Has this happened to you? You are introduced to someone new as a children’s author.
Response: “I have an idea for a picture book – how do I get it published?”
Oh, my where to start? Depending on where you are in your own process, you might say the market is hard to break in, that AI is a serious threat to creatives, that agents are impossible to acquire, that the publishing world is full of scams.
About 2/3 of those words will be incomprehensible to a new writer. All that is the kind of talk we share with others who have a Collection of Rejections! And miraculously – a published book!
But this hopeful writer wants a path, and so here is a 3-step plan to offer.
1 Write your story.
Ideas can’t be copyrighted or critiqued. It is the manner the idea is conveyed that matters.
Once the book is written, figure out what it is.
Is it a made-up story, a traditional story retold? Is it a story based on facts or a book of only real facts.
Would a baby or toddler listen to it? Would a preschooler like it in story time? Would an early grade school child read or explore it?
Are your characters children, animals dressed and acting like children, or animals acting like animals?
What do you want to change about your story in light of what you learned about your story?
2 Research the Market.
There are lots of books out there – how is your different?
Read at least 30 books like your story that have been published in the last five years.
Choose three authors who published books like your story and follow the blog or FB for six months. If they use terms that are new, ask or look them up.
Take a basic class that relates to your story type.
What do you want to change about your story in light of what you learned?
3 Get Feedback.
Now matter how good it sounds in your head….
Find 5 people you do not know to read your story, preferably out loud. Many online groups have manuscript exchange opportunities. Or pay for a professional critique.
What do you want to change about your story in light of what you learned?
Then and only then will your story be in a position to be submitted.
And if the wide-eyed writer asks the frequent follow up question: “How much can I expect to make the first year?”
Answer honestly: “Keep your day job.”
Multi award winning author Robin Currie holds a MLS from the University of Iowa, MDiv and DMin from LSTC, but learned story sharing by presenting over 1000 story times! She sold 1.7 M copies of her 40 storybooks and has never given up her day job.
When I began learning how to write a novel, the word outline brought to mind dreaded high school assignments. You know, those formal outlines with the rigid format and Roman numerals. I hated making those outlines. They seemed like a waste of time, especially since I always wrote a draft of the report first, and then created the outline to match it.
Needless to say, when I began writing in earnest, I didn’t bother with outlining. I didn’t want something that felt like overly structured busywork to inhibit my creativity or waste my writing time. Therefore, on my first attempts at writing a novel, I used more of a “pantser” approach than a “plotter” approach.
I won’t say that decision was a mistake, but it was a learning experience—I learned I’m not a pantser. I work better when I have an idea of where the story is going.
Does your writing process match your personality?
I have a logical, linear thinking style. Over the years, I’ve learned that I write better when I invest enough time in planning out a story before I plunge into writing it. When I know what a specific scene needs to accomplish to keep the plot moving, I waste far less time wondering what my characters should do, and I avoid bunny trails that lead to dead ends five scenes later.
When I realized planning helped me write better rather than hindering me, I began to experiment with different methods for planning a story. That’s when I turned to K. M. Weiland’s book, Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success. This book helped me get over my misconceptions about how outlining can help me become a better writer.
The book covers different methods of outlining and then leads a writer through a process that helps them consider the key information necessary for creating a solid plot. Everything from a premise to setting, and motivation to character arcs.
Once the foundation is set, the book guides you through creating a scene-by-scene roadmap of the story. Each chapter is filled with insightful questions and plenty of examples from the author’s novels.
As an added bonus, the book includes interviews with a variety of writers. These insights on outlining from experiences authors helped me imagine how I could utilize the tools of outlining to work for me.
For example, John Robinson says,
“It helps me see the big picture and keeps me from getting bogged down in tar pits and rabbit trails that lead nowhere.”
And Dan L. Hays described the benefits of outlining this way:
“An outline is analogous to reading a map before a road trip. I find my starting point, then pick out the best route to where I’m headed.”
Some great advice to make outlining work for you
No two authors outline the same way. The specific method isn’t as important as the thought process behind it.
Every author must find the level of detail that works for them. One author benefits from a big picture type of outline that defines the main plot events and final outcome. Another author creates an outline that include details on every scene. You must find the balance between getting enough detail to write well and spending too much time in planning.
Consider the outline as a brainstorming process.
Creating an outline can offer you a chance to explore multiple options without wasting a lot of time. In the outline phase, you can explore where various rabbit trails lead without writing whole scenes you subsequently decide aren’t needed.
If you get stuck in a particular scene, it may be you’re trying too hard to adhere to the outline. Give yourself permission to ignore the outline and try a different idea instead.
Remember your outline can have multiple drafts just like your novel. You are free to edit your outline at any time.
With an outline as a roadmap, a writer can more easily determine which ideas for new scenes or characters fit the plot vs. derail it.
Outlining enables a writer to focus more on subplots during the first draft, because the main plot is already ironed out and the writher knows where the characters will end up.
Summary
If you’re a dedicated pantser, this book probably isn’t for you. If you’re a planner, this book offers good advice to help you hone your planning and make it more effective. And if you’re frustrated because your current writing process isn’t working, or you’re feeling stuck in the middle of a writing project, this book may help you write more effectively.
You can use this book like a workbook. The questions and suggestions in each chapter will guide you through the planning process—from the initial spark of an idea to a finished, well-designed story plan. Alternately, you can skim through the book to find inspiration or to seek solutions to specific story problems.
Happy outlining!
Lisa E. Betz is an engineer-turned-mystery-writer, entertaining speaker, and unconventional soul. She inspires others to become their best selves, living with authenticity, and purpose, and she infuses her novels with unconventional characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her Livia Aemilia Mysteries, set in first-century Rome, have won several awards, including the Golden Scroll Novel of the Year (2021).
She and her husband reside outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in her novels. Lisa directs church dramas, hikes the beautiful Pennsylvania woods, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes. Visit lisaebetz.com.
You hear it at every writers’ conference—Platform Is Important! Long before you have a book published, you need to be thinking about and building your author platform.
True.
However, I wish I hadn’t rushed into into creating a website, blog, or author social media accounts without considering why I was doing it.
“I’m doing this to build platform” isn’t a sufficient reason
Maybe the root problem was I didn’t understand what building an author platform really meant. I thought it was about numbers. Create a bunch of social media accounts and collect as many followers as you can.
Done.
Except, after I created them, I had no idea what to do with them. No strategy. No purpose. No obvious topics or themes. Nada.
I was working on a historical mystery set in ancient Rome, but I’m not a history expert, or a writing expert. Thus, neither history nor writing tips seemed like the right content for me.
Which left … ?? (Scripture quotes? Flash fiction? Life lessons from my kids? Photos of the coffee I’m drinking while I write?)
Does my quandary sound familiar?
Understanding the real purpose of those platform components
Pop Quiz: The purpose of an author’s blog, website, and social media accounts is to:
Amass impressive follower numbers
Promote all my awesome writing stuff
Tell the world about my writing process and show funny photos of my cat
Serve the reader by offering helpful or inspiring content
The answer may seem obvious, but when I was a budding fiction writer, precisely what helpful or inspiring content I was supposed to be offering was anything but obvious.
I was clueless. I tried a bit of this and a pit of that, but nothing really clicked.
So I blundered around, trying a bit of this and a bit of that and by process of elimination I eventually narrowed my blogging focus to intentional living (which, you may note, has nothing whatsoever to do with either ancient Rome or mystery writing).
An author platform needs a firm foundation
Have you ever tried to write an article, and you can’t seem to get your thoughts to work together? When I have that problem, it’s usually because I don’t have the single main point clear in my head.
The same is true for an author platform. The more clarity you have in your specific target audience and the specific topics/themes/issues you are called to write about, the easier it becomes to provide content that is both relevant and builds confidence in your author brand.
Your author brand is the perception of what you are about, based on your content.
If your content isn’t consistent, nobody can figure out what you stand for, so they had little reason to keep reading my stuff.
Here’s the key concept I was missing
The goal of building an author platform isn’t to collect as many random followers as we can. The goal is to collect readers who want to come back regularly to see our content.
Why do those readers choose to give their precious attention to our content instead of the zillion other options? Because they have learned they can count on us to consistently offer interesting, relevant, encouraging content on topics they care about.
We earn readers trust by consistently offering the content they find useful. That consistency only comes when we’ve discovered our content sweet spot and are intentional about focusing our content within that niche.
Your platform isn’t built in a day
If you’re just starting your writing journey, you probably don’t yet have this all figured out. That’s normal. You might need to experiment with different types of content for a while before you find your stride.
However, experiment intentionally. Your goal is to zero in on the content that you are passionate about creating and identifying the specific audience that most benefits from what you write.
The sooner you find your sweet spot, the less time you waste writing meh content and the quicker you can begin collecting readers who are actual fans of your content and brand.
Your Turn
Can you articulate what your author platform is about in 1-2 sentences? If not, take a stab at it and consider that your starting point.
Pray about it. Ask God to clarify the specifics of what he’s calling you to write and who he’s calling you to write it for.
Get in the habit of regularly asking yourself questions like these to continually hone your clarity.
Which subjects can I not help getting excited about?
What have I learned from coming through trauma that I can share with others?
When people think of me and my content, I want them to use words like ___ .
What is the common thread in the various things I love to write about?
What issues do people bring up repeatedly when they come to me for advice or help? (face-to-face or virtually)
Lisa E. Betz is an award-winning mystery author, entertaining speaker, and an unconventional soul. She combines her love of research with her quirky imagination to bring the world of the world of the early church to life. She infuses her novels with unconventional characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her second novel, Fountains and Secrets, was recently named a finalist in both the Golden Scroll and Christian Market Book Awards.
She also blogs about the joys and challenges of living an authentic, purpose-filled life. Lisa and her husband reside in southeast Pennsylvania with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in the Livia Aemilia Mysteries. Lisa directs church dramas, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes. Visit her Quietly Unconventional website at lisaebetz.com or check her Facebook page at LisaEBetzWriter.
So many things can hinder our writing. Our lives are filled with distractions and competing commitments, while our inner critics whisper that our writing isn’t good enough. On top of that, we’re bombarded with advice on how to write, how to market, and how to succeed. It can be easy to get so overwhelmed or bogged down that we feel like giving up.
Please don’t!
When you’re feeling frustrated, confused, or depressed about your writing, these three short mantras can help you get back on track. Science shows that replacing unhelpful, negative thoughts with more positive truths actually works. So, give these simple truths a try.
Good enough is usually good enough.
Does your inner critic insist that every sentence you write be worthy of a prize? If so, this saying will help you move past the bondage of perfectionism. I’ve wasted hours striving to perfect every sentence in a scene only to delete the whole thing later. I wish I would have known this concept back then.
Learn from my mistakes and aim for good instead of perfect.
