Tag: books on writing

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The Intentional Writer

My Best Tool for Describing My Characters’ Emotions

The intentional writer

Do you struggle to find the right words to describe your characters’ emotions? I certainly do. Description and portraying emotions are not my strong suit. Since I know this is a weakness, I’ve looked for tools that help me improve this skill.

My best writer’s tool for helping me over this hurdle is The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide To Character Expression by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi.

What is an emotion thesaurus, and why do you need one?

The blurb on the back cover reads:

One of the biggest problem areas for writers is conveying emotion to the reader in a unique, compelling way. When showing our characters’ feelings, we often grab onto the first idea that comes to mind, and out characters end up smiling, shrugging, nodding, and frowning far too much.

Guilty as charged!

My first drafts contain far too many instances where characters are shrugging, smiling, nodding and frowning. That is why the emotion thesaurus is so helpful.

What does The Emotional Thesaurus offer?

This extremely practical book provides an alphabetical listing of 75 emotions from Adoration to Worry. Each emotion provides a two-page spread listing the following information:

  • A definition of this emotion
  • Physical signals (bouncing a foot, fanning oneself, a scathing tone…)
  • Internal sensations (fatigue, heat rising behind the eyelids, grinding one’s teeth)
  • Mental responses (irrational reactions, self-loathing, a lack of concentration)
  • Cues that this emotion is acute or long-term (an inability to move on, failing grades)
  • Cues this emotion is being suppressed (sitting unnaturally still, smoothing one’s clothing)
  • A list of emotions this emotion might escalate to (For example, disgust could move to scorn, fear, or anger.)
  • A writer’s tip related to the emotion.

That’s a lot of very useful information packed into two pages!

How can The Emotion Thesaurus help you?

One of the basic writing mantras is “Show, Don’t Tell.” The Emotion Thesaurus helps us do exactly that, giving us words to show a person’s anger with actions like sharp gestures, cutting people off when they speak, or flaring nostrils.

In addition, the authors point out that majority of communication between people occurs with nonverbal signals. Therefore, dialogue alone can’t portray all a reader needs to know to experience a scene. It’s critical to include emotional details in our writing via descriptive language and action.

Learning to describe character emotions in specific and compelling ways will also help us avoid writing pitfalls such as reliance on cliches (mad as a hornet, steam coming out his ears, quivering knees that knock together).

And with 75 emotions to choose from, the book helps us select emotions of the proper intensity for the scene, thus avoiding melodrama (emotions that feel too intense) or monotony (where all emotions remain the same intensity instead of rising and falling like real life).

I hope I’ve convinced you how useful this book can be. Now, excuse me while I follow my own advice and replace some of the smiling, nodding, shrugging and frowning with more interesting and compelling descriptions.

But wait, there’s more!

The Emotion Thesaurus concept proved so popular that the authors have adapted it to cover other subjects, such as:

  • Positive and negative traits
  • Conflicts and wounds
  • Setting

You can find more about The Emotional Thesaurus and all the companion products at the authors’ website, Writers Helping Writers.

If you want to take your emotional descriptions to the next level, I suggest you get a copy of The Emotional Thesaurus today.

Lisa E Betz

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.

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for January Part Two

Writers Chat Recap

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.”

Writer’s Journey with Sophia L. Henson

Sophia recently signed a contract with Enclave Publishing for her debut novel, shares her writing journey as a “series of encouragement” that began with a love of reading. She went from editing her mother’s autobiography when she was in high school to “editing for food” as a college student. After raising her children, Sophia heard about and participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and decided to “make space to write” at least once a year. You are sure to be encouraged by Sophia’s philosophy of writing and the lessons she shares about her own path to publication.

Watch the January 17th Replay

Sophia L Hansen is an author and editor with Havok Publishing and loves to write In Other Worlds. She’s lived on a tiny island in Alaska, the bustling cities of New York and Boston, raised kids in Tennessee and now resides just outside Birmingham, AL. After 30+ years of marriage, seven children, and numerous pets, Sophia still fits into her high school earrings. You can follow Sophia’s words and worlds at https://www.sophialhansen.com/, Facebook, and Instagram.

