Is Your Blog Fluffy? 5 Questions to Ask (and Contest Winners)

So last week I celebrated my two-year blogging anniversary (see winners to that contest at the bottom of this post.) That milestone along with my recent obsession with trying to figure out What READERS Want From an Author Blog and some anticipated tight writing deadlines next year has led me to do a lot of thinking about how to streamline my online time.

Right now I am blogging six days a week--three posts on this blog and three on the author blog. I love to blog and that's why I do it, but I also know it's a good way to suck up writing time before you know it. I get about 3.5 hours kid free writing time each morning and blogging usually takes up about 45min-1hr of that. So if I have any chance at increasing my writing output, I need to slim down the schedule and build in some flexibility.

I have a tendency to like structure and themes when it comes to blogging. It makes it easier to keep on track, but it also can start to make you feel a bit boxed in like--crap, I have to blog about THIS today because I have a theme for this day of the week.

And then many times with theme days (though not always) you end up with "fluff" posts--those posts that fill space and let you check off "blogged for the day" but don't really do much else. They don't resonate with your readers, they aren't particularly unique or different than anyone else who's blogging that day, and really when it comes down to it, are a a waste of time for everyone. This all hit me after reading this post: The Unproductive Writer's Guide to Success.

And this doesn't mean that all posts have to be long and serious. My Boyfriend of the Week theme posts on my author blog are fun, don't take a lot of time, and seem to be well-received. So I don't consider that fluff. (Plus, my editor says she likes them, so there.) ;)

But I really want to make sure that the posts I'm putting up are worth everyone's time, including mine. So I'm going to be more selective and also give myself some breathing room with what I'm calling my Flex Blogging Schedule.

So here's my new flex-y blogging schedule (for now):

  • Monday: Writing/Publishing Post (this blog)
  • Tuesday: Boyfriend of the Week (author blog)
  • Wednesday: open/flex day
  • Thursday: open/flex day
  • Friday: Fill-Me-In Friday/links roundup (this blog)
  • Saturday: open/flex day

So on those open days, I'll post if I have something worth saying and if I have the time to do it. If it's a writing post, it will be on this blog. If it's something broader or more personal, it will go on the author blog.

Of course, this is all experimental, so subject to change at anytime. :)

And here's how I'm going to determine if a post is fluffy or not.

Five Questions To Ask To Determine If You're Posting Fluff

1. Does this post add anything unique to the blogosphere?
2. Does this post provide my blog readers with something (whether it be usable advice, interesting information, or a fun experience)?
3. Did I feel excited writing this post or did it feel like I was dialing it in?
4. Is this post true to my voice?
5. Does this post engage readers in discussion? (may have to be something to evaluate after the post)

Okay and before I forget, let me get to the contest winners. Thanks so much to everyone who entered and welcome to those of you who may be new to the blog!

Let's all congratulate these lucky winners!

WINNERS! 

  • Taryn Elliot - Writing Craft package
  • Carrie Butler - Paranormal romance 
  • Karen Taveres - erotic romance 
  • Natalie Ham - TEMPEST arc 
  • Jami Gold - Historical Romance 
  • Febe Moss - Contemporary Romance 
  • Jessica Anne - Historical Fiction 
  • Julie Glover - Historical Fiction 
  • Natasha Hanova - YA Package 

I will email the winners some time this week to get your addresses so that I can send you your prizes! :)

Alright, so am I the only one reevaluating my blog these days? What do you love to see on other blogs? What do you consider "fluff" posts? How do you feel about theme days (reading them and posting for them)? Which of your posts get the most reader interaction?

Fill-Me-In Friday

 

Whew, it's been a busy week. I think for the first time I've felt like a "working" writer, meaning this week I felt like I was working a job. Not that I wasn't enjoying what I was doing--there was just a big to-do list to check off instead of just sitting in my office and writing stories.
Okay, so first before we get to the link roundup, I do want to let y'all know that I'm one of the authors who has been interviewed over at Writer Unboxed for Lydia Sharp's post: Orange Rinds and Apple Peels - Finding Comfort in Your Own Skin with regards to social networking. So I hope ya'll will check it out. :)
Now on to the links of the week...
On writing:
The Unproductive Writer's Guide to Success by Michael Hyatt -- I LOVE this. Rachelle Gardner tweeted this today saying it was a lightbulb moment for her--and it was for me as well.
A Debut Author's Take on Self-Publishing over at Regency Seductions -- Great thoughts on why you shouldn't just assume you're going to make all this money going into self-pubbing.
What's the Magic Number? How Often Should Writers Blog? by Kristen Lamb
Build Diversity in Your Online Presence with Jane Friedman --complete with the graphic below, which makes my head hurt
10 Ways to Prepare in Advance For Publication by Jody Hedlund
20 Most Awe-Inspiring Writer's Rooms by Bachelors Degrees Online
3 Benefits of Building Your Own Platform by Michael Hyatt
How To Keep Up Online Without Losing Your Mind by Kate Hart via Janice Hardy
Book Addict Patti Discusses Why Some Book Bloggers Are Reluctant to Post Reviews on Amazon - I had no idea these things were issues.
Kinda Funny Frankly:
Foo Fighters vs. Glee - found this via Chuck Wendig. I'm a big Foo Fighters fan. And though I enjoy Glee, this made me laugh.
What You Missed on the Author Blog:
Shameless Saturday: Childhood Comfort Food
Boyfriend of the Week: John Krasinski
What do READERS Want From an Author Blog? 
(lots of great comments on this one too)

And remember, today's the last day to enter my MEGA AWESOME BOOK GIVEAWAY!!!

 

Alright, that's it for now. Hope you all have a great weekend!  Are there any kickass links I missed that you'd like to fill me in on?

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|

There Is No Such Thing As Writers' Block by Joseph Selby

Today I have a special guest blogger for you--Joseph Selby. Or as I like to think of him--the guy who doesn't let me get away with anything on Twitter. ;)  He always calls me out the moment I get overly dramatic. And now he's going to call all of us out because I know I'm not the only one who has used the excuse of "writer's block" to explain away why I haven't written.

So Joe's going to give it to us straight and tell us why we might be feeling like we're blocked and will give us some great tips on what we can do about.

So without further ado, take it away Joe...

There Is No Such Thing As Writers' Block by Joseph Selby

Terry Pratchett has a famous quote, "There is no such thing as writer's block. That was invented by people in California that cannot write." I heard something similar when I was a freshman in high school (possibly by Vonnegut but I cannot remember now). It has proven to be the most valuable tip on writing I have ever heard.

Why? Because there is no such thing as writer's block.

There are factors that may inhibit one's writing: excessive stress from finances or health, relationship woes, etc. Stress can grind creativity into meal. But that's not writer's block. That's stress.

