Saturday, October 12, 2013
Dialogue... Why do we Writers make it so hard?
RAKESTRAW BOOK DESIGN LIVE EVENTS!
http://rakestrawbookdesign.com/
Talking Dialogue with 'Nail Your Novel' author +Roz Morris
> How Do We Get the characters talking?
> Dialogue needs to be visuals... how do we make the conversation come to life?
> Where do we throw in good non-talking responses?
> How is subtext built?
> When is a monologue the right choice?
> Where does showing not telling work with dialogue?
and much more!
Get your hammers and nails (I mean pencils and pens) ready for some work with this brilliant lady from the isle of Doctor Who and the Beatles!
Where to find Roz on the web:
Blog: http://rozmorris.wordpress.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NailYourNovel Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roz.morris.7/about Google+: https://plus.google.com/103746106305898379966
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Roz-Morris/e/B00D8XTAKM/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Her books:
Nail Your Novel: Why Writers Abandon Books and How You Can Draft, Fix and Finish With Confidence
Nail Your Novel: Bring Characters To Life
My Memories of a Future Life
#Writing #writingtips #writingadvice #amwriting #WritingDialogue
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Creating and Understanding Your Villains
Podcast of our conversation on the baddies we love to hate!
Lynn Bohart writes paranormal mysteries and deals with villains in her many books. We have fun talking Super Villains or Super Antagonists in our 45 minute conversation on BlogTalkRadio.
Find Lynn and her wonderful books on the web:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lynn.bohart
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lbohart
Blog: http://www.bohartink.com/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Lynn-Bohart/e/B0058QRJPU/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/johnrakestraw/2013/09/14/creating-and-understanding-your-villains
#Villains #SuperAntagonist #Baddies
Monday, September 9, 2013
Villains Aren't Totally Evil Just For The Pure Sake Of Being Evil
One way to build your villain’s life is to write a biography. Get to know this evil person’s parents and siblings. What kind of life led them to villainy? All villains believe they’re in the right. We hear "everyone is the hero of their own story.” Villains understand that they're being bad in the eyes of the rest of the world around them and they just don’t give a crap... or they value their goals and wants more. They truly know that they are not doing good, they just love being the bad guy. Or, are they the hero in their own story?
These iconic shadowy villains hanging out in the corner looking scary or curling their mustaches have never worked for me. I want my evil villains to have a deliberate interpretation of being evil. I want to see and feel the actual harm they have caused other characters, what their evil actions have cost people and society at large. All of this plot and story building should show us why the heroes are better. Don't just tell me, "these guys are evil, that’s why... and the heroes will win in the end." Give me reason to care and some evidence to prove their worth to me, the reader.
I really like stories where the heroes encounter the same problems, the same story arcs as the villains... but each make different choices, which in turn show us how each affects those characters and shows why the heroes are on the side of right and the villains are on the side of wrong.
Really good writers, like James Butcher, the author of the Dresden Files, show how human their villains can be. Some are wonderfully crazy, some are seeking fantastic power or money or fame. Some believe they're the lesser of evils out there, and some are so far beyond humanity that they legitimately do not understand what's wrong with their actions, because we’re nothing to them. But they are never evil for evil’s sake... there's that compelling reason. We want and need more from our villains than just being evil.
#Villain #Villains #Evilactions #Hero #heros #Evil #Evilness
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Get the Most Bang for Your Editing Buck!
RAKESTRAW BOOK DESIGN LIVE EVENTS!
http://rakestrawbookdesign.com/
We"ll talk shop with Professional Indie Editor Toni Rakestraw and my merry band of wonderful minds.
Get the Most Bang for Your Editing Buck!
Where to find Toni Rakestraw on the web:
Blog: http://rakestrawbookdesign.com/
Facebooks: https://www.facebook.com/unbridlededitor?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ToniRakestraw
Google+: https://plus.google.com/111031409666199205316/posts
See our last fantastic Hangout On Air with Toni...
Why An Editor? With Professional Indie Editor Toni Rakestraw
When you’ve done all you can on your own, it’s time to get some help. Go ahead and send your baby out to your beta readers… they can give you some good advice. They may not all agree, however, and you’ll need to pick and choose what will work and what won’t. Still, when you’re done reworking the story for the tenth or hundredth time… it’s good to have eyes on it that know what to look for.
What can a professional editor do?
> Help you find the glaring issues in your story
> Fix timeline problems others may have missed
> Get rid of the annoying errors readers will be sure to mention in their reviews
> Tighten your writing
> Polish that manuscript and make it shine
> Make you look good
Doesn’t that sound worth it? Especially that last one. Your book is your baby. You’re putting it out there for the world to see. You want it looking all pretty and clean, not all messy, right?
And what does the editor get out of it? The satisfaction of helping an author and some money to pay the bills. Do we like it when we’re mentioned in the acknowledgements? Sure. We appreciate your thanks. Do we demand it? No. We’re happy even if you don’t mention us in public. We’re happy because we were able to help you get your book ready for the public. That’s what makes us tick. What makes us get up in the morning. We don’t necessarily need the accolades. We just like what we do.
#writingtips #writingadvice #amwriting #amediting
Monday, September 2, 2013
The Art of Character by David Corbett Giveaway
by Toni Rakestraw
Today we're doing something special. Not only do we have a fabulous interview with author David Corbett about characterization (everyone should read this interview... you'll learn a LOT!), but if you post a comment, you'll be entered for a chance to win a copy of his book, The Art of Character. That's right!
Spread the word, and don't forget to post. I highly recommend this book to any writer. You could be the one!
The drawing will be held on Monday, September 9, so stay tuned. If the winner lives in the US or Canada, they will have their choice of a print or digital copy; if they live anywhere else in the world, a digital copy will be given. Okay, let's get started!
I am so excited to have David here. He is a former private investigator and a New York Times Notable author.In The Art of Character, David offers a unique and indispensable toolkit for creating characters that vividly come to life on the page and linger in memory.
I've read his book and it now holds a place of honor on my desk with my other treasured writing references. Yes, it's that good.
Toni: Welcome, David! Let's get right to it, shall we? How did you learn your characterization techniques?
David: I studied acting in my 20s, and learned a lot from my teachers as well as the texts on acting by Constantin Stanislavsky: Creating a Role, Building a Character, and An Actor Prepares. Theater made me appreciate the profound, clear-cut advantages of dramatization over description in depicting and developing character.
When I began writing fiction, I first relied on the advice of Lajos Egri in his wonderful text, The Art of Dramatic Writing, and I wrote extensive character biographies analyzing the physical, psychological, and sociological aspects of my characters’ natures. But I soon realized I’d fallen into a trap, turning my back on what I’d learned before. I was writing static, descriptive passages about my characters that failed to bring them to life the way scenes could. And so I began to develop the methodology I outline in the book, which is to build a biography not from information but from scenes of emotional risk and helplessness that have defined the characters’ lives. This has proved to be far more useful and valuable to me in my own writing, and I’ve seen excellent results in the work of my students who employ this approach.
Toni: What advice would you give a writer having trouble finding the core desire for their main character?
