 31
Things I wish I'd known
before I began writing |
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 Day
1 - I wish I'd known to
write the
Book of Your Heart
by Shayla
Kersten
Every writer has one.
THE book. One she's put her heart and soul into, slaved
over every word, nuance, nurtured the characters to maturity.
Yes, that is the book of your heart. Unfortunately, an editor
or an agent might not see your manuscript the same way.
What do you do when a
publishing professional wants you to change your book?
First, congratulate yourself
because the editor or agent sees something in your manuscript
that will sell. No time would be wasted asking you to change
anything if the manuscript didn't have potential. Instead,
you'd receive a politely worded rejection.
Next, rip away your emotional
attachment and look at the suggestions. As hard as it is,
you have to become objective.
When I submitted my first
partial manuscript, I received a request for a full. After
reading my fabulous work of literary art, the editor dropped
the bomb. She didn't like one of my main characters. Very
graciously, she spelled out exactly why and offered to look
at the manuscript again if I did rewrites.
Gasp! She wanted me to
change my precious character? What did I do? On the advice
of more experienced authors, I stopped to read her comments,
reread the manuscript and examined the character with new
eyes. As hard as the fact was to admit, she had a point.
A bunch of good points. Ouch.
Of course, her view of
my book was in relation to her publisher's wants and needs
and what she thought would sell. Could I have taken my manuscript
elsewhere and sold it? Maybe. Could I make the changes she
asked for? Yes. Did I want to? Well, in the end, I did but
that was a personal decision. After the revisions, I was
comfortable with the changes and thrilled when she offered
a contract.
Each writer has to look
at her goals as an individual and make her choice. If your
instinct is to keep your manuscript intact and keep looking
for the right publisher, then do it. However, if you're
willing to change, work with an editor, maybe the book of
your heart will end up on a bookstore shelf near you.
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 Day
2 - I wish I'd known all
about
Developing Characters
by Roni Adams
I'm a character-driven
author so characters come to me all the time-settings are
what I struggle with. If you struggle to find the characters
of your book, you'll have to research a bit more. What type
of characters do you identify with? The strong heroine?
The quiet one? The alpha hero or the booksmart executive?
The best way, at least in the beginning, is to write the
type of character you can truly identify with. You have
to become this character when you write so you might as
well make it easy on yourself.
When I write, I pretend
I'm an actor and I put myself into that character's head.
How would she react to this scene? What would she feel?
What would she say? I have more trouble when I write the
male point of view but the process is the same. What would
he think about this? Would he say this or that, or would
he just walk away?
Sometimes you have
to get out and observe people to see how your characters
will act. Go where people congregate-malls, museums, restaurants-anywhere
you can watch people interact. Watch them. See how they
react to one another, how they move, how they talk, touch,
speak. Character research goes hand-in-hand with dialogue
research, take notes on both while you're out eavesdropping
on their lives. You'll be surprised at how much you'll learn
simply by observing the general public.
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Day
3 - I Wish I'd Known
Naming Characters
Would be Harder than Naming My Children
By
Eve Savage
What's in a name? Well, when I
was pregnant I absolutely knew the names of our children.
No wavering, this was it. My husband didn't even really
get much of a say. Okay, he got to pick the middle names.
Why can't it be that easy with
characters? Because they have minds of their own with stories
they want to have told.
Where
do the names come from?
Some, very few in fact, pop into
the author's heads ready to go. Their names are set in stone
and that's the way it is. Others are a bit more difficult.
A myriad of places and ways exist to help you discover your
character's names. Baby name books, websites, Writer's Digest
Naming Sourcebook, people you've met, spam emails, songs,
poems, the list goes on and on.
How do you decide on a name?
First, they should fit the archetype.
Your strong warrior hero probably isn't named Frederick,
but more likely Slade or Cage. The sensitive beta male is
more likely a Tom or Phillip.
Second, look at the lineage of
the character. A woman with a Norwegian background is more
likely to be named Britta rather than Concepcion.
Third, and perhaps most important,
the name should speak to you. You can't very well work on
the story where the heroine's name is the girl you hated
in high school.
If
all else fails, let fate decide
Put a list of names on the wall
and throw a dart. But if the name Melchizidech McPhlugernarf
pops up - try again.
