I've always known that a book needs a selling point, something about it that grabs a reader's attention, an editor's attention. It's the hook, the infamous hook. Sometimes the idea can be difficult to grasp and hold onto. I get it...write a sentence, a paragraph, a page, that snares the imagination. Sometimes it takes something else to put things in perspective for me. I've been house hunting, which I've come to hate. The market is changing and my price range is highly competitive. A house I like usually already has an accepted offer, but as I trudge through real estate, new homes filter into the market. I've looked at some that were awful, some with potential, one I fell in love with (but someone else made his offer just a hair before I did!). I learned that homes need a selling point. The bedrooms might be a little on the small side, the kitchen might need to be updated, but the neighborhood and the fenced in backyard grabs my attention and I make an offer. What sells me on a home got me thinking about what sells a book. A book might not have the greatest prose, but the story rocks. Or a story is a little slow, but the characters make up for it. Nothing can be perfect to everyone. But there has to be something about the book that sells it. Know your selling point, your strength, and use it.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Telling Secrets
Writing is like telling secrets, in a very slow, sort of manipulative way. As writers we should treat our readers like friends we wish to gossip with. We know something, details, a juicy spill we let our friends know in spicy chunks. At work the other night, and usually I'm not the type to gossip (I swear!), a coworker of mine had a story to tell me. Every time she began to talk we would get interrupted. I'd return to her and before she could get knee deep, another interruption! But, I kept returning because her tale had sparked my interest. The more she tried to tell me her story, the more it made me think about writing.
As her audience I kept coming back, even though job duties kept calling. I knew she had something good to tell. As writers we want our readers to feel this way. We want them to keep coming back to our pages, edgy for our secrets. If we spill everything right up front, our readers might get full on our words and no longer be hungry for more. We have to play hard to get, remain mysterious, and tell our secrets like teasing kisses.
As her audience I kept coming back, even though job duties kept calling. I knew she had something good to tell. As writers we want our readers to feel this way. We want them to keep coming back to our pages, edgy for our secrets. If we spill everything right up front, our readers might get full on our words and no longer be hungry for more. We have to play hard to get, remain mysterious, and tell our secrets like teasing kisses.
Monday, September 1, 2014
Author, Christopher Reardon, talks about point of view! He shares some interesting thoughts on first and third person.
Point of View in Writing and Reading
First Person (i.e., I, me, we, and us) Third Person (i.e., he, she, it, they)
I personally like writing first person A LOT more than third. My debut novel, Obstacles, is completely in first person. I knew I wanted it this way from the start. I really believe a story is more engaging when you believe you are part of it yourself. Getting to say ‘I’ and ‘me’ when I’m writing really helps me get into a character’s mind. I truly thought about how I personally would react to the situation, and that made it a lot easier to write for my main character, Alcott. He became much more real and relatable then just talking about reactions from far off.
Third person makes me feel like I’m stalking the characters and talking about them. When I read, too, I’ve learned I like first person MUCH better. I actually feel like the main character is speaking to me personally. There’s more of a connection, and I care more about how the person/situation turns out. When the author just talks about what’s going on from a far off, omniscient view, I just don’t care as much. I don’t like the narrator being ‘all knowing.” I want a narrator with flaws!!
Also, I think first person is the BIG ADVANTAGE BOOKS HAVE OVER MOVIES. Despite how well a movie is filmed, I don’t think it can possibly connect a person to a story like being told about each and every thing specifically. That’s why books are so powerful. Language has the major power of perspective and the ability to connect. I personally don’t think movies can give that as much.
However, third person can definitely have its advantages. When writing first person, you’re kind of stuck with one character’s perspective. There’s no free roaming to whatever situation you want to talk about. You are restricted to what that character thinks and feels. I don’t like that very much. There can be so much more to a story than just what one character feels. That’s why third person is awesome. When you write, you can speak about many different characters and tons of different situations. You certainly aren’t as trapped. So, you can personally choose whatever you want. I don’t think you should stick to just one writing style, because both points of view have big advantages.
Email: chrisreardon34@gmail.com
Point of View in Writing and Reading
First Person (i.e., I, me, we, and us) Third Person (i.e., he, she, it, they)
I personally like writing first person A LOT more than third. My debut novel, Obstacles, is completely in first person. I knew I wanted it this way from the start. I really believe a story is more engaging when you believe you are part of it yourself. Getting to say ‘I’ and ‘me’ when I’m writing really helps me get into a character’s mind. I truly thought about how I personally would react to the situation, and that made it a lot easier to write for my main character, Alcott. He became much more real and relatable then just talking about reactions from far off.
Third person makes me feel like I’m stalking the characters and talking about them. When I read, too, I’ve learned I like first person MUCH better. I actually feel like the main character is speaking to me personally. There’s more of a connection, and I care more about how the person/situation turns out. When the author just talks about what’s going on from a far off, omniscient view, I just don’t care as much. I don’t like the narrator being ‘all knowing.” I want a narrator with flaws!!
Also, I think first person is the BIG ADVANTAGE BOOKS HAVE OVER MOVIES. Despite how well a movie is filmed, I don’t think it can possibly connect a person to a story like being told about each and every thing specifically. That’s why books are so powerful. Language has the major power of perspective and the ability to connect. I personally don’t think movies can give that as much.
However, third person can definitely have its advantages. When writing first person, you’re kind of stuck with one character’s perspective. There’s no free roaming to whatever situation you want to talk about. You are restricted to what that character thinks and feels. I don’t like that very much. There can be so much more to a story than just what one character feels. That’s why third person is awesome. When you write, you can speak about many different characters and tons of different situations. You certainly aren’t as trapped. So, you can personally choose whatever you want. I don’t think you should stick to just one writing style, because both points of view have big advantages.