Book Chat: Word Painting

In this Writers Chat episode, the team gathers for another fantastic Book Chat, this time on Rebecca McClanahan’s Word Painting. We touched on highlights from this insightful work which breaks down the process of describing the setting, scene, characters, and so much more, into its many facets. Each lesson comes with practical exercises that we know will help fiction and nonfiction writers learn to write more descriptively.

Watch the January 24th replay.

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

Categories
The Intentional Writer

A Powerful Resource for Moving Past Writer’s Block

The intentional writer

All writers suffer with creative blocks from time to time. You may not find yourself staring at a blank page for days on end, but you’ve probably found yourself procrastinating on a writing project or wrestling with specific scenes you can’t seem to write. When we face writer’s block, in small ways or large, we need help moving past it. There are tons of books and websites that promise a sure-fire cure, but they may not work for you.

Why?

Because not all blockages arise for the same reason. If a writer’s block solution doesn’t address the root problem you are struggling with, it won’t help you.

That’s where this wonderful book comes to our rescue. Overcoming Writer’s Block: The Writer’s Guide to Beating the Blank Page by Marcy Pusey. The author is a therapist and an author who has spent years helping hundreds of clients move past writer’s block. She can help you, too.

First, the good news:

  • Writer’s block is REAL. It’s not just a wimpy excuse or your imagination.
  • It’s not permanent.
  • It is not a sign you’re a bad writer. All creatives struggle with it at times.
  • Finally, it’s not our enemy. Blockages are merely an indication that we have some inner issue we need to address, such as a fear, an unhelpful belief, or a bad habit.

With that as a foundation, the rest of this book explains how to identify the particular inner issues we’ve run up against, and then offers techniques to work through them and get back to writing with confidence.

The five common types of blockages

The book covers the five most common types of blockages writers struggle with:

  • Mental (beliefs and thoughts that sabotage or hinder us)
  • Emotional (fears, emotional responses and past trauma that hinder us)
  • Scarcity (feeling that we lack key resources we need to succeed)
  • Attentional (our focus is drawn away for one reason or another)
  • Procedural (unhelpful habits and workflow can hinder our progress)

For each of these types, the book lays out information so we can identify our problems and find practical ways to move past them.

Learn, Identify, and Take Action

Within the chapter on a particular type, the book includes the following subsections:

  • A basic explanation of the neurology at work with this type of issue. (The author does an excellent job of providing enough information to explain things without overwhelming us with too many details and unfamiliar terms.)
  • A list of physical, emotional, or behavioral signs that indicate we may be struggling with this issue. This was eye-opening! These signals are our subconscious trying to get out attention and deal with something important.
  • Descriptions of the typical kinds of unhelpful beliefs, fears, habits, etc. that we writers face when we’re stuck in this type of blockage, along with better truths to move past them.
  • Practical, doable techniques to help us overcome these specific issues.

I’m inspired. Are you?

I have been challenged and inspired by this book. In particular, her explanations of what is happening at the neurological level really helped me understand WHY the various techniques can help. I now have much more respect for some of the creative exercises I used to discount as a waste of time. I hope you are encouraged as well.

In closing, I leave you with a quote from the book that sums up why it’s worth the effort to move past writer’s blocks and continue to write. May it inspire you.

“Neurologically, your brain heals when you engage with, wrestle with, and share your story. If for no other reason than your own freedom and health, your story matters.”

Marcy Pusey in Overcoming Writer’s Block
Lisa E Betz

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 www.lisaebetz.com.

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Proofed and Polished

Self-Help Resources for Proofreading

Proofed and Polished

Before you send off your precious manuscript to your editor, you probably want to make sure that it’s as polished as you can possibly get it. Why? While your editor will certainly help you with your proofreading errors, the real focus is supposed to be on the storyline itself. By presenting a well-proofread document, you ensure that your editor can concentrate on helping you to perfect the storyline instead of your grammar.

If you’re going to do the work of proofreading by yourself, it’s essential to have some good tools on hand to help you. Here are a few things I use when I’m proofreading.

1. A Spell Checker

The absolute simplest way to get started proofreading. Just make sure to actually run the check, and don’t just assume it’s being done automatically. Use the tool that comes with your word processor or download something like Grammarly to help you catch your mistakes.