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 Day
4 - I wish I'd known
How Setting Affects Your Story
by Layla Chase
Some writers sit at the keyboard
and start typing out dialogue or choreograph an exciting
action scene. Several pages are created before they worry
about where the event is happening.
Not me. I've learned my creative
process involves knowing where the story occurs. Geographic
research for the location of an early novel became so involved
I found myself reading the Federal Report (dry facts about
mean income, topographical features, bushel yield/acre of
agricultural land) for two states. That was being just too
scared to start writing.
Essential now are these basics:
contemporary, historical or futuristic; real world or fantasy
world; geographic region of the world; big city or small
town, house or apartment or office or hotel. Here's an example
of the variables these choices create. A story set in a
Norwegian ski lodge on a winter's weekend must contain enough
specific details about life in Norway to be believable,
and to be distinctive from a story set in a California mountain
conference center during a corporate retreat event.
Both are erotic romances so the
main focus is the characters' relationship, but their activities
are inherently restricted by the surroundings. Those in
the ski lodge wouldn't spread out an outdoor picnic lunch,
while those involved in the corporate retreat couldn't dash
out to Starbucks for their favorite latte.
Give the setting ample space in
the storyline. If a company or business is mentioned in
your story, give it a name. Jill and Brad don't just walk
down a street-they walk down Teton Street and turn left
onto Bryce Blvd. Specifics add verisimilitude, they make
the story real to the reader. Don't want to invent a new
city? Think of the street layout for your current city (or
your college town) and just change all the names. Working
with the familiar will help you move the characters through
the story without too much research.
Terrific research tools I've used
for years are the state tour books issued by the American
Auto Association and travel books. In addition to listings
of tourist attractions, these books include short descriptions
of hotel and their amenities, and restaurants and their
menu specialties. The right amount of facts needed by a
writer to create a story that lets the reader escape to
a faraway place.
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Day
5 - I wish I'd known about
Emotional Point of View (POV)
by Betty Hanawa
The point of fiction
is to take the reader out of her life and put her in your,
or rather, your characters' world. In any good book, the
reader experiences the story with the characters. If the
reader doesn't know who is being emotionally affected
by the actions of the other characters, she'll lose interest-fast.
The
action is affecting two characters, you say?
This is when you
decide at which place the scene point of view switches
from one viewpoint to another. Try to switch with a transitional
paragraph of description and/or action before the second
character's POV comes into play. This will help the reader
more easily adjust to a different POV.
Head-hopping
Jumping directly
from one character to another is known as head-hopping,
which jars most people out of the story's world. Something
you do not want to happen. If the reader is jarred back
into reality, she might not finish the book.
The drawback with
head-hopping is a reader can't get deeply emotional with
the main characters when bouncing from POV to POV. The
technique often occurs because the writer is unconsciously
shying away from the deeper emotions.
Writing the deep
emotions is taxing for a writer. When you drive your characters
into the emotional morass and force them through it, you
learn things about yourself-things you might not realize
you yourself needed to learn, or wanted to. However, facing
this makes a better story with more deeply developed characters.
As Robert Frost said, "No tears in the writer, no
tears in the reader."
Consistent
POV
Keep your reader
tied to your story with consistency in the point of view.
Go deep in each main character's POV. Let those emotions
reach out and grab the reader. That's what keeps the reader
turning the pages of your book. Your readers will thank
you.
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 Day
6 - I wish I'd known about
Dialogue
by Roni AdamsFor me, creating dialogue has
always been one of the easiest parts of writing. But I know
this is not the way for every writer. One of the things
I suggest to new writers when they struggle with dialogue
is to get out in the world and listen to people talk.
Get out
and listen
Sit in the mall, at the food court
and listen to the conversations around you. Hear how differently
the teenage girl talks with her boyfriend, compared to when
she's talking to her grandmother. Listen to the mother have
a conversation with her teenage son and then with her husband.
Hear the differences and make notes.
People
don't tell each other what they already know
People don't repeat one another's
names while carrying on a conversation. They don't say things
like "remember when you were in Boston and we found
out your sister was pregnant with her married lover's child
and the wife found out?" In other words, people don't
include the back story of their lives in their conversation.