The big WB is some invisible curse that hides one's creativity behind a glass wall. You can see your creativity there. You remember it fondly. It waves and tells you to come over and play, but you cannot get to it. Bang all you wish against that glass wall, you cannot shatter it. Your momentum stalls or worse, your entire manuscript is ruined!

But the wall is not glass. It is imaginary. Now you may have encountered the WB a time or two, had a moment where all sense of what happens next deserted you. You were writing and writing and writing and...stopped. Your story looked out into a void and was consumed by the Nothing. Writer's block, you moan! Oh no! I was doing so well but now the Nothing has consumed my ability, and I have no luck dragon to help me escape! So you think I am being unfairly dismissive. Oh no, friend, I am being quite fairly dismissive.

Here's what really happened: You made a mistake. First, let's go down the checklist. Were there no external stressors like your partner leaving you or the bank foreclosing on your house? Are confident enough in your ability as a writer that you did not sabotage your own effort? That leaves writer's block. Or in reality, it leaves your subconscious writer telling your conscious writer that you made a mistake.

Now depending on how you write, you may follow an outline or you may be going along by the seat of your pants. In either case, your first draft is not going to be your final draft. It will require a lot of spit and a lot of polish before it's good and ready. You may edit while you work (like Roni) or you may wait until the draft is finished and then go back to revise (like me). But when writer's block strikes, you have made (and missed) a mistake that your subconscious knows will derail your entire effort later. Enough so that regardless of when you prefer to revise, you need to stop and do it now..

Perhaps it was an action against character or an event that could not happen based on the time and location of characters described in previous chapters. Perhaps you accidentally channeled Darth Vader's redemption scene without knowing it but everyone else in the world will point and mock you for it. Whatever you've done, your subconscious writer is telling you that you cannot go forward until you fix the problem. It turns off the creative switch and chains up your momentum, holding them hostage until you bow to its will.

Since you're stopped anyway, go back and check the previous two chapters. Often, the error is in the chapter you just finished.

Examine these chapters and compare them to the chapters before and the direction in which you want to take the manuscript. Is there something that doesn't sit right with you? Or is there something else that could be a hundred times cooler and you just missed it the first time around? If you do not find the error in these two chapters (you probably will according to Pratchett, and I've found that he's right), continue to work backward until you do. If you do not find an error, examine your plot as a whole. IS there a gaping pit in logic or character motivation? IS there logic or character motivation? IS that character just Darth Vader without a rebreather helmet and a light saber?

You made a mistake and as soon as you fix it, your creativity and momentum will rocket back like Augustus Gloop getting sucked up a liquid chocolate tube.

If you cannot find a mistake and you genuinely think you have writer's block, Sir Terry suggests you move to California.

Joseph L. Selby

is a fantasist seeking representation. From 9:30 to 5:00 he works as a media project manager for an educational publisher, bringing about the epocalypse. He blogs at

josephlselby.com

 and tweets as

@jlselby

 

My Epic, Two-Year Blogiversary MEGA BOOK GIVEAWAY!

I realized last week that I had passed my two year blogging anniversary on July 13th. Yay! Time flies when you're having fun, right?

So in two years...

  • I've posted almost 500 posts.
  • Have written three books.
  • Have switched from writing YA to writing romance and erotic romance.
  • Have met thousands of other lovely online writers, some of which I know will be friends for life.
  • Have gotten an agent.
  • Have sold two books.
  • And have not (quite) lost my mind yet.

So I consider that a win all around. :)

And to thank all of you for reading this blog, for taking the time to make supportive and thoughtful comments, for retweeting me, and for just generally being awesome, creative people, I've decided to have a super fantabulous contest!

Here's what's up for grabs. There's something for everyone I hope!

CONTEST CLOSED

by Alyson Noel

Erotic Romance Prize Package

(must be 18+ for these): Includes 2 ebooks from the fabulous

Cari Quinn

and 2 print anthologies

Reveal Me

by Cari Quinn (ebook) AND

Provoke Me

by Cari Quinn (ebook)

Ellora's Cavemen: Jewels of the Nile I
Ellora's Cavemen: Dreams of the Oasis Volume 3

Ellora's Cavemen 

Anthologies (2 print)

Historical Fiction Prize: (2 of these up for grabs)

The Summer Garden: A Love Story

by Paulina Simons 

Historical Romance Prize Package (2 paperbacks):

The Heir

by Grace Burrowes

A Secret Affair (Huxtable Quintet, Book 5)

by Mary Balogh

Contemporary Romance Package

(2 paperbacks):

The First Love Cookie Club

by Lori Wilde

Seduction by the Book (Harlequin Blaze)

by Stephanie Bond

Paranormal Romance Prize Package

(3 paperbacks):

Fill-Me-In Friday

 

Time for another edition of Fill-Me-In Friday where I share some of my fave links from the week.

 

From the Blogosphere:

List of Authors on Google + by RK Charron - I resisted opening up a google + page, but it seems people are flooding over there, so I joined. It's pretty cool, more like Facebook than Twitter, but with some added features. So anyway, if you'd like to start building your writer circle over there, here's a good list to start with. :)

Jamie Gold asks What's Your Blogging Style? - and explains why short blog posts aren't necessarily better. (Thank God since I can't seem to write a short blog post.)

Jody Hedlund asks What Is a Blogger's Role in Responding to Comments? - This post relieved some of the guilt I feel about not having time to respond in the comments lately. I think her approach and way of looking at it is a good one. And just know that on those days that I don't respond in the comments, be assured I am reading each and every comment. I love hearing everyone's opinions and thoughts.

Author Elizabeth Silver over at Dirty Birdies shares useful tips on how to have a successful writing partnership (i.e. co-writing a book with someone else). Fair Warning: The excerpt used as an example contains explicit material.


Jamie Wesley talks about Already Missing Borders and what her book-buying options are now. - I feel her pain. Borders was my preferred store as well. :(  And on that same note here is the Simplest, Clearest Explanation You'll Find of How Borders Closing Affects the Book Industry

And now that we're depressed about our bookstores closing, here are some Weekly Deals via Dear Author on ebooks: 29+ Books Under 2.99 and some FREE (including freebies from some of my fave authors like Lauren Dane, woot). I downloaded more than I needed to from this post. (If you need a recommendation from the list Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon is FABulous and a steal at 2.99.)

Kristen Lamb Gives Us 10 Tips for Blogging Awesomeness.

Thought-provoking post by Allison Brennan on why she thinks Twitter/Facebook/Blogging doesn't sell books and that authors shouldn't be pressured to be on social media. Also worth reading the comments where she and Kristen Lamb discuss their opposing viewpoints. : )

For laughs: Sierra Godfrey responds to a Nigerian scammer with a form rejection.

