Tag: Passion

Categories
Book Proposals

A Simple Proposal Formula

I wrote about 50 books with traditional publishers and even crafted two proposals that got six figure advances—before I began working inside publishing houses over 20 years ago. At this point, I’m acquiring books for my third publishing house, and I have reviewed thousands of proposals and manuscripts (no exaggeration). There are many different templates and models to create a book proposal. Yet there are some consistent elements that need to be in every proposal to capture attention and get published.

After reviewing this wide variety of proposals and manuscripts, I’ve decided attractive proposals boil down to a simple formula. Your proposal needs to contain the standard sections detailed in my free book proposal checklist http://terrylinks.com/bookcheck This formula works no matter what you are writing (nonfiction or fiction).

Passion + Sales = book contract

Every writer must have a passion about their story or their subject. Possibly you are passionate about the life-changes from people reading your book. Or maybe the story is in the forefront of your mind, and you are driven every day to write more pages. Whatever the topic you will be thinking about this topic not only during the writing but the marketing process and without passion you will not be motivated to complete the writing or work on the marketing of the book. Maybe you’ve specialized in a certain skill or topic that you are writing about. This expertise is something you are ready to tell others about and its key to your success. An editor or skilled professional can improve the writing, but passion can’t be instilled and must be in the heart and mind of the author. This passion shines through your storytelling in your proposal.

Sales or potential sales is the second key ingredient for your proposal. Who will buy this book, and do you have a reach to this reader? If not, can you create this reach? In some areas of publishing, this sales potential is called “platform.” There are many different ways to build this audience.  Whether you have a large or small publisher, in today’s market the author carries 80% of the marketing responsibility. Publishers create attractive books then they sell your book into the bookstore. Here’s the “catch” related to getting your book into the bookstores: without the author’s marketing activity, every retailer can return the books for a full refund. You must have this reach or the ability to generate this reach or you will not have sales. Thousands of new books (no exaggeration) are published every day. To get a book contract, you must have these crucial elements. What actions can you take today to continue to build your sales potential?

Terry Whalin

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in Colorado. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook, his blog and LinkedIn.

Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success.
Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Be Passionate

Recently, I decided to upgrade and focus on my YouTube channel. When I first started it in 2006, my goal was to edit scenes from movies to use in my blog or when I spoke to men’s groups.

And for over a decade I used the platform for what I was passionate about. To my surprise, I recently hit the 400 subscriber mark without adding any new content every year. With the changes in big tech and copyright laws, I need to adjust and refocus my YouTube channel martinthomasjohnson.

In their book Social Media for Today’s Writer, authors and social media experts DiAnn Mills and Edie Melson share, “Before anyone can build an online library of resources, we need a focus for what we want to share. This focus is an integral part of developing a strong social media voice to complement our writing voice. A social media personality that posts about any and everything will not gather many followers.”1

So I decided to do some research about how to build a following on YouTube, the most common advice was to create content about your passions, the following is a brief list of the top ways to build a YouTube channel:

  • Be consistent.
  • Find your Niche.
  • Be creative.
  • Be passionate.

The last avenue is vital to all types of success. We must be passionate about what we are doing, and we all have reasons why we want to write. My goal as a writer is to encourage disabled persons because I am passionate about helping others.

I have shared before how discouraging it can be to live with a disability. If it weren’t for the encouragement of others, I might not have made it this far in life. So I am passionate about helping those in the disabled community.

If you’ve been part of the writing community for any amount of time, you are well aware that the writing life can be pretty discouraging and you need support from others within the community. Regardless of your health or writing status, if you want to be successful, you need to passionate about what you are doing.

Be passionate!

Passion drives us and breathes life into our efforts, regardless of what we are attempting. Most writers have a love-hate relationship with the craft. We enjoy the art and end product, but we hate the process.

We dread the hours seated behind the computer with no inspiration to write a single word. Writer’s block and brain fog are easily dissipated by a passion for what we are creating. But how do we birth that passion? Below are six steps I found online.

