This has been yet another busy week and we have much ground to cover so here we go with the summary and other interesting things.
The New Author in the blogosphere was an update of sorts about the various ways you can access the New Author. Do you mainly stay on Twitter? The New Author is there. How about Squidoo? Okay, you may not have heard about that one but I do invite you to visit the site there. Squidoo is interesting. Also, I invited readers to e-mail me concerning guest blogging here on the New Author. I am happy to announce that on Thursday of next week R.W. will be guest blogging. She is preparing an article about writing on a budget that I am sure will be informative and entertaining to us all. If you would like to guest blog on the New Author send me an e-mail and we will work out the details.
View of a main character was an interesting topic that received some really good comments. We discussed point of view and how that affects the development of our main characters. We found out that at times a story will present different main characters then we originally thought. I encourage you to read the comments associated with this article.
They grow up so fast is another article about main characters but this time we focused on the description of those characters. More to the point, we discussed how they are described. We discovered that it is important for other characters to describe the main characters as well as the main characters describing themselves in order to develop a full, vibrant picture. Another interesting note in this article is the use of small things and slight opportunities to further describe our characters. The comments added so much to this article.
Let the words flow like water is a look at writing or for us that have it complete, revising, a first draft. Take off the shackles of revision, throw away the thought of structure and just write. Let the words flow out of you as your ideas dictate. There will be plenty of time to clean it up later on. We learned that the first draft is a net of sorts to catch all of our story ideas. Again, do not miss out on the comments for this one.
J. Thorn is a fellow new author that, in my opinion, has a lot of talent and a flare for presentation. I have known Thorn for a while now and I can say that he has something good brewing with his story. His site was recently launched and I encourage you to visit. If you do don't miss his audio reading of his short story Hearts of Ochre. It is a primal story taken from the theme of the Mayan civilization. It is a chilling story with a twist.
Below you will find a book trailer video from C.A. Milson, another new author, for his book - The Chosen. C.A. is hard at work promoting his first novel and the video is one of his approaches to reach a larger audience. This video and Thorn's site is just a few examples of how promoting and marketing is changing for authors by way of the Internet. Check out his video trailer. At the end he supplies his website address where he has two more videos and plenty of additional information about himself and his book.
We are at the end of February. Have you submitted your short story or poem for the New Author Writing Contest? The deadline is approaching fast; before we know it the 31st will be here. Now for something to think about; with the audio reading and the book trailer video in mind do you think these types of promotions are the future for new authors? Will we need to be that Internet savvy?
Have a good weekend and happy writing.
WELCOME
Feb 27, 2009
Feb 26, 2009
Let The Words Flow Like Water
For most of us this article is a little late. We have our first draft of our novel completed or very near completion. However, if you are just starting your first draft then this article may put you ahead of the curve. Never fear you writers that have the first draft near or at completion; I believe this article will help us as well.
We, as new authors, tend to hang on every word written. We correct grammar mistakes as soon as we see them. We may even revise paragraphs while we are writing. I cannot seat here and tell you that these practices are bad; however, I can tell you that they may be a hindrance. What in the world is he talking about? He has finally lost it.
No, I'm not crazy yet. The first draft is meant to act as a receptacle for all the ideas we have for our story. Writing our first draft is the time to put the pedal to the metal and let everything pour out on the pages. If your first draft is coherent and you have not allowed yourself to make mistakes then you have also denied yourself the opportunity to give it everything you've got. We must be able to give away some control when writing in order for the story to truly come alive.
As we write our first draft it is very easy to start thinking - what should come next? Instead we should write - what comes to mind next. There will be time to add transitions and revise the order of the story later. Right now we are jumping on every idea that springs into our minds as we write. If we reach a place in our writing that can go in two or more directions then write all of them. Place the additional ideas in a box or different font. When you come back for revisions then you can decide which idea works best.
Most importantly, relax mentally and physically. Have fun! Don't worry is all the paragraphs don't make since because they are out of order. Allow your thoughts and imagination to flow through you onto the page. Do not be afraid to over write. In my opinion it would be easier to delete words then to write more. Your thoughts and the story could surprise you and take you on a ride you never thought of before.
How does this relate to authors with completed or near completed first drafts? Well, who said that is your first draft? Maybe that is your practice round instead. Either way, I believe the information in this article can be used during this revision. After you have allowed the manuscript to cool off a little and you take it out to read it allow yourself to be free with your edits. When you begin revising your manuscript make notes on the ideas that come to mind while you are reading. This is your time to put the pedal to the metal. Think of it as a creative revision. After you are done, go back and add your ideas and comments to the manuscript, print it out, allow it to cool and then do a true revision.
I have made this very mistake with my first novel. I was half way done with my writing, around the time I started the New Author, and decided to revise the first half. Why? I learned a lot from the articles I read and wrote here. I was not happy with the first half. In the end it was a good idea because in reading it I noticed that I was far to structured and the story did not flow. I was so focused on what comes next, grammar, spelling and structure that those things became a hindrance to the story itself. Everyone writes differently but just like in yesterday's article we must be flexible and allow ourselves to entertain each and every idea we get about the story. That is where the magic is found.
In closing, develop a strong story idea, think about it and write notes. When you are ready to start writing your first draft loosen up and allow the story to unfold before you. Allow the words to wash over the page. In the end you will have plenty of really good writing hidden in the bad to make for a good novel.
We, as new authors, tend to hang on every word written. We correct grammar mistakes as soon as we see them. We may even revise paragraphs while we are writing. I cannot seat here and tell you that these practices are bad; however, I can tell you that they may be a hindrance. What in the world is he talking about? He has finally lost it.
No, I'm not crazy yet. The first draft is meant to act as a receptacle for all the ideas we have for our story. Writing our first draft is the time to put the pedal to the metal and let everything pour out on the pages. If your first draft is coherent and you have not allowed yourself to make mistakes then you have also denied yourself the opportunity to give it everything you've got. We must be able to give away some control when writing in order for the story to truly come alive.
As we write our first draft it is very easy to start thinking - what should come next? Instead we should write - what comes to mind next. There will be time to add transitions and revise the order of the story later. Right now we are jumping on every idea that springs into our minds as we write. If we reach a place in our writing that can go in two or more directions then write all of them. Place the additional ideas in a box or different font. When you come back for revisions then you can decide which idea works best.
Most importantly, relax mentally and physically. Have fun! Don't worry is all the paragraphs don't make since because they are out of order. Allow your thoughts and imagination to flow through you onto the page. Do not be afraid to over write. In my opinion it would be easier to delete words then to write more. Your thoughts and the story could surprise you and take you on a ride you never thought of before.
How does this relate to authors with completed or near completed first drafts? Well, who said that is your first draft? Maybe that is your practice round instead. Either way, I believe the information in this article can be used during this revision. After you have allowed the manuscript to cool off a little and you take it out to read it allow yourself to be free with your edits. When you begin revising your manuscript make notes on the ideas that come to mind while you are reading. This is your time to put the pedal to the metal. Think of it as a creative revision. After you are done, go back and add your ideas and comments to the manuscript, print it out, allow it to cool and then do a true revision.
I have made this very mistake with my first novel. I was half way done with my writing, around the time I started the New Author, and decided to revise the first half. Why? I learned a lot from the articles I read and wrote here. I was not happy with the first half. In the end it was a good idea because in reading it I noticed that I was far to structured and the story did not flow. I was so focused on what comes next, grammar, spelling and structure that those things became a hindrance to the story itself. Everyone writes differently but just like in yesterday's article we must be flexible and allow ourselves to entertain each and every idea we get about the story. That is where the magic is found.
In closing, develop a strong story idea, think about it and write notes. When you are ready to start writing your first draft loosen up and allow the story to unfold before you. Allow the words to wash over the page. In the end you will have plenty of really good writing hidden in the bad to make for a good novel.
Feb 25, 2009
They Grow Up So Fast
Characters are fascinating. We get an idea of who they are in our minds and make notes about them for our stories. It is almost like they are our children. We did, in a sense, bring them to life. We know who they are. At least we think we know who they are. If there is one thing I have learned about writing it is this; characters evolve and will take a story down a completely different road at times.
In a way we are the parent of our characters. With that said, it is understandable that we describe our characters like we would describe our children or anything that we think of as children. That description being one that points out the best qualities or in some cases sugar coats others. Take for example a child that is full of energy, gets into everything and listens only occasionally. That child's parents love him/her so when asked about that child they will often reply with "oh he/she is a handful" of "he/she is a firecracker."
Descriptions like this are typical. The same is true in our manuscript. Our main character(s) will be described by other characters, most of the time. Although these characters will provide a good physical description of the main character they may very well sugar coat the negative aspects of that main character. This is not a bad thing at all. We do this very thing everyday in life. Even if you truly despise someone you will often times hold your tongue when talking to others about him/her. These descriptions from outside viewpoints are important to character development but it lacks a dimension that will allow the reader to really get to know that character.
To truly round out a character in our manuscript we must remember to allow the main character(s) to describe themselves. This description will be more critical then the outside viewpoints. Allowing the reader to delve inside the main character(s) by way of self description will allow them to learn how this character really thinks and their impressions of the other characters. This can be done throughout the story and can be delivered completely differently from that of outside descriptions. How the main character reacts to situations, what he/she thinks when doing mundane things, the emotions they express during the story will all contribute to that self description. This self description could also make you think again about this character you thought you knew.
We must be careful not too allow little opportunities to escape us when describing our main characters. What kind of little opportunities? Well, what describes you? If someone came up to you and said "tell me the top three things that describe who you are" what would you say? The first thing most of us would say is that we do 'fill in the blank' for a living. The same is true with our main characters. The occupation of your main character tells a lot about that character. For example, if your main character is a school teacher most people would instantly think that he/she is structured, loves kids, and possibly up tight. Another little thing that can describe a main character is where they live. If your main character lives alone in an apartment the readers could draw the conclusion that this character is established in their own ways or possibly to busy to actually have a room mate or significant other.
It is very interesting what we, as authors, can write in our manuscript that will give added insight to the readers about our characters. It is also interesting how our characters change while we are describing them. Describing our characters does not have to be a laundry list spread throughout our manuscript. Let other characters, places, and things help describe these characters. You could be really surprised with the outcome. How do you describe your characters?
In a way we are the parent of our characters. With that said, it is understandable that we describe our characters like we would describe our children or anything that we think of as children. That description being one that points out the best qualities or in some cases sugar coats others. Take for example a child that is full of energy, gets into everything and listens only occasionally. That child's parents love him/her so when asked about that child they will often reply with "oh he/she is a handful" of "he/she is a firecracker."
Descriptions like this are typical. The same is true in our manuscript. Our main character(s) will be described by other characters, most of the time. Although these characters will provide a good physical description of the main character they may very well sugar coat the negative aspects of that main character. This is not a bad thing at all. We do this very thing everyday in life. Even if you truly despise someone you will often times hold your tongue when talking to others about him/her. These descriptions from outside viewpoints are important to character development but it lacks a dimension that will allow the reader to really get to know that character.