Looking for a crit partner? Check out Ladies Who Critique a new website about to launch to help you find your critter match. : )



What You Missed on the Author Blog This Week:

 

(my response to the Nathan Bransford self-promo kerfuffle)

 

So now it's your turn to fill us in, what was your fave link of the week? 

Have a great weekend everyone!


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|

Guest Blog & Contest: Writing a Quality Medical Scene by Wendy S. Marcus

Today I have something a bit different for you. Author Wendy S. Marcus is going to give us some insight into writing medical romance (and a chance to win a book!) This may be a subgenre you've never heard of, but I'm sure you all are familiar with the medical shows that have been so successful on television. Hot doctors. High drama. Life and death stakes. What's not to love? 


Well, Harlequin has a whole line dedicated to those types of stories! : ) So I hope you'll give Wendy a warm welcome and a congratulations on her debut.

Writing a Quality Medical Scene for Romance
By: Wendy S. Marcus

Thank you so much for hosting me on the 24th stop on my blog tour to promote my debut Harlequin Medical Romance, WHEN ONE NIGHT ISN’T ENOUGH. Today I’ve decided to chat about writing a quality medical scene for romance.

Medical scenes are great for infusing tension, drama and emotion into a story. They are also fraught with risk that too much detail, gore or technical speak will pull a reader out of a story.

The most important first step is to know your audience. A reader who picks up a medical thriller or suspense and adventure book is expecting a different experience than a reader devouring a romance.

The second step is to determine what you want to accomplish with the scene. Is it to introduce the heroic doctor and compassionate nurse? Is it to show how well they work together, how skilled they are, and/or how much they respect each other? Is it to drive a wedge in the romantic relationship of a non-medical hero and heroine? Or, conversely, is it intended as a catalyst to bring an estranged couple back together?  

After that, you need to identify which of the characters in the scene has the most to lose or gain, and write in their point of view (POV). Is it the mother whose three-year-old son has been rushed to the Emergency Room after being found at the bottom of a neighbor’s swimming pool? Or the nurse on duty who is struggling to function while reliving the night her own young son died as the result of a drowning accident one year prior? Or the neighbor who was in charge of babysitting the child, who loves the child as if it were his own, and who had planned to propose to the child’s mother that evening? Or is it the doctor who remained at work after the end of his shift to assist in resuscitating the child, who refused to report off to his relief so he could be certain every possible measure was taken to save the child’s life, despite his fiancé’s ultimatum: Come home on time or we’re through?

Do you see how identifying who has the most to lose or gain in the scene and writing in their POV adds a whole other dimension? (Now I know some of you may have been quick to think: Of course it would be the mother who had the most to lose. Not necessarily. It’s all how you, the author, choose to write the scene and who your hero and heroine happen to be.)

Next, write the scene through the senses of the POV character. Let the reader experience the emotion of the scene through your character’s observations and reactions. A medical scene needs to be about more than cataloging injuries, sopping up blood, and treating illness. In medical romance, as in all category romance novels, the focus of each scene needs to be on the relationship of the hero and heroine. How does the medical scene impact the POV character? How does it impact the relationship between the hero and heroine?

You don’t need to be a medical professional to write a medical scene. Not all medical romance authors are doctors or nurses. My editor says, “If you’re good with research, you can write a medical romance.” But don’t skimp on the research. Even though I’m a nurse, I do extensive research before I write each medical scene to make sure my information (and memory) is accurate. Even though you’re writing a romance, you still want your medical scenes to be as realistic and accurate as possible - while keeping the blood, guts, and gore to a minimum.

And readers like closure. If you go into the backstory of a patient, or he/she shows up in more than one scene, your readers will want to know what happens to him/her.

Here is an excerpt of a medical scene from Chapter 9 of WHEN ONE NIGHT ISN’T ENOUGH:

Allison a.k.a Ali, a nurse, is my heroine. Jared a.k.a. Dr. P., an E.R. doctor, is my hero.

Gas pedal met floor mat and the car took off. Ali made a screeching turn up the hilly drive to the hospital, honked at pedestrians too stupid to look where they were walking, and skidded to a stop under the bright red “Emergency Room” sign. She slammed the car into park, and, heart pounding, jumped out and ran for help.
            “Come on. Come on.” Gramps could die in the time it took the freakin’ electric doors to open. Once inside, Ali yelled out as loud as she could. “I need help. Now.” She ran for the empty stretcher in Trauma Room One. “Dr. P., Polly. Where is everyone?”
            Pushing the stretcher to the sliding doors Ali met up with Jared who ran out of Exam Room Three and Polly who came from Trauma Room Two.
            “It’s Gramps.” Nothing more needed to be said. Polly helped her navigate the stretcher. Jared ran out ahead of them. By the time Ali and Polly had the stretcher out to the curb; Jared stood holding Gramps in his arms. 
             “He’s conscious,” Jared said.
            The second Jared laid Gramps on the stretcher Ali started to push.
            “Wait,” Polly called. “The side rails.”
            Ali knew better than to transport a patient without the side rails up. She locked the railing on her side of the stretcher into place while Polly did the same on the other side.
            “Let’s go. Let’s go,” Jared called out. On the way in Ali rattled off Gramps’s past medical history, including a prior myocardial infarction five years ago and his current medications.
            Another nurse on duty joined Jared, Polly, and Ali in Trauma Room One. She whipped out her scissors, prepared to cut up the front of Gramps’s shirt. “Wait. That’s his favorite shirt,” Ali said, fumbling to undo the buttons.
            “You shouldn’t be in here,” the nurse, not one of Ali’s favorite people at the moment, said.
            The shirt unbuttoned, Ali struggled to take it off. Polly tried to help, twisting Gramps’s arm into what looked like an uncomfortable position. “Careful. You’re going to hurt him,” Ali said.
            “We need to get him hooked up to the monitor,” Polly said. “Think like a nurse, or Teresa’s right. You shouldn’t be in here.”    
            The shirt finally off, Polly attached the chest leads, Teresa hooked up the oxygen, and Ali primed the IV tubing. That done, she grabbed the basket of IV supplies and prepared to insert the peripheral intravenous cannula. She straightened the arm and tied the rubber tourniquet above his elbow. She exposed the antecubital fossa and palpated for the vein. Once she identified the insertion site, she opened the prep pad and cleansed the area. She operated on autopilot. Had done this thousands of times.
            Bevel up, she positioned the needle and prepared to puncture the skin. Gramps’s skin. Her eyes filled with tears. She wiped them away. Lowered the cannula. Her hands shook. A tear dripped onto the surface she’d just disinfected.
            “Outside,” Jared said. His tone authoritative.
            She didn’t move, knew she was hindering their care but couldn’t get her legs to walk. Gramps’s color looked gray. Not good. The cardiac monitor beat out an irregular rhythm, far slower than normal. He lay motionless on the table, except for the shallow rise and fall of his chest. 
            A strong arm came around her shoulders and led her to the door. “We’ll take good care of him, Ali,” Jared said. “Wait in the lounge.”
            “Line’s in,” Polly said. “IV infusing.”
            “Waiting for medication orders, Dr. P.,” the other nurse said.
Ali pulled away and ran for the stretcher unable to bear the thought this may be the last time she’d see him alive. “I have to tell him where I’ll be.” She leaned in close to Gramps’ ear, crying in earnest. “I’ll be right outside, Gramps. Polly’s here. And Dr. P. They’ll take good care of you.” She kissed his cool, clammy cheek. “I love you. Don’t you leave me. I need you so much. Especially now.”