1. Know Thyself – Understand what makes you tick, what motivates you, what gives you energy.

2. Define Your Qualities – You might have a general idea of your skills, values, and interests, but have you dug deep to determine which of those are imperative in your life? Are you allowing your writing work to overwhelm other places to explore? These places could ultimately help your writing.

3. Create A Vision – Once you’ve gotten to know yourself better and defined what is important to you, begin to create a vision for your life and for your writing.

4. Remove the Roadblocks – As you define the elements of your vision and mission, you may encounter emotional roadblocks preventing you from taking the actions you need to make your vision real.

5. Shift Your Mind – As you learn about yourself, you will begin having profound “ah-ha” moments. Previous ways of thinking will be challenged. Things that you once accepted will no longer be acceptable.

6. Create Your Plan – The final part of the process of discovering yourself and your passion is creating an action plan based on all you have learned. You may find there are many passions and options for your life in addition to writing.2

After my accident, I had goals to attain, hope, and desire, but it took falling one time to zap my passion and change my plans. After achieving those smaller goals through baby steps, my passion grew and motivated me to keep going.

I knew I could walk, why stop there? The possibilities were endless. Do you know you can write? The possibilities are endless, take it easy and find your passion.

Take It Easy?

Confession time, having a brain injury can make one short-tempered and irrationally inpatient. When you know what you can do, passion sends the heart racing at 100 miles an hour, it is full speed ahead.

This is where disabled persons often make careless mistakes. Passion can blind us to the reality of where we are in life. It may sound counterproductive, but sometimes we have to slow down and take it easy.

For me, the stress/grind of constantly going can do me more physical harm than good (seizures, strokes.) Passion can be good and bad. I needed to let my passion keep me motivated along the slow road of recovery. And that is my advice for new writers; the writing journey is a marathon, not a sprint.

  • Be passionate.
  • Be persistent.
  • Be patient.

Growing up I was taught that success comes to those who wait. In my recovery, I learned success requires patience. Neither is possible if we fail to be passionate!

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 Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

1  Mills, D. & Melson E.(2020). Social Media for Today’s Writer. Bold Vision Books, Pg.40

2  https://writetodone.com/6-key-steps-to-finding-your-passion-as-a-writer/

Categories
Platform and Branding

Where You Are and Where You Want to Be

Platform and Branding

When it comes to building a platform, numbers fly around conversations like flies on leftovers. Some may say you need 50k followers on a single social media outlet to have a platform, others may say platform isn’t as important for fiction as it is for nonfiction. Others may say 30k on one platform is sufficient.

For a moment, set aside those numbers and listen to one freeing reality: Where you want to be is not where you need to be right now.

Yes, you need a platform, but if you write fiction crime novels your platform in this moment does not need to consist of fiction crime novel readers.

In some capacity, everyone is more talented in one area than another. When you’re looking to build your platform, start with where you are, not where you want to be.

Let’s say you are a stay-at-home mom and love cooking healthy dishes. Recently you’ve taken to learning the craft of writing—you’re working on your first romantic fiction and trying to build a platform.

You might think you need to start a blog on your romantic fiction, but I would urge you to think again. Instead, start using Pinterest to share your favorite recipes, or start a blog with a similar focus. As you naturally build a following around this passion, you’ll gain loyal fans.

How does that translate into a following for your book?

During the time it took you to write your manuscript and land your first contract, you’ve shared quality content on a regular basis for your followers. You’ve shared the best recipes you have and other than the usual requests of subscribing, sharing, and liking, you’ve never asked for a thing from your followers. You’ve provided free, quality content again and again.

They know all this time you’ve loyally provided what you said you would, and they’ve benefited. You’ve built a loyal following. At this point, they most likely won’t mind if you mention you’ve written a book and just signed your first contract. In fact, they’ll likely want to know!

And as an added bonus, maybe one of your characters loves cooking and you can mention he or she uses your most popular recipe as a second-date dinner in your romance novel. Now they’re really intrigued!

