, the realization that this isn’t going to happen quickly is important. The 20-week drafting breakdown is 4 weeks for act 1, 9 weeks for act 2, and 5 weeks for act 3. I think it’s a wonderful plan. Spending 28 weeks on development almost guarantees you don’t waste any valuable time when you start drafting… at least for me.

10. The Weekend Novelist has a very linear, strategic approach to writing. Did you find this helpful or too rigid for your writing style?

I’m a plotter so it was fine for me, but it made me worry that it might work so well for people with dramatically different writing styles.

11. Did reading about the development of the test manuscript, Trophy Wives, make applying this method seem more feasible or did it complicate things? Is that a story you’d like to read through from beginning to end?

First off, I love the idea of a test story, a work in progress for the reader to see developing. Secondly, I don’t really care for the test story. Trophy Wives is not something I think I’d want to read just passing it by in a bookstore, but I liked seeing how it was developed and could read it, from beginning to end, after this experience. Thirdly, the development of the test story sometimes felt a bit repetitive. It seemed to be developing slower than the steps in the book were progressing. The authors seemed a bit caught up in the test story and kept going back to tweak characters and plot points, which is what a writer should do, but it felt like too much at times. Lastly, a small part of me felt like I was being tricked into reading a manuscript that one or both of these authors have never published. Part of me enjoyed being tricked and the other part is a bit leery.

12. The “Warm Up” techniques suggested in this book have been around for a long time. Have you used any? If so, which one did you find most effective in getting your writing to flow?

I typically only do warm up writing if I’m working on short fiction or if I’m trying to come up with new ideas. When working on an active manuscript, the warm ups can sometimes be distracting. However, I like the idea of timed writing. I’ve used it in the past but have learned to alter it a bit. I can’t set a specific time to write but I can write for a specific amount of time. I also really loved the idea of writing down the page (not sure if this is a warm up). That’s my new favorite drafting technique. After doing an overall outline, character timelines and profiles, I’m ready to write down the page scene by scene. I’ll figure out chapters later.

13. There are many charts and graphs displayed throughout the book which serve as templates for the reader to apply. Did you find any of these charts or graphs especially helpful and or not particularly helpful?

I loved the charts showing and explaining some of the basic plotting structures. Figures 5 - 7 show cyclic plot developments; most notably the heroes journey, a plot structure I’ve grown to adore over the years.

The graph for plotting with sacred objects (figure 8) seemed a bit of a stretch for the Cinderella story. I think some of the techniques applied across the board actually work better in specific genres. I would use a graph like figure 8 for a mystery or crime story, not in a rags-to-riches fairytale. The bullet example from, White Teeth (figure 9), was much better. I don’t think there was enough emphasis on the importance of genre in this book.

Also, figure 18, for story structure, was ridiculous and confusing to me, but I’m sure it helped someone.

Juneta wrote: "12. The “Warm Up” techniques suggested in this book have been around for a long time. Have you used any? If so, which one did you find most effective in getting your writing to flow?
Timed writings"

I too like timed writing. I've used it in the past but stopped for some reason. After reading this book, I'm implementing it again.

Christine wrote: "13. This book probably hit home more with plotters than pantsers. Most of it was not for me with my style of writing. One part I did particularly like was about writing synopses. I made notes about that, and I hope it will help me when I have to write my own blurbs later this year. "

I'm glad you expressed this. As a plotter, I had the feeling this book would be a bit limiting or rigid for a pantser. Still, I'm glad you were able to benefit from some of the synopsis pointers.

I love these questions. I think I’ll start with the writing questions and come back for the others.

For anyone who’s interested, here’s my review of the book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

@Michael, I’m looking forward to your comments on this one and the one on mysteries. It sounds like something worth looking into if you want to get into writing mysteries.

Writing:

1. Robert J. Ray said, “Like many first novelists, I had written a book about something I knew.”

Was your first novel about something you knew?

No. The first book I wrote was about a dream I had. As far as the genre goes, it was a genre I was familiar with, but I hadn’t read a lot of books on the specific subject I was writing about. Plus, I was adding a slightly romantic element to the story without having any previous reading experience with romance. I wrote my first book because I was compelled to do so; it was a form of stress relief in many ways.

