My Writing Process: Draft Zero to Done by Suzanne Johnson

It's guest Monday time and today author Suzanne Johnson lets us in on her writing process. I always find it fascinating to hear how other people work. It's amazing how there are so many different paths to get to a finished novel. I hope you find it fascinating as well.

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BLOG TOUR ALERT: And coincidentally, today I'm talking about My Crazy Writing Process at the Wytch's Mirror. Guess Suzanne and I had the same thing on our minds, lol.

Also, I'm at the Writerspace blog talking about people's perceptions of me: The Girl Next Door Writes Erotic Romance

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Take it away, Suzanne....

My Writing Process: Draft Zero to Done

by Suzanne Johnson

 

I’ve been going through an online “revise your novel in 30 days” type of course because I have a novel that needs revising, and, well, I’m a bit of a workshop slut. (Is there a twelve-step program for that?)

 

In the beginning days of the workshop, the participants all shared our novel-writing processes. Some had completed multiple novels and had a system well in place; others were still looking for the process that would work for them. What’s fascinating is that, at the end of all these different ways of doing things, a novel came out the other end. Well, usually.

 

I’ve shifted in the past six months from my beginning process, which was a) write book in however long it takes to write and revise it; b) send book to agent; c) work on something else while manuscript is shopped around. It turns out, that’s a leisurely way to work. 

 

Now that I have books under contract, the pace has changed. There are hard *gulp* deadlines when new manuscripts are due—manuscripts that are no more than a twinkle of an idea in my head. Suddenly, the day job seems more onerous. The annoying little household things—you know, like buying groceries and feeding my pets and paying bills—seem to take up too much time. I’ve had to develop a new process.

 

So, here’s the process I’ve used on the last two manuscripts, and will use on the next one, which is due May 15 and is still in that “brain-twinkle” form. I don’t throw this out there because it’s a “right” way to do it, or even that it will work for anyone else—just that it gives me a chance to ask you as writers what your process looks like!

So...INITIAL IDEA is something that usually starts bouncing around in my head while I'm driving or doing something not writing-related. I brainstorm on it a while before anything hits paper (or computer screen). I tend to start with a "big idea" and then build the characters around it. I don’t consider this part of my 90-day-to-novel process since nothing’s written down at this stage.

 

OUTLINE...I spend from one to two weeks working on what I call a plot arc, a detailed outline that averages about 10,000 words. I don't' work out scene specifics, but by the time the plot arc is done, I know what scene falls where, where the book will start, where it will end, what the high-level action points are, about how many chapters I'm going to have, and what the relationship arcs for each character look like against the action arc.

DRAFT ZERO...I do a down-and-dirty draft, start to finish, using my outline as a guide but improvising as things come to me (updating the outline as I go). I call it “draft zero” because it’s so bad it doesn’t even deserve to be called a first draft. Nobody, but nobody, sees this one except me. When I sit down to write, I read over the last two or three paragraphs from the previous day, but no more. I don't do descriptions, setting, or worry about word choice--I'm strictly working on plot and pace. I don't stop to look up words or names of things. When it’s done, my Draft Zero usually runs about 75,000-80,000 words long. My strong suit is grammar/punctuation so that part of it's going to be pretty clean even in DRAFT ZERO stage. It takes from eight-to-ten weeks for me to draft since I work full-time and have freelance obligations that can’t be shirked.

FIRST DRAFT...I take a week to do a thorough front-to-back read. I smooth over rough spots. I add description and dialogue according to a set of questions (i.e., is the character dressed? are there sensory inputs? can the scene be amped up?). By the end of this stage, I should have the manuscript at or near my contract-required 90,000 words. If not, I need to brainstorm ways to add or expand scenes.

At this stage, if I'm on an accelerated deadline, I send the manuscript to beta readers. While they read, I polish. I look at word choice, sentence structure, rhythm, pace. I consider/incorporate suggestions or ideas as they come in from betas. My poor betas have to read quickly, I’m afraid.

FINAL POLISH. I do a final pass, reading aloud when possible, to tinker with anything that doesn't ring true to my characters or story. And off it goes. 

 

Whew, I’m exhausted. But that’s my pace to produce a couple or three books a year while holding down the full-time EDJ (evil day job). What does your process look like? (Yes, I’m looking to steal ideas!)

Suzanne Johnson is an author of urban fantasy “with romantic elements.” Her first book, Royal Street, a magic-based fantasy set in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina, will be released by Tor Books on April 10, 2012. Two more in the series will be released in Fall 2012 and Spring 2013. Find Suzanne online at her Preternatura blog, or read about her books at her website.

*Look for more from Suzanne here every 3rd Monday of the month!

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"Hot and romantic, with an edge of suspense that will keep you entertained.” --Shayla Black, New York Times Bestselling author of SURRENDER TO ME CRASH INTO YOU is now available! Read an excerpt here.

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All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2012 |Copyright Statement|

The 10 Commandments of Successful Authors

As I go through this whole writing journey, I spend a lot of time observing other authors--be it in person or, more likely, on the internet. I want to know what makes one so successful and the other not as much. What makes one likable and another unapproachable. In other words, what separates the good from the great. And so, based on my very unscientific observations, I've come up with my own Ten Commandments. These are the things I've seen successful authors do and the things I strive to emulate.  So here we go...

The Ten Commandments of a Successful Author

1. I will always strive to make the next book better than the last.

This is one that keeps me awake at night sometimes. The desire to make this next book better than the first one, to improve on every new project. We put so much effort into THAT book, you know the one to get the agent and the book deal. It's the best we have to give on a page. Then the dream happens and you're faced with book two and oh, you have a time limit this time, and oh if this one tanks, there may not be another book deal. *breathes into paper bag* The best authors out there manage to do this, even on tight deadlines, even when the check is already in the bank. They keep topping their own work.

2. I will not fear risk.

It's tempting to be safe, to stick to what you know and what you know works. But the best authors don't just put out book after book that follow the same formula. They take risks, they push boundaries, hell, some of them even test out different genre waters. With no risk, there's no challenge. Write the stories you want to write. If some don't work out, that's okay.

3. I will never believe "I'm the sh*t." Well, at least not for an extended period of time.

We've all seen it. The author that hits whatever level and now seems to wear the "I'm the sh*t" tiara. Don't do it. No matter if you top every bestseller list. It's okay when you get a good review or hit a list or write a passage that rocks to think to yourself--yep, I'm kind of rocking it right now. But don't let it go to your head. No one's that awesome. 

4. I shall not wallow in a pool of self-pity and doubt when someone doesn't like me or my writing.

Someone, probably many someones, will absolutely hate your writing. It's inevitable. You can't please everyone. If you let negative feedback get in your head, it will eat away at your confidence like cancer. This goes for rejections too. Feel the sting, eat a piece of chocolate or take a shot of whiskey--whatever you're preference--and move on. 

5. I will never respond to a bad review. 

I said never. You hear? Never. I'm sure most of you saw the brouhaha on Twitter/Facebook/message boards the other day over a writer who lashed out at a reviewer online. At some point in your career, you will want to do this. It's human. You will want to yell, scream, insult, bestow your wrath upon someone who said something bad about your book. 

Don't do it. This is what friends and spouses are for--call them, let it out, cuss. But never lash out publicly or at the reviewer. This will only serve to make you look petty and childish, which will make people not want to deal with you or buy your books. Reviews are for readers, not you. If you can't help reacting, stop reading them. (And remember, the internet is viral. One untoward comment can make the rounds faster than a case of croup at a daycare.)

6. Covet your neighbor's success. A dose of envy does a writer good.

There are all these posts out there about writer envy and jealousy telling you how you shouldn't waste time being envious of other writers and what they have, their level of success, etc.  Yes, that's true. If you spend all your time burning green, you won't get anything else done. BUT, a little bit of this can be helpful. So and so got an agent and you haven't yet? Your crit partner hit the bestseller list but you can't seem to? Feel that envy and USE it. Use it as kindling under your butt and light a fire to keep going, to get what you want, to grab that success too. Envy with motivation can be very productive. Envy with whining and no action is what you need to avoid.

7. "Good enough" will never be good enough.

The best authors don't settle for good enough. If you've sold a bazillion books and you already have a deal for the next and everyone is lining up just for the privilege of sharing your air, it could be tempting to just write something that's "good enough". But the best authors don't. They put as much heart and guts into every book they put out every time.

8. I will not apologize for what I write.

Do not apologize for your passion. There are stigmas against all kinds of genres, not just romance like I talked about last week. But this is your writing, your story, and your blood on the page. Playing down what you write is playing down who you are. I know this one will be tough for me because once my book comes out, people in my life will know exactly what I write. I know some will judge me for it. I won't apologize for it. I'm proud of it.

9. I shall pay it forward.

The best writers give back. No we can't help others all the time. If Stephen King answered every email from a newbie on how to be a writer, he'd never get anything done. But he did write On Writing, which is a way of giving back what he's learned (even though, granted, he did make money writing that book.) So no matter how busy you get, try to find time to help others out. Maybe it's to offer a query crit to someone who hasn't queried before, maybe it's having a blog that gives information that everyone can benefit from, maybe it's volunteering your time at conferences or judging a contest. Whatever it is, find something. Think of those who've helped you in your journey. Don't you want to be one of those people another writer can think of?

10. Don't forget to have fun--you love this, dumbass. (Even when it's hard.)

It's easy to get caught up in the day to day--this chapter is so hard, I  have a saggy middle, why won't these agents answer my queries--rut. But never forget, this is your dream. Enjoy the act of writing. And good Lord, if you do become published, don't spend your time whining about the minutiae. It's okay for authors to tweet if they're struggling with an edit or whatever, but too much of that sounds like a whole bunch of whine. This is what your private group of writer friends are for. That's where you can whine because it CAN be hard sometimes and it can be overwhelming. But it's still a dream job. So many people want this. If you get to be successful at it, be thankful and for heaven's sake, enjoy it! You get to make stuff up for a living and pants are optional.

So those are the ten writing commandments I'm working toward, what are some of yours? Which would you add? And which authors do you think emulate these things?

3 Tips for Writing Paranormals by Mina Khan

This week we have not just one but two guests! Feels a little strange because that means I'm not blogging on here except for Friday's round up. But when I have guests with great things to say, I can't resist! 
So today I'm welcoming back Mina Khan who is debuting Nov. 1 with Harlequin. Congrats, Mina!
Now, over to Mina...