Whatever your current passion or talent, focus on building your following there. Once you have a loyal fan base and your book is about to be published, let them know. You’ll probably be surprised how many fans of your cooking blog turn into fans of your book.

With this type of platform, you don’t need to overmarket yourself or spam your followers with promotional material. They’re loyal to you, and if you have a new passion, they’ll likely want to support it as well.

Best wishes out there!

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Creator and writer. She helps authors build their platform through branding and copywriting. With a BA in Strategic Communications, Sarah equips writers to learn how to communicate their message through personal branding. She writes fiction and nonfiction and offers writers behind-the-scenes tips on the publishing industry through her blog itssarahrexford.com. She is represented by the C.Y.L.E Young Agency.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Categories
Devotions for Writers

Lessons from a Cupbearer

devotions

“So we rebuilt the wall… for the people worked with all their heart.”

Nehemiah 4:6 (NIV)

Nehemiah was a layman in exile, working as a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes. In other words, he was expendable. He drank the wine to be served to the monarch. If it was poisoned by the king’s enemies, the cupbearer took the fall for the ruler. This cupbearer, however, was unique.

Nehemiah had a burden for his hometown. How did he turn his weight into a gate? Nehemiah is known for the extraordinary work he did to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, but one doesn’t accomplish such a feat alone. It took a plan and a band.

Nehemiah is known for the extraordinary work he did to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem

Here’s his sketch:

  • Burden 1:4
  • Prayer 1:5-11
  • Audience 2:1-3
  • Target 2:5
  • Deadline 2:6
  • Resources 2:7-8
  • Research 2:11-15
  • Work 2:17-18

How about you?

  • Do you have a burden?
  • Have you prayed about it?
  • Who speaks into your life? Whose words do you give audience to, in your quest to write? Who is on your team?
  • What is your target? Nehemiah concentrated on one job. The city had other problems, but he didn’t focus on them.
  • Do you have a deadline, self-imposed or from an editor?
  • Have you gathered your resources?
  • What kind of research will you need to do?
  • How will you hunker down to do the work?

In chapter three, the project is divided into manageable sections. How can you measure out the words in front of you?

Learn from a wall-builder:

4:14 Remember your “why.”

4:8-9 Pray against distractions.

4:16-18 Prepare for the unknown.

Do you feel as if your words are expendable? Take a lesson from a cupbearer and refill your cup before your heavenly King. He will set your burden into motion with rewarding work.

Exercise:

What burdens do you carry? Journal your heart’s passion. That is your “why.”

Write a prayer, asking the Lord to show you how to put that passion into action.

Why do you write? This is different than your why, because of the medium used. Put that after the prayer.

What keeps you from following your passion? Brainstorm ways to avoid distractions.

Prepare for the unknown, by eliminating procrastination. Chip away at your project daily until you know you have put your whole heart into it. One day, you’ll look up and see the physical results of your daily build.

Call someone for accountability and become prayer warriors for each other. You will both win!

Over 140 of Sally Ferguson’s devotionals have been published in Pathways to God (Warner Press). She’s also written for Light From The Word, Chautauqua Mirror, Just Between Us, Adult Span Curriculum, Thriving Family, Upgrade with Dawn and ezinearticles.com. Prose Contest Winner at 2017 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference.

Sally loves organizing retreats and seeing relationships blossom in time away from the daily routine. Her ebook, How to Plan a Women’s Retreat is available on Amazon.

Sally Ferguson lives in the beautiful countryside of Jamestown, NY with her husband and her dad.

Visit Sally’s blog at www.sallyferguson.net

Categories
Becoming an Author

Rediscover Your Motivation for the Writing Journey

If you’ve been trudging along the writing path long enough, you’ve probably already discovered that it isn’t for the faint of heart. I have worked on a fiction manuscript for the past two years, and I’ve devoted hours into brainstorming, plotting, researching, writing, and editing … despite the fact that it is not yet a contracted project. I have earned zero amount of dollars for this book up to this point, and frankly, there is no guarantee that it even will be published.