David: Well, the first thing I’d do is ask the writer: What makes your character happy? What would happen if the source of that happiness was taken away forever? Is there something else, something deeper that the character considers gratifying? I’d continue this process of elimination until I found the thing the character simply can’t live without, the thing that makes life meaningful and worth the struggle of existence. The character will be facing considerable conflict in the story (if it’s written well), and he will have to come to some kind of reckoning: Why continue this struggle? Why not simply relent, give up, go home? The answer lies in what the character truly, deeply needs and wants from life. That’s what he’s fighting for, even if he doesn’t realize it at first, or tries to deny it.
If this process fails to get the writer in touch with his character’s core desire, then I’d have him ask these questions of himself: What makes you happy? What would happen if the source of that happiness was taken away, and so on. What gives your life meaning? What would render your life meaningless? Young writers especially tend to avoid answering such questions, but avoidance is a form of denial, even cowardice. If you can’t answer these questions for yourself, how can you hope to answer them about anyone else, especially your characters?
Toni: You often hear about flawed characters. Why is it so important that characters be flawed and vulnerable in some way?
David: Being flawed isn’t the same as being vulnerable, though the two are related.
Vulnerability is key because we instinctively empathize with someone who’s vulnerable – unless we shrink from the basic concern for others that defines decency. Few things draw us closer to a character than the knowledge that he’s wounded or hurting in some way.
A flaw, however – or a weakness, a wound – takes us back to the core desire. To identify the character’s flaw or weakness or wound, you need to know not just what his core desire is, but why he doesn’t have it in his life. The answer to that question leads you to the aspect of his nature that is holding him back, that creates the lack at the core of his existence, and that lack feeds the desire that, consciously or unconsciously, motivates his action within the story. Normally the character is in some way blind to how his flaw or weakness or wound is holding him back, but the conflict he endures through the course of the story strips away his pretenses, awakens his self-awareness, and that insight guides him to a deeper understanding of his life, and the stakes of not accomplishing the goal at the heart of the story. He at last understands what he has to lose, and what he’s been trying to avoid admitting until that critical epiphany, that moment of insight.
Great stories normally concern a character who, through the insight prompted by great conflict, correct the flaw or overcome the weakness or heal the wound that has been crippling their capacity for fulfillment and happiness, and guided by that insight they find a way to change themselves and the way they live.
Toni: How does point of view help with characterization?
David: Point of view establishes the distance you’ve decided to take between you, the writer, and your character. It will define the extent to which you can avail yourself of the more subjective tools such as inner life and even stream-of-consciousness, or whether you decide to reveal the character more through more objective methods: description, action, dialog.
Point of view also can determine how intimately the reader bonds with the character. First person generally inspires a profound and specific sense of intimacy, but it also risks spending too much time in the character’s head as he tells us the story instead of living it. Third person allows more convincing dramatization without narrative intrusion, but unless the point of view is close, this dramatization can risk creating a certain distance that feels cool and remote.
There is no “best answer,” though editors are swooning over first person these days, to the point they automatically ask: How could this story be told in first person? This kind of artificial preference makes me itch, but such is the way of things.
Toni: Thank you for your interview, David. I appreciate your time and your book.
David: Thanks for your interest and support, Toni!
David Corbett is the author of four novels: The Devil’s Redhead, Done for a Dime (a New York Times Notable Book), Blood of Paradise (nominated for numerous awards, including the Edgar), and Do They Know I’m Running? The Art of Character is his latest book. David’s short fiction and poetry have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including Mission and Tenth, The Smoking Poet, San Francisco Noir and Best American Mystery Stories (2009 and 2011). He has taught both online and in classroom settings through the UCLA Extension's Writers' Program, Book Passage, LitReactor, 826 Valencia, The Grotto in San Francisco, and at numerous writing conferences across the US. He lives in Vallejo, CA.
Find David Corbett at the following places online:
Website: www.davidcorbett.com
Goodreads: http://www.
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/
Twitter: @DavidCorbett_CA
Facebook: https://www.
This post is also located at our sister site, http://rakestrawbookdesign.com. Winner will be chosen from all comments posted at both sites.
#artofcharacter, #characterization, #davidcorbett, #giveaway, #interview
Spread the word, and don't forget to post. I highly recommend this book to any writer. You could be the one!
The drawing will be held on Monday, September 9, so stay tuned. If the winner lives in the US or Canada, they will have their choice of a print or digital copy; if they live anywhere else in the world, a digital copy will be given. Okay, let's get started!
I am so excited to have David here. He is a former private investigator and a New York Times Notable author.In The Art of Character, David offers a unique and indispensable toolkit for creating characters that vividly come to life on the page and linger in memory.
I've read his book and it now holds a place of honor on my desk with my other treasured writing references. Yes, it's that good.
Toni: Welcome, David! Let's get right to it, shall we? How did you learn your characterization techniques?
David: I studied acting in my 20s, and learned a lot from my teachers as well as the texts on acting by Constantin Stanislavsky: Creating a Role, Building a Character, and An Actor Prepares. Theater made me appreciate the profound, clear-cut advantages of dramatization over description in depicting and developing character.
When I began writing fiction, I first relied on the advice of Lajos Egri in his wonderful text, The Art of Dramatic Writing, and I wrote extensive character biographies analyzing the physical, psychological, and sociological aspects of my characters’ natures. But I soon realized I’d fallen into a trap, turning my back on what I’d learned before. I was writing static, descriptive passages about my characters that failed to bring them to life the way scenes could. And so I began to develop the methodology I outline in the book, which is to build a biography not from information but from scenes of emotional risk and helplessness that have defined the characters’ lives. This has proved to be far more useful and valuable to me in my own writing, and I’ve seen excellent results in the work of my students who employ this approach.
Toni: What advice would you give a writer having trouble finding the core desire for their main character?
David: Well, the first thing I’d do is ask the writer: What makes your character happy? What would happen if the source of that happiness was taken away forever? Is there something else, something deeper that the character considers gratifying? I’d continue this process of elimination until I found the thing the character simply can’t live without, the thing that makes life meaningful and worth the struggle of existence. The character will be facing considerable conflict in the story (if it’s written well), and he will have to come to some kind of reckoning: Why continue this struggle? Why not simply relent, give up, go home? The answer lies in what the character truly, deeply needs and wants from life. That’s what he’s fighting for, even if he doesn’t realize it at first, or tries to deny it.
If this process fails to get the writer in touch with his character’s core desire, then I’d have him ask these questions of himself: What makes you happy? What would happen if the source of that happiness was taken away, and so on. What gives your life meaning? What would render your life meaningless? Young writers especially tend to avoid answering such questions, but avoidance is a form of denial, even cowardice. If you can’t answer these questions for yourself, how can you hope to answer them about anyone else, especially your characters?
Toni: You often hear about flawed characters. Why is it so important that characters be flawed and vulnerable in some way?
David: Being flawed isn’t the same as being vulnerable, though the two are related.
Vulnerability is key because we instinctively empathize with someone who’s vulnerable – unless we shrink from the basic concern for others that defines decency. Few things draw us closer to a character than the knowledge that he’s wounded or hurting in some way.