Christopher Reardon
http://reardonchris34.weebly.com/
Here's the link to Obstacles, my Amazon page, and my contact information.
Obstacles :http://www.amzn.com/B00EVVIOSE
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18743462-obstacles?from_search=true
Twitter : https:/www.twitter.com/reardonchris34
Facebook : https:/www.facebook.com/chrisreardon34
http://reardonchris34.weebly.com/
Here's the link to Obstacles, my Amazon page, and my contact information.
Obstacles :http://www.amzn.com/B00EVVIOSE
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18743462-obstacles?from_search=true
Twitter : https:/www.twitter.com/reardonchris34
Facebook : https:/www.facebook.com/chrisreardon34
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Somewhere to Write
When and where do you do your best writing? Some writers need complete silence. Others like music in the background, a little blues, jazz, or classical. Some might need the white noise of a fan, or the background drum of conversation at the coffee house.
Stephen King writes behind a closed door, where no one can intrude on him. Anne Rice has found inspiration writing on a quiet beach in Florida. Jodi Picoult writes in her attic. Hemingway wrote in the morning (like several writers). Nora Roberts writes in her office, located on the top floor of her house. I inspire to write in solitude, with quiet that allows my creativity to run rampant without interference. Of course, and I think most writers can agree, optimal writing environments aren't always available. We can't always lock the door behind us and revel in our work.
E.B. White said, "A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper." I like this quote because it validates my moments of sporadic creativity, and since my writing environment isn't always ideal I have to compromise.
I'm working on the sequel to my debut novel, Beyond Gavia. The rewrites are pretty deep. I am cutting out several parts of telling and adding deep point view to bring the reader into the moment. Focus is needed! But my two and a half year old doesn't care about rewrites.
"Mommy, I want sit on your lap." She stares up at me with big blue eyes. "Put computer down."
Dang, I think. I am really into the part. Creative fuel is abundant. If I put my computer down inspiration may flounder and slip away, never to return again. I must write.
"Mommy, I want you hold me."
I sigh and I sit my work to the side and pull my little Lily into my arms where we cuddle and watch Caillou. Writing will have to wait.
This happens all the time. Writing is a large part of my life, but my little girl is bigger. I am sure thousands of writers experience such moments. When Nora Roberts began writing, she wrote around her sons nap schedules. I do this when I can. I also write at work during down times. I write while doing laundry. I write after work when everyone is asleep and I write with my morning coffee. Morning is my favorite time to write, before stress can enter my brain. But since I don't always get to write during the best moments I have to write when I can. The optimal writing environment isn't always there.
I'm curious to how other writers find their optimal writing environments and how they compromise when they can't.
Stephen King writes behind a closed door, where no one can intrude on him. Anne Rice has found inspiration writing on a quiet beach in Florida. Jodi Picoult writes in her attic. Hemingway wrote in the morning (like several writers). Nora Roberts writes in her office, located on the top floor of her house. I inspire to write in solitude, with quiet that allows my creativity to run rampant without interference. Of course, and I think most writers can agree, optimal writing environments aren't always available. We can't always lock the door behind us and revel in our work.
E.B. White said, "A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper." I like this quote because it validates my moments of sporadic creativity, and since my writing environment isn't always ideal I have to compromise.
I'm working on the sequel to my debut novel, Beyond Gavia. The rewrites are pretty deep. I am cutting out several parts of telling and adding deep point view to bring the reader into the moment. Focus is needed! But my two and a half year old doesn't care about rewrites.
"Mommy, I want sit on your lap." She stares up at me with big blue eyes. "Put computer down."
Dang, I think. I am really into the part. Creative fuel is abundant. If I put my computer down inspiration may flounder and slip away, never to return again. I must write.
"Mommy, I want you hold me."
I sigh and I sit my work to the side and pull my little Lily into my arms where we cuddle and watch Caillou. Writing will have to wait.
This happens all the time. Writing is a large part of my life, but my little girl is bigger. I am sure thousands of writers experience such moments. When Nora Roberts began writing, she wrote around her sons nap schedules. I do this when I can. I also write at work during down times. I write while doing laundry. I write after work when everyone is asleep and I write with my morning coffee. Morning is my favorite time to write, before stress can enter my brain. But since I don't always get to write during the best moments I have to write when I can. The optimal writing environment isn't always there.
I'm curious to how other writers find their optimal writing environments and how they compromise when they can't.
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
In the Spotlight
When you walk into a room you might think people are looking at you, sizing you up, watching you walk, and some people might be, but not everyone. As humans we often overestimate how much others are paying attention to us. In social psychology this phenomenon is deemed the Spotlight Effect. It is fascinating how much the spotlight effect can influence a person emotionally, mentally, and socially. As a writer I think it's interesting to think about this while writing.
As a writer you dive into your characters minds. You write from their perspectives, and that includes writing how your characters are affected by their interpretation of how other's see them, even when others aren't paying attention. For the most part your characters are people (unless you are writing science fiction or fantasy) and people tend to be egocentric, biased without always realizing it, and tend to think others think like they do. People use their own experiences to gauge how others may think and feel.
If you have a character who is insecure about her weight, chances are she believes everyone at work is noticing how her belly rolls out over her jeans. Of course the spotlight effect doesn't have to always correlate with insecurities, but also with confidence and/or grandiosity. A character who spends hours doing her hair may think all the other women at the store are admiring her lovely locks. Or a character who thinks he is every woman's fantasy might believe all the ladies in the club are watching him stride to the bar for a drink.
Here's an example on how to employ the spotlight effect in writing. It's something that should be used sparingly (a reader might get bored of reading how a characters worries that everyone is always judging her), but it can an interesting way to show character and point of view.
