Peggy Bechko

Writers Websites Wednesday - Free Online Screenwriting Programs

2012-02-29T09:27:00.005-07:00

Into Screenwriting? Then you might want to check out these online screenwriting programs at 5 Free Online Screenwriting Programs and let me know what you think. Some are simply free, some are free to try, then later buy 'pro' version.

For Writers The Devil Is In The Details

2012-02-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Details, details, details. As writers we need them, and are told time and again not to overdo them. Both admonitions are correct.

But, we can be come such masters of our own written work, such orchestrators of our stories that things happen. Oh, don't get me wrong, many times it's very good things, but there can be others as well, things that simply aren't expected.

As an example, have you written a story where the descriptions of your characters are non-existent or the setting one that simply disappears? I have. When I was just beginning I wrote a story. My then helpful Godmother/acting editor pointed out she loved the story. Had to read it a couple of times in fact to figure out what was wrong. Turns out she had no idea what my characters looked like. I'd totally written the story but left out little details like short, tall, fat, skinny, long hair, short, you know, the things that let us identify with characters.

That same thing can happen with setting. You're telling a story. The setting is crystal clear in your mind. You, as the writer, see everything perfectly, so perfectly in fact that you forget your reader and kind of presume since you know - they know.

Well, they don't. Give your reader information as you go along. It doesn't have to be, nor should it be a long, drawn out description of where they are, but if you put your characters inside a building, in an office, let your readers know if it's an opulent office or a humble cubicle. Is there a window or are they across the room beyond the their cubicles? Is it comfortable or cramped, cluttered or tidy, light or dark, private or in the open with others around to hear conversations. All those details, scattered through your scene gives your readers visual clues to the setting so they don't visualize your story in a hazy, undefined white space like your unattended computer screen with a new document as yet untracked by words and punctuation. It also provides the readers of your novel or short story with opportunity to get to know your character better.

Here's another thing. If we, your readers, can't see the space the characters are moving in, it turns your characters into talking heads and that is deadly when you're writing a story and want to move it forward.

So take the time to read through your writing to see what you've provided your reader in the way of setting. Don't let yours be one of the stories with a vanishing setting - one you begin, but just trail off into nothingness. Take advantage of the opportunity to flesh out the setting to write your story to life and enjoy the opportunity to sidle up to your character and really learn what makes them tick. Read some passages from your favorite books, just pick a few at random and read. Not the different ways different writers create the texture of the background and enhance without turning it into a lengthy exposition.

Example?

Here goes -
without description

John stormed into Larry's office and slammed the door.
    "What the hell did you do?" John demanded.
    "Huh, what?"
    "You know what I'm talking about."
    "I do?"
    "The Belmont case, you threw the damn case like a bad wrestler throws a bout."

Okay, a little excitement there, just because of the confrontation. No details, nothing to let your readers bond with your characters.

So, how about:

John flung the door open to Larry's office, stormed in and slammed it behind him rattling the glass in the door. The heels of his shoes clicked imperiously on tile flooring. "What the hell did you do?" John demanded.

Hunched over his desk Larry peered up at his friend through designer glasses and squinted eyes focusing past the bankers lamp that pooled light on his work. A malfunctioning printer clicked, whirred and stuttered on a misfed sheet behind him. "Huh? What?"

John strode past the age-patined maple desk to the window that looked out from the 40th floor and stared out of it, not looking at Larry. "You know what I'm talking about."

"I do?" Larry ticked the pen he held on the desk blotter.

John's shoulders slumped. He turned and dropped into the leather chair across from Larry. "The Belmont case, you threw the damn case like a bad wrestler throws a bout."

Okay? So it isn't the best, but it's a hint. Not only do you see more of the surroundings, but it brings out a bit more of the character of John and Larry. Be aware of it, play with it. Have fun.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Zoho Writer

2012-02-22T09:06:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick one - go check out Zoho Writer. It's an online word processor that's easy and free. You can upload documents you want to collaborate on or ones you want to work on on the fly . Take a look at their Screenshots tour and see if it's a tool you want to add to you collection.

So How's the Weather, Writers?

2012-02-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

We don't think about the weather much usually, it just is, unless it's doing something particularly violent. In fact we don't think about it to the extent that we may not put any of it in a book we're writing. How many times have you read a book and not even noted the weather?

Now you say, it's not important really, and in the end, literally, that's probably true, but it can add a very powerful element to your writing, provide sensory texture and contribute to the mood you're creating in a scene. With a bit of practice and a light touch you, the writer, can foreshadow coming events or enhance a character's emotional response.

Weather can be a powerful backdrop to the action in the novel you're writing. But, that said, caution must be used. Weather can exert a pressure on your character that is otherwise invisible. It can be used to project symbolism into a scene, and it can add conflict. It can be a natural barrier to your character moving forward or act as an excuse, a delay, an obstacle.

BUT, and you'll notice that was a big but, the weather shouldn't become a 'central character' in your book unless it is a very unusual book indeed. You don't want the weather to overtly tell emotion with weather cliches like a raging storm above a fight between lovers or the old cryin' in the rain cliche.

And remember there's lots of weather for you as the writer to play with - not just rain. There's heat and cold and wind and sleet and snow and ice and sun and cloud and tornado and blizzard and hurricane...well you get it. If it can add color and life to your story, use it, just be sure you bring it along and don't just stick it in where you think it would be cool. A well-written story is intricately woven, you can't just stick things in willy nilly.

So, as one example, what can weather add to your story? Well, what are the possibilities? Let's say a storm is approaching.

Rain is likely, but there's a lot more.

There's lightening. The sight of it can be amazing, forking and branching, or a single bolt hitting the ground. It can travel amongst the clouds. It can be a single strike or it can be repeated with strikes hitting nearly one after another seeming nearly continuous.

But there's more. There can be smells associated with rain. The freshness of it falling on grass and trees, the electrical/ozone smell and burning that can accompany a lightening strike. The heat a nearby strike can generate. Lightening can kill or stun a person it strikes, drop him or her like a rock or toss them a great distance. It can splinter a tree, burn a patch in the grass or sizzle overhead like a passing UFO.

Rain itself can be gentle or pounding, slashing or drumming. It can pool and flow or it can sprinkle and soak into the earth.

Thunder can roll, howl or sing through the trees. Or a breeze and the gently falling rain can quietly rustle the leaves of the trees and patter on the ground at their feet.

All of this can contribute to the mood of your characters and test the writer abilities in you. Some people fear storms. Some are exhilarated by them. Lightening is insanely fast and often fills people with a sense of impending doom or fear or awe.

Think about the weather next time you write. Don't hesitate to use it to add contrast to your story. It can add color, flavor and tension. Think about it. A dark mood for a character could be made to appear more intense when contrasted with a beautiful sunny day, perhaps especially with one where the sun sparkles off the snow on the ground as it does outside my window right now. Or the opposite, a feeling of joy can be damped down by a frigid wind or darkly overcast day spitting icy slush. And that can foreshadow a dark day to come.

Think about the weather, play with it when you write. Don't make it your star (again, unless you're writing a very unusual tale), but let it pose as backdrop, emphasize emotion, contrast with what your characters are going through. Trust me, it'll add a lot to your stories.

Writers Websites Wednesday - The Writer's Resource Directory

2012-02-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

The Writer's Resource Directory is just that ~ a resource. Now I'm not going to say it offers everything, but it does offer a bit of everything. Information on writing, conferences, associations, articles, agents and more. Definitely a Resource worth exploring.

The Writer's Path - Help & Resources

2012-02-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

As writers ourstrengths and weaknesses are many. Wetend to put on a good show in an effort to let the world know we're ready foranything (whether we actually are or not). We all learn a lot along our writing path and as a result tend to thinkwe know a lot, our learning process having created an aura of blissfulignorance about just how much we do know. Until one day, comes the realization that we actually have a huge amountthat we don't know.

That's the dark,scary place to be.

You might feel frustrated,angered, shocked, even feel like giving up writing altogether. In fact, many do. And for some that isn't a a bad thing. If it isn't for you, it simply isn't. There's nothing bad about that. In fact it could be good, discovering what you don't want to doand have no interest in learning. You tried it, you don't like it. Time to moveon.

Because, being awriter is a life-long learning experience. If you're in, time to take thatnext step forward.

How can we turnour weaknesses into strengths? How canwe stare down the dragon and continue on that writing path?

All right, weall want to minimize our weaknesses, perhaps to not even admit them toourselves, but that's not the way to move forward. Drag it out, examine it,learn from it and keep moving forward. There are lots of places to ask for helpand/or to seek it out.

There are twodistinctive types of writers (there are undoubtedly more nuances and subgroups, but two main groups). There arethose who are very solitary and those who can benefit greatly from interactionwith other writers. I don't know whichyou are, but you do.

If you canbenefit from critique groups, writer's groups, if exchanging ideas with otherwriters and hearing their criticisms of your work is something that will helpyou, then seek them out.

There are manyonline. You can check out Absolute Write or Backspace or Critique Circle try Ladies Who Critique to find a partner, or google up some more. Or, if you're more of a face-to-face, hands-on sort, you might try totrack down a local writer's group who meet on a regular basis giving you'deadlines' by which you read others' works and they read yours. Check library bulletin boards, the localpaper, groups like women's clubs, etc.

The moreintroverted writer may do better with an online group or not at all. Your choice.

Reading can be agreat help to the new or aspiring writer as well as the establishedprofessional. There are lots and lots ofarticles out there, newsletters too where you can pick up tips on strongwriting techniques. You can visit mylittle bookstore that grows nearly daily as I find great books and othermaterials on writing for writers at Writer's Emporium Get what youneed there or peruse, make a list andhead out for your local library.

The trick is tolocate your materials and dive in, avoiding too much time lost online when youcould be reading or writing. It's easy to get lost online and fun too - sowatch it.

One thing thatis good, even for us introvert types, is attending the occasionalconference. Got a favorite genre? You can find a conference for that! There arelists of them online and a bit of googling should turn up some near or far thatwould be just the thing for you to attend. And you'll be able to mingle withother writers, editors, agents, publishers and more. Work at being less of awall flower and plunge in.

Oh, and don'tforget to network on such sites as Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Introvert types can be a little less outthere using that media and still make connections.

Write, rewrite, readand learn. That's what it's all about.

Writers Websites Wednesday

2012-02-08T09:42:00.003-07:00

The Market List, the original electronic writers market resource, was started in 1994 as an online Ezine. It offered the first fully comprehensive writers market guidelines index online from its inception. Resources to help aspiring and professional writers find markets for their fiction. It's been around a while - Check it out.

It's Writing Time

2012-02-07T10:05:00.000-07:00

How many times have youheard fellow writers say, "I just can't find the time to write"or how many times have you, yourself, said or thought, "mywriting is suffering, I can't get time to do it?" Howfrustrated are you in trying to carve out the time to write what youwant to write?

Unless you're living on atrust fund and never have to hold down a job and don't have a familyto distract you, you're in the same boat as most writers. Trying towork writing into a life you already have.

Now I don't want to gettrite or sarcastic, well maybe a little sarcastic, but it's really isone of those life situations where you either will or you won't -that simple.

Now don't whine at me,"you don't understand" because I do. I've held full timejobs and published novels, I've been just married, taken care of anailing mother and held a full time job AND optioned a screenplay -more than one. So I've been there. I know all the distractions andexcuses.

So, what is the solution? It's pretty basic. First, do you want to write? I mean do youREALLY want to write? Is there a story inside burning, bumping andnagging to get out? Are you desperate to get it out? Do you want towrite so badly you can hardly think of anything else?

Okay, if that's true, thenthere are ways to work writing in and admittedly there are somesacrifices you'll probably have to make to achieve your writinggoals. No, not probably. There ARE sacrifices. If you're not up tothat, then go back to the paragraph above and reevaluate.

There was a period ofseveral years when I watched no TV at all. Each evening after work(where lunch hours were dedicated to errands or reading writingpublications) I went straight home, ate dinner, did what had to bedone, then locked myself away for about two or three hours ofwriting. Oh, I spent time Saturday morning writing as well. Then Ispent some quality time with friends and relatives on weekends. NowI'm not saying that schedule was never broken, at times it was, butit was what I expected of myself and I published my writing over theyears with Doubleday, Harlequin, Five Star, Pinnacle Books andothers.

At other times in my lifemy writing was done on lunch hours and breaks... and evenings. Iwrote during entire vacations from my day job, read writingpublications when I minded a cash register at a book store betweencustomers.

You can find jobs that fitin with your writing. You can work things out with your family.Perhaps after you publish and generate some income from your writingyou can change to a part time job which is another thing I did; andthen jealously guard those precious hours for your writing. You'lldiscover as you carve out more time for your writing, more peoplewill think you're not working at all and it's okay to interrupt orsuggest an outing for that time or want to call you and chat orconstantly text you. Do what you must to guard against intrusionwith firmness and diplomacy or you'll find that writing income dryingup and soon you'll be back at square one.

Other writing friends havetold me how they write on buses or trains on the way to work, onlunch hours tucked away in a corner somewhere, long into the night orif a stay at home parent, when the kids are at school or watchingSesame Street. Dinner becomes an adventure in tracking down 15 minuterecipes that are actually good for you and taste good.

Be creative, search yourlife for those bits of time when you can put them to good use writingwhat you want to get out. One person's way may not be yours, but withsome thought and planning you can carve out some writing time in yourlife. It's a matter of priority. There's no right or wrong answer, nowrite (right) or wrong way to strive for your goals. If writing isn't a highpriority then give yourself a break, let it go. If it is importantto you, explore your life and realistically find the way to work theamount of writing time in that is comfortable for you.

As Yoda would say - "Door do not, there is no try."

Writers Websites Wednesday - Rachel Abbott Writer

2012-02-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

I like Rachel's blog, Rachel Abbott-Writer. For starters, she provides lots of info on twitter in three parts to help the new/indi writer learn the ins and outs of twitter. She reveals some great info and helpful tools. All in all a good site; a blog worth following to see where it goes next.