A flaw, however – or a weakness, a wound – takes us back to the core desire. To identify the character’s flaw or weakness or wound, you need to know not just what his core desire is, but why he doesn’t have it in his life. The answer to that question leads you to the aspect of his nature that is holding him back, that creates the lack at the core of his existence, and that lack feeds the desire that, consciously or unconsciously, motivates his action within the story. Normally the character is in some way blind to how his flaw or weakness or wound is holding him back, but the conflict he endures through the course of the story strips away his pretenses, awakens his self-awareness, and that insight guides him to a deeper understanding of his life, and the stakes of not accomplishing the goal at the heart of the story. He at last understands what he has to lose, and what he’s been trying to avoid admitting until that critical epiphany, that moment of insight.
Great stories normally concern a character who, through the insight prompted by great conflict, correct the flaw or overcome the weakness or heal the wound that has been crippling their capacity for fulfillment and happiness, and guided by that insight they find a way to change themselves and the way they live.
Toni: How does point of view help with characterization?
David: Point of view establishes the distance you’ve decided to take between you, the writer, and your character. It will define the extent to which you can avail yourself of the more subjective tools such as inner life and even stream-of-consciousness, or whether you decide to reveal the character more through more objective methods: description, action, dialog.
Point of view also can determine how intimately the reader bonds with the character. First person generally inspires a profound and specific sense of intimacy, but it also risks spending too much time in the character’s head as he tells us the story instead of living it. Third person allows more convincing dramatization without narrative intrusion, but unless the point of view is close, this dramatization can risk creating a certain distance that feels cool and remote.
There is no “best answer,” though editors are swooning over first person these days, to the point they automatically ask: How could this story be told in first person? This kind of artificial preference makes me itch, but such is the way of things.
Toni: Thank you for your interview, David. I appreciate your time and your book.
David: Thanks for your interest and support, Toni!
David Corbett is the author of four novels: The Devil’s Redhead, Done for a Dime (a New York Times Notable Book), Blood of Paradise (nominated for numerous awards, including the Edgar), and Do They Know I’m Running? The Art of Character is his latest book. David’s short fiction and poetry have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including Mission and Tenth, The Smoking Poet, San Francisco Noir and Best American Mystery Stories (2009 and 2011). He has taught both online and in classroom settings through the UCLA Extension's Writers' Program, Book Passage, LitReactor, 826 Valencia, The Grotto in San Francisco, and at numerous writing conferences across the US. He lives in Vallejo, CA.
Find David Corbett at the following places online:
Website: www.davidcorbett.com
Goodreads: http://www.
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/
Twitter: @DavidCorbett_CA
Facebook: https://www.
This post is also located at our sister site, http://rakestrawbookdesign.com. Winner will be chosen from all comments posted at both sites.
#artofcharacter, #characterization, #davidcorbett, #giveaway, #interview
Sunday, August 25, 2013
A Champagne Business Plan on a Beer Wallet by guest Joe Giacalone
The Fantastic business plan that Joseph Giacalone has developed and lives by... has five distinct parts. He uses an acronym (cops love them) to keep himself focused... Competition MGMT.
Competition
*M*ission Statement
*G*oals
*M*arketing
*T*arget Audience
Read Joe's post on Rachel Thompson blog. We succeed when we truly write down our plans, that wonderful, simple act cements it into our psyche.
http://badredheadmedia.com/2013/07/18/a-champagne-business-plan-on-a-beer-wallet-by-guest-joegiacalone/
Explore more ===>
Watch a great video of Joe talking about writers and his business plan:
Joe Giacalone Discovered That There Was a Whole Other Market for his Book... Writers![Video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5gZHhJD7uU
#businessplan, #Writing, #writingadvice, #amwriting, #Creativity, #writingtips
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Writing Historical Novels with author Suzanne Adair
I had a fantastic conversation about the craft of writing and building your characters in a historical context with Suzanne.
Award-winning novelist, Suzanne Adair - is a Florida native who lives in a two hundred-year-old city at the edge of the North Carolina Piedmont, named for an English explorer who was beheaded. Her suspense and thrillers transport readers to the Southern theater of the Revolutionary War, where she brings historic towns, battles, and people to life. She fuels her creativity with Revolutionary War reenacting and visits to historic sites. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, dancing, and spending time with her family.
Where to find Suzanne on the web:
Her blog: http://suzanneadair.typepad.com/blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Suzanne.Adair.Author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Suzanne_Adair
Suzanne's Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Suzanne-Adair/e/B003WH8Q36/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1188958.Suzanne_Adair
Explore more ===>
Two great podcast shows I did with Suzanne before:
7/16/2011 Interview with writer Suzanne Adair
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/johnrakestraw/2011/07/16/interview-with-writer-suzanne-adair
10/22/2011 My Second Interview with writer Suzanne Adair
http://unbridlededitor.com/platform/audio_blog/suzanne_adair_tbp.mp3
#RevolutionaryWar, #SuzanneAdair, #Thrillers, #amwritingfiction, #HistoricalFiction, #StrongWomen, #writingadvice
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
What was the moment(s) before we meet them?
As you set out to develop a character within a your story, there are a 1001 things you must do to give life to this new being. I feel one of the greatest discoveries is the "moment before"... this is one of the most important questions you can ask of your characters, and it helps to set the emotional tone for your character at the moment just before they walk into our lives.
What was going on just before we met them?
Well, the "moment before" is exactly what it sounds like... it’s what your character was doing or thinking immediately before they enter the that moment and become apart of the story. This questions does not only answer what your character was doing physically, but also how it will be reacting and carrying himself emotionally.
How to Discover
Uncovering the "moment before" can be accomplished through several means. The first, is to rely on the story's plot and thought of action to help give you guidelines for what your characters was doing, thinking and caring about.
If the our story doesn't indicate what your characters were physically doing before that moment scene, than they have no life to spring from. Think about the 1001 possibilities that your character would and could have been living. Answering these questions will help you cultivate the "moment before."
#hangoutonair, #hoa, #StorySpinning, #TheStorySpinner, #writingadvice, #writingprompt, #amwriting, #writingtips
Monday, August 19, 2013
What are we fighting for, what's the conflict
John Rakestraw, The Story Spinner.
For the characters in our writing... they must rise to the challenge to reach the end (the grand goal). For our readership, it’s living each emotion, running right along with the characters, facing their fears and rejoicing with them all the way to the story’s end.
In this wonderful world there are those who can make you think, those that make you wonder and those that take you beyond their imagination into yours...
#StorySpinning, #TheStorySpinner, #writingadvice, #writingprompt, #amwriting, #writingtips
First Person -- Continued
By Toni Rakestraw
When you're writing in first person, there are some things you definitely need to avoid. Like what?
Well, that's just silly, I thought to myself.Duh. Who else are you going to think to? Unless your character can communicate telepathically with others, this construction is a waste of time. Get rid of the 'to myself.' Same with wondered and any other word that describes what may be going on inside your character's noggin. If your character is telling the story, it goes without saying that s/he's doing the thinking.
My thoughts drifted back to that fateful day.Don't do this. This is announcing what your character is thinking. Just have them talk about it. It's much better for Sally to just begin the memory than announce it first.
OR
I remembered the first time he kissed me.