Eyes were dissecting me. They stared at the mess of frizz on my head, the jagged black liner above my eyes, and winkles crimping my silk shirt. I smoothed back some of the loose curls that had fallen from my hairclip. My gaze met with a woman standing a few feet away. Did she see the circles beneath my eyes? Could she tell I only slept two hours last night, that I screamed at my husband until four am? She smiled, then looked away. Heat rose in my cheeks. I followed her stare up. The bright orange hand disappeared, replaced by the white walking man. I stepped forward with the crowd, hoping my heel didn't get caught in the cracks.
Thank you for visiting my blog. I love comments and feedback!
As a writer you dive into your characters minds. You write from their perspectives, and that includes writing how your characters are affected by their interpretation of how other's see them, even when others aren't paying attention. For the most part your characters are people (unless you are writing science fiction or fantasy) and people tend to be egocentric, biased without always realizing it, and tend to think others think like they do. People use their own experiences to gauge how others may think and feel.
If you have a character who is insecure about her weight, chances are she believes everyone at work is noticing how her belly rolls out over her jeans. Of course the spotlight effect doesn't have to always correlate with insecurities, but also with confidence and/or grandiosity. A character who spends hours doing her hair may think all the other women at the store are admiring her lovely locks. Or a character who thinks he is every woman's fantasy might believe all the ladies in the club are watching him stride to the bar for a drink.
Here's an example on how to employ the spotlight effect in writing. It's something that should be used sparingly (a reader might get bored of reading how a characters worries that everyone is always judging her), but it can an interesting way to show character and point of view.
Eyes were dissecting me. They stared at the mess of frizz on my head, the jagged black liner above my eyes, and winkles crimping my silk shirt. I smoothed back some of the loose curls that had fallen from my hairclip. My gaze met with a woman standing a few feet away. Did she see the circles beneath my eyes? Could she tell I only slept two hours last night, that I screamed at my husband until four am? She smiled, then looked away. Heat rose in my cheeks. I followed her stare up. The bright orange hand disappeared, replaced by the white walking man. I stepped forward with the crowd, hoping my heel didn't get caught in the cracks.
Thank you for visiting my blog. I love comments and feedback!
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Audience: How to Get to Know Yours
Your book will not appeal to everyone. There will be readers who will search for your kind of novel while browsing the shelves at the book store or searching through the thousands of ebooks online. These people are your audience and they are vital to selling your work.
In my first year of college I had to take a basic English course. The instructor taught the class how to write college level papers. She was an enthusiastic teacher, kind of bubbly, yet serious about what she taught. She made learning how to write papers feel like a drama course. One element she always focused on was audience.
I will admit, at first I didn't get it. My thoughts were, 'Wouldn't anyone who read my paper be it's audience?' Which in a way is true, from my perspective, but so was the idea that why should I make my bed when it's going to get messed up again later? But it's nice to have a made bed, and it's also nice to have an audience for your work. As time went on I began to understand the importance of audience.
Every creative work has a target audience. As a writer you want to write books that will appeal to the readers you are targeting. You want to know your audience, understand them as best you can. If you write young adult fiction you want to know what kind of young people will enjoy your novels. Same goes with romance. There are several degrees of romance. Some are warm and cozy, while others burn to the touch. My novel Beyond Gavia is a science fiction with a sub genre of romance. I've had readers love the way I built my character's romance. Then I had a reader who'd felt my sex scenes weren't explicit enough.
Successful writers usually have a firm grip on what their readers expect of them. This is more difficult for writers who are just beginning. You know you want people to read your book, but you also have to somehow fulfill their wishes as readers. Here are a few tips for getting to know your target audience.
1. Read the kind of books you want to write. Reading your selected genre can help you get an understanding what readers of that particular genre enjoy. Yet don't forget to maintain your own style and voice as you gather inspiration from reading other authors.
2. Read reviews on books in your genre. You can get a good handle on reader expectations for their favorite stories through reading what they have to say about them. You can do this on Amazon and Goodreads, but be careful. There are those out there that many call 'trolls" because they troll through and leave bad reviews for the sake of leaving bad reviews. It's like a hobby for them. Anne Rice was just talking about this a few weeks ago online.
3. If you are already a published writer learn from your own reviews, even the ones that make you want to throw your computer out the window.
4. You can also learn more about potential readers by engaging in online forums for writers and readers. The internet supports hundreds of writing groups and communities. Ask other writer's their opinions on audience.
5. Know the age you are targeting. Make sure your material is age appropriate for your audience.
I'm sure there are several other ways to get to know your audience, but here are a few that have helped me out. I'd love to hear back from other's on audience. Thanks for visiting!
In my first year of college I had to take a basic English course. The instructor taught the class how to write college level papers. She was an enthusiastic teacher, kind of bubbly, yet serious about what she taught. She made learning how to write papers feel like a drama course. One element she always focused on was audience.
I will admit, at first I didn't get it. My thoughts were, 'Wouldn't anyone who read my paper be it's audience?' Which in a way is true, from my perspective, but so was the idea that why should I make my bed when it's going to get messed up again later? But it's nice to have a made bed, and it's also nice to have an audience for your work. As time went on I began to understand the importance of audience.
Every creative work has a target audience. As a writer you want to write books that will appeal to the readers you are targeting. You want to know your audience, understand them as best you can. If you write young adult fiction you want to know what kind of young people will enjoy your novels. Same goes with romance. There are several degrees of romance. Some are warm and cozy, while others burn to the touch. My novel Beyond Gavia is a science fiction with a sub genre of romance. I've had readers love the way I built my character's romance. Then I had a reader who'd felt my sex scenes weren't explicit enough.
Successful writers usually have a firm grip on what their readers expect of them. This is more difficult for writers who are just beginning. You know you want people to read your book, but you also have to somehow fulfill their wishes as readers. Here are a few tips for getting to know your target audience.