Most readers are more interested in a good story than stunning prose, so keep this in mind as you write. Give yourself permission to write “good enough” sentences. Focus your prose-polishing energy on the places where your words pack the most punch, like the first chapter, the first and last paragraphs of every chapter, and the final scene.
Doing something is better than doing nothing.
What does this mean? Let me expand it. Doing something—even when it’s not the ideal thing, or the perfect thing, or the thing some expert told us we must do—is better than doing nothing.
I learned this simple truth from a marketing expert who was doing a webinar for self-employed people making six- and seven-figure incomes. Even people who already enjoy that much success need to be reminded of this concept.
Why? Because most of us are afraid of failure. We stress over every decision because we’re not sure if we’re making the best choice. Unfortunately, that kind of thinking leads to becoming stalled on a project because we’re second-guessing and overanalyzing instead of doing.
Successful people don’t waste time worrying about perfection. While the rest of us are dithering about how to make the ideal choice, successful people are moving ahead because they know doing something will get them farther than not doing something.
So, stop stressing over whether your idea is the “right” thing and try it. If it doesn’t work, learn from your effort and try something else.
Everything is figureoutable.
We can become demoralized by all we don’t know how to do. Just thinking about a large project like self-publishing a book, building a website, or starting a podcast can be so intimidating that we throw up our hands in despair. I have no idea how to do this, we think. So, we give up.
In those moments, remember this mantra. Everything, including whatever big, scary problem you are facing, is figureoutable. This catchy saying comes from the book of the same name by Marie Forleo. It means exactly what is sounds like.
This reminds us that everything, no matter how complex, is figureoutable. We just need to roll up our sleeves and start figuring it out. It will take time, research, and probably some trial and error. We may need help. We may make a few mistakes along the way, but we CAN learn new skills, solve problems, and figure it out.
For more inspiration on tackling problems with confidence, read Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo.
I hope these simple mantras will inspire you to stay on course with your writing and book marketing projects. You can do it!
An engineer-turned-mystery-writer, Lisa E. Betz infuses her novels with authentic characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her debut novel, Death and a Crocodile, won several awards, including the Golden Scroll Novel of the Year (2021). Lisa combines her love of research with her quirky imagination to bring the world of the early church to life. She and her husband reside outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in the Livia Aemilia Mysteries. Lisa directs church dramas, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes.
I’m excited to share my new release, Fountains and Secrets, with my Almost an Author family, along with a few things I’ve learned along the way.
The Book
Introducing a new mystery set in the world of the early church. Fountains and Secrets is the second book in the Livia Aemilia Mystery series. Like the first book in the series, Fountains and Secrets features a spunky female sleuth and her sassy sidekick, who aren’t afraid to be a little unconventional in pursuit of the truth. They are aided in their investigative endeavors by a motley collection of friends, servants, and a couple of strays (human and feline).
For readers who enjoy mysteries and historical fiction with a touch of humor, Fountains and Secrets is quirky, clever, and engaging tale of identity, purpose, and hope.
And what have I learned about writing and promoting as I’ve worked through bringing two books to print? There are too many lessons to share in one post, but here are three I hope will encourage you as you continue on your author journey.
Writing a series isn’t as easy as I thought
In the mystery genre, series are normal, so I had planned from the beginning on writing a series of Livia Aemilia books. I was expecting the second book to be easier, since I already knew the main characters and had a feel for the tone and setting.
It didn’t turn out that way.
Working on the first book, my heroine’s voice seemed to come naturally, so I assumed it would come as naturally in the next one. Nope. It took me several false starts before I dialed in the right tone for Fountains and Secrets.
I thought that after having written one mystery, plotting the second one would be easier. Maybe. I think I had a better idea of what would make a good mystery story, but actually plotting the book proved just as challenging as my first attempt. Apparently, I still have a lot to learn about creating a plot from scratch, which means I must do a lot of rewriting along the way to until I get a plot into shape.
Despite these challenges, I persevered. With the help of good feedback, my characters came to life again and the plot eventually fell into place.
I hope my experience will encourage any of you who are struggling with your next writing project. Book two wasn’t as easy to write as I’d hoped, but early feedback says it’s a better story than the first book.
And that tells me the work was worth it.
Generosity and networking are important.
As in most of life, you reap what you sow. At some point you will need to have kindhearted authors who are willing to support you in a promoting your book in some way. How do you find these magical people?
First of all, you need to meet them and interact with them. This could be a face-to-face conversation at a writers conference, or it could be a relationship built over time while corresponding online through a writer’s group or through writing for blogs like Almost an Author.
Next, you have to be generous in promoting and supporting other writers. When you do willingly promote others with no strings attached, you are advancing God’s kingdom by helping get truth out into the world.
Opinions differ on the value of entering your work in writing contests. Some experts say that it’s a waste of time to enter your book in any but the most prestigious contests.
I disagree.
I admit that becoming a finalist in a writing contest hasn’t made a significant impact in book sales, BUT (and this is a big but) it has made a significant impact on my author journey. Among other things, placing in writing contests boosts your resume, may snag the attention of an agent or publisher, and is noteworthy news that can be used in press releases and social media.
In addition to the practical reasons, being named a finalist in a contest, no matter how small, can make a difference in the tender heart of a writer. Winning an award in a small writers’ conference is worth something to our creative souls, regardless of whether it ever shows up on a resume or in ad copy.
Now for my experience with contests. I entered several manuscripts over the years in the ACFW First Impressions and Genesis contests. Each gave me valuable feedback on the manuscripts. On my third attempt, I was thrilled to become a finalist in the Genesis contest (mystery category). Shortly after that, I was offered a publishing contract for the manuscript, which became my first novel, Death and a Crocodile.
At my publisher’s suggestion, I entered the book in several contests, and was named a finalist in several of them. I cannot tell you how much it means to a beginning, completely unknown author, to be able to say that my book won an award. It was a validation of both the book and of me, and if gave me a much-needed boost of confidence to promote my book to bookstore owners and others.
Finally, it feels really good to be able to write “award-winning author” and “award-winning book”!
An engineer-turned-mystery-writer, Lisa E. Betz infuses her novels with authentic characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her debut novel, Death and a Crocodile, won several awards, including Golden Scroll Novel of the Year (2021). Her second novel, Fountains and Secrets released January 2022, from Redemption Press.
Lisa combines her love of research with her quirky imagination to bring the world of the early church to life. She and her husband reside outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in the Livia Aemilia Mysteries. Lisa sorts book donations at the library, directs church dramas, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes.
I’ve been blogging for over seven years and in that time I’ve learned a lot about how to be a more effective communicator. One key piece of advice I’ve found helpful is to clearly identify what I hope the readers will do as a result of reading it. To use another term, what is the reader’s takeaway or the desired outcome?
Usually when I find myself struggling to write an article, it’s because I’m not clear about what I’m trying to say. Too many ideas are swirling around my brain, and I don’t know which of them I want to talk about. When I stop and force myself to write down a specific desired outcome, it helps me narrow down which information belongs in the article.
How to define your desired outcome
Be specific
For this article, I could say my aim is to help people write better, but that is much too vague. A more specific aim might be: to introduce the concept of identifying the desired outcome of a piece of writing.
Make it actionable
But introducing a concept doesn’t give the reader any action to accomplish. I want to explain the concept, and then I want the reader to do something with that information. So an improved desired outcome might be: I want the reader to identify the desired outcome in an article they are working on.
Provide a deadline
To make the desired outcome even more potent, suggest an actionable step they can accomplish in the near future, and specify the time frame. For this article, it might be: I want the reader to identify a concise desired outcome for the next article they write.
Here are a few other examples:
I want readers to consider these 6 conversation strategies and choose one of them to try this week.
I want readers to practice this stress-handling technique the next time they stand in line.
You will notice that a well-defined desired outcome not only streamlines your focus, it informs the Call to Action.
Apply this concept in broader situations
You can use a similar process to define the desired outcome for your ministry or business venture. Once you have fine-tuned your target audience, identify the primary issue or problem you want to address. Then, specify the desired outcome you hope your writing, ministry, or business will provide. It should be specific and actionable, but it won’t have the deadline piece since this is your ongoing work.
Defining the action you hope readers will take can clarify your thoughts and help you write a more succinct and useful piece. I hope you will take the time to write out the desired outcome for the next article you write.
Lisa E. Betz worked as an engineer, substitute teacher, and play director before becoming an award-winning mystery writer. She brings her analytical mind, quirky humor, and positive outlook to all she writes. She draws inspiration from thirty-five years of leading Bible studies to create entertaining mysteries set in the world of the early church, and then she fills that world with eccentric characters, independent females, and an occasional sausage-snatching cat. Her first novel, Death and a Crocodile, was recently awarded the Golden Scroll Novel of the Year.
Board books have extra thick coated pages that small hands can turn and chewing babies can sink their teeth in. Browse any discount store and there will shelves full!
3 Reasons Board Books are Popular
Cost
They cost under $10, even less if reduced for warehouse and big box stores. They make excellent last-minute gifts, stocking stuffers, spontaneous check out purchases. Sometimes they cost less than the card that accompanies them!
2 Durability
Babies easily grab and chew on the pages. Just wipe off. They are easy to throw in a bag for use in a doctor office or restaurant. No torn pages or ripped covers.
3 Fun
With attention grabbing colors and not too much story, having two or three at bedtime is easy. Babies can be distracted easily and begin to learn the stories and simple concepts.
3 Types of Board Books
1 Concept
The focus is on one specific concept (ABC, shape, color) without much of a storyline. However, because there are so many concept books out there, one that can manage a story line while counting to 10 or learning opposites will have an extra appeal to publishers.
2 Novelty
The physical experience (lift the flap, sound buttons, touch and feel) is the focus of the book. Many are concept books where children feel animal fur. The book can have an actual story line with sound buttons for noises.
3 Mini versions
Many publishers print reduced versions of a best-selling picture book as a board book. It is the entire book reduced in format, leaving pictures and type smaller than normal. Other times sections of the story are omitted to keep the number of pages low.
3 Tips on Writing a Board Book
Words
Board book manuscripts are 10-14 pages and often under 150 words. Chose the very best possible words and make any rhyme perfect.
Pictures
They will be larger than the words. Make sure each page of text can be represented in a clear and simple picture.
Series
Always look for ways to develop at least 4 ideas for a series with a connected theme and art. Holidays and seasons, Bible stories, nursery tales, toys, pets, families!
One day you may see a baby chewing on your book!
Award winning author Robin Currie led children’s departments of Midwestern public libraries before being called midlife to ordained ministry. She has a special love for children’s literacy and Bible storytelling. Robin annually volunteers teaching English in developing countries. She and her husband actively grandparent 5 wonderful kids.
Robin has published seven library resource collections of creative ideas for library story times, and more than 20 Bible story books for children.
Coming in March 2022: A BOARD BOOK! How to Dress a Dinosaur, illustrated by Alicia Pace and published by familius.