To truly round out a character in our manuscript we must remember to allow the main character(s) to describe themselves. This description will be more critical then the outside viewpoints. Allowing the reader to delve inside the main character(s) by way of self description will allow them to learn how this character really thinks and their impressions of the other characters. This can be done throughout the story and can be delivered completely differently from that of outside descriptions. How the main character reacts to situations, what he/she thinks when doing mundane things, the emotions they express during the story will all contribute to that self description. This self description could also make you think again about this character you thought you knew.
We must be careful not too allow little opportunities to escape us when describing our main characters. What kind of little opportunities? Well, what describes you? If someone came up to you and said "tell me the top three things that describe who you are" what would you say? The first thing most of us would say is that we do 'fill in the blank' for a living. The same is true with our main characters. The occupation of your main character tells a lot about that character. For example, if your main character is a school teacher most people would instantly think that he/she is structured, loves kids, and possibly up tight. Another little thing that can describe a main character is where they live. If your main character lives alone in an apartment the readers could draw the conclusion that this character is established in their own ways or possibly to busy to actually have a room mate or significant other.
It is very interesting what we, as authors, can write in our manuscript that will give added insight to the readers about our characters. It is also interesting how our characters change while we are describing them. Describing our characters does not have to be a laundry list spread throughout our manuscript. Let other characters, places, and things help describe these characters. You could be really surprised with the outcome. How do you describe your characters?
Feb 24, 2009
View Of A Main Character
Do you know who your main character(s) will be before you start writing your manuscript or does that character develop as the story is developed? This might seem like a strange question; however, in reading a few articles I'm not convinced that it is all that strange. Perhaps when we start writing our manuscript we have a main character in mind only to have that thought change as the story develops. Then again maybe the story is based around the main character(s) instead of the opposite.
How can you tell?
Perhaps the biggest determination of who the main character(s) will be in any manuscript is the point of view (POV). How you determine the POV will have an affect on who the main character(s) will be. Typically speaking most story sparks center around a character who may end up being the main character. A rule of thumb when deciding which character's point of view to use is this: In any scene, go with the view of the character with the most at stake; the one that has the most to lose or gain.
To be honest, I believe we all have the main character picked out in our minds before we start writing. I think we write with that character's view from the beginning; however allow me to give a possible example of this. In this example, the story idea is based on a man and his life. What he does and how he does it is the plot twist of the story. He is the main character right? The story is about him and what he does with his life. Now throw in his wife. What he does has a direct affect on her life even through she is a stay at home wife that leads a normal existence outside of being married to this man.
Well Brian, they are both main characters. You can have two main characters you know. You are right; you can have two main characters. Which point of view are you going to write with; the one that has the excitement or the one with the most at stake? At the beginning of all this, the story was centered on the man but now you have something completely different to think about. Points of view can be tricky at times. In this example both points of view would be used at the appropriate times. In my opinion, the wife's point of view would be the main one to stick with sense she has the most at stake.
In my opinion, once you have an idea of who your main character(s) will be run with it. However, allow yourself to be flexible in case a new direction or idea presents itself to you while you are writing. You never know, that direction or idea could bring about a point of view change and turn your manuscript into a masterpiece.
There is more to look at with this topic. This is a topic I believe we will be visiting again.
How can you tell?
Perhaps the biggest determination of who the main character(s) will be in any manuscript is the point of view (POV). How you determine the POV will have an affect on who the main character(s) will be. Typically speaking most story sparks center around a character who may end up being the main character. A rule of thumb when deciding which character's point of view to use is this: In any scene, go with the view of the character with the most at stake; the one that has the most to lose or gain.
To be honest, I believe we all have the main character picked out in our minds before we start writing. I think we write with that character's view from the beginning; however allow me to give a possible example of this. In this example, the story idea is based on a man and his life. What he does and how he does it is the plot twist of the story. He is the main character right? The story is about him and what he does with his life. Now throw in his wife. What he does has a direct affect on her life even through she is a stay at home wife that leads a normal existence outside of being married to this man.
Well Brian, they are both main characters. You can have two main characters you know. You are right; you can have two main characters. Which point of view are you going to write with; the one that has the excitement or the one with the most at stake? At the beginning of all this, the story was centered on the man but now you have something completely different to think about. Points of view can be tricky at times. In this example both points of view would be used at the appropriate times. In my opinion, the wife's point of view would be the main one to stick with sense she has the most at stake.
In my opinion, once you have an idea of who your main character(s) will be run with it. However, allow yourself to be flexible in case a new direction or idea presents itself to you while you are writing. You never know, that direction or idea could bring about a point of view change and turn your manuscript into a masterpiece.
There is more to look at with this topic. This is a topic I believe we will be visiting again.
Feb 23, 2009
The New Author In The Blogosphere
The Monday addition of the New Author will be a little different. Today we will be looking at a few things happening around the blogosphere.
First I would like to share that the New Author is now registered on both Twitter and Squidoo. If any of you have a Twitter and/or Squidoo account I invite you to share links with me. Also, feel free to share your thoughts as I am new to both of these sites. It is my hope that these sites will provide more avenues of information and sharing with fellow authors.
The New Author on Twitter
The New Author on Squidoo
I would also like to share with you that Author C.A. Milson is conducting a contest. This contest is based on his book - The Chosen. You may remember that title because the New Author was part of his book tour in December. I encourage you to check out his site and the contest. The winners are in for some really nice prizes. I will warn you though, The Chosen is a dark fantasy with some scary sections. If you enjoy dark fantasy then check out - The Chosen.
I am excited to announce that I have partnered with Jo-Anne Vandermeulen in a new business venture. Premium Promotional Services will be available March 2nd to assist authors who are promoting their new book and their name. It is our hope to bring about the sells that we, as authors, want to see for our hard work. I invite all of you to visit the site and share your thoughts about our services.
A few of the New Author readers went on vacation or are in the process of moving (you know who you are). In an effort to facilitate access to the New Author I have added a new subscription button to the right. It is called the New Author - Mobile. I have not tried it out; however, if you have an Internet ready phone this will guide you through the steps that will allow you to read the New Author anywhere you have a signal.
Also, I have decided to follow in the foot steps of Brian at Eazy Cheezy. I had so much fun guest blogging on his site last week that I have decided to offer the same thing here. If anyone is interested in guest blogging on the New Author I encourage you to send me an e-mail. Please include the topic you would write about in your e-mail. It is my hope that I will have guest bloggers on a regular basis. This, I believe, will be a lot of fun.
Before I close I would like to say thank you to all of you who subscribe to/follow the New Author. Whether you comment on the articles or not I truly appreciate all of you. Some of you are new to the community and some have been here from the beginning but I appreciate all of you the same.
Tomorrow we will be back to the topic we all love to discuss....writing.
First I would like to share that the New Author is now registered on both Twitter and Squidoo. If any of you have a Twitter and/or Squidoo account I invite you to share links with me. Also, feel free to share your thoughts as I am new to both of these sites. It is my hope that these sites will provide more avenues of information and sharing with fellow authors.
The New Author on Twitter
The New Author on Squidoo
I would also like to share with you that Author C.A. Milson is conducting a contest. This contest is based on his book - The Chosen. You may remember that title because the New Author was part of his book tour in December. I encourage you to check out his site and the contest. The winners are in for some really nice prizes. I will warn you though, The Chosen is a dark fantasy with some scary sections. If you enjoy dark fantasy then check out - The Chosen.
I am excited to announce that I have partnered with Jo-Anne Vandermeulen in a new business venture. Premium Promotional Services will be available March 2nd to assist authors who are promoting their new book and their name. It is our hope to bring about the sells that we, as authors, want to see for our hard work. I invite all of you to visit the site and share your thoughts about our services.
A few of the New Author readers went on vacation or are in the process of moving (you know who you are). In an effort to facilitate access to the New Author I have added a new subscription button to the right. It is called the New Author - Mobile. I have not tried it out; however, if you have an Internet ready phone this will guide you through the steps that will allow you to read the New Author anywhere you have a signal.
Also, I have decided to follow in the foot steps of Brian at Eazy Cheezy. I had so much fun guest blogging on his site last week that I have decided to offer the same thing here. If anyone is interested in guest blogging on the New Author I encourage you to send me an e-mail. Please include the topic you would write about in your e-mail. It is my hope that I will have guest bloggers on a regular basis. This, I believe, will be a lot of fun.
Before I close I would like to say thank you to all of you who subscribe to/follow the New Author. Whether you comment on the articles or not I truly appreciate all of you. Some of you are new to the community and some have been here from the beginning but I appreciate all of you the same.
Tomorrow we will be back to the topic we all love to discuss....writing.
Feb 20, 2009
Week End Round Up
This has been one busy week. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say thank goodness the weekend is almost here. All in all it has been a productive week. Did you catch all the fun we had here at the New Author? If not, here is the week end summary. I would encourage you to read the comments associated with the articles. Like always, there are some good ones. Also, at the request of a fellow author, I linked each article to the title so if you would like to read one simply click on the link.
Perfect characters were the topic for Monday. We discussed characters and how they should be realistic. We discovered that, in writing and books, baggage and emotional problems are a good thing. These things add depth to the characters while intensifying the plot and conflict of the story.
The fine line was walked on Tuesday. As much as readers want internal conflicts and characters to be realistic they also want the story to provide an escape from real life. They want the extraordinary, unbelievable or awe inspiring effect that a story provides. We discovered, with this article, that a little magic can be found by exploring the line between reality and fiction.
Why so serious was the question of the day Wednesday. This article was a reminder that we, as writers, have the gift to escape this world and disappear in our creation. We should find joy and passion in our writing not stress and tension. Even if writing is a labor of love it is still something we love to do. As we learn about the business we should avoid the business draining our passion.
The domino effect brought to bare the aspect of goals and motivations. The smallest chore can turn into a full blown adventure within the pages of our book. We learned that what motivates the main character to achieve his/her goal is just as important as the goal itself. We also learned that goals evolve as intensity builds and the story unfolds. These ever evolving aspects of writing can deliver moments of enjoyment when an author is developing the idea to story.
If you write it they will come back. This is the article I wrote as a guest blogger over at Eazy Cheezy.net. In my opinion it was very well received. I invite you to read the article and share your thoughts about it. This article is about the importance of content within your blog to draw readers back and develop a community. By doing this you will gain readers who add to your articles with there comments.
What will next week bring? I have a few possible gems to write about including a list I found of self-publishing companies, what they offer and their fees. We will have a good time and maybe learn a thing or two.
Now for something to think about: if some one gave you a recently released Kindle 2 would you still read and purchase regular books?
Perfect characters were the topic for Monday. We discussed characters and how they should be realistic. We discovered that, in writing and books, baggage and emotional problems are a good thing. These things add depth to the characters while intensifying the plot and conflict of the story.
The fine line was walked on Tuesday. As much as readers want internal conflicts and characters to be realistic they also want the story to provide an escape from real life. They want the extraordinary, unbelievable or awe inspiring effect that a story provides. We discovered, with this article, that a little magic can be found by exploring the line between reality and fiction.