Non-writers—more specifically, non-artists—don’t understand this. Why spend hours alone, working on a project that may or may not see the light of day?

Because us artists understand that the fruit of our labor is not necessarily found in the end result.

It is found in the artistic process itself.

True writers don’t write simply for the money, the exposure, the attention, the publication. The writers who do have this as their initial motivation never seem to last long in this industry.

So what is it that keeps true writers persevering, even when the finish line seems out of reach?

Their motivation rests in their passion for the craft. The joy that is found as they breathe a new story into existence. The adrenaline rush they discover as they type, trying to string the perfect words together to paint their imagination. That motivation is found in the feeling of accomplishment when a word count goal has been reached, or when a new plot twist has been uncovered.

So if you have found yourself discouraged along the writing journey—wondering if you will receive a return of investment—let me remind you that the greatest return of your investment is your passion. If you’re searching for a career that will grant you a fair return of investment, then perhaps this isn’t the career for you.  

If passion isn’t your sole motivation behind this writing journey, then perhaps you don’t have the right fuel to keep you persevering for the long haul.

But if it is the reason you continue to write, even when the rejections roll in—if passion is to blame for the tireless work, the dollars you’ve invested into purchasing writing courses and conferences and books—then, rest assured: The journey will be worth it.

Why?

Because it’s that passion that will cause readers to resonate with your work.

It’s passion that will bring meaning to your work.

Without it, our writing would come across as dry. Our stories would be shallow. And our journey would be even more taxing.

I challenge you to rediscover your motivation for this writing journey. Don’t allow rejections to allow you to lose sight of the bigger picture. Don’t allow the state of the publishing industry to zap your joy for the writing process.

And if your creative well has been running dry—if you have found yourself exhausted from the ups and downs of this path—then remind yourself of why you fell in love with writing in the first place.

It’s only then, after rediscovering the joy of writing, that you will have the fuel you need to keep trekking along this crazy journey toward publication.

How do you rediscover your motivation along your writing journey? Let me know in the comments!

Tessa Emily Hall is an award-winning author who writes inspirational yet authentic books for teens to remind them they’re not alone. She writes both fiction and devotionals for teens, including her upcoming release, LOVE YOUR SELFIE (October 2020, Ellie Claire). Her latest devotional, COFFEE SHOP DEVOS, encourages teens to pursue a personal relationship with Christ. Tessa’s passion for shedding light on clean entertainment and media for teens led her to a career as a Literary Agent at Cyle Young Literary Elite, YA Acquisitions Editor for Illuminate YA (LPC Imprint), and Founder/Editor of PursueMagazine.net. She’s guilty of making way too many lattes and never finishing her to-read list. When her fingers aren’t flying 128 WPM across the keyboard, she can be found speaking to teens, decorating art journals, and acting in Christian films. Her favorite way to procrastinate is through connecting with readers on her blog, mailing list, social media (@tessaemilyhall), and website: tessaemilyhall.com.

Categories
Book Proposals

A Simple Proposal Formula

I wrote about fifty books with traditional publishers, including two proposals that got six figure advances—before I began working inside publishing houses over sixteen years ago. At this point, I’m acquiring books for my third publishing house and I have reviewed thousands of proposals and manuscripts (no exaggeration). There are many different templates and models to create a book proposal. Yet there are some consistent elements that need to be in every proposal to capture attention and get published.

After reviewing this wide variety of proposals and manuscripts, I’ve decided attractive proposals boil down to a simple formula. Your proposal needs to contain the standard sections detailed in my free book proposal checklist This formula works no matter what you are writing (nonfiction or fiction).

 Passion + Sales = book contract

Every writer must have a passion about their story or their subject. Possibly you are passionate about the life-changes from people reading your book. Or maybe the story is in the forefront of your mind and you are driven every day to write more pages. Whatever the topic you, will be thinking about it not only during the writing but the marketing process–and without passion you will not be motivated to complete the writing or work on the marketing of the book.

Maybe you’ve specialized in a certain skill or topic that you are writing about. This expertise is something you are ready to tell others about and it’s key to your success. An editor or skilled professional can improve the writing but passion can’t be instilled and must be in the heart and mind of the author.