Writers are frequently encouraged to identify their target audience. However, we don’t always look at a target audience through the lens of ministry. In my last post I talked about defining a succinct writing ministry statement. Target audience is one of the key building blocks of that statement.
If you were starting a ministry like a food bank, you would take into account who you were trying to serve from the start. In fact, thinking about your target customer may be the whole reason you started the ministry. You identified a group with a need— families struggling financially, and a way to help them—providing affordable food.
We often don’t think in those terms when we begin writing. It can be a lot harder to narrow down who God is calling us to serve through our writing. Unfortunately, that may lead to wasting a lot of time writing pieces that few people will see, because we weren’t strategic about focusing our writing to a target audience and a well-defined message.
How do I figure out my target audience?
Let’s define target audience as the group of people who will most benefit from the core message of what you are writing. That means target audience and message are often two sides of the same coin. You may have a better idea of one side or the other. It doesn’t matter which side you start with.
So, if you are clear on exactly what your message is, your target audience includes the people who will most benefit from that message. Who needs to hear your message? What specific issues, needs, or pain does your message help readers with?
If you’re not crystal clear on your message, here are some questions you can ask to help you identify your target audience.
Who feels a similar trauma to one that I’ve survived?
What am I most passionate about?
What struggles, issues, or pain do I feel called to address in my writing?
Are there themes that keep cropping up in my writing (such as forgiveness, second chances, or overcoming fear)? What groups of people would resonate with those themes?
When people give feedback on my writing, what specific things do they talk about?
What message can I not help sending out to the world? Who needs to hear that message?
Who is my no-fit audience?
Sometimes it’s easier to identify who your target audience is not. For example, if I write historical mysteries with a thread of faith, my non-target audience would include the following:
Readers who primarily read a particular genre other than mystery or historical, such as sci-fi, action thrillers, or Amish romance.
Readers who avoid Christian fiction.
Mystery readers who don’t enjoy the subgenre of historical, and primarily read police procedurals, paranormal, or legal thrillers.
Historical fiction readers who prefer a strong romance plot or who only read novels based on real historical events.
At first, identifying your no-fit audience can see obvious and unhelpful, but if you look for more specific segments of your no-fit audience, you may get important insights about your target audience.
The Bottom Line
Just like a ministry or a business, the more specifically you can identify your target audience, the more intentional you can be in writing pieces that will have an impact, and the easier it will be to find the people who need to hear it.
Lisa E. Betz worked as an engineer, substitute teacher, and play director before becoming an award-winning mystery writer. She brings her analytical mind, quirky humor, and positive outlook to all she writes. She draws inspiration from thirty-five years of leading Bible studies to create entertaining mysteries set in the world of the early church, and then she fills that world with eccentric characters, independent females, and an occasional sausage-snatching cat. Her first novel, Death and a Crocodile, was recently awarded the Golden Scroll Novel of the Year.
“You can solve most of your writing problems if you stop after every sentence and ask: what does the reader need to know next?”
William Zinsser, On Writing Well
As a reader, how long are you willing to struggle to make sense of an article or book that doesn’t seem to make sense? It may lack sufficient description or information – which deprives the reader of clarity. When that happens, I often believe the story existed in the writer’s mind but missed the transfer to the page. The reader is lost and often the work is abandoned. While this is a challenge for some, putting additional words on the page to clarify and connect the dots is easier than discarding those with whom you’ve already fallen in love.
The greater challenge – the opposite scenario – is also true. Have you experienced a highly anticipated book with a great premise but discover the author’s style features sentences the length of the Gettysburg Address? By the time you reach the end of the paragraph, the topic is muddled, and the reader is lost. The story line has taken a detour and the reader flips back several pages in an attempt to solve the riddle. The results are similar to those above. Frustration, and the book is abandoned. You may leave it on the nightstand to protect the wood from the water ring. But you’ve left it behind.
My favorite writing guru, Professor William Zinsser addressed the issue often with his students. “Clutter is the disease of American writing.”
As a writing coach, I’m often asked to review books for potential publication. Writers are hesitant to submit the work without a professional assessment. I provide this level of support and insight when working with an aspiring author. But when a writing hopeful has worked without coaching, mentoring, or input from a critique partner or group, anxiety about this next step toward publication is common.
Even in what I consider high-potential work, there’s often vital improvement that must be done before it’s submission ready. Routinely I find one of the two issues described in the opening paragraphs.
The “story” never made it to the page – at least not enough for the reader to be swept in.
Transitions are missing or insufficient.
Descriptions are sparse if they exist at all.
Far more often the problem is the in-depth description that sends the reader on a scavenger hunt for the plotline.
The elaborately detailed scene or section would have been improved had it been done in 1/3 of the time.
The reader is worn out and confused by the non-essential information which found its’ way to the page.
We do fall in love with the words we’ve written.
At times the words flow onto the page with little effort, plucked from the heavenlies, inspired by the moment or the muse. These are magical but elusive experiences.
More often we struggle and the word fairy mocks us. When the right words appear, we celebrate, energized to press on. The suggestion to remove even a few is akin to plucking out one’s eye.
But it’s not about us. It’s always about the reader.
“Hard writing makes easy reading. Easy writing makes hard reading.”
William Zinsser
Which of these scenarios – too little or too much – are challenging you?
Deborah DeArmond is a recognized leader in the fields of performance development, facilitation. She is a certified writing coach as well as an executive business coach. She is also an award-winning author.
Deb’s the author of Related by Chance, Family by Choice, I Choose You Today, and Don’t Go to Bed Angry. Stay Up and Fight! All three books focus on relationship dynamics, communication, and conflict resolution. Her humorous devotional entitled Bumper Sticker Be-Attitudes was published in late 2019. Her newest release, We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished: Making the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life was released in July. She has published more than 200 articles in print and online, including a monthly column, now in her 7th year for Lifeway Magazine with an international circulation of 300,000.
Deb helps clients achieve success in becoming the coach others desire to work through through her engaging inquiry, humor, and straightforward approach. Her clients have described Deb as “candid but kind” and skilled at asking the questions that help “guide others to discover their answers and solutions to success.”
Good plot twists can make or break our story. While twists are important to all fiction writing, they are key to the mystery, suspense, and thriller genre. Let’s make our novels an enjoyable journey where nothing is as it seems, no thread is easily untangled, and no question conveniently answered
What is a Plot Twist?
According to Goodreads.com, “mystery-thrillers are stories with twists and turns that keep you on your toes guessing about the truth, the POV’s truth, and about what will happen next.”
Literaryterms.net describes plot twists as an unsuspected occurrence or turn of events in the story that completely changes the direction or outcome of the plot from the direction it was likely to go.
Twists introduce unexpected change. Great ones make excellent page-turners worthy of our readers’ time and money. They push the predictable and formulaic novel into the innovative realm, sparking imagination and interest.
Plot Twist Examples
Even though Agatha Christie died in 1976, her great use of plot twists contributes to the continued popularity of her 66 novels and 14 short story collections.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926), Christie’s breakout novel, adds twists to the previously accept ‘rules’ of writing fiction. The results revolutionize mystery writing. She includes the narrator committing the murder, and makes the least likely person into a criminal. A range of meek and mild characters may all be hiding a mysterious past or dangerous secret.
Murder on the Orient Express (1934) uses the environment, a train trapped in a snowdrift, to make her twist work. She limits the number of potential suspects. Spoiler! The reader eventually discovers almost everyone aboard the train plays a part in the murder.
In And Then There Were None (1939) an island provides the setting where the group of characters are trapped together. They all hold secrets and everyone supposedly dies. Spoiler! One of the victims actually fakes their death and is the murderer.
Why are Plot Twists Important?
Twists push away the predictable aspects in our chapters and reel in the suspense. They keep our mysterious murderer or evil antagonist undetected and the tension high until the final page.
According to Rachel Poli in her June 2017 blog post, The Importance Of Plot Twists, good ones reveal something big. They allow something unexpected to happen, and expertly use foreshadowing and red herrings. Twists keep the story full of tension, suspenseful, shocking, and revealing without appearing random.
Readers of the mystery, suspense, thriller genre love the challenge of solving our novel’s puzzle. Surprise turns keep them sitting on the edge of their seat, turning pages, immersed in the plot. Never give them a reason to close the book and walk away.
Conclusion
Plot twists can determine the success or failure of our story. We want reader satisfaction, positive reviews, and book sales or the eye of an agent or publisher. Incorporating this literary device is a skill we can learn and enhance with each manuscript we craft. Readers will reap the benefits, and gladly dive into the delightful read you and your stories provide.
Embrace the twist!
Write well, my friends.
PJ Gover
PJ Gover encourages her readers to live the thrill one story at a time. She wrote her first thriller at age nine, all of six pages, but only returned to creating suspense/thrillers years later after unearthing her deceased father’s secret work designing missiles for the government. After fifteen writing awards her high school English teacher must be shaking her head in disbelief. A ranch in Texas serves as home base. Offer her well-crafted chili rellenos or anything gluten-free and you’ll have a friend for life. Jim Hart of Hartline Literary represents PJ.
Freelance writing isn’t always the easiest way to make a living. Moving from project to project demands concentration, adaptability, and an abundance of stamina. There is however one important element that many people overlook. The difference between finding your niche and making the decision to focus on a writing product.
The term “writing product” refers to a very distinct sub-category of writing.
A few examples are:
SEO (search engine optimization): writing content to increase web traffic
Short ad copy: writing for promotional purposes (e.g.: slogans)
Resume writing: creating resumes
Specializing in writing products demands many of the same skills used in any writing field. But it also involves intimate knowledge of formats and industry-specific information and vocabulary. Writers who specialize in products have the advantage of perfecting their craft while appealing to a very particular target market.
Why Should You Specialize?
That old saying “Jack of all trades, master of none” is certainly something to ponder when your livelihood is writing.
To be an expert—a master—in your field, your only option is to specialize. Finding your niche is a move in the right direction. But unless you settle on one specific writing product, freelance writing may be a hard and unrewarding road to walk.
So, what are the benefits of writing product specialization?
1. Refine And Hone Your Skills
If as a writer, you’re having to use different styles from job to job, it’s very easy to lose focus, resulting in mediocre pieces that don’t impress anyone.
Different products require different and distinct approaches. By sticking to one in particular it’s possible to perfect your skills and become an expert in your chosen field. Writing resumes demands a very different approach from SEO or contract writing. Likewise, specializing in SEO requires a totally different mindset to writing generic blog content.
When choosing your specific path, it’s best to pick something that interests you—and that you’re reasonably good at. It’s very rewarding to work your way up to being an expert in your field.
2. Withstand Market Fluctuations
Many professionals suffer when the economy takes a downturn. But by specializing in a product rather than a niche, you can ride the dips far more successfully.
In rocky financial times, people will be more careful in their spending habits. However, if you’ve built up a solid reputation, clients will still have confidence in your ability to produce excellent work.