3 Tips for Writing Paranormals

by Mina Khan

Hi all!Thank you Roni for having me over again!

I loveRoni’s thought-provoking blog posts that make me think and always teach mesomething new. So when she invited me blog here to celebrate my upcomingrelease – THE DJINN’S DILEMMA, available Nov. 1, I wanted to try and uphold herstandard.

I writeParanormal Erotic Romance because, well, that’s what I love to read.  I like a story that helps me escape the chaosof ordinary life (having kids, cats & dogs will do that) with itsparanormal elements, that brings together love and spicy sex for combustiblechemistry. Mmm, delicious!

So itsaddens me to hear predictions like the paranormals are on the way out,vampires are dead (actually, they are the undead…so there!) and the market isglutted, so new stories aren’t selling. Here’s what I believe: there’s alwaysroom for a good story with great characters.

The bestthing about being a paranormal writer is bringing to life the fantasticcreatures that haunt our dreams and live in the shadows of our psyche. Thehardest thing is bringing them alive in readers’ minds. Here are some tips Ipicked up in my writing journey:

1.       Look within you. You can assign thesame topic to five separate writers and end up with five very different storiesbecause people are individuals. We all bring our own brand of fears, secrets,desires, and experiences to the writing table. Use them and you will create newtwists and unique creatures. 

For my novella, THE DJINN’S DILEMMA,I delved into stories of djinns and ghosts from my Bengali childhood, broughtin my experience as a journalist in Texas, and added a liberal dash of what Ilove about men as a grown woman. J

2.       Yes, you’re writing monsters andcreatures, but make them real, almost flesh and blood.  I’m not saying they have to be human in anyphysical sense, but they have to be real and relatable for readers. Things Ilove about my hero Rukh O’Shay include his sense of humor and his take on life.When he hurt, I hurt. I actually cried when I wrote one scene toward the end.

3.       Have fun, stretch your imagination,and then make it plausible. Since this is your world, populated by yourcreatures, don’t limit yourself. Write what you want to write. Rukh, my djinnassassin, melts into shadows and controls air, he flies around all over Austinwithout an airplane, and he pops in on the heroine (the Texas journalist) inthe middle of a shower.  All completelyfun…and plausible within the context of the story.

As a writerI love letting my imagination run and play with crazy possibilities. Some daysI feel quite a bit like Dr. Frankenstein. How fun would it be to have a ghostwho’s scared of the dark or a super-model who turns into a hairy werewolf? So,if you were coming up with paranormal characters, what kind of specialcreatures would you create?

MinaKhan is a Texas-based writer and food enthusiast. She daydreams of hunkyparanormal heroes, magic, mayhem and mischief and writes them down as stories.Between stories, she teaches culinary classes and writes for her local newspaper.Other than that, she's raising a family of two children, two cats, two dogs anda husband.

You canfind her on facebook www.facebook.com/Mina.Khan.Author

Her websitehttp://minakhan.blogspot.com/

or ontwitter @SpiceBites

The Djinn's Dilemma will be available Nov. 1 from HarlequinNocturne’s Cravings line.

Blurb: Rukh O'Shay,half-djinn and assassin, is used to taking out the bad guys. But his latestassignment, Texas Journalist Sarah White, is nothing like he expected. Aglimpse of her bright aura reveals her gentle spirit, while her beauty makeshim long for only one thing—to taste her.
Sarah sharesthe raw desire to connect with Rukh. He can turn her on with a glance, andsatisfies needs she didn't even know she had.
But Rukh hadbeen hired to kill her—and the only way to save her is to find out who wantsher dead before someone else finishes the job….

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"Revved up and red-hot sexy, CRASH INTO YOU, delivers a riveting romance!" --Lorelei James, NY Times Bestselling author of the ROUGH RIDERS series
CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order! Read an excerpt here.

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All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

Don't Be a Poser: Write What You Love

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of hearing author Tracy Wolff speak at my local RWA meeting. Her talk was about finding your place in the market. I figured the talk would be about what's hot, what's not, if you should go traditional or indie, that kind of thing. And she did discuss some of that.

But really, what the talk ended up being about and what I took from it was that you have to write what you love and what speaks to you.

Well, duh? Right.

Not really, actually. Tracy talked about how her debut book, a sexy, suspenseful romance, was the one that got her the first book deal. However, instead of it being bought as a sexy romance, the publisher wanted her to amp it up a bit to fit in the erotic romantic suspense genre. She agreed to that and got a multi-book deal, which meant she signed up to write more erotic romances.

However, she discovered that erotic romance wasn't really what came naturally to her or her style of writing. So she wrote her books and they didn't do as well as she'd hoped. After that, she moved on to write Harlequins, a paranormal series under a new name, and young adult. And she found her place in those genres and the books are doing well.

Now you may be thinking--oh, I know what I'm writing and it's what I love. Yeah, but what happens if an agent or publisher asks you to change that? 

When Sara signed me, she originally wanted me to dial up the suspense in my romance so that it was more erotic romantic suspense than contemporary erotic romance. I readily agreed to that because a) I loved Sara and liked the vision she had and b) I thought--sure, I can do that. I love suspense.

Yeah, well, I did it. I changed some things, pumped up the suspense, sent it back to Sara. And promptly got a  note from her basically saying in her very nice way--this isn't working, let's call a do-over. :)

What it came down to is that I am a character-driven writer whose main focus is the romance. I put suspense in my stories, but it is a subplot. My heart is with the romance and that showed when I tried to change the book into something different. Sara, luckily, recognized that and set me to rights. We did another major edit and brought the story's central focus solidly on the couple and my heroine's journey. Then we went on submission and the rest is history.

So, back to my point about not inadvertently becoming a poser. There are always going to be things that may be selling better than others. For instance, erotic romance sells well. So many times you see someone who prefers to write sweet romance or straight up suspense or whatever jump into that pool because there is a demand for it. But you know what often happens with that? The stories fall flat.

I can almost *feel* it when I'm reading an erotic romance by someone who is not totally comfortable in the genre. There are sex scenes that seem forced (not in a rape-y way, forced meaning they don't belong in that part of the story.) There's language (and dirty talk) that doesn't come across as authentic. In the BDSM subgenre, you see mistakes that show that the author hasn't done their research into that lifestyle. It doesn't work.

I write erotic romance because it's what I love to read, because it's the type of stories that come (*snicker*) to me. I also love young adult and read a lot in that genre. The first book I wrote was YA, and I haven't ruled out trying my hand at again one day. But say, high fantasy stories became super hot and trendy. I wouldn't be able to write one of those to save my life. I don't read them, I've never watched Lord of the Rings (I can hear the collective gasp on that one), it's not my thing. Even if I did all the research I could, my story would not be authentic.

So try to find the balance between writing a story that you think will sell with writing the story that you are passionate about. Your reader will feel that passion (and will be able to spot the lack thereof if it's not there.)

Have you ever found yourself tempted to write something "trendy" because you think it will give you a better chance? Have you ever read a book where you can tell the author isn't really a fit for the genre?

Fill-Me-In Friday

Yay, it's Friday! And that means it's time for my favorite links of the week....

On Writing and Promotion:

5 Reasons I'll Read Your Blog by Wendy Thomas Russell

9 Non-Technical Tips To Finding Readers For Your Blog on Marketing Tips

Getting Feedback That Makes You Want to Cry by Jody Hedlund

Heavy Promoting is BLOODY Annoying by Louise Wise

The Myth of the 99-cent Ebook by Baekdal

The Twitter Thanking Crisis by Nina Bazdin

Not Everyone Likes You by Amber West

What Your Twitter Bio Says About You by January Nelson

Goodreads Launches a Book Recommendation Service (a la Netflix Recs) by Techland

Getting Yourself Out There in 30 Minutes or Less by Elana Johnson

So What's an Author to Do? by Wendy Lawton (The follow-up post to the post that sparked my Is Blogging Dead? post this week.)

Writing Your Fears at Writer Unboxed

What You Missed on the Author Blog:

Not the Boyfriend of the Week - My Top 7 Girl Crushes

Why Netflix Has Me Eating Low Carb

What You May Have Missed Here:

Steampunk, Werewolves, and Spaceships--What's That All About

by Suzanne Johnson

Is Blogging Dead?

(lots of great comments on this one)

My Faves from the Tumblr this week:

This made me LOL--bigger pic here

Bigger pic here

So those are some of my favorite links of the week, what were some of yours? Fill me in via the comments. Hope everyone has a fab weekend!


*All links open in the same window. If you don't want to leave this list, right click and choose "open in a new window". I'm trying to figure out how to get the links to open up in a new window in Blogger without having to individually alter the html of each link. If anyone knows of a way to do it globally for all posts, please let me know. Thanks!

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"Hot and romantic, with an edge of suspense that will keep you entertained.” --Shayla Black, New York Times Bestselling author of SURRENDER TO ME

CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order!

Read an excerpt here.

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All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

Speak Out With Your Geek Out: My Contribution

Today's post is not about writing, well not directly anyway. Today I'm participating in the campaign

Speak Out with Your Geek Out. When I first saw the info about this earlier in the week via Chuck Wendig's blog, I knew I had to participate. Definitely go here and learn what's it's all about. But to give you the gist, it's a week (Sept. 12-16) of celebrating why it's great to be different, to be you, and to be a geek. A week to show that we, the geeks of the world, can be positive role models. A week to share what hobbies and interests make you all giddy inside.

So I know it's going to come as a shock, but I wasn't in the popular crowd in school. I know, it's breaking news. *snort* I was, and still am, the quiet girl who would rather read a book than hang out at a party. I've always kept a very small group of friends (fellow geeks usually) who I can relax and be my dorky self around.  

In school, I kind of learned to hide the more "uncool" aspects of myself or my hobbies. I don't think I even told anyone that I was writing a book sophomore year even though that was all I thought about. My goal was to blend in. If you blended in, no one made fun of you, you just went unnoticed, which was fine by me. Well, except when it came to boys, I would've liked to have been noticed by them a little more, lol. But alas, I had no one to take me to junior prom, I didn't have my first date until 16--and even then it wasn't someone I met through school, and I tended to get caught in the "friend" zone with guys.

