Tag Archives: Writing Process

Grabbing Writers Block by the You-Know-What

Stacy-DeanneAll writers deal with the dreaded writers block from time to time. It’s the enemy of all of us. It makes us huddle in corners, chew our nails to the nubs and go completely insane! But no more! You hear me? Writers no longer have to bow down to the big WB! You can beat it and it’s not as hard as you think.

It’s about how you approach it. Some argue that WB isn’t real. That it’s all in our heads. Others are convinced it’s as harmful as a deadly disease. Well maybe that’s a little dramatic but if you’ve ever experienced writers block you know it can be a frustrating and sometimes terrifying experience because you don’t know if you will ever get an idea again.

Writers block is different than procrastination. Procrastination is our own fault. It’s when we have ideas, can write, but don’t. Writers block is when you’d sell a chunk of your soul for just a tiny bit of direction for your next story or scene. It’s miserable but there are tips to help you conquer it.

You guys know that by now I tend to only give advice that I use myself. So when I say these tips work, they work. Do not doubt me. I challenge anyone who is dealing with writers block at this moment to try at least one of these tips and I bet it will help you.

Leave the Work Alone

Yep, there is nothing wrong with walking away. This is what’s wrong with writers. We think we have to always write even when we can’t. Sometimes a lack of direction is a message from our bodies. Maybe our brains need a break. Maybe we are just exhausted. Maybe we are dealing with things in our subconscious we don’t realize. Learn that it is okay to take a break and just walk away. Ideas will come back to you and when they do, they will be better than ever. You will be surprised at how not writing can jumpstart ideas.

Stop Trying to Be Perfect

You can tell a perfection wannabe from a mile away. They can never write one single word without second-guessing themselves. They struggle over every single sentence, bellyache about every misused comma, cry about how the sentence just “doesn’t seem right”. If this is you, you my friend are your own worst enemy.

You cannot expect your work to be perfect, point blank. You especially can’t expect a first draft to be perfect. If you agonize over everything to the point of obsession you will never finish a book. So you need to remember you are allowed to make mistakes. Let your muse run freely. Stop interfering with its flow. Once you give your muse control you’ll be able to write and you’ll feel at ease doing it.

The first draft is the time to just get those ideas on paper to resemble some kind of story. Save panicking for when it’s time to edit and revise.

Don’t be a Rule Whore

Sorry for my choice of words but needed to be blunt. That’s how I do. A rule whore, oh yeah we know it. It’s mainly writers just starting out who think they gotta follow every writing rule they see. They tie into the perfection crowd. Look writing rules are there for a reason but you do not have to live by them. Once you’ve learned the basics of writing and you’re good enough, rules can be broken. You’re only hurting yourself if you try to write to a rulebook. You will stifle your own creativity because you’re too busy worrying about how many exclamation marks or adverbs you can use than writing the darn story!

Once again, the first draft is not the time to panic. You can go back and edit by using the rules that can make your work better. Don’t, and I repeat, don’t write strictly by the rules.

Stop Trying to Shortcut Drafts

Some writers try to be squeaky clean during the first draft so they don’t have to go back and edit. Give it up.  You’re making it hard on yourself because once again you’re fighting to be perfect. You are going to have to edit and probably even revise that thing plenty of times so deal with it. Also would you wanna be an author who just throws up one draft and put it out into the world? No. And if you plan on being published you are gonna have to realize that you might go through as many as ten or more drafts of the same book before it’s ready. It’s just part of the business.

Ditch It

Hmm, sometimes things are commonsense. And no I’m not trying to be condescending. I’m trying to get writers to see that we do more harm than good to ourselves in terms of writers block. If something is not working whether it’s a scene or even a story, ditch it. If you cannot make that sucker work maybe that’s a sign that you shouldn’t write it.

Writers have huge egos. Yes, yes we do. And we can’t stand having to walk away from anything especially permanently but sometimes the story you want to tell is not the story your muse wants to tell and honey you aren’t getting anywhere without the muse agreeing.

Stacy-Deanne

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Stacy-Deanne (Dee-Anne) is an award-winning novelist of crime, mysteries and interracial romance. She is known as “Interracial Romance’s First Lady of Crime and Mystery.” She’s been writing professionally since 19-years-old, and her work includes “Divas of the New Millennium,” “Everlasting,” “Melody” and “Giving up the Ghost.” Stacy is profiled along with notable authors in the NAACP-nominated 2006 book, “Literary Divas: The Top 100+ African-American Women in Writing.” She is a 2011 African-American Literary Award Show nominee.


Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author will be used in the “How To Write That Novel” course at Chicago State because it covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author for only $4.99 (eBook) or $9.99 (print) from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble

Adventures in Plotting

Part of the key to succeeding as an indie writer is to offer new products on a fairly regular basis.  You cannot expect to put out one book and then sit back and count the money.  Readers want more, and writers have to offer it.  There are ways to get around this.  Established writers can publish eBook versions of backlist titles they own eBook rights to.  If your project is coming along slowly, you can write a few self-contained short stories featuring the characters.  An ideal publication schedule is to have something new every three to six months.

This can be difficult for slow writers like myself.  I find that regular writing helps, and I use tools like a hand-held recorder compatible with Dragon dictation software, to help maximize my output.  But my biggest obstacle with this is being able to knowing what to write about.

I’m not sure I ever really understood plot-driven vs. character-driven (probably not a good thing for a fiction writer), but I do know this:  When it comes to writing my books, I am a plotter, not a panster.  I summarize the entire story first.  This comes from my years as a traditionally published author, when new contracts were offered to me on the strength of the synopsis I provided to my editor.  When I began to indie publish, it was easy to keep up this practice.

I have had times when putting together a story where I became more stuck than tires in mud. In the case of my book A Kiss of a Different Color (2010), I had a basic premise of a black woman forced by economics to take a job in overwhelmingly white North Dakota, where she decided to take a chance and enroll for the ballroom dancing lessons she’s always dreamed of taking.  There she is paired with a handsome, tall blond man from Minnesota. Some cute banter and a few fireworks at their first meeting…a car that won’t start after one night of classes that puts them together in a bar while they wait for a tow truck…and then what?  I had a promising beginning, but nothing else.

I did what most writers would do…I put this story aside and worked on something else.  I kept coming back to it, hoping that the “light bulb” inside my head would go off.  Months passed, and then years…and I still couldn’t come up with a plausible story.

‘Plausible’ is an important word to me.  While I’m a big believer in having a defined plot, I also feel it’s important to stay true to my characters.  Have you ever read a book where a character you think you know does something totally out of character?  This usually happens when the author is trying to force the characters to fit their predefined plot, and it won’t ring true, which will leave readers feeling bewildered and ultimately unsatisfied.

Obviously, I eventually figured out a plot line for A Kiss of a Different Color, although it took several years.  I ran into a similar problem when outlining the story that became Isn’t She Lovely? (2012)I was pleased with the story I’d created, but then after reaching a pivotal moment in the story, where the hero is threatened with exposure of a carefully guarded secret by a vindictive person (who learned of his secret by her own devices, not because he confided in her), I got stuck.  What would happen next?