Writing Compelling Characters

2012-01-31T09:11:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, your story really is nothing without characters that grab the readers by the throat and won't let them go. Yes, story is iportant, local too, but the characters who populate your stories are what breathe life into it. They're what really draw readers in make them want to know what happens next.

So, that established, how does one create compelling characters? Characters that leap off the page, then draw the readers down into their own little hell or lift them up to heights unexplored?

A variety of things contribute to create compelling characters. There's the tangible, strength of character, meaning being true to who the character is and not causing him or her to go off on inexplicable tangents or for the character to fight you as the writer. (Believe me there can be some hairy battles between writer and character when writer wants to force a character to do something agains that character's character - get it?)

There's also the human touch. That means basically making the character really human, just like the rest of us, giving that character quirks, foibles and problems of his or her own that intermingle with whatever the problems of the story are. People are many-faceted. If you're an observer of people, and as a writer you should be, then you're familiar with that fact. The trick is to reveal that humanness, to not make a villain all dark or the hero without flaw. To make Indiana Jones afraid of snakes, give a serial murderer a puppy, or a killer who wants to kill a girl friend's spouse so they can be together a consience. And by that I mean go deeper. There's more to being afraid of snakes or having a puppy, there's the interior of the character. Reveal some of the emotional guts to your readers. Why was Indiana Jones afraid of snakes? Why would a murderer have a puppy and what does the puppy mean to him or her? If the guy who wants to murder his girlfriend's spouse has a conscience how is he going to accomplish is goal, what's going on inside?

Additionally there's also the less tangible, what the story-teller writes between the lines. The underlying feeling that is created out of the character's actions, how that character relates to others within the story and what springs out of the character's own past history. This links back to my last sentence above. Make the reader feel part of the story, like the characters are people he knows, friends, acquaintances, nightmare people from the pages of his own newspaper, then you have a compelling character.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Chicago Manual of Style

2012-01-25T08:35:00.000-07:00

This is a great site, the Chicago Manual of Style Online is a wonderful resource regardless. Here the editors offer sometimes amusing answers to writers' questions. Check it out, then mosey around the site and see what else you can learn.

A Writer's Focus

2012-01-24T09:08:00.000-07:00

I have a bunch of things to do today, so I'm going to give some passing comments to a writer's focus.

The world we live in is filled with distractions. Who can't see and admit to that?

So, it's hard to focus at times.

TV, music, the web!, noisy neighbors, gaming!, DVDs, the web!, Email, cell phones and just regular phones, the web!, friends who think you don't work because you're home writing and creating and just about anything else your creative brain can come up with.

Yep, we're distracted, harassed, annoyed, at times desperately needed - but we need to focus.

If you're a writer tring to complete a story or trying to meet a deadline, trying to actually pay your bills off the income you create with your writing, then you need to focus and that includes self discipline.

So, you may ask, how do I focus. Well, it's pretty easy really and at the same time for our noise and gadget addicted society, very difficult.

First, turn off your electronic gadgets. Not kidding here. Turn them off. Turn off your cell phone and your game, don't let that run at your elbow and tempt you.

Turn off your cellphone, it'll take messages. And don't even think about answering your land line unless you're expecting a life-changingly important call. Your machine or service can take messages. All these things can wait. None of us really need to know everything that's happening the very second it happens. That is, we don't need to know if we want to have any hope at all of centering, focusing and accomplishing the work we've set out to do.

If your neighbors are noisy, shut the window and create some white noise, a white noise machine with ocean surf or rain falling maybe, a fan in the background, quiet music maybe; something to take the edge off.

Now, here's a tough one. If you're writing on a computer and have web access through that computer, unless you're doing research, close your web browser and pretend it doesn't exist while you're writing. I can't count how many times I've slipped and done a bit of shopping when I was supposed to be writing, or took a moment to look at an 'awwww' photo or listen to a video.

And don't leave your Email running so every time a new message comes in it does a little musical dance and you cut what you're doing to check it out.

It can wait.

Really, it can. Turn off the sound on your computer, mute it, and cut yourself off temporarily from the web.

Each thing that distracts you may take only a second or a couple of minutes, but believe me it all adds up and that eats up your writing time. You look at your word processing screen and view only emptyness.

Take your time back. Focus and you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish even in a very short time.

Make it clear to family that this is writing time and unless the house is on fire, you can't be disturbed. If a neighbor, a friend, or a relative stops over to chat either don't answer the door or explain to them you're working (emphasis on work) and tell them you'll call or get together later.

Don't listen to music unless it's the kind you can put in the background and it actually encourages you to write. Pay attention. If it's something you sing along to or makes you want to get up and dance, then maybe it's not the kind of music you need while you're writing.

A lot of this may seem self-evident, and in fact, it is, but we get so wrapped up in our daily habits and electronic assistants that we forget we can put all that away for a while, create a small oasis of calm and get to work.

All of this is a reminder. It's easier to see yourself and what things you're doing to sabotage youself if someone is on the sidelines with a small stick to prod you.

Consider this blog post that stick.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Use That Technology!

2012-01-18T08:35:00.001-07:00

This is an easy one. Roger J. Carlson's site offers great little tech tips for writers. Using macros to improve your writing is just one. There are a couple of others for Word as well. Nothing fancy here, just helpful info. Download the little instruction sheet on using macros to improve your writing, you'll appreciate the ease with which you'll be able to edit your work.

Easy Book Selling

2012-01-17T09:55:00.000-07:00

Okay, that title might be a little reversed - what I actually want to say is writers, you need to make it easy for readers to buy your books. And make your bookselling chore a little easier.

Things are a lot different these days as we rush forward into the digital age.

Many writers could well think, "I AM making it easy, I tweet, I have a facebook page, I have an author's page on Amazon and my book is published there in addition to Barnes and Noble and Smashwords...." and on and on.

No doubt all of that has been done. Writers are generally an industrious and informed lot.

But the devil is in the details as the old saying goes. As a writer you may think you're making it easy to purchase your books when in actuality you aren't.

Now don't get insulted. It can be tricky.

Here's the thing. You have to make it not just 'easy' but super easy. Hardly anyone these days has time to play detective. Have a social site where you have a promo for your book? - something like, "for a great read get..." and then there's a one click link to the Amazon product page - good job so far, but that's not where to stop.

Amazon is a giant, true, but it isn't the be all/end all. Don't stop there and sell yourself short. What if your readers, your audience is hanging out at Barnes & Noble with a Nook?

There are other places out there. Nook lovers buy from Barnes & Noble. Then there's the Smashwords pages where you can find many great books in a number of formats. Don't get too scattered about it, but hit the big ones for sure. Amazon, B & N and Smashwords.

Give your reading audience links to them all, maybe not all at once, but in different places at different times - or all at once if you have the space to do it. Keep the promo going. A person with a Nook who sees a book available on Kindle will probably move on and not do the 'research' to discover it really is available on Nook as well. You don't want that! Let them know! Give them links.

Make it easy for readers to buy your book.

Here's another thing. If you have a facebook page and put your cover up to promote your book don't forget a link to where your reading fans can buy it! Again, your readers are going to be totally turned off if you expect them to be detectives and unearth the information to buy your book themselves. Use social media to inform your followers of your books. Don't try to cram it down their throats with over the top promotion, but don't make it hard for them either. Tweet a link to your book, sometimes the Amazon link, sometimes another. Keep your website up to date and make sure a link to buy your book either directly or from the sales site is listed, prominently displayed and active. . Facebook? Don't forget the link! Goodreads? Set up your author page and keep the information flowing.

Think of it from the reader's side - no doubt you're an avid reader if you are a writer. Would YOU want to waste a lot of time rummaging around the net trying to find a link to purchase a book who's cover just caught your fancy? doubtful. You'd move on, right?

Don't let that happen to YOU, the writer. Make it easy for readers to buy your published or self-published book.

And don't forget iPad folks.

So, here's my book, Stormrider at Barnes & Noble, Kindle, Smashwords and iBooks

Now, wasn't that easy?

Writer's Websites Wednesday - Writer Beware

2012-01-11T09:16:00.002-07:00

Writer Beware! Unfortunately there are scams, sharks and who knows what else out there to get writers - the naive, the newbie and the too trusting. But there is some help. Sponsored by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers with additional support from Mystery Writers of America. A good site for regular visits.

Are you a Fraidy Writer?

2012-01-09T10:06:00.004-07:00

Us writers are a strange lot. We love to write, we’re afraid to write. We want to have an audience and sell books, we’re afraid of that audience.

Oh, there are some who aren’t, but many of the writers I’ve spoken to over the years do have those fears and most of the fears aren’t so easily identified as the ones in plain sight like the urge to throw up or run screaming from a building.
No, many writer’s fears are more subtle, more difficult to spot. Signs being thing like overperforming in an effort to make sure you get it right (like any of us can ever get it right, since there is no ‘right’ when writing a novel). Underperforming (see, I knew I couldn’t do this, so why bother?) or avoiding performing at all (meaning you keep talking about that book you’re going to write but you never apply butt to chair and get it written). If you’re rewriting endlessly, if you’re afraid to submit because you might be rejected, if you just can’t find the time to write, all of these are all subtle, but fairly reliable bell weathers pointing at fear.

So, what to do?

Acknowledge it, work with it, harness it to actually promote your writing goals.

You can’t silence those little voices of fear altogether, but you can choose to cease engaging with them on a negative level. You don’t have to allow them to run your life. You can simply tell yourself (or someone else if you need support) that you might not write like Hemingway, but you’re going to write anyway, you might not have your work accepted at the first submission, but you won’t have it accepted at all if you don’t submit - so you’re going to!

You don’t have control over all the outside elements that have impact on your writing and publication, but you do have control over your writing. Don’t focus on outcomes (which you cannot control), and focus on what you’re doing, what you’re writing (over which you DO have control).

There are a number of things we writers fear. Realistically if you feel fear, you are on some level expecting danger. One human instinct is to protect ourselves from danger. One of the best ways I’ve found to deal with the fear is to have a conversation in which I talk to my fear and sort things out. Sort of like:

Me: Why am I putting off submitting this manuscript?

Self: Because if I actually finish it and send it in in an attempt to sell it, then someone will judge it and what if that someone says no and that it’s a bad manuscript? Better not to send it - safer that way.

Me: But what’s wrong with getting a rejection, many writers have and have gone on to great success. Maybe I’d learn something.

Self: Nope, too painful, rejection hurts. Don’t want to risk it. Only thing I’d learn is I’m a terrible writer.

Me: Doubtful, but if I am, I can always improve. If the editor wasn’t simply having a bad day because she/he was served with divorce papers then I can learn something. If I learn something, that puts me just that much closer to where I want to be.

Usually at that point my fears quiet down and I can write or submit, or move on to whatever it is I want to accomplish. And you can have that conversation with yourself over any aspect of your writing. Fear really is the only thing you have to fear.

My advice? Confront your fear and carry on. You’ll be glad you

Writers Websites Wednesday - Scriptwrecked

2012-01-04T09:23:00.000-07:00

Scriptwrecked is a great site for screenwriters and those working toward that goal. Lots of free advice and tips. Even found a recommend for The Dialog: Learning From the Masters which is a series of interviews with screenwriters and their craft. You can rent them from Netflix or get them via Amazon (via the link in this post). If sceenwriting is or could be your thing, check this site out.

The Writer's Cone of Probability

2012-01-03T09:25:00.002-07:00

It's a concept I heard about some time ago and it certainly can be included in the basis of story telling for writers.

Think of it this way - any event, any happening you create for your story can be thought of as the smallest end of a cone - the rest of it, the ever broadening end of the cone extending out into the future. Sort of a writer's nirvana.

This allows for an infinite amount of events to be spawned or calved off from the original event - in fact, an ever-expanding array of possibilities. This is good for a writer.

BUT and it is a big BUT - while the possibilities are multitudinous the probabilities are more limited. That is, to remain a bit more within the area of reality. For example, characters you create for a romance novel could be kidnapped by aliens, whisked off in a spaceship and delivered to a new planet (yes, it's been done), but the greater probability is that those characters will be mistakenly arrested for shoplifting and delivered to the nearest police station.

So what's a writer to do? There are two routes to travel, either of which is fine as long as you keep your story on track. You can keep your characters and events more within the cone of probability, which will make your planning somewhat easier.

Or, you can step outside that cone and do something completely unexpected. The hitch with the second choice here is that if you do that every time you add a new element, a new cone of probability is created. Yes, that's true with the first route, writing more closely within the cone of probability, as well where you keep your characters and events more within that cone.

But, the more you stretch the parameters the more you, as the writer, have to be on your toes, to remain aware of the possibilities you are creating and where they may take your story. How your writing may have to be developed and altered.

No matter how you approach your story-telling you have to remember you must keep your world and your characters real to your reader. You must remain true to the world you create. I've said this before. If you have a knight riding to the rescue of a fair damsel and they're on the deck of a spaceship, you better have a mighty good reason that makes sense to your reader.

So, when you explore your cone of of probability, think about your possibilities, remember, as your starting out, what's more likely to happen to your character, then stretch out from there.

Some fantastic tales have been told from comfortably within the cone of probability - some equally great stories have been created by pushing the soft edges of that expanding cone to the max. You're the writer - the story you create is uniquely your own. Explore the probabilities and let your imagination take flight with the possibilities.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Stephie Smith's Writers' Resources

2011-12-28T09:31:00.001-07:00

Stephie Smith's Writers' Resources is just that - quite the bubbling over resource. No articles or tips or anything like that. Just links, lots of links to resources on all things writing - categorized. Visit, check it out.

A Writer's Drafting Zone

2011-12-27T10:04:00.003-07:00

Let's face it, we writers produce 'drafts' before we come up with our final story. That's the way it works. Don't think there are many (if any) writers who can crank out a great story on the first stroke with no changes, see it published and go to best-seller.

So Here's a bit of advice when you're drafting.

First create your mental quiet zone. Unplug the phone, get the kids occupied elsewhere. Do something to let your brain know it's time to write. Put on some favorite, quite music, chant a mantra, whatever it takes to set the stage and give the signal it's time to begin.