But even with all that, I never wanted to be someone else or be in the popular crowd. I didn't like what they liked, I didn't understand how they acted, and I knew if somehow I worked my way into that group, I'd be totally bored. So in a way, I've always been pretty damn comfortable with being a geek. 

And as I've grown older, I've learned to wear it more as a badge of honor than something to hide. The people I love and respect the most in my life are oddballs too. My parents, my husband, my closest friends.

And that may be part of the reason that when I found out my son may be diagnosed with high-functioning autism or Asperger's (he's still getting evaluated), I didn't totally freak out. Everything I read about Asperger's says things like--they have intense interest in certain subjects, they are often wildly smart, they don't understand or play the social games that others play, they can be brutally honest. And really, I don't wish this for him because if this is what he has, his life will be more difficult. But on the other hand, what's wrong with having passionate interests, with being honest, with not engaging in those social games we use to manipulate each other? It's sounds oddly similar to being a "geek".

So when people find out that he's being evaluated for this and say "Oh, I'm so sorry." I think to myself--don't be, it's going to be okay. He's amazing. My kid has been reading since two and a half, he knows the makes and models of every car that passes on the road at age 4, he has a photographic memory that absolutely stuns me. The fact that he hasn't yet figured out how to have a social conversation is okay. We'll get there.

So when I say I'm proud to be a geek and to know and love geeks, I mean it. Being "like everyone else" doesn't appeal to me at all. Who wants to be generic? *shudders*

Therefore, here is my contribution to Speaking Out with My Geek Out. These are things that I geek out over:

• Books (duh)
• Writing related things like conferences and craft books (also duh)
• Cooking (Don't even ask me how many cookbooks I have. My favorite gift my husband gave me on our first Christmas was a fancy can opener. And a trip to the gourmet grocery store gets me giddy.)
• 80s hair metal (Yes, I'm the girl who is still going to see Motley Crue, Poison, Def Lepard, etc. in concert on a regular basis.)
• New Kids on the Block (yes, still.)
• 80s movies (I'm highly nostalgic in general.)
• Guitar Hero (me on Guitar, hubs on drums)
• Office supplies (hours can be lost in a Staples)
• Romantic movies and TV Shows (Things like pulling out my DVDs and watching all the seasons of Dawson's Creek or Friends over a multi-month marathon or watching Dirty Dancing for the bazillionth time.)
• IKEA (do I have to explain this one?)
• LSU Football (my friends used to want to go to the games to socialize, but I spent my time yelling at bad calls and acting like the boys)
• Weather (totally fascinated by it)

The list could go on, but I won't bore you. : ) Hell, I'm surprised you've read this far. 

So if you consider yourself a geek, wave that flag proud. If I hadn't been such a nerd about reading and writing in high school, I never would've ended up with a career I absolutely totally adore. If all the boys had fallen at my feet, I wouldn't have had the need to conjure up romantic fictional stories in my head. My weirdness has served me well.

Do you consider yourself a geek? What do you geek out about? What hobbies/interests did you/do you keep under wraps until you trust the person? And if you decide to join this campaign with a post, feel free to leave a link in the comments!

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"Revved up and red-hot sexy, CRASH INTO YOU, delivers a riveting romance!"

--Lorelei James, NY Times Bestselling author of the ROUGH RIDERS series

Creating Strong Female Characters by Sierra Godfrey

 

Welcome again to genre Monday! Today I have the funny and talented Sierra Godfrey who will be sharing posts every 5th Monday of the month on topics related to women's fiction and/or marketing and promotion. Though today her post can definitely be helpful across all genres because none of us want to create a wimpy heroine. Ick.

So over to you Sierra...

Creating Strong Female Characters by Sierra Godfrey

In April, I had a baby boy. I also have a four year old son, which means I’ve become very much outnumbered by males in my house. Sometimes I have to work to understand them, I admit. My four year old is at the stage where he’s exploring and playing with his parts almost nonstop, and my infant son uncannily pees on me at diaper changing time with an arc of urine that boggles the mind in its reach. (In fact, right after I birthed him, he celebrated our post-utero bond by soaking me with pee. Kind of the same way you break a champagne bottle on a newly commissioned boat.)

Anyway, with all that male in my house, I found myself recently pondering strong female characters. Well, to be honest, I’ve always been interested in them. Some of the greats that come to mind:

• Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games


• Lisbeth Salander from The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo


• Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice


• Claire from the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon

Because I write women’s fiction, creating a strong female character is of particular interest to me. Strong leading ladies are independent, smart, and plucky. But there are some other key elements to strong female characters:

She’s got it hard
Create sympathy with your character, but don’t overdo it. Put her harm’s way, trot her through hardship, or dump a heap of bad circumstances on her. She’ll come through it swimmingly and without feeling sorry for herself if she’s strong.

She’s relatable
Strong women are also normal ones--and we want to see that we can identify with her. Then when she doesn’t cave under pressure, or she takes high road, it’s particularly satisfying because we know that could be us, too.

She’s witty
Funny ladies are also usually smart ones. We like a sense of humor and a good attitude. There are notable exceptions to this rule--Scarlett O’Hara is one. She’s got a terrible attitude and is super selfish, but she also nails the sympathy vote.

She has great inner conflict
She’s fearless, she’s sure, and she takes action. Great! Strong character, right? Well, no. We want some inner conflict that shows she’s also human, that she struggles with the same doubts that we do, that she works her way through life figuring things out as she does, just like us. But she does these things with grace and with ultimate success. She doesn’t hurt people on the way toward solving her conflict, either. She’s a fighter--and we love her because we know she’ll fight her way to solve her conflict.

The above traits don’t just apply for strong female characters, but serve as a good blueprint for all characters.

What are some of your favorite strong female characters? What are some of the things you've done to make your ladies strong?

Sierra's recommended read for August:

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
In the small village of Edgecombe St. Mary in  the English countryside lives Major Ernest Pettigrew (retired), the  unlikely hero of Helen Simonson’s wondrous debut. Wry, courtly,  opinionated, and completely endearing, the Major leads a quiet life  valuing the proper things that Englishmen have lived by for generations:  honor, duty, decorum, and a properly brewed cup of tea. But then his  brother’s death sparks an unexpected friendship with Mrs. Jasmina Ali,  the Pakistani shopkeeper from the village. Drawn together by their  shared love of literature and the loss of their spouses, the Major and  Mrs. Ali soon find their friendship blossoming into something more. But  village society insists on embracing him as the quintessential local and  regarding her as the permanent foreigner. Can their relationship  survive the risks one takes when pursuing happiness in the face of  culture and tradition?

The character of Mrs. Jasmina Ali is a fantastic example of a strong woman. She has a wonderful dignity, she's resolved, she's smart and funny, and she has great inner conflict.

Sierra  has enjoyed crafting stories for as long as she can remember. She  especially likes stories that feature women who grow from the choices  they face—and get the guy at the end. She's a member of RWA and RWA-WF, the women's fiction special interest  chapter, and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, two  little boys, and two annoying cats. She is always working on a story. When she's not writing stories, she works as a freelance technical writer and designer.

Find Sierra at her blog or on Twitter.

Thanks, Sierra! And remember that all of our guest contributors have their own blogs, so if you like what they have to say here, be sure to check them out on their own blogs as well. :)

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    All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

Author Intrusion: 12 Pitfalls To Avoid

What should be one of the key goals of an author when writing?  

To be invisible.  

Writers are the ultimate behind the scenes people.  Besides our name on the front cover, the reader should not realize that we are the ones actually telling them what's happening.  Instead, as they start reading, readers should be swept into a story told (shown) by our characters.  

The last thing you want to do is break them from the magic of the story and their "suspended disbelief" to wave a big sign in their face that says "Hey, author here!  What's up?"  Doing so is called author or authorial intrusion.  Here's a definition:

Authorial intrusion is where you express a personal opinion about a character, situation or scene. Or where you describe anything your characters could not be aware of. (source)

This technique was used often in Victorian era novels when the author wanted to state their opinion on how crappy they thought some political situation was or whatever.  It was also used in gothic horror novels to let you know something sinister was going on outside of the main character's knowledge.  However, these days, this device has gone out of fashion to the point of being considered an error except in very rare circumstances.    (I haven't read them, but I've heard the Lemony Snicket books use this device successfully.)

*Added note: Some in the comments have referred to this being a 1st person/3rd deep POV issue vs. a omniscient 3rd POV. That is true. If you are in omniscient POV you can say what you want because you are from the all-knowing perspective. However, especially in genre fiction, 3rd omniscient is a tough sell and has gone a bit out of style. It was much more popular in the 19th century. It IS done still. And can be done well.  But, in general, it creates distance between the reader and the characters, and unless used by someone with a very deft hand can create the tendency for the author to head hop. So be aware that you can use this POV and not worry about author intrusion, but you may face different challenges with trying to get your readers to truly sink into the heads and hearts your characters.

Now, most likely you aren't going off on long asides to share political commentary, but these AI (author intrusion) moments can pop up in much more subtle ways.  Here's what to watch out for...

Twelve Pitfalls of Author Intrusion

1. Foretelling

This is where the author inserts things like "Jane had no idea that one decision would change everything." OR 

"Little did Jane know that as she curled up in bed the killer was watching her every move from his hiding spot in the closet."

See how this pulls us right out of the story?  We're suddenly not with Jane anymore.  Instead, we're up in the heavens looking down at the scene with the all-knowing author--distant and detached.  Plus, how much more suspenseful is it if we don't know about the killer, but instead Jane hears an unfamiliar creak of the floorboards or she gets the feeling that she's not alone?

2. Telling us things the character couldn't know (for 1st person and 3rd deep/limited POV)

Jane sat on the curb in the rain and closed her eyes, letting the deluge soak her clothes.  Shoppers hurried by her, huddling under umbrellas and giving her strange looks.

If her eyes are closed, how can she know how shoppers are looking at her?

Jane held the yoga move until her face turned red with strain.  OR a pained expression crossed Jane's face.

If we're in Jane's POV, she can't see the color or expression on her own face.  You can say her cheeks heated because she can feel that or she grimaced because we know how to make our face do that.