This time the solution came to me much more quickly.  I let the characters decide.  My hero was running for governor, and if his secret became public knowledge, it might mean the end of his campaign.  My heroine was being threatened by her ex-husband who wanted custody of her children and was desperate to keep her name out of any scandal that might make the judge decide in her ex’s favor.  I had written these characters pretty well and felt I knew them.  By getting into their heads, I figured out what they would do.  The solution opened the door to a ton of additional conflict, which would keep the story moving.  I was happy…my editor was happy…and, judging by the responses I’ve received directly and those left on review sites, the readers are happy.

Plot-driven vs. character-driven?  I guess I believe in a little of both.  Have a plot, but let the characters’ personalities propel it forward and get from point A to B and so on.  Once you have a fully defined story, it’s easy to focus on one scene at a time until you have an entire book.

Because the clock is ticking.

Bettye Griffin

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Bettye Griffin began indie publishing in 2009.  Her latest eBook, Isn’t She Lovely?, was published in March 2012.


Upcoming Free Workshop: Character Cake (Character Development) Facilitator: Deatri King-Bey Date: May, 19 2012 Time: 4-5 p.m. Central Location: Become A Successful Author Website (link and password will be given the day before the event). Sign up for the newsletter to participate.


Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author will be used in the “How To Write That Novel” course at Chicago State because it covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author for only $4.99 (eBook) or $9.99 (print) from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble

Unplug and Write

DeatriA few weeks ago, I was speaking with a fellow author about writer’s block. She said she didn’t know what was wrong. For some reasons the stories weren’t coming to her like they used to. “Writer’s Block,” she claimed, but that didn’t sound right to me. The stories were coming to her as always. She had concepts and would go on and on about plots, but when it came to sitting at the keyboard and bringing the characters to life—nothing. Or even worse, the writing felt flat. It was time for a major shake-up. I couldn’t allow my girl to go out like that.

Did you know that writing by hand, speaking into a recording device and typing into a word processor each tap into your brain differently? It’s faster to type your manuscript than having to transcribe something that is handwritten or recorded, so that is the method many of us use. My author friend lived and planned on dying by the word processor. When I suggested tapping into her creativity using handwritten or oral methods, she said she didn’t have all of that time.

I told her to indulge me. Turn off the computer—which she hadn’t been able to do much more than surf the Internet on when she was supposed to be writing—pick up the writing utensil of her choice and start writing the book she’d told me about during our walks.

She came over to “visit” me, but I will go to my grave saying she actually came over to “torture” me while we both wrote using pen and paper. This was also an exercise for me, because I hadn’t written this way in years. I’ll give you one guess what happened? It started out rocky and she worked my last nerve, but within an hour, we were both writing demons. After we typed out what we’d done, we critiqued each other’s work and her writing had that umph again. Don’t get me wrong, her books were still good but they were missing some of the zeal of the past. And yes, I’ll tell on myself. She said the same types of things about my writing.

I wrote so much faster this way that I believe I still came out ahead time wise by writing by hand then typing it into the word processor. This got me to thinking—WHY? Why was my writing freer? I also recorded a few scenes as I took my walk, and they also flowed easily. I have no scientific evidence to support what I’m about to say, but in addition to tapping into a different portion of my brain for creativity, using a pen and paper unplugged me from two huge distractions.

Distractions:

  • Easy access to the Internet is a HUGE distraction. Be honest, how much of your writing time do you spend surfing the net, on social media, checking emails…  If you must write using your computer, be sure to turn off your Internet connection. Granted, it is easy to turn log back on, but resist the urge. And don’t make excuses like I need to check the dictionary or look something up. You may need to, but instead make a list of items then set aside time to do that research. Every time you stop writing to do whatever, you interfere with the flow of the work and it’s hard to get into a good rhythm.
  • Spelling/grammar check and your internal editor. I know you are thinking I’m crazy, but I noticed this the other week when I was writing a scene. As I’m typing, if I make a mistake, I go back and fix it right then and there. This messes up your flow.

Though life itself can be quite a distraction, at least I wouldn’t have either of these distractions when I write by hand or record scenes. I don’t worry about spelling, grammar, punctuation, syntax… I just write. I’m free. Then when I transcribe the scenes using the word processor, I massage them a little, and I’m good to go.

I know we are in the electronic age and many of you are thinking there is no way you will take the time to handwrite or record then transcribe but I want you to give it a try. In the long run, you may save time and release new parts of your creativity.

Deatri King-Bey

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ANNOUNCEMENT: Deatri will be conducting a FREE Character Development workshop for people who are signed up for my monthly newsletter. Workshop: Character Cake Cost: Free Date: Apr, 28 2012 Time: 4-5 p.m. Central Location: Become A Successful Author Website (link and password will be given the day before the event)


Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author will be used in the “How To Write That Novel” course at Chicago State because it covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author for only $4.99 (eBook) or $9.99 (print) from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble

Who’s Telling This Story—Point of View

DeatriI remember the first novel I wrote. I had been an avid reader for years and just knew the book I wrote would take historical romance to a whole new level. After I completed the novel, I sent it to the person who would become my biggest fan—my mom—for her opinion. Now don’t laugh, I know you are thinking you NEVER send your manuscript to family and friends if you want an honest critique, but I was new to the game, didn’t know anyone and my mom, who happens to be an avid reader, will tell me if something I do sucks. She’ll just say it in a nice way. So she read the book and said the plot was very good and so was the setting, but there was something wrong with the flow that she couldn’t pinpoint. This would be my first lesson in the difference between a great storyteller and a writer. I needed to learn the craft so my stories would translate to written word without driving my readers crazy.

I’ve been reading a lot of self-published books lately and have come across some great storytellers, but something is wrong with the flow of some of these works. These authors are having the same issue I had with my first novel—they have no concept of point of view outside of first, second and third person.

Allow me to apologize now. Point of view (POV) is not an exciting subject, but it is a concept you MUST master. Point of view can become complicated, and there are many “correct” and “incorrect” ways to utilize its concepts, so I’ll give you the basics.

The part of POV that most authors understand is first, second, or third person. This aspect of POV is used in the narrative between the dialogue. Most authors stick with first or third person throughout the manuscript. I have never read a manuscript that uses both, but I’m told they are out there.

  • First Person speaks from the I perspective. First person is as close to the narrator that you can get because the narrator is the one telling the story—I couldn’t believe his dog was loose again.
  • Second Person speaks from the you perspective. I like to call this the “author intrusion” point of view because the narrator is speaking directly to you—You know how it angers you when people allow their dogs to run the streets. Second person is often used in business and nonfiction writing. I’m using it right now in hopes you feel you  are being spoken to directly. I’m about to act like second person doesn’t exists in fiction. It does and I want you to be aware of it, but I’ll spend my word count on the two POVs you’ll use most, first and third.
  • Third person speaks from the he/she perspective. Third person gives you distance between the narrator and the characters. In third person the narrator can possess characters and tell you what they think, sense, feel…—He couldn’t believe that jerk let his dog out of the yard again.