They don't tell each other what they both already know.
Don't' do it in your writing.
Write
as you speak
Write as they speak, keep it natural.
Read your writing out loud to yourself, how does it sound?
Run it past a critique partner, have her read it out loud.
You'll hear soon enough if the flow is right or way too
formal. Dialogue research is as easy as an outing to the
mall, so grab a latte and a cinnamon muffin and settle in.
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 Day
7 - I wish I'd known
to
Start Your Book on Chapter Three
by Megan Kerans
This is another
way of saying open your book when the action begins and
not with your character's backgrounds.
Why
the Third Chapter?
Often writers fill
their first and second chapters with their character's
backstory, too much of this at once is called an "info
dump," and setup. In the third chapter, they introduce
the events that propel the plot.
Why
does where your book starts matter?
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Sets the pace
& tone for the entire story. |
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Grab your
reader's interest. |
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Readers picked
up your book for a story, not your heroine's dossier.
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Your book is
competing against TV, Internet and music for the reader's
attention. |
Hollywood is expert
at knowing how to open a movie. Remember the original
Star Wars? The film doesn't first show the viewer how
evil The Empire is, or how the rebellion against them
originated. Instead, viewers learn the very basics of
who and what before immediately being blasted into a space
battle.
Indiana Jones and
Raiders of The Lost Ark doesn't begin by explaining the
hero's academic career. From the first credits, moviegoers
are dropped into an ancient temple in the jungle filled
with treasure and traps.
How
do you start with the action?
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Find the scene
where the status quo changes or what Christopher Vogler's
The Hero's Journey labels the "Call to Adventure" |
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Think like
a journalist, provide the basic facts first and go
into details later |
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Who - Hero
or Heroine |
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Where - Setting |
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What - Their
goal |
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Why - Most
pressing reason |
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Cut info dumps
or any clumps of information that don't have immediate
bearing on the scene. |
Some writers need
to pen those initial two, background-filled chapters to
get a feel for their characters. If that's you, write
those pages. You need to fully know your hero and heroine
and their histories; your reader doesn't. Later, go back
and cut 90% of what you wrote.
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 Day
8 - I Wish I'd known
about
Back Story and How to Handle It
by Eve Savage
Have you ever
been on a plane and the person
next to you, while well-meaning, just wouldn't shut
up? By the time you land in New Jersey (from California)
you've heard everything from where they were born to
how they met their mate, colicky kids, bowel functions,
their latest doctor's appointment, and the bastard their
sister married. And divorced.
Ahhh,
history
Your characters
have it too. The horrible accident that left your hero
disfigured. The father who walked out and made your
heroine afraid to trust and love any man. History is
everywhere. It makes us who we are, shapes where we
go and how we get there. But, how do you deal with all
this information in your story?
Dialogue
Isn't it always
better to learn about someone by asking questions? Going
back and forth? It works in stories too. Have the back
story come out in dialogue. Conversations between the
Hero and Heroine. Phone chats with best friends. The
reader will feel as though she's part of the conversation
and the back story will have that much more impact.
Light
Narration
Pages and pages
of narration without any dialogue are one of the fastest
ways to turn off a reader. Everything in life is about
balance and writing is no different. Remember to balance
the back story narration with lots of dialogue and action.
Limited
Memories
A small dream
sequence that peppers in important details or a quick
memory are also good ways to bring in the back story
without inundating the reader. Use these infrequently
as they can confuse readers and editors.
These are just
a couple of techniques on how to handle back story.
But, one thing to remember is when writing sometimes
you have to think about who you're targeting. Some of
the Harlequin lines actually like quite a bit of back
story right up front. Blaze and Desire come to mind
straight away. For longer single title stories, filter
the back story in throughout the whole book. You want
to keep the pace going and 17 pages of history isn't
the way to do it.
Back
story is like a recipe
You don't want
to just dump all the spices in at the start, you want
to season and layer it in to taste.
