Author: Lisa E. Betz

Lisa Betz is a writer, blogger, and occasional director who lives in an empty nest perched on a wooded Pennsylvania hillside. She loves to bring characters to life, both on stage and on the page.

Categories
Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Brenda S. Anderson and Brennan McPherson

Shortly after I interviewed today’s featured authors, I learned they are in the same critique group! Not only that, but the group also includes two other authors I’ve interviewed: Stacy Monson and Michelle Griep. Wow! Such a talented group!

Brenda S. Anderson is drawn to stories that reveal God’s healing of broken families. So it’s no surprise she loves writing family dramas!

I read Pieces of Granite, the prequel to her Coming Home Series, and was caught up in the family dynamics of her characters. The rest of the series is definitely on my TBR (to be read) list.

Brennan McPherson, the author of the Fall of Man Series, writes intriguing stories about ancient events and the people who lived during those mysterious times. God’s mercy is woven throughout his imaginative stories.

I’m currently reading The Flood: The Story of Noah and the Family Who Raised Him. It’s a compelling novel that’s hard to put down.

You can get a free ebook copy of Adam, the prequel in the Fall of Man Series on Brennan’s website.

Giveaway

The next giveaway for an inspirational novel will be announced on Saturday, July 7th on Novelists Unwind.

Meet Johnnie

Award-winning author Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. This month she is imagining life along the Ohio-Erie Canal in the 1850s as she writes a novella for Barbour’s The Erie Canal Brides Collection to be released in March 2019.

She’s also attending a training class with Griff, her happy-go-lucky collie, and still unpacking from her recent move (okay, it was three months ago!) to Broken Arrow.

Connect with her at johnnie-alexander.com and on other social media sites via Linktree johnniealexndr.

Categories
The Picky Pen

Editing Dialogue

Many writers are introverts and don’t prefer to talk a lot. Some writers are extroverts and love to talk. For those, speaking isn’t hard at all and is as natural as brushing our teeth or tying our shoes. Even then, writing natural dialogue is a challenge sometimes. (However, writing dialogue is a topic is for a writing blogger on Almost an Author. This is an Editing blog post!)

If writing dialogue is hard, then perhaps editing dialogue is even harder. Where do you put the comma again? Before or after the dialogue tag? How do you format the quotations? Wait . . . what? I have to make my characters sound realistic without making them sound like they’re dumping information? How on earth do I accomplish that?

So . . . let me help clear the air, the pockets of confusion, the panic that’s probably constricting your chest right now. Below are three general rules for editing your dialogue so that your manuscript is clean, efficient, and your readers will fall in love with your characters. (Bold text has been added for emphasis. This does not mean publishers want you to bold these items. It’s merely there for your ease of reference. Please don’t bold anything in your manuscripts.)

Three Rules for Editing Dialogue

1. Insert double quote marks around the beginning and ending of the spoken portions within your story.

Double quote marks, or curly quotes, look like this:

“Freddy, if we don’t get moving, it’s gonna rain on us.”

There are double quote marks at the beginning of this dialogue and at the end of this dialogue. If your font has straight quote marks, be sure to keep them consistent. Nothing like inconsistency on something so small as quotation marks that sadly ruin a great reading experience!

2. Place the comma on the inside of the quote mark, before the dialogue tag.

As a contest judge and an editor, I constantly mark this common error in manuscripts (and published books!) I’m reading. Proper comma placement within dialogue looks like this:

“She’s a keeper, all right,” Hercules said, looking across the street.

Did you see the comma between the last word and the ending quote mark? Comma goes between those two elements, especially with a dialogue “tag,” such as said, stated, inferred, etc. Not after. Please.

3. Watch for inconsistent structure in dialogue.

Many times, I see beautiful dialogue, but the structure is wonky. When you have action beats and dialogue beats around a segment of dialogue, it can be tricky to know how to organize it. Try this method:

“I’m about as horse crazy as you are.” Susan winked. “When I was ten, my parents bought me a pony for Christmas.”

Notice the period at the end of the first sentence and then the quote mark. The action beat comes after. Then the dialogue starts up again.

But what if you want to include a dialogue tag instead of an action beat? Try this method instead:

Laurie wasn’t sure how sick she was, but Dad’s tone did make her feel sick. “Why do I have to go to the hospital?” she called, her voice cracking.

Notice the question mark goes inside the quote mark, followed by a lowercased pronoun and a comma after the dialogue tag and the exposition of how the character’s voice sounded. Please do not capitalize the pronoun after the character speaks. You want to keep good form.

Here are a few excellent resources for you in editing your manuscript:

  • Come to Breathe Christian Writer’s Conference, October 12-13, 2018, where I’ll be teaching two workshops on beginning editing and advanced editing. I’d love to see you there! You can register at Breathe Writer’s Conference. It’s in Michigan, and it’s very affordable!
  • Buy Kathy Ide’s book, Proofreading Secrets of Best-selling Authors, link to purchase from Amazon here. Or win a free copy at one of my Breathe sessions!
  • Buy Joyce K. Ellis’s book, Write With Excellence 201: A lighthearted guide to the serious matter of writing well—for Christian authors, editors, and students, link to purchase from Amazon here. Or win a free copy at one of my Breathe sessions!

I hope this helps you in knowing how to edit your dialogue, or at least some of it. I’m creating a session for beginning editors and advanced writers on editing, and they should be available by the end of the year. I’ll include practical advice that’s helpful and encouraging. Always looking for ways to help authors be able to write easier and not be super worried (maybe you’re not) about editing dialogue. Agents, editors, publishers, and readers just prefer a clean manuscript. And you can confidently give them one by learning these quick tricks!

Join in the discussion! I’d love to hear from you!

Take a few minutes and ruminate. What does your dialogue tell about your characters?

About Tisha Martin

Tisha Martin is a writer and editor, and she lives to encourage authors and editors to bridge their relationships and work together for the publishing industry cause, where readers will treasure books for always. With a bachelor’s in Professional Writing, a master’s in English Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute, she has equal passions for writing and editing. Active in American Christian Fiction Writers and The PEN, she appreciates both communities and has a heart for bridging the relationships between authors and editors. She is the former Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, where she was instrumental in seeing attendee growth in 2018, up 150% from 2017. Connect with Tisha on her website www.tishamartin.com and on her social media. She looks forward to the conversation!

Categories
Child's Craft

Readability—a Key Element in Beginning Readers and Early Chapter Books

As I mentioned in my last post, Understanding Early Readers, there are several markets for books for emerging readers. Whether they are published in the trade book market (for bookstores), in the educational market (for schools and libraries), for magazines or other markets most publishers use their own reading levels to distinguish their books and guide parents and teachers.

However, if these books will be used in any way by students and teachers they must follow the guidelines of National and state-wide Standards, and Common Core State Standards.

Nancy I. Sanders’ book Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Beginning Readers and Chapter Books contains a lot of information on these standards. You can also research them at www.corestandards.org. Also, Google “National Standards for Education” and state standards by individual states. It will take quite a bit of time to become familiar with these sites. But, if you wish to write for these markets it’s time well spent.

Another book that is indispensable for writing on specific reading levels is Children’s Writer’s Word Book by Alijandra Mogilner and Tayopa Mogliner. The Introduction explains how to use the lists in the book to keep your writing on a specific reading level.

There are several nationally accepted methods of measuring readability. They are used for different purposes. They include:

  • Flesch Reading Ease
  • Flesch-Kincaid Grade Levels
  • Lexile Measure
  • Lexile Framework for Reading
  • Gunning Fog Index
  • Coleman-Liau Index
  • SMOG Index
  • Automated Readability Index
  • Spache Readability Formula
  • Dale-Chall Readability Formula

Whew! That’s enough to scare you off, isn’t it?

It is NOT necessary that you understand these measuring tools in order to use them. Having a tool that will give you the grade levels and reading levels is all you really need.

You can find a very basic and simple tool in Microsoft Word. Under the “Spelling & Grammar” tool. When the spelling check finishes it will show you the Flesch Reading Ease score and the Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level of your text.

However, if you want more information I highly recommend Readable.io.com. The free version gives you limited use of the tools on the website. For only $5/month you have access to all of their tools, however.

You can check the readability of any document or file on your computer, or on any website or blog. It’s easy to use, too. (No, I’m not a paid spokesperson, but I love this tool!)

Readable.io.com gives you:

  • All of the above mentioned reading scores and explains them
  • Rates the quality of the text by counting adverbs, adjectives, nouns, passive verbs, etc.
  • Gives you word count, syllable count, words per sentence, words per paragraph, etc.
  • Analyzes for Buzz words, Key words and other details especially useful for online text.
  • Analyzes other details useful for writing for international markets.

I can see all kinds of uses for it if you especially if you write for school-aged, or for school and library markets.

Try the free version and LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK, PLEASE!

Or, dive into Microsoft Word and measure the readability of your current manuscript. It’s easy! Then tell us what it is, please.

Thanks!