The past couple of years have seen many people lose their jobs. As a result, there has been an influx of people trying to make a living with freelance work—including writing. This might suggest that there’ll be less work available, but customers are far more likely to stick with already established writers.
3. Work Efficiently
Dedicating yourself to one specific writing product not only hones your skills, it allows you to work faster and more efficiently too.
Switching between styles might be good if you want to practice multitasking, but that often comes at the expense of your productivity. When you focus on a single writing product, you don’t need to perform mental gymnastics between tasks or projects. This momentum can set you up for a well-organized system in which jobs are streamlined.
Having a clear idea of your daily work schedule and where your focus is needed most allows you to move through tasks with ease.
4. Simplify Your Marketing
Marketing your business, skills, and services is a massive part of success in the freelance field. Ineffective marketing leads to few clients, which in turn leads to low income and the unpleasant task of trying to find work elsewhere.
Simplifying your marketing strategy is a huge help in attracting more clients. Focusing on a particular product makes that far easier to achieve.
These days, marketing is spread across a few platforms:
Your website
Business pages on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)
Business cards
The fact that you need to maintain more than one online profile makes it hard to compile a clear portfolio containing many different styles. Focusing on one product makes creating marketing material much simpler.
5. Get Client Referrals – And More High Profile Clients
When clients realize that you’re highly skilled in a particular writing product, they’re far more likely to promote you through word-of-mouth. This is an excellent method in growing your business and building a comprehensive network of returning customers.
Another bonus of word-of-mouth referrals is the potential to reach high-profile clients who are willing to pay an attractive rate. Often, high-profile clients don’t advertise jobs, they rely on recommendations instead.
6. Find Work Opportunities Easily
Focusing on a specific category of writing allows you to search for more work opportunities while avoiding the effort of wading through hundreds of job ads.
If you know that your area of expertise is writing short ad copy, then you can streamline job searches to get appropriate results every time.
You’ll also find it far easier to set your rates if you focus on one product. This makes quoting clients quicker and easier, and it streamlines your invoicing process, too.
7. Build Your Reputation
Cultivating your reputation is easier when your specialty is one particular product, rather than several different ones.
Enhancing your skill set, marketing strategically, and building up a client base are vitally important in establishing a reputation for reliability and quality work.
Work Your Way Up
Before you decide what your focus is, think ahead and ask yourself a few questions about your ambitions. If you can commit to your chosen specialization, you can become a successful product writer with a bright freelancing future.
Wordplay ninja, article alchemist, and knowledge inquisitor. Melanie Robles is an experienced freelance writer and editor covering a variety of topics. When she’s not consumed by the creative vortex, she spends her time exploring new fields of knowledge to broaden her horizon.
Does it seem to take FOREVER to get a brilliant (they all are!) book published for kids? Even as a published author and an agent, months and yeas pass between burble of idea and book in hand.
The Idea
Somewhere between the Construction Equipment Phase and the Superhero Phase, the Dinosaurs roam. Kids are fascinated by the huge lumbering beasts. One theory is that small children, feeling powerless, imagine themselves as awe inspiring predators with gigantic teeth! Roar!
The original inspiration for this story was in fall of 2014, when my youngest grandson was 3 years old and had many things on his mind to do with dinosaurs but few with getting dressed. James was in the dinosaur phase where he can’t pronounce “broccoli” but can say “Pachycephalosaurus” and correct my mispronunciation. He also owned dinosaur themed shirts, hats, socks, jackets, and underwear. And hundreds of plastic painful-to-step-on in-the-dark dinosaur figures.
So how about a book that empowers the child to feel the capabilities of the dinosaur channeled toward the mundane task of getting ready for the day?
The Writing/Editing
It was a brain burble that became first a badly rhyming text – what rhymes with Diplodocus? (Hopped aboard a bus? Was oozing green pus? Super-flu-i-us?). By 2016, I shared “Dressing a Dinosaur” 12-page board book with my critique group. They found things to improve in the 199-word manuscript – and that is why I appreciate them!
A year of tweaking, renaming to How to Dress a Dinosaur and trimming to 181 words. They reviewed it in again in 2017 and thought Dinosaur was ready to roar.
In February 2019 I sent this manuscript to a critique service, and it received a “GO”!
The Publishing
On to my agent, which required a full proposal with marketing ideas, sales of earlier work, and comp titles – far more than 181 words. Luckily in the meantime no one else thought of this and wrote it!
The Book
By March of 2022 I expect to celebrate 10 chewable pages of How to Dress a Dinosaur! (In a later article I’ll discuss the stages of preparing the world for this jungle shaking this even!)
Soooooo…
If you are counting, that is a total of 8 years for a board book! Take away: know your reader, edit, edit, edit, wait wait wait, but believe that the best ideas out there will find a home! Even if it seems to take longer than the Pleistocene era!
Award winning author Robin Currie led children’s departments of Midwestern public libraries before being called midlife to ordained ministry. She has a special love for children’s literacy and Bible storytelling. She serves in Chicago area parishes and annually volunteers teaching English in developing countries. She and her husband actively grandparent 5 wonderful kids.
Robin has published seven library resource collections of creative ideas for library story times, and more than 20 Bible story books for children.
Sometimes when I tell people I write middle grade, they nod knowingly and say “Cool. Like a chapter book, then?”
Then I respond, “Well, no, not really. I mean, yes, middle grade books in fact do contain chapters. Lots of them, usually. But middle grade books are different from chapter books.”
The conversation usually stops because pizza delivery guy doesn’t usually care why or how middle grade books are different from chapter books.
But if you’re reading this, I suspect that you do.
A chapter book:
Has a main character who is between the ages of 7-10, and can be anthropomorphic (e.g., a talking dog).
Is illustrated, sometimes on every page, usually in black and white.
Sticks to a word count of between 5,000 and 20,000 words (an average of 45-60 pages)
Is action-focused, with minimal internal character development.
Aims for readers aged 7-10.
Examples of chapter books are The Magic Treehouse, Flat Stanley, or Amelia Bedelia series.
A middle grade book:
Has a main character who is between the ages of 10-13.
Contains few illustrations.
Has a word count of between 25,000 – 40,000 words (an average of 150-200 pages)
Features both a well-developed character journey and motive-driven plot.
Aims for readers aged 8-12.
Examples of middle grade books are here, here, and here
If you write middle grade, you know how important it is to make sure your work is relevant to your reader. Understanding the distinctions between chapter books and middle grade is a great first step.
Happy Writing!
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.
We’re all familiar with phrases that warn us of danger lurking ahead.
Look before you leap.
You can’t be too careful . . .
I’d think twice about that if I were you.
All of these idioms are meant to ward off an ill-conceived project or advising someone to think carefully before tackling what might be considered an ill-fated trip.
But my favorite is: Every dark cloud has a silver lining.
I recently published a compilation book with twenty-two additional authors. I considered the idea a long time before I pulled the trigger. I wanted to “pay forward” the support and assistance I received when I began to write 10 years ago. I’m confident had I not engaged a writing coach and joined a professional writing community for women I might never have become the author of five books. Coupled with a certification as a writing coach, I felt confident in tackling this task.
We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished was a title I stumbled on nine years earlier. I used it as a tagline for my first website, My Purpose Now. The audience? Women 50+ who were struggling to discover their purpose once the nest emptied. They’d been all in, clear about their calling, and engaged in their families. With that no longer in demand (and rebuffed if offered) they were uncertain as to whether their best years were behind them. No. Absolutely not. God had so much more in store; they simply needed an assist to find that path.
I wanted to feature stories of ordinary women 50+ who had done extraordinary things: accomplished a long-ago dream, goal, or vision. Completed a degree. Travel. Quit the job to build a business or develop a non-profit. Serve in a homeless shelter. Dare to dance, paint, act on the stage that called them for 30 years. Some stories centered on loss – a loved one, an unexpected divorce, health issues or financial adversity. But no matter the theme, God was the hero in each story.
A friend asked, “why not write this yourself? Just interview them and tell their story. This is going to be a lot of work.” I insisted each woman’s voice was vital to the telling.
I turned to social media sites to invite those who’d been writing for at least two years. Most blogged, some wrote for local publications. But most lacked their first professional book publishing credit. I selected 25 individuals – most of whom were strangers – from a total of 80 submissions. I would write 50% of the content. I tacked on a few longtime writing friends to write a chapter—and to talk me off the ledge if needed.
I had no clue the time it would require and the effort it would demand.None. Zip. Nada.
I discovered an interested publisher and sent a proposal and sample chapters. I signed the contract two days later. I was officially the managing editor.
No turning back.
The contributing authors signed an agreement for their participation. It included their commitment to write on the specific theme, follow editorial guidelines, write to the allotted word count, adhere to deadlines, and help market the book upon release. I had the final say if an issue arose regarding “artistic license.”
As the managing editor, I did two rounds of editing and coached those who needed assistance. Some were strong writers from a technical standpoint and had good stories but needed help to make the story sing. Others brought a compelling experience but needed support to strengthen the quality of the writing itself.
It was exciting, exhilarating, and exhausting. The journey was never boring.
I had divas. “My mom and my friends told me; it was perfect – don’t change a word.”
I had debaters: “I’m not using lower case for he, him, and his in reference to Christ. It’s wrong. It’s dishonoring.”
I had deniers “I don’t care about the publisher’s requirements; I’m writing it like God told me to.”
We started with 25; we concluded with 22. We parted on good terms.
From the concept development to the search for authors, from what felt like a thousand emails to release of the book – six months. We worked with a stellar traditional publisher who knows speed to market and excellence in all they do are keys to success.
And now the avalanche of advantages kicks in: I have 22 partners to help market and promote the book.
Some are teaching our group tips and tools on our private Facebook page where our primary communication exists. Many have a writing-related side-hustle: Podcasting, blogging, vlogging, or websites of their own. I was stunned by the number of social media gurus, and valuable contacts they brought with them. Our goal is to create community.
And I thought I was doing this for them.
I’ve been contacted by three writers who are interested in my coaching services. Two additional experienced writers have reached out to ask if I might be interested in teaching a workshop on this collaborative writing approach. I’m thinking that’s one to consider. I never saw that silver sliver peeking through the dark cloud on occasion.
The vision that some regarded as a fool’s errand, has been realized. Our writers are encouraging readers to resist the rocking chair brigade and press ahead to make the rest of their life the best of their life. That is a good outcome.
Nobody promised it would be easy. But then, achievement never is.
Deborah DeArmond is a recognized leader in the fields of performance development, facilitation. She is a certified writing coach as well as an executive business coach. She is also an award-winning author.
Deb’s the author of Related by Chance, Family by Choice, I Choose You Today, and Don’t Go to Bed Angry. Stay Up and Fight! All three books focus on relationship dynamics, communication, and conflict resolution. Her humorous devotional entitled Bumper Sticker Be-Attitudes was published in late 2019. Her newest release, We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished: Making the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life was released in July. She has published more than 200 articles in print and online, including a monthly column, now in her 7th year for Lifeway Magazine with an international circulation of 300,000.