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Day
9 - I wish I'd known
how to
Show vs. Tell
by Shayla Kersten
Have you ever heard
the phrase "show me, don't tell me" in relation
to your manuscript? First time I heard those words, I
said, "Uh, okay," and I had no idea what the
speaker meant. Fortunately,
I found a wonderful teacher in Layla Chase. For a quick
definition, I'm plagiarizing the fantastic Ms. Chase-
Telling
is passive and involves an omniscient, observable description
of a character's actions. Showing is active and involves
an internal, emotional description of a POV character's
action or an external, observable description of another
character's action.
Now what does that
mean?
Watch out for words
that simply tell you what a character is doing such as
felt, feel, watched, saw or heard.
Example
of telling: Susan felt
pain over losing him.
Example of showing: An intense
burning pain seared through Susan at the realization he
was out of her life forever.
The change provides
the reader with a more intimate connection to Susan and
her emotional state.
Another example
of telling is the overuse of adverbs-also known as the
dreaded "ly" words.
Words such as quickly, gently, softly
and loudly, etc., can be replaced with phrases
using more vivid imagery.
Example
of telling: John walked
quickly to the door then
slammed it loudly.
Example of
showing: John stormed across the room then slammed
the door so hard the windows rattled.
The first sentence
only gives you part of the picture. John could be scared,
worried, cold-all good reasons why he wanted the door
shut in a hurry. The second allows us to see more of John's
mental state. The action word of "stormed" implies
anger and his actions are more intense than just slamming
the door "loudly".
Why
write more words when one will do?
Although showing
may add words to your manuscript, the rich imagery makes
for a more intriguing read. So when you read your first
draft, imagine being the director of a movie and write
so your readers will see more than just words on a page.
Create an image they can see on a big screen in their
mind.
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 Day
10 - I wish I'd known
why I should bother with
Critique Groups
by Shayla KerstenMost people will agree when you
say writing is a solitary profession. To some degree, you're
right. We produce our product in the depths of our hearts
and minds with our trusty computers as our most frequent
companion. However, at some point, we have to come out into
the sunlight and face the fact that someone is going to
read our work.
Now, we all want the 'someone'
to be an editor or an agent, but we need another reader
before the manuscript reaches a publishing professional.
we need
a critique
Some writers are fortunate to
have a critique partner or two. If you're one of the lucky
ones, great. If you're just starting out, your only reader
may be your mother or your best friend. However, if neither
is in the industry, they may not provide you with much-needed
feedback.
Critique groups are a great place
for a new writer. Most groups are a mix of published and
unpublished authors. Sometimes you luck out and find an
editor in the mix as well.
more than
one set of eyes
One of the big advantages is having
more than one set of eyes looking at your manuscript. Different
people look at different things. Some will look at grammar
and sentence structure but others may notice plot inconsistencies
or continuity issues. Each critique is valuable input.
thick
skin
However, you need to develop a
thick skin when you open your critiqued manuscript. No one
likes to have his or her baby's faults pointed out. Remember,
critique does not mean criticize. Like a pediatrician's
job, the process is meant to improve your baby's health,
not embarrass you with her faults.
reciprocity
Another issue with critique groups
is the reciprocity. If you get a critique, you have to give
one. With my first group, I worried I wouldn't contribute
anything and I'd be shown the door! And at first, other
than plot inconsistencies and a few comments on continuity,
I didn't have much to say. As time went on, I learned what
to look for from the comments I received. Don't let this
stop you because most groups are patient with the newbies.
finding
one
Finding a critique group that
fits your needs and genre can be difficult. Romance Writers
of America is a great place to start. Many local chapters,
as well as online and genre specific chapters, have well-established
critique groups.
I won't mislead you. Critiques
are work and sometimes frustrating, receiving and giving.
However, in the end, your manuscript will be polished, pretty
and ready for submission. At the same time, you begin applying
your new knowledge as you write so your next story is cleaner
from the start. And believe me, editors love authors who
write clean. So get out there, find a group and start critiquing
your way to an editor's mailbox today!
.
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Day
11- I wish I'd known
about
Writer's Guilds by Genre
by Megan Kerans
Many romance authors know of Romance Writers of America.
But, they are not the only genre-specific writer's group.
Here are some others you might want to check out.