Whew, that was easy, wasn’t it? Now comes the aspect of POV many new to the game don’t know about. The perspective character(s). Who is telling this scene, this chapter, this story? There are a few ways to portray perspective in your story, but we will stick with the main two used in fiction—limited and unlimited.

Limited POV

In limited POV, the narrator tells the story from the perspective of one of the characters of a scene, chapter or the entire novel. This character is known as the perspective character. The narrator may be the perspective character, thus will use first person (I) during the narration, or the narrator may possess the perspective character, thus will use third person (he/she) in the narration.

As the narrator for the perspective character, you know everything the perspective character knows, thinks, hears, sees… Sounds easy enough, huh? Let’s say your perspective character—Jane in this case— is looking out the window watching the sun set and someone walks into the room. Jane hasn’t had a visitor in years and didn’t expect to have visitors anytime soon. What can you tell us about the person who came into the room? Remember, Jane is facing the window. I’m serious. Take a few seconds to answer before you continue reading.

Lately, I’ve come across several books that have the perspective character narrating things they shouldn’t be able to. It’s like they have eyes behind their head and read minds. In limited POV, if the perspective character can’t see it, taste it, hear it, feel it, think it, know it… then you can’t narrate it. Let’s put Jane back at the window. Dick could walk into the room, but since Jane’s back is turned to the door, she can’t see who came in. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read a book that was supposed to be in limited POV tell me what was happening behind a the perspective character’s back or even in a different location all together. For example if Jane were on the phone, the narrator then says what is happening on Dick’s end of the line. When Jane’s back is to the door, don’t say: Dick walked into the room. Use senses that Jane can actually use and the narrator can tap into.

Jane can hear footsteps approach. Does she recognize whose steps they are? Is this person so quiet she doesn’t hear them approach, but smells their cologne? Does the person come into the room and clear his throat?

Let me give another example of this type of POV slip (error). Let’s say Jane (who is still our perspective character) is looking out the window, and she knows Dick is sitting on the couch waiting for her reply on something. As the narrator, can I say: Dick drew his gun a pointed it at Jane’s back? Not if you want to do limited POV correctly. Instead, you can have Jane see him draw the gun in the reflection of the window. Or if he fires the shot, she can hear the bang and feel searing pain rip through her back.

Let’s try this again. Our perspective character, Jane, is at the window and hears someone approach. She’s shocked because she hasn’t had visitors in years, and she’s startled because who would walk into her home uninvited. She spins around and sees Dick. What can you tell us about Dick? Go ahead answer.

Outside of their history, information Jane knows about him and his physical appearance, nothing that I can think of at this time (Yeah, I put that qualifier in there. SMILE). I’ve come upon several books that were supposed to be written in limited POV that tell me what characters other than my perspective character are thinking. For example, Jane turns and sees Dick. Dick hadn’t seen Jane in years and still held animosity toward her. Does Jane read minds? How would she know this? Jane can look at his stance, his facial features and can try to read his emotions and say what she THINKS is on his mind, but she can’t tell us what is actually going through his mind.

To explain perspective character further, I’ll move Jane and Dick to the kitchen for coffee and to catch up with each other. Jane is still our perspective character. She pours coffee into each of their cups. Dick picks up his cup. What can you tell us about Dick’s perseption of the coffee? Can I say: Dick picked up the mug, and it burned him? (I hope you wouldn’t say this anyway because it’s telling and not showing, but that’s a different exercise.) Yes, you can say it, but it would be a slip in POV, an error. SMILE. Jane is the perspective character and can not feel for Dick. She can interpret his reactions to picking up the coffee. He may jerk his hand back. He may turn up his nose to the smell…

Time to pick on Jane one more gin (as my grandmother would say).This time we’ll touch on something controversial where point of view is concerned. Jane is our perspective character. What can you tell us about her physical features. For example, could I say, Jane combed her long, dark hair. Or if writing in first person could I say: I combed my long, dark hair.

This is where the controversy comes in and is difficult to articulate. Many editors believe perspective characters should not describe their physical features because you write the narration as if you are the character (first person) or you have possessed that character (third person), and when you comb your hair you wouldn’t think of your hair as long and dark. Or if you were tall, you wouldn’t think I’m six foot three. Instead, you should sneak in these elements. For example: Jane stared at her reflection in the mirror and drew her fingers through her long, dark hair, thinking it was time for a dye job and cut. See the difference? There is a reason she’d take note of her hair.

Personally, I think you should try not to have your perspective character describe themselves. Figure out ways to sneak in their physical characteristics.

Unlimited POV

In unlimited POV, you can have more than one perspective character per scene, chapter and/or novel. Unlimited POV is more difficult to master than limited POV, but the form most new authors attempt to write in. When writing in unlimited point of view, you’re not limited to Dick or Jane’s perspective. You can tell everything from both of their perspectives. Well, that’s not quite true.

To move from one character’s perspective to another is called a shift in perspective. If you continually shift from one character to another and back and forth and every which way, this is called head hopping. That was the problem with my first book. I was telling all of the characters’ thoughts and just about every action in every room, even if the characters were in different rooms speaking to each other. Well, maybe not that bad, but you get the  picture. I see this a lot in self-published books.

So how many characters’ perspectives can you display in unlimited POV during a scene, chapter or novel? There is no magic number, which is why this perspective is so difficult to master. It’s not cut and dry. I think of it like this, each time you shift perspective, the flow of the novel is shaken. If you have too many “shakes” close to each other, you’ll give your novel “shaken novel syndrome.” Do not shake your baby (novel).

Many traditionally-published romance novels are written using unlimited POV. When the author shifts from one perspective to another, it’s a smooth transition. For example a sex scene may start out from the male’s perspective, then shift to the female’s perspective. I wish I could tell you exactly when, where and how many times is acceptable to shift, but I don’t have those answers. I can give you a few pointers when writing in unlimited POV:

  • Read traditionally published books that are written in unlimited POV and study the authors’ techniques. I know traditionally published books are not perfect, but like it or not, their overall quality is higher than self-published books and when learning, it’s best to go to the best available.
  • Decide what POV you will be writing in and stick to it. For example, if you’ve been able to write the first three chapters of your manuscript using limited POV, don’t write in unlimited POV for chapter four, then go back to writing in limited POV. And yes, I have seen this happen in a few books.
    • There are exceptions to this. Limited and Unlimited have different feels to them. So let’s say you are writing a fantasy where there are two realms that are completely different. To further display these differences, when your characters are in one realm, you may use unlimited POV, when in another you may use limited POV. Wait until you fully understand both forms before mixing and matching. Let’s say you are doing a murder mystery. You may do the scenes from the murder’s perspective in limited POV and scenes from the investigative team in unlimited.
  • Set the tone for which POV you are using early in the novel. I read a novel the other week that was in unlimited POV for the first two chapters, then switched to limited for the rest of the novel. This was a mistake. I was like, why didn’t the author just go back and rewrite the first two chapters in limited?
  • Don’t take unlimited literally. No head hopping. Switch perspective characters only when needed.  There is RARELY an occasion where you MUST tell only one or two lines from someone else’s perspective. I’m serious. I’ll be reading a chapter that has been in limited POV the entire time, then switch to unlimited for two lines to tell you what another character was thinking, then switch back. This is a POV slip (error).