Deb helps clients achieve success in becoming the coach others desire to work through through her engaging inquiry, humor, and straightforward approach. Her clients have described Deb as “candid but kind” and skilled at asking the questions that help “guide others to discover their answers and solutions to success.”
As much fun building characters in a fiction story is, the process is equally challenging. Trying to create memorable characters who incite a heartfelt connection with readers requires quite a bit of work. But you can start by developing them with emotional intelligence, also known as EQ.
You want your characters to have an authentic balance of emotional intelligence so their impact on your readers is lasting. Additionally, if your readers can resonate with your characters’ internal struggle and growth, they’ll be more inclined to finish the entire story.
So, let’s briefly define what emotional intelligence is and then explore three ways to incorporate it into your character development to create emotionally sound characters.
What is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional intelligence is defined as “the ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict.”
In terms of character development, this means you want to show your character’s understanding of their own emotions. Show how they use them in different circumstances and manage them in stressful times when they need to communicate effectively, overcome obstacles, and form relationships with others.
With this definition of emotional intelligence in mind, here are three ways to create emotionally intelligent characters in your fiction stories.
Three Ways to Create Emotionally Intelligent Characters
Defining emotional intelligence is just the beginning of creating emotionally intelligent characters. You want to ensure you’re striking the right balance of emotional intelligence in your characters to paint an authentic picture of who they are. Here are a few ways to help you do just that.
Work on your EQ
Creating emotionally intelligent characters who provoke genuine emotion and connection from your readers is a bit easier when you understand your EQ. An emotionally intelligent writer has gone through some of the things their character is going to go through. And that can be used to write better characters.
So, work on your EQ. Your characters can mirror the general flow of your emotional journey to make them that much more realistic.
Draw on real-life experiences
As you work on your emotional intelligence, you’ll likely learn how to be better from your involvement in other people’s journeys to a high level of emotional intelligence. And these encounters should be leveraged to create solid characters. One of the best ways to develop emotionally intelligent characters is to draw on real-life experiences.
For example, let’s say you have or are currently dating someone with depression or anxiety. Think about the nights of researching their disorder, the difficult discussions you had to have with them, how you overcame their attempts to push you away and self-isolate, or how you improved your communication to support their healing. If you’re creating a character living with either of these disorders themselves or in relation with someone who is, draw from your own emotional experiences.
Ultimately, considering how you navigated similar circumstances that your characters are going through will help you develop them with a realistic balance of emotional intelligence. Also, the genre you’re writing can help shape the emotional intelligence of your characters.
Consider what EQ looks like in different genres of fiction
To determine the right EQ for your characters, you’ll want to consider the genre of fiction you’re writing in. Your characters’ emotional intelligence journey should make sense not only for the character but for your chosen genre as well.
For example, let’s say you’re developing a character for a comic book. You decide the stories will involve fighting crime, and therefore, the comic will be placed in the action/adventure genre. The question becomes, what does the emotional intelligence of a comic book character in the action/adventure genre look like? If their goal is to fight crime effectively, what is their motive for doing so? Were they bullied as a kid? Was a family member the victim of a high-profile crime?
Ultimately, your character’s level of emotional intelligence and how it develops in the story, and the pace at which it does, should be informed by the genre they’re in.
Conclusion
Creating emotionally intelligent characters will make your story stand out among the many fiction pieces out there. Develop these characters by working on your personal EQ, using real-life experiences to inform your character creation, and considering what EQ looks like in your chosen genre.
Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for dynamic content. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.
As I was editing my latest WIP, I ran across several instances where my plot followed one character on a busy day while entirely ignoring another one. This is a problem, since these are not characters who will sit idly at home for a day waiting for their chance to do something!
Once I discovered my mistake, I had to rethink my timeline and revise several scenes in order to give the characters a plausible activity to keep them occupied.
What did this teach me? That it’s easy to lose track of off-screen characters.
And losing track of characters can come back to haunt you. Intelligent readers may notice that you haven’t mentioned what Mrs. X or Villain Y are up to, and make (possibly incorrect) assumptions about why you aren’t mentioning them, which may lead to later confusion.
Or even worse, you suddenly realize that you have a minor character showing up in two different places at the same time. Oops.
Fortunately, there’s simple solution for this problem.
Create a comprehensive timeline
I write mysteries, so timing is critical. But whatever your genre, you need some way to keep track of what happens when.
The wise author creates a timeline to keep track of when each scene occurs. I’ve created timelines for all my novels, but what I’ve been doing isn’t enough. I was only keeping track of the characters who were in the scenes.
What I will be doing from now on is also keeping track of what the other characters are up to each day.
This doesn’t mean I need to invent stories for what every character is doing every day. But I will keep track of where I left each character. And that will help me spot gaps when I’ve been ignoring them, or when I forget to move them from one place to another.
Benefits of a comprehensive timeline
A one-stop resource to keep track of who is where when and what they’re up to
Highlights when you have too much or too little happening on a specific day. Or when you have a long time span between scenes.
Highlights when you’ve ignored a character for too long
Points out gaps in the plot when you’ve forgotten to give a major character something to do.
Forces you to pay attention to what the bad guys are doing while the good guys are busy trying to track them down.
Helps keep track of where minor characters are and what errand you last sent them on.
How to make a timeline
How you create the timeline is up to you. You don’t need to make it “to scale” with an even amount of space for each day. When things are happening rapidly, you might need increments smaller than a day. Or you might jump five years between scenes. Do whatever makes sense for your plot.
Here are some suggestions for different mediums you might use:
Find a large space like the dining room table and use sticky notes. When you’re finished, take photos.
Use fine-tipped dry erase pens to write everything on a large white board, window, or a full-length mirror. (True story: My son used the mirror on the door of his dorm room to study for tests. It works like a dry erase board.)
Tape notebook paper together until you have enough room to write in all the info. (Or use a roll of craft paper.)
Create a spreadsheet.
Create a table in your word processor. This is what I’ve done in the past. Like a spreadsheet, it can be color-coded to keep track of POV or whatever.
Whatever medium you use, here are some suggested types of information you may want to include:
Day. You can use calendar dates if you like. I keep track of days elapsed, with Day One being the start of the novel. If important events happen just before the novel opens, you might want to begin numbering there instead.
Time of day. If a lot happens in a short amount of time, you might need to keep track of the hour, or even the minute. (I know from personal experience that it’s easy to write scenes from two different POVs that were supposed to intertwine, but didn’t because I wasn’t keeping careful track of the minutes.)
Plot. A brief description of each scene. Just enough so you remember what’s going on
Setting. Keeping track of the specific room or area can help you notice if you’re overusing certain ones.
Key information revealed in the scene
Current theory or goal. In a mystery, the MC’s theory about the crime changes as she learns new information. It’s helpful to keep track of who she thinks is guilty as the plot progresses.
Where off-screen characters are and what they’re doing. You may want to make several columns to keep track of different types of characters, such as villains, suspects, servants, rivals, etc.
Important plot structure points such as inciting incident or point of no return.
This may sound like a lot of work, but it’s time well spent. When I’m editing my WIP, I frequently refer back to my timeline to check details, particularly how long ago something happened. My timeline also serves as a brief scene list that I can use to revise and rearrange the action.
Do you create a timeline for your novels? What tools help you stay on track with your story?
Lisa E. Betz worked as an engineer, substitute teacher, and play director before becoming an award-winning mystery writer. She brings her analytical mind, quirky humor, and positive outlook to all she writes. She draws inspiration from thirty-five years of leading Bible studies to create entertaining mysteries set in the world of the early church, and then she fills that world with eccentric characters, independent females, and an occasional sausage-snatching cat. Her first novel, Death and a Crocodile, garnered a gold medal in the Illumination Book Awards.
“Don’t say you were a bit confused and sort of tired and a little depressed and somewhat annoyed. Be confused. Be tired. Be depressed. Be annoyed. Don’t hedge your prose with little timidities. Good writing is lean and confident.”
William Zinsser
Have you noticed the tendency to include elaborate descriptions, adjectives up the wazoo, and dialogue that seems either lifeless or exhaustively pointless? A bit like that last sentence? It’s not new, in fact, many of the great writers of days gone by might be guilty of writing beyond the reader’s interest.
Each word must have a purpose, according to William Zinsser. It is the consistent insight he offered to students attending his Yale writing classes in the 1960’s. “Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity.”
I’ve purchased a book or two that needed his input, haven’t you? Sentences so long and descriptive you were forced to circle back to the start to remember the topic at hand.
So, who is this word wizard?
William Zinsser was a lifelong journalist and non-fiction writer. His career began in the news business in 1946, writing for the New York Herald Tribune. His work would ultimately include 18 books on a variety of topics including jazz, travel, and a memoir. But he may be most remembered as the author of the highly acclaimed book, On Writing Well. With a focus on the craft, the book has undergone seven revisions covering three decades.
Because I am a book hoarder and consider my favorite volumes priceless, my shelves have long outgrown the ability to hold them all. As I began to create the format for this column, I waded into the collection of boxes stored in the garage. My husband considers them invaders in his sanctuary. There in a misshapen cardboard tomb, I spy the 30th Anniversary Edition of Zinsser’s book. The cover copy beats the drum: More Than One Million Copies Sold.
Appears the author might have found his audience.
Long before “writing tight” was inscribed in our mind, Zinsser focused on a lean approach to storytelling. It was devoid of the adjective addiction that plagued many of the publishing world’s favorites. Did he instinctively know? As you read his observations of the writers of his day, I believe it is the respect Zinsser had for his audience that ruled his writing philosophy.
“The adjective that exists solely as decoration is a self-indulgence for the writer and a burden for the reader.”
William Zinsser
It’s one of my favorite quotes. As a writing coach, I observe many starting out, still new to writing, who stumble into this trap. But it’s not just the newbies. Many writers develop habits during their early years they never abandon; they consider them “part of my style.” These writers view the reader as one with fewer than five senses, requiring elaborate descriptions of what they could easily envision on their own. The reader is forced to abandon his or her imagination to embrace that of the author. It’s a loss for both parties.
Writing lean, writing tight will always be a characteristic of strong writing. Expand your word knowledge. Make the synonym finder your best friend. Choose the right words rather than many words. It will delight your readers and you might just hear Zinsser chuckle from that amazing library in the sky.
Thanks for taking time today to read this first foray into my new column here at Almost an Author.Craft Essentials: From A to Zinsser will appear monthly in the Craft tab. If you’re serious about advancing your skills and focused on the next steps of your writing journey, I invite you to join us. Perhaps you too, will find life-changing messages in the wit and wisdom of William Zinsser.
Deborah DeArmond is a recognized leader in the fields of performance development, facilitation. She is a certified writing coach as well as an executive business coach. She is also an award-winning author.