2. One of the simplest, yet most powerful statements in this book is: “During your writing time, you’re a writer.” Have you internalized this message? Has it helped?

I don’t know that this statement helped me in any particular way, but I think I get what it’s saying. Once I started writing my first book, I considered myself a writer. Even if I never published anything, I would still consider myself a writer. When I write, I’m working my craft, just as a painter, sculptor, or musician would.

3. How do you structure your writing sessions and did the suggestions in this book help improve them?

I’m all the time trying new ways to do the same things either better or simply different. I liked many of the suggestions in this book and have recently tried a few. For me, there is no one way of doing things. Because I write in multiple genres, I find that different methods and structures work better for different projects.

Typically, though, if I’m writing short fiction, I do word clouds to brainstorm for a few minutes and then simply write without stopping or until I stop. If I’m working on a novel in progress, I don’t like to do warm-up activities (they sometimes distract or deter me). I usually read over a few notes, read the last page or two I wrote, and then start writing until my timer goes off (which could be set for 15 to 60 minutes). And, if I’m trying to write something romantic, I have to listen to music before and or during my writing time to help me stay in the mood.

Roland wrote: "I feel that my reading of The Time Traveller’s Wife is at odds with everyone else’s. Apologies, but that is how my brain flips these days. Or maybe it’s because I’m reading a book with two POVs tha..."

Roland, I enjoyed reading your assessment. I like to see differences of opinions and experiences explained. What works or one may not work for another and vice versa.

I hadn't considered how the dates might have an effect on a non-US reader. Thanks for mentioning that.

I think the whole story of the daughter was my favorite part but hadn't considered some of the points you mentioned about showing Clare with the upper hand.

I'm glad you enjoyed the story.

C. Lee wrote: "The characters appear at different ages in their lives. One of the problems I found in reading the book, was the loss of sustained character development. Did anyone else find this an issue?

Also ..."

You have a point. As much as I liked the story and the concept, I think there was so much happening in maintaining the structure of the plot that the character development suffered a bit. I don't feel that it's an author's job to make the reader like the characters, but I do think the reader should connect with them. I had difficulty connecting with these characters. I was more involved with how the overall story would play out.

I always considered myself a plot-driven reader, but when the very nature of the characters and or their relationships is the driving force of the narrative (the title says it all), character development should be just as good as the plot. And at the risk of sounding like I don't like the book (which I do), I feel that this really cool and intricate plot wasn't executed in the best way.

1. I didn’t care for the prologue. I didn’t think it was bad, but it wasn’t enticing. It did serve the purpose of letting me know that the rest of the story would be dual perspective. I think focusing on a specific scene would have been better. I liked the description of how Henry feels when he arrives in a new time.

2. I think having that first meeting would have been a nice start. The jumping around could still be affective later on. Starting the way it did, I felt like the author assumed we were going to love and relate to these characters simply because we were reading the book.


3. There are times when I enjoy a dual perspective and times when I don’t. I think it worked here, but I would have done it a bit different. Since Henry is the time-traveler, I’d start with his stories and then offer Clare’s pov as an alternate or a response (I’d even mix that up a bit).


4. I didn’t pay too much attention to the dates or ages. I figured if I got confused at any point, that would mean the story was getting too complex. It was fine for me.


5. Yes, I think the way the dual pov was executed made the story seem more jumbled than it needed to be. I do wish the pov changes had been more systematic.


6. Since I’m not the first to say it, I don’t feel too bad, but their relationship was kind of boring. They were kind of boring. If Henry wasn’t a time-traveler, I don’t think theirs would make a great love story.


7. I didn’t really have a favorite part, but it was interesting to see how the concept of having a child in their situation was handled.


8. I don’t think the 9/11 scene added or took from the story. I was actually wondering if there would be noticeable historical moments in the story, so it was fine.


9. I’m so close to the end, but not there yet. I’m pretty sure I know how I feel, but even with two pages to go… you never know…

10. I’d do things a little different. I think I touched on it in answer #3.

For Amazon, the $100 budget requirement is a bit daunting, especially when you consider that paying $100 for 100 clicks may land you in deficit if you aren’t making at least $1 of sales per click ..."