An expression of horror crossed my face as I looked at the mess.Don't do this, either. The character can't see their own face unless they're looking in a mirror. Just say "I smiled. I looked in horror at the mess. I ... you get the picture. Related to this is the ever popular "My cheeks grew red." Again, unless they are looking in a mirror... just don't do it. I blushed is more acceptable because the character could feel their cheeks growing warmer. Describing the sensation of warmth is even better. The trick is to think like the character and use the sensations they're feeling rather than visual cues. First person, remember? :)
Dialogue
Now let's talk about dialogue. Dialogue can't help but be artificial in first person, but we include it anyway because it's usually what people want to read most. If you have the opportunity for dialogue, go for it. Don't recount a conversation as one-sided if you can help it (one exception that springs to mind is if your character is testifying in court). Readers want to witness all those lovers' spats, conspiracies, and making up first hand.
Voice
Finally... the best part of first person. This is why we choose it in the first place. We want to write in the character's voice. We get to act the part as we write. we get to choose their attitude, diction, thoughts, complexity, subtext... the whole nine yards. A character who is well-educated and likes to show that off uses big words and complex sentences. One who is simple may use short sentences and simple phrases. Your character can be sarcastic, both in word and tone. Whatever you choose, first person lets you revel in it. It reflects whatever you choose. A suggestion, however, for characters heavy in dialect... give it a flavor, rather than go heavy in phonetic spelling. A whole book spelled out in Cockney or Deep Southern could be rather difficult to read, not to mention condescending and probably inaccurate.
Distance
Usually distance is created by using third person, but it can be created inadvertently in first person by the phrasing you use.I wondered if Billy would call.This creates distance by subtly asking the reader to look at the narrator as she wonders. To get inside her head, you might try one of the following:
Would Billy call?All of these not only eliminate distance, but they characterize what's going on. Now we not only know she wants Billy to call, but each version adds more to the story.
Maybe Billy would call.
Billy won't call. He never calls when I want him to. Damn him!
Butterflies played in my stomach. Maybe Billy would call and ask me out.
I swore I'd never sit at home by the phone waiting for a boy to call. C'mon, Billy! Call already! God, I'm pathetic.
Multiple First Person
I see a lot of manuscripts that make use of multiple first person. A recent mainstream example of this is Rick Riordan's Kane Chronicles. The chapters alternate narrators. As the author, you get the fun of being inside the head of more than one character, with all the work that entails. On the plus side, you get more points of view from which to learn things, but on the minus side, you have to do all the work for each character, remembering who knows what and who doesn't know what. This option works best when there's a big difference between the characters.#dialogue, #distance, #firstperson, #kanechronicles, #multiplefirstperson, #RickRiordan, #voice
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Outlining your book... It could make all the difference!
Patti Larsen has a way of making you feel at home when she talks. Join me and my merry band of wonderful minds as we tackling the craft of writing a book. it can feel like an overwhelming prospect, where do we even start?
First... you want to know what you’re writing about.
Second... you do this best by generating an outline of your book.
Some of us writers... hate outlines (I was once in your camp.) Other writers live by them. I hope that we can help you discover where this process just might make your writing easier and faster.
If you were like me and approach book writing from a completely disorganized and impractical state of mind... Well, outlining could promote a logical approach and it leaves plenty of room for creativity.
Where to find Patti on the web:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorpattilarsen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PattiLarsen
Blog: http://www.pattilarsen.com/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Patti-Larsen/e/B005H8I3KO
#BookOutlining, #hangoutonair, #hangoutsonair, #hoa, #writingadvice, #amwriting, #writingtips
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Editing Before the Editor Gets It
by Toni Rakestraw
I just read a terrific post on one of my favorite blogs... Chuck Wendig's Terrible Minds. It was about the editing (revising) an author must do before the book gets sent for editing. If you don't do this step, you should. Go read his post now: Laser, Hacksaw, Spanner, Hammer: A Post About Editing. I'll wait.
I can't stress enough how important this step is. No one spews forth a perfect rough draft of a novel that needs no revision. No one. Every single novel needs this extra step. Sometimes, heck--who am I kidding--most of the time, this step is actually many steps done over and over and over. And Chuck's right... this is where the art happens.
Sure, it's amazing to get all those words out on the page in a rough draft. Not everyone can do that. But to get those words honed and crafted... that's where the actual skill comes in. Getting the rough draft done takes dedication, but revising that rough piece of writing into a real story is art. That's what separates the wheat from the chaff.
Then, when you turn in your piece of word art to your editor, they can polish it so you shine like the celestial being you truly are. Now where did I put my sunglasses?
#ChuckWendig, #editing, #revision, #TerribleMinds, #writing
I just read a terrific post on one of my favorite blogs... Chuck Wendig's Terrible Minds. It was about the editing (revising) an author must do before the book gets sent for editing. If you don't do this step, you should. Go read his post now: Laser, Hacksaw, Spanner, Hammer: A Post About Editing. I'll wait.
I can't stress enough how important this step is. No one spews forth a perfect rough draft of a novel that needs no revision. No one. Every single novel needs this extra step. Sometimes, heck--who am I kidding--most of the time, this step is actually many steps done over and over and over. And Chuck's right... this is where the art happens.
Sure, it's amazing to get all those words out on the page in a rough draft. Not everyone can do that. But to get those words honed and crafted... that's where the actual skill comes in. Getting the rough draft done takes dedication, but revising that rough piece of writing into a real story is art. That's what separates the wheat from the chaff.
Then, when you turn in your piece of word art to your editor, they can polish it so you shine like the celestial being you truly are. Now where did I put my sunglasses?
#ChuckWendig, #editing, #revision, #TerribleMinds, #writing
Sunday, August 11, 2013
How I Build A Story... with John Rakestraw
I put myself in the hot seat and talk with my merry band of wonderful minds about how I build a story.
I did live theatre years ago…
I was a stage actor in the Seattle area during the 1980’s… I loved it! I did comedies, drama and musicals. I acted in over 100+ shows!
I study every book I could find on the subject of acting. All those books are really a great way to learn how to write a good story. Acting books are a great lesson in creativity. You have to understand your part, the character that you are playing, how they fit into the whole story (play) plot. Learning how to build a character, that a playwright made for you, was a great lesson for what has become my greatest starring role… as a published writer, a writing life coach and an internet talk show host, who talks to people about finding that magic we call… the craft of writing!
There is a huge amount of things that an actor needs to learn to truly be good at their craft and learning your line is the least of it, trust me!
Learning to write is the craft… bring it all to life is the magic!
To really be good at acting or writing… you have to make that role, that character, come to life. It has to have a whole life story before you can give it life in front of an audience. This is also true for writers. The audience is their readership. There is a process to creating this magic.
I will walk you through my 8 fundamentals on building a story.
First Element – Relationships and the magic if.
Second Element – What are they fighting for? What is the conflict?
Third Element – What was the moment(s) before we meet them?
Fourth Element – Humor, life is full of funny moments.
Fifth Element – The discoveries... when the characters and the story have a life of their own.
Sixth Element – Keeping Your Subtext in Context.
Seventh Element – Find the story’s events, the through lines and the arcs.
Eigthth Element – The mystery, the magic and the concentration devices that keep us involved.