"We need to talk about this," Jane said, crossing her arms over her chest and staring at Bill.  No way was she going to let him dodge the discussion this time.  She needed closure. 

Bill stood and walked to the window to avoid looking at her.

We're still in Jane's POV.  She can't really know why Bill walked away--she can guess, but not truly know unless she's a mind reader.  So just describe the action and let the reader assume why.  Or, you can say something with a thought from the MC like "Bill stood and walked to the window.  God, could he not even bear to look at her?"  OR show that she's guessing "Bill stood and walked to the window, apparently too angry to even look at her."

3. Describing things that the character would never notice.

Bob loved how the Vera Wang dress hugged Jane's curves.

Okay, unless Bob is into fashion or she just told him the designer's name, he's not going to know or care to mention the dress designer.  Only describe things and parts of settings that your character would notice.  This is also a voice issue, but is related to author intrusion because it reminds us that someone else besides Bob is telling this story.

**The above section is from a previous post, but I found a GREAT article in the Romance Writers Report (the magazine RWA members get.) So, I'm going to add author Sherry Lewis' tips to the ones I've already covered. Don't miss the full article though "There's Not Enough Room For Both of Us." Totally fab info.**

4. All your characters sound the same.

This usually means all your characters sound like YOU. Make sure your characters have their own speaking patterns.

5. Burly Detective Syndrome

 (I love Sherry's terms, lol.)

Jane climbed over the fence to get away from the man. The young policewoman crouched behind the dumpster hoping the man wouldn't see her. 

Jane would not think of herself as the young policewoman. It's sometimes tempting to do this so we don't keep using her name or "she", but this is not the answer.

6. Perky Sidekick Syndrome

This is where you have a secondary character just there to lecture the MC and to tell the readers things you think they should know about the MC.

7. Information Dumping

We all know this is dangerous, but look out because it can sneak in to the narrative in so many ways. The best test is to ask: "Would the character be thinking about this in this moment and why?" Don't just toss in a memory/backstory because it's convenient in that spot. Something must spark that memory.

She threw her engagement ring at him and yelled. "This is so over!" They had been dating for nearly four years and had met at their jobs. He'd been the lawyer who had mentored her when she first started at Fancy Pants law firm.

Dude, she's throwing the ring at him and breaking off he engagement. She is not going to be thinking about what jobs they had when they met.

This also can pop up if you've done a lot of research on your book and you want to squeeze in all that info. 

8. Paying too much attention to the setting or not enough.

You want to ground your readers. Don't just jump into a scene without giving us at least a little something about the surroundings. Paint the picture. BUT also don't go into long narrative descriptions unless your character would somehow being paying that close of attention.

For instance, if your character is in thoughtful mode, staring out at the forest, they would probably notice little fine details like the different kinds of trees. However, if they are running for their lives, they are only going to know what is right in front of them--branches scratching their face, vines tripping them, whatever. 

9. Lecturing

Nothing annoys me more than when I'm reading a book and then all of sudden you hear the author jump on their soapbox to lecture about some moral or societal issue via their character. If you want your story to have a moral SHOW it, don't tell it. If you want to tell teens--drugs are dangerous, show characters who make bad choices and then suffer consequences. Do not have you MC be like:

"Those kids over there are the stoners," she said to the new girl. "I would steer clear of them. All that crap they're doing is going to melt their brains. Anyone who thinks spending your day smoking weed is going to get you anywhere is crazy."

The thunk you just heard is your reader throwing the book against the wall.

10. Putting the Cart Before the Horse

This is when you have the reaction or result before the action. I'm guilty of this and have to watch it. Look for the word "when", "after", (and sometimes  "as") to catch these.

She screamed when a man jumped out of her closet.

We're in her head, she wouldn't scream before she saw what happened. Things need to happen in correct sequence.

11. Switching the Style of the Writing Around

If we're in your character's head, we're in it. So don't get all flowery and formal when describing a scene, then go back to the short clipped sentences of your detective MC. 

Everything is seen through your POV character's eyes, so make sure it's all in his/her voice.

12. Rehashing information for the sake of the reader through dialogue.

Do not have characters discussing things they would've already covered. Sherry refers to this as the "as you know, Bob" conversation. 

"Yes, Bob, as we discussed last month, the department is really struggling with this issue."

I'm sure their are more examples, but I think these are a pretty good place to start. And if you are a member of RWA, be sure to read Sherry's full article, there's much more information in there. :)

So have you seen yourself pop up in your manuscript with a big "hello, i'm here" sign?   Do you struggle with any of these?  Have you read any books that use this device effectively?

*This is a revamped post from Nov. 2010*

Guest Blogging Etiquette: Let's Make a Deal

So if you've been blogging for any amount of time, you've probably had some experience with guest blogging--either inviting people onto your own site or doing a post on someone else's site. It's a great thing to do to cross promote and once you've got a book coming out, it's often a big piece of your marketing. Blog tours are all the rage because the internet is a great place to find readers and build word of mouth.

I get requests on a pretty regular basis both to be a guest on other sites and from people wanting to do a post here. It seems once you get past 500 or so followers, a good number of people want to hang out on your site. :) That's awesome. I love doing guests posts and I certainly love having people stop by here.

However, there is some etiquette that goes along with this process. Some people follow it and others fail miserably. So I figured I would give some quick tips I've gathered from my experience that may help you navigate the guest blogging waters.

If you are going to ask someone to be on your site...

1. Be polite when asking and give them a clear out so you don't put them on the spot. (i.e. if you're too busy, I completely understand.)

2. Give them an ample amount of time to get back to you, but it is best to give them a deadline
Don't say, "Hey, I'd love you to be a guest, can you get me a post by next week?" Give them a few weeks minimum. And you can give them an open-ended--whenever you can--kind of deadline. BUT, be warned--this may result in less success of getting that post. I am an epic failure at saying "yes" to open-ended, can you guest post for me sometime and then I never get to it. (To those of you waiting for a post from me, I'm sorry. I plan to go on a guest blogging marathon after I get done with this draft.)

3. Provide options.
A guest post takes a lot of time. I can whip out a daily post over here in under an hour, but when I know I'm going to be on someone else's site, I feel more pressure to get it perfect, for it to be epic. So, it takes more effort and time. Therefore, if you really want someone on your site, maybe offer to interview them instead of a guest post. This makes it easier for the person to just answer questions and not have to come up with a topic, etc.

4. If you are going to ask for a post (not an interview), provide suggestions for topics you might like to see from them (while also leaving it open for them to choose whatever topic they want.)
It is SO helpful when someone approaches me for a guest post when they say--hey, maybe you could do something on yadda yadda yadda. I may not know what topics they've already covered on their own blog, so this saves me from having to research what's already been covered on that site.

5. Once you get their post and schedule it, email the person on the day (or day before) the post is going to go live.
This a) reminds the person and b) gives them a the chance to do some promotion for you and send people there.

If you want to approach someone to be on their blog...

1. Do your research and know that blog/blogger (at least a little bit).
I have a pet peeve about people emailing me wanting to post here (to promote their book) and I've NEVER had any interaction with them. They don't follow the blog, have never left a comment, have never talked to me on Twitter, etc. They're a complete and total stranger. I feel like they stumbled across my blog, saw I have 1200 followers and said--ooh, ooh, let me hawk my wares here! I love promoting other authors, but my blog isn't here as an advertisement board for anyone who wants to stick a flyer up.

2. Offer the blogger a number of options--an interview, guest blog, contest/giveaway.
Show them that you can provide whatever type of post they need. And just like the reverse of the above, an interview is more work for the host blogger, so don't just offer that. It's also a lot of work to ask someone to review your book. That means they have to have time to read it, like your genre, etc. When people email me asking if I can interview them or review their book, I usually respond with--can you do a guest post instead? I just don't have time lately to come up with interview questions specific to you and your book.

3. If you get the go ahead to do the guest blog, make sure you send something with quality content, no typos, and include your bio and pic.
Don't make the blogger have to correct your work.

4. Get the post to the person on time. And do not ask them to send you a reminder. 
If they give you a deadline, keep it. And it's your job to remember when it's due--they are doing you a favor.

5. Promote that post on your own blog when it goes live. This helps you and the host blogger.

6. Always offer to reciprocate. If they let you on their blog, let them know they are welcome to stop by yours.

Overall: The key to remember with all of this is to know who is holding the power in the exchange (can you tell I write BDSM romance?) The person who benefits more from what the other person has to offer has to go out of their way to make it as convenient as possible for the other.

For instance, if I want my book reviewed on some big book blogger site--the power is in their hands. I'm the one who has to go out of my way. But if a brand new author who just self-published wants me to do a feature on their book here where I have a big following of potential readers, then I'm the one holding more cards. Sounds kind of snotty, but it is what it is. You'll be on both sides of the equation at some point.

So what do you think? Have you had any negative guest blogging experiences? How do you like to be approached for a guest blog?

How To Amp Up Sexual Tension In Your Story

Kidlet's dolls having a special moment

Today's topic...sexual tension. From YA all the way to the steamiest of romances, this is a vital ingredient if you have any kind of romance thread whatsoever. Even if a kiss never happens, you can have you're reader sweating through the will they/won't they tension so bad that even if the characters grab each others hands you're holding your breath.

Romance writers are known for this talent, but YA is also a fabulous genre that does this well. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare is a good example. The tension between Jace and Clary is palpable. Sexual tension is also a huge part of the appeal of Twilight. Each are so aware of each other, but a mere touch or kiss could cause Edward to lose control. And of course, in tv shows, this is the workhorse. Dawson's Creek (pic above) held me for all seven (?) seasons with their use of sexual tension. Oh how I love Joey and Pacey, but I digress.

So how do we create this tension so that when you finally give your reader the big payoff--the kiss, the I love you, the bom-chicka-wah-wah, whatever is right for your story, you have your reader cheering.

To build tension:

Make the attraction that each feels for the other obvious to the reader.

--The characters are hyper aware of all the little details of the person when he/she is around. Use all the senses not just sight.

No conflict=no tension

--Make sure there are good reasons why these two can't be together--internal and external. Bella and Edward can't get together because, well, he may kill her.

Use internal dialogue

--The hero may be clenching his hands at his sides, but tell us why. The urge to reach out and touch the heroine's hair is overwhelming him.