Then, don't begin actual drafting until you've created an outline of some sort for yourself, you know, a plan. Doesn't have to be formal, just something that points the way. Know your characters before you begin, maybe keep a notebook page on each one. You don't want to have to ask yourself, "What is my protagonist, John Smith, going to do?" You need to know how he'll react. Know the story you want to tell. Hopefully have an ending in mind, where you want to take your tale. Make notes by hand or in a digital file so you can remember where you're going later after you're hot and heavy into your story and maybe you lose track of exactly where you intended to go.

Okay, ready to get some words up on that screen? Now is the time to keep in mind that drafting is not about quality, it's about getting that story down on paper (or up on the screen). It's about getting it out there. Don't make yourself crazy about details here, just get the story in your head onto the page. Use placeholders, whaterver it takes to get the story down. Don't allow yourself to linger over every phrase or to continually go backwards to tweak what you've already written. Keep moving forward. You can always toss notes into you draft in parenthesis (those placeholders I mentioned above) or using the note function of your word processor. Then worry about those changes and additions later, in the next, polishing draft. Constantly going back means you'll never finish the novel. Again, keep moving forward.

And finally, make writing a habit. Set aside definite times when you can write and stick to it. And when you're writing don't allow yourself to be distracted by anything on the web. Don't open a browser. Create goals for yourself whether it's so many words or an alloted amount of time and unless there's an emergency like your kid just fell off the roof, stick to it.

There, that's it. That's how to get your first draft out there. And actually, it's the easiest part of writing.

Now go write something.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Writer Gazette

2011-12-21T09:08:00.003-07:00

Writer Gazette offers writing-related articles, tips, contests, resources and a free weekly newsletter. Worth hanging out at this site for a bit to see what resources here can help you.

Holiday Gifts For Writers

2011-12-20T10:32:00.003-07:00

As I was doing my snow shoveling this morning in a meditative state it occurred to me it's not to late to think about holiday gifts for writer friends, relatives, and even yourself. And don't forget the other occasions that crop up during the year.

It occurred to me as shovel shushed through snow and I heaved it to the side that money could be short. It certainly is for a lot of people these days.

So, what to do?

Well, I just received a wonderful compliment on Twitter where one of my followers, StartYourNovel proclaimed me the ultimate link hunter. I do keep my eye out for things that a writer might be interested in with the thought firmly in place that many writers, especially those beginning, might not be cash flush.

So here's my suggestion. Consider putting together a nice list of links that provide free or low cost help for writers. I'll give you a few today in case the idea appeals.

There's Open Office Suite which has word processing (including PDF conversion capabilities), draw, spreadsheets and more. It's free to download and works well.

There's Plot Shot that offers random plot lines for those Writer's block days.

You might include Sci Fi writer Scott Card's site - Hatrack River "Uncle Orson" offers writing lessons, articles and more for the writer.

PlotBot is great for screenwriters a way to write screenplays online alone or with friends. You just register.

Like Random Generators to help spark ideas for names, places, plots? There are a bunch of them here.

Know about Writers FM? the radio station for writers by writers offering interviews and music.

Know a screenwriter who needs to read scripts, yourself maybe? Get 'em here at Drew's Script-o-rama free.

Want a way to organize your querys, track them, and find places to send them? Query Tracker is also free. Read the terms.

Here's a good one - The Fiction Writers Guide to Psychology she is selling her book, but the resources here are free.

For a great name generator try the Vitorian Steampunk Name Generator

Looking for an agent? Try Agent query

There are a lot more out there, but you get the idea. A great gift to give and one that would be greatly appreciated for any occasion!

Oh, and happy holidays!

Writers Websites Wednesday - QueryTracker

2011-12-14T09:20:00.002-07:00

Here's a great site for the writer sending his or her material out to agents and publishers. QueryTracker. It's free to join but your success statistics are collected. Still they have a lot of agents and publishers listed and provide tools to manage your query letters It's been one of Writer's Digest 101 best Websites for four years in a row now. Check it out.

Writing Vision

2011-12-13T09:29:00.001-07:00

The word Vision can be interpreted by different people in different ways so lets not get hung up on the word. What I'm talking about is your Writing Vision, i.e. a specific goal. What you, as a writer want to accomplish, to do, to have in your life or what you expect your writing to become.

If you were a Doctor you might specialize in heart or lungs or brain. If you were an Attorney you might focus on domestic law or educational law or litigation.

But you're not, you're a writer so you have two areas to focus. You need to know where you want your career to go and you need to have a mental map for where you want each book you write to go (assuming you are writing books; if not you need to define what kind of writing you want to pursue).

Why do you need these images in your head? The answer is simple. It clarifies things for you and gives you direction. It gives you a solid basis for saying "yes" or saying "no" to projects and work that comes your way. It provides a place to come back to in order to avoid getting sidetracked by other people's and yes, even your own great ideas. If you have it mapped out in your mind what's right for your career and what might not fit then you'll be able to recognize that rare opportunity when it comes along, the one that is exactly what you're working toward.

So take a few minutes to clear your mind and ask yourself some questions.

1. What kind of writing do you want to do?
    Novels
    Copywriting
    Short Stories
    Articles
    Journalism
    Screenwriting/TV

2. If you write books, what kind do you want to write?
    Horror/thriller like Stephen King & Dean Koontz
    Romance like Sherilynn Kenyon
    Many other types of romance
    Non-fiction

3. Want to work with a publisher - what kind?
    Top tier
    Small Press
    Into self publishing

4. Visualize your reader - Who is it?
    (no, you can't simply say everybody)

Write down what you come up with. Keep it close to hand. When you have a clear idea, a definitive direction you want to take your writing career in you know what conferences you might attend, what writing offers you'll accept, what agent you might approach, what publishing houses you might contact, what reference books might appeal, which other authors you should have on your reading list and a whole lot more. The process becomes that much more simple.

And, of course, when you tackle what you expect from yourself for each book you undertake, or screenplay you write or article assignments you accept, as long as it fits your career goals you'll have plenty of wiggle room on the variety of your endeavors.

Got a book in progress? Step back, think about it.

What category and if there is one, subcategory will this book fall into? (publishers/producers need to know this for promotion as well as for other reasons.)

Do you already have ideas for publishers or other outlets that would be interested in getting their hands on your book/script/article?

Have you thought about your audience? Who's your reader?

Seriously, write it down, and if you don't want to write it down, at least organize your thoughts. What do you want?

Writers Websites Wednesday - Adventures in YA Publishing

2011-12-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

Stumbled across a resource for those out there who are interested in Young Adult and Children's Publishing: Adventures in YA and Children's Publishing. Produced by a couple of aspiring writers it offers helpful articles as they pursue publication, guest writers, links to contests and workshops and more. A nifty little resource.

The Hunt For Writers' Guidelines

2011-12-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

You’re busy writing your heart out, but you know deep down that sooner or later you’re going to have to actually find a place to which you'll submit your writing. You may have bounced into a website or two, looked for guidelines and found nothing. Well I'm going to give you a few tips to help you find that information and do a professional submission that might actually get your work sold. With my writing time so tight I sure do hate to waste it - bet you do to.

Fist of all here are some things you're going to need on your quest to find those guidelines:
    time
    determination
    logic
    possibly a few bucks
    research abilities

Yep, all of that, and did I mention patience? Um, yeah, that kicks in when you realize how much time you're wasting (well not wasting, but certainly how much of it is flying by) when you undertake this project.

For starters yes, visit the website of a publisher you're interested in. Poke around a bit. They call their guidelines a variety of things. Sometimes they’re located under “Write for Us” or “Submissions”, or “Submit a Story”. These are the easy ones. If you don’t see an out and out link to guidelines, visit the ‘about us’ section and see what you can dig up there. That’s where I’ve frequently found the submission information link. There are times when you swear they want to make it like a treasure hunt.

The digital age - one person's logic is another's "huh?".

Beyond that basic first step it’s amazing the kind of wild goose hunt publishers seem intent on sending you upon just to locate their contact information. Now, some writers claim they’re testing us, trying to see if we’re lazy or not and if we actually locate their information then, wow!, we’re not lazy after all. Or, some say, the publishers are testing us, trying to find out if we’re persistent enough to uncover the guidelines and if we are then we can research assignments. I’m not sure I buy either one, but the fact remains, it can be a real headache to locate them.

Then there are those, I swear, that you’ll never find on your own. I’ve spend amazing amounts of time pouring over sites only to be defeated. Either they don't want to put their contact information and guidelines out there on the web or they have a very inept web designer. Whichever..

So here’s another approach. You can subscribe to writer's market online It’s about $5.99/mo. last time I looked and it’s very handy, online, at-your-fingertips information. If you prefer the actual book you can peruse that at your library or purchase a copy. Amazon usually has it at a good discount. And if you get the Deluxe edition for 2012 you receive a year's free subscription to the online edition which would be worth $72 on it's own. I'm not pushing it, but it would probably worth your while to plunk down that money and get your own copy. But, if you're stone broke, the library certainly will have a copy.

Amazon also has the “American Directory of Writer’s Guidelines: More than 1600 Magainze Editors and Book Publishers Explain What they are Looking for From Freelancers” by Stephen Blake Mettee, etc. - I've used it but unfortunately the latest edition is 2006. You might have to search for a newer edition, if there is one. Or you can check it out at your local library. A lot of the info would still apply.

Those are the basics. Get out there and start tracking them down. But, as you poise ready to do this, remember:

Do this when you have time to spare, not when trying to beat a deadline. Pressure makes it all the more frustrating.

Bookmark your sources once you find them.

Read the guidelines carefully once you get them and follow them to the letter.

Happy hunting!

Writers Websites Wednesday - Writer's resources

2011-11-23T08:49:00.001-07:00

You might want to visit Para Publishing this week. The site offers many resources for writers in many areas: fiction, non-fiction, promotion, publishing and more. While you're there you might try out his free newsletter. It was recommended by a publishing friend of mine and I've been happy to get it. Since it is pretty broad-ranging you might not find something every week for you, but there are enough kernels of information there each week to keep me skimming along in search of the next pearl.

I'll be taking a break from this blog for the next week so you won't see anything new. But don't forget to check back Dec. 6 for my next new post. See you then!

Writer Beware - Agent Scams

2011-11-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

We writers are generally a trusting lot. We want to believe the 'agents' out there are going to represent us, get a sale and we'll both profit.

And, most of the time there's validity to that hope/belief. Most agents are legit, trying to make a living, and get downright excited on many levels when their clients succeed.

But, there are the bad apples in the lot, as there are in any industry, and it's a good idea to know what red flags to watch for.

Here are a few I've experienced or known about:

A.. Think about it carefully if an agent solicits you. I got stung by this once earlier in my career after a couple of books had been published. I loved the fact he approached me to represent me, but didn't do my research thoroughly enough and got stung. That guy turned out to be a jerk of monumental proportions. There are times an agent may approach you and it could be a very good thing, but don't just jump. Check out the situation thoroughly first. Then decide.

B If the agent you've contacted tells you your work is wonderful, fabulous, you're going to get rich - right after he/she does the needed editing - at a price, run, don't walk, in the other direction.

C. The agent charges a fee to read your manuscript. Nope, no way. Don't do it.

D. If an agent offers a contract the day after you sent your manuscript for his/her consideration, back off. Be realistic. Anyone needs some time to read your work. If the offer is too quick you can be sure it hasn't been read. So why, then, would he/she want to represent you? Think about it.

E. Now here's one that should give every writer pause. If the agent you've contacted replies with a letter that's written poorly and has many spelling errors think again. And if his/her favorite manner of communication is through a form letter and he/she can't be bothered to pick up the phone or jot you a quick Email in response to a question or an opportunity, then this probably isn't the agent for you.

F. If an agent comes up with excuses as to why he/she can't/won't tell you who else they represent, consider it a warning.

G. If you have an agent who 'represents' you, but dodges phone calls, never talks to you and doesn't want to discuss your work and where it's being sent, this is a very bad sign. Run.

With all these warnings you might be thinking, gads, who wants an agent? But as I said above, there are many reputable and great agents. Just do your homework. Check out the red flags. If you see any whether from your own checking or hearing from other writers, keep looking. A reputable agent will recognize you are his/her client and your success is their success. Don't let an agent intimidate you because he/she knows the business and you don't. If the relationship doesn't feel comfortable from the start - then don't start it.

Keep looking.

Here are a few references that might be of help to you:

Poets & Writerson Literary Agents

Agent Query

Association ofAuthors Representatives

Use your twitter account - search #agents #agencies #LiteraryAgents and be creative and thik of more and see what you come up with.

Introverted Writers Unite!

2011-11-14T10:17:00.001-07:00

Seriously, writers, have you thought of how lucky us introverted types are to be writing in this age of the net? There was the day when publishers very much preferred the author who as an extrovert. One who got out there, hit the road, promoted his or her work with book signings, school visits, talks and more. Writers who would get their faces out there and make of themselves, celebrities. After all, it doesn't take a whole lot of work to promote when the writer already has a following, a 'brand' and a fan club.

Can't blame them for that, really, they want to sell books. Writers on the other hand just want to be left alone, emphasis on 'alone', to write their books.

So, the idea of going out, doing radio interviews, appearing on television and book signings doesn't cut it with most writers who are, at heart, introverts.

But things are changing. Us introverted writers have to open our eyes and realize ant those things are not the only ways to promote - or these days even the most effective ways to promote your books. Us introverts have suddenly become much more valuable and at the same time have many more choices open to us.

Yep, today, folks aren't reading print so much as they're online. There's a whole lot of reading going on, but it isn't the printed page. These days the writer can stay at home, write and promote.

Just think about it. Amazon offers the opportunity for reviews by readers. Book bloggers review as well, and the right blogger can be mighty influential.

Today, writers can send out review copies in Ebook format or in hard copy. They can draft news releases, create their own blogs, mention their books in their Email signatures, Tweet, put up a Facebook page and much more. Social media is the way to go, the way to say hi to your readers, get your face out there, and never leave home.

Ah, the new age for the new writer. Social media is where the readers, the buyers are and the introvert writers likes to spend time online, meet their readers and make new friends.

Now tell me who's valuable?