Information Overload

I don’t want to overwhelm you, so I’ll stop here. I hope I was able to give you enough of a glimpse into POV to get you started. Now you have homework. In the future when you read novels, pay attention to the different aspects of POV.

I’ve read a few books that focus on point of view, and most of them gave me a headache. There is more than one way to execute point of view (did you catch the double entendre), so I say learn the basics and then expand your wings. If you come across helpful books or articles regarding point of view, please come back and list them in this thread for others.

Happy Writing,

Deatri King-Bey
As Featured On EzineArticles

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ANNOUNCEMENT: I’ll be conducting a FREE eBook formatting workshop for people who are signed up for my monthly newsletter. Topic: eBook Formatting Basics for Fiction Titles Cost: Free Date: March, 24, 2012 Time: 3-4 p.m. Central Location: Become A Successful Author Website (link and password will be given the day before the event)


Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author will be used in the “How To Write That Novel” course at Chicago State because it covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author (eBook) for only $4.99 from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble  or print copies for only $7.99 by using the Contact page of this website and tell Dee know how many copies you’d like and shipping address. She’ll email the ordering information. Or you can purchase the print version from any book store for $9.99.

The Learning Never Stops

Renee Daniel FlaglerHoning your skills as a writer is vital to the pursuit of a successful writing career. Like editing, the learning never really stops. One of the best ways to hone your writing skills is to constantly challenge yourself. Continuous learning is the key to perfecting any skill. When it comes to writing, no matter how seasoned you are, there’s always room for improvement.  Many prolific writers use writing prompts to fine tune their skills.

Allow the first draft of every story to flow naturally. Do not try to disrupt the creative flow by being overly concerned about grammar, sentence structure and other technical issues. Initially, keep your focus on getting your story out. Once you’ve gotten the story out of your head and onto paper (or into your laptop) then go back and begin to shape the story into a crafty, well-written tale. This is where you first begin to challenge yourself. Examine your first draft and determine all the ways you can improve upon your story. How can you make the second version better than the first?

Read, read and then read some more. As a writer, reading is imperative. I can’t stand it when a writer says, “I don’t read.” I know that I’m won’t be interested in anything that they write since I doubt I’ll learn anything them. Even when a writer reads for entertainment, learning inadvertently happens. Staying in the realm of the written word helps to massage your writing muscles. Chose books from various genres and authors of all walks of life. Pay attention to all of the techniques other author’s use to pull you into a story. Study these elements and try to perfect them in your own work.

Writing workshops and classes are available at libraries, schools and conference centers across the country. You may even consider enrolling into an MFA program. You will be amazed by how much you can learn about yourself as a writer. Take advantage of these courses to help you hone your skill, get started on that next novel or simply find out more about the world of writing. Take a variety of courses to help you develop your skill. Whether you are a seasoned writer or just starting out, you’re bound to learn something new.

Now sit down and write something fabulous!

Renee Daniel Flagler
www.reneedanielflagler.com
www.facebook.com/ReneeDanielFlagler
www.twitter.com/ReneeFlagler
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ANNOUNCEMENT: Hello All, Dee here. I’ll be conducting a FREE eBook formatting workshop for people who are signed up for my monthly newsletter.
Topic: eBook Formatting Basics for Fiction Titles Cost: Free Date: March, 24, 2012 Time: 3-4 p.m. Central Location: Become A Successful Author Website (link and password will be given the day before the event)


Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author will be used in the “How To Write That Novel” course at Chicago State because it covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author (eBook) for only $4.99 from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble  or print copies for only $7.99 by using the Contact page of this website and tell Dee know how many copies you’d like and shipping address. She’ll email the ordering information. Or you can purchase the print version from any book store for $9.99.

Writing a Mystery? Don’t Forget to Give Your Reader Choices

First off, I want to thank Deatri for allowing me to stop by her site as a guest blogger. It’s indeed an honor.

I always rub my hands together when I’m given a wide berth on writing topic. Usually, the commentaries I write come from my recent activities as a writer and as an editor. This post is no different.

I am a huge mystery/thriller fan. Patterson, Grisham, Connelly, Cornwell, and Clark are just a few authors I read, and Mary Higgins Clark (and her book All around the Town) sparked me to write my first mystery, Death at the Double Inkwell. I talk about Clark and my move toward mystery writing on the blog, The Blood-Red Pencil (http://goo.gl/Oo0zN).

Writing a mystery is an intricate endeavor. Just like with any story, you have to deal with developing strong characters, well-paced plots with heightened tension, dialogue that reveals character, and the list goes on and on. However, when writing a mystery, there are a couple more things you need to include.

There are plenty of resources available that discuss the many facets of mystery writing (“How to Write a Great Mystery” on NPR http://goo.gl/xqCdB, “Writing Mysteries” by Sue Grafton http://goo.gl/sMg4q, “How to Write a Damn Good Mystery” by James N. Frey http://goo.gl/8rbS5, and “Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel” by Hallie Ephron http://goo.gl/Knlhr). In this post, I want to talk about one important facet: giving your readers choices.

Choices of what?

Choices of suspects.

We all know that in any mystery a crime is committed…sometimes multiple crimes, and as readers, we dive into a mystery to figure out who did it. As writers, we have to be able to sustain the mystery in our story. Typically, we don’t want the reader to figure out too soon who the culprit is. We do this by offering choices, an array of characters that might have a motive for committing the crime.

My favorite television series of all time is Murder, She Wrote. I think things I’ve learned from watching this show can help to illustrate the importance of choices.

While watching Murder, She Wrote, I hardly ever figured out who the killer was before Jessica Fletcher did and often wondered, “How in the world did she do that?” But there were things that happened throughout the course of an episode that kept me from crying foul as a viewer. As Jessica illustrated how the killer committed the crime, tried to keep it under wraps, and ultimately failed to do so, I realized a few things:

1-      As the story progressed, I could have figured out the mystery, and if I didn’t, the clues were there for me to do so. This kept me from arguing that as a reader, I have no opportunity to interact, take part in figuring out the mystery. Choices play a role here. If we are limited by the number of possible suspects, we run the risk of allowing the reader to figure things out way before the story ends…and then they may leave the page and stop reading the story. Sometimes, we are so concerned with making sure we plotted the story well that we have narrowed down the suspect list to only one person—way before the story concludes.

2-      Not only was the story well-paced, but the pacing of new suspects and elimination of other suspects were well-plotted, too. This kept me always guessing. Readers of mysteries like to interact with the story. They like to learn about new characters, see their connection(s) to the main character(s), and try to see if there are motives for these characters to be suspects. Again, if we are limited by our choices, there is no guessing for the reader. There is no interaction.