#ContentMarketing, #Creativity, #HangoutsOnAir, #SocialMedia, #workingwitheditors, #Writing
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Learn the Art and Science of Audio Books with Author Nathan Lowell
There was a lot of info put on the the table during this conversation about Audio Books. Nathan Lowell walked us through how he produces his audio files and even his marketing ideas.
Where you can find Nathan on the web...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathan.o.lowell?fref=ts
Podiobooks: http://podiobooks.com/contributor/nathan-lowell/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nlowell
Blog: http://nathanlowell.com/
I ask this talented and brilliant person to give us a list of the equipment and software that he uses, which by the way... made it possible for him to have over 5 million downloads of his audio books.
(We make no guarantees that your results will be the same.) B-])
Nathan writes...
Highly recommended: A digital recorder.. the Zoom H1 at $99 is an excellent value. It comes with very nice mics. Its limitation are on inputs. (I don't know what they are.) More info http://goo.gl/uNqiUx
The next step up would be Zoom H2 at about $150. It will take a mini plug microphone but the built ins are also excellent.
More info http://goo.gl/nEbeu3
Top shelf is the Zoom H4N at about $275. I can't recommend this highly enough. It's a great "starter" and it has inputs for both mini plug and "pro grade" XLR. It also has all the power hookups you need to use some of the high end mics with it if you get to that point.
More info http://goo.gl/7lQtD1
Mics are optional if you get one of these Zooms. For reading books, unless you're trying to set up a studio and you're sure you want to do this, the H1 is my recommendation.
Right now I use
- Zoom H4
- Rode NT1-A shock mounted on a boom.
More info http://goo.gl/Hwm3ox
Software I use
- Audacity for editing and rendering.
More info http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
- Kid3 (a linux tool) for adding the ID3 tags, altho the iTunes application does an excellent job of it.
More info http://kid3.sourceforge.net/
Many great thanks to Nathan Lowell for his help and great conversation.
#AudioBooks, #audiobookstreaming, #SEOMarketing, #SocialMediaMarketing, #marketing
Where you can find Nathan on the web...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathan.o.lowell?fref=ts
Podiobooks: http://podiobooks.com/contributor/nathan-lowell/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nlowell
Blog: http://nathanlowell.com/
I ask this talented and brilliant person to give us a list of the equipment and software that he uses, which by the way... made it possible for him to have over 5 million downloads of his audio books.
(We make no guarantees that your results will be the same.) B-])
Nathan writes...
Highly recommended: A digital recorder.. the Zoom H1 at $99 is an excellent value. It comes with very nice mics. Its limitation are on inputs. (I don't know what they are.) More info http://goo.gl/uNqiUx
The next step up would be Zoom H2 at about $150. It will take a mini plug microphone but the built ins are also excellent.
More info http://goo.gl/nEbeu3
Top shelf is the Zoom H4N at about $275. I can't recommend this highly enough. It's a great "starter" and it has inputs for both mini plug and "pro grade" XLR. It also has all the power hookups you need to use some of the high end mics with it if you get to that point.
More info http://goo.gl/7lQtD1
Mics are optional if you get one of these Zooms. For reading books, unless you're trying to set up a studio and you're sure you want to do this, the H1 is my recommendation.
Right now I use
- Zoom H4
- Rode NT1-A shock mounted on a boom.
More info http://goo.gl/Hwm3ox
Software I use
- Audacity for editing and rendering.
More info http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
- Kid3 (a linux tool) for adding the ID3 tags, altho the iTunes application does an excellent job of it.
More info http://kid3.sourceforge.net/
Many great thanks to Nathan Lowell for his help and great conversation.
#AudioBooks, #audiobookstreaming, #SEOMarketing, #SocialMediaMarketing, #marketing
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Let's Talk Editing...
by Toni Rakestraw
On Sunday, July 28, I was lucky enough to guest on John's Google Hangout, Rakestraw Book Design Live Events. I had a lot of fun and we spent an hour talking about editing.
We talked about editing, who needs editing, the different types of editing, working with an editor, dialogue, and a lot more.
#differenttypesofediting, #editing, #iseditingnecessary, #whoneedsediting
On Sunday, July 28, I was lucky enough to guest on John's Google Hangout, Rakestraw Book Design Live Events. I had a lot of fun and we spent an hour talking about editing.
We talked about editing, who needs editing, the different types of editing, working with an editor, dialogue, and a lot more.
#differenttypesofediting, #editing, #iseditingnecessary, #whoneedsediting
Monday, July 29, 2013
First Person - Deconstructed
by Toni Rakestraw
Yes, we already talked about first person, but now let's really deconstruct it and examine what it means to write in first person. Let's see what it takes to do the work.
Writing in first person, as we discussed before, means that we're inside a character's head. This could be your main character. It usually is in the books I edit. It could also be their best friend, their mother, the antagonist, an observer, their dog... you name it. Sometimes it's fun to play around with perspective by altering who's seeing the story unfold.
But what is first person? When we sit down with our family or friends and tell stories of what happened in our lives, we obviously don't tell any that are novel length. We don't recount dialogue word for word, yet in a first person novel, we do. So right off the bat, writing in first person is artificial. The narrator in the story must, by definition, already know how the story ends, because we're holding the book, right? But we play along like he doesn't, and we discover what happens right along with him. First person is just a device we can use and readers accept it.
Of course, it has strict limitations, too. Let's take description, for instance. How many of you take a paragraph to describe your characters like they're on the police blotter? Aside from the fact that you shouldn't do that unless they are, in fact, being hunted by the police, in first person, would you describe people like that?
Actions also appear different in first person. They can reveal how the character feels about himself, the situation, and anyone else involved. Instead of describing how a character got out of a car and tripped over the curb, you can include how that made them feel. Did they blame the curb? The city? Did they immediately think about how it ruined their nylons? Did they scrape their shin? Are they worried that they'll disappoint the person they're meeting by their appearance now?
Every story has some form of exposition. In first person, it usually is found in the character's thoughts. There are several ways to handle it. First, you can ignore it and treat it like any other exposition you might write, regardless of whether someone would really think that way or not. This is fine if it's more important to you to get the style and image across.
You could also limit the exposition to the style your character would use, thus exploiting the first person point of view.
You could also leave out almost all exposition altogether and confining your story to only what your narrating character things about in the story.
And the final option would be to have a dual first person point of view. This is where you also have an older version of your narrator who can recall the story that has already occurred. This person would have the advantage of time to think about the what if's and the repercussions of what happened and bring them into the story.
No matter which you use, be sure to include your character's attitude. Why use first person at all if you're not going to include the character's attitude and opinions? It's the attitude that makes the character more real. It fleshes him out, helps us identify with him or want to dislike him.
#attitude, #description, #exposition, #firstperson #pointofview, #POV, #writing
Yes, we already talked about first person, but now let's really deconstruct it and examine what it means to write in first person. Let's see what it takes to do the work.
Writing in first person, as we discussed before, means that we're inside a character's head. This could be your main character. It usually is in the books I edit. It could also be their best friend, their mother, the antagonist, an observer, their dog... you name it. Sometimes it's fun to play around with perspective by altering who's seeing the story unfold.