To learn more about me or to read an excerpt from the beginning of WHEN ONE NIGHT ISN’T ENOUGH, visit my website: http://WendySMarcus.com

If you like what you’ve read so far, WHEN ONE NIGHT ISN’T ENOUGH is available:
In the UK in stores and on Amazon 
In Aus/NZ in stores and on the Mills and Boon website
In the U.S. online at Amazon 

So what’d you think about my excerpt(s)? Can you envision yourself adding a medical scene to your next manuscript? I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about writing a quality medical scene for romance or about Harlequin Medical Romance in general. Are you a fan of medical romance? Do you watch medical drama shows on television? Are you willing to give my medical romance a try? One lucky commenter will win a copy of my 2in1 UK edition which includes a complete novel by author Janice Lynn! 



Wendy S. Marcus lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley region of New York with her husband, two of her three children, and a much loved Bichon Frise named Buddy. A nurse by trade, Wendy has her master’s degree in health care administration. After years of working in the medical profession, Wendy has taken a radical turn to writing hot contemporary romance with strong heroes, feisty heroines, and lots of laughs. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and blogging/e-mailing/tweeting with her online friends. To learn more about Wendy visit her website, http://www.WendySMarcus.com. 

Visit me on Facebook
Visit me on Twitter
Visit me on Goodreads 




 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|

Fill-Me-In Friday

 


It's time again for our new feature where I try to find some of the best links of the week you may have missed and pass them along to you.

 

On the Web...

The Trials and Tribulations of the Modern Day Writer by Chuck Wendig including such advice as "Write More, Word Slave" and why writers needs to be like Great White Honeysharks. (See, don't you want to know what that is now?)

Ten Suggestions For Authors on Twitter from the perspective of a reader by May over at Smexy Books - Love to hear what readers hope to see from authors on Twitter

Writers and Doubt (and why it's a good thing) by James Scott Bell at The Kill Zone

The Importance of Knowing and Writing for our Target Readers by Jody Hedlund

What Readers Won't Miss About Corporate Publishers by Anne R. Allen - Now, I'm not one who thinks the big publishers are just going to collapse into oblivion anytime soon. I think the whole industry is changing and with that comes some good things and some bad things. But what I like about Anne's post is the point that with the boom in self-publishing, genres that are considered "out of style" will have a chance again. Anne selects the top genres she looks forward to seeing making a comeback.

Ellora's Cave (one of the biggest digital-first publishers of erotic romance) is planning to launch a line for men. This is super fascinating to me because I'm always so interested in how the male and female minds work differently. The comments from guys on the post were pretty insightful too. I'll be interested to see if this line is successful and will definitely pick up a few of the books once they come out to see how they differ from the female-centric stories.

Creative Kryptonite and the Death of Productivity by Jonathan Fields - What all this multi-tasking, tweeting, facebooking, emailing is doing to our brains and how it can hurt our ability to create.

What You Missed on the Author Blog...

 

(my response to a comment on my post on Wednesday about writing fast to build a career)
*and then in response to THAT post, Geoffrey Young Haney responded in his own post

So thoughts on any of these? And it's your turn to fill ME in, what are some of your favorite links from the week? Have a great weekend!

 


  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|

How Fast Do You Have To Write to Build a Successful Career?

So I've talked before about how I'm a perfectionist. I always have been. I'm the girl who got a grade on my final trigonometry test that would bring down my final average to a B+ instead of an A  and went to my teacher to go problem by problem until we found a place where he took off too many points for a simple mistake. I got my A, kept my perfect 4.0. Yes, I'm that annoying girl.

So when it comes to my writing, this perfection monkey sits solidly on my back squawking and whining as I try to draft my book. It's frustrating and it slows me down. On average it takes me about 6-7 months to write and revise a 90k-100k book. Six months of that is drafting. Six months of drafting.

In previous decades in publishing, expecting an author to write one book a year was pretty standard. And for the most part, it still is if you're writing literary fiction or if you're an already established author. But if you're a new author, the situation is different, especially with the advent of ebooks and self-publishing. Readers are expecting your next work pretty quickly. You don't want them to forget about you (or if you're writing a series, your characters.) You need to stay top of mind.

And if you want to make money, you'll hear it over and over again--backlist is king. To earn a sustainable living as a writer, you need backlist. One book (unless you're part of the Oprah book club or Stephanie Meyer) is not going to set you up for life. One book isn't going to allow you to quit your day job. You want readers to pick up one of your books, love it, and then have a whole slew of other books by you that they can click the "buy" button on.

But the caveat of write, write, write, get a backlist out there is that you also have to make sure you maintain the quality of your work. One horrible book can send your readers running for the hill and for all the other reading choices they have bombarding them from everywhere.

And I know it can be done--writing fast and producing quality books. Maya Banks stated in her Dear Author interview that she writes 8-10 books a year. (!!!) Some of those are novellas but still, my jaw dropped onto my space bar. She also says she usually is done and sends it to her editor when she finishes the first draft.

And I can tell you, I read Maya. Her books are fabulous. She's one of my favorite romance authors. She's also hit the New York Times list and this year, had a book nominated for a RITA (the Oscars of romance writing). So clearly her quality is not suffering. And last year, she said that she made 600k for income. And this year, she's on track to hit 900k. Yes, people, she gave out her numbers. And if you don't read erotic romance, this is not an author many of you have probably even heard of. There is clearly money to be made if you put out quality work in good volume.

Now, I know I will never be able to pen 8-10 books a year. I have a three year old and a husband who would like to see me sometimes. And I'm a new author, so all this getting my name out there and social networking stuff is a time eater. But I KNOW I have got to be able to write more than 1-2 books a year.

So I am going to challenge myself with these next books to write faster and edit less. Here are some of the things I am going to be putting on post-it notes to remind myself courtesy of author Candace Havens, who gives Fast Draft workshops on her online forum.