2. A Dictionary

When I proofread, I always have a dictionary tab open on my computer. I most often use it when I think that a word is being misused and I need to check the definition. Most dictionaries also have a thesaurus feature which is useful for finding replacements for overused words. 

For the most part, the actual dictionary that you choose is up to you since you’re the author. Merriam-Webster is a classic, and it’s my go-to. However, you may find that a different dictionary is more beneficial for you depending on the style of your writing, where your story is located, or how technical your writing is.

3. Chicago Manual of Style

If you like rules, consider getting a subscription to Chicago Manual of Style Online. CMOS is the ultimate grammar nerd’s guide to every question you can possibly think to ask about nouns, verbs, adjective placement, quotation marks, capitalization—you name it, there’s a rule. The learning curve is a little steep. You sort of have to know what you’re looking for in order to search the database, but if you’re willing to take the time, it’s an incredibly detailed resource. You can do a 30-day free trial, and the annual subscription fee is very affordable.

4. Quick and Dirty Tips from Grammar Girl

If CMOS sounds too intense (it can definitely be confusing), look up Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips. Now these are some accessible grammar tips. I struggle with the difference between the appropriate use of “that” versus “which”. Grammar Girl has the clearest explanation that I’ve found for how to decide which one to use. The articles are short, concise, and have practical examples to get you on the right track. 

5. The Best Punctuation Book, Period.

I’ve mentioned this book before and bears repeating. The Best Punctuation Book, Period by June Casagrande is truly the best. The sheer number of comma rules that exist can be totally overwhelming, so forget trying to actually use them! Casagrande breaks down each one in her book with simple explanations and tons of examples. This book is the middle ground between CMOS and Grammar Girl. Get a copy, you won’t be sorry you did.

6. Google

Obvious, perhaps, but worth mentioning. When I’m stuck, a simple Google search can do wonders. One thing that I really rely on Google for are standards for things that aren’t hard and fast rules. Over the course of the last year or so, there has been a lot of discussion about how to capitalize (or not) a person’s race. Is it capital B for Black or lowercase b? Does the same rule apply for White or not? I needed to answer this question (and how to properly write about covid-19) a number of times, so I turned to Google. I was able to look at reputable news sites to see what professional journalists were doing. For the question on race, there’s actually a blog on the Associated Press’s site that outlined the consensus they had reached on what was appropriate: APnews-race-and-ethnicity 

Now, the thing is that you may find a consensus, and you may not. When discussing race, CMOS didn’t want to commit to a formal change to the rules between editions, but in this article they did recommend using capital B and otherwise deferring to an author or editor’s preferences:

Ultimately, you and your editor will make decisions on things like this that don’t have a hard and fast rule, but Google can be a great resource to find out what other professional writers are doing.

Now you’re ready to proofread! If you still have questions on the process, look back at my very first post about tips for self-proofing for a polished product. Happy proofreading!

Dayna Betz

Dayna Betz is a full-time freelancer providing proofreading and editing services to help writers put their best foot forward. She also enjoys reading and writing book reviews. Head over to her site to learn more: betzliterary.com.

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Mastering Middle Grade

Ringing in the New with Great Resources

As we look ahead to a new year and a new opportunity to write and learn, I wanted to pull together a list of resources for writers. Wherever you might be in your writing journey, it is always worth reading about the industry and craft, and these sites are some of the best I have found.

Writer Life/Community:

Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators:

The largest society for children’s writers and illustrators in the US, SCBWI has chapters in nearly every state and hosts conferences on a national and regional scale. For an annual membership fee, members get access to tons of events, critique opportunities, and online book sales. SCBWI is a hub of activity for children’s writers and artists – be sure to visit their blog for interviews with editors, agents, artists and authors and to keep tabs on what’s moving in the industry. The SCBWI message boards are a fantastic place to post questions and learn from established writers.

Serious Writer:

A growing community for writers focused on the clean or Christian market, Serious Writer hosts conferences and contests, offers a wide range of classes, and provides an active social media forum for writers to connect. Serious Writer Club has both a free option as well as a membership-based option.

Writer’s Digest:

A longtime one-stop-shop for writers that offers resources and community.

Searching for an Agent/Editor:

Manuscript Wish List: manuscriptwishlist.com and #mswl on Twitter

This site connects agents and publishers to writers by doing exactly what it says – collecting wish lists of what agents and publishers are looking for and posting it online. The list is updated regularly, and it is a fabulous way to find industry insiders who might be interested in your project.