Why so serious was the question of the day Wednesday. This article was a reminder that we, as writers, have the gift to escape this world and disappear in our creation. We should find joy and passion in our writing not stress and tension. Even if writing is a labor of love it is still something we love to do. As we learn about the business we should avoid the business draining our passion.
The domino effect brought to bare the aspect of goals and motivations. The smallest chore can turn into a full blown adventure within the pages of our book. We learned that what motivates the main character to achieve his/her goal is just as important as the goal itself. We also learned that goals evolve as intensity builds and the story unfolds. These ever evolving aspects of writing can deliver moments of enjoyment when an author is developing the idea to story.
If you write it they will come back. This is the article I wrote as a guest blogger over at Eazy Cheezy.net. In my opinion it was very well received. I invite you to read the article and share your thoughts about it. This article is about the importance of content within your blog to draw readers back and develop a community. By doing this you will gain readers who add to your articles with there comments.
What will next week bring? I have a few possible gems to write about including a list I found of self-publishing companies, what they offer and their fees. We will have a good time and maybe learn a thing or two.
Now for something to think about: if some one gave you a recently released Kindle 2 would you still read and purchase regular books?
Feb 19, 2009
The Domino Effect
Have you ever read a book with a main character that starts out the story trying to complete one simple task only to have that task grow and evolve into something much bigger? I'm pretty sure you have. Stories like that are my favorites. I think of events like that as a domino effect. The first example of this domino affect that comes to mind is the Lord of the Rings. Frodo must take the ring to the Prancing Pony and that is it. We know what happens after that.
This example from the Lord of the Rings is an illustration of evolving goals. This simple task of meeting someone at a bar turns into a life or death situation. As goals evolve for our main characters, like this, so do their motivations. This does not necessarily mean that the goals and motivation changes but rather they grow in scope, depth and intensity. As these things evolve the reader gets swept away with the character. They want to know what will happen and how the main character will react as things change.
We, as writers, have the ability to throw everything including the kitchen sink at the main character(s) to force him/her into tough choices which will have an affect on their goal. Mix in multiple goals and let the fun begin as the intensity goes through the roof. Motivation is a little different. A character can be motivated by something small and simple like delivering a letter to a girl he/she has a crush on or by something dire and complicated like saving the planet from utter destruction. In either instance the goal must be urgent enough that the character will go through any and everything to achieve it. His/her motivation is what pushes continuously until the goal is achieved. It will not allow the main character to quit.
The goal of you main character can be straight from your imagination; however, your motivations need to be believable, emotional and compelling. Again, this is walking that fine line between fiction and reality. I think the best example of this is any animal story where the family pets are left somewhere and they make the journey home through all the danger. What is the pet’s goal? They want to get home. What motivates them? The welcoming hugs and love of their owner. This is a fairly simple example of a goal and motivation but it typically makes for a good story. Now admit it, you get teary eyed by the end of those stories.
Goals and motivations are evolving aspects of the story. This is important to remember. We want the character's goals and motivations to flow with the story as the intensity grows and conflicts mount. It sounds difficult to make all these changing parts match up and work together, to be honest it may be, but I am of the opinion that these things will come together on their own as we polish our manuscripts.
Think of all the things you can give a main character as a goal. The options are endless and therefore you can have some fun with it. The motivations can be fun also especially if you are writing a comedy or adding humor to your manuscript. We do not need a complex goal or multiple motivations to craft a really good story. Build up on a simple goal with motivations that grip the reader and your domino affect will be remembered.
Have you ever given a character a strange or crazy goal to achieve in your stories?
This example from the Lord of the Rings is an illustration of evolving goals. This simple task of meeting someone at a bar turns into a life or death situation. As goals evolve for our main characters, like this, so do their motivations. This does not necessarily mean that the goals and motivation changes but rather they grow in scope, depth and intensity. As these things evolve the reader gets swept away with the character. They want to know what will happen and how the main character will react as things change.
We, as writers, have the ability to throw everything including the kitchen sink at the main character(s) to force him/her into tough choices which will have an affect on their goal. Mix in multiple goals and let the fun begin as the intensity goes through the roof. Motivation is a little different. A character can be motivated by something small and simple like delivering a letter to a girl he/she has a crush on or by something dire and complicated like saving the planet from utter destruction. In either instance the goal must be urgent enough that the character will go through any and everything to achieve it. His/her motivation is what pushes continuously until the goal is achieved. It will not allow the main character to quit.
The goal of you main character can be straight from your imagination; however, your motivations need to be believable, emotional and compelling. Again, this is walking that fine line between fiction and reality. I think the best example of this is any animal story where the family pets are left somewhere and they make the journey home through all the danger. What is the pet’s goal? They want to get home. What motivates them? The welcoming hugs and love of their owner. This is a fairly simple example of a goal and motivation but it typically makes for a good story. Now admit it, you get teary eyed by the end of those stories.
Goals and motivations are evolving aspects of the story. This is important to remember. We want the character's goals and motivations to flow with the story as the intensity grows and conflicts mount. It sounds difficult to make all these changing parts match up and work together, to be honest it may be, but I am of the opinion that these things will come together on their own as we polish our manuscripts.
Think of all the things you can give a main character as a goal. The options are endless and therefore you can have some fun with it. The motivations can be fun also especially if you are writing a comedy or adding humor to your manuscript. We do not need a complex goal or multiple motivations to craft a really good story. Build up on a simple goal with motivations that grip the reader and your domino affect will be remembered.
Have you ever given a character a strange or crazy goal to achieve in your stories?
Feb 18, 2009
Why So Serious?
You may have heard that line somewhere last year. Perhaps in a movie that made a great deal of money. Why so serious is often a question that can be asked of someone during just about any moment in their life. Let’s face it; we can't be happy and laughing all the time. We often put our best foot forward to be happy and laughing but life often happens.
I believe that as new authors we should maintain a certain frame of mind. Although we have not been published yet it is safe to say that we all have done a large amount of writing. If you have a blog that you maintain daily then your writing has really increased. Of course all of this writing goes towards developing our skill and style until we see our book on the shelf. However the frame of mind that I believe will serve us the best is that of a first date with our significant other.
Allow me to explain. Think back to your first date with your significant other. Remember the excitement; the nerves you felt as the minutes ticked down until you two were together? Remember how you would spend hours making sure your hair and clothes were perfect. We men would go through a pack of breathe mints before the date. Even if you were older you still experienced this to a certain degree. Remember the time when your relationship was growing and you experienced the heat and passion of that first kiss? This is the infatuation we should have with writing. I'm not sure writing will measure up to these memories but you get the idea.
Unfortunately as we start to look at the nuts and bolts of the publishing world it is easy to get pulled into the serious side of the business. The more we research and learn about writing the better we are at writing; however, the infatuation can begin to wane. This in turn will make writing feel more like work then a passion and source of enjoyment. In my opinion this is a trap that should be avoided.
Why am I writing this article? As life goes on and times get harder everything can feel like a weight on our shoulders. As we push to get our books published writing can feel more like a source of stress. In times like this, when we are researching, writing, and honing our skills with the weight of the world bearing down on us that we remember writing is a gift. Writing is our outlet and a source of enjoyment.
Yes, we should learn all we can and practice what we learn. We should develop our skills the best we can. We should also remember to have fun, let the words flow, and enjoy the moment of escape. The development will come in time.
Are you serious? Why? If your current project is getting heavy perhaps you should put it to the side and write something silly just to have some fun. You never know, you might find a new story or a new direction.
I believe that as new authors we should maintain a certain frame of mind. Although we have not been published yet it is safe to say that we all have done a large amount of writing. If you have a blog that you maintain daily then your writing has really increased. Of course all of this writing goes towards developing our skill and style until we see our book on the shelf. However the frame of mind that I believe will serve us the best is that of a first date with our significant other.
Allow me to explain. Think back to your first date with your significant other. Remember the excitement; the nerves you felt as the minutes ticked down until you two were together? Remember how you would spend hours making sure your hair and clothes were perfect. We men would go through a pack of breathe mints before the date. Even if you were older you still experienced this to a certain degree. Remember the time when your relationship was growing and you experienced the heat and passion of that first kiss? This is the infatuation we should have with writing. I'm not sure writing will measure up to these memories but you get the idea.
Unfortunately as we start to look at the nuts and bolts of the publishing world it is easy to get pulled into the serious side of the business. The more we research and learn about writing the better we are at writing; however, the infatuation can begin to wane. This in turn will make writing feel more like work then a passion and source of enjoyment. In my opinion this is a trap that should be avoided.
Why am I writing this article? As life goes on and times get harder everything can feel like a weight on our shoulders. As we push to get our books published writing can feel more like a source of stress. In times like this, when we are researching, writing, and honing our skills with the weight of the world bearing down on us that we remember writing is a gift. Writing is our outlet and a source of enjoyment.
Yes, we should learn all we can and practice what we learn. We should develop our skills the best we can. We should also remember to have fun, let the words flow, and enjoy the moment of escape. The development will come in time.
Are you serious? Why? If your current project is getting heavy perhaps you should put it to the side and write something silly just to have some fun. You never know, you might find a new story or a new direction.
Feb 17, 2009
The Fine Line
Over the past six or so days we have looked at a number of aspects about writing a novel; such as, character names, character flaws, story sparks, conflicts and high concept paragraphs. We learned much about each of these aspects and how they apply to our own writing development. However, today's topic was spawned from an observation I made between these articles and your comments.
It is fascinating how your comments and the core of these aspects shared a similarity. That similarity is realism. Readers want realistic, believable characters dealing with internal conflicts they can relate to. Readers want flawed characters so they can easily connect to and care about them as a regular person. Have you ever wondered why it is so hard to write a really good novel? I am very confident that we can sit down and write a manuscript describing a regular person going through the worst time in his/her life. I'm sure we can write that manuscript with all the elements we have covered on this site. What then is the difference between our books and that of Stephen King, Nicholas Sparks or Tom Clancy (aside from their name)? What is it about the writing of bestsellers that is so different from ours?
I am not confident there is one clear cut answer. If there was then we all would be bestsellers. Perhaps we can gather some insight from their writing. In my opinion it is not their style or voice. We each have a different style and voice. It can't be their name because they started at the bottom at some point in time. I believe it is their ability to walk the fine line between fact and fiction. They, like so many other great authors, have the ability to blur the line between what is real and what is fiction. They craft their story so well that the real aspects we as readers want in our characters blind seamlessly with the fictional setting and circumstances around them. They can present realistic characters in unbelievable situations in a crystal clear picture.
The other aspect I believe each of these authors share is passion. They were able to identify the genre that best suited that passion. Passion is what drives them to develop their stories. It is almost like a childlike passion that they write with. Do you think Tom Clancy would be a bestseller if he attempted to write books like those of Nicholas Sparks? What if Stephen King wrote - Hunt for Red October? Would that be a bestseller? Okay, maybe it would.