1. It is okay to write a sh*tty first draft.

I like revising. Why am I so dead set on getting it perfect the first time?

2. I will write a basic synopsis before I start writing.

I'm a pantser so the story will change and I will not outline every point, but to have a general overview will help me. (Plus, I'm going to have to do this if I want to sell on proposal.)

3. I will know the basics about my book before starting--mainly the Goal, Motivation, and Conflict of my main characters.

4. I will not get hung up for five minutes trying to find the perfect word. I'll change it when I revise.

5. I will refuse to believe in writer's block and will keep writing even if I feel like I'm not sure where I'm going.

And though this doesn't have to do with writing faster, I will also learn to write shorter stuff in addition to my full-length novels. I think the successful author of the future is going to know how to write in varying lengths and is going to utilize multiple avenues to get their work out there (traditional publishers, e-pubs, self-publishing, etc.)

So what kind of writer are you? Are you a fast drafter or a slow and steady one like me? How many books do you think you could legitimately write in a year? What do you think the future of publishing is going to look like?

UPDATE: I did a follow up post in response to the discussion in the comments - The Beauty of Books: Why the Literary vs. Genre Debate Isn't Necessary

 

Writing In Flow - Burning Questions Answered

 


Today I'm answering burning questions over at Beverly Diehl's Writing in Flow blog. I'd love for y'all to stop by and comment.

 

Here are some of the questions I'm answering:

 

  • You got your agent - and book deal - through being a fabulous writer, obviously, but also through building an online presence and networking.  Let’s say someone is old school - they have a great novel which has been polished like a diamond, but they have ZERO online presence.  With your knowledge of the publishing world today, would you advise them to go ahead and start querying, then begin building their online presence while waiting for replies?  Or, in your opinion, would it be wiser to perhaps invest six months to a year in building a platform, before querying?
  • Your writing schedule - do you write every day?  Write steadily, then blog, then Twitter breaks, or check your e-mail first, or is it all dogpiled together?
  • Although your blog is PG-13, you write dark erotic suspense material, and you’re open about using your own name and photo, not a pseudonym.  Tell us about the thought process that went into that decision, and how your (extended) family feels about it.

 

Hope to see you over there! :)

 

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Fill-Me-In Friday

 


Welcome to the new Friday feature--Fill-Me-In Friday where I share some of the best links I've come across during the week.


On the web...

 


Sherrilyn Kenyon's keynote speech from RWA - Totally made me cry when I heard it in person. If you ever want to get whiny about writing, go read this and kick your own ass.

 

 

thefaultinourstarscovers:photo credit here[submitted by Jen]
*not actual cover, check out others here*

A Social Media Marketing Success Story via Anne R. Allen and the post she's talking about: An Unfinished Book Hits Number One

 

Things Learned at RWA 11 via Dear Author - I linked to it on Wednesday, but if you didn't check it out, go now. :)

Romances Don't Have Enough Condoms and Have Too Much Fantasy - Smart Bitches, Trashy Books take on the latest study blaming all of life's woes on romance novels. All of the stuff that is blamed on romance novels makes me tired. Really, really tired. (And for the record, I would say 99% of romance novels I read tackle the issue of protection. The only ones who don't are historical novels where birth control methods weren't exactly available.)

Forget Everyone Else by Jessica Faust - On writing the story you want to write.

There's going to be a Q & A with author Maya Banks on Dear Author on Sunday- Everything you were afraid to ask about publishing. Maya is both e-pubbed and traditionally pubbed and is now venturing into self-pubbing. You can go submit questions still and she said not to hold back! :)

 

Kristen Lamb is giving her intitial thoughts on Google+ and is generously going to test it out for those of us who are wary of entering yet another social media zone.

 

 

What Separates Man From Penmonkey by Chuck Wendig - Warning: If you haven't read Chuck before, his posts are hilarious and insightful, but rated R. There, you've been warned. :) Now go read it.

 



What You Missed on my Author Blog:

 


And if you missed Monday's post, I'm still looking for people willing to host me for a spot on my blog tour for CRASH INTO YOU. If you're interested, please sign up here.

 

And last bit of personal pimping--I've been interviewed for the Writer's Knowledge Base newsletter. Check it out here! And if you haven't already, subscribe to this super helpful free newsletter. Lots of good info each month.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! What was your favorite link of the week? Have you read any of the ones above yet?

  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|

Six Month Countdown!

Just got back from RWA and had an amazing time and met so many fabulous people (many of which I met first online via this blog.) I'll have more RWA posts in the upcoming week.

I usually don't post on Sundays, but just wanted to stop in for the "My book comes out in six months" squee! And I'm sharing the squee with my RWA roommate and beta buddy Julie Cross whose YA thriller TEMPEST comes out the same day as mine.

Here are me and Julie in NYC:

Julie and I met each other blogging. When we started reading each other's work, neither of us had an agent or even a glimmer of a book deal. We each just had a pile of rejections. We were both newbie writers trying to figure all of it out. Less than two years later, we're six months from seeing these on the shelves...

Coming January 2012TEMPEST

Everything really can change in a blink. So those of you still in the pre-published trenches, don't give up hope!

Have a great fourth of july everyone!

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Love Scenes in Fantasy by Paul Anthony Shortt

One thing I love about having guest bloggers is that I get to hear (and share) things from people with different perspectives and expertise. I'll admit that my experience with the fantasy genre is not extensive. Beyond my love for A Wrinkle In Time and The Never Ending Story as a kid and reading some urban fantasy as an adult, I'm woefully under-read in the genre.


So when I held an impromptu "pitch me a guest post idea" contest on Twitter a few weeks ago, I was so happy to see Paul Anthony Shortt throw out this topic. I selected him as the winner (though is it really winning if I make you work and write a guest post, lol.? Not sure.) and he generously put together this fab post for us. Hope you enjoy!

 

 


Love Scenes in Fantasy by Paul Anthony Shortt


Although I don’t write romance, I believe sexuality is an important part of defining a character. It is one of the most driving needs people have, to feel sexually fulfilled and compatible with another person. As writers, we should take the time to understand the significance of how we choose to, or choose not to, express this need.

 

Fantasy artwork is filled with images of well-endowed women wearing highly impractical clothing, all manner of bits exposed to swords and arrows and evil, leering wizards. It’s safe to say that the genre hasn’t been especially kind to women in the past. As such, popular fantasy, for all its innovation and imagination, can feature some very stereotypical depictions of sex. Men are often sex-obsessed, while women are either virginal things to be conquered, or temptresses placed there to seduce the male hero away from his goal. Not that all fantasy is like this, or that these stereotypes can’t still be used effectively, but with its roots in ancient myth, it is only natural for the Fantasy genre to incorporate such elements. These motifs harken back to traditional gender roles in storytelling, where women represented two extremes: Purity or temptation. Peacemaker or obstacle. The woman was representative of the rewards the hero would receive for staying true to his goals and serving the greater good, or of the ease with which he can succumb to base desires. 