**note to my readers - this blog is posted a bit early as my office is about to be torn up for some construction...I think/hope I'll be able to post as usual next week though I may miss a Writers Wednesday Post this week.

Writers Websites Wednesday - GoodReads

2011-11-09T09:04:00.000-07:00

Reader? Writer? Have you stumbled on Good Reads yet? Its an excellent site for both writers and readers. Readers can find great new books to read, folks to recommend them, groups to discuss them and giveaways to get free books and sometimes special deals.

Writers get a great opportunity to connect with readers, to chat with them, to get their newest book into their hands and perhaps reviewed. A great community -take a bit of time to check it out.

In fact, just for reading this far, I'll offer you 50% off my Global Ebook Award finalist novel, Stormrider. Click this link and use promotional code SL67D at checkout. Take advantage of me while you can. The offer is good until the next Writers Website Wednesday post - November 16.

Marketing Your Novel - Tips & Insights

2011-11-08T10:34:00.000-07:00

Come on, you know you're going to have to do it. You're going to have to bite the bullet and put some time and, yes, money into the marketing of your novel whether you've self-published or published with a House.

When I mention money it's because in all probability you'll be putting in at least some real time appearances and will find yourself in the position of being asked for take-aways either from folks at a signing or personal appearance or from folks who put together 'goody bags' for conventions and conferences or maybe from bloggers who do giveaways for their readers.

So, while you can give away a copy of your Ebook easily online with no cost to you really, there are other things that work that are going to cost you something. And you probably want to keep a few things on hand so as to avoid the mad scramble of trying to get personalized items on short notice.

So let's talk about some ideas.

Bookmarks with a picture of your book cover and your info on them are great. They aren't the best for bookstores or conferences since almost everyone is handing them out there. But I woldn't say no either.

Postcards are a great item. They give you a bit more space to work with - book cover on one side, your book & personal info on the other, and maybe some space left to give to a fan with an autograph. And I've seen a lot of folks using them as bookmarks so that postcard might have a longer life than we might expect. VistaPrint is one resource, there are many others. You can even make a calendar there if you have enough material to creatively fill 12 'spots' of the year - then offer them as prizes or giveaways.

Buttons can be kind of cool and people frequently leave them pinned to things like totes, backpacks and vests. Thing is, don't get one too clunking large and avoid the very tiny. Design is very important here. Maybe just a bit of your cover and the website.

Magnets remain popular with people and they frequently find their way up onto refrigerators or stuck in cars or on the side of filing cabinets. That makes them a great giveaway and not too expensive either.

If your book is in hard copy, be prepared to give some copies away. Take advantage of the special price your publisher gives you and get them into the hands of reviewers, contest winners and the like. People love free stuff. Ebook? Even easier. And with an Ebook you can have cards printed up with a website where the book can be downloaded free.

There are plenty of other ways to promote yourself as well. You can blog and work with other bloggers to do some cross-promoting and cross-bloggng. If you don't want to have your own blog (and that's all right) you might be able to do the occasional 'guest blog' at a sight you like. Contact the site's owner and ask.

Do participate in some social networking - Twitter, Facebook, and others are out there. The goal is to make that persomal connection with your readers. To be real, and accessible.

What about personal appearances. Yep, it's a good idea to do some of those as well. The Book Tour isn't what it used to be, but getting your face out there is a big help. Book signings are okay, and can be fun, but not the first line of attack these days.

Book festivals are better. Conferences are good. School visits, if you write for that age group are good too.

You might think about getting a few T-shirts or coffee mugs with your book cover and info as giveaways. That can get pricy, but a few, as contest prizes or special bonuses can be a good idea. Cafe press is one place you can design and create your own 'stuff.' There are others, maybe even locally, look around. The advantage of Cafe Press is you can order as little as one or two and you can create a store right there online if you want to 'sell' those T-shirts and mugs, etc. as a sideline.

So make some effort, be creative, think of little things like pens or pencils, cards or postcards, notebooks and such you can stamp with your personal book cover and get into peoples' hands.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Off The Bookshelf

2011-11-02T09:39:00.001-06:00

A site worth visiting for Readers and Writers - Off The Bookshelf offers for the readers print books, Ebook, audio books and more. For the Writer there're tools for publishing, a cover art, Ebook converter and author services. Spend a bit of time and look around. Times they are a changin' - and fast - good to keep up on what's available.

Writing To An Audience or From Your Heart

2011-11-01T09:33:00.001-06:00

--Or both.

Sigh, I thinks most writers have been told to write to the market. To train yourself by reading other books, books in your genre and out, books that are loved by reading groups and book clubs, books that win awards!

It's not a bad strategy in many regards. Writers must read. And studying the market is a plus, just as long as you add to that approach, the realization that you need to write to your strengths as well.

Hopefully when you do it will all coalesce and you will be able to write to an audience you love where you can display your writing strengths and really pull a rabbit out of a hat.

But, if that magic combination doesn't happen, then I strongly recommend you reconsider and direct your efforts to writing what you write best - THEN find your market.

It's true, "the market" can be a good thing, but just as true is the fact that markets can dry up, what was popular yesterday could well be defunct today. In other words, "the market" can crash.

So, how to ensure you're not writing to a dying market? First, nothing is a 100% guarantee. Sorry, just doesn't exist.

Next, remember 'the market' is in constant change. Elements come and go. Genres add back corners and subgenres. Yes, you need to be aware of the market, to track it, to constantly evaluate where your work fits in. To be aware of current market favorites and to be able to edit your book to fit current trends. Can a setting be changed, rural to urban, can the hero or heroine's job be transformed from one field to another? Can your narration be shifted from first to third or third to first? Can you add a sidekick, or another character to breathe more life into your plot?

But all the while, and I'll admit this sounds like I'm being contrary here, the most important thing is that the author remain fixed on his or her own voice and vision. Trends come and go. The 'hot' market fades and something else surges to the fore.

Instead of following the crowd wouldn't it be much better to be the writer who's writing what you love, telling your story with the greatest zeal, creating a new path, perhaps a new genre or subgenre?
Success is not guaranteed by that route either. Not every new idea, every new leading edge created out of enthusiasm and passion will sell. But the writer (unless a superstar) is not guaranteed a sale by writing to the market either.

Balance is what is needed. Awareness, familiarity with what's churning through the market, coupled with what you love to write will tip the odds in your favor.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Newbie's Guide To Publishing

2011-10-26T09:21:00.000-06:00

Thriller writer J.A. Konrath uses his A Newbie's Guide To Publishing to share his opinions on the best practices for seeking tradition publication as well as on self publishing and digital editions. And he certainly isn't shy about it. A fun site for writers and readers.

Writers, Writing And The IRS

2011-10-25T09:57:00.000-06:00

New Writer? What if You're facing an IRS Audit? Or are you just trying to figure out how to keep it all straight so you'll be prepared should that happen?

This week I decided to get down and dirty and and practical and send up a few warning flags BEFORE tax season approaches.

We're writers, we love to play with words - numbers, not so much.

But writing is a business and if we want to be in the game and take full advantage of tax deductions in light of what writing costs US, then we better be on our toes and pay attention.

Ahead of when the tax man commeth.

So here are a few tips that you should be following all year long, not just as (horrors!) income tax deadline swings around.

The biggest thing you need to do is maintain good documentation of all your expenses. Keep those receipts. List them clearly in a notebook or if you're up for it, use an spreadsheet, learn just a little about basic bookkeeping and spread out your income and expenses in a professional way. Simple double entry bookkeeping is a snap and it's a great way for your to keep an eye on what's going on financially.

As a writer your expenses include things like postage, office supplies, reference books, computer hardware and software, possible conference travel expenses, dues for membership in writing organizations, possible contest entry fees and possible web access fees (at least half can be attributed to your business if you're using it to send queries and proposals, do research and the like.) Your expenses might also include mileage if you travel for your writing (keep a detailed mileage log if that is the case). You might be able to claim a home office which would include a portion of utility bills, home maintenance and repair bills, etc. (I, personally don't do the home office despite the fact I have one, for a lot of complicated personal financial reasons). You might want to do some detailed research to be sure what you think is deductible really is. A consulting visit with a bookkeeper or accountant to get you started would be a good idea.

Once you have a good grasp of what expenses are supported by your writing, keep good, clear records, save those receipts, and don't toss it all in a shoebox and expect someone else to figure it out. What might take you just a few minutes a week to keep up with would take someone (or you!) hours at the end of the year to sort out. Don't let yourself get caught in that trap.

Track your income as well, and don't try to hide it!

If you get called in for an audit (for some reason the IRS seems to love auditing artists and writers) you're going to need to be able to produce your records quickly (they also seem to have a habit of giving short notice). Be aware car expenses are one of the most common audit items so keeping that mileage log and keeping up with what the current per mile allowance is is critical if you spend much time in the car associated with your writing.

The IRS may also come back at you and claim you have no right to claim deductions related to your writing as those writing activities don't constitute a business.

Horse hockey. Keep very clear records of the writing you do, the proposals you send, the responses you get and emphasize that you run your writing 'business' in a professional manner and publication and income is your goal. Keep track of everything you do publish. Substantiate the time you invest in your writing business. If you go to the IRS website at http://www.IRS.gov and type in "business or hobby" in the site's search box you'll pull up helpful information on the distinction the IRS makes between business vs. hobby.

Be cool, be polite and be sure you've done your research ahead of time. Oh, and don't fall for that "you can just pay the proposed amount due to avoid any additional penalty and interest" line that comes with many an IRS audit letter. You can stand up for your rights and get matters straightened out in your favor. Don't forget, folks who are auditors are people to - they can make mistakes. Educate yourself. If you can possibly afford it, use the services of a great bookkeeper or accountant.

This doesn't take as much time as it seems at first glance and once you have tracking expenses as part of your routine believe me, your writing will flow with much more peace of mind.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Publetariat

2011-10-19T09:28:00.000-06:00

Publetariat is an online community and news channel designed for small, independent imprints and self-published authors. The "Write" section focuses on the writer's craft and they cover many other aspects of the writing business like design, selling, publishing, book trends and more. Definitely worth an exploratory visit.

Adding that Novel Punch

2011-10-18T09:58:00.000-06:00

You’ve got a great story drafted and you've put your heart into it, but when you go back to edit, it just doesn’t have the zip, the spark, the sparkle you’d hoped for. How do you perk things up – give it more oomph? Here are a few tips; things to think about when you're putting those touches on your manuscript.

For starters, the goal is to get your reader into the story. Let him or her experience the emotions your characters are experiencing first hand. Don’t distance them.

For example, don’t say Amy was angry. Instead of leaving your reader with just a bunch of words, leaving it up to him or her to fill in the blanks, show the reader how we know Amy was truly pissed off.

Something like –

Amy stormed into the room, slammed the door behind her and clenched her fists at her sides.

or, if Amy is more the steaming angry type you might say --

Amy entered the room with stick-like movements, her jaw set, eyes blazing. She turned very slowly, crossed her arms and glared at Rich.

Think Amy might be angry? So will your reader. Just consider what you might do if you were really, really mad and show that in your scenes. Body language, sounds, let your reader have it all.

Remember when editing cut, cut, cut. All of us writers pretty much naturally over write. We’re in love with words, we can’t help it. But, come editing time, get real. Really seriously cut. It won’t make your writing worse, it’ll make it better. Here’s an example:

Instead of something like –
Amy took notice of the horses, scores of them, running over the uneven ground toward home.

Try –
The herd of horses thundered for the home corral.

If Amy is our point of view character there’s no need for her to ‘take notice”. Doesn’t hurt to cut that sentence a bit either. You may well have some better ideas of how to do it, but you get the drift.

To further tighten, shorten and add punch to your writing try skipping lead-ins like “he saw”, “she saw”, “he noticed”, “they looked at”. Instead cut right to the action.
Like this:

Instead of –
Amy watched Jack ride past on his bicycle.

Try—
Jack raced by on his bike.

You'll notice that not only did I eleiminate the 'Amy watched' but there's more action to Jack's bike riding. Of couse he could also 'leisurely pedal' or 'cruise past' depending on the mood you're setting.

By using language that gives your story more color, adds more action your reader will be more easily captured by your story and drawn in. Once that happens, they’ll imagine what it would be like to be one character or another of your story, maybe even sucked into that wonderful fiction world where they can lose themselves for a while and they’ll love you for it. And that's what you want, right? You want your readers to love your work so much they can't wait for the next book to come out.

Remember, a novel isn’t just a bunch of words where something happens. It’s a tale, a story, populated by interesting people (we hope) and beset by fascinating events, perhaps romance, mystery and thrills.

Don’t keep your readers at arm’s length, separated from the action. Draw them in. Read your favorite authors and notice how often the dialog doesn’t have an identifying tag at all, or is very short like “Amy said”, or “Amy snapped”, and sparingly used.

You might grab a highlighting pen and go through a book you've liked, highlighting description, action and dialog along with taglines that appeal, then analyze why that is; how you can do it better in your own book. A great exercise for your writing ‘muscles’.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Editio

2011-10-12T10:03:00.000-06:00

If you're diving into the world of digital publishing - you know, kindle, Smashwords, iBooks and the like, then Editio can probably offer you some help.

Its focus is on self publishing and it offers resources and instructional articles. Since I've been published by Doubleday and Harlequin and others AND am handling some of my own self publishing by re-releasing some of my former hard copy books in digital format it's given me some tips and hints I've been able to make use of including a list of blogs that will review a book (some will accept Ebooks, others only hard copy).

Metaphoria - time to play

2011-10-11T09:38:00.001-06:00

Metaphors, they're a great way to express ourselves. Colorful, informative, sometimes amusing, they get a point across as nothing else can. I highly recommend understanding them and using them in your writing, all your writing and by that I mean your book, your promotion, whatever you write.

Now that doesn't mean you should go wild and stuff them into every sentence, regardless, but cultivating a grasp of their usage will give life to your writing as well as deeper meaning.

Did you know metaphors have been around one heck of a long time? Even in the ancient Sumerian language. And Aristotle described a metaphor as: “Metaphor is the application of a strange term either transferred from the genus and applied to the species or from the species and applied to the genus, or from one species to another or else by analogy.”