Science
Fiction & Fantasy:
The British Fantasy Society
- http://www.britishfantasysociety.org/
The British Science Fiction Association
- www.bsfa.co.uk/
New Zealand Science Fiction
& Fantasy Writer's Association - nzsfw.sf.org.nz/
Science Fiction
& Fantasy Writers of America - www.sfwa.org
Horror:
Horror Writers Association
- http://www.horror.org/
Horror Writer Association of New England
- www.horror.org/ne
Michigan Horror Writers
- http://www.michiganhorror.com/
Mystery,
Crime & Thrillers:
American Crime Writers
- http://www.acwl.org/
The Crime Writers Association (UK)
- http://www.thecwa.co.uk/
CRIME WRITERS OF CANADA (CWC) -
http://crimewriterscanada.com/cwc/index.html
International Thriller Writers
- http://www.thrillerwriters.org/
Mystery Writers of America -
http://www.mysterywriters.org/index.htm
Sisters in Crime -
http://www.sistersincrime.org/
Westerns:
Western Writers of America -
http://www.westernwriters.org/
Women Writing the West -
http://www.womenwritingthewest.org/
General:
The Authors Guild -
http://www.authorsguild.org/
Canadian Authors Association(CAA) -
http://www.canauthors.org/
The International Women's Writing Guild -
http://www.iwwg.org/
Other:
EPIC: Electronically Published Internet Connection -
http://www.epicauthors.com/
The Erotica Readers & Writers Association -
http://www.erotica-readers.com/ERA/index.htm
The Historical Novel Society -
http://www.historicalnovelsociety.org/
Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) -
http://www.militarywriters.com/
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 Day
12- I wish I'd known
Research is More than the Internet
by Megan
Kerans
In this day where information is only a google away and
few mouse clicks can take you to an online encyclopedia,
it's easy to do all your research on the Internet. But
many of your best resources may not be digital.
Why look elsewhere?
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Double
checks facts~
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-
not everything on the web is accurate.er's
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Personal
knowledge
|
- allows you to write with greater comfort.
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Experience
|
-
some things in life need to be experienced to be
understood
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~Greater
depth
|
-
when you know or have experienced something first
hand you bring your familiarity to the page and
your reader
|
| Museums & Historical
Societies |
| Most staff members are
glad to share their knowledge and can point out sources
otherwise unknown. |
| Learn information and tidbits
that aren't part of the "official" texts.Motivation,
and Conflict
Debra DixonISBN:
0965437108 |
| Seeing
items in real life is different than photos - gives
an idea of size, texture, weight and more. |
| Reenactment Societies |
| Part
of their purpose is to share knowledge, they'll love
to talk to you. |
|
See and maybe
handle realistic items such as uniforms or swords.
|
| Watching
combat is much different than reading about the event.
|
| Personal Interviews |
| Before
contacting a professional do your basic research first
so you can go in with specific questions. Respect
people's time and get the most out of your one-on-one. |
| People like to share their
expertise. |
| Contact the media or public
affairs offices of police, fire, EMS, or many other
businesses. |
| Get anecdotes that add
flavor. |
| Real
life is different than a textbook. |
| Take
a Trip |
| Watch a travel video |
| Ask a friend who has visited
or lived in a location you want to use. |
| Contact cities' visitor
& convention center or chambers of commerce. |
| Hop in the
car or on a plane and take a trip. (It's tax deductible.) |
| Take
a Class or Course |
| Go to a gun range, take
an art class, try scuba lessons. |
| Contact your local park
or school districts or university about adult continuing
education programs. |
| If you can't participate,
watch those who do. Ask to observe fireman or police
cadets on training exercises. For sword fighting,
watch a fencing match.