Always on each other's mind

--If your hero and heroine aren't together in a scene, then have their thoughts go to the other so that we know he/she can't get the other off his/her mind.

Patience, grasshopper

--Don't relieve the tension too quickly. Frustration must build and build. There's a reason why the first love scene doesn't usually happen until 2/3 the way through a book.

Here we go, wait, not so fast

--Give you characters a taste of what they could have, then make them stop. This is the famous device on sitcoms where they start to kiss, but then someone burst in to interrupt. It doesn't have to be that obvious. One of the characters could be the one to stop (usually for some internal reason related to the conflict between them.)

It's addictive

--Once you do let the two get together the first time (be that a kiss or full out lovin'), leave them wanting more. Instead of satisfying their need/curiosity/etc., they want each other even more. Now they know what they could have if not for all that pesky conflict. Damn those mean authors who put so much in their way.

When all looks like it's going to work out, pull them apart again.

--Romantic comedy movies do this all the time. The characters seem to resolve some conflict and get together. Oh but wait, there's more! Some conflict wedges between them again.

--Don't resolve the relationship until very near the end. Otherwise, the reader will lose interest.

Source: Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies

So how about you? Does your novel have a romance or undercurrent of one? What author do you read that is a master at creating sexual tension? (I love Charlaine Harris for this. I wait with bated breath for my Eric and Sookie scenes.)

*updated post from 2009

Ten Components of a Rocking Author Website

Photo by Benjamin Cook

I've been mulling over the whole website thing for a while now. I have a separate, static author website (www.roniloren.com). I did it myself. It's fine. Meh. (UPDATE: I've now redone my website, so that link should take you to the new one! It's still one I did myself, but I think it's a whole lot better.) But I really want something swankier for when my book releases. Unfortunately, a professionally done site is not cheap. So for now, I'm going to have to wait.

However, that doesn't mean I can't research, right? So, spurred by a question from the lovely Ashley March, I started looking into what the best author websites do right. This time I will focus on published author sites because Sierra Godfrey did a post on here a while back with website tips for the pre-published author--see that here.)

FOR AN UPDATED AND EXPANDED VERSION OF THE POST see: 13 Steps to Creating an Author Website Readers Will Love

Makings of  a Great Author Website

1. Make sure a drunk monkey could navigate it.

Please, please, please make it easy for me to find whatever I'm looking for. I don't want to have to dig. I will move on. Make the design eye-catching but clean (ignore my busy blog design, this is a do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do thing. I'm a mom, I get to do that now.) Oh, and DO NOT HAVE MUSIC that auto-plays. 

2. Make it easy to read about and buy your books.

I'm amazed at how many author websites bury the info about their books like they're some sort of prize at the bottom of the cereal box. I want to be able to see the following:
a) The books you have out now with blurbs AND covers
b) The books that are upcoming and their blurbs and covers once available
c) Buttons where I can choose if I want to buy it on Amazon or whatever.
d) If you write series, LABEL them and put the books in order so that I know which comes first. It's sometimes hard to tell on Amazon what the order of a series is. Please help your readers with this.

3. A photo of you. Not your avatar or cat. You!

Get over your I-hate-all-pictures-of-myself thing. EVERYONE except maybe those kids on Jersey Shore hates pictures of themselves. It's normal. But I as a nosy reader want to put a face with the author name. And I don't care if you don't look like a supermodel. But believe me, if you have no pic, I will imagine you as a wart-covered troll. Just sayin' Also, a bio that rocks is a necessity. (Tips on that here.)

4. Provide links to all the ways I can stalk you.

Have links on your contact page with your twitter, facebook, goodreads, email, etc. links.

5. If you blog, don't phone it in.

If you hate blogging, we'll be able to tell. So if you are going to do it. Really do it. And for the love of all things good and holy, please attempt to make it interesting. And it's not about YOU, it's about the reader. I'm going to quote from a fabulous post over at Author Tech Tips: "Yes, yes, you’re a big famous author. But people still don’t care about you. They care about themselves. Think that is selfish? Take the plank out of your own eye before you can point the finger. If you offer something of value, your readers will want to come back. Photos of your kids will not bring them back." 

6. Be addictive.

Give your readers a reason to want to come back. Do you offer something they can only get on your site? Contests? Super secret snippets from your current project? Pictures of your characters? Playlists for your books? Think of takeaways that would excite a reader.

7. A website is not like a cactus--you can't water it every six months and assume it's going to thrive.

Going to an author site who has an update from months ago is like getting served stale chips at a Mexican restaurant. It makes your image feel stale. Like, wow, nothing exciting is happening with his books right now. Even if you don't blog, make sure that your release dates and such are up to date. Don't say coming soon and the book release date has already passed.

8. Be newsworthy

Are you going to speaking somewhere or did you win an award? Have a news section that you keep updated. It's a good addition or even alternative to having an active blog. Just make sure you keep it fresh.

9. Pimp Out Others

On Author Tech Tips, they quoted a survey that said a third of readers like to see what books your recommend when they visit your website. I think one way to do it is having other authors stop by your blog and do interviews and contests. You can also put a Goodreads widget somewhere on your site (like mine over there on the right) that shows what you're reading right now. That's a form of recommendation.

10. Be likable

Please do not use your site for rants or whining. It should be a positive, happy place for people to be--even if you write about serial killers. You want people to leave your site thinking that they could enjoy being friends with you.

Alright, so those are my tips. What are some of the things that you like to see on an author website? What are some author sites you visit regularly--why? Oh, and anyone know any amazing web designers that would love to offer me a discount on services, lol?

DO Get Fresh With Me: Amping Up Your Writing

Photo by Miheco

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Dallas Area Romance Authors Dreamin' in Dallas conference. The speakers (Richelle Mead and Allison Brennan) were phenomenal and the workshops were SO helpful. Sometimes you go to a conference (after you've been to a few like me) and it feels like same old stuff, nothing new. But I had many an a-ha moment at this one, so yay for that. :)

And one of the big light bulbs for me was while I was taking three classes in a row from Margie Lawson. I'd never seen her speak before, but I had heard fabulous things about her writing and editing workshops. And, believe me, I wasn't disappointed.

She has way more information than I could ever share on here (more on how you can get all that fab stuff at the bottom), but one of the big things that stuck out for me was her focus on FRESH WRITING.

It seems like such a simple concept--a well-duh kind of thing. Write things in a way that is fresh, non-cliched, and doesn't sound like just any old book. Easy-peasy, right? Um, yeah.

How many she smiled, grinned, lifted the corner of her mouth, smirked, lips curved, one side of her lips tilted up, smile that didn't reach her eyes, and on and on do you have in your manuscript?

Using a synonym for smiled or one of the tired cliches is not fresh writing. It's just writing the overused stuff in another overused way.

What Margie suggested you do is look at those boring ways of saying things and amplifying them, making them sing and speak to the reader (instead of inspiring them to skim.)

Here's one example she used from Harlen Coben's HOLD TIGHT (2008)

His eyes were black, lightless glass, like someone had randomly jammed them in, like they held no life in them.

Whoa, right? How much more impactful is that than "He had dead, black eyes" or "He stared at me with lifeless eyes."

Or this one from Brad Meltzer's BOOK OF LIES (2008)

In mid-air his mother was turned toward him, her alligator eyes still burning through him.

Can't you picture that? It's so clear what the eyes of an alligator would look like. And once again a way to say something different than cold or lifeless eyes.

And last one, from Stephen White's DEAD TIME (2008)

"Listen," he said in a voice that cut off the small talk the way a sharp knife takes the top off a banana.

How much better is that than saying "he said, his voice sharp"?

This whole concept is such a basic idea, but it was totally a kick in the butt for me to work harder and do better. To really look at things I may just put on the page--a smile, a laugh, the way a person's eyes look--and really push myself to find a fresh way to say it.

Margie says she reads books and puts sticky notes on the pages where an author really wrote something that impressed her. If someone does that with my books, I want that thing to look like tabs in a packed filing cabinet when they're done.

Now, one little warning. You can't write every single sentence like this because then it will be overwritten and the prose will get mucked up. Sometimes simple is better. But I guarantee you there are many places in your WIP where you can do better, where you chose the easy, cliched way to say something, where you missed an opportunity to be amazing.

So, I only talked about like 1/100 of 1% of what Margie covers. BUT she has these totally kickass lecture packets that you can download and do a self-study course with. Each packet is $22, but OMG, the first one I bought is like 250 pages. So "packet" really means "book". The one I'm referencing today is the Empowering Characters' Emotions. You can get it here along with many others. I can't give it a high enough recommendation. So, so, so helpful. (And no, Margie hasn't paid me to say any of this, lol.) I just have to pass along an amazing resource when I stumble across them.

So, I encourage to check those out and I also encourage you to read through some of your favorite books and mark those passages or phrases or whatever that stand out and impress you. What did those writers do that was fresh?

What do you think? Are you overloaded with boring or tired ways of saying things when you're writing? Are you characters smiling and raising eyebrows and winking all over the place? What writers can you think of off the top of your head that really excel at writing fresh?

Writer Warning: Don't Get Lost in the Minutiae

So last Friday I listed nine of my favorite craft books and the problems that they could cure. As you can tell from that post, I'm a strong believer in learning as much as you possibly can about craft. It's the foundation of everything. Yes, writing is about creativity and writers write to get better, but having a solid handle on mechanics and structure and technique is often the difference between good and great. (See Jody Hedlund's post today if you need that point hammered home further.)

Photo by Adam Wyles

However, with all the learning of craft, I do want to put out a warning. This weekend I went to my local RWA meeting and fabulous Heather Long did a workshop on self-editing. It was awesome and went over all the little things you need to look for when going through your manuscript--repetitive words and phrasing, flying body parts, throwaway words like that, it, and just (my personal favorite.) The things that will tighten your prose and make your story shine. But here's where my warning comes in.

Do not get obsessed with the minutiae. 

When you read a whole bunch of writing books or go to a conference and attend a billion workshops, your head is going to be swimming with all this information (some of it conflicting). Don't use adverbs, never use a dialogue tag, don't say stand up because "up" is unnecessary, and on and on and on. And all that advice can literally override your whole system and shut your sh*t DOWN, people. All the buzzers in your head are going to go off and end with one conclusion--"I'm never going to be able to do this! Give up writing now! It's hopeless!"