But what is first person? When we sit down with our family or friends and tell stories of what happened in our lives, we obviously don't tell any that are novel length. We don't recount dialogue word for word, yet in a first person novel, we do. So right off the bat, writing in first person is artificial. The narrator in the story must, by definition, already know how the story ends, because we're holding the book, right? But we play along like he doesn't, and we discover what happens right along with him. First person is just a device we can use and readers accept it.
Of course, it has strict limitations, too. Let's take description, for instance. How many of you take a paragraph to describe your characters like they're on the police blotter? Aside from the fact that you shouldn't do that unless they are, in fact, being hunted by the police, in first person, would you describe people like that?
"Oh, yes, I'm dating a new girl... she's 5'2", has blue eyes, red hair, and weighs 120 pounds. She perfectly complements my dashing 5'8", 185 pound frame, and her hair goes well with my coal black tresses."Yeah, right! No one talks like that, even in books! You have to work it in when it naturally fits.
I stumbled across the room to the mirror, running my hand through the tangled mess of black hair on my head. I couldn't believe I'd overslept. Staring back at me were two hungover brown eyes with deep circles beneath them. Shit. How was I going to get rid of them before I met Jennifer's parents for lunch in half an hour? I wanted to make a good impression. I glanced down at the rest of me. My belly sagged a bit. I sucked it in... nah. Too much effort. Work on the face.While it can be more work to do it right, first person gives us a wonderful opportunity to really get inside the character's head so we can see the character as he sees himself.
Actions also appear different in first person. They can reveal how the character feels about himself, the situation, and anyone else involved. Instead of describing how a character got out of a car and tripped over the curb, you can include how that made them feel. Did they blame the curb? The city? Did they immediately think about how it ruined their nylons? Did they scrape their shin? Are they worried that they'll disappoint the person they're meeting by their appearance now?
Every story has some form of exposition. In first person, it usually is found in the character's thoughts. There are several ways to handle it. First, you can ignore it and treat it like any other exposition you might write, regardless of whether someone would really think that way or not. This is fine if it's more important to you to get the style and image across.
You could also limit the exposition to the style your character would use, thus exploiting the first person point of view.
You could also leave out almost all exposition altogether and confining your story to only what your narrating character things about in the story.
And the final option would be to have a dual first person point of view. This is where you also have an older version of your narrator who can recall the story that has already occurred. This person would have the advantage of time to think about the what if's and the repercussions of what happened and bring them into the story.
No matter which you use, be sure to include your character's attitude. Why use first person at all if you're not going to include the character's attitude and opinions? It's the attitude that makes the character more real. It fleshes him out, helps us identify with him or want to dislike him.
#attitude, #description, #exposition, #firstperson #pointofview, #POV, #writing
Friday, July 26, 2013
Unusual Points of View
by Toni Rakestraw
So is that all I have to say on point of view? No. Today I want to talk about unusual points of view. You don't see these often.
Out of these rarities, probably the most common is the epistolary. A dear friend of mine, Jodi Cleghorn, collaborated on one of these with Postmarked: Piper's Reach, which you can read online if you're quick... they're taking it down at the end of July as they prepare it for traditional publication. The entire story is told through letters. These days, you can find the epistolary form to include diaries, memos, emails, interviews, and all sorts of written communications.
Second person puts the reader as the protagonist. It can be unsettling for the reader, and it's hard to pull off because the reader's first reaction is usually to resist.
First person plural uses "we" as the viewpoint, while third person plural uses "they." These points of view are usually limited to works of experimental science fiction because they are most suitable for hive mindsets, like the Borg from Star Trek.
For fans of children's books and fantasy/science fiction, you may run across nonhuman POV. Usually, we find they talk, think, and act just like we do. Not only does that help us relate to them, it helps us understand them. If they didn't, we might have a difficult time understanding what they were doing and why. One of my favorites that deals with nonhuman characters is Watership Down by Richard Adams. The complex lives of the rabbits in the warren hooked me completely.
#epistolary, #firstpersonplural, #nonhumanpov, #POV, #secondperson, #thirdpersonplural, #unusualpointsofview, #writing
So is that all I have to say on point of view? No. Today I want to talk about unusual points of view. You don't see these often.
Out of these rarities, probably the most common is the epistolary. A dear friend of mine, Jodi Cleghorn, collaborated on one of these with Postmarked: Piper's Reach, which you can read online if you're quick... they're taking it down at the end of July as they prepare it for traditional publication. The entire story is told through letters. These days, you can find the epistolary form to include diaries, memos, emails, interviews, and all sorts of written communications.
Second person puts the reader as the protagonist. It can be unsettling for the reader, and it's hard to pull off because the reader's first reaction is usually to resist.
You step up to the monument, scanning the list of names, looking for the one with meaning. That should have meaning. There it is. You run your fingers lightly over the embossed letters.As the reader, it's a bit strange at first, especially when the character does something you personally wouldn't do. Your natural inclinations want to resist, which pulls you out of the story.
First person plural uses "we" as the viewpoint, while third person plural uses "they." These points of view are usually limited to works of experimental science fiction because they are most suitable for hive mindsets, like the Borg from Star Trek.
For fans of children's books and fantasy/science fiction, you may run across nonhuman POV. Usually, we find they talk, think, and act just like we do. Not only does that help us relate to them, it helps us understand them. If they didn't, we might have a difficult time understanding what they were doing and why. One of my favorites that deals with nonhuman characters is Watership Down by Richard Adams. The complex lives of the rabbits in the warren hooked me completely.
#epistolary, #firstpersonplural, #nonhumanpov, #POV, #secondperson, #thirdpersonplural, #unusualpointsofview, #writing
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Branding & Social Media Networking in this New Era of Multi-Screens
I had a great Hangout On Air with Rachel Thompson and we talked...
Branding & Social Media Networking
Watch the Bad Redhead herself Rachel Thompson, published author and social media consultant talks the business and craft of using social marketing.
BadRedHead Media! http://badredheadmedia.com/
Indie Book Promo http://indiebookpromo.com/
Rachel's Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Thompson/e/B004KTY7Q0/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1371181110&sr=1-1
Site: http://RachelintheOC.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachelintheOC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachelThompsonauthor
Email: Email Rachel
My merry band of minds brought a lot to the table today... R. Harlan Smith asked about blogs and their use. Joseph Giacalone talk business plans. Jim Ault, Susanne Ramharter and Sergey Andrianov brought their wonderful thoughts about these beasties (social media) to the group.
Finding your voice and bring it forward is the challenge.
Making Social Media Work Best For You...
We need to center ourselves on the idea of solving people's problems , worries and fears in a way that makes you that source they look for and can't live without. We must be the cure for their pains and have that remedy that moves them towards a call to action. When we listen to our readership, followers and circles... we truly need to hear their concerns and build our social design around the core social media channels that they flow with.
#brandingtips, #hangoutsonair, #hoa, #OnlineMarketing, #SEOMarketing, #socialmarketingtips, #TwitterMarketing, #authors, #Brand, #HangoutOnAir, #socialmedia
Monday, July 22, 2013
Omniscient Point of View
by Toni Rakestraw
Omniscient gives the power to see and know all. It was used much more frequently in the 18th century than it is now, though many beginning writers use it without realizing it.
Writing in omniscient point of view allows you to pop into the mind of any character you choose when you choose... once, or repeatedly. As the author, you may also include your own observations or opinions on the action, even to the point of addressing the reader directly.