Sales or potential sales is the second key ingredient for your proposal. Who will buy this book and do you have a reach to this reader? If not, can you create this reach? Whether you have a large or small publisher, in today’s market the author carries 80% of the marketing responsibility. Your publisher can sell your book into the bookstore but without the author’s marketing activity, every retailer can return the books for a full refund. You must have this reach, or the ability to generate this reach, or you will not have sales. Thousands of books (no exaggeration) are published every day.

To get a book contract, you must have these crucial elements.

W. Terry Whalin is a writer and editor who  lives in Colorado. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Categories
Romancing Your Story

Does ‘Sweet’ Mean Boring?

The first reaction I get when I tell another romance writer that I write sweet love stories is often a blank stare, then a small grin and a murmured, “Hmm … is there a market for that?”

The short answer: Yes.

Because sweet doesn’t have to mean boring and flat. There can be plenty of sexual tension in a sweet story. The parameters of what’s acceptable, even in Christian fiction, has widened considerably in the last few years.

I recently read a book by a popular author that left the door wide open during the consummation scene. There was nothing graphic, but also no doubt what was happening. Another of my favorite historical authors took us up to the moment of consummation, slammed the door, then opened it again the next morning to show the reader that the night did not go as expected. (Not coincidentally, both of those books were from the same publisher.)

How do we put passion and tension on the page without graphic descriptions and naming body parts?

It’s all about the feelings. Both physical and emotional.

  • Tummy flutters: yes.
  • Tingling lips: yes.
  • Heightened awareness of the other: sure.
  • Blood rushing: depends on where. 😉
  • Longing for closeness: Yep.
  • Feeling safe or as if coming home: Absolutely!

Let’s dissect a kiss scene.

This is from my novella, BROOKE RUNS AWAY. It takes place near the end but is not the final scene. The plot centers on a reality dating show. We’re in Brooke’s point of view.

I cleared my throat. “You can visit me. I … I’d like that.”

“Really?” He reached for my hand, then pulled me to stand next to him.

His gaze drifted to my lips and my stomach fluttered. (A SMALL PHYSICAL RESPONSE)

We’d laughed. We’d bowled. We’d shared meals and dates.

We’d never kissed. (TAKING A MOMENT TO LET THE TENSION BUILD)

He bent his head and I lifted my mouth to meet his.

Our kiss was soft at first, tentative. (TWO SMALL, LIGHT ADJECTIVES) Then he deepened the contact, pulled me closer, as if after one taste, he had to have more. (A SIMILE TO COMPARE THE KISS TO SOMETHING KNOWN)

I threaded my arms around his neck and met his want with my own. (NOT GRAPHIC, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT SHE MEANS)

After a long moment, we pulled back. He rested his forehead on mine. “Wow.” (A SHORT RESPITE)

I had no breath left, so I smiled. (ANOTHER SMALL PHYSICAL RESPONSE)

His gaze darkened (AGAIN, NOT GRAPHIC, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT HE’S THINKING) and he let go. “Wait here.” He strode back to the house. (WAIT … WHAT?? A COMPLICATION)

I watched Austin’s back disappear through the kitchen door. Was it something I said?

For the first time since we stepped outside, I noticed the camera and its steady red light.

No.

Our conversation, our questions, our kiss … they were private. (UH OH)

My breath caught in my throat and my pulse pounded, urging me to run, run, run. (ANOTHER, STRONGER PHYSICAL RESPONSE) 

Try this exercise on your own.

Dissect some kiss scenes from your favorite books. Figure out what emotions, feelings, and sensations the author conveyed. Then go over your own scenes. What can you add? What can you delete? How can you keep tension on the page?

Because while sweet romance may not “pulse and throb,” it’s never boring.

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 after. She writes contemporary fiction with romance. Carrie and her Stud Muffin live in Central California with their cat and dog and within driving distance of their six grandchildren.