1. Read the kind of books you want to write. Reading your selected genre can help you get an understanding what readers of that particular genre enjoy. Yet don't forget to maintain your own style and voice as you gather inspiration from reading other authors.
2. Read reviews on books in your genre. You can get a good handle on reader expectations for their favorite stories through reading what they have to say about them. You can do this on Amazon and Goodreads, but be careful. There are those out there that many call 'trolls" because they troll through and leave bad reviews for the sake of leaving bad reviews. It's like a hobby for them. Anne Rice was just talking about this a few weeks ago online.
3. If you are already a published writer learn from your own reviews, even the ones that make you want to throw your computer out the window.
4. You can also learn more about potential readers by engaging in online forums for writers and readers. The internet supports hundreds of writing groups and communities. Ask other writer's their opinions on audience.
5. Know the age you are targeting. Make sure your material is age appropriate for your audience.
I'm sure there are several other ways to get to know your audience, but here are a few that have helped me out. I'd love to hear back from other's on audience. Thanks for visiting!
Thursday, April 10, 2014
The Existence of Evil and its Contribution to Character Development in Fiction
I was talking with a friend of mine. He's an interesting character. He's in his mid 60s, set in his ways, and his views on life are always good for an interesting conversation. He's scientific in thought, kind of straight laced, usually level headed, but pretty passionate about what he believes in and what he doesn't. He doesn't believe in the existence of evil.
"The idea of good and evil is a religious based idea", he told me.
I nodded, somewhat agreeing. I grew up in a loosely religious based home. I grew up believing there was good and bad in the world, a distinct line separating the two.
The conversation rose from the topic of the television show Boardwalk Empire. We are both fans of the show and I asked him what he thought about Nucky Thompson. In case you don't watch Boardwalk Empire, Nucky Thompson is the protagonist, a politician/gangster in Atlantic City during the height of prohibition and the corruption that rode along with it. In season three Nucky becomes a little more crooked, violent, and a little less likable. I was in season three. My friend was still watching two.
My friend leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands together, his expression squinting with thought. I knew I was in for more than a shallow opinion of character.
"The interesting thing about Nucky Thompson is that he is neither good nor evil," he said to me.
I explained to him about Nucky in season three without too many spoilers. I did agree with his character analysis of Nucky to an extent. As humans we all struggle with being good and bad.
My friend went on to explain that people are neither good nor evil, we are what we are by nature. Everything we do is an extension of something that has happened before. We behave by how the neurons fire in our brains, which is manipulated by both genetics and things experienced. I understood this. My degree is in psychology, but his explanation still didn't tell me why he didn't believe in evil.
I asked him, "What about sociopaths, serial killers?"
He simply stated, "They just aren't wired right in the brain."
My friend's ideas of evil interests me in character development. As writers we often use evil to challenge to our protagonists. It's not always evil, but it is a key theme in fiction, good vs evil. I've used it as a writer. Once while I was researching clichés in fiction I came upon a site that said "the evil antagonist has become cliché." Often writers make a character evil just to be evil without reason.
The more I thought about Nucky Thompson the more I agreed with my friend. A character who's evil just by nature doesn't seem exactly credible. What makes the character evil? Something must have led up to the character's evil ways. A writer may not always want to dive deep into the characters background, but subtle hints could be good. I am sure many writer's do this, but as a writer myself I continue to try and make sense of the distinct line between good and evil I used to believe in. The lines are usually very blurred. I think the blurred lines make for a more interesting villain. He's oh so bad...but.....
The more I thought about the existence of evil, or whether or not it doesn't exist the more I became interested in it. Writing is my passion, but so is the study of human behavior.
I did a little research, asking Google, does evil exist? I found a great article by Ron Rosenbaum, titled The End of Evil? Neuroscientists suggests there is no such thing. Are they Right? Some of the ideas Ron gives in his article heavily correlated with my friend's explanation. As I read the article I wondered if my friend had read it too.
In the article Ron talks about how neuroscientists have ruled out the concept of evil as we know it. People do bad things, but their actions are not conscious decisions. They are caused by a glitch in the brain, and instead of labeling such glitches evil, scientists have retitled evil as "lack of empathy." The article details much more and is an interesting read. I'll provide a link to it at the end of the post.
In fiction we think of villains as evil beings. Just watch any old Disney movie. I grew up loving Disney films (I still do!). But as I think about evil now in terms of creating a villainous character I feel like evil is just a flimsy label. Much more goes into to being bad than just being evil. As a writer I want to display this in my villains. I will continue to contemplate evil and its contribution to the development of my characters.
I'd love to hear from other writer's and how they implement the idea of evil in their stories and how they use it to shape their characters. Comments are welcomed!
Article by: Ron Rosenbaum
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_spectator/2011/09/does_evil_exist_neuroscientists_say_no_.html
"The idea of good and evil is a religious based idea", he told me.
I nodded, somewhat agreeing. I grew up in a loosely religious based home. I grew up believing there was good and bad in the world, a distinct line separating the two.
The conversation rose from the topic of the television show Boardwalk Empire. We are both fans of the show and I asked him what he thought about Nucky Thompson. In case you don't watch Boardwalk Empire, Nucky Thompson is the protagonist, a politician/gangster in Atlantic City during the height of prohibition and the corruption that rode along with it. In season three Nucky becomes a little more crooked, violent, and a little less likable. I was in season three. My friend was still watching two.
My friend leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands together, his expression squinting with thought. I knew I was in for more than a shallow opinion of character.
"The interesting thing about Nucky Thompson is that he is neither good nor evil," he said to me.
I explained to him about Nucky in season three without too many spoilers. I did agree with his character analysis of Nucky to an extent. As humans we all struggle with being good and bad.