3-      The killer was always present in the story. This is an important one. It seems like “Well, duh,” but the fact is a reader will cry foul if s/he can’t do #1: read the clues and connect them to the culprit (whether during the story or once the culprit has been revealed). If the killer is never fully breathing, walking, talking, interacting with main characters, having a life in the story, then the revelation of this person being the culprit rings false.

If you’re working on a mystery right now, in the revision/rewriting stage(s), think about your suspects. Is there enough to keep the readers on their toes? Are the suspects actual parts of the story that readers get to see in motion? The more you think about these things in the writing and revision stages, the happier your readers will be when they jump into your story.

Shonell Bacon

Dee here: I’d like to thank Shonell for making a guest appearance on Become A Successful Author. I truly appreciate it and her.


Shonell Bacon is an author, editor, and educator. She’ll be rereleasing her first mystery Death at the Double Inkwell in February 2012, a month before her new novel Into the Web is released under Eclectic Soul Publications’ mystery imprint, Crimson Whispers. She’s been an editor for over 11 years, helping writers to develop strong stories ready for publication. Shonell has also taught in the university since 2001, teaching composition, mass communication, and creative writing. Currently, she continues to write while pursuing her Ph.D. in Technical Communication and Rhetoric at Texas Tech University. You can learn more about Shonell at her website, http://shonellbacon.com.


Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author will be used in the “How To Write That Novel” course at Chicago State because it covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author (eBook) for only $4.99 from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble  or print copies for only $7.99 by using the Contact page of this website and tell Dee know how many copies you’d like and shipping address. She’ll email the ordering information.

Critiques Can Be Your Friends

If you want your work published, you must learn to ask for and accept critiques. Granted, it’s not always easy. Like anxious parents, most writers feel a need to protect their “baby” when they send it out into the world. But critiques are a necessary part of the publishing process, and responding appropriately to readers’ comments helps strengthen your work. The trick is keeping those critiques constructive.

It’s thrilling to hear someone say, “I liked your story,” “This was really interesting” or “You’re a wonderful writer.” But such critiques aren’t constructive; they’re worthless, other than giving your ego a boost. You need more specific feedback to help you improve your work. Comments like, “I loved the surprise ending,” “The main character reminds me of my Aunt Betty” or “I felt like I was in the room” are somewhat better. But nothing helps as much as a specific “negative” critique.

Say what! A negative critique about your work! Yes.

When you receive negative critiques, ask the readers to be as specific as possible. Find out what they didn’t like or didn’t understand — without getting defensive or trying to explain it away. Set your emotions aside, and just listen and make notes. Again, not easy, but well worth learning how to do. If one reader didn’t like or didn’t understand something in your story, chances are that reader’s not alone. Aim to write in a way that none of your readers can misread your meaning. If it helps ease the pain, set your work aside for a while and let your subconscious mull over the comments.

I’m not saying you should make every change your readers suggest. Sometimes those changes will conflict. Everyone has different views. Weigh all comments as mere suggestions. If they ring true, you’ll feel it in your gut (once you no longer feel like you’ve been punched there). If they don’t ring true, just ignore them. Some comments will have more to do with the reader than with your work. Always consider the source.

Don’t rely on friends and family for critiques. Share your work with other writers, especially published ones. Join a writers group either online or off, or work with a writing partner. Stress that you’re asking for specific critiques, whether positive or negative. Then bring ‘em on!

Lana Castle


Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author will be used in the “How To Write That Novel” course at Chicago State because it covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author (eBook) for only $4.99 from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble or the print for $7.99 from the books page of this website.

How To Write Your First Book…

Google the title of this blog entry and hundreds of pages of blogs, articles, and books pop up to show you how to become an author.  And, if you are anything like me, you’ve tried to read them all, so I won’t add all the advice that you can get from a Google search on this blog. I’ll just tell you how it is for me—hopefully giving you a bird’s eye view of my journey will add insight into yours.

Without further ado …

I was working in an assisted living facility in Mechanicsburg and attending nursing school when I decided to seriously give my writing a chance. I believe it was March, but it could have been April, all I know for certain was that my first clinical semester was coming to a close and I was complete wreck.  I was so stressed out, anxious, and exhausted, I couldn’t give you an accurate timeline of events, because I had no idea whether I was coming or going in those days.

I ran on autopilot. “Just keep going,” I remember saying to myself often, “Julie, just keep going!”

However, I was stuck! I’d get home from work around midnight and sit at the computer until 2 a.m. struggling to complete my assignment for the next clinical day. I’ll never forget sitting at my small desk in the middle of the night, crying my eyes out. My son, who was about fourteen years old, came out of his room to go to the bathroom and overheard my tears. He came over to me, wiped my eyes , and then asked me the most important question ever posed to me.

“Mom, why are you going to school to be a nurse when all you do is write?”

Out of the mouths of babes, right! That question floored me and I spent the rest of the semester wondering the same thing.  My first novel, “Strawberry Mansion” was a collection of tattered notes stored in a shoe box. It took a lot of prayer to get it together because the story was semi-autobiographical and connected to a lot of old pain. It took me a long while to gain the courage to write it but when I got started, really started, I couldn’t stop. I wrote every day or every other day and I filled up note books until I got a free day with my laptop to spend at a bookstore. I can’t describe in totality the feeling of completing your first book. I’ll just say that it lies somewhere in between a cataclysmic orgasm and giving birth to a human being. Hell maybe I can describe it 🙂

The process gets a little easier as I began to crank out books rather consistently, but it’s not a cake walk, and it’s definitely not for the weak willed writer. You cannot finish a book without self-discipline and commitment.  You can read everything you want on the subject, but it will not get done until you do it. BUTT IN CHAIR AND HANDS ON KEYS.

Q: HOW DO I WRITE MY FIRST BOOK?       A: LIKE NIKE BABY, YOU JUST DO IT!

Until next time Julia Press Simmons Author/Publisher www.QueenMidasBooks.com.


Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author will be used in the “How To Write That Novel” course at Chicago State because it covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author (eBook) for only $4.99 from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble  or print copies for only $7.99 by using the Contact page of this website and tell Dee know how many copies you’d like and shipping address. She’ll email the ordering information.

 

The Comma Is Your Friend

DeatriOne of  the most misused pieces of punctuation is the comma.  If you litter your  manuscript with comma errors, many editors will toss your submission into the  round file, and you can turn off readers.  At the conclusion of this post, you should feel comfortable  enough to consider the comma your friend.  Sorry, but there is no fun way to do this.  Get comfortable, and let’s learn about commas.

NOTE: A main clause is the section of the sentence that could stand alone as a complete sentence.

 Common Comma Errors

Comma splice

A comma splice is when you have two main clauses separated  by a comma.  Do not trust grammar check, it will not always catch a comma  splice.  For example, I put a comma splice in the previous sentence that my grammar check missed.

To solve a comma splice, you should either use a period, a semi-colon, or a comma + a coordinating conjunction (and but for nor or so yet).

Do not trust grammar check. It will not always catch a comma splice.

Do not trust grammar check; it will not always catch a comma splice.