Step back, take a deep breath, and calm down. Then start here...

The story is number one.

You could have the tightest piece of prose ever by following every rule you've ever heard. But you know what? Your story could still tank. Why? Because it's not about adverbs and dialogue tags. It's about breathing life into a story. Making it jump off the page. Showing your voice and your characters. Pulling a reader into that world. Those are the things of great fiction.

This is why you pick up books by published authors and hold them up saying, "Holy crap! So and so broke all these rules. Look how many times she used just or said 'sit down' instead of just sit or OMG, the adverbs! How is she getting published?"

Well, yes, some will say that if an author's very established, they can break more rules. However, I think that's not entirely the issue. God knows there are lots of things I did in my book that weren't perfectly tight. I do love an adverb. Even with all those things in these books you may see, ask the question--what about the story? Was it a great story? THAT is why it got published.

Yes, you want to write tight. But all the minutiae can be handled later, much later. Write your story first. Write it how you want it. Then worry about the nitpicky things. And even then I caution you not to take every piece of advice as cardinal law. Sometimes an adverb is part of your character's voice. There are times when "just" really is necessary. And if you're in deep POV, I'd argue that most people think of sitting as sitting down, so if that's how your character thinks of it--so what?

Because, shhh, big secret: These are NOT the things that will prevent you from getting published. 

If you're a mess as a writer and do all these things everywhere for no reason and it's obvious you are a novice, then yes, maybe that will get you rejected. BUT, no agent is going to turn down a fabulous story that they think they can sell only because there were one too many adverbs in it.

It's like a girl looking at the profile of a guy she wants to date and thinking, "Okay, if I learn to like sports and dye my hair blonde and start reading Stephen King novels, I'll be his perfect girl and he'll want to marry me." It doesn't work that way. You need to find your story's magic--that's what will make it rise to the top.

Know your craft, write tight, but don't get obsessed about it. Focus on writing the most amazing story you can.

So what do you think? Do you sometimes get lost in the minutiae? Have you ever read something that was technically perfect but had no life to it? Do you find yourself looking for other author's mistakes in published works?

Nine Writer Woes and the Books to Cure Them

headdesk colbert pics on Sodahead

I'm a writing book whore. I can't deny it. I know every how-to-write book says this ones is "the only writing book you'll ever need". But yeah, whatever. Not true. Every book on craft I pick up, I learn SOMETHING new. A new technique, a new way to look at things, an a-ha moment on something I was having trouble with. These books feed your writer brain like Reese's chocolate easter eggs feed your soul--wait, the egg thing may just be me, but you see what I'm getting at. So I figured I would compile a list from my personal stash of writing books to recommend.

Nine Writer Woes and the Books to Cure Them

Problem #1: You're a pantser and are dying to figure out a way to SIMPLY plot. 

Though I have a little nerdgasm looking at pictures of people's plotting white boards with all their notes and post-its and color-coding and index carding, the idea of actually doing that to one of my stories makes my throat close up in anaphylactic shock. But, at the same time, I crave some organization, some rough map of where I'm going. Enter my newest favorite book, *pets its cover* Seriously, life-changing. I'm planning a guest post going into more detail on this one. But for now, just go buy it. : ) Don't worry that it says screenwriting, it totally applies to novels as well.

Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need

Problem #2: You keep getting partial requests but not follow-up full requests. So, you may, um, suck at openings. 

Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One & Never Lets Them Go

Problem #3:  You're writing your first book and are absolutely overwhelmed by the process.

Your First Novel: An Author Agent Team Share the Keys to Achieving Your Dream

Problem #4:  Your stories seem to lose focus or meander during the process.
Or maybe you're getting feedback from critters saying--I'm not really sure why your character is doing this or this scene doesn't seem to have a focus/point. This means you need to get down to the bones that hold a character and story together. This one is a classic you'll hear recommended over and over.

http://www.debradixon.com/gmc.html (If you buy this one, get it from this link. It's cheaper directly from her site.)

Problem #5:  You know you can write, but your books still aren't getting that agent or publisher. 
You get feedback like, "You clearly have talent, but the story or characters just didn't resonate with me or reach out and grab me."

The Fire in Fiction: Passion, Purpose and Techniques to Make Your Novel Great

Problem #6: When you go back to edit your book, you have to cut a ton of scenes because they just aren't moving the story forward or adding anything.

Make a Scene: Crafting a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time

Problem #7 You need to write some hawt scenes, but whoa, shock of all shocks, sex isn't that easy to write! Who knew?

Passionate Ink: A Guide to Writing Erotic Romance

Problem #8: You've been told you need to "tighten" your writing.

A nuts and bolts guide that will get your waistband cinched up quicker than Jenny Craig...

The Book on Writing: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Well

Problem #9: You just want a kickass book on writing and want to hear Stephen King talk about what adverbs have to do with hell. 

On Writing: 10th Anniversary Edition: A Memoir of the Craft

Yeah, so I don't  have a tenth, I know. Round numbers and all, but whatevs. On a different note though, I do have a bit of news. I found out yesterday that my official release month for my book is January 2012! So you all need to make sure your New Year's Resolution next year is to treat yourself to some hawt romance and read CRASH INTO YOU. That is all. :)

So do you suffer from any of these above afflictions? Which one? Do you have any of these books? What's your favorite craft book and why?

Query Writing: How Brief is Brief?

More Briefs by Alberto Alonso G

I've never been known for brevity. If you read this blog regularly, you know that I almost always break that "keep you blog posts under 500 words" rule. Pfft! Five-hundred words? I laugh in the face of that rule.

However, where the lack of brevity can really kill you is in that query letter. I recently posted about the Reasons Agents Gonged Queries at the writer's conference I attended, and by far, the biggest reason people got gonged is because they went on TOO LONG and tried to include TOO MUCH. The query is not a synopsis. It is a hook and a catchy paragraph to make the agent or publisher want to flip to the manuscript.

In essence, it is a back cover copy or a blurb for your manuscript. Pick up any book you have, that stuff on the back has one purpose--to make you want to buy and read the book. It is a marketing tool. And that's what you need to keep in mind when you query. You are SELLING your book, not explaining every person, plot line, subplot, theme, etc. Pick the things that are most important and hooky in your story and focus on that.

I thought I was pretty decent at this whole query writing thing. Every novel I've queried (even the REALLY bad one) got a good number of full requests. However, when I got my draft of my back cover copy this week, it was glaringly obvious that I could've made my query a lot shorter with a lot more punch. So I'm going to use mine as the example.

The summary section of my original query:
Since her mother’s murder, social worker Brynn LeBreck has dedicated her career to helping women in crisis. But when Brynn’s sister goes missing and is rumored to be at The Ranch, a secretive BDSM retreat for Dallas’ elite, Brynn must tackle her own traumatic past and go undercover as a sexual submissive to find her.  Unfortunately, she can’t get an invitation to the exclusive resort without the help of the one guy she never wanted to share air with again—Reid Jamison, the lawyer who recently defended her mother’s killer and the man who, ten years earlier, opened her heart and shredded her defenses, only to crush her trust when she was most vulnerable.

After a failed marriage and a crippling defeat in the LeBreck case, Reid needs a fresh start.  The first steps—move out of his family’s high-profile practice and construct his client’s appeal. But when he discovers he’ll be sharing an office with the woman he’s never been able to shake from his bones, the one who taught him how to embrace his dominant nature in the first place, the fresh start gains new meaning.  Being near Brynn stirs up the primal desires he hasn’t indulged in years, and he’s not going to let her “I-loathe-you” attitude stand in the way when he finds out she’s in search of a master. Only one man will get the privilege of calling her his, and that man is going to be him. 

The two can't find a future without facing the demons of the past, however, and some of those demons want to make sure Brynn and Reid are never together—even if it means one of them may not make it through their erotic weekend alive. 

See how long that is? It worked for me, but look at the difference between that and what we've come up with for the back cover copy...

CRASH INTO YOU back cover copy:

 

Sometimes the past can bring you to your knees...

Brynn LeBreck has dedicated herself to helping women in crisis, but she never imagined how personal her work would get, or where it would take her. Her younger sister is missing, suspected to be hiding from cops and criminals alike at a highly secretive BDSM retreat—a place where the elite escape to play out their most extreme sexual fantasies. There’s only one way to find her: go undercover as a sexual submissive. Unfortunately, The Ranch is invitation only. And the only Master who can get her in is from the darkest corner of Brynn’s past.

 

Only Brynn knows what attorney Reid Jamison is like once stripped of his conservative suit and tie. Years ago she left herself vulnerable only to have him crush her heart. Now she needs him again. Back on top. And he’s all too willing to engage. But as their primal desires and old wounds are exposed, the sexual games escalate—and so does the danger.  Their hearts aren’t the only things at risk. Someone else is watching, playing by his own rules. And his game could be murder.

Here's what I see as the differences:

1. Significantly shorter

2. Focuses on the two major plot threads
There is a romance between old lovers and there's a murderer out there. (romance and suspense, done.)

3. Backstory, just like in the book, doesn't have to be fleshed out in the query.
No mention of my MC's traumatic past, which is vital to the story, but not necessarily to the summary. No mention of my hero's backstory--his failed marriage, his job troubles, etc. We don't need to know that to want to read the book.

4. The hook is clear
Woman is in danger and has to find her sister, but the only way to do it is to give up control to the only guy who ever broke her heart.

5. Makes you want to read more (hopefully!) 
Neither my query or the cover copy tells you what happens, or who the villain is, or why someone wants someone dead. That's synopsis stuff. The query should leave you with the urge to find out what happens next. It's the appetizer.

QUERY HOMEWORK: So when you start to craft your query, go to the store or your bookshelves and pick out ten or so books in your genre and read the back cover copy. It should be books you've already read so that you can see what was included and WHAT WAS LEFT OUT. Train yourself to recognize what are the most important points in your story and what is vital to include in your query. And focus on hooking, not just explaining.

So what do you think? Do you struggle with brevity like I do? Does my back cover copy do a better job at hooking you than the query? Why or why not? Pick up a few of you favorite books, what are surprised was left out in the back cover copy?


AND A QUICK PSA for an AMAZING opportunity...


Author Ashely March is offering a FULL critique to an aspiring romance author! But you must enter by noon MST today. Go! Hurry! Full crit by a pubbed author people!