What can we take from this? What can we learn? We know that we must practice. We must write and write and when we are tired write more. That, I think, is the only way we will develop the needed skills and ability to walk that fine line between reality and fiction. We also should learn for ourselves what genre we are passionate about. We may have to try on different genres until we get the one that fits. How will you know? Look for that childlike excitement when thinking about story ideas in that genre. Perhaps you do not have a genre yet but you have multiple story ideas. Find the one idea that you are most excited about and go from there.
What do you think separates the bestsellers from the rest of us authors? Also, have you found your genre?
It is fascinating how your comments and the core of these aspects shared a similarity. That similarity is realism. Readers want realistic, believable characters dealing with internal conflicts they can relate to. Readers want flawed characters so they can easily connect to and care about them as a regular person. Have you ever wondered why it is so hard to write a really good novel? I am very confident that we can sit down and write a manuscript describing a regular person going through the worst time in his/her life. I'm sure we can write that manuscript with all the elements we have covered on this site. What then is the difference between our books and that of Stephen King, Nicholas Sparks or Tom Clancy (aside from their name)? What is it about the writing of bestsellers that is so different from ours?
I am not confident there is one clear cut answer. If there was then we all would be bestsellers. Perhaps we can gather some insight from their writing. In my opinion it is not their style or voice. We each have a different style and voice. It can't be their name because they started at the bottom at some point in time. I believe it is their ability to walk the fine line between fact and fiction. They, like so many other great authors, have the ability to blur the line between what is real and what is fiction. They craft their story so well that the real aspects we as readers want in our characters blind seamlessly with the fictional setting and circumstances around them. They can present realistic characters in unbelievable situations in a crystal clear picture.
The other aspect I believe each of these authors share is passion. They were able to identify the genre that best suited that passion. Passion is what drives them to develop their stories. It is almost like a childlike passion that they write with. Do you think Tom Clancy would be a bestseller if he attempted to write books like those of Nicholas Sparks? What if Stephen King wrote - Hunt for Red October? Would that be a bestseller? Okay, maybe it would.
What can we take from this? What can we learn? We know that we must practice. We must write and write and when we are tired write more. That, I think, is the only way we will develop the needed skills and ability to walk that fine line between reality and fiction. We also should learn for ourselves what genre we are passionate about. We may have to try on different genres until we get the one that fits. How will you know? Look for that childlike excitement when thinking about story ideas in that genre. Perhaps you do not have a genre yet but you have multiple story ideas. Find the one idea that you are most excited about and go from there.
What do you think separates the bestsellers from the rest of us authors? Also, have you found your genre?
Feb 16, 2009
Perfect Characters
Update: I did not finish in the top 25 of the short, short story contest which means my first attempt at being published did not go as planned. That is alright, I will keep at it. I may post that story here for download so all of you can read it and share your thoughts. Also, as I mentioned on Friday, I will be a guest blogger on the Eazy Cheezy site. The date has been changed from Wednesday to Friday of this week. On Friday I will include a link so you can go there and check out my article.
Now back to the show. Not to long ago I asked a friend for a critique on a short story I wrote. His critique was very informative and helpful. One of his comments, though, stood out from the rest. He noted that my characters were perfect....too perfect. I paused after reading this comment to digest it further; my characters are too perfect? After I read the story again I realized that my hero was, as he said, perfect. He was a shining example of courage...almost like a knight in a fairy tale. On the other hand my villain was perfect also. He was perfectly nasty. In fairy tales this is not necessarily a bad thing but in a novel it is something we should avoid. This, in my opinion, is easier said then done.
As stated, I wrote these characters like that with no knowledge that I was. Why is that? In my opinion, we want to establish our hero as larger then life. While doing this we can easily let in those childhood fairy tales and our hero ends up perfect. The same is true for the villain. We want the reader to be repulsed by the mention of him/her. The problem with this approach is that a perfect hero and a perfectly nasty villain have one thing in common...they are perfectly boring.
We love to root for the characters that really want nothing to do with a certain situation but through their sense of duty or the love they have for something/someone they do it anyway. We connect and cherish those characters that face their darkest fears and overcome them while on that particular journey. We love these characters because they are flawed (in a good way). A character without flaws and fears is a character without conflicts. This presents a major problem because not only are characters without conflicts boring but they are not realistic. On the other hand, giving a nasty villain just a hint of a good quality will have a different affect on the reader. It presents a new dimension to that character. While being a flaw, of sorts, this hint will raise a new level of interest in this character. They may not love the villain but they will want to know more about him/her.
How do we develop characters with flaws? How do we show those flaws? Do not be afraid to give your hero a nagging fear or emotional baggage or both. An emotional wreck of a hero in the beginning of your book that some how saves the day by the end and heals his/her emotional problems will have readers hooked in no time. One way to show those flaws or have a means to expose them would be to add a character to the main character that balances him/her out. For example, one is book smart while one is street smart or one loves thrills and adventure while the other is scared of everything. This will also give you a new way for the villain to attach the main character.
Are your characters perfect? If not, in what way do you show their flaws?
Now back to the show. Not to long ago I asked a friend for a critique on a short story I wrote. His critique was very informative and helpful. One of his comments, though, stood out from the rest. He noted that my characters were perfect....too perfect. I paused after reading this comment to digest it further; my characters are too perfect? After I read the story again I realized that my hero was, as he said, perfect. He was a shining example of courage...almost like a knight in a fairy tale. On the other hand my villain was perfect also. He was perfectly nasty. In fairy tales this is not necessarily a bad thing but in a novel it is something we should avoid. This, in my opinion, is easier said then done.
As stated, I wrote these characters like that with no knowledge that I was. Why is that? In my opinion, we want to establish our hero as larger then life. While doing this we can easily let in those childhood fairy tales and our hero ends up perfect. The same is true for the villain. We want the reader to be repulsed by the mention of him/her. The problem with this approach is that a perfect hero and a perfectly nasty villain have one thing in common...they are perfectly boring.
We love to root for the characters that really want nothing to do with a certain situation but through their sense of duty or the love they have for something/someone they do it anyway. We connect and cherish those characters that face their darkest fears and overcome them while on that particular journey. We love these characters because they are flawed (in a good way). A character without flaws and fears is a character without conflicts. This presents a major problem because not only are characters without conflicts boring but they are not realistic. On the other hand, giving a nasty villain just a hint of a good quality will have a different affect on the reader. It presents a new dimension to that character. While being a flaw, of sorts, this hint will raise a new level of interest in this character. They may not love the villain but they will want to know more about him/her.
How do we develop characters with flaws? How do we show those flaws? Do not be afraid to give your hero a nagging fear or emotional baggage or both. An emotional wreck of a hero in the beginning of your book that some how saves the day by the end and heals his/her emotional problems will have readers hooked in no time. One way to show those flaws or have a means to expose them would be to add a character to the main character that balances him/her out. For example, one is book smart while one is street smart or one loves thrills and adventure while the other is scared of everything. This will also give you a new way for the villain to attach the main character.
Are your characters perfect? If not, in what way do you show their flaws?
Feb 13, 2009
Week End Round Up
This was a really good week here on the New Author. We looked closely at some topics involved in manuscript development. As usual, and I am so glad to be able to say this, there are great comments with the articles. Did you miss one? Well, here is the weekly summary. If one of the summaries interest you then I encourage you to read the full article and comments. I also encourage you to add your own thoughts.
On Monday we looked at the high concept paragraph. This is basically a synopsis; however, we looked at this as a tool to develop your manuscript and using it as a means to write a cohesive story. This article included a short sentence formula that will assist you in generating your idea into a high concept paragraph.
Tuesday was a fun article about story sparks. Story sparks are those jolts in the story that grabs the readers attention. It recharges the story. A roller coaster ride was used as an example to illustrate this. This article caused many of us to think about our own stories and the sparks we provide.
Wednesday was all about names. Character names to be more precise. What's in a name is a look at how a name can describe your characters. It is also a look at how a name should be generated. This sounds simple but caution and thought should be used when naming your characters. I really recommend this article even if you are in the middle of writing your novel.
Thursday brought up conflicts. No, not conflicts with this site but story conflicts. We looked at both internal and external conflicts, how they go hand in hand and how they influence the main characters as well as the story plot. It is surprising how important both of these conflicts are to the story. I am interested in your thoughts and opinions about this subject. I encourage you to share your comments.
Today I have news to share. First, I am awaiting the announcements of the short, short story contest winners. I entered this contest back in December. The wait is killing me. Maybe I will hear something when I check my e-mail.
In other news, the New Author has been nominated for two awards. One is the blog of the day award and the other is the P&E Truly Useful Site Award. It would really be cool to win one of these.
Finally, I will be a guest blogger on Eazy Cheezy.net on Wednesday. My friend Brian asked me if I would be interested and I agreed. I will share more about this earlier next week.
Now for the New Author Writing Contest update. As of today I have 2 short stories and 5 poems. Remember, the deadline is March 31st.
Have a good weekend and happy writing.
On Monday we looked at the high concept paragraph. This is basically a synopsis; however, we looked at this as a tool to develop your manuscript and using it as a means to write a cohesive story. This article included a short sentence formula that will assist you in generating your idea into a high concept paragraph.
Tuesday was a fun article about story sparks. Story sparks are those jolts in the story that grabs the readers attention. It recharges the story. A roller coaster ride was used as an example to illustrate this. This article caused many of us to think about our own stories and the sparks we provide.
Wednesday was all about names. Character names to be more precise. What's in a name is a look at how a name can describe your characters. It is also a look at how a name should be generated. This sounds simple but caution and thought should be used when naming your characters. I really recommend this article even if you are in the middle of writing your novel.
Thursday brought up conflicts. No, not conflicts with this site but story conflicts. We looked at both internal and external conflicts, how they go hand in hand and how they influence the main characters as well as the story plot. It is surprising how important both of these conflicts are to the story. I am interested in your thoughts and opinions about this subject. I encourage you to share your comments.
Today I have news to share. First, I am awaiting the announcements of the short, short story contest winners. I entered this contest back in December. The wait is killing me. Maybe I will hear something when I check my e-mail.
In other news, the New Author has been nominated for two awards. One is the blog of the day award and the other is the P&E Truly Useful Site Award. It would really be cool to win one of these.
Finally, I will be a guest blogger on Eazy Cheezy.net on Wednesday. My friend Brian asked me if I would be interested and I agreed. I will share more about this earlier next week.
Now for the New Author Writing Contest update. As of today I have 2 short stories and 5 poems. Remember, the deadline is March 31st.
Have a good weekend and happy writing.
Feb 12, 2009
Conflicts Are Good
As an author having a conflict is actually a really good thing. A story could not move forward without a conflict. The question we must all answer is this; are our conflicts cohesive and compliment each other?
Hold on. Wait a minute. Conflicts? I have the main conflict in my story but why do I need more then one? True, every story has the main conflict that must be resolved by the end. Smaller conflicts can even spin off from that main conflict. However, I am talking about external and internal conflicts. For example, your boss gives you a new project to complete with a tight deadline. As the deadline draws near you don't believe you will finish on time and start to panic. You start questioning your intelligence and your courage. Fortunately, you push threw and finish on time.