Jean Hall lives in Louisville, Kentucky. She is represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary. Her premier picture book series Four Seasons was recently signed by Little Lamb Books. Jean is a member of the SCBWI, Word Weavers International, and the Kentucky Christian Writers. Visit Jean at www.jeanmatthewhall.com, on Facebook at Jean Matthew Hall, and on Twitter as @Jean_Hall.

Categories
Talking Character

Your Character’s Backstory—Use It Wisely

Every fictional character has an entire life’s worth of backstory that happened prior to the opening of your novel. A writer’s job is to discover which pieces of the story are important.

Why is backstory important?

Backstory is what brings a character to life. Exploring the events in a character’s past yields nuggets of insight that makes them unique and explains why they act the way they do. The deeper a writer delves into the backstory of her characters, the better she can understand makes them tick.

Backstory also provides information on past events and relationships that are critical to understanding the current plot.

The dangers of backstory

Not every detail of a character’s history is relevant to your novel.

It’s tempting to believe our readers are every bit as fascinated with our characters’ backstories as we are. But don’t be fooled. Readers are only interested in what’s gonna happen next. K. M. Weiland in Outlining Your Novel

Backstories can take on a life of their own and lead unwary writers off-track. The goal of inventing a character’s life history is to discover the key events that influence who they have become. Details that have no bearing on the events of the plot should not be allowed to creep in and divert the story in an unhelpful direction.

How to use backstory effectively

There’s a time and place where backstory belongs—and a time and place where is doesn’t. K. M. Weiland

Like other kinds of research, most of the information about character’s past life will not make it into the finished novel. The trick is in knowing how much information to share with the reader and when it will be most effective to share it.

It’s tempting to explain all the important backstory at the beginning of the novel. Resist the urge. Instead, work the important details into the story on an as-needed basis. In other words, don’t explain backstory details until the moment the reader needs to know them to understand what is happening.

That doesn’t mean playing unfair with readers. By providing hints that a character has certain past events that affect how they act, the writer can withhold the details until the moment of greatest impact.

For example, in Kristen Heitzmann’s novel Secrets, she hints early on that protagonist Rese Barret was traumatized by her father’s death, but only gradually reveals the whole story. If Heitzmann had explained the entire backstory at the start readers might feel sympathy toward Rese for a page or two. In contrast, doling out the father’s story in snippets keeps the reader riveted chapter after chapter.

To summarize, backstory is what turns a cardboard character into a vivid and complex person. A wise writer selects only those details that enhance the plot and explain character’s motives and attitudes.  Or, to quote from Outlining Your Novel one last time:

[bctt tweet=”The best backstories are those that influence a story without obstructing it. K. M. Weiland #writers #writetips” username=””]

Categories
The Poet's Pen

Novels in Verse – Poetry for the Reluctant Reader

Have you ever thought of taking your poetry one step further by writing an entire novel in verse?

What is a Verse Novel?

Verse novels combine poetry with story. Works such as the Iliad and the Odyssey and Vergil’s Aeneid are considered epic poems even though they are book-length. Epic poems are on a grand scale but nevertheless, they are still poems. Verse novels may consist of one long poem or shorter collections of poems but they still tell a story. Prose focuses more on story and character while poetry centers more on imagery and language.

I haven’t been ambitious enough to try a verse novel yet (except for a picture book), but since I write middle grade novels I decided to see what were the highest recommended middle grade novels in verse.

In researching, several verse novels consistently popped up on every list of suggested books. These lists included:

  1. Love that Dog – Sharon Creech

A boy finds his voice with the help of a teacher, paper, pencil and a dog.

  1. Out of the Dust – Karen Hesse

In the dustbowl of Oklahoma, a young girl must come to terms with a terrible accident that left her unable to play the piano.

  1. The Crossover (The Crossover Series) – Kwame Alexander

Follow the antics of twin basketball stars.

  1. Brown Girl Dreaming – Jacqueline Woodson

Catch a glimpse of what it was like to grow up as an African-American in the 1960’s and 1970’s.

  1. Caminar – Skila Brown

This story was inspired by true events that happened during Guatemala’s civil war.

  1. Inside Out and Back Again – Thanhha Lai

The story is inspired by the author’s experience fleeing Vietnam after the fall of Saigon when she immigrated to Alabama.

  1. The Red Pencil – Andrea Davis Pinkney

See the horror of Darfur told through the eyes of a twelve-year-old refugee.

  1. Home of the Brave – Katherine Applegate

The story of a young African boy, the only survivor of his family who is sent to America to live while he waits to find out the fate of his mother.

  1. Little Dog Lost – Marion Dane Bauer

The story of a dog who needs a new owner, a boy who need a dog, and a neighbor who need a family and how they all come together.

  1. Mountain Dog – Margarita Engle

A boy learns about unconditional love for the first time.

Parents might consider one of the above books or one of the many others available if they have a reluctant reader. Verse provides a way to entice a child to read. Try a verse novel with your reluctant reader.

Darlo Gemeinhardt writes middle grade novels. She believes that there is a story in every dog. In her spare time she takes care of 1 husband (of 40 years), 29 dogs and trains with TALLAO, K-9 SEARCH AND RESCUE. Visit her at From the D.O.G Pen.com

Categories
Guest Posts

What to Do When You Are Told You Are Not Enough by Whitney Ward

Have you ever been told you are not enough?

For whatever reason and no matter who you hear it from, being told you do not measure up is difficult to hear.

How do I know what it feels like to be told I am not enough? My whole life I have lived with a chronic Primary Immunodeficiency, (PI), called MAGIS Syndrome. Having a PI meant my immune system didn’t work properly. Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio became my home away from home.

There were so many things I would have loved to do and be involved in, but my lack of energy prevented it. The unpredictability that came with my disease caused me to be isolated, lonely, and unqualified. I often felt like people my age were experiencing normal life milestones and my life had just stopped.

I was just not enough.

So, what do you do when you are made to feel you are not enough?

First of all, remember who created you. John 1:3 says that we are all made by God.  In fact, there is not one thing that was not made by Him. When someone makes you feel “less than,” remind yourself God created you and allow your creator to use your story for His glory.

Secondly, when individuals question whether you can accomplish a goal you have set out to obtain, ask yourself this question: “Am I setting goals that fall in line with the passions and talents God has created within me or am I trying to accomplish a goal that is meant for someone else?” It is tough when someone questions our ability, but it may be God’s way of checking our true motives to get us back to what His purpose is for us. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 teaches Christians are a body and we all have a special part God has given us.

No one is the same; we are all unique. Someone else’s goal may seem more impactful than your talents, but remember God knows the exact reason He has given you the part He has and He has already ordained what lives you will touch and minister to because of the dream He has planted in your heart. You may not see the fruits immediately, but keep working for His Kingdom, because God knows the perfect time for your fruit to bloom.

Lastly, if your answer to the above question is yes, you are setting goals that fall in line with the talents God has created within you, then do not dare stop reaching for those dreams no matter what is said to you, or how you are made to feel. Some people may think you are inadequate, but God knows you are more than adequate. Psalm 37:4-5 tells us if we serve the Lord and trust in Him, not only will He give us the desires of our heart, but He will bring them to pass. Not everyone might approve or agree with the path you have chosen, but that is okay as long as you are working towards God’s perfect will and plan for your life.

Remember how I shared there were things I would have loved to do and be involved in, but could not because of my disease?

Guess what?

While I waited, I served the Lord and I trusted Him, He began healing me of my illness and all of those dreams and desires have come to pass. Not only did I graduate from high school, but I have a Bachelor’s in Creative Writing. I have gone on six mission trips, and three of them have been overseas. I am a member at my local gym and I work out at least three times a week. I volunteer for a non-profit called the Immune Deficiency Foundation, helping others who have chronic illnesses. I am now a Sunday School teacher, work in Vacation Bible School, and youth camp at my home church. I have seen when God brings something to pass, He goes above and beyond, just as Ephesians 3:20 promises. It has put a drive in me not to just settle for “some” of God’s blessings and good gifts, but to go all out seeking and reaching for all He has to offer.

This is exactly what I encourage you to do as well. People are human, and they may say hurtful things, but remember Who created you. You are not an accident. Determine in your heart you are working towards the calling and mission God has given you. If you are, do not let anyone stop you from achieving EVERYTHING God has for you, because to Him you are not just enough, you are MORE THAN ENOUGH.

Whitney Ward graduated from Asbury University with a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and a minor in Journalism. Whitney struggles with a rare lifelong disease. She has shared her journey at various venues, and resides in Rubyville, Ohio, attending Rubyville Community Church, teaching Sunday School to 1st and 2nd graders, and manages the church’s website.

Categories
Mastering Middle Grade

Summer Reading Research

School is out, and summer reading programs are gearing up in public libraries everywhere. Summer months are the perfect time for audience research.

An editor at SkyHorse publishing once told me she reads thousands of manuscripts about growing up in the seventies and eighties. She said they were fun to read, but they are not what she is looking for. What she wants are manuscripts that are relevant for kids growing up in this decade. Kids do not understand nostalgia. They are creatures of the here and now, and need stories about their world – not the one we writers wish they had.