You know, I may have been caught in a frenzy when I wrote this. Let me correct myself. There is a $100 budget limit, but the clicks actually only cost about $0.20. Still, I think it's quite a gamble. I'm going to update my post so people don't leave thinks Amazon is crazy. That's my fault for not reviewing my response before posting it.

Great interview. Clear and concise answers.

1. QUESTION: What sort of word-of-mouth do you employ for your books?
I agree that word of mouth is great, but it only benefits you when there are mouths to spread the word.
Trying to get reviews seems to be the best way to gain word of mouth or having a lot of supporting friends and family. If you don’t have the latter and can’t get reviews, you’re kind of S.O.L. Wish he’d given some advice on gaining reviews.
I try to build word of mouth through blog tours, discussion, and comparing my work to other for popular items. I don’t compare the quality, I try to make associations that people can easily identify; ie: if you like this, you may like this or if you don’t like that then this may be an alternative.
But in the end, it all boils down to whether or not you have access to mouths that will actually spread the word.

2. QUESTION: Have you written a series? Give us a short pitch of what your series is about (titles, genre) and how you feel your series is doing in regards to selling other books (backlist titles or titles in the same series).

I have two series in the making right now and one that’s actually on the market with two installments (currently working on the third).
Eternal Curse is a paranormal series about the existence and intermingling of angels, demons, and others with humans in the ongoing battle between good and evil. It has a Christian world-view so the audience for it is small.
Having a second book in the series didn’t really seem to help. People who said they enjoyed the first book didn’t read the second one and there was no major boost in the first book’s sales when the second one came out.

3. QUESTION: As a reader, does a bad cover stop you from reading the book’s description?

Yes and no. I find that some covers pull me into a book while others do nothing for me at all. It’s rare, but sometimes I see a cover that makes me wonder why the author thought that was the best way to present their story to the public. In those cases, yes, I walk away and don’t give the book a second thought, but those cases are far and few between. I guess I recognize that many people have different esthetic triggers and so try not to let the cover influence me too much. Most of the time, I go for the book description.

4. QUESTION: Using this equation, what is your writing quota for a six-day week?

To be honest, setting a word or page count has always given me anxiety. I know I need to set boundaries and deadlines, but I require a bit more flexibility to reduce the possibility of added stress. For me, I have a set amount of time I devote to writing. Whatever I get done in that amount of time is a triumph. Certain days a week, I set aside 30 minutes; other days get 1 hour.

5. QUESTION: Do you have a website? Why or why not?
Yes, I think it’s important for authors to have a home on the web; a place where people can find out basic information about them (not a social media site). I don’t think the website has to be elaborate or have a blog attached to it, but it should be professional looking. It should be one thing online that makes you look good, no matter what; something people can search and find you, especially if you’re not using social media.

6. A) Can you write short fiction/non-fiction?
Yes, I have one published collection of short fiction and am working on a second. I write non-fiction articles on my blog all the time, published two non-fiction companion guides for my novels, and have been included in non-fiction and short fiction anthologies.

B) Would you consider self-publishing short fiction to get newsletter subscribers or new readers? (Or have you? If so, did it work?)
I currently offer a free short story with my newsletter sign-up and do quite well with it. I also make a point to update the story about every six - eight months. Current subscribers always get the new story and it’s a great way to bring attention to my newsletter. I usually do a post letting people know that I’m updating my freebie and that it’s a great time to sign up. That way if people are following me but aren’t interested in my current freebie, maybe they’ll like the next one enough to sign-up. It also helps to promote the books the short stories appear in (sometimes they are exclusive stories, sometimes they are from other collections).
I will say that I only giveaway free short stories for this, never a whole book. Maybe I’m missing an opportunity, but it’s a risk I’m willing to accept.

7. QUESTION: Have you ever been to a conference? What was your experience like?

Yes, I love doing live event when I can afford them and have the time. I’d like to try some different ones though. Some are better than others for different reasons, so trying different ones seems like a smart move.

8. QUESTION: Are you a part of a critique group? How does it help you?

Every critique group I’ve tried hasn’t ended well for a number of different reasons, but I keep trying.