Your new project with a tight deadline is the external conflict. The panic and your self doubt are the internal conflicts. They go hand in hand. I read in an earlier article that you "can't have one without the other." In many fiction books, as I am sure you have noticed, the main conflict brings about an emotional problem, the internal conflict, that keeps the hero from achieving the goal of resolution.
Both internal and external conflicts are critical to a story. The key though is to make sure your conflicts are clearly defined to the reader. If your conflict is clear to the reader they will get involved with the story and care about both the characters and outcome. Also, if the internal conflict is something realistic that the reader has possibly experienced the connection will be even greater. In my opinion, internal conflicts add to the development of the characters. We all have internal conflict(s) at times so it is safe to assume that readers will connect better to characters with them also.
Your first story spark will typically present the main conflict of the story. This conflict usually involves something or someone the hero cares about passionately. In the effort to retrieve or save that special something/someone the hero is pushed beyond his/her limits. This would be the time of internal conflict. The hero will have to make decisions, sacrifices, and break through those mental barriers. As authors we are charged with giving the hero incentives to keep pushing until all is resolved.
It is important to remember that internal conflicts are all about the main characters while external conflicts are all about the plot. We, as authors, have the job of making the two work together for a cohesive story. Also, we want both internal and external conflicts to have a profound impact on the main characters. If they do not then they are not really conflicts.
Thinking about internal conflicts, would you give a character in your book an internal conflict you have experienced or have?
Hold on. Wait a minute. Conflicts? I have the main conflict in my story but why do I need more then one? True, every story has the main conflict that must be resolved by the end. Smaller conflicts can even spin off from that main conflict. However, I am talking about external and internal conflicts. For example, your boss gives you a new project to complete with a tight deadline. As the deadline draws near you don't believe you will finish on time and start to panic. You start questioning your intelligence and your courage. Fortunately, you push threw and finish on time.
Your new project with a tight deadline is the external conflict. The panic and your self doubt are the internal conflicts. They go hand in hand. I read in an earlier article that you "can't have one without the other." In many fiction books, as I am sure you have noticed, the main conflict brings about an emotional problem, the internal conflict, that keeps the hero from achieving the goal of resolution.
Both internal and external conflicts are critical to a story. The key though is to make sure your conflicts are clearly defined to the reader. If your conflict is clear to the reader they will get involved with the story and care about both the characters and outcome. Also, if the internal conflict is something realistic that the reader has possibly experienced the connection will be even greater. In my opinion, internal conflicts add to the development of the characters. We all have internal conflict(s) at times so it is safe to assume that readers will connect better to characters with them also.
Your first story spark will typically present the main conflict of the story. This conflict usually involves something or someone the hero cares about passionately. In the effort to retrieve or save that special something/someone the hero is pushed beyond his/her limits. This would be the time of internal conflict. The hero will have to make decisions, sacrifices, and break through those mental barriers. As authors we are charged with giving the hero incentives to keep pushing until all is resolved.
It is important to remember that internal conflicts are all about the main characters while external conflicts are all about the plot. We, as authors, have the job of making the two work together for a cohesive story. Also, we want both internal and external conflicts to have a profound impact on the main characters. If they do not then they are not really conflicts.
Thinking about internal conflicts, would you give a character in your book an internal conflict you have experienced or have?
Feb 11, 2009
What's In A Name?
It is great when we think of a story idea. We get excited as we formulate the action scenes, possibly the settings, and the twist and turns we can add to it. I am actually getting fired up writing about getting an idea. We rush to a piece of paper or our laptop and begin making notes about all the brainstorming we just finished. Once all the notes are on screen or paper we look it over one more time, feeling accomplished.
As we generate and expand on that story idea with all the notes it is certain that soon we will introduce our characters. That's alright though; we have our characters on paper. We know their height, weight, hair color, skin color, male, female, rich, poor and what they do for a living. We even have a family history for each one, just in case. Being prepared and having the words flow as we type is a wonderful feeling. Then we hit the wall. All of a sudden we must use the name of one of the characters. Our fingers stop and we just stare. What will we name our main characters? What about the villain and the others? Quickly our minds race through common names until we decide to add a place holder for the time being. We don't want to interrupt the flow of the story. We can come back to the name problem a little later.
How many of us have experienced this? I think it is safe to assume many of us have run into this situation at least once. Is it really a big deal what our characters names are? Well, let's find out.
When trying to come up with names for our characters we should keep a few things in mind. Elements such as setting, time and location should influence our name selections. For example, your story takes place during the dark ages in England. You should select names that fit that era. If the name does not fit the story then it could read slightly disjointed to the reader.
We want our characters to stand out. We want the readers to remember them and connect with them. With that said, we do not want to select boring names for our main characters. Secondary characters or characters with little impact to the story can have regular names. What a minute, there are plenty of books out there that have main characters named Sarah or Jim. Those names don't really stand out. When taken individually you are right; however, what made each name stand out is that they fit the context of the story and the description of that character. Have you ever met someone and when they introduced themselves you thought "he does not look like a Bill" or "she does not look like a Kim?" Match the name and the character with the setting and the fit will make them memorable.
Weird names or names spelled in a crazy way should not be automatically dismissed. If the name fits the story readers will connect with them. Many times when I interpret a characters name, in the book I am reading, my own way I feel more engaged in that story. I would not recommend getting to crazy with names but if you do they could pull the reader in further.
In my opinion the main characters should have last names. This will round out the character and make them more real to the reader. As long as it flows with the first name there should be no problems. Last names should follow the same points listed above.
So, are character names a big deal? I think so. What do you think?
As we generate and expand on that story idea with all the notes it is certain that soon we will introduce our characters. That's alright though; we have our characters on paper. We know their height, weight, hair color, skin color, male, female, rich, poor and what they do for a living. We even have a family history for each one, just in case. Being prepared and having the words flow as we type is a wonderful feeling. Then we hit the wall. All of a sudden we must use the name of one of the characters. Our fingers stop and we just stare. What will we name our main characters? What about the villain and the others? Quickly our minds race through common names until we decide to add a place holder for the time being. We don't want to interrupt the flow of the story. We can come back to the name problem a little later.
How many of us have experienced this? I think it is safe to assume many of us have run into this situation at least once. Is it really a big deal what our characters names are? Well, let's find out.
When trying to come up with names for our characters we should keep a few things in mind. Elements such as setting, time and location should influence our name selections. For example, your story takes place during the dark ages in England. You should select names that fit that era. If the name does not fit the story then it could read slightly disjointed to the reader.
We want our characters to stand out. We want the readers to remember them and connect with them. With that said, we do not want to select boring names for our main characters. Secondary characters or characters with little impact to the story can have regular names. What a minute, there are plenty of books out there that have main characters named Sarah or Jim. Those names don't really stand out. When taken individually you are right; however, what made each name stand out is that they fit the context of the story and the description of that character. Have you ever met someone and when they introduced themselves you thought "he does not look like a Bill" or "she does not look like a Kim?" Match the name and the character with the setting and the fit will make them memorable.
Weird names or names spelled in a crazy way should not be automatically dismissed. If the name fits the story readers will connect with them. Many times when I interpret a characters name, in the book I am reading, my own way I feel more engaged in that story. I would not recommend getting to crazy with names but if you do they could pull the reader in further.
In my opinion the main characters should have last names. This will round out the character and make them more real to the reader. As long as it flows with the first name there should be no problems. Last names should follow the same points listed above.
So, are character names a big deal? I think so. What do you think?
Feb 10, 2009
Writing and The Roller Coaster
Have you ever been on a roller coaster? I'm sure you have seen one or two. All the hills, twist, flips and corkscrews make for an exciting ride. Have you ever wondered way the smaller rides have maybe two hills whereas the larger ones have more hills and then some? That's a pretty easy question. We all know that you need the hills, twist, flips and corkscrews in the longer rides so it does not get boring and the riders get that extra jolt of speed all the way to the end.
The same is true with writing. As authors we know we need a hook at the beginning of our stories to pull the readers in. If we set that hook deep enough they will want to read more. Guess what, we need more then a hook to keep the readers in our story. We need jolts, just like during the roller coaster ride, throughout our manuscript. Think of those jolts as story sparks. The longer your manuscript the more sparks you need.
What is a story spark? A story spark is something intriguing that ignites or reignites the story. Have you ever read a book or while writing your own had that "aha!" moment or thought "I didn't see that coming!" That is a story spark. They are the thoughts that capture the readers and/or writers imagination which drives them to the conclusion.
The hook at the beginning of the story is the first spark. This spark contains the conflict or the entire story. However, this is not the only spark a manuscript needs. We should have multiple sparks spread throughout the manuscript so we give the readers a jolt of speed until they finish the ride. Typically a novel has a spark at the beginning, in the middle which adds to the conflict (can be more then one) and the end which resolves the conflict.
How many sparks do we need? We already know that we need a spark at the beginning. The number of sparks we need after that is determined by the size of your manuscript. I think it is safe to say that, like me, many of us do not really know how big our manuscript will be until it is finished. Until we write a few novels and get a feel for judging size by idea I think a best guess will work just fine here. Fortunately for us we have a range to go by.
Short stories, flash fiction and novellas typically have two sparks; one at the beginning and one at the end. Novels are a little more complicated. If the manuscript is up to seventy five thousand words then it will need three sparks. If you have a novel approaching ninety thousand words you will need four sparks. For those of you who have the really big novels that are pushing one hundred thousand words you will need four sparks possibly more. It is important to keep in mind the complexity of your story when judging how many sparks you need. Also, if you decide too add more sparks to your story add them to the front or middle.
What are your thoughts on story sparks? Do you have the sparks you need to get the readers to the end?
The same is true with writing. As authors we know we need a hook at the beginning of our stories to pull the readers in. If we set that hook deep enough they will want to read more. Guess what, we need more then a hook to keep the readers in our story. We need jolts, just like during the roller coaster ride, throughout our manuscript. Think of those jolts as story sparks. The longer your manuscript the more sparks you need.
What is a story spark? A story spark is something intriguing that ignites or reignites the story. Have you ever read a book or while writing your own had that "aha!" moment or thought "I didn't see that coming!" That is a story spark. They are the thoughts that capture the readers and/or writers imagination which drives them to the conclusion.
The hook at the beginning of the story is the first spark. This spark contains the conflict or the entire story. However, this is not the only spark a manuscript needs. We should have multiple sparks spread throughout the manuscript so we give the readers a jolt of speed until they finish the ride. Typically a novel has a spark at the beginning, in the middle which adds to the conflict (can be more then one) and the end which resolves the conflict.
How many sparks do we need? We already know that we need a spark at the beginning. The number of sparks we need after that is determined by the size of your manuscript. I think it is safe to say that, like me, many of us do not really know how big our manuscript will be until it is finished. Until we write a few novels and get a feel for judging size by idea I think a best guess will work just fine here. Fortunately for us we have a range to go by.