If you are writing for kids, you need to read kids’ books. If you write kid characters, you need to understand how kids speak to each other, how they think and behave.

I can hear you asking now: How do I do this without being creepy?

As I mentioned earlier, it’s summer. Public libraries and brick-and-mortar bookstores have summer reading programs and plenty of supervised activities from June until school starts. This gives you a fantastic opportunity to:

1) Find age or grade-specific reading lists. Read everything on them. Pay attention to how the authors write for their reader. What is working and why does it work?

2) Introduce yourself to the kids’ librarian or manager at your local bookstore. Ask them what your target audience is reading. Find out what he or she thinks will be popular and why. Find out what the “regular” customers are reading. Are there any under-rated books flying under the radar that they recommend?

3) Listen. Aside from eavesdropping in the aisles, you can ask your librarian for permission to take a poll at any of their summer reading or writing classes. You can ask for permission to read sample chapters and get feedback from the kids. You can ask things like, ‘Does this sound like something one of your friends might say?’ or ‘how do you think this character would solve the problem?”

What did I miss? How do you research your middle grade readers?

Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.

Categories
Writing Conference

2018 Character Intensive Writing Conference

Steven James here. As a working novelist over the last decade I’ve heard over and over from editors and agents that the characters that aspiring writers have created don’t ring true, aren’t engaging, or just aren’t interesting enough for them to want to spend time with.

So how do you create intriguing characters in your novel or screenplay—characters that will become so real to your readers or viewers that they almost seem to leap off the page or the screen and seem life-like?

Developing multi-dimensional characters is a process, and it’s one that all writers can learn and apply.

It’s one you can master.

Writers will often talk about “fleshing out” a character, but it isn’t flesh that readers need to see, it’s what lies down closer to the bone.

Too many stories are littered with lifeless character corpses, with heroes who don’t inspire us, with villains who don’t unsettle us.

Here’s one of the secrets that great writers know: audiences will stick with an intriguing character longer than they’ll stick with a likable one.

Readers don’t want to read about nice characters doing nice things. They want to read about conflicted characters doing difficult things. Film audiences want the same—characters that leap off the screen as if they have a life of their own.

But how do we pull that off?

The secrets are out there.

And you can learn them for yourself.

The need for improving writing in this area is so great that I decided to partner with two of the country’s premier instructors in the area of characterization and offer a one-time conference that addresses these issues.

David Corbett’s groundbreaking book THE ART OF CHARACTER is reshaping how authors and screenwriters think about the characters in their work.

Susan Man Warren’s courses and novel therapy programs  have helped dozens of authors tell better stories—many signing with agents and getting their stories published.

Both David and Susan are successful novelists in their own right and teach at events nationwide.

As far as my background, I have a Master’s Degree in Storytelling, have written sixteen novels as well as two award-winning books on the craft of writing, STORY TRUMPS STRUCTURE and TROUBLESHOOTING YOUR NOVEL. I’ll be your host and also one of the instructors.

At this select two-day event you’ll learn and be inspired from eight in-depth sessions:

  • #1 The Fundamental Courtship: Creating Characters that Readers and Audiences Will Want to Spend Time With
  • #2 Backstory is Behavior: Revealing Your Character’s Past in the Present
  • #3 Passion, Pursuit, and Privacy: Tapping into Your Character’s Inner Desires, Secrets, and Conflicts to Explore Motivation
  • #4 Attitude and Dimensionality: Adding Depth and Complexity to Your Character
  • #5 The Morality of Decision: Exploring How Choices Reveal Character
  • #6 Dialogue and Drama: Delving into Your Character’s Relationships
  • #7 Transformations and Epiphanies: Following Your Character’s Arc
  • #8 Heroes and Villains: Bringing Out the Best and the Worst in Characters

If you’re a screenwriter or novelist, don’t miss this one-time event. Registration is limited, so sign up today.

For more details, and to register, click to www.characterconference.com

Categories
Magazine and Freelance

Build Your Platform with Magazine Articles

Last week I taught several workshops at a Christian Writers Conference and also met one on one with numerous authors. As typical for these events, many of the people were at their first conference.  Because I’m an acquisitions editor at a New York publisher and we do many types of books, my schedule filled quickly with appointments where authors were pitching their book ideas.

For a few of those meetings, they were double 15 minute typical length because I was critiquing their submission (something done as a part of this particular conference). In each critique, I was asking the author questions about their publishing experience and learned they had little or almost no experience.

 

While we love the permanence of books, the publishing numbers tell a different story. If a traditional publisher takes your manuscript and publishes it, you will be fortunate to sell 5,000 copies during the lifetime of that book. Yes I know you want to sell more than 5,000 books but this volume is typical sales number in the publishing community and you are doing well to achieve it.

Yet within the magazine writing world, it is common to reach 100,000 or even 500,000 readers with your article. Your choices as a writer are not: books or magazines. You can do both and in fact writing for magazines will help you build your presence in the marketplace (called a platform) and sell more books.

A number of the writers I met with at the conference were writing nonfiction books. Inside their chapters, these writers were including their own personal experiences tied to the content of their book. With a little reshaping, these stories could be the elements in a magazine article. As I suggested this idea to writers, it was a new concept because they were focused on a book and not a magazine article.

How repurposing builds platform

Within the publishing world, this concept of using your writing more than once is called repurposing and a way to get more use from your stories. It is a practice that I encourage you to incorporate into your writing life. For it to work, you have to be aware of the rights you are selling to a publication. You do not want to sell “world rights” because then you give up any additional use of the writing. Instead, you want to clearly label the first page of your magazine article as selling “First North American Rights.” These words give the publication the right to publish your story. After the material is published, then the rights return to you as the author and can be used in your book.

In general, magazines are operating several months ahead. The specifics are different for each publication and you want to notice and keep track of these details so you can get use your stories in different areas,

Many publications are interested in personal experience articles. You can use your stories from your book chapters and easily rework them into a magazine article. As you get published on magazines, you gain publishing experience which is something agents and editors are looking for. You also build your presence or platform in the market. How? This exposure comes from the final part of your article: the one or two sentence bio. In your bio, you include your website which is hopefully something simple like your name or something else easy to remember.

Your magazine articles can be an on-going way to build and reach your audience. It takes some planning and intention on your part but repurposing your work can be easily accomplished with your writing.

Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing, lives in Colorado. A former magazine editor, Whalin has written for more than 50 publications including Christianity Today and Writer’s Digest. Terry is the author of How to Succeed As An Article Writer which you can get at: Write a magazine article.com. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams. His latest book is Billy Graham, A Biography of America’s Greatest Evangelist and the book website is at: Billy Graham Bio.com Watch the short book trailer for Billy Graham. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Follow him on Twitter at: @terrywhalin

Categories
Publishing Pulse

The Dirty Little Secrets of Self-Publishing

Book authors are hearing more and more voices telling them to self-publish and “reap the profits that traditional publishers are stealing from you.”

Okay, not every promoter of self-publishing puts it that way, but some do. And it should make you curious as to why these people are giving you so much pressure to self-publish. The answer boils down to the first dirty little secret of self-publishing:

There is no such thing as self-publishing.

In the process we call self-publishing, authors are portrayed as doing all the necessary steps in publishing a book—writing, editing, typesetting/interior design, proofreading, designing the cover, arranging for printing and/or e-book production, distributing, marketing and promotion. But in reality, authors do not do all those things by themselves, because no one person could possibly have all those tools and skills. Instead, the “self-publishing” author pays someone else to do most of these jobs.

And there is the motivation for the push to self-publish: most of those who push an author to self-publish are hoping to get hired to do the work the author cannot do. No matter what publishing method you use, publishing is a team effort. The only difference is in who invests the money—the publisher (traditional publishing) or the author (subsidy publishing, or so-called self-publishing).

The self-publishing promoters often argue that since the author is paying the bills, the author has complete control over the entire publishing process. And this brings us to the second dirty little secret of  (so-called) self-publishing:

No single person has complete control over the entire publishing process.

Of course, that goes back to the fact that publishing a book is a group effort. Authors, even those who pay to have their book published, cannot control all aspects of publishing their book—and they should not want to. Authors who try to have total control over their own publishing process will find that they cannot control those who have the publishing expertise they lack. They either learn to trust others with their creative baby, or they find others who will let them be “in control,” but who, like them, lack the publishing expertise needed for success.

The moral of this story, then, is that success in publishing is dependent upon finding a team you can trust. Are you confident that the publisher you work with, whether subsidy or traditional, has professional expertise and knows the audience you are aiming at? Certainly you have your own ideas about your book, but are you willing to take advice from someone with experience and a track record in publishing? If so, your book has ten times the chance of success than if you find someone who gets paid to follow your instructions blindly.

David E. Fessenden
Literary Agent, WordWise Media Services
Publisher and Proprietor, Honeycomb House Publishing LLC

Dave has degrees in journalism and theology, and over 30 years of experience in writing and editing. He has served in editorial management positions for Christian book publishers and was regional editor for the largest Protestant weekly newspaper in the country.