Does a Blog Sell Books? Survey Results!

Photo by Jesslee Cuizon

If you missed it, Monday I put up a survey evaluating the question: Does a Blog Sell Books? So many of you answered and I am so excited to share the interesting results. Lots to be learned from what you guys had to say. :)

So here are the results...

1. Do you read erotic romance?


Yes 29%

No, it will never be my thing 39%

No, but willing to give it a try 32%

So here's the part you can't change as a blogger (for the most part). Those 39% who are absolutely not interested in reading my genre are not going to buy my book no matter how much they like my blog or me personally or how much they may get out of my posts. It's not their thing.

However, there's that open-minded 32% of you that could possible be swayed. And I know this is where I actually fall for a lot of genres. For instance, I'm not one to read literary fiction. However, I'm not categorically against it, so if I knew someone who I wanted to support who had written it, I might be tempted to pick it up. And my guess is that for other genres, there would be less of "it will never be my thing" percentage because erotic romance can be a bit more polarizing than other genres. :)

Lesson: You don't HAVE to gear your blog to cater only to those who read your specific genre. In fact, you may be missing out on friends and potential readers who read/write something completely different but who may be open to trying something new.

2. Do you plan to buy my book?

No way 6%

Probably not 32%

Yes definitely 26%

Probably so 37%

I found this interesting. Above, 39% of you said you'd never read erotic romance, but then only 6% said absolutely no way they'd buy my book. Hmm... So perhaps this is because "no way" seems like a harsh answer and you kind people don't want to send me crying in my beer. Or maybe it means that a) you could be convinced or b) you may be willing to buy it for someone else? or c) you may make an exception for some other reason. I'm not sure. Interesting nonetheless.

To you yes definitely's and probably so's, I send you a big cyber hug. Thank you.

Lesson: Even people who like your blog AND read your genre may still need something else to get them to purchase. 37% of you are probably so's, which means there are other factors that will determine if you buy or not. Perhaps you need to make sure you like the blurb, if you have money to spend on it at the time, if reviewers give the book high ratings, etc.

3. If you DON'T plan to buy it, why not?

I don't read the genre. 74%

The story doesn't sound like my thing. 9%

Other 17%

Most of the comments people left on this question talked about how they just don't read the genre or love scenes make them uncomfortable. A few others noted no money to spend on books, too many books to read already, etc. However, there were also some very nice comments saying that though they don't read the genre, they will be more than happy to tweet and share info about my release. :)

Lesson: Even if someone does not plan to buy your book for whatever reason, if they like you or your blog, they still may be willing to support you by helping spread the word to those who may be interested in it. How awesome is that? Bloggy friends are the best.

4. If you DO plan to buy it, why?

I like you or your blog and want to help support your career  71%

Other 16%

I like the story blurb 7%

I'm already an erotic romance reader 6%

Aww, you guys got me all warm and toasty on this one. I feel like Sally Field--they like me! *group hug* This is a whopping statistic, peeps, and makes a huge case for blogging/social networking. This thing is about connecting with other people and this is why those authors who tweet every other freaking tweet "Check out my book!" "Buy my book!" "Ten percent off today!" don't get it. Most of you are saying you're not going out to buy my book because you've been exposed to the story and it's awesome (though, I hope it is), it's because you've connected with me on some level and want to be supportive. That's an amazing, beautiful thing.

Lesson: It's not about the book. That's only part of it. It's about who you are. (I go into detail about this in my post on Author Brand over at Sierra's joint if you want to hear me rant on this some more.) :)

Here are some of the anonymous comments left on the question above:

• Can I explain even if I answered I plan to buy your book? I've only been following your blog for about a year, but during that time I've been entertained, I've been informed, and I've learned. I figure if your blog is this good, you book should be great. I don't read a lot of erotica, but like good writing wherever I can find it. I plan to buy Nathan Bransford's book this summer when it's released for the same reason and Authoress' dystopian when she finally reveals her true name and title. Like your blog, those are two that have made me a better writer and I think the least I can do is help support their careers. Maybe someday, someone will think the same thing about me.
• I totally love ya and you gave me a five page critique.
• You are nice and crazy cool! You engage in discussion and don't just hawk your wares. Of course I'm buying your book!
• You serve me with your blog. The least I can do is part with a few dollars to repay you for what I have gained for free
• I like authors who "give back" to the community in some way. I am willing to try out the book.
• I want to see what kind of filthy mind I'm hanging around with. ;)
• I've wanted to know more of what's happening from the excerpts you've posted.
• As a writer I like to show support for other writers. It's a two way street-- I have found. I usually make a good review and if I don't like it I will tell the author in private what I found about it that I didn't like.
• I also help in the hopes that I might find support is reciprocal. I know my work is good and of course I know that some people won't vare for it just because of the genre. I read all types of books. Even more so now that I am connecting with other writers.
• Because I love your blog/writing advice - and - you came right out and asked - so yes. I will.
• Actually there were a few answers that applied to me. I read erotic romance, but you're partly responsible for that. I like your story blurb. And because I want to support your career. Would I have bought it if it weren't for the blur? Probably not. I never buy books I'm not interested in
• I tend to buy the books of people who I interact with on a regular basis online, or even those whose blogs I read, because I ALWAYS buy the books of people who I am friends with in person and the online world just feels like an extension of that. I believe in supporting good people.
• I do like you and your blog and your helpful personality goes a long way in gaining my readership.
• To support your career although I don't read erotic romance. I would just skip over the sex.

4. Have you ever bought a book solely because you liked the author, their blog, or whatever they had to say on Twitter?

Yes 74%

No 26%

Final  lesson... 


Yes, write a fantastic book. That's your best marketing tool. But when it comes to your online presence and social networking--it's all about being genuine and helpful and connecting with others. And that, my friends, is 100% free.


Thanks to everyone who participated in the survey! I heart you guys. :)


So do any of these results surprise you? What do you take away from these results? 

Building Writer Karma

Photo by Elmo H. Love

I'm a big believer in karma, always have been. Call it a psychological concept, a religious one, a spiritual thing. Whatever works for you. But I think that if you want to have positive things in your life, you need to put positive thoughts and actions out into the world. And in your writing career, I think the concept applies as well.

Writers are a large but very supportive and tight community. You can see it online, at conferences, at critique groups. Most of us are there cheering each other on and truly rooting for everyone's success. It's a wonderful thing and I'm proud to be a part of that community. And I think it's important that if you're a member of that community (and all of you reading this mostly likely are) that you give back and fill up your bank with good writer karma points. You'd be amazed at how a) good it makes you and others feel and b) what a positive effect it can have on your career.

So what are some things you can to do put deposits in the karma bank?

1. Offer to critique for someone without the expectation of them having to give you a crit back.
This doesn't always have to be a two way street.

2. Mentor someone who may not be as far along in their writing journey. 
We all were beginners once. Even if you know someone is very green and it may be painful to read some of their work, offer to take them time and give them some feedback.

3. Judge for writing contests.
Almost all of the RWA chapters around the country do contests and are always in need of judges. You don't have to be published to volunteer.

4. Don't post bad reviews on your blog (unless your point is to be a book blogger/review site and not a writer)
I'm all for honesty, but this can bite you in the butt faster than anything. True story: I reviewed a book on here when I first started blogging (thankfully I loved it so the review was very positive), but that author is now the person who is giving me a cover quote for my book. (squee!) Imagine what would have happened if I had not liked her book and posted a bad review. I doubt she would've been willing to even look at my book.

5. On the flipside, if you love a book, TELL people. Blog it or tweet it or give a review on Amazon.
 Word of mouth is sometimes all an author has, so don't be afraid to share if you loved something. It's a powerful tool. I recommended a book last week and already heard from three people who bought and loved it.

6. Don't play the jealousy game.
It's an ugly side we all fight internally with. Just remember there will always be someone with a better deal, a bigger blog, a more kickass cover, better sales, more luck, whatever. It's a game you can't win. So learn to be happy with your own victories--don't water them down by comparing it to others.

7. If you're doing the social networking thing, give shout outs to people or link to them when you loved their post or their tweet. 


8. Never get too big for your britches.
I don't care how awesome your books are, none of us are THAT important. Don't ever pull the diva routine. Always be thankful and humble and friendly. No one likes an a**hole. :p

Alright, so those are the things I try to stick to, how about you? What do you do to give back? What are some other things that could be put on the list? Do you believe in writer karma? :)

Guest Post: Author Miranda Kenneally - Querying Isn't Algebra

Today I have a special treat for you guys. Soon-to-debut YA author Miranda Kenneally! She's sticking with your theme this week and giving us the low down on queries and her own querying experience. AND, if that wasn't awesome enough, she's giving away query critiques to THREE lucky winners. So make sure you enter the contest AND LEAVE A COMMENT! :)

Now over to Miranda...

 

Thanks to Roni for having me today! I’ll be up front with you all. I’m a TERRIBLE blogger. Seriously. I only blog if I have something semi-important to say or if I need to rant about something. I can’t just sit down and blog. Unless y’all want to hear about Star Trek or Mexican food or wine or The Beatles. Or want me to write a long list of books I think you should read.

So, naturally, I had a hard time coming up with something to discuss today. Therefore I’m going to expand on a post I did several months ago about queries. My agent (Like Roni, I’m also repped by Sara Megibow) said she agrees with my thoughts 100%. I hope most of you haven’t read it. And even if you have, I have a surprise at the end of the post after some other random thoughts.

Querying Isn’t Algebra: There’s No Set Formula

Recently I participated in an online chat about queries. Everyone was throwing their ideas out, so I decided to give some opinions, based on what worked for me.

First, some stats. I sent out 17 query letters. Based on my letter and sample pages, I received 9 requests for a full. Also, I broke just about EVERY query letter “rule” there is: I wrote in first person; I used more than 500 words; I used a freaking split infinitive; and I wrote a long paragraph about myself.

So during this chat, I said:

“I think it’s a good idea to compare your book to other books. It will show that you read in your genre and that you understand the market. For instance, if you’ve written a book about angels, you should say, ‘My book is different from HUSH, HUSH and FALLEN because _____.’ Why? Because everyone already has their angel book, so yours really needs to stick out if you want to get pulled out of the slush.”