Short stories, flash fiction and novellas typically have two sparks; one at the beginning and one at the end. Novels are a little more complicated. If the manuscript is up to seventy five thousand words then it will need three sparks. If you have a novel approaching ninety thousand words you will need four sparks. For those of you who have the really big novels that are pushing one hundred thousand words you will need four sparks possibly more. It is important to keep in mind the complexity of your story when judging how many sparks you need. Also, if you decide too add more sparks to your story add them to the front or middle.
What are your thoughts on story sparks? Do you have the sparks you need to get the readers to the end?
Feb 9, 2009
That Would Be A Great Book!
This week here at the New Author we are going to dig a little deeper into the process of writing a manuscript. We know there are more things involved with writing a manuscript then simply thinking of an idea, sitting down and writing what comes to mind. This is an early stage of writing a book. The goal of an author is to write a cohesive, unforgettable book. The topics we discuss this week are individual facets of the overall manuscript.
How many of you have ever heard, seen or experienced something and instantly thought 'that would be a great book?' This is how a manuscript is born. A simple idea takes root and we, as authors, attempt to nurture that idea until it has grown to its fullest potential. I think it is safe to say that we get pretty excited when a new book idea comes to mind.
This idea will soon become the core of your story. Everything about your book will center on this core. However from the core we should develop a high concept paragraph. This paragraph is also called by another name, a synopsis. A high concept paragraph(s) is a few sentences or paragraphs that sum up the entire story including the conflicts, goals and motivations of the main characters. No, this is not easy to write but a high concept paragraph is very important. This paragraph(s) will ensure that you have a cohesive manuscript. It will also provide you with a general outline for your manuscript.
The majority of the time we think of the core idea of the story and allow the other things to develop on the fly while we write. We never really pay attention to the high concept paragraph until the end. As new authors this works for us. We are trying to develop our style and skill so we simply write. However, there will come a time when we are asked for a synopsis at which time we will have that deer in the headlights look. Instead of making a hectic, mad rush to put together a synopsis from scratch we can simply refer to the high concept paragraph.
We all know about the synopsis. The question, though, has always been how to write one. How do we write a high concept paragraph? Here is the basic foundation for that paragraph.
Your character (the who) wants something (the what) because he/she is motivated (the why), but he/she faces a problem (the conflict).
Or you can fill in the blanks.
(Name of your character) wants (the item/goal he/she is after) because (why is he/she after it), but he/she faces (the obstacle(s) in the way).
By completing this sentence you have the basic outline and high concept/synopsis of your manuscript. This sentence can be expanded into a paragraph by adding detail to each of the items within the sentence. I believe your manuscript will flow much smoother while writing with this paragraph as a guide.
Try out the high concept sentence with the novel you are writing or an idea for one. Does it help you develop the manuscript? Perhaps you are writing a synopsis. Did this sentence help you with that? By using this sentence will your idea be a great book?
How many of you have ever heard, seen or experienced something and instantly thought 'that would be a great book?' This is how a manuscript is born. A simple idea takes root and we, as authors, attempt to nurture that idea until it has grown to its fullest potential. I think it is safe to say that we get pretty excited when a new book idea comes to mind.
This idea will soon become the core of your story. Everything about your book will center on this core. However from the core we should develop a high concept paragraph. This paragraph is also called by another name, a synopsis. A high concept paragraph(s) is a few sentences or paragraphs that sum up the entire story including the conflicts, goals and motivations of the main characters. No, this is not easy to write but a high concept paragraph is very important. This paragraph(s) will ensure that you have a cohesive manuscript. It will also provide you with a general outline for your manuscript.
The majority of the time we think of the core idea of the story and allow the other things to develop on the fly while we write. We never really pay attention to the high concept paragraph until the end. As new authors this works for us. We are trying to develop our style and skill so we simply write. However, there will come a time when we are asked for a synopsis at which time we will have that deer in the headlights look. Instead of making a hectic, mad rush to put together a synopsis from scratch we can simply refer to the high concept paragraph.
We all know about the synopsis. The question, though, has always been how to write one. How do we write a high concept paragraph? Here is the basic foundation for that paragraph.
Your character (the who) wants something (the what) because he/she is motivated (the why), but he/she faces a problem (the conflict).
Or you can fill in the blanks.
(Name of your character) wants (the item/goal he/she is after) because (why is he/she after it), but he/she faces (the obstacle(s) in the way).
By completing this sentence you have the basic outline and high concept/synopsis of your manuscript. This sentence can be expanded into a paragraph by adding detail to each of the items within the sentence. I believe your manuscript will flow much smoother while writing with this paragraph as a guide.
Try out the high concept sentence with the novel you are writing or an idea for one. Does it help you develop the manuscript? Perhaps you are writing a synopsis. Did this sentence help you with that? By using this sentence will your idea be a great book?
Feb 6, 2009
Week End Round Up
Before we get to the summary of the articles for the week end round up I have something to share. Earlier this week I was named the winner of the 'what would Rona do' contest. I found this contest on author Rebecca Benston's website. In summary, Rona Shively is the main character in Rebecca's mystery novels. Rona is turning forty, in an upcoming novel, and Rebecca wanted to know what Rona should do for her birthday. For winning this contest I will receive a copy of Rebecca's upcoming novel - Keeping the Faith - and a twenty dollar gift card to Barnes and Noble. I was pretty excited, as you can imagine when I found out.
Alright, this was an educational week her at the New Author. The comments for the articles added so much to each one. I thank all of you for that. Did you miss one? Here is a summary.
Monday was a double dose here on the New Author. Sunday's paper contained an article about Tom Clancy releasing his book in all electronic formats. We have discussed the evolution of electronic books and the ongoing debate about them previously. I thought it would be good to share this piece of information.
We also looked at the topic of blogging. More to the point, should you have a blog as an author? This article points out some of the advantages for having a blog as well as some traps to avoid. If you have a blog this article may answer some questions about its direction. If you are trying to decide if you should have a blog this article should provide items to think about prior to starting. Many readers added their thoughts, opinions and experiences with blogs in the comments.
On Tuesday and Wednesday we looked at eight prominent mistakes to avoid during the writing and publishing of your manuscript. I learned a lot writing these articles and reinforced things previously learned. I would recommend these articles even if your manuscript is a long way from publishing. Again, I cannot express enough how much all your comments add.
Thursday may seem like a regurgitation of the articles from Tuesday and Wednesday; however, it is not. A question was asked in the comments of Wednesday's article that prompted this article. Many of us, me included, assumed that the publishing company controlled many of the topics discussed in those articles. After a little research we found out that is not entirely true. Fortunately for us we have a reader who has dealt with publishing companies in the past and provided valuable insight on this topic. I believe this article will help in preparing us more for the publishing business.
What will next week bring? There is a lot of material too cover. Perhaps we will look at the manuscript a little closer. I was planning to begin the manuscript articles this week but unfortunately I ran out of time.
Contest update: As of today Short Stories - 1 Poems - 4
Enjoy your weekend and happy writing.
Alright, this was an educational week her at the New Author. The comments for the articles added so much to each one. I thank all of you for that. Did you miss one? Here is a summary.
Monday was a double dose here on the New Author. Sunday's paper contained an article about Tom Clancy releasing his book in all electronic formats. We have discussed the evolution of electronic books and the ongoing debate about them previously. I thought it would be good to share this piece of information.
We also looked at the topic of blogging. More to the point, should you have a blog as an author? This article points out some of the advantages for having a blog as well as some traps to avoid. If you have a blog this article may answer some questions about its direction. If you are trying to decide if you should have a blog this article should provide items to think about prior to starting. Many readers added their thoughts, opinions and experiences with blogs in the comments.
On Tuesday and Wednesday we looked at eight prominent mistakes to avoid during the writing and publishing of your manuscript. I learned a lot writing these articles and reinforced things previously learned. I would recommend these articles even if your manuscript is a long way from publishing. Again, I cannot express enough how much all your comments add.
Thursday may seem like a regurgitation of the articles from Tuesday and Wednesday; however, it is not. A question was asked in the comments of Wednesday's article that prompted this article. Many of us, me included, assumed that the publishing company controlled many of the topics discussed in those articles. After a little research we found out that is not entirely true. Fortunately for us we have a reader who has dealt with publishing companies in the past and provided valuable insight on this topic. I believe this article will help in preparing us more for the publishing business.
What will next week bring? There is a lot of material too cover. Perhaps we will look at the manuscript a little closer. I was planning to begin the manuscript articles this week but unfortunately I ran out of time.
Contest update: As of today Short Stories - 1 Poems - 4
Enjoy your weekend and happy writing.
Feb 5, 2009
Who Is In Control?
The articles from the last two days have generated many interesting comments. I received one comment that inspired today's article. Here is a portion of that comment.
"My understanding is the publisher finds the cover artist, sets the price, and the media types as well as the marketing, distribution, and ISBN number. The author really has no say so in that, as far as I understand. Though the publishers are putting more and more marketing on the author, only they can print and ship the books out."
This comment is correct for the most part; however, it shines a light on an interesting question. How much authority or say so does a new author have when dealing with a publishing house? We can all agree that authors have a great deal of freedom and authority when dealing with a self-publisher. Is it that much different when you publish with a publishing house?
Today we will look at the same mistakes to avoid from the previous two articles. Instead of looking at them from a mostly self-publishing stand point we will look at them as if we are dealing with a publishing house. Even though we are looking at a short list of items, there are more, it is of the utmost importance that you read any documents and/or contracts before signing. If you have any questions for the publishing house ask before you sign. We want to have a clear idea of their process and procedures as well as making it clear what we, as the author of the book, want and expect.
The title of your book - The author is in full control of the title. Although a publicist or editor may suggest a title change the final decision should be ours. I would encourage you to listen and think about their suggestions if only for the reason of establishing a team relationship and to learn.
Poor content and writing - Even though the publishing house has editors to proof and edit our manuscript it is our responsibility to make sure our manuscript is polished to the best of our ability. As one reader wrote yesterday; "edit your manuscript as if no one else will." Your manuscript is your passion. To a publishing house your manuscript is money. It is just a part of the overall business. Which will nurture and polish that manuscript more?
ISBN - The publishing house will take care of this. The ISBN is the only way the manuscript can be tracked.
The cover of your book - The publishing company will have or find a cover artist. However, we should make sure we have the final say on the cover art. We should have the ability to share our ideas with the cover artist. For example, you hire someone to paint your house. You trust that person to paint everything you ask for but do you trust that person to pick the colors? I don't think so. In my opinion the cover is no different.
The back cover - If you include a photo of you for the back cover that will be your responsibility. We would all want to look our best for that one. Also, the synopsis will be prepared by us.
Priced wrong - This is one thing we will not have to worry about. The publishing house will have this under control.
No market - Your audience should be identified with your query letter and/or book proposal. Even though a publishing house will help you market and promote they will not publish your book unless you show them that you have identified an audience. Having a platform is an important thing as well.
Distribution - Yes, the publishing house will get your book out in multiple formats and in bookstores. You may need to verify their procedures and rules about e-books and electronic publishing though.