Dave has published seven books, written hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles, and edited numerous books. He is a frequent speaker at writers’ conferences. Two of his books, Writing the Christian Nonfiction Book: Concept to Contract and  A Christian Writer’s Guide to the Book Proposal, are based on his experience in Christian publishing. The Case of the Exploding Speakeasy, Dave’s first novel, reflects his love for history and for the Sherlock Holmes stories of Arthur Conan-Doyle.

Dave and his wife, Jacque, live in south-central Pennsylvania and have two adult sons.

As a literary agent for WordWise Media Services, I am interested in historical fiction (not romance) and speculative fiction (sci-fi/fantasy); nonfiction titles on Christian living, spiritual growth and biblical studies. I am not interested in devotionals or memoirs. dave@wordwisemedia.com

Honeycomb House Publishing LLC is a subsidy publishing house, assisting Christian authors to publish their books at their expense, and reaping the full profit on the sale of their books. We believe there really is no such thing as self-publishing, because no one can publish a book completely on their own. Standing on Proverbs 16:24, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones,” we are looking for gracious words that bring spiritual sweetness and healing. dave@fessendens.net

Websites/Blogs:
www.fromconcepttocontract.com
www.davefessenden.com
www.thebookstore.info

Categories
Writer Encouragement

…. Be An Encourager

In a solitary profession like writing, sometimes the thought of being an encourager to other writers might not occur to us. After all, we are taught to be creative, get good edits done, submit to publishers, etc., etc. The list is long and, in most cases, self-directed towards “me, myself, and I.”

Encourage someone else, you might say? It’s all I can do to meet my deadlines, get book proposals done, sign up for conferences, get a few moments of sleep … We are truly self-driven humans with much on our agenda.

Stopping for a moment to look around and see the other writers in our circle of acquaintances and spend time encouraging them might seem like more than you can handle with your schedule of things to be done. But there is a simple phrase that might find a home in your thinking: What goes around, comes around.

I’m not saying that we should only encourage others because we think we will get something out of it, although you likely will. But think of all the unofficial mentors who have helped you along the way. Perhaps a fellow writer you met at a conference who gave a pertinent piece of advice. Or another writer who offered to critique your first chapter or a book proposal and give you feedback.

If you stop and think, I imagine you would come up with a list of several more experienced wordsmiths who have smiled at you and taken you under their wing in one way or another. I am so grateful for the numerous writer-friends who have taken even a moment’s time to encourage me along the way. I know they had better things to do. But they chose to help me in one way or another and I’ll never forget their kindness.

You may struggle with such feelings as, “what if I don’t know enough to be helpful?” Chances are you know some aspect of writing that will encourage another struggling author. If you don’t, try to find someone who you know can help them and connect the two.

You may honestly be at a point in your writing where your schedule is swamped with edits, deadlines, and toddlers that need to be potty-trained. If you are stretched to the max at the moment, be honest, especially if someone is requesting an endorsement for a book. That requires reading the whole manuscript and may push your “To-Do” list over the edge!!

Be truthful.  You might say you can’t help now but perhaps with their next book. Don’t leave them hanging without hope for help. Always try to encourage.

Conference season is here, so look around at that venue for wordsmiths that you’ve longed to attend. Be aware of those sitting next to you and be kind. They may have arrived at conference feeling discouraged and hopeless. You may be the one that can re-set their hope. But you need to look past yourself and become their encourager.

Carry on.

Elaine Marie Cooper is the award-winning author of Fields of the Fatherless and Bethany’s Calendar. Her latest release (Saratoga Letters) was finalist in Historical Romance in both the Selah Awards and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She penned the three-book Deer Run Saga and has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies. She freely admits to being a history geek. Look for her upcoming series set in Revolutionary War Connecticut. The 4-book series is entitled Dawn of America. You can visit her site at www.elainemariecooper.com

 

Categories
Guest Posts

Word Play: Life Lessons from One Tough Cookie by Diana Derringer

“Will you please teach me a new slang expression and what it means every day?” Little did I know where that simple request would lead.

As a friendship family to international university students, I became the unofficial interpreter for my husband’s frequent use of slang, idioms, and other unusual expressions. When students asked “How are you,” he responded, “Hunky dory” or “Fit as a fiddle.” When they said, “Goodbye,” he replied, “Toodle-oo.” For them, he often spoke his own foreign language.

A student from Taiwan made her request for slang lessons during one of our daily walks. As we began exploring those often-confusing expressions, an idea slowly formed. Why not combine my writing and international outreach with a hearty dose of fun?

Thus began Words, Wit, and Wisdom: Life Lessons from English Expressions. Once a week I explain a new expression, frequently suggested by a reader. I keep blog posts short, simple, and easy to read.

My primary audience remains people with English as a second language. However, many followers, who speak English as their primary language, enjoy the word play and devotional respite.

The wisdom I find in many expressions applies to the writing life as well. For example, my husband taught me the importance of becoming a tough cookie. The way he handles hard times amazes me.

A tough cookie has often experienced a hard life.

My husband has suffered:

  • A malignant brain tumor (In 2004, he was expected to live three to five years.)
  • A heart attack, stroke, and fall that resulted in a severe brain injury (In 2009, all three happened the same day. He was not expected to live 24 hours.)

As a writer, I dread rejections (or worse, no response at all). However, in the grander scheme of things, those are not a problem. I can revise and submit elsewhere.

A tough cookie is a strong person. 

My husband refuses to give up in spite of health problems. He:

  • Almost never complains
  • Rarely gets discouraged
  • Fears little
  • Refuses to accept defeat

When I grow weary, ready to throw in the towel, I remember God called me to write. I can do this, not in my own strength but in God’s.

A tough cookie decides to make the most of life.

My husband would prefer to be healthy and able to work. However, he chooses not to be a worry wart. Instead, he enjoys what he can.

I also choose whether to make the most of each day, in spite of less-than-ideal circumstances. God can take my life and my circumstances to create opportunities I could never imagine.

A tough cookie is not perfect.

No one is. Life’s not perfect. However, like all of us, my husband has a choice: complain or do the best he can. He says what happened to him is just the way the cookie crumbles. Therefore, he makes the best of life.

Although I organize, set goals, and take notes, life seldom follows my well-laid plans. Like my husband, I learn to cross each day’s bridge as I get to it.

Why not join me? Enjoy and allow God to direct your word play. Remain a tough cookie. Who knows where that may lead or what you may discover?

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances (Philippians 4:11 NIV)

Diana Derringer is an award-winning writer and author of Beyond Bethlehem and Calvary: 12 Dramas for Christmas, Easter, and More! Hundreds of her articles, devotions, dramas, planning guides, Bible studies, and poems appear in 40-plus publications, including The Upper Room, The Christian Communicator, Clubhouse, Kentucky Monthly, Seek, and Missions Mosaic, plus several anthologies. She also writes radio drama for Christ to the World Ministries. Her adventures as a social worker, adjunct professor, youth Sunday school teacher, and friendship family for international university students supply a constant flow of writing ideas. Visit her at dianaderringer.com.

Categories
Screenwriting

Sound Off!

While brainstorming for this post, I remembered the song that inspired the climax for my first screenplay over a decade ago. For a prodigal son just out of the club scene, the song “Rise Up” was a game changer for me.

But, in retrospect music has been a game changer in our society for centuries. Particularly in the film industry for nearly 100 years, the first 20 or 30 years of film were muted moving pictures.

The silent film era is almost unimaginable to most audiences today. Imagine sitting in a theater for up to 30 minutes watching pictures move across the screen and hearing no words. I doubt if many of us would stay awake all the way through.

Fortunately, filmmakers realized the importance of sound in film after a few decades. Many consider the first “talkie,” The Jazz Singer the film that killed the silent film era. Although many theaters acquired live musicians to play a musical score for a film, The Jazz Singer was the first film to have synchronized recorded sound in the movie.

The presence of sound in pictures gave the film industry another dimension, it literally gave film a voice; engaging another sense of the audience. They could hear the conversations of the characters on the screen and be pulled deeper into their reality. After all, talking is a basic form of communication.

Talking?

Sound has changed both film and communication in good and bad ways. In fact there were many who mourned the death of silent film. Perhaps it was distracting from the essence of moving pictures. Here’s a link to The Jazz Singer, the first film with synchronized sound.

https://youtu.be/-iX2lg4eYwQ

Or maybe it was fear of what was really being said in a film. On second thought, considering some of the language and dialogue in today’s film, the mourners were on to something.

It’s possible we should have just continued with film scores. There is no denying the impact music has played in the success of film. I haven’t met at generation Xer who doesn’t get excited the moment they hear the first few notes of John William’s Star Wars theme.

I can remember growing up watching and listening to classics like White Christmas and Blue Hawaii over and over with my parents. These films may have not been the hits they are without the element of incredible music scores and soundtracks which set the beat of the films. It’s incredible.

Keeping the Beat!