Do not trust grammar check, for it will not always catch a comma splice.

Fused sentence

A fused sentence is when two or more main clauses are connected without any punctuation separating them.  Below is an example of a fused sentence that my grammar check missed.

Do not trust grammar check it will not always catch a fused sentence.

Run-on sentence

Do you know anyone who talks all the time, and you wish they would be quiet a few seconds, but you know they think they will die if they are quiet for longer than a breath, yet you still pray for a miracle, so now you are stuck listening to them go on and on.

The above is a run-on sentence.  Grammatically correct. Punctuation correct.  The only problem is it runs on and on.

Use a Comma…

To separate main clauses linked by a coordinating conjunction

(and but for nor or so yet)

(main clause), (coordinating conjunction) (main clause).

The run on sentence gives several examples of how to use the comma along with a coordinating conjunction to separate main clauses.  The exception to the rule is if you have a short sentence.  In that case, the comma is optional. Just be consistent within your piece of work.

The milk spilled and the baby cried.     The milk spilled, and the baby cried.

When in doubt, throw in the comma.

To set off most introductory elements

An introductory element can be a clause, expression, or phrase that introduces the main clause.  When speaking, these usually require a pause.

(introductory clause), (main clause).

When I felt sleepy, I went to bed.

Running, he tripped over the garden hose.

Note: A comma is not required for a short introductory phrase, but it is usually added for clarity.

To set off non-essential elements

A non-essential element is a word or phrase that interrupts the sentence and does not affect the meaning of the sentence.  The best way to recognize a non-essential element is by moving it within the sentence.

(non-essential element), (main clause).

(portion of main clause), (non-essential element), (remainder of main clause).

(main clause),  (non-essential element).

 

Surprisingly, comma usage isn’t too difficult to learn.

Comma usage, surprisingly, isn’t too difficult to learn.

Comma usage isn’t too difficult to learn, surprisingly.

 

To set off non-essential supplementary information

Supplementary information adds detail to your sentence and can be either restrictive (which means you must have it in order for the sentence to make sense) or non-restrictive (non-essential).   Only use commas with non-essential supplementary information.

For example:

(portion of the sentence), (non-essential supplementary information), (remainder of sentence)

I wrote a tutorial about commas, which took me two hours to write, for my blog.

If you took out the non-essential supplementary information, the sentence would not lose any meaning. For example: I wrote a tutorial about commas for my blog.

Here is an example using restrictive supplementary information.

The authors who took writing seriously rose to great heights.

If you took out the supplementary information, the sentence would lose its meaning.

The authors rose to great heights.  Which authors?

 

To separate items in a list

Separate a series containing three or more equally important words, phrases, or clauses with commas.  The last item should also have a coordinating conjunction preceding it.

The comma preceding the coordinating conjunction is optional in creative writing but mandatory in most academic writing.  Whether you choose to use the final comma or not, be sure to be consistent throughout your manuscript. Below are examples:

Separate a series containing three or more equally important words, phrases, or clauses with commas.

Separate a series containing three or more equally important words, phrases or clauses with commas.

 

To separate coordinate adjectives

Use coordinating conjunctions or commas to separate two or more adjectives that modify the same noun if you can change the order of the adjectives without changing the meaning.

She was a warm, loving person.  She was a loving, warm person.

Notice in the above example you could easily switch the order of the adjectives.  If you have a sentence where you could not switch the adjectives, then do not separate them with a comma.

She asked for the new registration form.

 

To set off contrast elements

When words, phrases, or clauses are used to show a sharp contrast or what is not, place a comma between the elements.  The best way to understand this rule is to see it in action.

The roller coaster ride was fun, and scary.

He is from Nigeria, not from Liberia.

Note: When using the word but to show contrast, the comma is optional if you do not have a main clause on both sides of the but.  Just make sure you are consistent throughout your paper:

The roller coaster ride was fun but scary.   The roller coaster ride was fun,but scary.

 

To set off tag sentences

A tag sentence is a short sentence/statement that conveys an opinion and is placed at the end of the main sentence.  Place a comma between the main sentence and the tag sentence/statement.

We have two more weeks of class, I think.

How many weeks of class are left, two?

 

To set off direct address

When directly addressing someone or a group, set it off with commas.

(direct address),  (main clause).

(main clause), (direct address).

(portion of main clause), (direct address), (rest of main clause).

Betty, hand me the deck of cards.    Children, be quiet.

Hand me the deck of cards, Betty.    Be quiet, children.

When you’re finished shuffling the cards, Betty, let me know.

 

To set off a non-essential appositive

An appositive is a word or phrase that renames the noun directly preceding it.

noun, non-essential appositive, rest of sentence.

Deatri King-Bey, the author of this post, is from Illinois.

To prevent misreading

Sometimes a comma is needed to prevent misreading or add clarity to a sentence.   When using this rule, ensure you actually needed to use the comma.

Running, he tripped over the garden hose.

That’s All, Folks

Easier than you thought it would be, huh? Don’t be intimidated by grammar and punctuation. I always recommend that authors and editors take a refresher grammar/punctuation course every few years.

Happy Writing

Deatri King-Bey

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As Featured On EzineArticles


Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author will be used in the “How To Write That Novel” course at Chicago State because it covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author (eBook) for only $4.99 from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble  or print copies for only $7.99 by using the Contact page of this website and tell Dee know how many copies you’d like and shipping address. She’ll email the ordering information.

Quality vs. Quantity : Message to Self-Published Authors

Iris BollingWhat is the first thing you think when you read an author has produced twenty books in a twelve month time span? WOW! That author is bringing in the big bucks. It’s a logical assumption. You want a piece of the action, don’t you? LOL! We all do. But, at what cost?

This is going to be short and sweet.

If you put out twenty books and only two out of the twenty were good reads, how many more of your books do you think readers will purchase? Probably none. Here’s a little something to remember. Quality will bring you a bigger bang for your money than quantity will in the long run. How, you ask? Well, let’s look at the economics of book sales. You sold one hundred books at $5.00. You made $500.00 dollars. Not bad. You put out another twenty. This time you only sold two, you made $10.00. What happened? The readers choose not to try you again. Eighteen out of the first twenty they purchased were not good. And here’s the thing, you knew it before you put the book on the market. But you put them out there anyway for the quick buck. Now, you really have a problem—negative name recognition. You have to win the faith of the readers you lost back.

Let’s take a look at another scenario. You wrote one book. You sold 100 at $5.00. You made $500.00. Not bad. In fact readers are talking about your book to others and you find you have to reprint more or your eBook sales are jumping. When you release your second book, you sell 200 on the first day. $1,000.00 in one day! This is a real WOW! You have double your sales on the first book, all from word of mouth. The readers talked about how good that first book was to their friends, bookclub members, on review sites and other readers listened. Not only did you retain you first group of readers, you have added more. Why? Quality.

The quality of your story is what will keep the readers faithful to you as an author. They will remember the characters, what they did, how they did it and who they did it to. Readers will begin to quote some of your words. But most important, the readers will share your work with other readers. Give them a piece of crap and they will not even remember the name of the book. Or worse, when they hear your name the will smirk, “Don’t waste your money.”