Publishing companies, big or small, are different. They offer different things and have different rules. In my opinion though, we have work to do even if we get published by any publishing house. They do help but we owe it to ourselves to be vigilant when our book is being published.
"My understanding is the publisher finds the cover artist, sets the price, and the media types as well as the marketing, distribution, and ISBN number. The author really has no say so in that, as far as I understand. Though the publishers are putting more and more marketing on the author, only they can print and ship the books out."
This comment is correct for the most part; however, it shines a light on an interesting question. How much authority or say so does a new author have when dealing with a publishing house? We can all agree that authors have a great deal of freedom and authority when dealing with a self-publisher. Is it that much different when you publish with a publishing house?
Today we will look at the same mistakes to avoid from the previous two articles. Instead of looking at them from a mostly self-publishing stand point we will look at them as if we are dealing with a publishing house. Even though we are looking at a short list of items, there are more, it is of the utmost importance that you read any documents and/or contracts before signing. If you have any questions for the publishing house ask before you sign. We want to have a clear idea of their process and procedures as well as making it clear what we, as the author of the book, want and expect.
The title of your book - The author is in full control of the title. Although a publicist or editor may suggest a title change the final decision should be ours. I would encourage you to listen and think about their suggestions if only for the reason of establishing a team relationship and to learn.
Poor content and writing - Even though the publishing house has editors to proof and edit our manuscript it is our responsibility to make sure our manuscript is polished to the best of our ability. As one reader wrote yesterday; "edit your manuscript as if no one else will." Your manuscript is your passion. To a publishing house your manuscript is money. It is just a part of the overall business. Which will nurture and polish that manuscript more?
ISBN - The publishing house will take care of this. The ISBN is the only way the manuscript can be tracked.
The cover of your book - The publishing company will have or find a cover artist. However, we should make sure we have the final say on the cover art. We should have the ability to share our ideas with the cover artist. For example, you hire someone to paint your house. You trust that person to paint everything you ask for but do you trust that person to pick the colors? I don't think so. In my opinion the cover is no different.
The back cover - If you include a photo of you for the back cover that will be your responsibility. We would all want to look our best for that one. Also, the synopsis will be prepared by us.
Priced wrong - This is one thing we will not have to worry about. The publishing house will have this under control.
No market - Your audience should be identified with your query letter and/or book proposal. Even though a publishing house will help you market and promote they will not publish your book unless you show them that you have identified an audience. Having a platform is an important thing as well.
Distribution - Yes, the publishing house will get your book out in multiple formats and in bookstores. You may need to verify their procedures and rules about e-books and electronic publishing though.
Publishing companies, big or small, are different. They offer different things and have different rules. In my opinion though, we have work to do even if we get published by any publishing house. They do help but we owe it to ourselves to be vigilant when our book is being published.
Feb 4, 2009
Will My Book Sale? Part II
Yesterday we began looking at some of the more prominent mistakes new authors make when self publishing their manuscript. As I said yesterday, I believe these mistakes can happen even if a publishing house is publishing your book. So, lets pick up where we left off.
At the end of yesterday's article we were focused on the title of the book and the cover art. We will start today's article by looking at the other side.
The back cover copy - I think it is safe to say that ninety nine percent of the time a reader will look at the back cover soon after looking at the title and cover of your book. The back cover of the book is a showcase for the author and the main focus of the book's content. If you have a photo on the back cover it should be done professionally and look professional. A reader will look at that photo and decide if they can connect with you by what they interpret from that picture. It might not be the best practice but we do it. At least I do.
Not all back covers have a picture of the author but instead a continuation of the front cover art. That is not a problem at all. The most important part of the back cover is the summary of your book. Basically, your synopsis will be found on the back cover. That synopsis is meant to entice the reader to the point where they need to read your book.
It is amazing how much weight a synopsis has. This is the perfect reason why we need to practice writing a short synopsis. The better we are at capturing our story in as few sentences as possible the more enticing our back covers will be.
Poor distribution - This is a common mistake I believe. In my opinion I would want my book made available in as many ways as possible. Find out which methods of distribution are available to you and make the most of those avenues. This is, however, a viscous circle. Distributors and wholesalers will work with you once you establish a strong sales history but until then it is up to you. You can expand your reach and cater to more readers, while promoting your book, if you have multiple avenues of availability. How can you do that? Through Internet book stores, work out an agreement with the self publishing company to make your book in electronic format as well as print and talk to your local bookstore about hosting a book signing. You may have to give the bookstore a portion of your sales or even a fee to do so but it will open another avenue for you.
No market for your book - This is a tough one. Larger publishing companies want well written books that can catch the interest of the largest audience. Self publishing companies do not work like that. We are responsible to get our book in the readers hand. I think this mistake is not correct. I believe there is a market for any book. The problem is finding that market and getting your book to that market. This is where research comes in. If your book is horror then research horror book fan sites and/or forums. Research who is watching horror movies or who is reading horror books and target that group. Research writing contest and enter if they have a horror category. Anything that will get your name noticed by the market you are trying to reach is worth while. Horror is just an example here. This holds true for any genre.
Wrong Price - Okay, in the current state of the economy this is perhaps the hardest mistake to avoid. While we do not want to price our book to high we do not want to be to low either. If our book is to high potential readers may buy cheaper books in the same genre. If our book is priced to low the reader could pass us by for fear the book is of poor quality and content. We need to find that comfortable middle. What is that you ask? Look at the books that are currently being sold in your genre. Take note of their price. That should give you a range. However, if you are planning to release your book next year or the year after you may want to study this trend for a while. As the market stabilizes I believe the price of books will adjust accordingly.
The great thing about self publishing is that you have the freedom to begin planning for these things in advance. You have the say so in all of it; what your cover looks like, the price, where it will be sold etc... If you plan to get published at a publishing house then you possibly have some time before these items present themselves.
What do you think is the most common mistake an author makes from writing the manuscript to promoting the book?
At the end of yesterday's article we were focused on the title of the book and the cover art. We will start today's article by looking at the other side.
The back cover copy - I think it is safe to say that ninety nine percent of the time a reader will look at the back cover soon after looking at the title and cover of your book. The back cover of the book is a showcase for the author and the main focus of the book's content. If you have a photo on the back cover it should be done professionally and look professional. A reader will look at that photo and decide if they can connect with you by what they interpret from that picture. It might not be the best practice but we do it. At least I do.
Not all back covers have a picture of the author but instead a continuation of the front cover art. That is not a problem at all. The most important part of the back cover is the summary of your book. Basically, your synopsis will be found on the back cover. That synopsis is meant to entice the reader to the point where they need to read your book.
It is amazing how much weight a synopsis has. This is the perfect reason why we need to practice writing a short synopsis. The better we are at capturing our story in as few sentences as possible the more enticing our back covers will be.
Poor distribution - This is a common mistake I believe. In my opinion I would want my book made available in as many ways as possible. Find out which methods of distribution are available to you and make the most of those avenues. This is, however, a viscous circle. Distributors and wholesalers will work with you once you establish a strong sales history but until then it is up to you. You can expand your reach and cater to more readers, while promoting your book, if you have multiple avenues of availability. How can you do that? Through Internet book stores, work out an agreement with the self publishing company to make your book in electronic format as well as print and talk to your local bookstore about hosting a book signing. You may have to give the bookstore a portion of your sales or even a fee to do so but it will open another avenue for you.
No market for your book - This is a tough one. Larger publishing companies want well written books that can catch the interest of the largest audience. Self publishing companies do not work like that. We are responsible to get our book in the readers hand. I think this mistake is not correct. I believe there is a market for any book. The problem is finding that market and getting your book to that market. This is where research comes in. If your book is horror then research horror book fan sites and/or forums. Research who is watching horror movies or who is reading horror books and target that group. Research writing contest and enter if they have a horror category. Anything that will get your name noticed by the market you are trying to reach is worth while. Horror is just an example here. This holds true for any genre.
Wrong Price - Okay, in the current state of the economy this is perhaps the hardest mistake to avoid. While we do not want to price our book to high we do not want to be to low either. If our book is to high potential readers may buy cheaper books in the same genre. If our book is priced to low the reader could pass us by for fear the book is of poor quality and content. We need to find that comfortable middle. What is that you ask? Look at the books that are currently being sold in your genre. Take note of their price. That should give you a range. However, if you are planning to release your book next year or the year after you may want to study this trend for a while. As the market stabilizes I believe the price of books will adjust accordingly.
The great thing about self publishing is that you have the freedom to begin planning for these things in advance. You have the say so in all of it; what your cover looks like, the price, where it will be sold etc... If you plan to get published at a publishing house then you possibly have some time before these items present themselves.
What do you think is the most common mistake an author makes from writing the manuscript to promoting the book?
Feb 3, 2009
Will My Book Sale?
Ever wonder why some books sale like hot cakes and some books you just can't give away? What is the difference between the best seller and the can't get sold? Well, I don't think there is one answer. I have not found the magic bullet that makes a book a best seller. What I did find was an interesting article discussing several common mistakes authors make when publishing their book. Although the article is focused on self-published books I believe these hold true for published books as well.
We will be looking at eight mistakes to avoid. Today we will discuss four of them and tomorrow we will look at the other four. There are other mistakes to be avoided but we are looking at some of the more prominent ones. Now, lets take a look at some of these mistakes.
Poor content and writing - This is not a mistake on the part of the author. This refers to the polishing of the book. Some publishers will forgo the editing and proofing of your book. Although this is a mistake on their part it will reflect badly on you. You are the author so you should have presented your best work possible. That is the general thought process. Lets face it though, grammar is difficult for many of us. After reading a manuscript five or six times you probably think it flows like water. This is where we break from traditional practice. Let a few of your trusted literate peers read your manuscript. A fresh pair of eyes will put a nice polish on your manuscript before it is published.
If your manuscript is already published and there are some problems with the writing then focus
your promoting on the content. Get your inventory out the door even if it means you take an initial loss. When you can go back to the press for your second edition you can upgrade your writing before the printing.
ISBN - We discussed the meaning of ISBN and the importance of an ISBN a few months ago. For this discussion the ISBN takes on a whole new meaning. Perception sales. If your book looks like a book, has the high quality of a book published by the larger publishing company and is presented as such then chances are high it will sale. The ISBN plays a role in this perception. All of us at some time notice the ISBN on the cover. Most of the time too check the price. If your book does not have an ISBN that will send up a red flag to a potential buyer. For example, when you go to a car lot and look at the cars. If the car you are looking at does not have the write up in the window or the warranty information you instantly think something is not right with that car. As odd as it seems there are some self-published books that do not have an ISBN. This is a mistake.
The title of your book - What is the first thing you notice when you pick up a book? Most of you, me included, would say the title. The title needs to grab the reader. A strong title gives a small glimpse into the content of the book. The title is your first and best opportunity to draw the interest of the reader. With that said, your title should be crisp and aggressive. The title should play with the senses. The text should catch the eye, when the reader reads it out loud it should roll off the tongue and most of all it should linger in the mind. Raising interest and curiosity. If your title stumbles or does not seem to capture the story of your book then think about changing it.