More modern titles, particularly Urban Fantasy, where women tend to receive more important roles, introduce a new side to this. Newer heroes such as Laurell K Hamilton’s Anita Blake have experienced sex as a means to gain new power, to become more than the mere mortal they were before. Similar situations crop up in The Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher, where sexual energy can be used to fuel spells, or as part of ritual magic. This treatment of sex seems to draw again on ancient myth and occultism, where sex was part of spiritual practices, a way of connecting the mortal self with higher powers. Of course, the danger here is that the spirituality of the act can be forgotten, leaving the reader with the impression of sex becoming a path to power. That said, we can examine such decisions by a writer to determine whether they may be portraying the embracing of sex as being, in and of itself, empowering. By realising their sexual natures, the characters are freed from previous limitations. 

In some cases, there is a more disturbing side shown in characters. In The Baker’s Boy, by J.V. Jones, we see many sex-focused men and just as many women who treat sex as something to be given to a man, simply as a matter of course. As a reader I found this unsettling, and spent a long time wondering exactly what the author was trying to say. These are traits often given to characters with whom we are not meant to sympathise, or who are portrayed as misguided or forced to behave a certain way. Representations of sexual servitude go back to the Gor series and beyond, but can we consider them love scenes, even when they are consensual? Is there any emotional connection between the characters, or is this as mundane to them as being served a cup of coffee?  

The risks inherent in writing love scenes are as present in Fantasy as they are in Romance, if not more so. With Romance, readers expect that relationships and emotion are the focus of the story. Characters grow through experiencing emotional upheaval, rather than by facing physical dangers. In Fantasy, there is no inherent expectation of romantic encounters. Readers may not be used to finding them, and authors may not be used to writing them. If a love scene feels added in just to titillate the reader, it loses its power, and any sense of purpose. Just as in Romance, a love scene should represent something deep and meaningful, for the good or for the ill of the characters involved. It may be the culmination of a love story, where two characters are finally united and become stronger for their new bond. It may be a sign that a character’s innocence is now over, and they must stand as an adult against the threats that come. It may even be a last desperate act to cast aside inhibition, embrace a darker part of the self, and hopefully become stronger for it. 

Then, of course, there’s no reason why it can’t just be a simple act between two lovers. An expression of their feelings as they come together at the height of the story’s tension. For all the different ways a love scene can be included in Fantasy, and all the different themes it can represent, the emotions of those involved, how they react, whether they are at first reluctant or have sought this out, should be as they are in Romance. Human. Stories are about people, and so long as the simple human responses to love and sex are held to with consistency and integrity, an author should be able to give us a scene that is engaging and satisfying to read on an emotional level.

In this way, Fantasy authors can learn an awful lot from Romance authors. Both genres deal with heightened emotions, larger than life stakes, whether internal or external, and the expectation that, in the end, all will be well. So with these similarities in mind, it stands to reason that the attention paid to personal relationships, and their highest form of expression in love scenes, in Romance should guide Fantasy authors to better understand the power that their choices can have in how the readers responds to the story they tell.


 Paul Anthony Shortt is an avid reader and lover of music and film. He lives in Ireland with his wife, who is expecting their first child in a few weeks, and their dog, Pepper. His first novel, which is still undergoing title edits, is due to be released by WiDo Publishing in 2012.


Blog: http://paulanthonyshortt.blogspot.com/

What differences do you see genre to genre with regards to love scenes and the romantic thread? 

 

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Building a Slow Burning Romance with Janice Hardy

Today I have a special treat for you guys--kickbutt author and uber blogger, Janie Hardy. If you guys aren't following her writing blog The Other Side of the Story, your're truly missing out. She has some great information over there. And it's all so neatly organized that I'm totally jealous. (*eyes my haphazard tags cloud over in the sidebar*)

So today Janice is going to share tips on building a slow burning romance...

 



A Slow Burning Romance

I ran into a snag when creating the romance in my fantasy adventure trilogy, The Healing Wars. Since entire first book (The Shifter) takes place over three days, there wasn’t much opportunity for romance. Nya, the main character, is eyeballs deep in trouble all the time and really didn’t have time for love. She was too busy trying to keep herself and her friends alive and safe. If I was going to make this work (and I really wanted to for these crazy kids), it had to be a romance that developed over the course of the series. I needed a slow burn, not a quick blaze.

It wasn’t my original plan, but I think this worked well considering the younger ages (15-16) of my characters. I got to play with a lot of fun situations that everyone can relate to. Such as having inopportune thoughts at the worst time, like when Nya notices hottie Danello while he’s pointing a rapier at her. And the awkward moment when Nya realizes she’s wearing old, ripped clothes and might possibly smell (she lives on the street). And the really cute exchanges when Danello clearly doesn’t care about any of that and likes her anyway.

It’s also fun because it never occurs to Nya that a boy actually could like her. Readers can see that Danello is clearly smitten the first time they meet, but it takes Nya a while to figure this out. Danello is also a good enough guy to understand that pushing Nya is only going to make her run away – something she’s exceptionally good at.

If you’re considering a slow-burning romance, here are some things that I did to let this romance evolve over time:

1. Let my love interest earn that love
Nya has had a lot of bad things happen to her in her short life and she doesn’t trust anyone. Danello really had to prove that he wasn’t going to let her down, and that she could count on him no matter what. That gave me lots of opportunities to let him be a hero, even though she’s the star of the book. He’s just a quieter hero. Nya’s hero. Which isn’t easy to be considering how strong a girl she is. But because he tries anyway, he’s even more the hero.

2. Let my girl realize she has people she can count on
Part of Danello’s value is that he helps Nya see that she really does have people in her life that she can trust. His actions often surprise her, and his loyalty gets her to realize she isn’t alone in all this. She has more than just her sister in the harsh world they live in. He doesn’t always agree with her, and is willing to stand up to her, but even that shows her she can depend on him for whatever she needs him for.

3. Let my love interest keep my girl off balance
Nya is the type of girl who immediately judges a situation and acts. Her life depends on making fast decisions. But Danello gets her to question some of those actions, and gets her thinking before jumping in. He really grounds her, and that is something that might save her life.

4. Let my love interest be there for my girl, yet ask for nothing
Everything in Nya’s life has been fleeting. Parents, safety, food, home. There hasn’t been a lot of constants, except that people want things from her. They want to use her for their gain. Except Danello. He just wants to love her. He’s the one safe place she can go to when everything else is in chaos.