My friend went on to explain that people are neither good nor evil, we are what we are by nature. Everything we do is an extension of something that has happened before. We behave by how the neurons fire in our brains, which is manipulated by both genetics and things experienced. I understood this. My degree is in psychology, but his explanation still didn't tell me why he didn't believe in evil.
I asked him, "What about sociopaths, serial killers?"
He simply stated, "They just aren't wired right in the brain."
My friend's ideas of evil interests me in character development. As writers we often use evil to challenge to our protagonists. It's not always evil, but it is a key theme in fiction, good vs evil. I've used it as a writer. Once while I was researching clichés in fiction I came upon a site that said "the evil antagonist has become cliché." Often writers make a character evil just to be evil without reason.
The more I thought about Nucky Thompson the more I agreed with my friend. A character who's evil just by nature doesn't seem exactly credible. What makes the character evil? Something must have led up to the character's evil ways. A writer may not always want to dive deep into the characters background, but subtle hints could be good. I am sure many writer's do this, but as a writer myself I continue to try and make sense of the distinct line between good and evil I used to believe in. The lines are usually very blurred. I think the blurred lines make for a more interesting villain. He's oh so bad...but.....
The more I thought about the existence of evil, or whether or not it doesn't exist the more I became interested in it. Writing is my passion, but so is the study of human behavior.
I did a little research, asking Google, does evil exist? I found a great article by Ron Rosenbaum, titled The End of Evil? Neuroscientists suggests there is no such thing. Are they Right? Some of the ideas Ron gives in his article heavily correlated with my friend's explanation. As I read the article I wondered if my friend had read it too.
In the article Ron talks about how neuroscientists have ruled out the concept of evil as we know it. People do bad things, but their actions are not conscious decisions. They are caused by a glitch in the brain, and instead of labeling such glitches evil, scientists have retitled evil as "lack of empathy." The article details much more and is an interesting read. I'll provide a link to it at the end of the post.
In fiction we think of villains as evil beings. Just watch any old Disney movie. I grew up loving Disney films (I still do!). But as I think about evil now in terms of creating a villainous character I feel like evil is just a flimsy label. Much more goes into to being bad than just being evil. As a writer I want to display this in my villains. I will continue to contemplate evil and its contribution to the development of my characters.
I'd love to hear from other writer's and how they implement the idea of evil in their stories and how they use it to shape their characters. Comments are welcomed!
Article by: Ron Rosenbaum
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_spectator/2011/09/does_evil_exist_neuroscientists_say_no_.html
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Playing Ghost: My Erratic Experience as a Ghostwriter
A friend of mine came to me with an idea. He wanted
me to write a book with him, or more so for him. His idea was enthusiastic,
brilliant, and emotionally explicit. He had an attachment to it for personal reasons. I won’t go
into detail out of respect for his privacy. I agreed, sharing his excitement
for the story. The task came with an array of experiences: some were great, some
were good, and some were absolutely terrible. Before I go into my experience playing ghost, let me explain what ghostwriting is.
When you ghostwrite for someone you are hired to write for them, but you are not the author. The person who has hired you is the author while you remain invisible (for the most part). There are some ghostwriters who take some writing credit, such as a story told by so and so, written by you. Ghostwriting can be any kind of writing. Some writers are hired to write blogs for others, letters, emails, memoirs, non-fiction, speeches, and fiction. They write, but take none of the credit for the words written. It may seem strange, but writers do it all the time.
Ghost writing can be a good thing, a decent way to make extra income. There's several people out there who want to write a book or a blog, but may not have the time or talent so they hire a writer. Celebrities, doctors, politicians, and even other writers often do this.
My ghostwriting experience could have been good, but it ended in disarray, and the loss of a friendship. I wanted to share my experience because it has been so significant to me both personally and professionally. I may come off sounding a bit biased. Sorry about that (kind of).
My ghostwriting experience could have been good, but it ended in disarray, and the loss of a friendship. I wanted to share my experience because it has been so significant to me both personally and professionally. I may come off sounding a bit biased. Sorry about that (kind of).
I pretty much took a year off my own writing. When he came to me with his idea I was deep into the sequel of Beyond Gavia. I thought, I can write both. It was unrealistic, so I shelved my book to focus on his. Even though I was the ghostwriter I often felt the lines were blurred on this project. A ghostwriter is supposed to take someone else's ideas and words and put them on paper. I assume most ghostwriters get a synopsis or an outline. I never got any of these. We did juggle ideas, sent several emails, but there was nothing concrete to walk on, just a wobbly bridge where I had to lay the ideas down to step upon. The premise was his. The antagonist was his (whom even though was the villain, he wanted to be the star of the book). The rest was pretty much mine. Some of the setting came from him. But I took the bare bones he gave me and covered them with muscle, blood and flesh. In definition I wasn't a ghostwriter, I was a co writer yet I had to maintain a shadow of him.
He didn't want me to tell anyone I was writing his book. I was supposed to sign a confidentiality agreement, but I never did. Several aspects of the project we agreed upon never came to light. During the project we'd talked about me taking a bigger role since I'd been not just the writer but part creator. I was supposed to sign a contract, but I never did. The reasons for this is because I didn't agree with some of the elements within the contract. He was supposed to make changes, but never did. I did tell people I was ghostwriting. They saw me doing it. My family knew, as well as a few co workers. Some people couldn't understand the concept of ghostwriting. They thought it was silly when I could be writing for myself, but I believed in the project.
The great of the project came with collaborating with a friend who possessed great creative talent. We were amazing together in that aspect. We played off each other and created amazing content and characters. I loved that part. It was a high. But the high didn't last long and often came crashing to the ground.