A simpler definition of metaphor is: A comparison made by referring to one thing as another. Here are a couple of examples:

"No man is an island" —John Donne

'Forever since that time you went away I've been a rabbit burrowed in the wood" —Maurice Sceve

Life is a beach.

Time is a thief.

"He is a pig. Thou art sunshine." - unknown

Barack Obama captains the ship of state.

Life is a journey, a dance, a dream.

Metaphors are pervasive in every day life so why not put them into your writing - and learn to do it well?
Here are some helps.

1. Check out The Metaphor Observatory click the links and see how it's done.

2. Consider starting your own metaphor list and keep it handy so you can add to it easily. When you hear a good one in public or at work or at a family gathering, write it down. Use metaphors you hear from others as springboards for your own.

3. Pay attention when you read magazines or books or newspapers. Notice the metaphors.

4. Play with metaphors. Think about them and all the different twists and turns they can take. For example, your own writing. Writing is.....(what?) a roller coaster ride? as painful as slamming your finger with a hammer? the bringer of sweet peace and serenity? -- keep going.....

5. Experiment. Try to use a metaphor in your book title

6. Complete some of the metaphor starters below. Use concrete words–of image, sound, and feeling. Remember those old cliches? Avoid them. Be new and fresh and creative.
·    I’m as angry as
·    I’m as frustrated as
·    I’m as dizzy as
·    I’m as low as
·    I’m as powerful as a
·    I’m as tired as
·    I’m as energetic as
     I'm as confused as

Expand the list using your own ideas. Don't settle for the old, remembered cliche metaphors - create new ones.

Mix them if you like, but don't go entirely crazy. It could become a parody of itself - which could be a good thing if that is your intent, not so good if it isn't. Here are some mixed up metaphors to give you an idea:

"I smell a rat [...] but I'll nip him in the bud" -- Irish politician Boyle Roche.

"If we can hit that bullseye then the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards... Checkmate." -- Futurama character Zapp Brannigan.

As writers we play with language. We all have the potential for seeing things in our own unique way, for making connections in ways others have overlooked. Play with metaphors. You don't want the Sumerians to have the last word, do you?

Writers Websites Wednesday - Name Generator

2011-10-05T09:13:00.000-06:00

Time for another website I've stumbled across and this one is fun. I do like the Random Name Generator. I've posted more than one link to them. This one has a good variety of names, ideas, places, etc. that can jump-start your own creativity or might be the exact thing you were searching for. Check it out, amuse yourself.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Writers's Cafe

2011-09-28T09:17:00.000-06:00

For a free sign up Writer's Cafe offers quite a bit. Contest, the ability to post your story for review if you like, writing groups already established or start your own. Info on literary and publishers. It's worth looking around, you might find some gems.

The Multi Faceted Writer

2011-09-27T09:33:00.000-06:00

Zorba Publishers Edition

Writers have a lot more on their plates than most people think they do. There seems to be this mythology of a writer sitting behind a desk, pounding the keyboard, selling his/her work with ease, then sitting back and collecting a check.

Anyone who's been in writing and publishing for any time knows there's no truth to that image.

Nope, writers have to write the book, sell the book (this can take quite some time with or without an agent - and oh, yes, woo an agent if the writer wants to work with one), then help in the selling while writing another book. Whew, that was a lot to cram into a sentence and that's just the easily visible part, remember all the subheadings that come under each heading. Things that include book tours, virtual or physical, maintaining a website and maybe a blog, spending time on social networking, sending out queries and yes, perhaps visiting conventions.

So, this round I'm going to talk a bit about pitching your manuscript to an editor or publisher, or perhaps an agent you'd love to have represent you.

Conventions, whether a national do or a local conference, are great places to exercise your promotional muscle. It can be frightening or stress-inducing, depending upon how shy you are and how much you do or don't like presenting in front of others.

But, contacts at conventions can be a great shot at getting your manuscript on front of editors and agents so you want to make your time spent with these folks count.

So, what's a pitch? They use them in the film industry to sell a script and in the book industry to sell manuscripts - or at least get them read. It's a short description of your story, the plot narrowed down to one or just a few sentences (one is best).

How do you do this? You break it down into smaller bits that you can handle. Know who you're pitching to. Take the time to research who will be at the convention, of them who you want to pitch to, who of that group you can actually get a chance to pitch to and then check those people out. Know about the publisher or agency they're attached to, the types of books they're interested in (hopefully you won't pitch a SciFi novel to someone who only reps or publishes romances). You can find a lot of information online and you might ask other writer friends, or you might call the company directly and speak for a few moments with a receptionist or secretary to get information. Take the time to know who you're talking to and you'll put yourself above all those who don't bother to find out anything about whom they're going to see.

Research on who you're going to pitch to completed, you need to work on your actual pitch. You'll need to be able to tell the person what genre or subgenre your book falls into. They'll want to know that for marketing purposes. You'll need to tell them where and when it takes place and of course about how long it is - an accurate word count. Pitch only stories you've already written and can send a complete copy of. Very few things frustrate agents and publishers more than a great pitch followed by "I haven't finished it yet". Don't sabotage yourself.

Write and bring along copies of a short page that tells your story. A synopsis. Also have as a separate sheet or at the top of that one, the VERY short, one sentence or maybe two condensation of your story. Make it a very succinct statement of a story premise which would hopefully induce the editor/agent to want more.

Once the pitch is ready you need to practice. Do it out loud. Train your voice to be enthusiastic, filled with the power of your story, not strident, or stuttering. Go over it until you know it front, back and up-side-down. Be ready for a full blown pitch session, or if the fates point a finger in your direction and you find yourself in the buffet line with that editor or agent you want to pitch to and he or she turns to you and politely asks, "So, what do you write?" you'll be able to answer without considerable stumbling.

Oh, and don't forget to dress well. You don't have to be perfect or flashy, just clean, neat, you know, business casual. You can bring your single sheet with your story synopsis to the meeting, but don't try to load that person down with more like disks or complete manuscripts. You can always mail or email other materials later. And don't forget to ask for one of their business cards - you need that address whether to contact later or to have an accurate address to send materials that have been requested.

And remember these folks are people just like you. Smile, draw a nice deep breath and try to relax. And if you mess up? Don't worry, keep going and remember, the more you do it the easier it will become.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Media Bistro

2011-09-21T09:33:00.000-06:00

If you haven't found Media Bistro yet, I'm surprised, but for those who haven't, check it out. It offers industry news, jobs, blogs, articles and more for the freelance writer.

Settng the Scene; Writing The Mood

2011-09-20T09:52:00.000-06:00

I was sitting down to write this post when I started thinking about what a beautiful day it is here today, sun shining, not a cloud in the sky, a touch of autumn in the air, how good I felt, how much I was smiling.

These are all things a writer needs to think about and identify. These are things that enrich stories and bring them to life.

There are many things that affect character and setting so I thought I'd pull one out and get you to think about how to use an element in your story.

For example, weather can be an important element in your setting. If it's sunny, windy, rainy, snowy, sleeting, hailing or just overcast. The weather can contribute to the mood the writer sets in a scene. It can, and would, affect a character's emotional being and it can be used to foreshadow upcoming events.

So let's think about rain for one. Consider how it looks. If it's raining the sky is overcast and dark, things might seem bleary and depending on the power of the rain it might be drizzling or pounding. It would put a sheen on everything like asphalt, sidewalks, windows; even more so if it's night. Leaves shake beneath the onslaught, awnings collect water and dump the overflow on people walking the street. Water can ooze into puddles or splash up with a downpour. Rain will drench hair, soak clothing and send people running for dry sanctuary. Think about how everything is affected, how it appears.

Then think about the other sensory input. How rain smells. It washes the air clean laving behind a fresh smell, unless you're in the tropics in which case it might be a more heavy, earthy, moldering vegetable smell. If it's a full blown storm lightning might leave behind traces of an ozone smell.

Would there be a taste? Water is water- BUT in an urban area might there be traces of something else? Has the rain washed through something acidic in the air? Is there something else?

And how does it feel? It could be cold and wet making things clammy and very uncomfortable, or if it's a warm rain it might make the air heavy, humid and the characters miserable. In either hot or cold clothing would be saturated against skin, shoes would be soggy and irritating and a driving, hard rain can actually be stinging against the skin. People hunch over in the rain, they grab newspaper, briefcase, umbrella to huddle under for protection. Most people run in the rain, though some seem to relish it and stroll. Characters might shiver in a really cold rain. Some may be ready to dance naked in a warm rain.

Don't forget the sound it makes. It can be a soft whoosh, an irregular pink-plonk, a powerful pounding. Rain falling on a tin roof can create a cacophony to the point where it's almost impossible to hear anything else. Or, of falling gently on a green lawn it might make only a whisper of sound. It depends on where the rain is falling, how hard, and if it's coming down at an angle or dropping straight from the heavens.

And what does all this do to the mood, the emotions of your characters? Rain might stop your character from getting where he/she needs to be or doing what he/she needs to do. It might force characters together seeking shelter from the rain who would otherwise not choose to occupy the same space and give you, the writer, the opportunity to take things slow for just a while, reflecting while the storm passes. It could be a depressing moment for the character or a cleaning one. It could be humbling before nature's power or romantic as in Gene Kelly's "Dancing In The Rain".

Be original, think of new associations or new twists as to how this can be used to your advantage. BUT, avoid the old cliches. Let's not have drizzling rain at a funeral or a little girl crying in the rain or the rain washing away the sins of the character. It's been done. Be more original. Think about how you, yourself, react to something, in this instance, rain. Think about how a character, feeling bleak, might feel that more intensely if the ran is followed by bright sunshine and a rainbow. Consider how joy can be tamped down by a drizzling rain or a biting wind that foreshadows trouble to come.

Don't be afraid to put this test out there when you're writing, and rain is just one of hundreds of examples. How does it affect the character? How does it feel? Smell? Taste? Look? Stretch your writing and grow.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Ebook Revolution

2011-09-14T09:50:00.001-06:00

Into Ebooks? Reading them, writing to publish in digital format?

Em Craven has an excellent blog The E-Book Revolution to help the independent writer along.

It's this week's check it out site.

Writers working with Editors - or Not

2011-09-13T09:21:00.000-06:00

Writers and Editors many times have a love/hate relationship. It can be terribly trying or wonderfully fulfilling. And it can be both. However it works, its a relationship few writers avoid. So, writers – don't shoot the editors - you'll thank them later; I think.

This relationship can be a very tricky one. Writers create their masterpieces – Editors rip them up.

Right?

Wrong.

It's true there are some very bad editors out there, but equally true is there are many very good ones. It behooves the writer to assume the editor he/she is working with is one of the good ones unless/until proven differently. And, even then, it might not be that the editor is necessarily bad, but that it simply isn't a good match between that editor and that writer. If that is the case, a request to change editors is a very good idea.

That said, you're working with an editor. I dig deep into my treasure trove of experience for this example of an editor/writer clash: A writer, published with a major publishing house more than once, has an offer on another manuscript. Problem is, the manuscript is over length by about one third – by the editor's estimate. But wait, that isn't the worst of it. The offer to publish the manuscript was based on the writer agreeing to cut the book by one third AND eliminate a minor character the editor deemed superfluous.

The writer reading this scenario no doubt will gasp at the mere thought of slashing work by a third. But wait, when it comes to cutting, condensing and compacting, pretty much anything is possible. Take a deep breath. Here's the formula for coping.

First the writer is entitled to scream and throw something across the room. Then maybe utter a few curse words, kick the desk leg and finally get down to work. With focus and ruthlessness a lot of words can be eliminated. In fact, if the writer will just step back she/he may well even come to agree with the editor that the cutting does a lot of good. Condensing can make the manuscript tighter, snappier, more taut with suspense. All of those good things. So the wise writer, when faced with the dreaded chopping block will check the impulse to harass the editor, cultivate a yes-I-can attitude and get to work.

So, the moral so far?

Publishing is not only an art, but a business. Cooperation will get the writer (hopefully YOU) much further than a stubborn, or cavalier, take-it-or-leave-it attitude. A good editor will not only make requests or demands, but will frequently be of assistance. Writers need to open up and discuss changes and cuts when unsure as to where the editor intends to lead.

Communicate!

That doesn’t mean the editor has all day to dally with every one of his or her stable of writers, but reasonable questions will be addressed. And if a bad response is the result, give it a day or two and try again. After all, editors are as human as writers are. Perhaps the editor in question was having a bad day. If nothing improves a request for a new editor isn't out of line and failing that a new publisher could be a good idea next go-round.

On to the other request/demand in the scenario: the removal of a character. Okay, permission granted to writer to scream again. Plainly that character was not being viewed from the same perspective.

The character the editor saw as unnecessary was perhaps minor, yet pivotal. What if in the writer's eye most of the action did not include him, but turned on him or was triggered by him. Besides, the 'bit character' could well be a lot of the comic relief. Okay, so a cover-to-cover rewrite would remove the editor's unwanted character, but what, then, would be the catalyst for the action; where would the comic relief come from?

Moments like that are cause for thought, a lot of it, once the private screaming has abated.

If the writer is dealing with such an issue and finds she can't frankly discuss it with her editor, there's a problem. It might be solved by doing the rest of the work, cutting the manuscript as desired, tweaking the minor character, even removing him from a few scenes where his presence had little or no impact, but mostly leave him alone. The combination of the work could have the desired effect. In fact it did since the story is a true one – and the book was published a year later.

So, the moral to that part of the story? Well, editors are people too. That was mentioned earlier. Did the editor just not notice the minor character wasn't removed? Possibly. Perhaps the editor was having a bad day when it was strongly suggested the writer kill off a character or be killed instead (publishing wise for that one book).

Or, and this is more likely, perhaps once the real work was done, once the manuscript was greatly shortened, the impact of this minor character was more readily apparent and the need to keep him in the book more obvious.

The overall moral for the writer is, throw your fit, preferably not at the editor, in fact, definitely not at the editor. Then think, consider, be true to yourself, and cooperate to the greatest extent possible.