You can find her online at:

Twitter: CarriePadgett
Instagram: carpadwriter
Facebook: WriterCarriePadgett
Amazon Author Page: Carrie Padgett

Categories
Guest Posts

Word Play: Priceless Labors of Love by Diana Derringer

Some work we love. Some work we hate. Much work we do as a labor of love.

A labor of love means a job with little or no pay.

Yet we do the work because we enjoy it or want to help someone.

I love to explain unusual English expressions to university students who visit our home or read my blog posts. Nonetheless, serving as teacher, interpreter, and conversation partner requires a tremendous investment of time and energy.

A labor of love pays in pleasure rather than money.

Other labors of love for me include:

  • Cooking
  • Teaching Sunday school
  • Writing

No one pays me to cook.

Most people would not hire me. I cook because my family, friends, and I get hungry. For years I hated the job. My first thought when my husband and I became a friendship family to international students — that’s a lot of cooking. Other potential worries such as having a perfect stranger in our house, struggling with language barriers, or losing our privacy paled in comparison.

God definitely has a sense of humor and knows us so much better than we know ourselves. Some of our best times revolve around grocery shopping, planning menus, and teaching students to cook. Wonders never cease. Perhaps students savor my culinary creations since their alternative is mass-produced cafeteria meals and instant noodles.

Teaching middle-school girls gives me more joy than a paycheck.

Most people do everything they can to avoid that age. Yet, I look forward to time with my girls every Sunday morning. I have known some of them since they were knee high to a grasshopper. Their enthusiasm and passion keep me on my toes.

My pay as a writer probably falls below minimum wage.

Although some assignments pay well, occasionally I write for no pay, if I believe in an organization’s work. Due to life circumstances, I can no longer go on international mission trips. However, I can write radio drama that’s translated into multiple languages and broadcast around the world. Checks dim in comparison to the thrill of reading personal testimonies from people whose lives changed because of a series I wrote.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the checks too and hope they continue to grow. However, regardless of their size and number or the length of my resume, I keep writing. I can’t imagine life without this incredible labor of love.

We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV)

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

Categories
Talking Character

Developing Your Character’s Voice

I was once in a bus full of high school students when I heard a boy behind me read a single sentence. I immediately recognized the author.

That’s voice.

[bctt tweet=”A strong voice is distinct, memorable, and intriguing. #writetips ” username=””]

It can grab a reader like little else. A few examples:

One day soon they hang me for a rogue. Fair enough. I have earned it a hundred times over, I reckon, and that’s leaving out a lot of acreage. Stephen Lawhead in Scarlet

I am the most tolerant of women, but to join my husband, my son, and my butler in a discussion of our evening in an opium den … was really a bit too much. Elizabeth Peters in The Deeds of the Disturber

When it came to shopping for something that required as much hope and longing as a beautiful dress, I was like a child raised by wolves—or some other, more nervous animal. Rabbits, maybe.   Alyssa Harad in Coming to My Senses

So where does voice come from? The character? The writer?

Some of both, actually.

Three layers of discovering character voice

Layer one—the basics

Consider all you know about your character. His physical description, temperament, background, and demographics can all affect how he speaks. A well-educated or socially elite character will use different vocabulary and grammar than someone from the servant class. A character may be terse or chatty. He may favor colorful metaphors or concrete descriptions. He may use specific words or phrases that provide a hint of dialect, ethnicity, or historical setting.

Layer two—the deeper stuff

Next consider the character’s inner self. Bring together her two-word thumbnail, backstory, wounds, inner issues, and story goals. From this information, identify five or six key emotions that drive the character toward her story goal. Is she determined, bitter, and desperate or melancholy, yearning, and in love?

Layer three—the writer’s connection

Now that you’ve identified the style of a character’s speech and bored down their emotional essence, you need to find a way to connect with this particular character. Her story may be worlds away from anything you have experienced, but that’s OK. In this case, “write what you know” isn’t about having the same experiences, it’s about experiencing the same emotions. Come up with specific incidents in your own past where you experienced each of the emotions you identified in layer two. If you tap into those memories, you will be able to relate deeply to your character as you write.