 For nearly a century Hollywood hasn’t missed a beat. They have learned how to cross market and promote films with incredible soundtracks. It must be noted that most songs in films are specifically written for the films, mainly for copyright reasons.

The cost for studios to continuously purchase copyrighted works from record labels would be astronomical. The upside of this though is the wealth of film-inspired music that has shaped the industry. Some of my favorite post-golden age musicals are listed below.

  • 1970s
  1. Grease
  2. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
  3. Saturday Night Fever
  • 1980s
  1. Footloose (my personal favorite)
  2. Flashdance
  3. Dirty Dancing
  • 1990s
  1. Aladdin
  2. The Lion King
  3. Step up

Chances are there are a couple of movies which have motivated you. What films have songs that have inspired you? The impact of sound and music to moving pictures is so obvious most marketing firms have implemented the use of music—a catchy tune—in television commercials. Who can forget that Folgers commercial or the Kit-Kat or Coca-Cola anthems?

More recently the marketing firm for Asics shoes has taken sound in commercials to another level.

While the oft forgotten character of music has almost disappeared from the silver screen, if you’re writing a screenplay don’t leave the sound off!

 

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi

The Myths Behind Your Fantasy Work

Fantasy stories come in all shapes and sizes, from modern-day tales to historical adventure. One way to give your story character is to reuse a classic myth or legend. Myths, legends, fairytales and folklore are often recognizable tales that can help connect a reader to the story from the first page. By using an established story with a new twist, the reader will have discovered a brand new treasure.

The first step to using a myth or legend as the basis for your story is to decide if the tale will be a retelling of the classic story or if elements of it will weave throughout your story to give a certain “feel” to the overall narrative. Regardless which way you choose to tell the story, any tale will need to be embellished, since no myth or legend was created as a full-length novel. Use the tale as a springboard and allow your creative side to fill in the details that are missing to make your story complete.

An example of a retelling of classic fairy tales are the middle-grade novels by Liesl Shurtliff. In her books, Red, Jack, and Rump, the classic stories of favorite children’s fairy tales are retold with a more developed plot, often including characters from other stories, as well, but the basic stories are the actual fairy tales themselves.

Rick Riordan has inspired the young adult fantasy industry beginning with his Percy Jackson series by taking a myth and altering it to create a brand new story. His stories are modern day tales involving twenty-first century kids, with a basis in ancient Greek mythology. While the setting and world are quite different from those ancient myths, the rules and original characters retain their properties.

Some stories originate from a specific culture but have been changed from one society to the next. Take your time to investigate all the twists and turns the original story has taken through the shift between cultures. These differences may help shape your story to be a different retelling than any that have come before.

Know the myth or legend and the characters that make it up, inside and out. The more you know the myth, the more you will understand which elements can be changed and which should remain the same. However, be sure not to take too many liberties with the story. Allow the themes and moral dilemmas to remain the same, as the reader will notice if you make too drastic a change from a favorite tale.

From here, the story is yours. Once you have the myth or legend to base your story upon, you’ve done your research, and you know what changes to make to create a brand new story for the reader, then you’re ready to get writing. Remember, the story doesn’t need to be a mirror image of the previous myth or legend, but it does need to retain the basic themes, motivations and characters to uphold the integrity of the original tale.

Using a previously established tale can open a world of possibilities for new stories. Myths and legends can provide a fantastic canvas to paint your next novel. The only question left to ask yourself is, which myth will you choose to use first?

Laura L. Zimmerman is a homeschooling mama to three daughters and a doting wife to one husband. Besides writing, she is passionate about loving Jesus, singing, drinking coffee and anything Star Wars. You can connect with her on Twitter @lauralzimm, Instagram @lauralzimmauthor, on Facebook and at her website Caffeinated Fiction.

Categories
Songwriting

Understanding Songwriting Structure

If you have been following my articles on songwriting, perhaps you’re ready to write your first song. There are a few guidelines I would like to show you to get you started. Much like a haiku or even a piece of flash or hint fiction, there’s a definite pattern to successful songwriting, and your verbiage is limited. One of the biggest amateur mistakes is to write a song over five minutes, especially if that song contains little structure or design. Sure, it has happened, but rarely since the 1800’s.

Let’s start with the premise of the song. What is your song about? What is it you are trying to say? What is your point? Without a premise, you lose focus of what you are writing or why you are writing it. Think about it, you only have a few lines of chorus to truly say what you want to say, and then a few stanzas of poetry to support that chorus. Your words have to be carefully chosen: much like a haiku: much like a twenty-five word hint fiction.

Our premise becomes our song’s logline. It’s a song about what? It’s a song about a sinner who finds Jesus?  It’s a song about a man who lost his wife? It’s a song about a father having a hard time seeing his little princess grow up and get married? Once you have your logline of a song, you can develop your chorus idea. You don’t have to perfect your chorus at this point. You just want the chorus idea down.

There are literally 3 parts to a great song. There’s the verse, the chorus, and the bridge. We’ve talked about the chorus. The chorus supports the premise or the theme of your song.  The verse is what gives us the story. The verse paints different pictures that give the chorus credibility. Most songs on the radio have one or two verses then a chorus, followed by another verse or two, then the chorus. Let’s take a look at one of my recent, favorite songs called All My Hope, by David Crowder.

Studying the structure of a song

As we can see in the first verse, David gives us an introduction to our lead character, in first person.

I’ve been held by the savior / I’ve felt fire from above / I’ve been down to the river / I ain’t the same—a prodigal returned

In four simple lines (most verses are four lines), we learn who he is. But we still don’t know the premise or theme of the song. These four lines lead to that, which is found in the chorus. So what is our song about? Let’s see what David wrote for the chorus:

All my hope is in Jesus / Thank God my yesterday’s gone / All my sins are forgiven / I’ve been washed by the blood

Ah! Now we understand what the song is about! It’s about being forgiven! It’s about erasing the past through the blood of Jesus! It’s about the hope in Jesus that makes it all possible! That’s the premise! Jesus washes away our sins so we can be forgiven!

But then he moves on to the second verse to give us a little bit more into the story and description. The first verse was an introduction to who he is. The chorus told us the premise. The second verse now tells us a little more about who he is. No more need for introductions, this is him, wide open.

I’m no stranger to the prison / I’ve worn shackles and chains / But I’ve been freed and forgiven / I’m not going back—I’ll never be the same

This poetic verse makes you want to clap for him, doesn’t it? It’s a proclamation. The first two lines tell us a little deeper about his sin, the second two lines reminds us of the premise, supporting the chorus! Now we jump back into the chorus, with even more gusto!

If we lay out our structure, we have an ABAB pattern. It’s simple. A is the verses, B is the chorus. David adds another B for emphasis. This song reads, ABABB. The total length of this song is just over three minutes. For playability on radio, songs must be at least 3 minutes, but under five minutes. The target is between three to four minutes. However, if you listen to praise and worship, that’s often not going to happen, unless they make a radio friendly version of the song. There have been album versions of worship songs that are over 10 minutes long, albeit, the actual lyrical portion was under five.

Next month, we’ll talk about a little more advanced songwriting—adding the bridge and the purpose of it. Is there a songwriting topic you would like to discuss? Please feel free to write me at matthewhawkeldridge@gmail.com

 

Matthew Hawk Eldridge is a sleepless, coffee addicted, Renaissance man currently working in the film industry while attending grad school for creative writing. His latest novel, The Pan: Experiencing Neverland, can be found on Amazon. His album, Overcome, releases June 1st.

Categories
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller Subgenres—What’s the Difference?

mystery suspense thriller

Are you writing a mystery or a thriller? Do you know how to tell the difference between suspense, thriller and mystery subgenres?

The three categories are related and often overlap. Mysteries often have elements of suspense and a thriller may involve a mystery.

However, experts advise writers to identify the primary subgenre before pitching a manuscript. A story may be clearly in one genre, or straddle two, but it can’t be all three.

The following descriptions will help you determine which category fits best.

A mystery is about solving a crime or a puzzle. The protagonist’s goal is to uncover the clues, solve the mystery and bring the antagonist to justice. Typically, the crime happens near the beginning of the story the identity of the antagonist (murderer) is not revealed until the end. See a list of common mystery subgenres below. Examples include Agatha Christie, Murder She Wrote and Psych.

A suspense novel is about suspense. The reader knows the protagonist is endangered from the start, but the protagonist may only gradually become aware of the danger. The suspense genre covers everything from romantic suspense to psychological suspense and horror. Examples include Nora Roberts, Lynette Eason and Alfred Hitchcock movies.

A thriller is about action and danger. The protagonist’s goal is to stop the bad guy’s evil plan from succeeding. The protagonist and/or others are in danger from the start. Thrillers come in a wide variety of subgenres, including: espionage, political, legal, eco-terror, disaster, treasure, and sci-fi. Big names include Tom Clancy, John Grisham, and Clive Cussler.

Common mystery subgenres

Amateur Sleuth—the protagonist is not a P.I. or employed in law enforcement, and he or she does not get paid for solving the crime.  Examples include Dorothy Sayers and the Hardy Boys.