On that path lay the greatest possibilities and the most reward.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Creativity Portal

2011-09-07T09:56:00.000-06:00

Feel like your creativity is waning? Need a little boost? Creativity Portal is great fun. It offers special sections for writers and more general opportunities to improve your brain and creativity generally. Explore this site when you have a bit of time to uncover a lot of its goodies.

Authors and Book Promotion

2011-09-06T09:55:00.001-06:00

You've written a book, you've found an agent, gotten your book published (or published yourself). Now you kick back and wait for sales, right?

Wrong.

Now the real work begins - promoting your book while you begin your next one. And yes, you need to do both.

Here's quote I remember, and can't remember where I heard it, but believe it's truth:
"Writing a book is thin-lipped determination.
Getting a book published is vocal persistence.
Promoting a book is screaming madness."

Yep, there it is, in a nutshell.

The reality for writers is this - once you have a name the big publishing houses will probably allow a budget for promotion (but you'll still have to promote as well).

Until then you're pretty much on your own. They will do little to nothing to promote your book. If you're thinking the publisher is going to arrange a national book tour and pay for your travel first class, think again. It's much more likely the publisher will ask you to stay in Motel 6, share the costs of travel or even if you can arrange for -at different towns when you're on vacation. Even more likely is they won't say anything at all and it'll be all left up to you.

So, the key question is, "who is going to buy this book?" It's a question you need to be clear on when you begin promoting. And, actually it would be best if you begin promoting BEFORE the book is actually published. Think about it, tweak your promotion to that audience - think focused, not shotgun.

So what can you do to promote that doesn't cost you a fortune? By all means set up book signings if you can. You won't sell a lot of books that way, but exposure is good and many readers like to feel like they get to know the writer. And remember, turn out could be very light. Don't take it personally. The bookstore may just give you a table and if you're lucky, a chair. Don't take that personally either. Bring some extra books, bring a blown up photo of yourself and your book cover, maybe some flowers and a bowl of free mints - or use your imagination and do better than that.

Don't give away any copies of your book free except to your Mom and reputable reviewers. It'll cost you a lot of money if you don't remember that advice. When you publish the publisher will generally give you a few copies included gratis in your contract - maybe 10, if you're lucky perhaps 20 copies of the book. After that you buy them from the publisher to hand out. You won't pay retail, but you will pay.

The obvious these days is social networking. Have a great following on twitter? Many friends on Facebook? Make sure you get the word out that your book is available. Give live links to where the book may be purchased. Make sure you get onto Amazon and set up your author's page, and ask friends, relatives & the folks who do many reviews on Amazon to review it.

And if it's an Ebook you've published? Advice is similar. You can arrange virtual book tours now. Amazon is a great place to pimp your book; investigate, use all the tools they supply that you can.

There's a great book out called Internet Rich, Your Blueprint to Book Sales by Mike Bray that offers a lot of ideas and resources (I take the 'rich' part with a grain of salt, but his info is excellent). And I, personally, can use all the help I can get. I can recommend Premium Promotional Tips For Writers By Jo-Anne Vandermuelen as well, a kindle book on the subject.

Dig into it, be creative and remember the promotion really rests mainly on your shoulders -- and it will always be greatly your responsibility to promote your book.

No whining, just get out there and do it.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Babbles From Scott Eagan

2011-08-31T10:12:00.003-06:00

Photo by Allen

Babbles From Scott Eagan is a great blog run by Agent Scott Eagan, founder of Greyhaus Literary. Check it out. Lots of columns, frequently posted on query tips, defining your genre, pros and cons of social media and much more. A great site to visit when you have some time and want to read about writer's subjects.

Writing's Great Beginnings

2011-08-30T10:14:00.000-06:00

Got ideas? Thinking of writing? Want to get that story down on paper, grab your reader's attention and not let go?

If you're at that stage then you're thinking about beginnings. Or in the case of some writers you may be thinking about the middle or the end - but for most writers at this point you're wrestling with the beginning.

So you need a strong beginning, something to pique the reader's or editor's interest and they'll want to turn page after page until the book is done. All that hinges on the beginning - at whatever stage you think about such things.

So, how do you hook 'em?

A question can work well. I've seen that used many times with great results. Pick up a few books, read the first page and frequently you'll find that question, the one that makes you wonder - and enough information to catch you, the reader. After all, if the question engages you and makes you wonder about the answer you'll no doubt do a bit more reading before thinking of putting it down. And if you read past the answer you're probably going to buy the book. That's what you want in your own book.

Another great hook is action. Action always gets a reader's attention, at least initially. "Still swathed in her ridiculous bridesmaid's dress of yards of purple voile, Casey ran like a sprinter to the root cellar, hiked her skirts well above her knees and dove straight in." It's almost like another question. Wouldn't you want to know what the heck was going on there?

Want to catch attention? You might try throwing your main character into the middle of a terrifying situation. "The forest trembled, the fire erupted around him with a force that sucked the oxygen from his lungs and all he could think was, I didn't do it!"

Your first words can be someone else's. Dialogue is a great way to open a story and catch a reader's attention. People love to come in on other people's conversations. Ever picked up a weird tidbit when passing strangers in public? "Is it just me or has the entire world gone stump stupid?" Sherrilyn Kenyon's "No Mercy". Now there is a line to keep your editor or reader reading.

But you don't always have to depend on some kind of action to get things rolling. How about "Six minutes from now, one of us would be dead. That was our fate..." Brad Meltzer's "The Book of Fate". Now that's a problem! How can the book continue if that's the case? Have to read on to find out.

So, you have that idea for a book swimming around in your head? Pluck out a bit that's sure to grab and start your story there. Grab your reader from the beginning and don't let go.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Daily Writing Tips

2011-08-24T08:44:00.000-06:00

This week I want to mention Daily Writing Tips. Ignore the ads or don't, your choice. But beyond those few blandishments there's grammar help, competitions, business writing, writing basics, articles to help and much more. A good site to explore when you have a bit of time to spend.

So Where Are the Ideas For Writers?

2011-08-23T10:25:00.000-06:00

I've had aspiring writers ask me that question when I've taught a class and I've received Emails with the same question.

Call me strange, but it's a question I've never had to wrestle with myself. Ideas are all around us all the time. Many times they just appear out of thin air (that's one that no one can teach you, it just happens when you're in the shower or maybe reading a magazine or taking a walk).

"A writer never has a vacation. For a writer life consists of either writing or thinking about writing." Eugene Ionesco

He pretty much had it right. And, it's the 'thinking about writing' that keeps you open to new ideas as you cruise through life.

Think about it. No matter where you go, what you see, there can be a story behind hit. A baseball game? A player gets slammed with a line drive ball, knocked unconscious. I saw it happen. But then, a woman jumps over the wall down into the field and runs to the fallen player. Girlfriend? Wife? Sister? Fan? Is he seriously injured? Could he die? See a story emerging?

And what about the hummingbird you see hanging right outside your window, wings going like mad, suspended, seeming to stare through the glass at you?

Is it a sign? A spiritual experience? Just a hummingbird, but is there something else coming? Can you connect it with something like a "Narnian" story? Fantasy or Science Fiction perhaps?

To keep your ready source of ideas flowing you need to teach yourself to be aware of your surroundings; to watch people; to observe nature; to read newspapers and magazines with an open mind that may pluck a good story idea from a few sentences.

Bears come down from the mountains into the city in great numbers due to a fire destroying their homes and food. What now? Is it a great nature story with a hero saving bears and people from each other? Or does it morph into a supernatural story of bears gleaning a hive-like intelligence after the disaster and lumbering into town bent on revenge for their loss?

Ideas can come from friends and acquaintances as well. Stories they tell you. Things they see happen around them and can't wait to tell someone else - you.

Many ideas won't work out, but you have to play with them, think out the 'what ifs' and you'll find yourself spinning tales daily.

"Life is what happens to a writer between drafts."
Damon (aka Dennis R. Miller) …who spent 25 years completing his novel The Perfect Song.

Cloud Dancer 25% off Aug. 22 thru 29

2011-08-22T09:34:00.003-06:00

I'm offering my newly Epublished novel (from original paperback publishing) Cloud Dancer at a special 25% discount to my blog and twitter followers. Go to Smashwords and use coupon code TQ72F to claim yours today. Special offer runs Aug. 22 thru Aug 29. Grab your copy today!

Writer's Websites Wednesday- Book Catcher

2011-08-10T09:44:00.000-06:00

Ganesh-remover of obstacles

I was wandering around the web (a pretty big place as we all know) and I stumbled on BookCatcher. It's a site for writers, promoters, publishers, etc with quite a bit of info offered in the form of articles and downloads. Might be something you could use here. I got some Amazon promo tips for my novel Cloud Dancer that were helpful. Check this one out.

So You Want To Be A Writer

2011-08-09T10:08:00.000-06:00

photo by Donna Weeden

Lots of folks do and lots of folks are.

Today my brain is rambling on a bit so I'll just let the words ramble on my computer screen and allow them to pay a visit to yours.

Today I'm not going to talk about 'how to' do anything or 'where to go' for help and tips and all that stuff.

Today we're just going to ruminate about writing. What it's all about and what you can expect.

So, the first question I'd ask someone who said he or she wanted to be a writer, is what kind of writer? Being a writer doesn't automatically mean writing novels or short stories or even magazine articles though of course all of those are possibilities.

However, you may choose to be a non-fiction book writer. A textbook writer, a technical writer, a writer for TV or movies, a blogger, a commercial writer, a copywriter, a comic book writer, or any of many other 'branches' of writing.

Or, you might consider using one type of writing you enjoy to support another type you love. For example, if you love to write novels, they take time and frankly, getting it written, published and a decent income from them is a long haul and many writers always have to maintain a 'day job' even after published multiple times. That being the reality, perhaps you can cultivate a higher or more quickly paying type of writing to fill in the gaps, because believe me there are areas for writers that pay much better than others and on a more regular basis.

For example, copywriting can be a lucrative business. That's writing the copy for advertising. Maybe that long letter like what you received in the mail. Somebody wrote that and learning the craft of copywriting can certainly add to your bottom line. You can start out promoting your copywriting abilities locally for businesses and expand into larger markets.

You might consider honing your abilities to be able to offer a service to people writing resumes or writing newsletters for local businesses. When you are handy with words, there are a lot of areas you can break into that you'll enjoy to help support yourself doing something you love.

Use your imagination. Think of where the writers are - everywhere. Newspaper? Writers. Magazines? Writers. Advertising? Writers. Scripts for TV, movies, even commercials? Writers. White papers? Writers. Newsletters and how-to manuals? Writers. Greeting cards? Writers. You get the drift. Writers are everywhere in print, online, on billboards, for companies that need materials created. Editing is another off-shoot. Become a great editor and you help not only yourself but can hire those skills out.

Of course all these outlets take some working your way into, but if you realize from the beginning that writing is a business as well as an art and craft, the value of training yourself in more than one area will become apparent.

So lets talk about money for a minute. Be real, if you're just starting, you're at the bottom. The odds of you selling a book first shot out for a six figure advance is astronomical (yes I know it's happened, but it hasn't happened often). It's sort of the 'finger of god' if it does happen. So, it could happen, but don't count on it.

On the other hand, don't work for nothing. Just because you're new doesn't mean you should work for zip. After all, if you were just starting at some fast food restaurant you wouldn't be working for nothing. Very little maybe, but not nothing. Don't buy into the myth that new writers have to put their work out there and work for nothing. Find a way to earn money with with you do. Skip the non-payers.

Oh, and remember if you are shooting at writing and selling novels and are fortunate enough to land a contract, the 'advance' if you get one, means it's payment to you ahead of time against future earnings. That means it's the only money you'll see for quite some times as the book has to be published, sold, and accounting periods pass before you earn out that money in sales and potentially earn more than that (which for a first book is usually small bucks or no bucks above the advance). So, don't give up that 'day job' or whatever other writing outlet you have that's earning you money.

Keep in mind as well that once you go solo - freelance, you're self-employed. You get to pay more taxes and you need to keep up with them or find yourself in big trouble with the IRS. You'll also need to get your own health insurance coverage. There are other things as well, but I figure these two will serve as warning to you to cover your back before you take the plunge.

All that said, would I change all that I've done to be a freelance writer? The times of hanging on by my fingernails waiting for the next check, the jobs I held in addition to my writing earlier on. No. I love it, but I'm a realist. And things are changing rapidly with the net and computers from my early days as a writer when it meant mailing a complete manuscript and waiting for a response.

So I say use your imagination, cultivate more than one area of expertise and full speed ahead!

Enough rambling for this time - I'll have a new Website for writers in tomorrow's post.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Plot Whisperer

2011-08-03T10:06:00.000-06:00

If it's one thing we writers have it's a lot of resources and Plot Whisperer for Writers & Readers is a great one. Stop by International Plot consultant Martha Alderson's blog and see why.

Conflict vs. Tension or Conflict & Tension

2011-08-02T09:42:00.000-06:00

It's almost like the chicken and the egg. Which comes first? DOES one come first?

Aren't they pretty much the same actually? Conflict/Tension? The terms seem to be used the same way and they can actually be synonymous, but...

Um, no. Conflict is when a character makes his or her presence known in a scene with a goal and is immediately confronted by an obstacle. That's great and it's necessary to hold the reader's interest. We all confront obstacles in our lives, we all need to understand how to face them, to overcome them. The reader can identify.

Okay, got that?

Now, tension is what evokes emotion in your reader. You know, that hair-standing-up-on-the-back-of-your-neck and the squirmy feeling in your stomach and the jittery, gotta-do-something feeling. That's the kind of stuff you want to make your reader feel. Those are the kinds of things that gets your readers involved with your story and will keep them reading until the end...and then want to pick up another book you've written.

So, Conflict and Tension have a sort of symbiotic relationship. Conflict should create tension, but unfortunately it doesn't always.

That in mind, how do we writers ratchet up the tension? What's the magic formula?

Well, I wouldn't call it magic and I sure wouldn't call it a formula, but here it is. Make your stakes high. Give your reader something to relate to, a struggle everyone can relate to and make sure you offer a clear conflict.