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Day
13 - I wish I'd known
about
Reference
Books and Internet Links
(those found
to be useful by the Roses)
by Betty
Hanawa
|
TITLE
|
AUTHOR
|
ISBN
|
| WRITER'S
CRAFT |
| The Complete
Writer's Guide to Heroes and Heroines, Sixteen Master
Archetypes |
Tami D. Cowden,
Caro LaFever, and Sue Viders |
ISBN: 1-68065-024-4 |
| Goal, Motivation,
and Conflict
|
Debra Dixon |
ISBN: 0965437108 |
| Techniques
of the Selling Writer |
Dwight V. Swain |
ISBN-13: 9780806111919 |
| Screenplay
By Disney |
Jason Surrell
|
ISBN: 078685440-5 |
| Scene and
Structure |
Jack Bickham,
Jack Heffron |
ISBN-13:9780898799064 |
| Self-Editing
for Fiction Writers |
Renni Browne,
Dave King |
ISBN-13: 9780060545697
|
The Romance
Writer's Phrase Book
|
Jean Kent and
Candace Shelton |
ISBN: 0-399-51002-8
|
| The Writer's
Brain Storming Kit |
Pam McCutcheon,
Michael Waite |
ISBN: 0-9654371-4-0 |
Writing Romances
|
edited by
Rita Gallagher and Rita Clay Estrada |
ISBN: 0-89879-756-X |
How to Write
a Romance and Get It Published
|
Kathryn Falk |
ISBN-13: 9780451165312
|
| Writer's
Life |
| The Artist's
Way |
Julia Cameron |
ISBN: 0-87477-694-5 |
|
Writing Down
the Bones
|
Natalie Goldberg
|
ISBN: 0-87773-375-9 |
| Inspiration
& Motivation, Writer's Little Instruction book |
Paul Raymond
Martin |
ISBN: 1-58297-342-3 |
Zen in the
Art of Writing
|
Ray Bradbury |
ISBN-13: 978-1877741098 |
| Genre
Specific Reference Books |
Forensics for
Dummies
|
Douglas P.
Lyle |
ISBN-13: 9780764555800 |
The Sociopath
Next Door
|
Martha Stout |
ISBN-13: 978-0767915823
|
| The A to Z
Encyclopedia of Serial Killers |
Harold Schechter |
ISBN-10: 1416521747
|
| The Writer's
Digest Character Naming Sourcebook |
Sherrilyn
Kenyon |
ISBN-13: 978-1582972954
|
| Let the Cowboy
Ride: Cattle Ranching in the American West |
Paul F. Starrs |
ISBN-13: 978-0801863516 |
| Pirates: Terror
on the High Seas |
Angus Konstam
|
ISBN:1-84176-452-3 |
| By the Sword |
Richard Cohen
|
ISBN: 0-8129-6966-9
|
| A Witch's Guide
to Faery Folk |
Edwin McCoy
|
ISBN: 0-87542-733-2 |
| The Element
Encyclopedia of the Psychic World |
Theresa Cheung |
ISBN-13: 9780760790236 |
| The Big Book
of Filth: 6500 Sex Slang Words and Phrases |
Jonathan Green
|
ISBN-13: 9780304363872 |
| Joy of Sex |
Alex Comfort
|
ISBN-13: 9780743477741 |
| The Kama Sutra |
Anne J. Hooper
|
ISBN-13: 9780789450722 |
| Daily Life
in (choose your historical era) |
Publisher:
The Greenwood Press |
|
| Internet
Links |
| How Stuff Works |
http://www.howstuffworks.com/
|
| Behind the
Name-Surnames |
http://surnames.behindthename.com/
|
| Behind the
Name-First Names |
http://www.behindthename.com/
|
| Deb's Historical
Page |
http://home.insightbb.com/%7Ed.lawson/
|
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 Day
14 - I wish I'd known
about the
Different Routes to Being Published
by Roni Adams
If you don't have
a contract from a NY publishing house, are you any less
published? A lot of writers have to get past that notion
before they can begin to explore other publishing routes.
Small
Publishers/Electronic Publishers
Small publishers
and electronic publishers are willing to take a chance
on a new writer. You won't get the advances like from
one of the big houses, but then again, you may never get
that chance to get an advance with the bigger houses.
You might spend the next decade submitting to them and
continuing to get rejected, while these smaller presses
might be very interested in what you've written.
Short
Story Market
But writing a full-length
novel isn't the only way to be published. A market exists
for short stories, as well. The confessional market is
a good example. Dorchester Media publishes four confessional
magazines each month and are always looking for new voices
and good stories. Adams Media (www.cupofcomfort.com),
the publishers of the "Cup of Comfort" stories,
solicit personal experience stories from good writers,
often with suggested themes.
Open
Mind
If your goal is
to be published-to have someone actually read what you've
written-then you need to open your mind to new options.