Cozy—clever sleuthing without the gore, violence or naughty words. Miss Marple is a classic example. Modern cozies often feature a theme like cats (Lillian Jackson Braun) or cooking (Diane Mott Davidson).

Hard-boiled/Noir—crime fiction with a dark tone, plenty of gritty brutality, and tough-guy protagonists. Most definitely not cozy. Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler are classic examples.

Historical—a mystery set in the past. The sleuth may be an amateur, a PI or a policeman. Examples include Anne Perry, Elizabeth Peters, and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries.

Legal/Medical—the protagonist is a lawyer or doctor and the plot revolves around details of that profession. Usually written by medical or legal professionals. Big names include Lisa Scottoline and Robin Cook.

Police Procedural—the protagonist is a law enforcement professional, the solution involves detailed investigative techniques, and the story is more about proving guilt than discovering whodunit. Think CSI or Law and Order.

Private Investigator/Private Eye—the protagonist is a professional rather than an amateur sleuth. Like the police, solving crimes is how they earn their living. Think Sue Grafton, or The Rockford Files.

Psychological Suspense—these crime novels explore psychological issues, and typically feature a protagonist who is a psychologist or psychiatrist. Gillian Flynn and The Silence of the Lambs.

Romantic Suspense—a female protagonist is in danger, often while trying to solve a crime. In the end justice prevails and true love wins out. Authors include Terri Blackstock and Colleen Coble.

Categories
Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Rick Barry and Jennifer Uhlarik

Since we’re on the eve of Memorial Day Weekend, it only seems fitting to highlight Rick Barry’s WWII novels, The Methuselah Project and Gunner’s Run.

However, The Methuselah Project is much more than a military thriller. The protagonist, a German POW, becomes a guinea pig for longevity experiments. By the time he escapes, seventy years have passed but his appearance hasn’t changed.

Fun fact: The cover model is wearing Rick’s bomber jacket. In fact, those are Rick’s shoulders inside that jacket!

If westerns are more your style, then tie your horse to the hitchin’ post and take a listen as Jennifer Uhlarik shares how a Florida gal fell in love with this classic genre.

Barbour Books has published seven of Jennifer’s novellas in their popular historical collections.

Among other topics, Jennifer and I talk about the Sand Creek Massacre, the inspiration behind her first full-length novel which releases next year.

The Novelists Unwind June Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, June 2nd at novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Your Novelists Unwind host:

Award-winning author Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides (Tyndale), is a CBA bestseller and has been translated into Dutch and Norwegian. She’s also the author of the Misty Willow Series (Revell)–Where She Belongs, When Hope Arrives, and What Hope Remembers–and writes cozy mysteries and contemporaries for Annie’s Fiction.

Since talking about writing is so much fun, Johnnie hosts Novelists Unwind, which features videotaped interviews with inspirational authors, and Writers Chat, a weekly online show. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. She is marketing director for the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference and past president of both the ACFW Memphis and ACFW Central Florida chapters.

Johnnie recently moved to Oklahoma with Griff, her happy-go-lucky collie, and Rugby, her raccoon-treeing papillon. Connect with her at johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via linktree @johnniealexndr.

Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Brainstormed

It has been nearly Twenty-two years since I became disabled with a traumatic brain injury. Even so, I am still learning how my brain injury affects my body.

The disappointment and frustration are as fresh today as they were during my rehabilitation where I had to relearn everything from smiling, talking, to buttoning and unbuttoning shirts and even tying my shoes.

Anything that requires fine-tuned motor skills had become a struggle for me. Fine motor skills involve smaller movements performed by the wrists, hands, fingers, feet and toes. They involve smaller actions such as picking up objects between the thumb and finger, writing carefully, and even blinking. These motor skills work together to provide coordination.

It took over a decade for me to learn how my brain injury affected my eyesight, that’s when I learned I was statutorily (legally) blind. You don’t have to be a doctor or biology major to know that the brain controls the functions of every part of the human body.

But, the most surprising thing about a T.B.I. is how it affects my memory. My long-term memory is intact, but my short-term memory is shot. I can remember things as far back to when I was three years old and my family lived in Italy like it was yesterday. But, read a list of things to me, give me directions or play-by-play instructions and I’ll forget most of the information before you finish.

Not only do I have a hard time remembering detailed lists, I can have a hard time focusing on the order. It’s as if I’m stuck out in the middle of the ocean on a boat during a hurricane, the ideas and concepts keep flying by with the storm.

Brainstorm!

Brainstorming is defined as solving a problem or creating new ideas by having a discussion with others, or problem solving by exploring various ideas. For most creatives it is the first step in the process of creating.

It can breathe life into our creation or be the final nail in its coffin. Perhaps you’re like me, over the years I’ve learned creative outbursts and inspiration often occur at the most inopportune times: while driving and listening to the radio, during a pleasant spring or fall walk while leaf watching, during a last-minute fast food run.

And I hope I’m not the only one who has almost broken their neck trying to get out of the shower to jot down droplets of tranquil inspiration only found in an evening shower. It’s why I have a dictation app on my phone, often stopping on the side of the road to record memos and thoughts during a long bike ride.

When I get home I sit down and brainstorm the thoughts I recorded. For me brainstorming helps me to focus my thoughts.

There are different approaches to brainstorming for different purposes.

  • Speedstorming: is great for small groups, each person has five minutes to produce three ideas and write them down on a piece of paper. Then pass the paper to the person on the right, he has five minutes to build on those ideas. The process continues for 30 minutes or until each person has contributed to each paper.
  • Brain writing: this approach is similar, except each member develops as many ideas as possible before passing to the next person.
  • Reverse brainstorming: this approach requires generating ideas that would hinder the goal achievement. Then reversing the ideas to identify and solve the problem.
  • Content brainstorming key: utilizes a visual to illustrate how one thinks. A spreadsheet is used to determine: topic, audience and content structure. Participants write down as many ideas as possible to give a clear direction of the content.
  • Team brainstorming: participants are broken into small groups where limited time to generate as many ideas possible and jot them down on paper or poster board. When time is up, each team presents their ideas to the larger group.
  • Focus brainstorming: a no-brainer way to generate ideas for specific demographics. It utilizes each demographic within a company by separating them into groups to develop ideas specific to that demographic.

Focus!

The heart of brainstorming is the generating ideas to focus our audience, readers or target market onto a specific theme or idea we are trying to convey. It works like a laser by taking many ideas and focusing them all one specific point of relevance.

A writer’s primary objective is to be informative or entertaining, not wordiness. Years ago I heard author Jerry Jenkins say it this way:

“Learn how to say more by writing less.”

We all have ideas, everyone has a story. But, not everyone has the power to harness the power of the written word.

  1. Learn the process.
  2. Be coachable.
  3. Be humble.
  4. don’t get brainstormed!

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Able!

Recently, I was asked by a fellow writer to work with him on a project. Admittedly, I was pretty unfamiliar with the subject matter of the assignment. But, I was excited about the opportunity to work with another writer and possibly learn something new.

However, it wasn’t long before that excitement turned into dread. After spending hours sitting in my creative workspace staring at a monitor bursting with information, I was unable to parlay the information into a cognitive summarization which would motivate others to care about what I obviously didn’t.

Once I realized this, I began to feel bad about having to back out of my commitment. Until I remembered a lesson I learned years ago when I first became disabled. It’s a truth that not many people are able to admit and it has become a principal I live via my personal and creative lives.

It is okay to say you are not able to do something, for whatever reason (physical, mentally, financially and emotionally). Sure, the world and my faith tell me to never give up and I can do anything.

But, over the years I’ve come to learn this is a fictional lie and I can’t accept it, I’m at peace with that. You see everything about me, including what I don’t know and can’t do is what makes me Martin Thomas Johnson.

If I spent my life doing what everybody else can and wants to do, then I’m not being authentic to myself and who I’m meant to be. Speaker and author Mike Foster says it best, “Embrace it all. Every flaw and imperfection. Every wound and broken place. Everything belongs in the story of you.” Do what you are able to and don’t worry about what you are not.

Able?

 Webster’s defines able as, “Having the power, skill, money, etc. that is needed to do something.” Being disabled has taught me to understand better what I am able to do. I don’t like putting on façades.

This vulnerability and transparency has drastically shaped my writing style. It’s given me my writing voice and a connection to my audience. I learned quickly after my accident that I was different from who I used to be.

I remember falling off of the toilet after lying to the nurse about being able to walk. To say I was humbled would be an understatement. It was devastating for 22-year-old man to be unable to do basic things for himself. It wasn’t until a month later when I entered a rehabilitation hospital to relearn basic functions (smiling, eating, and walking) that I realized I wasn’t alone in being broken, suffering.

I remember watching another patient who was younger than I struggling to get out of his wheelchair so that a nurse could help with his bath. At one point we locked eyes and I could feel his shame and embarrassment. Although he couldn’t even talk, I understood it was taking every ounce of his strength to attempt to do what he was no longer able to. He couldn’t fake it if he wanted to.

Fake?