Some books written in omniscient POV include The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles and Howards End by E. M. Forster.
Some readers don't like omniscient and will accuse the reader of head hopping. Others say it creates distance. Beginning writers may write like this unintentionally because they want to include descriptions of how everyone is feeling in a scene, not realizing they're actually popping into everyone's heads to do that. So it must be easy, right? Nope. Writing omniscient well is far from easy. While it's true that one of the strengths of this POV is that it allows these things to be revealed, there are some problems with this POV as well, such as:
#omniscient, #pointofview, #writing
Omniscient gives the power to see and know all. It was used much more frequently in the 18th century than it is now, though many beginning writers use it without realizing it.
Writing in omniscient point of view allows you to pop into the mind of any character you choose when you choose... once, or repeatedly. As the author, you may also include your own observations or opinions on the action, even to the point of addressing the reader directly.
Some books written in omniscient POV include The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles and Howards End by E. M. Forster.
Cynthia scowled. "You don't know anything about it," she said, trying to hide her true feelings on the subject.In the example, we're sent to both Cynthia's mind, who's trying to control her true feelings, and her cousin's, who is hoping to read between the lines, then plops next to her in defeat.
"Says you," her cousin retorted hotly, hoping to read between the lines. He scanned her face for clues, then plopped on the grass next to her in defeat. "Tell me, then."
Some readers don't like omniscient and will accuse the reader of head hopping. Others say it creates distance. Beginning writers may write like this unintentionally because they want to include descriptions of how everyone is feeling in a scene, not realizing they're actually popping into everyone's heads to do that. So it must be easy, right? Nope. Writing omniscient well is far from easy. While it's true that one of the strengths of this POV is that it allows these things to be revealed, there are some problems with this POV as well, such as:
- Omniscient POV loses the willing suspension of disbelief that we cultivate in a work of fiction.
- It destroys the sense of reality we try to create in our new world because the author can insert their own opinions.
- It creates more distance between the reader and the characters.
- Reminding the reader that this is a work of fiction can be a terrific device by highlighting the artificial nature of the story.
- By increasing the distance between reader and character, the reader gets an entire panorama of reality itself.
- The author has more control in steering the story and its meaning where s/he wants it to go.
#omniscient, #pointofview, #writing
Friday, July 19, 2013
Third Person
by Toni Rakestraw
Third person. In this point of view, you're telling the story from a distance, as if you're watching the people in it.
Like first person, third person has strengths and weaknesses. Some of its strengths include:
However, if you want your reader to strongly identify with your POV character, to see the world with their eyes, you may want to choose limited third person or first person. Try a chapter or two in each and see what works best for you.
#pointofview, #thirdperson, #writing, #writingtip
Third person. In this point of view, you're telling the story from a distance, as if you're watching the people in it.
Katie faced the black wall with determination, scanning the endless rows of names. There it was. Dennis McDermott. Her fingers traced the letters. She hadn't been sure how she'd feel, seeing his name there. The father she'd never known. The father who'd never known her. Her heart swelled against an ever-tightening band. It was just a name, after all. It wasn't him. It wasn't a real person who could wrap his arms around her. Tears welled in her eyes as she realized, maybe that tight band around her heart was him. Holding her close in the only way he could.Third person allows us to go into the head of the the third person point of view character, but we also get to see what's going on outside of this character. If we only see inside one character's head, that's called limited third person viewpoint. If we get to see inside more than one character's head, it's called multiple third person viewpoint.
Like first person, third person has strengths and weaknesses. Some of its strengths include:
- POV characters can be described from the outside (what they look like, what they're doing).
- You're not limited to your character's world view. In third person, you can present objective facts without coloring them with a character's opinion. Third person opens up the story, so it feels less claustrophobic.
- It's easy to include more than one point of view in third person. As the author, you can move through the plot as needed to expose the information necessary through all the major characters instead of just one or two.
- In third person, you can withhold information until you need to reveal it by having it known only to characters who are not point of view characters.
- It's easier to remain objective with your characters when you aren't writing "I," so you can easier evaluate and imagine them.
- Third person creates more distance between the character and the reader. This can be controlled, but this takes practice and is a topic for another post.
- You lose the effect of language patterns that you can get with first person.
- Flashbacks, memories, opinions, and other devices are more awkward to put in. They can be done, but it takes greater skill to manage them smoothly.
However, if you want your reader to strongly identify with your POV character, to see the world with their eyes, you may want to choose limited third person or first person. Try a chapter or two in each and see what works best for you.
#pointofview, #thirdperson, #writing, #writingtip
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Investing in Your Book
by Toni Rakestraw
I urge you to invest in your book.
What does that mean? It means a lot of things.
First, you need to invest the time to do it right. Take your time writing and researching your book. Revise it. Get feedback. Are there holes in your plotline? If so, fix them! Are your characters flat? Fill them out! A rough draft isn't enough.
Get it edited. Allow enough time for a good edit, don't expect 150,000 words to be done overnight. Give your editor the time to go through it carefully. Rush jobs usually result in something being missed because they were rushed. Can you do your best work when you're in a rush? Schedule enough time in your production timetable to allow for a proper edit. Then add a little bit more for bumps in the road, like an unplanned for revision, or a family emergency. It's better to be ready ahead of time than to be squeezed for time at the end.
Proofread it. After you, your editor, and your trusted beta readers have all read it, get someone else to go over it for errors. If you can afford it, pay a professional. Trust me, even after all those others have gone over it, there will still be some errors. No one is perfect enough to catch everything. Could you? If you were given a 50,000 word manuscript, could you catch every single error? Especially if the author wanted it in a week or two? That's why the more sets of eyes you have go over your book, the better. And spell check doesn't catch everything, either. It doesn't know the difference between there, their and they're. Or to and too. Or rein and reign. Or wait and weight. Or right and write. All it knows is if they're spelled correctly.
Get a good cover design. If you don't know the first thing about designing a cover that looks good, find someone who does. It's worth the money to have one that catches the eye. People do judge a book by its cover, whatever they may say.
Your book represents you. This is your product that you want people to buy. Putting a substandard book out there can create a reputation that will follow you no matter how much work you put into later publications. Today's readers aren't shy about complaining in a review about shoddy writing or editing (or lack thereof). If you fix your book later, those reviews are still there. Those readers have already told their friends and the damage has been done.
I know I harp about this repeatedly here, but I can't emphasize this enough. As an author, your book is you. Do you want to go out in public with a big smudge on your face? Of course not! So why let your book do the same? Yes, editing and a good cover can cost a lot of money, depending on who you hire and the length of your book. But isn't your book worth some scrimping? Isn't your reputation as an author worth it? Many editors, like me, offer payment plans. Payment plans, however, don't work well if you're on a quick deadline (just another reason to plan well for your production time). We also offer a discount for payment in full, so there are multiple ways to save some money on editing services.
You want to put your best book forward.
#editing, #importanceofediting, #writing
I urge you to invest in your book.
What does that mean? It means a lot of things.
First, you need to invest the time to do it right. Take your time writing and researching your book. Revise it. Get feedback. Are there holes in your plotline? If so, fix them! Are your characters flat? Fill them out! A rough draft isn't enough.