Query Tracker: www.querytracker.com

This site appeals to my spreadsheet-making sensibilities. It’s essentially an online method of organizing and tracking your queries and manuscript submissions. You can also post questions and interact with other writers.

Publishers Marketplace: https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/

For a $25/month fee, you can access agent and publisher research – lists of who is acquiring what and for how much. If you are researching places to query, it’s well worth a one-month subscription (be sure to cancel!) to find out whether the agent you’ve had your eye on is truly selling middle grade work.

Books about writing:

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Revision and Self-Editing by James Scott Bell
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King
Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody

Finally – it’s not a book about writing but if you want to write and sell middle grade (or other children’s books), pick up a copy of the Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market.

Keep in mind that this is a highly abbreviated list, not a definitive list of resources, and that a site that one writer might consider a good resource may not fit another writer’s sensibilities.

If you’ve found a favorite go-to resource that you’d like to share, please post it in the comments below. Happy New Year, and 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.

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Writer Encouragement

Top Five Books to Encourage Writers

Expect rejection, and don’t take it personally. Just keep writing. God is in control. This is my mantra. Most famous authors have been through years of rejection before finally breaking through the barriers we all face. The following books are full of encouragement to persevere, along with practical suggestions for improving your writing.

books to encourage writers

1. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Pressfield names “Resistance,” as the enemy that keeps us from writing. He shares how he finally faced Resistance after years of running from his calling.

Pressfield is like a drill sergeant ordering us to face down opposition daily and stop making excuses, but he’s an eloquent drill sergeant:

“Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It’s a gift to the world and every being in it”

Pressfield, Steven. 2002. In The War of Art: Break through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, 165. New York, NY: Black Irish Entertainment.

2. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

If Steven Pressfield is a drill sergeant, Julia Cameron is a compassionate friend coaxing us into writing through playful exercises designed to jumpstart artistic expression. Wonderful for blocked writers, I found it affirming even though I didn’t feel blocked. Cameron reassures us that God is pleased with our creative efforts. She provides wisdom for dealing with crippling perfectionism and negativity. She also suggests practices such as “morning pages” and a weekly “artist date” to stimulate creative flow.

3. Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

Fun and relaxing to read, Goldberg is honest and vulnerable. In this classic book, she shares her secrets, such as promising herself two chocolate chip cookies at her favorite bakery as a reward for writing. (My kind of gal!) Arranged into short chapters filled with engaging stories and concrete steps to establishing a writing routine, this gem is encouraging on every page.

4. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

With her characteristic humor, Anne Lamott shares her experiences growing up with her writer father as she struggles to become a writer herself, and that’s just the introduction! Then she gives thorough instructions about getting started with short assignments, crafting characters, setting, plot—nearly everything you need to know about writing—punctuated with hilarious stories. She charms the reader to the last page.

5. On Writing by Stephen King

I am not a fan of horror, and this is the only Stephen King book I have ever read, but it is riveting.

“The nail in my wall would no longer support the weight of rejection slips impaled upon it. I replaced the nail with a spike and went on writing”

King, Stephen. 2000. In On Writing: a Memoir of the Craft, 41. N.Y., NY: Pocket Books.

King also includes nuts and bolts instruction on the craft of writing. It’s perfect, almost.

Dive into these books and press on toward the goal. Replace your “nail with a spike” and keep on writing!

In 1996, Susan E. Brooks moved to Mozambique, Africa, with her family where she taught art and English at an international high school and started journaling about her adventures. Twenty-six of the stories of struggles and victories in Mozambique are now published on her blog in a series entitled “Mozambican Odyssey.” She has since lived in Portugal, Ghana, and Cyprus, as well as in her home state of Kentucky, USA.

Meanwhile, nine grandchildren have come along, and she is inspired to write and illustrate a children’s book for each of them. Susan has self-published four children’s books so far.

In recent years, her stories have been published by Peace Catalyst International and in an anthology entitled Prayer Warrior Confessions. Follow Susan’s adventures and her art on her webisite: susanebrooks.com, Facebook susanbrooksart, and on Instagram @sebrooks81.