 Just in case there are some reading this who believe you can do enough research and write anything–think again. Research can be fun and informative. But, there are people who know more about what you are researching and even those who don’t can tell when you’re faking it. For fiction it works, but I write mainly nonfiction and someone who knows more about a subject can easily spot my lack of expertise.

Take for example sports; although I am a fitness fanatic, when it comes to more popular sports like football, basketball and baseball, I’m clueless.

I grew up playing sports like soccer, volleyball and tennis and living in the deep South that really makes me different, if I were to try to write about any of the previous sports; people would know immediately that I have no idea what I’m writing about. So I choose to stick with what I know.

In closing I’ll quote Dirty Harry, “A man’s got to know his limitations.” Write what you know about. Regardless of how much research or brainstorming you do, you just may not be able.

About Martin Johnson

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Blogging Basics

Microblogging For Authors And Writers

A traditional blog gives your readers a place to find you and your writing. A place where you share with your audience stories about your writing, your book, and upcoming projects. It’s a fan page of sorts. A home for your blogs all in one place.

Microblogging is a form of traditional blogging; however, it is not found on your website. Of course, you could add your microblogs on your website as well, but traditionally microblogging is found in a social format via social media sites.

If you don’t have a traditional blog, microblogging is a great way to get up and running without the investment of creating a traditional blog. I believe authors should have a traditional blog. Click here for my reasons why.

In Edie Melson’s Social Media class, she defines a microblog as a post with 100 – 150 words. (Edie authors the popular blog, The Write Conversation. When sharing your microblog, add a meme which is a picture with text on it.  Describe your meme or your purpose in sharing the meme.

I use Canva to create my memes. It is a free app you can use on your laptop, iPhone or android. For ease of use, I would use your laptop to create designs. I have created memes on my iPhone, but have found it a challenge to design without the use of a mouse. Canva saves all your designs in the app. You can sign up for Canva here.

Once you create your design, share the inspiration behind the photo. You can post something inspirational, either a famous quote or one you created. Or a captivating paragraph from your book or work in progress. Even a picture of your work space can be used to microblog. Share what inspires you to write.

Be sure to add a call to action. A Call to Action is what you want your audience or your reader to do with the information you shared. It could be signing up for your newsletter, getting a free infographic (create your own infographic here) or by directing them to purchase your book.

On Instagram, you are not able to add links in your microblog.  Direct your audience to click on the link in your bio. The link in my bio connects them to my book store page on my website. You can choose to use your Amazon link as well.

Below are two examples of Instagram posts which are microblogs.

Microblog 1: (Used with permission of Becky Kopitzke)

Have you ever scolded your kids just moments before walking into church – where you then flash a sudden smile for all the holy people {as if you hadn’t just squawked at your child like a mad chicken}?

Maybe you’ve snapped your husband’s head off for asking an innocent question like, ‘What’s for dinner, hon?’

Yeah, I have, too. And I know I’m not alone.

Lots of us fall short of loving our loved one well. And not just our loved ones, but people outside our bubble, too –  like the new woman at Bible study who feels vulnerable and lonely because the rest of us greet each other with hugs and chatter while she sits alone, unnoticed. Or what about that mom at school who is grumpy to everybody all the time. She’s easy to ignore, or worse- to complain about with the other moms.

Have you ever wondered what God thinks of all that? Have you ever dared to be different? Well, now you can.

Microblog 2

In this microblog, I share the impact my son Samuel had on a stranger:

“I saw everything that was important in his eyes when he first looked at me and I have never experienced anything like that in 48 years. I was supposed to meet Samuel and when he left, I had something from him….courage. I have been afraid of making changes, taking initiatives, loving, and the list goes on.

I was up all night thinking about what you said to me and reflecting on the look I received from Samuel. It may sound nutty, but he is the angel I desperately need to meet.”  See more about this encounter here.

Do you microblog? Share your most highly commented microblog in the comments. And inspire others to start their microblog journey.

Evelyn Mann is a mother of a miracle and her story has been featured on WFLA Channel 8, Fox35 Orlando, Inspirational Radio and the Catholic News Agency. A special interview with her son on the Facebook Page, Special Books by Special Kids, has received 1.4M views. Along with giving Samuel lots of hugs and kisses, Evelyn enjoys hot tea, sushi and writing. Visit her at miraclemann.com.

Categories
Copywrite/Advertising

What It Is Like to Copywrite for Your Own Clients

I broke into a cold sweat when I read the email. Could it be true? I reread the email. Yes! The email was from friend of a friend asking to hire me for copywriting and social media managing. I was excited and nervous at the same time. Up until that point all my copywriting had been through a digital marketing agency. Now I was going to try my hand at managing my own official client.

While the basics of strong copywriting remain the same whether you write for a digital marketing agency or for your own client, the relationship between you and your own client is different than when there is a digital marketer in the mix.

What is it like to copywrite for your own client?

You are in control of how much you charge. I felt so awkward the first time I negotiated a price with a client, but, as with most things, it gets easier. For my first couple clients, the price I quoted was much too low and I underestimated how long some of the tasks would take to complete. I learned the hard way to ask detailed questions about all the tasks so I had an accurate estimate of how much time was involved. I would also recommend quoting a higher price than you initially think to leave some room for negotiating.

You communicate directly with the client. When it’s your client, communication is all up to you. There is no digital marketer initiating contact to find out the client’s needs and wants. Depending on the client, this can be a blessing or a burden. When the client is happy with your work, you get to hear the positive feedback first-hand. On the other hand, when things are not going well, you will hear that as well.

You may be doing more than just copywriting. This varies from client to client, of course, but for some clients I have done social media managing, email newsletters, or email marketing. I have even been asked to do some in person marketing. Other clients needed me to upload their blog post and pictures into their website. It’s helpful to know some basic SEO best practices so that your writing can be most effective. The more skills you have, the more valuable your copywriting can be to your client.

Copywriting for your own clients can be a joy. It’s a chance to step out from the shadows and have your name and face be connected to your work. If you are ready to secure your own great clients, check out Holland Webb’s guide.

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife, mom of four, and a copywriter. She also helps Christians find the simple truths in the complex parts of the Bible at readthehardparts.com. Her other writings and publishing credits can be found on rachelschmoyerwrites.com.

Categories
Child's Craft

Understanding Early Readers

A few weeks ago I started typing a new manuscript. I thought it was going to be a picture book. But, the story jumped off the screen and shouted, “I’m no picture book! I’m going to be an early reader, so get ready.”

Okay!

I’ve never written an early reader so I thought I should get some expert advice.

I first referred to my absolute favorite reference book—The Writer’s Guide to Crafting Stories for Children by Nancy Lamb. Chapter Three gave me brief definitions of various levels of early readers.

Then, I was off to meet another wizard of writing for children—Nancy I. Sanders. I ordered her book Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Beginning Readers and Chapter Books. I’m now reading, highlighting and digesting a bushel of useful information.

Today I’m sharing with you BRIEF definitions of various levels of beginning readers. Next month I’ll share information about a key element of beginning readers—reading levels and readability scores.

Sanders describes six levels of beginning readers including Hi-Lo Readers. We’ll talk about Hi-Los in another post.

All contain MUCH less art than picture books do. So the text carries the story alone.

With each level an increasing number of words are on each page, and in each book.

With each level print size decreases.

There are two different markets for early readers. Trade books sell at bookstores. School market books are sold to schools and libraries and must meet state or national standards.

Remember—every publisher has their own guidelines. Check with them for specifics BEFORE you write and submit your manuscript.

Now, on to descriptions of five levels of early readers.

  • Pre-emergent Readers have anywhere from 5 to 250 words and 8-32 pages. They use basic vocabulary and short, simple sentences. Scholastic and ABDO Publishing offer several series of these books.
  • Emergent Readers have about 250 words total and 16-32 print pages. Sentence length, sentence structure and vocabulary are on preschool to first grade level. Often each page introduces a new word. Scholastic’s Hello Reader! Series is an example of Emergent Readers.
  • Easy Readers contain 550-900 words and 32-48 print pages. These are sometimes called Level 2 or Level 3 Readers. Sentence length, sentence structure and vocabulary are for grades one through three. Random House’ Step Into Reading Step 2 books are examples of Easy Readers.
  • Advanced Readers are much longer. They usually have about 1500 words and 32-48 pages. Sentences are ten words or less in length. Various Level 4 readers are examples of Advanced Readers.
  • First Chapter Books contain 1500 to 10,000 words and 48-80 pages. They are written for grades one through three and contain separate chapters. On one level the chapters are separate stand-alone stories about the same characters. On the second level the chapters continue a running story and often end in cliff-hangers. Examples of First Chapter Books are Nate the Great, Junie B. Jones and Magic Tree House.

Other differences in the levels include the number of characters, the types of plots, the age-appropriate themes and the amount of dialogue.

Sander’s book Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Beginning Readers and Chapter Books is packed with every detail a writer will need to not only write these books, but to break into the markets.

I can hardly wait to pitch this series to my agent!