These days, more opportunities than the big houses are
available, and these other publishing routes are just
as satisfying. For 2008, make a goal to explore other
avenues.
Top
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Day
15 - I wish I'd known
about
Finding That Right Publisher or Agent
by Judith Rochelle
You're frustrated, right? You've written your manuscript,
polished it and revised it, and now you want to know where
and how to sell it. You can submit it to a publisher yourself
or look for an agent first. Some writers do both.
publisher
first, agent first or both?
Check Writers' Marketplace, a
book heavier than my cat. This book is available at the
library, as well as for purchase. It lists publishers and
agencies in every genre, along with a description of what
they're currently seeking. Remember, their needs change
as their client list changes.
Check the Predators and Editors
list online. If a publisher or agency is on their 'watch'
list, they'll mark it accordingly.
http://anotherealm.com/prededitors/
If you're an RWA member, check
their list of qualified publishers and agencies. If a company
isn't listed there, feel free to email them and ask why.
Talk to other writers who are
published. Ask them if they have one, who their agent is,
and how they feel about her or him. Ask for help in making
up your list of questions to ask an agent when one is interested
in your work.
Check out Marketplace in Romance
Writers Report. You'll find the latest updates on who's
looking for what. Look especially for the words "actively
acquiring."
Learn
to write a GOOD Query Letter
This is important! Learn to write
a good query letter. A lot of publishers and agents have
links to good examples. Remember, you only have one chance
to make a first impression.
So
get started…and good luck.
|
 Day
16 - I wish I'd know
that
Writing Rules are More Like Guidelines
by Betty Hanawa
We've all heard about "The
Rules" in writing. Some are practical and logical.
Others can be bent or simply ignored. At some point, most
of us have had our manuscripts torn apart by someone who
is obsessed with "The Rules." Writing strictly
to "The Rules" can destroy the freshness and
creative Voice. Every author needs to learn where, in
her own writing, the rules can be bent or broken.
Rule:
Don't head-hop, keep only one POV per scene
There's a NYT best-selling
author who probably laughs all the way to the bank when
she hears that one. This rule does have a logical reasoning
behind it. Abrupt head-hopping pushes a lot of readers out
of the story because they're trying to figure out exactly
who is talking or thinking at the moment. A smooth transition
can lead the reader into a different character's point-of-view
even in the same scene.
Rule:
You have to write every day
Not everyone has the opportunity
to write every day. Some people are binge writers, producing
dozens of pages over the course of several days, then needing
a break of several days to unwind and recharge. Daily writing
does reinforce the mind to remember the story line, but
everyone has to work within their own schedules and lifestyles.
Rule:
Always plot and get to know your characters
before you start writing
Again, this is a lifestyle choice.
Some writers know what a character had for breakfast when
the character was ten years old. They have detailed plotting
flow charts in which they color-coordinate the characters'
growth, the rising intimacy, internal and external conflicts,
subplots, and secondary characters. Other authors don't
know what the character is going to do until the words show
up on the computer screen. They might work from a vague
outline, but they like to be surprised about what happens
next, the same way a reader is.
The
Only Rule
The only writing rule an author
needs to remember is keep things interesting so the reader
keeps turning the pages. How you do that is your choice.
Top
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Day
17 - I wish I'd known
the
NO-NO's for Writers
by Elle James
|
Evils
of E-mail
|
|
Spending
more time on email than writing
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Sending an email in anger
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Hitting REPLY ALL with a snide remark meant
for one person
|
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Reading between the lines - interpretation
is in the eye of the beholder
|
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(Remember,
email is a professional tool, not an obsession.)
|
|
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Bad
Karma
|
| Want to end your career
in a hurry? Bash publishers and fellow writers. Treat
people with disdain, and you too will be treated with
distain. Editors tend to move from house to house
and may come back to haunt you. The same goes for
bashing other writers. Bashing another author only
makes you look bad. |
|
Career
Schizophrenia
|
| Can't settle on a genre?
Some authors manage multiple genres by having different
pen names. Some write different genres under the same
name. An editor might have issue because the writer
is not branding himself in a certain genre. Be prepared
for kickback if you choose to be the schizophrenic
writer. |
|
Waiting
|
| You submitted your first
manuscript? Now you sit around and wait for THE CALL,
right? WRONG!!! Your first, second, third, fourth
or fifth manuscript may never sell. Keep writing and
throwing those noodles against the wall until one
sticks. |
|
Stalking
& Uninvited Pitching
|
|
Want to turn off an editor?