Deb’s the author of Related by Chance, Family by Choice, I Choose You Today, and Don’t Go to Bed Angry. Stay Up and Fight! All three books focus on relationship dynamics, communication, and conflict resolution. Her humorous devotional entitled Bumper Sticker Be-Attitudes was published in late 2019. Her newest release, We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished: Making the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life will be available in late July. She has published more than 200 articles in print and online, including a monthly column, now in her 7th year for Lifeway Magazine with an international circulation of 300,000.
Deb helps clients achieve success in becoming the coach others desire to work through through her engaging inquiry, humor, and straightforward approach. Her clients have described Deb as “candid but kind” and skilled at asking the questions that help “guide others to discover their answers and solutions to success.”
No matter how dignified we are, holding our just-published book in our hands for the first time makes us squeal with glee, and rightly so.
We’ve heard that the fastest way to “get the word out” is via interviews, so we visit social media groups and share our availability. Here’s where our momentum often stops cold.
Our approach is, shall we say…lacking? Isn’t it enough to reveal that we’re ready to be interviewed? Uh, no.
Recently I read a Facebook post by Max, “My book is hot off the presses! I’m ready to be interviewed. My topic is XYZ. I look forward to hearing from you.” That was his entire ‘pitch.’
Experienced podcasters won’t reach out to Max, and he’ll never know why.
Though he didn’t realize it, Max practiced passive marketing…an announcement to the world at large that he was available for interviews, expecting that same world to run to his door, eager to help him reach his goals. This is an easy trap to fall into for anyone.
The world isn’t trying to help us reach our goals. They’re busy trying to reach their own goals. They’re on the lookout for guests who will help them.
It helps to remember that hosts who interview us give us a GIFT…access to their audience. They’ve built that audience by serving them well, developing deep relationships and thus earning their listeners’ trust. Wise hosts do not take that trust lightly.
We must help potential podcast hosts see how we can help them serve their audience.
3 Steps to Significantly Increase Your Pitch’s Odds
Make a list of 10-20 podcasts: Research podcasts that serve the same / similar audience as yours OR who discuss the same / similar topic as yours. Do they host guests? Who have they recently interviewed? How might you be able to add to that discussion by offering a deeper perspective, an opposing view, or different (yet still helpful) information?
Analyze the podcast: Listen to 3-8 full episodes. More if necessary. Is the host well-prepared, or do they work best off-the-cuff? Is their program live or recorded (and which fits your communication style best)? Does the audience participate, and if so, is the feedback live?
How long is the program, and do guests stay on the entire time, or only for a segment? You want to be knowledgeable about the program, who’s in their audience, and the host’s goals for the program.
Write your pitch: Keep it short and on point.If you’re pitching via email, be clear. Podcast Guest Pitch is a wise title. Bonus points for adding a short value phrase or keywords.
Don’t be vague. Tie your message into the program’s main topic. What can you add to the conversation, and how will your contribution benefit the audience? You’re there to help the podcast host serve his or her audience. How can you do that, specifically?
Add your website link. If you’ve been interviewed before, add those links (within reason). This helps the podcaster know what to expect if they invite you.
Above All, Keep Pitching!
Repeat the steps above often. As potential hosts respond (not all will), make a note of their questions or comments.
Questions can mean you’ve left out information they want before deciding, or they’re intrigued and want to confirm you’ll be a good fit. Respond professionally, don’t over-promise, and if you’re not sure about something, simply say so.
If their answer is “no,” decide whether to keep them on your list. Today’s “no” might mean “never,” but it could also be tomorrow’s “yes.” BIG difference.
And if you sense you’re a natural fit but the host doesn’t see it yet, follow up without harassing them. They may have a bad day when you originally contacted them.
Podcasters are human, too, or so I’m told. 🙂
Patricia Durgin is an Online Marketing Coach and Facebook Live Expert. She trains Christian writers and speakers exclusively, helping them develop their messaging, marketing funnels, conversational emails, and Facebook Live programs. Patricia hosted 505 (60-minute) Facebook Live programs from 2018-2020. That program is on indefinite hiatus. She’s also a regular faculty member at Christian writers and speakers conferences around the country.
My most recent book for children is Grumpy the Gator. I wrote this book as a follow up to my other book for children, Licky the Lizard. In Grumpy the Gator, we are reminded to stay away from gators. If a gator is seen, please tell an adult.
Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?
I write inspirational messages sometimes laced with humor. I love sharing the message of God’s love and glory. In each book, article, devotion, blog post, and more…I hope the reader will draw closer to God. Our family motto is “It’s Always A Story With The Hendersons”, because something funny is always happening to us. God gives us many opportunities to find joy in the simple things in life.
How long have you been writing?
I have been writing since I was a young girl. I’m sixty years old now, and love reading and writing more every day. The love of reading and writing was given to me by my parents. As a young girl, my parents often took me to the local library or the local bookmobile. I was never good at math skills, but, always excelled in writing and reading.
And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? Or are you published non-traditionally? How did that come about?
I wrote my first book in about four months and published that book through a local company. I chose a non-traditional route for Grumpy the Gator and Licky the Lizard because I wanted to have the books published as soon as possible for our first grand child. Now, there are two grandchildren. I plan to write more stories for children.
Which of your books is your favorite?
Both of my books for children are my favorites. Licky the Lizard and Grumpy the Gator are great stories for children. The stories are wonderful to read together or to read alone. Grandparents often purchase the books to give as gifts.
Do you have a favorite character or scene in one of your books?
One of my favorite scenes in Grumpy the Gator is when the children see the alligator and decide to name it “Grumpy”. In Licky the Lizard, one of my favorite scenes is when the lady sees the lizard and her hair stands straight up in the air because she is afraid.
Tell us about an award you won that was particularly meaningful.
I won the 2019 “Wright Medal” 3rd place for Licky the Lizard. That was my first award and was very meaningful.
How long does it take you to write a book?
Each story is different. Since I write a ton of articles, devotions, blog posts, etc. for online and in print magazines and sites, every piece of writing takes a different amount of time. As for books, each one is different. I pray before writing. I have a note taped to my computer that says “PRAY FIRST”.
What’s your writing work schedule like?
I write everyday. Pray and then, write. Sometimes, my writing is all day and other times, for only a short period of time.
Do you have an interesting writing quirk? If so, what is it?
My writing quirk is that my computer is next to a window, which allows me to enjoy God’s creations as I write. I’ve been known to talk to the hummingbirds as they drink from the feeder.
What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career?
One of my greatest joys in my writing career is to have two books published for our grandchildren. I want Rowan and Eden to know the love of reading and writing.
Could you tell us about a dark moment in your writing career?
I have learned that dark moments in my writing journey will come if I don’t go to God first. When I try to write for myself and not include Him, the words won’t come. When I pray and ask God to help me share words He wants me to share, I feel at peace.
How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you? W
Writers must learn to handle rejection. Some of our writing will be published and other pieces will not. I believe there is a purpose for each word we write. We may not know how our writing affects another person. Yet, even with rejections, we have the opportunity to grow as a writer and to share a powerful message.
Where do you get your ideas?
Most of my ideas come from everyday experiences. God gives plenty of opportunity for laughter in my life. I’m glad to be able to laugh at myself and the silly things that happen.
Who is your favorite author to read?
I can’t name just one. If I tried to name all my favorites we would be here all day and night.
What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have heeded?
As for advice, I encourage all writers to join a writing group, if possible. The fellowship and knowledge to glean from being a part of a writers group is amazing. Also, attend writers conferences, whether in person or virtual. Remember that writers, editors, and publishers are people, too. They want you to succeed and will encourage you along the way.
What are common mistakes you see aspiring writers make?
One common mistake aspiring writers make is being too hard on themselves. Let the love of writing flow. Don’t accept the word “failure”. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market?
One way to break into the market is by making connections at conferences, online, writers groups, and social media. When you make a contact, follow up quickly. Send an email. Jot a note and send via snail mail, if possible. Keep your name out there in the writing world. Encourage and support other writers.
Award winning author Melissa Henderson writes inspirational messages laced with a bit of humor. With stories in books, magazines, devotionals and more, Melissa hopes to encourage readers. Melissa is the author of Licky the Lizard and Grumpy the Gator. Her passions are helping in community and church. Melissa is an Elder, Deacon and Stephen Minister. Follow Melissa on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and her website melissaghenderson.com
After my accident, I was in a hurry to get back to my life. I didn’t care about what had happened to me and I didn’t always listen to the doctors and other professionals who were trying to help me. My neuropsychologist had warned me about brain injury survivors having a “Short fuse,” but I didn’t understand how it applied to me. Because of this tendency, I made a lot of poor choices in those early days after my accident.
I didn’t listen to others.
I didn’t rest enough.
I didn’t do the work needed to recover.
Determination and grit can get us so far, but if we’re not careful, they can keep us from our goals in life. In the end, my determination did more harm than good.
The writing life has a similar balance: our drive and determination can motivate us or detour us. In this digital age, writers have a lot of choices to make about their careers. There are training processes, writing processes, the publication path, and ultimately time management. The latter is one I struggle with at times, but my recovery process has trained me to choose wisely.
Choose Wisely!
If you’re just starting, perhaps you have not yet realized that the writing life is a steady stream of choices: fiction or nonfiction, plotter or pantser, word choice, angle, who is my target audience, self-publish or traditional?
The answers to these questions will help grow your writing career. Writing is as much a job as it is an art. Successful writers do the work to get where they are and have chosen wisely.
A few years ago one of my professional writer friends in the South published a list of hard choices writers must make:
1. Trading TV time for writing time. You’ll need those hours to put words on paper.
2. Committing to a lifetime of learning and staying current with the publishing industry. The industry is changing at a lightning speed, so either keep up or die.
3. Saying no to the good things, so you’ll have time to say yes to the best things. Writing is an isolated life a lot of the time.
4. A willingness to write through the junk to get to gems. Good writing is rewriting—don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
5. The necessity of checking your ego at the door. There’s always someone more talented, successful, lucky, etc. Get over it and move on.
6. A willingness to trust other professionals—like your agent, your editor, and your critique partners.
7. An unwillingness to compromise what truly matters. And no this does NOT contradict #6.
8. Trading talking about writing for actually putting words on the page. Networking is important, but not as important as writing.
9. The commitment to keep going when the odds seem impossible. In this industry impossible odds is the new normal.1
These choices are personal because we are each different. Some will be easier for others and vice versa. Actress Helen Mirren famously said, “You write your life story by the choices you make. You never know if they have been a mistake. Those moments of decision are so difficult.” Making different choices is part of being a professional.
Professionals?
Living with a disability has humbled me and painfully reminded me that I am not perfect. But I can do better and so can you. As we pursue our writing goals, we must understand we’re not perfect, but we must learn to be professional.
As you read this, I am preparing to leave for a four-day-long writers conference. The conference is about more than just having fun and catching up with old friends, it is a time for learning the craft, networking, and meeting industry professionals in hope of becoming a professional writer myself.