Next month I’ll share information about a key element of beginning readers—reading levels and readability scores. I’ll share a critical book for your personal library and an amazing website I discovered to help us succeed in writing early readers.

See you in June!

Jean Hall lives in Louisville, Kentucky. She is represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary. Her premier picture book series Four Seasons was recently signed by Little Lamb Books. Jean is a member of the SCBWI, Word Weavers International, and the Kentucky Christian Writers. Visit Jean at www.jeanmatthewhall.com, on Facebook at Jean Matthew Hall, and on Twitter as @Jean_Hall.

Categories
The Picky Pen

Editing Is Psychological

Yes. That’s right. Psychological. I promise not to go too deep. Please keep reading. In editing our own manuscripts, we usually know what’s going on, who each character is, and how the story’s going to unfold. What we don’t expect is the sneaky errors that crop up. When we least expect it. When we’re about to hit send or publish, or worse yet, after we’ve sent our manuscript off to the publisher!

And what we don’t expect is that our eyes skip over what’s actually missing because our brains automatically interpret what’s there. Hence the psychological aspect of editing.

How do we fix this, or at least make it more manageable? Ah, well, let’s take a closer look at three common mistakes we all make in editing our writing.

Three Common Psychological Editing Mistakes

  1. Extra spaces.

Extra spaces are a pain, but professional editors loathe them. When editing your manuscript, double check that you don’t have two extra spaces between words or sentences. According to Chicago Manual of Style and nearly every publishing house, one space should appear between sentences. Not the long-standing two spaces. That’s old school. One space and done.

  1. Multiple characters on the first page.

Have you ever entered a room where everyone is talking at once? The noise just engulfs you, making it impossible to focus on any one conversation, much less hear yourself think. If you’re in that family of introverted writers, an experience like this is crippling sometimes.

Just like entering a room full of talking heads, if the first page of your manuscript has too many characters, your readers will want to throw the book at something, anything. Readers want to know who, what, and why when they read the first page.

Rule of thumb: To keep a reader, introduce at least two characters—the protagonist and an important secondary character—on the first page to get the story off on the right foot with your readers. You can add more characters as needed on the second and preceding pages, but please stick to simple on the first page. Your readers will thank you.

  1. Redundant phrases or repetitive words.

In the writing stage, you write whatever comes to your mind just to put words down on paper. And in the reading stage, you skip over these most common phrases you use in everyday speech. But in the editing stage, you don’t even notice these redundant phrases because you’re focused on characterization, plot, dialogue, or whatever you know you need to work on the most. With redundant phrases, you can usually delete one of the words and your sentence will breathe easier.

Hey, I’m preaching at myself here! The other day I was editing my own WIP and noticed with great horror that (take notice of the strikethrough, it isn’t necessary here!) I used “even” four times within four preceding paragraphs! I was so mortified that the words choked me, and I scrambled to revise my sentences.

Here are a few redundant phrases to watch out for:

  • Final outcome (outcome)
  • False pretense (pretense)
  • Absolutely certain (certain)
  • Completely finished (finished)
  • Sat down (sat)

Now, that wasn’t too hard, psychologically speaking, was it? It’s so easy to gloss over the obvious mistakes in our manuscripts. Therefore, taking that extra special effort (see what I did there?) to shore up the little issues that really make a difference in the long run—for you, your characters, your agent, your editor, your publisher, and for your readers. Not to mention your manuscript because it’s now a squeaky-clean product!

Join in the discussion!

Take a few minutes and ruminate. What are some editorial issues you fail to notice in your manuscript on first or second or final read-through?

About Tisha Martin

Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and nonfiction but also edits and proofreads for beginning and best-selling writers, professional editing agencies, and publishing houses. She has a BA in Professional Writing, an MS in English Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute, affordable continuing education for editors. Active in American Christian Fiction Writers and The PEN, she appreciates the writing and editing communities. As Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, she enjoys travel marketing and updating PENCON’s Facebook Page. Connect with Tisha on her website www.tishamartin.com and engage in the conversation.

Categories
Talking Character

Keeping a Character File

Do you have a method for capturing the bits and pieces you use to create memorable, complex characters? If not, consider starting a character file.

What does a character file look like? It’s up to you. You could use a hardbound journal, a file folder filled with clippings and sticky notes, or a program like Evernote. Collect and organize the data any way you like, but if you don’t keep a character file in some form or other, I suggest you start.

Three types of character files a writer might find useful

A people-watching file

Whether you are sitting on a bench watching people go by, or hanging out with friends at a party, a writer should always be on the lookout for character inspiration.  Keep a record of interesting details such as:

  • Quirks
  • Mannerisms
  • Striking physical features
  • Attire, hairstyles, jewelry, and tattoos
  • How people express emotions, especially non-verbally
  • How people behave in a given situation—particularly tense or unexpected ones.
  • How different personalities interact. For example, who is in the middle of things and who has gravitated to the fringes.

A literary file

Books are filled with character descriptions. While it’s not appropriate to plagiarize another writer’s words, it pays to record striking details, descriptions and observations. They might give you insights into technique or become a model for your own creative ideas. You should consider collecting snippets like:

  • Vivid physical descriptions
  • Clever metaphors used to describe characters
  • Insights into a character’s behavior or inner turmoil
  • Descriptions of highly eccentric characters that work
  • Quirks or mannerisms that you find charming, or that help you identify with a character
  • Dialogue or internal monologue that vividly conveys attitude or personality

You might also want to note what doesn’t work, particularly if you can pinpoint why.

  • Characters you find annoying
  • Descriptions that fell flat or felt wrong
  • Characters whose physical descriptions don’t seem to fit their personality

A character-specific file

As you build characters for your stories, you may find it helpful to collect various tidbits that apply to a particular character. Many writers find Pinterest to be a great tool for this, and once the book is published they share the board with their readers. In addition to collecting snippets of character description like those mentioned above, a character-specific file might include:

  • Photos that look like your character, or that vividly express emotions or attitudes your character often exhibits
  • Photos or descriptions of clothing, jewelry and hairstyles.
  • Props your character might use: tools, cookware, swords, chariots, whatever.
  • Details of décor, furniture, gardens, and architecture that might fill the character’s home.

These are only a few suggestions of what can be included in a character file. Trust your creative intuition and include anything that strikes you, no matter how irrelevant it seems at the time. Who knows what brilliant ideas a random detail may spark—if you take the time to capture it.

 

Lisa E. Betz believes that everyone has a story to tell the world. She loves to encourage fellow writers to be intentional about their craft and courageous in sharing their words with others. Lisa shares her words through dramas, Bible studies, historical mysteries, and her blog about intentional living. You can find her on Facebook  LisaEBetzWriter and Twitter @LisaEBetz

Categories
Mastering Middle Grade

Three Things I Learned in Wimberley, TX

This past month I packed up my little bag, tucked my insecurity into the glove box and drove south to Wimberley, TX to participate in the Serious Writer Tour conference.

The sun shone, the chickens clucked and y’all, I’m here to tell you, it was a great day.

Carpets of Texas bluebells added beauty to my journey.

Here’s some of the conference highlights:

  1. Children’s writers are eight times more likely to be published in nonfiction. Wendy Lanier shared this fantastic statistic, plus a slew of information on the various types of nonfiction that are published (hint: it ain’t just biographies).

From trade to literary, commercial to persuasive, there’s plenty of flavors within the nonfiction realm to explore. Until this point, I hadn’t considered writing nonfiction. I think I (incorrectly) imagined the process being very similar to writing an encyclopedia. But I like researching. And in the middle grade arena, tapping this market first could help build your credibility.

  1. Contests. One of the many info nuggets dispensed by Michelle Medlock Adams was that contests matter. Why? Because agents and editors who are on the hunt often look specifically at – you guessed it – contest winners. And you can’t win if you don’t enter.
  1. Always be ready to pitch. I wasn’t expecting to have one-on-one time with acquisitions editor Rachel Lamonica Pellegrino from Little Lamb Books. But guess what? I got it. And when she asked what I was working on, friends, it wasn’t pretty. I messed up in every possible way.

After I stopped chewing on my feet, Ms. Pellegrino gracefully gave me constructive, actionable feedback. Even though it was ultimately a positive experience, I fumbled into an important life lesson. So let me serve as a cautionary tale: Do your prep work. Create a concise, thoughtful pitch. Rehearse it. Because you never know what kind of opportunities you’ll have. You want to put your best foot forward instead of shoving it firmly into your mouth.

BONUS ITEM:

  1. Get out of your comfort zone. If you’ve read along and thought “This is all well and good, but I could never go to anything like this. I’m ______,” allow me to gently and kindly take you by the shoulder and say “Yes you can.”  Not only can you, if you’re serious about writing, you should invest time and energy in learning new things about your craft.

At a writing workshop or conference, you’ll meet other writers. Confession: this intimidates me sometimes. But I remind myself that writers are my people. For every writer in the room, there’s a unique path that led them there. I don’t have to worry whether or not my path is like theirs. There’s room at the table for all of us.

What do you think? Are you planning to attend any conferences or workshops this year? Which ones?

Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.