Quality vs. Quantity…..Quality wins hands down, every time. When writing your novels, but your big toe in it the mix. It will pay off in the long run.

Iris Bolling

http://www.irisbolling.net/ or http://www.sirient.com/

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Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author will be used in the “How To Write That Novel” course at Chicago State because it covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author (eBook) for only $4.99 from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble  or print copies for only $7.99 by using the Contact page of this website and tell Dee know how many copies you’d like and shipping address. She’ll email the ordering information.

 

Watch That Wordiness!

One of my favorite quotes is: “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” This quote, attributed alternatively to Mark Twain, Blaise Pascal or even Samuel Johnson, attests to the difficulty of writing concisely. But doing so is important and a skill that most writers develop over time. Here are a few tips to speed your mastery.

Use vivid words, primarily nouns and verbs. Limit adjectives and adverbs, which tend to lead to wordiness. Save supersizing for fast foods; think short and direct! Watch out especially for very. She was livid is stronger than She was very mad. This is my final draft is more direct than This is my very final draft.

Use the active voice; it’s almost always more direct than the passive. Passive sentences tend to dance around your point: This blog was written for you. Instead, reveal who did what: I wrote this blog for you. The words is, are, was, were, be, am, been, being and by as well as words ending in –ment or –tion frequently — but not always— signal passive constructions: Attention should be paid to redundant phrasing. Instead write: Pay attention to redundant phrasing or Avoid redundancy. You can set Microsoft Word’s grammar-checking function to find passive sentences and then reword the sentences yourself. Just go to Options/Proofing/Settings/Style and click on the Passive sentences box on a PC, or Preferences/Spelling and Grammar/Grammar/Settings and click on thePassive sentences box on a Mac.

Eliminate unnecessary thats: She said that she never wanted to see him again. He thinks that there’s no better calling than being a writer.

Use only one or two words for overused longer phrases: like instead of along the lines of, always instead of at all times, now or presently instead of at the present time, by instead of by means of, even though instead of despite the fact that, if instead of in the event that, soon instead of in the near future and so on.

Writing to a tight word count is great practice. Draft a segment, do a word count and then challenge yourself to reduce the count by twenty percent. You’d be surprised how much you can cut and still get your point across. Happy writing!

Lana Castle

http://www.castlecommunications.com/

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Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author will be used in the “How To Write That Novel” course at Chicago State because it covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author (eBook) for only $4.99 from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble  or print copies for only $7.99 by using the Contact page of this website and tell Dee know how many copies you’d like and shipping address. She’ll email the ordering information.

Stomp out Procrastination and Get to Writing That Book!

All writers go through periods of procrastination for different reasons. In order to deal with procrastination you must know what it is. Procrastination is not writers’ block. Writers block is when you’re stuck and can’t think of anything to write about. Sometimes you can get yourself out of a funk of writers’ block and sometimes it goes away on its own but it is not the same as procrastination.

Procrastination is when you have ideas and you feel like writing but don’t write. It can be due to laziness or maybe you just aren’t in the mood. We all go through this. Lately I find it hard to not procrastinate. It’s far too tempting to. The minute I get on the computer I’m pushing the Mozilla Firefox icon knowing darn well I should be writing. But when I find myself going down a regular tunnel of procrastination that’s when I reintroduce discipline. It’s something all writers must have in order to get things done.

So maybe you’ve been procrastinating, need to get that book done but don’t know how to get off your butt. Below are some tips that might help you.

These tips help me rejuvenate my creative discipline and stomp out procrastination. I’m confident they will help you too.

Bribe Yourself With A Reward:

Make a deal with yourself. You’ll write a certain amount of words at a time or (a day) before you can have a reward. This reward needs to be something you really enjoy and something you look forward to daily. For example, don’t have your dessert until after you’ve written a certain amount of words that day. If you love Xbox, don’t allow yourself to play until you’ve worked on your WIP. The reward can be as simple as a television show you love to watch or having a cocktail after work. DO NOT enjoy the reward until after you’ve written something that day. Your desire for the reward will force you to get that writing done and out of the way.

The 500 a Day Rule:

Now come on. Anyone can write five hundred words a day. I’m sure you write more than that on Facebook. Five hundred words is a great goal and it’s easy to shoot for. You can write five hundred words in less than five minutes. If you are really having trouble with getting your butt in that chair and writing, this rule is for you. Make this a daily goal. If you can write more, go for it. But make sure you write at least 500 words. As time goes on you’ll be back to your normal flow.

No Internet Until Work’s Finished:

This is a rule I use religiously. Because I know how easy it is for me to get distracted being online, I always write a certain amount before I get on the net. For example, if I wanna get online then I will open my WIP and write a few scenes or at least start the scene and then I will do what I need to do online. I also break up my online time with my writing. If I am on one site and wanna leave, I’ll write another part of my WIP before leaving that site. Then if there is another site I wanna visit, I’ll write a little before leaving that site and it continues. This is wonderful for those of us who find the net so tempting. The Internet is a huge distraction that needs to be limited if you expect to finish your book in a decent amount of time.

Get Your Spouse and Family to Help You:

If you have a supportive family then they will want you to write. Maybe wife or hubby can take the kids out of the house until you finish your daily goal. Maybe you can drop the kids off at the movies or at a friend’s house so you can have peace. If your family cares, they will want you to succeed.

Write at Work:

If you have a job where you work at a computer or desk all day, use your break time to write. Jot down ideas for scenes or outline things so that when you get home, you’ll be ready to get to that book. Better yet, if you have a chance to actually type some scenes out at work, do that. Use your break or lunchtime wisely. It’s necessary if you intend to finish that book.

Have a Special Writing Place:

Every writer should have their own special place to write. A small place they call their own where they can write in peace or solitude. It can be in the bedroom, the attic, the basement or outside in the garage. This is very important to a writer’s mentality. We need to be in our own world to fully get into our stories. Find a place and designate it as only yours and demand complete privacy. Make it clear that no one can enter while you are writing. It’s proven that if you have your own writing spot, you’ll be in the mood to write just by being there.

If you utilize these tips in your life I bet you it will help with procrastination. The point is you have to get your book moving and the longer you sit there, the longer it’s gonna take. It might be the hardest thing to jump back into that WIP but it’s necessary. If you expect people to believe in your book the least you can do is believe in yourself enough to complete it.

http://www.stacy-deanne.net/

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Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author will be used in the “How To Write That Novel” course at Chicago State because it covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author (eBook) for only $4.99 from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble  or print copies for only $7.99 by using the Contact page of this website and tell Dee know how many copies you’d like and shipping address. She’ll email the ordering information.

 

Writer’s Block, Inspiration and the Creative Process

Ever have a case of “writer’s block”? Nearly every writer claims to have experienced it. But perhaps it wasn’t writer’s block so much as it was a misunderstanding of the nature of inspiration and its place in the creative process. Many writers think the process consists of 1) getting a great inspiration, 2) then writing, 3) then publishing, sharing and/or performing their work. But those who do sometimes find their muse missing in action.