Cover Art - Complimenting the title of your book is the cover art. The image a reader connects with the title. Take a moment and think about the title of one of your favorite books. Chances are the cover of that book popped in your mind when you did. That is exactly why we need to have really good cover art on our books. Like the title, the cover art should play on the content of the book itself. Again all three compliment each other. I am sure many of you have seen and/or read financial books. These are very easy to identify because nine times out of ten there is a picture of George Washington from the dollar bill on the cover. Think about your cover before you go to publishing. You don't want to give away your story but you want to entice with an image that portrays your story.
Tomorrow we will look at the other mistakes to avoid as new authors approaching self publishing or publishing. Have you experienced any of these mistakes? Do you know of any mistakes we can add to the list?
We will be looking at eight mistakes to avoid. Today we will discuss four of them and tomorrow we will look at the other four. There are other mistakes to be avoided but we are looking at some of the more prominent ones. Now, lets take a look at some of these mistakes.
Poor content and writing - This is not a mistake on the part of the author. This refers to the polishing of the book. Some publishers will forgo the editing and proofing of your book. Although this is a mistake on their part it will reflect badly on you. You are the author so you should have presented your best work possible. That is the general thought process. Lets face it though, grammar is difficult for many of us. After reading a manuscript five or six times you probably think it flows like water. This is where we break from traditional practice. Let a few of your trusted literate peers read your manuscript. A fresh pair of eyes will put a nice polish on your manuscript before it is published.
If your manuscript is already published and there are some problems with the writing then focus
your promoting on the content. Get your inventory out the door even if it means you take an initial loss. When you can go back to the press for your second edition you can upgrade your writing before the printing.
ISBN - We discussed the meaning of ISBN and the importance of an ISBN a few months ago. For this discussion the ISBN takes on a whole new meaning. Perception sales. If your book looks like a book, has the high quality of a book published by the larger publishing company and is presented as such then chances are high it will sale. The ISBN plays a role in this perception. All of us at some time notice the ISBN on the cover. Most of the time too check the price. If your book does not have an ISBN that will send up a red flag to a potential buyer. For example, when you go to a car lot and look at the cars. If the car you are looking at does not have the write up in the window or the warranty information you instantly think something is not right with that car. As odd as it seems there are some self-published books that do not have an ISBN. This is a mistake.
The title of your book - What is the first thing you notice when you pick up a book? Most of you, me included, would say the title. The title needs to grab the reader. A strong title gives a small glimpse into the content of the book. The title is your first and best opportunity to draw the interest of the reader. With that said, your title should be crisp and aggressive. The title should play with the senses. The text should catch the eye, when the reader reads it out loud it should roll off the tongue and most of all it should linger in the mind. Raising interest and curiosity. If your title stumbles or does not seem to capture the story of your book then think about changing it.
Cover Art - Complimenting the title of your book is the cover art. The image a reader connects with the title. Take a moment and think about the title of one of your favorite books. Chances are the cover of that book popped in your mind when you did. That is exactly why we need to have really good cover art on our books. Like the title, the cover art should play on the content of the book itself. Again all three compliment each other. I am sure many of you have seen and/or read financial books. These are very easy to identify because nine times out of ten there is a picture of George Washington from the dollar bill on the cover. Think about your cover before you go to publishing. You don't want to give away your story but you want to entice with an image that portrays your story.
Tomorrow we will look at the other mistakes to avoid as new authors approaching self publishing or publishing. Have you experienced any of these mistakes? Do you know of any mistakes we can add to the list?
Feb 2, 2009
Should You Have A Blog?
Yes, you read that correctly. For most of us it is too late. We already have one. Should we have one? I think the better question is - why not have one?
These questions came to mind as I was reading an article about being an author and blogging. Before I get to the core of this topic though I would like to share an observation. I, like many of you, have read many articles about writing, blogging, promoting, etc... Often time I am left with the feeling that the writer of that particular article does not keep in mind the new authors such as all of us when writing. There should be a balance, I think, because most of the time new authors are exactly the people reading these articles. The good news is that this is why the New Author is here. To take these informative articles, turn them upside down and see what benefit a new author can receive from it. By doing so we learn more from it and generate great discussions. Okay, lets get back on track.
Should you have a blog? Anyone can have a blog but blogs play a different role for an author. A blog can be a platform, a means for learning, a way of promoting you and your book, a marketing tool and a place to develop your writing style. These benefits are great; however, there are traps to be aware of. As with anything in life there are always two sides to a coin. Lets have a peek at both sides.
A blog as a platform - everyone wants their blog read hence everyone wants a platform. Your platform or audience is important for the obvious reasons. It is important to present yourself in the most honest way possible in order to build a steady/reliable platform. This will allow you to connect with more people and grow your platform. Think of your platform as the launching point to the other items. It takes work to build a platform. If you build it they will come worked in Field of Dreams but not here. How do you build your platform? Visit other sites and leave comments, join forums and invite them to your blog and sign up with directories. Most importantly, have patience. I listed a few ways but there are more.
A blog is a great place to learn and develop your writing style. For new authors this is very true. Learning on your own blog comes from researching your topics and the comments you receive from others. The number one way to ensure your platform grows is by writing interesting and entertaining articles. With that in mind we should focus on writing crisp, clean articles which will lend to developing our style. This is not an easy task as time goes by but through research and developing your writing style the readers will connect to you and come back to read more.
A blog is a great marketing/promotional tool. Again this is true. The problem develops in what and/or how you are promoting. Non-fiction is easier too promote on a blog then fiction. This is because you can blog about topics related to your book. That is the key though; you do not want to promote your book about religion on your blog about political issues. Your blog and manuscript should compliment each other. I know, common sense would say this is true but unfortunately this does happen. All of us fiction authors have a different road to travel. We cannot post articles related to our manuscript so we have to rely on our strength of voice, writing style and content. The great benefit of this is that the readers will connect to you as the author not to your book. They know your writing and will most likely want to read your book because of it.
The article that I read stated that readers do not want to know about your life. I do not agree with this. We should not share our daily life or intimate details but we should let the readers see who we are. They should get to know us through our words. This is the grass roots fan base that will read your articles, buy your books and tell others about you. If they do not know you what will they say? Why will they want to purchase your book?
A blog does take time and is work but it is well worth the effort if you are serious about being an author. A blog is a powerful tool when used properly. This blog has helped me build a platform, learn about writing/publishing/promoting and assist me in the development of my writing style. Most importantly this blog put me in touch with all of you therefore we can help each other. Should you have a blog? Absolutely.
How has your blog helped you?
These questions came to mind as I was reading an article about being an author and blogging. Before I get to the core of this topic though I would like to share an observation. I, like many of you, have read many articles about writing, blogging, promoting, etc... Often time I am left with the feeling that the writer of that particular article does not keep in mind the new authors such as all of us when writing. There should be a balance, I think, because most of the time new authors are exactly the people reading these articles. The good news is that this is why the New Author is here. To take these informative articles, turn them upside down and see what benefit a new author can receive from it. By doing so we learn more from it and generate great discussions. Okay, lets get back on track.
Should you have a blog? Anyone can have a blog but blogs play a different role for an author. A blog can be a platform, a means for learning, a way of promoting you and your book, a marketing tool and a place to develop your writing style. These benefits are great; however, there are traps to be aware of. As with anything in life there are always two sides to a coin. Lets have a peek at both sides.
A blog as a platform - everyone wants their blog read hence everyone wants a platform. Your platform or audience is important for the obvious reasons. It is important to present yourself in the most honest way possible in order to build a steady/reliable platform. This will allow you to connect with more people and grow your platform. Think of your platform as the launching point to the other items. It takes work to build a platform. If you build it they will come worked in Field of Dreams but not here. How do you build your platform? Visit other sites and leave comments, join forums and invite them to your blog and sign up with directories. Most importantly, have patience. I listed a few ways but there are more.
A blog is a great place to learn and develop your writing style. For new authors this is very true. Learning on your own blog comes from researching your topics and the comments you receive from others. The number one way to ensure your platform grows is by writing interesting and entertaining articles. With that in mind we should focus on writing crisp, clean articles which will lend to developing our style. This is not an easy task as time goes by but through research and developing your writing style the readers will connect to you and come back to read more.
A blog is a great marketing/promotional tool. Again this is true. The problem develops in what and/or how you are promoting. Non-fiction is easier too promote on a blog then fiction. This is because you can blog about topics related to your book. That is the key though; you do not want to promote your book about religion on your blog about political issues. Your blog and manuscript should compliment each other. I know, common sense would say this is true but unfortunately this does happen. All of us fiction authors have a different road to travel. We cannot post articles related to our manuscript so we have to rely on our strength of voice, writing style and content. The great benefit of this is that the readers will connect to you as the author not to your book. They know your writing and will most likely want to read your book because of it.
The article that I read stated that readers do not want to know about your life. I do not agree with this. We should not share our daily life or intimate details but we should let the readers see who we are. They should get to know us through our words. This is the grass roots fan base that will read your articles, buy your books and tell others about you. If they do not know you what will they say? Why will they want to purchase your book?
A blog does take time and is work but it is well worth the effort if you are serious about being an author. A blog is a powerful tool when used properly. This blog has helped me build a platform, learn about writing/publishing/promoting and assist me in the development of my writing style. Most importantly this blog put me in touch with all of you therefore we can help each other. Should you have a blog? Absolutely.
How has your blog helped you?
Clancy Goes Digital
Sunday I was reading through the paper when a small article caught my attention. I never thought I would see an article like this in a small West Virginia newspaper. It was exciting to read the article as we have discussed this topic a few times here on the New Author. As an author I took this article as a sign of things to come in the near future. What was the article?
The hunt goes electric: Tom Clancy books to go digital Tuesday. Mr. Clancy's publisher Penguin Group made the announcement last week. The first book will be "The Hunt for Red October" then his other books will follow. All the books will be available in all e-formats.
You may have read this article in your paper. Why is it important to us? It seems that more and more big name authors and publishing companies are getting on board the e-book train. As this happens e-books will draw more and more attention. As new authors it is very possible that our books will be published as e-books first and then released as hard back or paperback. Perhaps even all at the same time.
I do think this is a sign that the new frontier in book publishing is here. I wanted to share this with you as a bonus article for today. My actual article will be posted later.
The hunt goes electric: Tom Clancy books to go digital Tuesday. Mr. Clancy's publisher Penguin Group made the announcement last week. The first book will be "The Hunt for Red October" then his other books will follow. All the books will be available in all e-formats.
You may have read this article in your paper. Why is it important to us? It seems that more and more big name authors and publishing companies are getting on board the e-book train. As this happens e-books will draw more and more attention. As new authors it is very possible that our books will be published as e-books first and then released as hard back or paperback. Perhaps even all at the same time.
I do think this is a sign that the new frontier in book publishing is here. I wanted to share this with you as a bonus article for today. My actual article will be posted later.
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