This piece of advice, which worked for me when I queried, just set people off. Other chatters said, “You should never compare yourself to other writers!” and “Comparisons like that make agents mad!” and “You should never say you’ve written the next HARRY POTTER or TWILIGHT!”

That’s not what I said.

I’m not trying to tell you what’s right or wrong in terms of querying, but what MATTERS. All that matters is that you’ve written a crazy awesome good book that people will want to read. Who cares what you write in your query letter as long as you show:

1) A powerful hook
2) Originality
3) Voice
4) A command of English grammar
5) A link to your website/blog/Twitter feed
6) You aren’t a complete nutjob

** Of course, follow the agent’s/agency’s guidelines.

This is just my opinion, but I’ve seen other people who’ve broken all the “querying rules,” and have ended up getting agents and book deals.

Query what feels natural and forget the formula.

Spend the time you use looking for the formula to edit and make your book even more awesome.

Here are some random thoughts on writing, querying, the publishing world, etc:

·         I don’t critique queries very often (NO TIME), but nearly every time that I have read one my first impression was that the book itself wasn’t ready to go to an agent. For instance, someone will have written a 50,000 word mainstream novel for adults and I have to say, “I think you need to double your word count. Add more themes or subplots or something.”  Not only should you know your audience, you need to know what books in that genre read like.

·         Another problem I’m seen is too much voice. I know you’re wondering how too much voice can be a bad thing. I struggle with this myself, so I like to point it out when I can. This is using three or more sentences to tell something that you could show in one. Example:

“And then he kissed me. I didn’t like it. He didn’t know what he was doing. I wish we hadn’t kissed in the first place, because he’s obviously never kissed anyone before. Ugh. Gross.”

“And then he kissed me. I might as well have been making out with an eel, and it was that particular eel’s first kiss ever.” (Terrible example, I know, but I hope you get what I’m saying.)

·         Know the market. Read, read, read. I read a ton. At this point, I actually read more than I write. For enjoyment, and to study. I study plot arcs. I study character development. I study plot twists and upping the stakes. This is going to sound ridiculous, and it might lessen your enjoyment of reading, but you need to get to the point where you can basically tell what is going to happen in a book. You need to know how to pick up on clues and how they fit in with the overall plot and the author’s themes. There are only a few authors who can pull a fast one on me (e.g. Courtney Summers, and geez, Beth Revis just totally threw me for a loop with her new book ACROSS THE UNIVERSE.)

·         Social networking is a must. However, working toward perfecting your craft is the most important thing you can do. I spent a long time writing and writing and writing before I ever got involved in Twitter and the writing blogosphere. If you want to break into publishing and you can’t write, none of the blogging/social networking matters. So write, write, write.

·         It does not get “easier” once you have an agent. Sure, your access to the publishing world is a whole hell of a lot better, but that doesn’t mean you can slack off or stop being original. If anything, I’ve had to work a lot – a LOT – harder since I signed with an agent.

Anyway, if you’re interested, I’m giving away a query critique to three people. But you have to fill out the form AND in the comments, recommend a good young adult book to read, and tell me why you loved it and what sets it apart from the rest of the market. Roni will pick the three winners at random.

Thanks for having me today! J

 Miranda Kenneally is the author of SCORE, a contemporary YA novel about football, femininity, and hot boys, coming from Sourcebooks Fire in late 2011. She enjoys reading and writing young adult literature, and loves Star Trek, music, sports, Mexican food, Twitter, coffee, and her husband. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook. Miranda is represented by Sara Megibow at Nelson Literary Agency.

CONTEST CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT CENTRAL ON SUNDAY! Winners announced next Wednesday.

A Litmus Test for Your Opening Scene

 

So as I mentioned last week, I've been judging for my local RWA's chapter contest. And the thing about contests is that, as a contestant, you're only submitting a limited number of pages--usually around 25-35 pages--simulating the partial submission to an agent/editor. Therefore, as a judge I'm giving feedback not just on mechanics and craft stuff, but on the overall BIG DEAL question--am I hooked? When I hit page thirty and it ends, do I want to read more?

Well, what I'm finding is that many times someone may be really strong in mechanics and craft and even voice, but the first chapters are either all backstory (which I talked about last week) or are too much showing of every day life. Let's meet the MC's friends, their family, let's describe what everyone looks like and what his or her house is like, etc. Then maybe by chapter three, let's get to the "good stuff".

Now I'm a proponent of getting a glimpse into the ordinary life. It can work really well and in movies that's a very important component. Almost always, the opening images of a movie are the MC's ordinary life. We see how this person's life is right now so we can feel the impact of the big change/turning point/etc. However, here's the key: it's a glimpse. Meaning VERY brief.   

No one else is going to make it to chapter three's "good stuff" if nothing has really happened up until then. I'm reading it all because I'm a judge, but the agent or editor has already moved on. You have to get the story moving now. 

So what does that opening scene need?

One of my favorite writing books Make a Scene: Crafting a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time by Jordan Rosenfeld (If you don't have it, get it. The book breaks down the elements of a scene and also goes over types of scenes--dramatic/contemplative/action/flashback etc.) Anyway, the book also has a great litmus test for what needs to be present in an opening scene.

Litmus Test for an Opening Scene

I'll put my novel to the test as well as an example.

1. A challenge to your protagonist's status quo.

My MC finds out she's going to have to work with her ex-boyfriend--the only guy to ever really break her heart.

2. An antagonist for your character to encounter. (Doesn't have to be THE antagonist.)

My hero is the antagonist in the first chapter, but then my heroine finds out her sister has gone missing in the next scene. Therefore, the true antagonist is the person behind her sister's disappearance.

3. Introduce your protagonist's immediate intentions.

My heroine intends to ignore the ex-boyfriend and their history and just treat him like a stranger.

4. A glimpse into your MC's history/personality/motivation.

I open with a "glimpse into ordinary life" with my MC at the end of a really bad date. It's very brief and I don't even name the guy she's having dinner with, but we get a feel for her current life and her voice during the two paragraph encounter.

5. The protagonist makes a decision that leads immediately to more complications.

The person who makes a decision in my first chapter is actually the hero (my romance has two protagonists--hero and heroine have equal POV time). So my hero decides to follow my  heroine after she gets a frantic call from her sister and leaves the party. This of course leads to the main suspense thread of the plot because they both show up and find the sister missing. Oh, and guess who is the only person who can help the heroine find the sister? Yep, the hero. :)

Therefore, even though my opening scene is only one layer of the story and doesn't introduce the suspense plot and the big turning point until the next chapter, all these basic points have been hit. It's enough conflict and action to whet the appetite to keep turning the page (hopefully!) and see how much more complicated things are going to get. 

What do you think? Are these components a good summary of what you like to read/write in an opening scene? Think back to your favorite books or movies, do they follow these guidelines? Can you think of any other "must haves" in an opening?

*This is a revamped post from 2009

Saying "I'm a Writer" - The 6 Stages of Responses from Others

Photo by PhotoSteve 101

Telling people you are a writer is one of those admissions that is met with a mixed bag of responses. Some of us choose not to say anything at all when we first start writing. We keep it our little secret because we're worried about what people will think and our little dream is just too fragile to be picked on at that point. Then, when we do get up enough courage to start admitting it (this sounds like AA--My name is Roni, and I'm a writer), we often brace ourselves not knowing what to expect.

So I thought I'd share my experience so far with calling myself a writer.

The "I'm a Writer" Cycle

Stage 1: 

You write and don't tell people anything. You don't feel legit yet, so you don't feel comfortable admitting it to others. This way, if you fail, you have no one to answer to.

What others say: Nothing. 

What they really think: They don't know anything so they just assume you're a recluse who likes to be on your computer way too much.

Stage 2

You start to tell your close friends and family that you're giving this novel writing thing a try.

What others say: That's great! Good for you! *pats hand*

What they really think: What a fun hobby to keep him/her busy. 

Stage 3

You finish a book and move on to the querying stage.

What others say: Ooh, when will it be on the shelves? 

What they really think: They assume that since you actually finished a book, it's bound to end up a Barnes and Noble. I mean, writing a whole novel is the hardest part, right? Now you just need to get someone to print that puppy up.

Stage 4

Rejections roll in. You accept that this book isn't going to be the one and move on to write book two.

What others say: That's too bad. Maybe you should look into that dental hygiene program at the junior college. I've heard they make great salaries and have good hours.

What they really think: That you're wasting your time chasing a dream that's not going to happen. That you're a bit insane (doing the same thing over and over and getting the same result.)

Stage 5

You query book 3, 4, 5, whatever. You get an agent.

What others say: You hired someone to help you? That's nice.

What they really think: Poor girl is just throwing her money away. She just needs to move on and do something more practical.

Stage 6

You get a book deal.

What others say: Oh my God! When will it be on the shelves? I want a free copy! Are they going to make a movie about it? Will you do book signings? You're going to be rich and famous like Stephen King/JK Rowling/Stephanie Meyer! 

What they really think: Wow, she's living her dream. How'd she get so lucky?

Now, some of this is a little tongue and cheek, but not entirely far off from my experience. One thing I can say is that my husband and parents have been wildly supportive throughout. I think I have parents who if I said--I want to be an NFL quarterback, they'd probably tell me to go for it, lol.

But other people, in general, are both appalled and fascinated by those who go for an "impractical" dream. And it's a fine line between those two emotions. Think about it. Someone says "I'm going to Hollywood to be an actress". People think--"Flighty girl who doesn't want to get a real job."  She becomes the next Julia Robers. People say--"Oh, she is so amazing, so passionate about what she does" and hide in her bushes to snag a mere picture. It's ridiculous.

But here's my point about all this (yes, I have a point!):

People are going to think what they think. Don't let them decide how you feel about yourself or your writing. Being a "dreamer" is a beautiful thing and something we all should be proud of. We're the part of the population who refuses to settle, refuses to accept that what would make us happy is not achievable. We see daunting odds and try anyway. 

So published, unpublished, just starting out--it doesn't matter--wear that writer label with pride. There's no shame in being a dreamer. :)

So have you gotten any of the reactions I listed above? Do you tell others you're a writer? What's the best or rudest reaction you've gotten when telling someone you're a writer?

**Today's Theme Song**

"Dream On" - Aerosmith