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect inspiration to appear before writing a word, then stop waiting and just write! Composer, pianist, and conductor Leonard S. Bernstein said, “Inspiration only knocks. Some writers expect it to break down the door and pull them out of bed.” That “knock” can come at any point during the creative process.

In reality, the creative process involves seven phases:

1) Identifying something you want to share: You don’t have to start with a big inspiration. You might start with only an emotion, an image, an analogy, an observation or a sensation you want to convey.

2) Preparing to write by gathering your tools: Pen, paper, computer, notes, writing exercises, coffee, you name it—whatever you need to start. Just gather them quickly and get going.

3) Implementing or “doing” the art: Letting your creativity flow, working your writing muscle—preferably without stopping to critique your work. Don’t allow your writing muscle to get flabby while you wait for your muse to show up! Frequently, inspiration arrives during this phase.

4) Evaluating: Examining what you’ve produced so far. Getting someone’s feedback. Using the suggestions that feel right and disregarding the rest.

5) Incubating: Stepping away, putting your project on the back burner and letting your subconscious work on it a while.

6) Modifying: Revising your work as needed. Editing, tightening and fine-tuning. This is where the real work usually occurs.

7) Completing and celebrating: Cutting the apron strings and getting your baby out there. Sure, send it out dressed appropriately, but don’t let perfection get in your way.

Inspiration can occur during any phase of the creative process. And the process isn’t always this orderly. Don’t wait until your muse shows up, just write!

Lana Castle,
I’ll polish your prose and make your writing shine!
www.castlecommunications.com

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Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author will be used in the “How To Write That Novel” course at Chicago State because it covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author (eBook) for only $4.99 from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble

Editing—Why Bother?

Lynel WashingtonLet’s be real! No one wants to hear that his or her self-determined work of art is subpar. That is understandable, but tough skin is essential if you are serious about producing an above-average product. Many authors are hesitant to invest in all three stages of editing. However, it’s vital that authors recognize the importance of each step in the process. The road to becoming a successful author is dependent upon one’s adherence to this mandate. Be sure to seek professional editing services, not close friends or family members who love to read your projects. Your “baby” deserves to be cared for by an objective experienced eye. The purpose of professional editing is to strengthen the content and minimize the flaws that exist within your manuscript after the cycle of self-editing, rewriting, receiving feedback from a critique group and more rewriting has been completed.

The following brief summary illustrates a few main purposes of each editing method.

The first priority is to acquire a developmental editor who will work side-by-side with you to:

  • Explain what works in the manuscript and what doesn’t
  • Point out areas in which the story does not make sense and inconsistency issues
  • Ensure that the plot is well-defined
  • Determine if the characters’ motivations line up with the characters’ personalities, feelings, thoughts and actions
  • Evaluate the Point of View’s validity throughout the document
  • Check that the showing of the characters’ actions is not overshadowed by an exhausting amount of telling
  • Assist in the proper set-up of dialogue and paragraph formation
  • Flag inconsistencies in setting and descriptions
  • Establish proper pacing and conflict resolution
  • Eliminate aspects of the manuscript that are not true to its established genre
  • Reorganize, add or remove scenes as needed
  • Provide guidance on all trouble areas

Once that detailed assessment has been completed and all of the necessary changes have been entered, seek out a copy editor skilled in the fine art of:

  • Sentence structure
  • Word reduction
  • Spelling
  • Grammar
  • Punctuation
  • Reducing redundancy
  • Improving the flow of the text

Naturally, one would assume that the aforementioned steps are enough to guarantee a fine-tuned manuscript, but that is not the case. The editing process does not stop there. A proofreader is the essential missing link in this equation. What can a proofreader offer that the developmental editor and copy editor cannot? The proofreader serves as the final official set of eyes on your manuscript. He/she is the polisher, so to speak. The one who is there to add in that missing punctuation, forgotten word or two or three. And seal any loose ends—misspellings, misconstrued character names or minor formatting issues.

In essence, no stage should be skipped. The developmental editor, copy editor and proofreader are key participants in the transition from a mediocre effort to a job well-done.

Lynel Washington
www.lyneljohnsonwashington.com


Don’t have a copy of Become A Successful Author? What are you waiting for? Become A Successful Author covers everything from branding to writing to editing to formatting and uploading electronic and print books to marketing and so much more. Your time is money. Look at all the time, thus money, you’ll save by ending your search for answers: Purchase Become A Successful Author (eBook) from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes & Noble

5 Things to Consider When Writing a Novel

 

Shelia M. Goss
Shelia M. Goss

Main Character(s) – Who is your main character or characters? Determine whose point of view the story will be told from. Will the story be told from one character’s point of view or several? Remember the more point of views told, the more confusing it will be to the reader. I suggest no more than two points of views. Although there are three main characters in my young adult series the Lip Gloss Chronicles, each book is told from one main character’s point of view.

The Ultimate Test – Britney Franklin’s point of view
Splitsville – Jasmine McNeil’s point of view
Paper Thin – Sierra Sanchez’s point of view

Setting – Where will your story take place? When will it take place (now, 1800’s, 1960’s)?

The Ultimate Test takes place in Plano, TX, the suburbs of Dallas, TX in modern day times.

Plot or Theme – What is your story about? What message are you trying to get across to your readers? Your plot determines what’s going to happen; when it’s going to happen and who it’s going to happen to.

The Ultimate Test is about best friends who deal with growing up. Trust and friendship is tested.

Conflict (internal & external) – What type of crisis is your character dealing with? Is the character dealing with their own insecurities or something from their past (or present)? What or who is standing in the way of your character getting what they want? Conflict is drama. Drama makes the readers turn the pages.

In The Ultimate Test – D.J. is an external conflict that causes friction between the friends.
Some internal conflicts: Sierra is dealing with weight gain. Jasmine is dealing with jealousy. Britney feels she is the glue to keeping the friendship together. Will these young ladies be able to grow up and stay together or will the tests they face tear them apart?

The End – How will your story end? Will all of your characters’ problems be resolved? Can readers see a difference in the character’s attitude or situation? Knowing the end of the story makes it easier to write. You will be writing with a purpose—to get to the end.

Shelia M. Goss
www.sheliagoss.com or www.thelipglosschronicles.com

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To celebrate the official launch of this Website, I’ll be giving away a few advance review copies of the print version of Become A Successful Author, which is due for release February 2012. Be one of the first to hold a copy in your hot little hands. I will also be giving away a copy of Guide to Writing & Publishing  Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror by Rob Shelsky and a copy of Book Marketing & Promotions on a Budget: Quick Tips by Shelia Goss .  All you have to do to be eligible is comment on the blog posts Sept. 8 – 12, 2011. The more you comment, the greater your chances of winning a copy. Shy, don’t want to comment? Be sure to sign up for my newsletter. Besides notices of the articles, you’ll receive goodies like a chance to receive an advance review copy of Become A Successful Author.

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