Putting it together

You might think of layer one as informing the structure of a character’s voice, while layers two and three inform the content and attitude. Experiment with the voice by free-writing in first person, keeping in mind the style attributes of layer one and your emotional memories from of layer three. Push the character to ramble on about his inner fears or his wild dreams until you begin to sense his distinct voice. Don’t be timid. The more passion, the more risk, the stronger the voice. And don’t forget to have fun.

Voice is born from a lot of words and a lot of work — but not just any words or any work will do. You have to bleed a little. You have to shiver a little. You have to love a lot… Holly Lisle

[bctt tweet=”Where does voice come from? The character? The writer? or some of both? #writer” username=””]

[bctt tweet=”You have to bleed a little. You have to shiver a little. You have to love a lot. Holly Lisle #quote #voice” username=””]

Categories
The Writerly Cafe

Welcome to the Writerly Cafe

a3DDmay16I’m excited to welcome each of you to the Writerly Cafe at Almost An Author. Here, you’ll find a place where writers gather to ask questions, exchange ideas, discuss hot writing topics and simply embrace the joy of writing. Being with others who share the same passion starts creative juices flowing. I hope the topics on our menu board each month will spark new writers to put pen-to-paper and experienced writers to deepen their love of this craft.

From time-to-time I will ask for your questions on issues of interest to writer’s. Please don’t feel any question is unimportant or too elementary to bring to the table. I will research the answers to your questions and do my best to be of help. I am blessed with many friends who are well versed in all areas of writing and have offered to share their wisdom concerning your questions.

“Passion and purpose go hand in hand. When you discover your purpose you will normally find it is something you are tremendously passionate about.”
Steve Pavlina

Using the word passion above prompted me to toss out our first question. (Hosting the column does have its perks!)

I’m assuming you’re interested in writing if you’re reading this, but would you say that writing is your passion? If no one ever read your work, would you continue writing, or would you consider walking away? Please share your answers to these, or any other questions you might have, in the comment section below.

But first, I need to let you in on a secret. You never know when a special guest might join us at the café to offer encouragement, give glimpses into their writing journey, or share their best writing tips. Be sure tocoffee-1111666_640 keep your eye on the door!

Again, welcome to this new place in town. As in any café, we can always pull another chair to our table. The more writers, the better. Pour a cup of coffee, find a seat, and let’s tackle these questions and topics with gusto.

Please return each month to check the menu board. In the meantime, I welcome and appreciate your comments. Follow-up questions are encouraged.

Categories
Developing Your Writer's Voice

How Passion Influences Your Voice

“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.”

– William Wordsworth

The breathings of our heart, our passion, dwell in the deep places of our soul. It is from this passion in which we write—in which we find our voice.

Passion is defined as, “the intense enthusiasm you feel for something.”

Do you feel intense enthusiasm when you write? If so, then your voice will eventually begin to emerge when your pen hits paper.

Delve deep and see what ignites a spark, what causes your heart to leap. Out of this soul-searching you will then write from your characters soul; feel the character’s hurt; rejoice in their happiness—sense their fears—then write from that place.

We can’t always write what we love, what we are passionate about, but we can love the art of writing. Even shaping words into a technical article can bring us a sense of satisfaction.

Use the exercise below to see if your passion is easily recognizable.

Pick a subject that is meaningful to you and write a short piece on this topic. Don’t hold back, dive into the soul’s well and then set the piece aside for several days. Ask these questions after reading:

  1. Would a reader find my passion evident? Was an emotional tug felt, a sense of indignation, did joy shine forth?
  1. Did I get caught up in the skill of writing? Did my concentration on writing skill suppress my words thus stifling my passion?
  1. Did I follow a story formula? Did the formula keep my words from flowing freely?

Did your passion resonate? If not, rewrite, keeping in mind the above questions.

Your writer’s voice will benefit from Terri Guillemets’s advice: Renew your passions daily.

What’s one way you renew your passion daily?