These two go through a lot together over the course of three books, but their experiences connect them in a way I don’t think I would have gotten had they hooked up in book one. They got to know each other over time, trust each other, and rely on each other. Their romance got to simmer, not burn, but I think that means this romance will last.


Bio:
Janice Hardy always wondered about the darker side of healing. For her fantasy trilogy THE HEALING WARS, she tapped into her own dark side to create a world where healing was dangerous, and those with the best intentions often made the worst choices. Her books include THE SHIFTER, and BLUE FIRE. DARKFALL, the final book of the trilogy, is due out October 4, 2011. She lives in Georgia with her husband, three cats and one very nervous freshwater eel. You can visit her online at www.janicehardy.com, chat with her about writing on her blog, The Other Side of the Story (http://blog.janicehardy.com/), or find her on Twitter @Janice_Hardy.

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Guest Blog: How Important is a Moral Premise with Jeannie Campbell



Today I'd like to welcome the lovely Jeannie Campbell to the blog today. I met Jeannie early on in the blog-hood because her job caught my eye--Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. For those of you who don't know, before I turned into a writer/stay at home mom, I was a licensed social worker who provided therapy to children and their families and did adoption work. So I was happy to meet another therapist/writer.

And I love how Jeannie incorporates her clinical background with writing. If you haven't visited her site The Character Therapist, you're missing out. Today, Jeannie's talking to us about stories having a moral premise AND she's giving away a copy of the Writer's Guide to Creating Rich Back Stories!  So be sure to comment and leave your email address if you'd like to be included in the contest.

Take it away Jeannie...

How Important is Moral Premise?

By

Jeannie Campbell, LMFT


I used to think characters were the most important aspect of fiction writing. (This from a character-driven novelist/therapist. Go figure.) But after doing some research, I’ve come to the conclusion that the moral premise might be the most important thing in a book outside of the actual story premise.

The moral premise of a story is a single sentence statement describing the lesson of the story as it reflects on real life. Filmmakers have gotten the hang of this quicker than fiction writers, but Aristotle knew way back when that there was a correlation between a play’s moral message and it’s popularity. (Read his Poetics.)

When the moral premise of a movie sits “right” with the audience, that movie does better in the box office. Word of mouth spreads like my white cat sheds hairs—prolifically. On the flip side, if the moral premise is deceitful, the movie doesn’t do so well and people don’t tell their friends to go see it.

The same can and should be said for fiction. 

There are three ways people learn: experience, observation, and lecture. Lecture has the least to recommend it, experience the most, or the reason that the learner is using more of their senses. The more senses engaged, the greater the emotional tension and physical/emotional risk, thus the deeper the learning.

But fiction is unique in that is puts the reader in the position of learning via vicarious experience. The reader is (hopefully) transported into a new world that should become real to them. The reader should put themselves into the protagonist’s shoes, feeling the butterflies before a first kiss or the building apprehension the longer the killer goes free.

Some authors are simply gifted storytellers, weaving a tale that enthralls us. Others utilize the moral premise as well as draw from their innate author skills, and these are the books that capture the nation and beyond.

I’ll draw upon the cult following of The Twilight Saga to make my point. This set of books took America by storm. Stephenie Meyer wrote a book that spoke to the hearts of women (and men who will admit it), both young and old. Why?

Twilight is about love conquering all and not being able to choose with whom you fall in love. It’s a modern-day fairytale. (Why do you think factories are still pumping out DVDs of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast? They know that little girls everywhere dream about a prince coming one day. It’s timeless.)

Meyer’s book is essentially about Bella finding her prince. True, he’s a vamp, which means they have a few obstacles to overcome, namely Edward’s lust for her blood. But what book wouldn’t be complete without obstacles? It’s the obstacles that become your story premise.

Hopefully this simplistic assessment of Twilight’s universal appeal through its moral premise will get the wheels turning in your head about your story’s premise. Can you narrow it down to one sentence? Is it something that people can relate to, that they will want to talk about on their commute into town?

If you need any assistance at all with deciphering the moral premise within your story premise, please visit me at my new website, The Character Therapist. I do free mini-assessments for characters and charge a moderate rate for full, detailed assessments.

You can also sign up for my newsletter, Case Notes, and receive a free Writer’s Guide to Character Motivation. I have several other Guides for sale at my Therapy Store, so check it out!

Thanks, Roni, for hosting me on your blog today. I’m grateful to you and your readers for your time. Hopefully I’ll see some of you again on my couch. 

Feel free to ask Jeannie any questions in the comments and be sure to leave your EMAIL ADDRESS if you want to be included in the contest! (Contest open until midnight tomorrow night. Jeannie will contact winner directly.)

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Five Promotion Tips for the Shy Writer by Lindsey Bell

For those of you who don't know, next week is the Romance Writers of America (RWA) Conference in NYC. This is the biggie, the grand poo-bah, the conference we romance writers start countdowns for the minute the last one ends. It's basically four days of non-stop awesomeness--workshops, book signings, parties, and best of all hanging out with writers/industry professionals from all around the world.

If you've never been and you write anything with a romantic thread (including you YA-ers), you should make a point to get to this conference one year. 

So anyway, this means that next week I will be too busy to blog. (Though I will be tweeting from the conference, so be sure to tune into that.) 

But since I won't be around, I've hooked you up with a week's worth of awesome guest bloggers. Yay! And I'm actually starting the guest blogging a little early. The fabulous Lindsey Bell sent me this post and I told her I had to put it up early because for those of you going to the conference (or any place where you'll have to pitch or promote yourself). This is great advice. 

So take it away, Lindsey...

How to Promote When You’re Too Shy to Promote

by Lindsey Bell

If there’s one thing you need to know about me, it’s this: I’m shy. I’m an introvert at my core. Public speaking makes me nervous. Talking to editors intimidates me. My voice even gets shaky when I talk to other authors. I guess there’s a part of me that still wonders if my writing is any good. You’d think getting published would alleviate these fears, but for me, it hasn’t. I’m still shy. But…I’m learning to manage it.

Last fall, I did something I’ve avoided for years. I pitched my book to several editors and agents at a writing conference. Yes, I was petrified. Yes, I was drenched in sweat by the time the pitches were over. (Seriously, I should have brought an extra shirt.) But it was worth it. I met my agent at one of those pitch sessions, and we’ve been working together for the past six months to get my manuscript polished and submitted.

As a writer who has finally learned how to manage shyness, I feel obliged to pass along some tips to other nervous writers.