The good was the writing. I love to write. I loved the story and characters we'd created. I'd said previously I was never given an outline to write from. I was told to let the ideas flow and that my creative output was trusted. This sometimes worked, but there was several instances I had to make rewrites because he was 'feeling' what I wrote. This became extremely frustrating because if I'd had an outline the need for such rewrites may have never existed. It was time wasted on my part and unfair to me as his writer.
The terrible often overshadowed the good and great. I was hired to write a book, but while doing so my friend often disappeared for days and weeks. I'd be writing and suddenly I wouldn't hear from him or couldn't reach him. He worked in the entertainment industry and lived a hectic and busy lifestyle, yet instead of communicating with me he'd jump ship, only to climb back on weeks later begging for me to finish the project. The book meant a great deal to him and he'd made connections in the literary world. The book had publishing potential. I wanted to be a part of that. He was a bridge I didn't want to burn. But his in and out behavior occurred all the time. It was unprofessional, unfair, and overly frustrating. I kept allowing him to treat me and the project in such a way, so the negative impact the project had on me became just as much my fault as his.
I finished the first draft. It was an amazing accomplishment. I learned mountains about myself while writing the book. I learned I can write and finish a book without shelving it. I have written three books, but I have several half written, stored in computer files, begging for my attention. I think as writers we often begin our stories and abandon them, succumbing to writer's block or other life stressors. Later we come back to them when inspiration strikes. This can become a vicious cycle where plots and characters are left hanging by us. I couldn't do that ghostwriting. I had to plow through. I had to keep writing. Ghostwriting taught me discipline. It was a great lesson.
The terrible extended at the loss of a friendship. We'd been friends on and off for over ten years, randomly dropping in and out of each other's lives. We always connected on a creative level, and that was where our friendship thrived. But we clashed when it came to business. After I finished the first draft I was suppose to run the first full edit, but I didn't. I pulled out of the project and handed over the first draft in a complete document. I couldn't work with him anymore. It was heartbreaking. I'd spent a year of my life creating something I had to let go of. I mourned it. I'll never do it again.
I wanted to share my experience. It's personal and I will admit not the most conventional ghostwriting story. I felt the definite need to share it with other writers who may benefit from it. I'd also like to share a list of things to consider before taking on a ghostwriting position.
1. Make sure you have a clear cut agreement with whomever is hired you. There should be a sound contract that includes confidentiality, what is expected of you as a writer, what is expected of the author, and any financial agreements made.
2. Make sure you know exactly what the person are writing for wants before you go wasting your time, such as obtaining a complete outline and synopsis.
3. Make sure you are comfortable with writing and letting someone else take the credit for it.
4. If you are writing for a friend, tread carefully. Business and friendship may not mix as well as you hope.
5. Don't be taken advantage of.
6. Make sure you and who hires you are clear on a deadline.
7. If you are serious about writing for yourself, be careful about abandoning your own projects for someone else's.
I'd love to hear stories from other writer's who have ghostwritten before, as well as others who are considering it.
He didn't want me to tell anyone I was writing his book. I was supposed to sign a confidentiality agreement, but I never did. Several aspects of the project we agreed upon never came to light. During the project we'd talked about me taking a bigger role since I'd been not just the writer but part creator. I was supposed to sign a contract, but I never did. The reasons for this is because I didn't agree with some of the elements within the contract. He was supposed to make changes, but never did. I did tell people I was ghostwriting. They saw me doing it. My family knew, as well as a few co workers. Some people couldn't understand the concept of ghostwriting. They thought it was silly when I could be writing for myself, but I believed in the project.
The great of the project came with collaborating with a friend who possessed great creative talent. We were amazing together in that aspect. We played off each other and created amazing content and characters. I loved that part. It was a high. But the high didn't last long and often came crashing to the ground.
The good was the writing. I love to write. I loved the story and characters we'd created. I'd said previously I was never given an outline to write from. I was told to let the ideas flow and that my creative output was trusted. This sometimes worked, but there was several instances I had to make rewrites because he was 'feeling' what I wrote. This became extremely frustrating because if I'd had an outline the need for such rewrites may have never existed. It was time wasted on my part and unfair to me as his writer.
The terrible often overshadowed the good and great. I was hired to write a book, but while doing so my friend often disappeared for days and weeks. I'd be writing and suddenly I wouldn't hear from him or couldn't reach him. He worked in the entertainment industry and lived a hectic and busy lifestyle, yet instead of communicating with me he'd jump ship, only to climb back on weeks later begging for me to finish the project. The book meant a great deal to him and he'd made connections in the literary world. The book had publishing potential. I wanted to be a part of that. He was a bridge I didn't want to burn. But his in and out behavior occurred all the time. It was unprofessional, unfair, and overly frustrating. I kept allowing him to treat me and the project in such a way, so the negative impact the project had on me became just as much my fault as his.
I finished the first draft. It was an amazing accomplishment. I learned mountains about myself while writing the book. I learned I can write and finish a book without shelving it. I have written three books, but I have several half written, stored in computer files, begging for my attention. I think as writers we often begin our stories and abandon them, succumbing to writer's block or other life stressors. Later we come back to them when inspiration strikes. This can become a vicious cycle where plots and characters are left hanging by us. I couldn't do that ghostwriting. I had to plow through. I had to keep writing. Ghostwriting taught me discipline. It was a great lesson.
The terrible extended at the loss of a friendship. We'd been friends on and off for over ten years, randomly dropping in and out of each other's lives. We always connected on a creative level, and that was where our friendship thrived. But we clashed when it came to business. After I finished the first draft I was suppose to run the first full edit, but I didn't. I pulled out of the project and handed over the first draft in a complete document. I couldn't work with him anymore. It was heartbreaking. I'd spent a year of my life creating something I had to let go of. I mourned it. I'll never do it again.
I wanted to share my experience. It's personal and I will admit not the most conventional ghostwriting story. I felt the definite need to share it with other writers who may benefit from it. I'd also like to share a list of things to consider before taking on a ghostwriting position.