9. QUESTION: If you blog, do you wish you hadn’t started or do you think it’s still worth the effort? Why?

I don’t think it’s good to tell writers not to blog, however, I do think it’s important to educate them on the time commitment it can be. For me, I would advise new writers to leave blogging alone if it’s not something that they are genuinely interested in or don’t have a clear plan for. If a writer shows an interest in blogging, I’d encourage them to pursue it in a smart way. Decide what they hope to gain from it; decide what amount of time they want or can invest in it; then decide what audience to cater to.

I’m glad I started blogging. Without blogging there would be no mouths to spread the word about my books. Aside from my immediate family, my family and friends could care less about my writing. Blogging allowed me to build up the small audience I have.

10. A) Do you do interviews to get sales or exposure (or both)?
Yes, I find that I enjoy being interview and interviewing others. Never considered it a waste. If only 1 out of 100 people buy my book as a result, well that’s 1 sale I didn’t have. For me though, these types of marketing investments are not about immediate ROE or ROI. An interview is something I can add to my arsenal of creditability, my portfolio of social interaction, and increase in my SEO ranking, etc…

B) Have you ever done an interview for a podcast? Would you do it again?
Yes. I’ve done at least two or three. I enjoyed them and would do it again. It’s not always about selling my books either. One interview I did was more about me and my life and oh, I just also happen to be an author.

11. QUESTION: Have you tried either of these paid advertising spots? What were your results?

I have done my research and have not pursued either of the options at the moment, but have not completely ruled them out. BookBub has many facets that require approval and or cost money and it doesn’t always make sense. It’s a great site to be on if you already have a following that you want to grow.
For Amazon, the $100 budget requirement is a bit daunting, especially when you consider that paying $100 for 100 clicks may land you in deficit if you aren’t making at least $1 of sales per click, and what are the odds of that. Again, I’m not opposed to it, but it’s not a move for me at the moment.
*** I made a mistake above. The clicks only cost about $0.20 not $1. ***

12. QUESTION: Which social media platform would you pick to focus on? (Remember, only one.)
My blog. While I enjoy Facebook (sometimes), I have a larger Twitter following at the moment, but don’t think half my followers even know who I am. I’m working on improving that with a monthly question, but if I could only choose one, I’d go with my blog.

What is one good marketing strategy that you see authors doing wrong or falling short with, and how can they make it work better for them?

I haven't forgotten about the rest of the discussion, but I just posted my review and will be back to discuss more. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

PART A – Book Questions

1) At the beginning of the book I felt sorry for Mary even though she was annoying. I felt like she had no real control over the way she was because no one had bothered to teach her any different. Not sure why, but I didn’t feel as sorry for Colin, though he was kinda the same. I mostly felt like he enjoyed being the way he was too much. By the end of the book, I liked the children more, but still prefered Mary over Colin.

2) A modern take on this story might have Mary depicted as a super thin anti-socialite with fake social media accounts set up to see what’s going on in the world without actually contributing to it. I see her wearing a lot of dark colors, but not necessarily goth (I think that would take too much effort).
I see Colin being portrayed much the same only surrounded by high-tech devices and indulging in online support groups.

3) Mary –
Yellow or Sour

Colin –
Infantile

4) I feel like most of the descriptions of Dickon were indirect. I don’t feel like the author ever really told us what Dickon was like, but instead let all the other characters talk about him.

5) I like the scene where Mary meets Dickon for the first time. They know each other even before they speak because of their interactions with Martha, but it’s the description of the hiding animals all around that really let you know who this special boy is.

6) Like all the other servants, I didn’t care for how ignorant Martha was about so many things. Whether in England, the US, or anywhere else, small tight-knit communities seem to breed ignorance. Despite the ignorance of Martha and the other servants, they aren’t mean or dislikable people. I like that Martha knows her place but recognizes the subtle injustices in her world while keeping a cheery disposition. I get the feeling that Martha isn’t too much older than Dickon yet she works for a living to help support her family. At her job, she has to deal with the spoiled sour girl from India who can’t even dress herself, yet Martha mostly smiles through it all.


I’ll have to come back to address Parts B – D.