The more the writer digs down to the primal roots like the struggle to just stay alive, love, revenge, fighting hunger, lust. Make one or some combination of these the basis of your conflict and it'll be much easier to jack up that tension and keep your readers interested because it's something they can relate to in their own life. It's human

Conflict can be huge and in your face like a car chase, a martial arts battle or it can be a much more low key event like a clear break between two people with opposing desires. Whatever way you play it, make sure the conflict is there. If it isn't, rewrite, rewrite!

Oh, and with all this conflict and tension, pay attention to your characters. Are their responses clear and emotional in themselves? You need to know your characters inside-out. How they would respond. What would bring on the volcanic emotional eruption you need to keep your story snapping.

After all, if your character's response is unemotional, without vinegar, then why should your reader care? If there is a big event occuring, then your character should have a big reaction. Almost killed in a car crash? Don't have your characer walk away with a shrug. Just lost the talent contest that he/she'd prepared for for a year or more? - not very ho-hum. Match response with event. Dig deep for your own emotions, then understand how the character you've created would react and get it down on paper.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Autocorrect is your Friend

2011-07-27T08:08:00.002-06:00

It's true, it works well and Gary Corby first told us about it on his blog. Visit his post on AutoCorrect and see how many ways it can help cut down on your typing time and give you more time to create - or hang out on twitter - Oh, and the rest of his blog is pretty good too!

. Avoid Being A High Maintenance Writer

2011-07-26T10:28:00.001-06:00

All right, us writers have a hard row to hoe. How do we determine where the lines are drawn? How to think about furthering our careers, being frank and forthright without alienating the exact person who can do us some good?

You need to cultivate good relations, dredge up some patience from the bottom of your soul and put on a good public face. That doesn't mean you have to be a doormat, but here's some friendly advice to help you find that middle ground that's so important.

So let's think. Your advance check hasn’t arrived and you just want to scream…don’t.

Your publishing company has dragged you through the wringer and you want to blast the whole company with an acidic email…oh, please don’t! Read on and find tips to help smooth your path.

If you want to be loved by editors and publishers one of the best ways is to meet your deadline early. Don’t rush to the point of screwing things up, but shock and surprise your editors by getting your work in ahead of schedule. Even a day or two will glean you points in your favor.

Find a way to balance your finances without being on a hair-trigger awaiting a check. Hounding an editor or agent for your missing check won’t get it to you any faster (no matter what you may think on that subject) and you come across as desperate. Worse, you may be perceived as unprofessional. Naturally if it has gone past the date expected, inquire, but do so briefly and with professional air. Nagging and pestering are no-nos.

Work on your voice. Speak aloud in the privacy of a closed room if you need to, but listen to yourself. Don’t let your words come across in a high-pitched scream or whine or shrill. Imbue your voice with confidence (not arrogance). Keep your voice in the lower ranges and speak in a friendly, measured manner, not a staccato babble. Allow the other party to speak and don't cut them off. It'll get you a lot further and it'll get you a reputation that won't include having secretaries tell you the person you want to talk to isn't in.

Move away from the phone. Just because you have one and your editor has one doesn’t mean you have to use it. Don’t call unless you’ve already got clearance or a request. The best way to communicate is a quick email. It’s easier to dash a few words back to you and it can be handled as they have time, thus being less intrusive.

And about that email. If you’re really pissed off about something, slow down and think. Draft your letter on a word document, not the email. Then save it and let it percolate. Don’t send it until it reads the way you intend and you’ve cooled down. Emails, as I think we’ve all learned, can take on a terrible life of their own. Don’t let it happen to you (again?)

Be old fashioned. Write thank you notes. Yep, you’ll truly endear yourself to your agent, editors and everyone in the business if you take a moment to write a thank you note when it’s appropriate. Don’t think “oh, they know I appreciated it”. Well, they probably do, and after all it’s a business too. BUT, doesn’t everyone like to be thanked when they go out of their way, go a little beyond the call of duty, or just do an everyday fine job? Take a moment, write the note. Oh, and be specific about what you’re thanking them for so it comes across as genuine as you are.

Do your own research. Editors are busy. Don’t go bugging them for things you can find on your own. Check out magazines you want to write for, read them, study the masthead for your contact. If it’s a book your pedaling check out publishers and their guidelines. Just knowing the writer’s guidelines will make an editor want to smile and shake your hand. You would not believe how many queries and submissions they receive that are totally inappropriate to their publications.

Those are the suggestions for the day. Interwoven through them all is, be professional, be civil and be patient even when it’s terribly hard to do so. This is your career we’re talking about here. Don’t self-sabotage.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Duotrope's Digest

2011-07-20T09:02:00.001-06:00

It's that fun time again - when I offer you a website to check out and see how it can help you and your writing. This week it's Duotrope's Digest. It's been a favorite of Writer's Digest and it's a free database for fiction writers and poets offering more than 3,200 possible markets for you to explore. Check it out, use their search and see what markets you can come up with where you work could be welcomed.

Writers & Readers & Books, Oh My!

2011-07-19T09:05:00.000-06:00

Writers talk about many things regarding their chosen poison-their craft and all the varied aspects of it. They discuss the nuts and bolts, the how-tos of writing craft, the jungle of the publishing world, how tough it is it find a great agent/editor/publisher, whether the should go with hard copy publishing, Epublishing, self- publishing...etc. However, not enough time, I believe, is spent considering the symbiotic relationship between reader and writer.

Yes, there I said it, the relationship between reader and writer. The reader wants, demands a great tale. The writer is not nearly so alone as he/she believes while that reader is out there.

We as writers have to keep in mind that only one person at a time reads the book you've written. It's not a theater crammed with people who react and share the experience.

One person, with a book, reading.

That's it.

The truly excellent writer must learn to link with his or her reader's imagination. The writer offers ideas, thoughts, color, a story, but it is the reader who sits with the book and strings those thoughts and ideas together and applies the supplied color. It is the reader the writer must seduce and draw into the story. It is the single reader the writer must trust to 'get it'. Much better to assume your reader is smarter than you are than the reverse.

So what is it about the reader that we as writers must remember? Well most writers are readers (and dare I say ALL excellent writers are readers?). Think about what it is you get out of what you read. What draws you in and holds your attention. Why do you read one author and not another? Even discounting your possible genre preference - what draws you to one writer but not another?

In addition to that, here are a few thoughts.

*Why read a story? To see someone struggle against all odds, succeed, and somehow grow while succeeding. Those kinds of stories are uplifting and give hope to what is experienced by the reader in non-reading moments.

*People love to read about themselves. Writers, in crating great books, convince their readers they're doing just that. The reader is able to put himself into the story.

*Luckily for Writers, Readers really do want to suspend disbelief. They don't want to just read the words you've written, the story you've created - they want to be drawn in, seduced to experience it. They don't want to, however, suspend credibility. Your created worlds must be real and true to their own reality. (I've discussed this before and it remains bedrock.)

*When it comes to book series, readers love them. A good series provides familiarity and deeper connection to the characters. Emphasis on the words "good series". So if you have a 'series' in you, it's a great way to go. You'll love it and your readers will love you for it. The best kind are the kind, like "Harry Potter" in which the readers don't want to let you go.

*When you really think about, the gift of the writer is to stimulate other peoples' imaginations. The book, the story, is given birth in the writer's mind, but it is in the reader's mind where it truly lives and expands beyond the limits of what was written. Oh, if you could only see inside your readers' minds!

*Another bit of reality: it doesn't matter how good your book is, someone won't like it. There is no way for any single piece of writing to appeal to everyone equally. And, whether you as the writer see it or not, accept it or not, the writing will not speak to all readers in the same way. Each one will take something different away from the experience. Each one will create his own world from what you've written. That's the way it is.

There are many aspects of the reader/writer relationship; all sorts of nuances. But remember, in order for a writer to create a really great book that will appeal to his reader he must keep in mind readers automatically ask several questions when picking up a book: Who are the people? Is this story even possible, could it happen for real? and Why the heck should I care about any of it? They don't usually ask those questions out loud or even consciously think about them, but they're there.

Fortunately for the writer the reader wants to be convinced. He wants to care, he wants to spend a few hours in your world. So the writer's job is to bear these questions in mind and answer them even before the reader picks up that book.

So write your story, live in the world you create for a time, but think about your reader along the way. You've got company in that world. Reades are a writer's best friends. Treat them that way.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Slushpile Hell

2011-07-13T08:50:00.000-06:00

Slushpile Hell. This is one truly entertaining literary agent website. It's tagline is "One grumpy literary agent, a sea of query fails, and other publishing nonsense." It's really worth a visit. You'll even find some great advice buried in here. Some great laughs too.

Avoiding First Page Fumbles

2011-07-12T08:34:00.001-06:00

Photo by Sabir

This is pretty much an insane week for me, so today's post is going to be one of my briefer ones and I'm going to focus on one thing - your first page.

Your first page is probably the most important page. It has to intrigue the reader, draw them in, clear confusion and serve as portal to the rest of the book.

Daunting.

So, here are some tips for that first page.

*Watch your characters from the get-go. Are the reacting to events that are happening or what you, the writer are reporting?

*Readers are drawn to characters more than anything else. No matter your setting, matter how fascinating, don't allow it to dominate your story and overwhelm your characters. Your characters are central.

*Read your first page aloud, walk through it (really, walk your room as if it were the scene from your book). Does it flow? Does it feel clumsy? Does it work?

*Remember the look of your page. White space is imperative, long blocks of narrative can be off-putting to your reader. Vary sentence structure and consider paragraph length.

*Don't explain anything. Consider yourself a director of a movie or a puppeteer. Trick is making the director or the puppet strings invisible. You want your reader to focus on the characters, the story, not on where it originates from. Not on you.

*When considering description remember, if your reader will assume something there's no need for you to describe it. This usually applies to things like traffic flow in the street, subway station platforms, arrangement of furniture in a room, etc. If you must describe, if there's a blip in that traffic flow, make description short, a few well-chosen words.

*If your character has to take part in some activity which you haven't tried - go ahead and do it. I learned about the kick of a rifle when I wrote a western and a friend took me out to 'shoot the hill' on a ranch in Arizona. Much different than I would have imagined, and it changed my writing. Never walked on spiked heels? Try it. (Yes, I mean you guys too) Ridden in a puddle-jumper plane? Give it a shot. If it's within your ability to experience, give it a shot - that's how I found out roller coasters make me sick. Believe me it will add color to your narrative as well.

*And try to time your writing. The idea is to get your reader to turn the page. If you have a gem of a line, a particularly great turn of a phrase, a leading quote - try to put it at the end of that page to draw your reader to the next.

That first page is your attention-getter. It grabs agents, publishers and will sometimes have content from it used by a reviewer. Write tight. Dump the fluff and make it shine. It's easier to learn to do than you think. Just takes a bit of self-training.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Backspace!

2011-07-06T08:49:00.000-06:00

photo by Chance Agrella

Okay, this is one great site for writers -Backspace offers forums - articles by writers, agents, publishers - conferences and more. Visit this site with a bit of time to roam around.

Writers Get Fit Resources & Ideas

2011-07-05T10:20:00.001-06:00

As writers we spend a lot of time sitting down at a desk, focusing on a computer screen and/or writing, typing, reading.

Hazard of our lives, right?

Well yes and no. We do need to be fit if we want our brains to function at top efficiency, if we want to avoid things like obesity, depression, heart disease - to mention a few of the hazards of the 'sit-on-your-butt' work life-style.

So how do we find the time to get away from our desks? Well, the truth is, we probably won't. So I've been reading about the stand-up desk, the treadmill desk and other helpful goodies to help keep myself moving. I'm still working through how to do this for my space but thought I'd share some of the info I've uncovered so far.

There's the treadmill desk. First reaction to this was, weird! No way! What the #*&^? This concept apparently comes out of done by a doctor at the Mayo Clinic a few years back.

The theory here, grounded in numbers and facts, is we need to be exercising all the time, not just a short burst at the gym, or a brisk walk after work.

So here's the deal. If you walk at just 1 mph, which is slow enough for most of us to be ale to do most of the tasks involved with writing, you're going to burn a heck of a lot of calories - as I understand it 20 times more than just sitting.

You can consider buying a actual Treadmill desk which would be staggeringly expensive at somewhere over $4,000 which most of us can't afford. But if you can, have at it.

Or you can get yourself a Treadmill and create your own. If you can get a treadmill from friends, family, or maybe buy one at a yard sale you can get it free or pretty cheap. From there it takes a bit of imagination and minimal construction ability and/or a friend who has such to create your own treadmill desk. Check out Treadmill Desk site and Build Your own Treadmill desk. You can buy a 'treadmill desk' (check out Amazon for ideas and cost and ideas) separately from a treadmill, combine them and save considerable money, though even that can be expensive.

Okay, so we know this is the best idea (ideally with a desk that can be easily raised and lowered - again, more expensive).

But what are you going to do if you just can't afford any of it right now?

Well, you can set up your work space so you work standing up. Standing burns more calories than sitting. You could buy a cheap 'stepper' and use it. There are small weights you can purchase in most low cost retailers like Ross or TJ Maxx, keep them by your desk and use them to do simple exercises while you read or talk on a speaker phone. Consider replacing your desk chair with one of those stability balls. You can find them really cheap on sale at times and sitting on that while working will work your core muscles even while you sit. You could hang a work space on your wall so you can do your noting, plotting and planning standing up. Just standing burns calories, remember. Oh, and standing is great for your thought processes as well.

So what am I going to do? I have a treadmill. I'm going to check it out, see if/how a desk could be added and work into doing at last part of my writing at the treadmill. I may not be able to do it all day as suggested, but I know it will work for stretches of time. It will be a most interesting experiment.

Kick Back Monday

2011-07-04T10:17:00.000-06:00

Happy 4th everyone in the US who's celebrating. Check back tomorrow for a brand new post!

Writers Websites Wednesday - Hardcopy to Electronic Conversion

2011-06-29T09:38:00.001-06:00

Are you a writer with a hard copy edition of a fiction project that you need converted into Electronic format? Then try The Fictionworks service to do just that. Up to 100,000 words for about $60 and you get a Kindle and a Smashwords formatted files. They get rave reviews for their service and I've worked with them before as well. Great folks at The Fictionworks.