1. Make sure you have a clear cut agreement with whomever is hired you. There should be a sound contract that includes confidentiality, what is expected of you as a writer, what is expected of the author, and any financial agreements made.
2. Make sure you know exactly what the person are writing for wants before you go wasting your time, such as obtaining a complete outline and synopsis.
3. Make sure you are comfortable with writing and letting someone else take the credit for it.
4. If you are writing for a friend, tread carefully. Business and friendship may not mix as well as you hope.
5. Don't be taken advantage of.
6. Make sure you and who hires you are clear on a deadline.
7. If you are serious about writing for yourself, be careful about abandoning your own projects for someone else's.
I'd love to hear stories from other writer's who have ghostwritten before, as well as others who are considering it.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Walking the Platform (The Author Platform)
The writer platform. As writers we all strive for one. We tweet, we blog, we communicate on Google+, Facebook, and several others. In between we try to find time to actually write our stories. It's a dizzying dance, a constant stretch of the mind. I enjoy it, to a point. Sometimes I loathe it, but in today's writing culture it has become a necessity to the health of our writing careers. I wrote a guest blog about writing a sequel. I wrote that the author platform is a lifeline, and I truly believe that it is.
I've read that several writers begin by writing their books and then they attempt to build their platforms, and it's a mistake. Someone on some other blog said, writers should concentrate on building an audience before they write their novels. I can't say what the best way is. I started building mine after I wrote my first novel. Whose to say I wouldn't have had a bigger following, larger books sales. But when I wrote Beyond Gavia, blogging was in it's infant stage. I think I'd signed up for Facebook in the same year I began my novel.
I want to tell other writers to keep walking the platform, never jump off for too long. Life comes up and sometimes you have to take a break. I say this because I made the big mistake of doing so. I took about a year off from building my platform, and boy did my book sales take a hit.
I had a ghostwriting opportunity from a friend, which was somewhat of a varying experience. I think I will write about that in my next post. Anyways, I didn't realize what it did to my blossoming career, which was still just a little sprout in a garden full of flowers. I pretty much dried up and wilted over. I see this now that I look back at that year I wrote for someone else. But hindsight is 20/20 right? So never do what I did. I don't really regret it. I try not to regret, but instead learn. I'd love to hear feedback from other writers on the importance of the author platform.
I've read that several writers begin by writing their books and then they attempt to build their platforms, and it's a mistake. Someone on some other blog said, writers should concentrate on building an audience before they write their novels. I can't say what the best way is. I started building mine after I wrote my first novel. Whose to say I wouldn't have had a bigger following, larger books sales. But when I wrote Beyond Gavia, blogging was in it's infant stage. I think I'd signed up for Facebook in the same year I began my novel.
I want to tell other writers to keep walking the platform, never jump off for too long. Life comes up and sometimes you have to take a break. I say this because I made the big mistake of doing so. I took about a year off from building my platform, and boy did my book sales take a hit.
I had a ghostwriting opportunity from a friend, which was somewhat of a varying experience. I think I will write about that in my next post. Anyways, I didn't realize what it did to my blossoming career, which was still just a little sprout in a garden full of flowers. I pretty much dried up and wilted over. I see this now that I look back at that year I wrote for someone else. But hindsight is 20/20 right? So never do what I did. I don't really regret it. I try not to regret, but instead learn. I'd love to hear feedback from other writers on the importance of the author platform.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Character Perception
We all see the world through different eyes. Each experience made is different for each person. People grow up differently, culture, religion, parental guidance, the sway of peer pressure, nationality, ethnicity, race.... The same is for the characters we create for our books. Perception can affect behavior, make people behave in ways they don't even understand. Perception creates perspective.
When creating characters I think it's important to know where their perceptions stem from. You don't have to explain it to your reader, but you can show it in their behavior, the way they respond to other characters, to challenges. As a writer if you know a character, who could be a supporting character or a main, grew up with an abusive parent, they might perceive violence differently than someone who grew up in a loving family. Your character's perception can define the way they look at the conflict, how they decide they want to overcome it.
Perception can create tone in characters, in their voices, their body language. It can manipulate the way they order a meal, a glass of wine.
This reminds me of a friend of mine. She's always enjoyed wine, but within the last few years I noticed she's been drinking more of it, as if it distinguishes her more than her usual Jack. Anyways, she went through a phase where she drank Lambrusco, a sweet red wine that's about $7 a bottle. She enjoyed it, even ordered it at restaurants. Then a year ago she got a job at a winery. The owner imports all his grapes from France. He makes several different kinds of wine, shares his expensive collection with friends and colleagues. She learned much about wine, it's process, the culture of it. I have to smile at this. A few months ago I made a statement that a nice bottle Lambrusco sounded good. She shot me an almost disgusted look and said, "We've got to teach you about wine."
When creating characters I think it's important to know where their perceptions stem from. You don't have to explain it to your reader, but you can show it in their behavior, the way they respond to other characters, to challenges. As a writer if you know a character, who could be a supporting character or a main, grew up with an abusive parent, they might perceive violence differently than someone who grew up in a loving family. Your character's perception can define the way they look at the conflict, how they decide they want to overcome it.
Perception can create tone in characters, in their voices, their body language. It can manipulate the way they order a meal, a glass of wine.
This reminds me of a friend of mine. She's always enjoyed wine, but within the last few years I noticed she's been drinking more of it, as if it distinguishes her more than her usual Jack. Anyways, she went through a phase where she drank Lambrusco, a sweet red wine that's about $7 a bottle. She enjoyed it, even ordered it at restaurants. Then a year ago she got a job at a winery. The owner imports all his grapes from France. He makes several different kinds of wine, shares his expensive collection with friends and colleagues. She learned much about wine, it's process, the culture of it. I have to smile at this. A few months ago I made a statement that a nice bottle Lambrusco sounded good. She shot me an almost disgusted look and said, "We've got to teach you about wine."