Pitch in a social setting(restaurant or bar in a
conference setting) when all she wants is to talk
about anything but publishing. If you're invited
to tell her about your story, be ready and do it,
otherwise DON'T.
Unless you want to be
blacklisted, don't stalk an editor or agent. That
includes slipping manuscripts under the bathroom
stall.
|
|
Refusing
to Change
|
| If your editor asks you
to change something, be flexible. You don't have to
give in on everything, but pick your battles. |
Top
|
 Day
18- I wish I'd known
how to
Pitch It!
by Myla Jackson
What
to include in the pitch
| Title |
some books
sell based on the title, choose wisely |
| Word-length
of manuscript |
how long is
the book? |
| Line
it fits |
some publishing houses
have different lines, indicate where you think your
book fits
|
| Theme |
what should
the reader take away from the story? rebirth, redemption,
faith. Leave it off, if you don't know it |
| Status
of completion |
example: three
chapters or 20K of 85K |
|
Logline |
a one to two
sentence sales line like from movie trailers |
Logline example:
Hitch: Professional matchmaker's program is threatened
by a female journalist who enrolls as a student and plans
on publishing an exposé on his fraudulent methods
If the
editor asks for more.......
KNOW YOUR HEROINE
Start with an adjective
and an occupation that nails your heroine (i.e. Spunky
Newspaper Reporter, Absentminded Scientist). Then give
your heroine's goals and motivations in short and simple
terms. Names aren't important.
KNOW YOUR HERO
Same with the hero.
Give him a defining adjective and his occupation, his
goals and motivations. Be prepared for the editor to ask
why he wants what he wants. His motivations should answer
that question.
KNOW THEIR CONFLICTS
What external conflict
drives the plot of the book and what are the hero and
heroine's internal conflicts keeping them from living
happily ever after in chapter one?
SHORT SYNOPSIS
Be prepared to
tell a very short synopsis of your story. Don't hide the
ending, cut the fluff, get to the point and practice.
Omit secondary characters and subplots.
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Day
19 - I wish I'd known
how to
Self-Edit Your Manuscript
(before submitting)
by Layla Chase
Because
your writing (and by default, you) can't make a second first
impression, make sure your work is sparkling when you submit.
Don't let your haste in getting the submittal into the postal
mail or launching it into cyberspace be the major reason
for your rejection. If an editor is frustrated at determining
what your sentences mean, s/he will want to toss out your
story.
|
~
|
Run the spell check and grammar check functions of your
word processing program-address all words underlined
with a red or green squiggly line. |
|
~
|
Check
for homonyms (words pronounced alike with different
meanings-their instead of there, hear and here). |
|
~
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Do
a search on the word 'that'-95% of uses are not necessary.
|
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~
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To improve the reading pace and understandability, break
long sentences into shorter sentences. |
|
~
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Look
for -ly adverbs-choose stronger verbs. |
|
~
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Be
aware of word or phrase repetition. Restructure sentences
to
avoid. |
|
~
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Use
consistent spelling of character and place names. |
|
~
|
Skim
the pages for a balance of narrative and dialogue. |
|
~
|
Keep actions and dialogue of each character in distinct
paragraph. |
If a friend or relative
isn't available to perform a final read-through of manuscript,
do it yourself but read from end to beginning. Instead of
skimming through a too-familiar story, you'll become aware
of the various issues above.
After this final polish-edit,
your story should shine.
Top
|
Day
20 - I Wish I'd known
about
Making Your Own Luck
by Elle James
1.
Have a plan
If you want writing
to be a career, treat it like a career. Have a plan with
long range goals, intermediate objectives and tactics
to get you there.
2.
Submit!
If you don't submit,
you'll never sell. If you want to be a published author
or keep publishing, YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT! And keep submitting.
If one editor doesn't like the manuscript, another could
think it's great. Think about the many editors who turned
down JK Rowling's Harry Potter.
3.
Persist
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31
Things I wish I'd known before I became a Writer