The Thing About Agents - Breaking Up Is Not So Hard To Do

2011-06-27T09:38:00.000-06:00

I've had a good, no, wait, an excellent agent, I've had a not great agent and I've had a really, really bad agent.

Authors are so often fixated so tightly on getting an agent they forget about all the ups and downs, the twists and turns a writer's career can take.

Look, it's likely you'll have an agent, it's likely you'll have a good relationship, at least for a time, but unlike a romance novel its UNlikely you'll stick with the same agent throughout your career.

The best agent I ever had retired. Sigh.

The agent I had after him was good, but she didn't really pay much attention to me. She was fairly well known, and at the time I resume I was just too small of a fish. In between I sold some of my work myself.

Then I had my last agent. Jerk doesn't begin to cover it. I'm doing my own promotion again. Will I get a new agent? Yes, at some point. It's just too much work to do everything. Write, sell, promote, negotiate. A bit much for one person to handle, though some do it with grace.

So, let's consider agents. What are some reasons you might want to terminate a relationship, other than simply discovering what a jerk he or she is (IF that is the case)?

Well, you might discover your agent is lazy, incompetent, or both. Hey, they're out there. Like any other profession, you find a lemon. If you send in a manuscript and don't hear back - check it out. If you hook up with an agent who raves about your books and says they'll do wonders and you hear nothing for months, check back. If you discover your so-called agent hasn't even read your work (it does happen), it's time to take a walk.

If you want to expand your career, move from one genre to another and include them both in your area of expertise but your agent tries to keep you pinned in one genre, then its costing you in the career growth department. If your agent takes forever to read a manuscript and get back to you then it's costing you time. If you get no input on how to broaden and grow your career, i.e. just stick with what you've always written, then it's costing you agan. Time to wave Bye-bye.

Maybe you have an agent who gives you loads of time and attention, but then you discoer this wonderful person whom you like and is very personable, just doesn't have the experience in the industry or the knowledge to open those doors for you. There are agents who've been around, there are new agents. Their status in that hierarchy can affect what they can accomplish. If the 'new' agent hasn't grown with you, if you've outpaced him or her and your work has gone beyond their ability to strongly represent you then, despite lovely personality attachments, it's time to move on.

Remember, the relationship between you and your agent is a business relationship. If your agent doesn't share your vision for the future of your career, if he isn't willing to expand, doesn't have enthusiasm for your work any longer or you plain just don't like him, then it's time to think about going in a different direction.

Breaking it off with an agent probably won't be easy, but if you find you need to do just that, then remember to be professional. Reread your contract and adhere to all contractual responsibilities. Don't try to cheat the agent no matter how frustrated and angry you may feel.

Don't twitter or blog about the termination you're contemplating and risk the embarassing situation of him or her finding out about it online before you handle it on a one-to-one basis. And don't blog or tweet about it after either.

Don't go badmouthing your agent all over creation. It's an interconnected profession. Badmouthing is not good. One caveat - in private, if asked, don't lie. Be objective, but don't feel you must praise that rare jerk. You don't want someone to think you left just for one certain reason, which might not apply to them, and have the asker hook up with what is a 'bad apple'. Be professional, but be honest. Then if they do it anyway, it's on their plate.

Remember too, that separating with an agent almost never means you'll never communicate with that person again. Assuming he or she sold something, you'll receive royalty statments, payments, and other professional bits and pieces over the years. It really is better if you keep a professional relationship and not let it devolve into bitterness.

If it's already bitter for some reason, still best to keep it on a professional and businesslike footing.

Oh, and remember, there are time when that agent may break up with you. That's the way of business. Be professional and move on.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Agent Query

2011-06-22T09:17:00.001-06:00

They're right, Agent Query is a great place to find an agent, free database, great resource. But don't stop there. Explore the site. They offer resources, info about EPublishing, and more. Take time to explore this highly recommended resource.

More Tips to Edit Life Into Your Novel

2011-06-21T09:07:00.001-06:00

Doesn't matter what kind of book you're writing, what genre you've dipped your toe into, you already know it's a necessity to bring that story to life if you want to captivate readers.

But how?

Here's the thing. Many new writers seem to want to avoid the painful themselves, so in their stories, they tend to skip right over the intense parts of the tale.

Two characters break up - three pages later they're divorced. A character contracts a deadly disease and one page later that character is already dead, alone, no fanfare, no drama.

I think we can all agree that in our lives we prefer to eschew conflict and even laugh at the 'drama queens' we know. But when you're writing a story, that story absolutely desperately needs that drama, that conflict. Without it the story dies.

It's through writing and reading that we, as, human beings, get the opportunity to examine those darker, and much less fun aspects of living are all about. Fiction is all about drama, conflict and character and it's also about evolving, resolution and growth.

In a broad sense reading provide a sort of therapy to the reader who wants to know how that divorce shook out with the drama of fights over property, children and unresolved issues between the characters. They want to see into someone elses life to discover how they handled the death of a close loved one who battled illness. They want to know if push came to shove, how the hero or heroine rose above obstacles, displayed true courage and came through it all.

And there is a wonderful balance to be found in fiction. When you write, you provide a multidimensional view of life, hopefully reflecting the good and the bad, examining the lives of your characters on many levels and providing a rounded view.

Here are a few things to think about after you're written your story and are rereading/editing it, before you send it on to a publisher or agent for consideration:

1.    Can you see your characers and the world you've created for them? The reader's imagination takes over, but you have to have provided the groundwork. Make it real. Do your research if it is an area you are unfamiliar with, but don't just 'fake it'.

2.    Have you demonstrated and shown your readers the motivation for your characters doing what they do and given some backstory to let us know what pushes them forward?

3.     Are your characters balanced? Is your Hero just too good and your villian nothing but black evil? Even a serial murder can love a cat. Even a hero can lose it and do something hurtful or damaging. Think about it. Who's your personal hero and what are his good and bad actions?

4.     Have you shown and told throughout your story? It's not "show, don't tell", but rather some of both. You want to draw your reader into the story, engross him or her. To do that you make them part of it and to do that you must draw them into the action by 'showing' and give them bits of information by 'telling' backstory.

5.    Have you kept a balance of the number of characters you have? Have you dumped them all on the scene in an overwhelming mob or have you introduced them as they were woven into the story? The mob makes it hard for your reader to sort things out and is very confusing.

6.    And here's a big one - have you foreshadowed major events and have your characters grown and changed? If all remains static, if nothing builds your story to its climax...then there is none. You don't want to spell out what will happen in advance, but you want the reader, at the close of the book to say, "Oh, wow, I should have seen that coming!"

Those are just a few pointers as to what to keep an eye out for when you're reviewing your own work. Fiction is all about change - for better or for worse. That change has to move through your story, be a part of it. It doesn't just spring out at the reader on the last page. As you read through your work with these few tips in mind, you'll naturally think about others and either nod your approval at what you've accomplished or dig down into that rewrite.

Have at it and made that novel shine!

Writer's Websites Wednesday - Fake AP Stylebook

2011-06-15T10:17:00.000-06:00

Okay, technically, The Fake AP Stylebook is actually a twitter account, so if you do Twitter you may want to follow. It's for laughs and giggles for the journalist in you. Follow along a while for grins.

Writers' Self-Promotion - Using Your blog

2011-06-14T09:34:00.000-06:00

We writers keep hearing it's tough to promote fiction on a blog, tougher than say, non-fiction. Well don't despair, it may be a bit more difficult to get your message across, but it's not impossible, and actually it can be fun.

So, how do you, as a writer and blogger, promote your fiction on your blog? There are lots of ways. I'll suggest a few here, but once the seed is planted I have no doubt you'll come up with lots of other ideas. Some of those below I've used here, others I'm planning to.

You might think about posting short articles on your blog about trends, past present and future (?) in your genre. Do a bit of research, talk about it and perhaps provide some sales statistics.

Don't be shy about reviewing books written by others on your site. Books that are in the same genre as yours or in some way related to yours. This can also lead to cross promotion with other writers, a very good thing.

When you have a few followers initiate a contest of your own devising with a free copy of your book, Electronic or print version, as the prize. Be sure to promote it and announce your winner with some fanfare. You might consider having such a 'giveaway' on a regular basis. You might consider offering a copy of your book as a 'prize' to another blogger you form a relationship with.

Ask your readers to endorse your book. It's always fun the comments you get back from fans when you make this request. Oh, and when you do, make your post more about the reader who gave you the endorsement than about yourself. Ask a few questions of them, focus on their taste in reading or something interesting they may tell you about their lives. Do a sort of a mini-interview with the person who endorses before you just slap their endorsement up on your blog.

Encourage your readers to ask questions of you, then post the answers. You may find your readers want to know even more about your characters and this will give you the opportunity to flesh them out even more - for your readers and for yourself.

Got another book in the works? Talk about it! Are you putting out a new edition of a published book such as Electronic or talking book? Talk about it! Not just your book, but the area it's being released in. Expound on Electronic books and their exploding popularity or Talking Books and how great they are for travel...think of new angles.

Don't forget to have a post where you open up the door for your fans to give their opinions. You'd be amazed at how much information you can accumulate for your next novel doing something like that and what a better relationship you can build between you and your fans. .

If you want to get really creative you might consider posting a short story of sorts - using the voice of one of your main characters in your book you could tell a story - about your book! And while they're at it they can mention the title and you can provide a link.
Readers sometimes enjoy seeing a new angle, a fresh story from the characters you've created.

Thre are lots of other ideas out there, but you're the writer, get creative, think of new angles: what would you, as a reader, enjoy or benefit from as a blog post?

And if you don't do a blog yet, keep the content on your website fresh. Update regularly whether blog or site and keep your readers coming back.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Inkpop for Teen Writers

2011-06-08T09:16:00.003-06:00

photo by Sarah Sturtevant

Inkpop is a site aimed at teen authors. Here you can submit your work, review the work of others and if you're really lucky, have your work ready by a Harper Collins editor. The site is owned by Harper Teen and allows not only for posting your own writing but discussing books, authors and more about publishing as well.

Writers - Just Take The First Step

2011-06-07T09:27:00.001-06:00

photo by Chance Agrella

I've heard it said in many ways my different people so I don't know to whom the exact quote is attributable, but it remains as truth. "Take the first step. Do it blindly; you don't have to see the entire staircase to climb it."

So, why am I telling you this?

Well, because so many writers get caught up in some loop consisting of "I want to write, I have a great story to tell, BUT I don't have the time, I don't know how to write, I can't put the ideas together..."or whatever else they come up with. Excuses, reasons, ways to avoid taking that first step.

You're a writer, you have the opportunity to create worlds and/or destroy them. The only thing required of you is that you make it believable

But lo, the distractions are many. You need that second cup of coffee. You pass the Wii in order to get it and suddenly you're into the game you didn't finish last night. Or maybe you have a day job, or you just remembered a friend's birthday and have to run out for a gift, or you have dinner to prepare, or any of many other distractions.

But here's the thing. You're a writer. The words may be in yur head, but you MUST write them down in order to spin your new world into being.

So motivate yourself. Take the first step. And that step can be anything. You can simply decide what your story is meant to be; a book? a script? a pilot for a TV series, a short story? Which? Nothing is ever etched in stone as far as writing goes these days (you aren't wielding a chisel for Pharoah) so you can always change your mind later, but for a starter, decide.

Now that's out of the way, whether you decided that ten minutes ago, a hour, or last week, you can take that decision and make your next move.

Write something down. Anything. Put some words up there on your computer screen (or if you're old fashioned, write in your notebook). Start by writing down things that are trapped in your head about this story. Maybe you want to use a certain location, perhaps you have characters' names in mind along with background information. Got a plot twist idea already? Write it down. It doesn't matter how little you have in some areas of your idea or how much research would lay haead, write down the simple things you know about the story you want to create.

Write anything at all, but keep it simple and get those words up before your eyes.

And, if you're one of those writers who get ideas in floods, if you're overwhelmed and confused as to how to get that story out onto paper, do the same thing. Choose one simple aspect of what you're creating and write it down.

So, if you're working with characters in your story, just write down your character's first and last name. If you don't have the name yet, but know all about the character, either make up a 'place holder' name quickly, or call him something like 'hero' 'hero's side-kick' or whatever. The right name will come to you later, and you DO have a find and replace tool for that eventuality on your computer.

With the name or placeholder in place, write down one thing you know about your characer - something about who this character is right now. Something like he's a lawyer or she's divorced. Or he's opening a fast-food restaurant. This is a great way to get yourself moving. Don't worry about your backstory right now, that'll come later, just get things written down. And if you're one of those 'idea flood' people feeling like you're drowning in confusion, this process will help you to focus and eliminate a lot of the details that are hiding your character from you. Those details will be valuable later, but not now.

If you don't have a character yet, just start with what you do have in your head - the place where the story takes place? Here? Another planet? Suburbia? Big City?

If you have a place, write that down and then write down one thing you know about that place - followed by another. Use the same process as mentioned above.

Then, if you had a place, but no character, go to character next. If you had character, but no place, go to place next.

If you break the process into steps, things come together much more easily. One thing generally leads to another.

Once you have character and place, define the problem for your main character. You may already have this in your head. Now's the time to write it down.

Keep writing stuff down. Keep making stuff up. You're a writer, that's what you're supposed to do. And don't worry about doing it 'right' or 'good'. The polishing to better and best comes later. You can correct and polish, but you have to write it down first. You can make anything you've written better, but if it's stuck in your head that's where it'll stay.

So get started. Write something down. And if you keep yourself in the present, create your world, fill in the details after you establish the bones, you'll have a sound foundation and gain control of your world.

So write. And do it now.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Pimp My Novel

2011-06-01T10:14:00.001-06:00

Pimp My Novel is a blog by a publishing sales rep that gives the scoop on what happens after your books is acquired. Be sure to check out his "What You Can Do: 12 Easy Steps", "Terms to Know" and his list of "Notable Blogs" while you're there!