Get it edited. Allow enough time for a good edit, don't expect 150,000 words to be done overnight. Give your editor the time to go through it carefully. Rush jobs usually result in something being missed because they were rushed. Can you do your best work when you're in a rush? Schedule enough time in your production timetable to allow for a proper edit. Then add a little bit more for bumps in the road, like an unplanned for revision, or a family emergency. It's better to be ready ahead of time than to be squeezed for time at the end.
Proofread it. After you, your editor, and your trusted beta readers have all read it, get someone else to go over it for errors. If you can afford it, pay a professional. Trust me, even after all those others have gone over it, there will still be some errors. No one is perfect enough to catch everything. Could you? If you were given a 50,000 word manuscript, could you catch every single error? Especially if the author wanted it in a week or two? That's why the more sets of eyes you have go over your book, the better. And spell check doesn't catch everything, either. It doesn't know the difference between there, their and they're. Or to and too. Or rein and reign. Or wait and weight. Or right and write. All it knows is if they're spelled correctly.
Get a good cover design. If you don't know the first thing about designing a cover that looks good, find someone who does. It's worth the money to have one that catches the eye. People do judge a book by its cover, whatever they may say.
Your book represents you. This is your product that you want people to buy. Putting a substandard book out there can create a reputation that will follow you no matter how much work you put into later publications. Today's readers aren't shy about complaining in a review about shoddy writing or editing (or lack thereof). If you fix your book later, those reviews are still there. Those readers have already told their friends and the damage has been done.
I know I harp about this repeatedly here, but I can't emphasize this enough. As an author, your book is you. Do you want to go out in public with a big smudge on your face? Of course not! So why let your book do the same? Yes, editing and a good cover can cost a lot of money, depending on who you hire and the length of your book. But isn't your book worth some scrimping? Isn't your reputation as an author worth it? Many editors, like me, offer payment plans. Payment plans, however, don't work well if you're on a quick deadline (just another reason to plan well for your production time). We also offer a discount for payment in full, so there are multiple ways to save some money on editing services.
You want to put your best book forward.
#editing, #importanceofediting, #writing
Monday, July 15, 2013
First Person
by Toni Rakestraw
Ah, first person. Many of the books that cross my desk are written in first person. The reader gets to experience the story inside a character's head. I find that many first-time authors choose first person as their chosen point of view, at least in the books I edit.
#firstperson, #pointofview, #writing, #writingtips
Ah, first person. Many of the books that cross my desk are written in first person. The reader gets to experience the story inside a character's head. I find that many first-time authors choose first person as their chosen point of view, at least in the books I edit.
I peered into the bassinet. There was a tiny person, wrapped in a fluffy pink blanket. She squirmed, threatening to wake. I squirmed. What would I do if she cried? I was afraid to touch her. I heaved a sigh of relief when she seemed to settle. How could they send her home with me? I had no clue what to do with her. How could I take care of her? What if I dropped her? What if I failed? It wasn't like I could just find another home for her, like a puppy. She was supposed to be mine. I swallowed hard. My daughter. It didn't seem real. It couldn't be real.One of the great things about first person is you really get into that person's character. The narration is in that character's speech pattern, we get the immediacy of their experience, and the reader feels as if they are feeling what the character feels. First person offers range that can be awkward in third person. You can wander through impressions, feelings, memory, opinion as they pass through the character's head. This is one of the great strengths of this point of view. There are, however, equally strong weaknesses that you need to keep in mind if you choose to write in first person.
- You can't include a scene in which your character is not present. Likewise, you can't include any information your character wouldn't have access to. If you must include crucial information your character doesn't have direct access to, you must be creative in finding ways to make it accessible, like letters, overheard conversations, and so on.
- You must include any information you character does have. This is especially important if you're writing a mystery. Suddenly springing a clue upon your readers that your character already knew about is bad form.
- As the author, you're limited to your character's view of the world. If your character is a Pollyanna, then s/he must see the good in everyone, no matter how evil they are. Their evilness must be shown in other ways.
- Don't confuse yourself with your character. It is so easy to do. If you feel a certain way about something, make sure your character doesn't feel that way just because you do. You need to remain objective. If your character has a strong political pull to the right or left, for example, and you're the opposite, you can't let your own leanings color your character in any way. You need to be able to become the reader enough to judge what you put on the page. This is why many authors consider first person to be extremely difficult. It is the also what many beginning authors forget when they choose to write in first person.
#firstperson, #pointofview, #writing, #writingtips
Friday, July 12, 2013
Point of View
by Toni Rakestraw
When you write a story, you need to choose a point of view. Who will be telling the story? Will it be one of your characters? Will it be you, the author?
Who you choose can change the story. Let's say you want to tell a story about a bank robbery. Major characters may include the robbers, the hostages inside the bank, and the police officers on the scene. If you choose one of the robbers, the story may consist of adventure, planning the heist, danger, a falling out between partners, and lack of trust.
If the story is told through the eyes of one of the hostages, it becomes one of bewilderment and fear. Do they hope to escape? Maybe several band together to stand up to the robbers or maybe they learn their lesson when one gets injured for doing something foolish and they await rescue.
If a detective on the case is the one who relates the story, it becomes a procedural... we get treated to the protocols of the case, talking down the robbers, negotiating for the release of the hostages, the stress when one is shot.
As you can see, each angle tells a different tale, although the main story remains the same. If you have a large cast of characters in your book, use as few points of view as possible to tell the story. Figure out the least amount you need to adequately cover the story and any internal dialogues you need in your story. Having too many can get confusing, not only for the reader, but for you. Now you must decide between first person, third person, omniscient, or those rarely used second person, plural first, plural third, and epistolary forms.
Over the next several posts, I'll be covering some of these various forms of point of view, including the pros and cons of choosing them, as well as what pitfalls to watch out for when you use them.
#pointofview, #writing, #writingtips
When you write a story, you need to choose a point of view. Who will be telling the story? Will it be one of your characters? Will it be you, the author?
Who you choose can change the story. Let's say you want to tell a story about a bank robbery. Major characters may include the robbers, the hostages inside the bank, and the police officers on the scene. If you choose one of the robbers, the story may consist of adventure, planning the heist, danger, a falling out between partners, and lack of trust.
If the story is told through the eyes of one of the hostages, it becomes one of bewilderment and fear. Do they hope to escape? Maybe several band together to stand up to the robbers or maybe they learn their lesson when one gets injured for doing something foolish and they await rescue.
If a detective on the case is the one who relates the story, it becomes a procedural... we get treated to the protocols of the case, talking down the robbers, negotiating for the release of the hostages, the stress when one is shot.
As you can see, each angle tells a different tale, although the main story remains the same. If you have a large cast of characters in your book, use as few points of view as possible to tell the story. Figure out the least amount you need to adequately cover the story and any internal dialogues you need in your story. Having too many can get confusing, not only for the reader, but for you. Now you must decide between first person, third person, omniscient, or those rarely used second person, plural first, plural third, and epistolary forms.
Over the next several posts, I'll be covering some of these various forms of point of view, including the pros and cons of choosing them, as well as what pitfalls to watch out for when you use them.
#pointofview, #writing, #writingtips
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