  1. Dress the part. I try to wear professional-looking outfits when I talk with editors, agents, or other authors. I’m telling you, it works. Just as wearing a fancy new dress makes you feel pretty, wearing a professional outfit makes you feel like a professional (even when everything inside of you is screaming that you’re not).
  2. Come prepared. When you go to a writing conference and plan to promote your work, be prepared. Bring your book proposal and sample chapters. (In fact, I’d bring several copies of your proposal, just in case you run into another editor who likes your work). You should also bring business cards.
  3. Perfect your pitch. The pitch should be a couple of sentences long and include the title, theme, and basic story line of your book. Once you’ve written your pitch, practice it. Have it so well memorized that you can say it without even really thinking about it.
  4. Remember that they are people too. Editors, agents, and other authors are just like you. Try to take them off the pedestal and view them as normal human beings. It’s also helpful to remember that they are rooting for you. They want you to succeed.
  5. Believe in yourself. So what if you’re a first-time author? So what if you are young . . . or old . . . or whatever thing you think makes you less qualified? Believe in your writing, and believe in yourself. Because when you do, you’re a lot more likely to find someone else who will believe in you as well. J

Good luck, and happy pitching!

Lindsey Bell is a nonfiction author, stay-at-home mother, wife, and blogger. She is working with the Blythe Daniel Agency to find a publisher for her parenting book entitled “Searching for Sanity.” When she’s not writing or chasing after her two-year-old son, Rylan, she’s likely spending time with her husband, Keith. Or then again, she might be taking a nap.

Contact Information:

Author Blog:

www.lindsey-bell.blogspot.com

Miscarriage Blog:

www.livingwholeagain.blogspot.com

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLindseyBell

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/LindseyMBell

Thanks so much, Lindsey!

 So are you shy like me and Lindsey? Does the idea of pitching make you want to curl into the fetal position? What things have helped you get through conferences or pitch sessions? And who is going to be at RWA next week?

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What My Husband Really Thinks

Curious about how my husband really feels about me writing erotic romance, posting boyfriend of the week blogs, and tweeting naughty pictures on Tumblr?

He answers all on my author blog today. Stop by and give him some comment love on his blogging debut. :)

The Hubs Speaks: What It's Like Being Married to an Erotic Romance Author

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How Convenient! - Contrived Coincidences

A while back I talked about the TSTL character in a Lifetime movie I was watching.  Well, unfortunately (or fortunately--considering it provided fodder for two blog posts), the crappy plot devices did not end there.  The You've-Got-To-Be-Freaking-Kidding-Me moments continued.  But this time in the form of contrived coincidences.

Contrived Coincidence describes a highly improbable occurrence in a story which is required by the plot, but which has absolutely no outward justification

When we left our heroine in the previous post, she was under suspicion for murder.  So, she had decided the best course of action was to break in and search the crime scene (leaving DNA-laden hair and fingerprints in her wake no doubt).  Well, she doesn't find much over there (although the killer does stop in the house briefly--at the exact time she's there--she hides under the bed, seeing only his feet).  But, that my friends, is not even the silliest coincidence.

Our heroine goes on and continues her search for evidence in different places, but doesn't turn up much.  However, she strikes up a friendship with the local coffee barista who tells her how every townie takes his or her coffee.  Well, fast forward, and Ms. Brilliant is being followed all around town by a mysterious black mustang (the car, not the horse, although that would have been better).  Because that's what killers do, they show you their car and follow you in broad daylight.  But anyhoo, a few days later her own car is vandalized and she needs to go buy another vehicle.

Well, lo and behold, as she's searching the used car lot, she happens upon what?  You got it.  The black mustang that's been following her.  Oh, and what's that you say Mr. Salesman?  The car was just dropped off yesterday and IT HASN'T BEEN CLEANED YET!  Well, hot damn!

So she buys the car and what is laying neatly in the floorboard of the car?  A receipt for coffee with the very order of one of the people the barista told her about.  Killer identified!

Seriously.  I'm. Not. Kidding.  That's how they wrapped this thing up.

Okay, so this is an extreme example of Contrived Coincidence, but this can show up more subtly in your writing.  Sure, coincidences happen in real life--that's why we say life is stranger than fiction.  But just because something could possibly happen if all the stars aligned, it doesn't mean your reader is going to buy it.

Some things to watch out for...

  • Someone overhearing information or seeing something at the exact right moment 
--If your MC has tapped the phones and has been listening and finally comes across evidence, that's one thing.  But if they just happen to stumble upon the scene and just happen to hear the precise info they need, well then no.
  • Two characters you need to get together run into each other at the perfect moment
--Make sure your characters have a reason to be in the same place at the same time.  Motivate it.
  • You can't find your way out of a scene, so you have a figurative bomb go off somewhere else to drag your character to a new location. (Sara totally caught me doing this one in my latest WIP, lol.)
  • A character bursting in at the very perfect second to save the day or stop something from happening 
--Ex.) the heroine is about to be killed but the hero shows up and shoots the villian just in time--not because anyone called him or notified him that she was there, no he's acting on a hunch or just happens by.   
--Ex.) Edward calls Bella at the precise moment she's about to kiss Jacob in New Moon--oh, and even though they are at Bella's house, Jake answers the phone and tells Edward information that inadvertently sets off the Romeo and Juliet tragedy reenactment.
  • Without trying, your MC stumbles upon a key piece of evidence or a weapon just when she needs it or some outside force fixes a previously unfixable problem (this is also referred to as deus ex machina).  Oh, there's a handy wooden stake, how'd that get here? 
--Set these things up, foreshadow, make sure we know why and how that key thing showed up when it did

Reviewing all these for this post kind of makes me laugh.  I have many of these in my now buried first novel.  Live and learn, right?

So, with both the TSTL characters and the contrived coincidence, there is a recurring them.  If you motivate something correctly and set things up for your reader, then they'll go there with you.  If you don't, they'll throw their hands up and not believe you or your story.

So what movie/tv show/book has made you say "Oh, well isn't that convenient"?  Will you stop reading or watching if the coincidences are too unbelievable?  Have any of these things shown up in your writing?

*This is a repost from Feb. 2010*

Key Ingredient to a Solid Plot

James Scott Bell says the following in Write Great Fiction - Plot & Structure:

"Solid plots have one and only one dominant objective for the lead character. This forms the 'story question'--will the lead realize her objective?"

When I first read this I was in the middle of writing my current WIP and had hit a wall. When I hit a wall, I often turn to my writing craft books to spark some inspiration. Well, this is the sentence that did it for me. I realized that my hero had a lot of things he was focusing on and one wasn't really more dominant than the other. It was too much going on and too muddled. I needed to figure out what the ONE BIG thing he wanted to accomplish was. It helped clarify my story and focused me on what was important.

Now notice, he didn't say only one objective period. Obviously, your character will have different smaller things they are trying to accomplish at different points in the book. But this is not their dominant objective. The dominant one will take one of two forms according to Bell: to get to something or to get away from something. That is the main objective.

So what do you think? What is your character's one objective? Does this help you or make your head hurt when you apply it to your story?