Being professional comes with even more choices we must make as writers. Often they require tremendous patience. Patience while we learn the craft, patience while we craft our stories, and patience while we put together our professional team of:
Mentors
Editors
Agents
Publisher
Regardless of where you are in your career, you’ve already made important choices. Think about them. Remember, as a writer you must take your time, do your research, and choose wisely!
Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic 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 MartinThomasJonhson.com and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.
Secondary characters are the seasoning in your story soup.
Who can be secondary characters, or sidekicks? Often, they’re the protagonist’s best friend, but they can also be a family member, co-worker, neighbor, or even a frenemy. Sidekicks give the hero and heroine someone to talk to, someone to confess their feelings to, someone to be honest with. Sidekicks can say things your heroine or hero need to hear. Secondary characters can act as the hero’s conscience. Secondary characters often provide comic relief with quirky characteristics, either physical or in their personality.
If you’re writing a series, a sidekick can be the main character in the next story. Susan May Warren is a master at this. Her series, Global Search and Rescue, starts with friends Jenny, Aria, and Sasha on Mount Denali. They meet Orion, Jake, and Hamilton. Book Two is Aria and Jake caught in a hurricane in Florida, with Jake’s friend and boss Ham Jones, the hero of book Three. Warren’s Christiansen Family and Montana Marshalls series all focus on different family members in each book.
Or the secondary character could be a common character in each story in the series. The coffee shop barista with hair that’s a different color each week. The waitress at the diner who never writes down an order but never mixes them up. Or constantly mixes them up. Gayle Roper’s Seaside Seasons series has a guy with a metal detector on the beach in each book. He often has a word of wisdom to pass on with the buried treasure he finds. J.D. Robb’s In Death series has the candy thief who steals Eve Dallas’s candy no matter where she hides it in her office. Nora Roberts (writing as J.D. Robb) has promised to reveal the candy thief when she ends the series, which I’m happy to say looks like won’t be happening any time soon.
The secondary character can provide what James Scott Bell calls the “man in the mirror” moment. This is when your protagonist looks at their life and who they are, then decides if they’re happy with that or are going to change. The sidekick can give your hero or heroine advice or feedback, facilitating that man in the mirror moment and assisting the change.
In the movie Sleepless in Seattle, Rosie O’Donnell played Becky, Meg Ryan’s character Annie’s best friend and editor. Becky provided a sounding board for Annie to talk to about how crazy her obsession was with Sam, the “Sleepless in Seattle” caller to the Dr. Marcia radio show. When Annie pitched Becky an article about the Dr. Marcia show, Becky (and the viewer) clearly knew Annie was really asking if she should try to find and/or meet Sam.
Sometimes a secondary character will walk into your story and try to steal the scene. Be careful to keep the spotlight where it belongs: on your main characters. If your secondary character turns into a scene stealer, give them a stern talking to, then consider offering them their own future story. That will usually convince them to play nicely for the rest of your current project.
Carrie Padgett lives in Central California, close to Yosemite, but far from Hollywood, the beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge. She believes in faith, families, fun, and happily ever afters. She writes contemporary fiction with romance. She recently signed a contract with Sunrise Publishing to co-write a romance novel with New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hauck that will be published in 2022. Carrie and her husband live in the country with their high-maintenance cat and laid-back dog, within driving distance of their six grandchildren.
I was pegged an expressive analytic in a personality test I took through my company. I know it sounds like an oxymoron, but it’s true. I couldn’t survive without expressing my creative imaginings. Yet, I’m a retired, introverted actuary who receives her energy from being alone in her home office, spewing words into my laptop to expand my story ideas.
Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?
I write from a Christian world view.
Through my romances, I hope to entertain, spur laughter, and touch hearts. My heroes and heroines are Christians or become Christians and do what Christians do, such as enjoy a quiet time with God, read the Bible, and make mistakes.
From my blogs posts and my published book on writing, my passion is to share what I learn about writing principles and techniques with others.
My purpose in re-self-publishing my two books of Christian allegories (second book releasing soon) is to share the funky stories I wrote to explain to myself Biblical principles I’d heard or read as a new Christian.
The speculative fiction I’m working on takes place sixteen months after the rapture. This two-book series grabbed me and stretched me. My hope is it will do the same for others.
How long have you been writing?
Does my cowboy story—a whole paragraph—count? I was nine. Since then, I stored many uncompleted manuscripts under my bed. Then came the two books of short allegories I self-published before the self-publishing craze. After an agent signed me and publishers rejected four romances, I received my first contract at age sixty-four.
Tell us about one of your greatest joy(s) in your writing career.
I learned a colleague accepted Christ after reading the first allegory I wrote. After publishers rejected four completed manuscripts, I sat in a workshop led by an agent. He said it takes writing four completed manuscripts to learn to write, and usually the fifth one receives a contract. At that time, I was working on my fifth manuscript, and it was the novel that received a contract. The joy was realizing those rejected manuscripts had great worth. They prepared me to write a novel that merited a contract.
Tell us about one of your darkest moment(s) in your writing career.
Before I received my first contract, I’d labored many months on a manuscript. I went through the first pages one more time and changed a word or two. After I sent it to my agent, I looked over the first pages again. To my horror, the word shift was missing the f. I shot off an email to my agent. She emailed all was fine. She and the editor enjoyed a chuckle. I realized agents and editors weren’t statues whose alabaster fingers were ready to chop my manuscripts to pieces.
Rejection is a common experience for writers. How do you overcome rejection? How has rejection shaped you or your career?
I had worked about a year on each of my four rejected manuscripts. But just like for the contests I entered, rejections or low scores never depressed me or made be angry. I entered the contests for the feedback and was happy to have it. True, I sent manuscripts hoping for a contract, but I took in both the good and the need-improvement comments to learn to do better on the next manuscript. Editors told me in their rejections they liked my ideas. Some invited me to submit another project. I learned I naturally have good story ideas, but I needed to learn how to write them into a readable story.
In what ways has God led you to mentor other writers? Were you surprised when a certain skill or connection led to mentoring opportunities?
God made me to be expressive, but I dislike being chatty on social media. When I knew I had to have a blog, I wrote on how to be creative—something I understood. As I learned writing techniques, I excitedly shared what I’d learned in my blog posts. This fit my gift of teaching. I learn from applications, so I always included lots of examples. This led to presenting writing workshops to writers’ groups, at conferences, and on Zoom.
My blog posts sparked an editor and an agent to encourage me to write a book on writing from my posts. Not wanting to dump blog posts into a book, I took a workshop on how to write a book from blog posts. I wanted to aid beginning writers who had or were starting manuscripts to avoid repeated rejections. I structured the book to help writers transform their manuscripts to shine in thirty days so they could pitch their manuscripts to agents and editors or to self-publish. My surprise came when I asked writing and publishing professionals for endorsements. I hoped for two or three. Nine professional agents, editors, conference directors, award-winning authors, and aspiring writers sent me wonderful endorsements. I believe in that book’s ability to help new writers.
Tell us about a facet of mentoring that particularly excites you.
An editor friend arranged an opportunity for me to teach a four-day, two-hour class to eight participants at a writers conference. I based the class on the teachings in my book on writing. Participants’ “aha” cries thrilled me. One had signed up for a critique. My heart slumped when I saw how far her writing was from workable. I prayed and prayed for guidance to help her without discouraging her away from writing. I poured many hours into the critique. I presented the critique as gently and honestly as I could. She seemed to eagerly accept my suggestions, but I worried discouragement might crush her writing spirit back in her room. The following day during personal writing time, she handed me a revision of her critique’s pages. How joyful she and I were when I told her, she understood what was needed and was on her way to writing a readable story.
What venues/methods have you found most effective for meeting and mentoring writers?
For me, teaching workshops and webinars using slides and many examples works best.
Have you organized or led groups to support writers? (Retreats, ACFW chapters, etc.) How has that experience helped you to mentor writers?
I’ve dreamed of having retreats in our cabin on a lake. I’ve held a few small spiritual and writing retreats so far. I recently retired from a two-year stint as the treasurer for ACFW Virginia. I’ve taught workshops for our monthly webinars and for our conferences.
Have you organized or directed a writers’ conference? Tell us about that experience, and/or share an anecdote that illustrates how you saw writers being mentored and encouraged through the event.
While on the ACFW Virginia chapter’s board, I helped organize two conferences. At two conferences, I held mentor appointments. Not having done much of this type of mentoring, I wondered if I was qualified to help anyone. I prayed. A young woman told me the trouble with an aspect of her story. Immediately, a suggestion came to me and I shared it. She said, “That’s it!” I became more relaxed as we brainstormed together.
If you speak at writers’ groups or conferences, what are some of your favorite topics to speak about?
I enjoy presenting:
Make a Scene of Your Scene: 4 Improvements to Make Your Scene Stand Out
Help Your Reader Commit Identity Theft with Your Character: Learning to Write in Deep Point of View
Make Your First Five Pages Shine: Avoid Mistakes New Writers Make
For Whom the Edits Toil: 7 Edits to Create Reader-Charming Paragraphs
Share Your Writing Journey as Part of Your Marketing Plan
What advice do you have for writers as we interact with our peers?
Find a critique group that works for you. I suggest you keep the group small, or you’ll spend more time critiquing than writing. Work on thickening your skin so you can hear suggestions. I say to myself, “I may not agree with a partner’s (or judge’s) suggestion, but if this sentence stopped the reader from reading on, I need to discern whether:
the sentence (paragraph) is necessary or
I can improve it.”
What can we do to be better supporters and mentors of our fellow writers?
Share titles of writing books we found helpful.
Write honest book reviews.
Share writing tips that improved our writing.
When critiquing, speak truth in a way that is non-threatening.
Help fellow writers understand we are God’s co-author. (See Allen Arnold’s book below.)
Do you have a favorite resource or two that you recommend to beginning writers?
Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in Thirty Days by Zoe M. McCarthy
Hooked by Les Edgerton
Do you have a favorite resource or two that you recommend to writers who are struggling with discouragement?
The Story of With: A Better Way to Live, Love, & Create by Allen Arnold
What are common mistakes you see aspiring writer’s make?
Starting their books in the wrong place.
What they are imagining is not making it to the page.
Failing to ground the reader.
Dumping the backstory they need to know, but the reader doesn’t.
The protagonist is unlikeable or whiny.
Misunderstanding the difference between suspense and creating confusion.
Not writing scenes, and the paragraphs within them, linearly.
What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have heeded?
I wish I had heard the agent’s wisdom earlier that it takes completing four manuscripts to learn to write. I would have been energized in an additional way to write those four manuscripts.
Zoe M. McCarthy is a full-time author and speaker. She has seven contemporary Christian romances involving tenderness and humor. Believing opposites distract, Zoe creates heroes and heroines who learn to embrace their differences. She’s the author of a book of Contemporary Christian allegories. Her non-fiction, Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in 30 Days, helps writers write their stories or ready their manuscripts for publication. She teaches a community Bible study and writing workshops. Zoe and her husband live in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. They enjoy canoeing the New River, spending time at their lake cabin, and entertaining their six grandchildren.
Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!
“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”
The Dos and Don’ts of Book Launches with Bethany Jett
Bethany shares her expertise in what we good-naturedly call “drinking-from-the-firehose” presentation that includes tips on building a following on Instagram using ads, focusing on “national days” to soft-sell your book, and planning a long-term strategy. We dabble in related areas such as getting reviews, providing special giveaways for your launch team, and so much more. If you have a book that launches this year or are still in the writing process, this is an episode you’ll want to watch a couple of times.
Watch the May 4th replay.
Bethany Jett, founder of Serious Writer, Inc. and co-owner of Platinum Literary Services, is a multi-published author who launched two books almost simultaneously last year. Additionally, she works with clients to create book proposals that include creative marketing sections and assists clients with their own book launches. You can connect with Bethany on social media or at www.bethanyjett.com
Split Time Fiction with Melanie Dobson and Morgan Tarpley Smith
One of the great things about writing is it never stays the same. In this episode of Writers Chat Melanie and Morgan discuss a relatively new genre, split time fiction (also known as dual time or time slip fiction). They share great ideas on how to bridge the past to the present by using an object like a ring or a book. Fans of this genre love reading about two or more parallel stories taking place in different times. Whether you’re simply curios or have written in this genre before, there’s something for you in this episode.
Watch the May 11th replay.
Melanie Dobson loves any excuse to explore abandoned houses, travel to unique places, and spend hours reading old books and journals. This award-winning author of more than twenty novels enjoys stitching together both time-slip and historical stories including Memories of Glass, Catching the Wind, and her Legacy of Love series. Five of her books—including two Legacy of Love novels—have won Carol Awards for historical fiction. You can connect with Melanie on social media or at www.melaniedobson.com
Morgan Tarpley Smith writes inspirational fiction that transports women to faraway places and weaves past and present to explore questions of truth and faith. Besides writing and traveling to over a dozen countries, her interests include hanging out at coffee shops, listening to records, and researching genealogy. She works as a newspaper reporter and lives in Louisiana with her husband and son. You can connect with Morgan on social media or at www.morgantarpleysmith.com
Join Us
Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133
A key element of any story is character development. Character development is the process of creating fictional characters, but can also refer to a character’s arc. In this article, I’ll talk about the process of creating characters and leave the arc for another day.
Key Characters
Every story has a hero, or main character, also called the protagonist.
Some have a villain, the antagonist. In some stories, the main character (MC) fills both roles of antagonist and protagonist.
Most have secondary characters. These assist the MC, oppose the MC, or otherwise help the reader understand the MC’s journey.
Fully developing the protagonist and antagonist is essential to a good story.
In order to be three dimensional, characters should have occupations, hobbies, friends, favorite foods, talents, etc. but they also require fleshing out in other ways. Some writers spend a lot of time describing the physical attributes of their story people. While this is important, the emotional make up—dreams, ambitions, struggles, and so on—of your character is what resonates with readers.
Flat and Round
Have you been told your characters are flat, or that they need more rounding? What does this mean?
Flat characters are one-dimensional. Some minor characters can be flat and serve the story just fine. However, main characters need to have depth and personality.
Ever met someone who appeared to be perfect? Did it feel like you were waiting for the authentic person to reveal themselves?
Don’t make your characters too good to be true.
But it’s fiction!
Even so, your reader wants to feel as if the story is real. To capture the reader, a main character should have both attributes and flaws.
But I want my hero to be good!
No one is all good or all bad. Perfect characters are hard, if not impossible, to relate to. They can come off as unrealistic, preachy, or just plain boring. If readers don’t feel an affinity with the protagonist, they won’t be invested enough to keep turning pages.
A superhero who is afraid of spiders. The psychiatrist who has a dysfunctional family. The miracle worker who cannot heal his own child. These are more interesting than a flat hero.
What about the “bad guy” in a story?
While reading a novel, do you ever find it hard to believe a “bad” character is all bad? A villain becomes a cartoon image, and the book gets tossed aside. Both heroes and villains need to have core values. I’ve heard it said that all villains believe they are the good guy.
Often, a character’s greatest strength will have negative aspects, just like in real life. A character who is responsible may take responsibility too seriously, or take on responsibility that isn’t theirs. This could cause all sorts of story problems!
A character who is consistent, a good trait, can be inflexible, which is bad in certain situations.
The character who values family above all else, can cross lines and cause tension because they put such high regard on family relationships.
Round characters come with built in opportunities for conflict.
A good tool to figure out the natural balance of your characters’ dominant traits is by determining their personality type using something like 16Personalities.com.
Creating Compelling Characters
To further develop rounded and interesting characters, go beyond a list of the basics. Try character interviews, asking deeper questions. A google search should turn up plenty of fiction writing character interviews, or you can make up one.
Or try this. Put your character in different situations, awkward, stressful, relaxed, and write their interior dialogue. Do this exercise in first person, even if your novel is in third.
Does a writer have to do all of this before they start writing? Not necessarily. Often, my characters flesh themselves out during the process of writing. But not knowing enough to have a solid GMC is usually a guarantee my story will stall.
Having a well-developed character in mind will help the story unfold easier. As long as the writer doesn’t get bogged down in endless character questionnaires and interviews, such exercises are a useful addition to the writer’s toolbox.
Recommended Reading
Write Great Fiction Series: Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint by Nancy Kress
Guest post writing is one of the best tools you can use to create a good reputation and help people find out about your business. You reach out to different sectors of your target audience and get great results. Quite simple, isn’t it?
However, many people ask “How to write a blog post that will drive people to action?”
While there are a lot of “how to” articles, here you will find 5 essential tips that will level up your game. Some of them might seem easy, but are you actually using them in your writing? Think critically, and if the answer is “No”, I’m not sure“, etc., then try these techniques out as soon as possible.
1: Have Your Own Unique Style But Be Ready to Adapt a Little
If you want to be recognized as a blogger, you need a style. It may develop as you write. To find out if you have one, ask for feedback. Let your family, friends, coworkers, or a test group of readers provide honest, constructive comments.
You can also create a poll asking your followers about your writing style and whether there are any recommendations.
And finally, it’s crucial to get inspired in order to develop your unique tone of writing. Reading favorite bloggers will motivate you to create a combination of special features of your own. This doesn’t mean you should copy a fully-developed style of a person that’s been working hard on it.
You just read, interpret, combine, and create your own unique “language” if you will.
However, be ready to adapt it a little bit for some websites. You see, many webmasters are concerned about a single style of writing on their blog. So, if you know you’re working with such a person, do it as a beautiful gesture of respect (and to be actually published).
2: Know How to Find Proper Platforms for Writing Blogs
You may have the best guest post writing skills, but if the platforms you choose aren’t fit for the purpose, it’s a losing game (like in that sad song).
Here are some recommendations on finding a perfect match:
Use Google. First of all, using Google to find blogs that accept writing contributions is an incredible hack. Type keywords like “guest post by”, “contribute to my blog”, etc. While there will be many articles about writing if you type “guest post writing”, focusing on phrases that would be on the needed platforms will provide a better result.
Only collaborate with relevant blogs. Only look for blogs that share a topic with yours or that have a focus niche somewhere near yours. The exceptions are news platforms and general blogs where you can post about anything. There, you’ll find potentially interested people. But on sources close by spirit to yours, there will be a curious audience passionate about the topic.
Become an inspector. Don’t just believe claims some blogs make. Analyze them, see what people write about them, where they are in the ratings, etc. Only after that, consider communicating with the owner.
Be a good talker. Considering you write guest posts, this shouldn’t be a problem. Talk to the owner, offer your posts, and then maybe you’ll find a chance to offer your terms as well.
3: Browse Useful Content
The sheer amount of amazing professional recommendations online is staggering. But not all of it is suitable for you. A lot depends on the topic. If you’re writing business content, the recommendations as to the style, tone, vocabulary, etc. will differ from a florist writer.
The purpose of your article writing also changes the need for tips. If you want to build backlinks, you need more tricks on how to incorporate them naturally. In case your goal is to get more exposure, you’ll have to learn how to make your brand an eye-candy first.
Nevertheless, it’s useful to browse general content editing tips by professionals to avoid common mistakes. Because both business and flower arrangement writers may encounter similar mishaps.
Over time, you’ll see many lists of the same common issues and solutions, which means you’ve learned enough and are ready to proceed to more difficult topics. These may be:
New SEO strategies
Link building
Profile improvement
Storytelling
Portfolio creation, etc.
4: Collaborate with Professional Services
In the first couple of months, it might be tough to constantly improve and learn. Here are some things you may have problems with:
One of the most difficult things for many beginner writers is including links naturally, for instance. There’s a guest posting service where you can read more about building links and get help when things get too tough.
If you have issues with material uniqueness, adopt anti-plagiarism tools that will test your articles in minutes. You can also turn to professional bloggers that rank TOP on Google and read their tips.
If the lack of ideas is your main obstacle, use creative tips and tricks from professional writers.
And in case grammar isn’t your best feature, there are Grammarly and similar services.
If many blog owners say your posts are too difficult to read, maybe there are readability issues. Hemingway will become handy in such situations.
There’s a service for every stone you stumble upon. But let us give you one general tip. Read a lot on the topics you write about. Don’t copy articles or their ideas. Instead, read them fully and keep the most important recommendations or examples in your head. A couple of months of such information feeding, and you’ll become:
A better writer in terms of uniqueness and grammar
A more creative writer with lots of ideas
A more logical writer with an example and proof for every argument
5: Practice Makes Perfect, and It’s True
We’ve all heard it at school, and many of us were so irritated by this saying. But it works.
Here’s an idea. Find your first piece for guest posting and compare it to the ones you create now. It’s the result of constant practice. If it’s not constant or you don’t see a lot of improvement, then practice!
Think about the topics you are passionate about and write about them. Look for ideas, read relevant information, implement tips from the useful services we’ve mentioned earlier. And be consistent with it!
A Wrap-Up
Never stop learning and implementing these recommendations. Even if you consider yourself the best professional who doesn’t need an example or tips, don’t underestimate theory and practice.
You may know everything about writing blogs, but are you sure you remember all the information? Maybe it’s time to freshen it up a little?
Just try to do it once, and you’ll get on a new level, the one you never knew existed. Improve and adapt your writing style, learn how to look for better platforms this year (each year has its updates). Don’t hesitate to ask for help when necessary, there are so many amazing services for guest blogging, editing, etc.
Seek advice, don’t be too arrogant. There are people who evolve in a different way; maybe they have something you’re missing from your strategy. And finally, keep practicing and incorporating new engaging elements in your blog posts.
Nancy P. Howard has been working as a journalist at the online magazine in London for a year. She is also a professional writer in such topics as blogging, IT and marketing.