Sunday, March 2, 2014
The Human Condition and All Its' Experience (as we write)
When I write I try to create characters that feel real. I assume this is every writer's motivation. As writers we want our characters to mirror people, not just empty unrealistic templates. We want to dive deep, sift through our own souls and catch what may feel real to our readers, to ourselves. As humans we feel a multitude of emotion. We often act predictable. We often act unpredictable. We are unique, yet the same. It's a balance of projection, a responsibility to ourselves, to our characters, and to those who enjoy them.
Story Problems
When I was kid I hated story problems, but that was math. As a writer I enjoy the challenge of working through story problems: plot snags, character glitches, flow issues, word decisions. It can be frustrating and hard work, especially during the editing process. Sometimes plot points don't add up, sometimes you over write, sometimes you under write. Sometimes the research isn't supportive enough for what you are writing. Your main character might feel flat. But that's beauty of it, the hard of it. It reminds of a quote from the film A League of their own, "it's the hard that makes it great." Tom Hanks (my favorite actor) said this about baseball, but as writers we can easily apply the quote to the craft of writing. He also said, "if it wasn't hard, everyone would do it." It's a process, a sometimes rocky one, but I love it! What about you?
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
You never stop learning
When I started writing I was teenager. I couldn't escape the ideas that brewed in my mind. I had to get them on paper. I had to write. It was an escape, an outlet from the small tragedies of adolescence. I didn't know much about prose, voice, plot structure, the different kinds of characters and all the other things writers have to worry about, especially in the editing phase. I didn't know the exact meaning of every element, but some came naturally. I suppose that's where talent came in.
Once I made the crazy conscious decision, "I want to be a writer," I became more serious about structure and genre. I wanted to be a novelist. This happened in my early 20s. The stories building in my head became books (books I started, yet never finished). I don't know how many documents I had, notebooks filled with ideas, outlines, beginnings, character descriptions. There were several stacking up in the corner of my room, on my computer. I still have that today, but I'm a little more disciplined .
Learning by mistake is definitely a main method of learning. As a novice writer I made a lot of mistakes. One of my first, and biggest, mistakes was prose. I think other writers can identify with this. My prose was rich, thick, stuffed fat with pretty words that sounded appetizing, to me anyways. The term is flowery prose, or purple prose. Some call it dirty prose. Learning about prose and how to keep it clean, how to choose the right words, wasn't the easiest transition. I wanted to write how I wanted. And I could, but if I want to sell my writing and have readers, I needed to scoop out the slush. I'm still learning about prose, how to tweak it to best fit my story, my characters, and my readers.
I'm embarrassed to admit this one, but just a couple of years ago I learned what passive voice was. I posted the first chapter of my second novel on a critique site and my very FIRST line was written in passive voice. People were asking, "Why did you start out with passive voice?" Uhm....I don't know, because I didn't know it was. Well I learned. I learned it was a big no-no, unless used sparingly for certain emotional impact.
Another way to keep learning is to read craft books. I like to read them once in awhile. Most of them say the same things, but in different ways. I recently read Nathan Bransford, How to Write a Novel. It was good, straight to the point. Plus it's nice to hear it from someone who not only writes but once worked as an Agent. Agents are the gatekeepers! One of my favorite craft books is called 45 Master Characters: Mythic Models for Creating Original Character, by Victoria Schmidt. I love the way she uses ancient gods and goddesses to create character arcs. If you like craft books, especially ones pertaining to character development, it's definitely worth the buy!
As writers we never stop learning. We never stop attempting to perfect our craft. It's a humble experience, especially when you think you know your stuff and another writer blows you out of the water. I've there, done that (not as the knowing writer). I know as I keep writing I will keep learning. I will keep making mistakes. One of my favorite ways to learn is from other writers, from their experiences. It's the main reason I started this blog, to share my experiences. I'd love to hear back from other writers on their learning experiences, whether you are just starting out, or been in the game since you can remember.
Once I made the crazy conscious decision, "I want to be a writer," I became more serious about structure and genre. I wanted to be a novelist. This happened in my early 20s. The stories building in my head became books (books I started, yet never finished). I don't know how many documents I had, notebooks filled with ideas, outlines, beginnings, character descriptions. There were several stacking up in the corner of my room, on my computer. I still have that today, but I'm a little more disciplined .
Learning by mistake is definitely a main method of learning. As a novice writer I made a lot of mistakes. One of my first, and biggest, mistakes was prose. I think other writers can identify with this. My prose was rich, thick, stuffed fat with pretty words that sounded appetizing, to me anyways. The term is flowery prose, or purple prose. Some call it dirty prose. Learning about prose and how to keep it clean, how to choose the right words, wasn't the easiest transition. I wanted to write how I wanted. And I could, but if I want to sell my writing and have readers, I needed to scoop out the slush. I'm still learning about prose, how to tweak it to best fit my story, my characters, and my readers.
I'm embarrassed to admit this one, but just a couple of years ago I learned what passive voice was. I posted the first chapter of my second novel on a critique site and my very FIRST line was written in passive voice. People were asking, "Why did you start out with passive voice?" Uhm....I don't know, because I didn't know it was. Well I learned. I learned it was a big no-no, unless used sparingly for certain emotional impact.
Another way to keep learning is to read craft books. I like to read them once in awhile. Most of them say the same things, but in different ways. I recently read Nathan Bransford, How to Write a Novel. It was good, straight to the point. Plus it's nice to hear it from someone who not only writes but once worked as an Agent. Agents are the gatekeepers! One of my favorite craft books is called 45 Master Characters: Mythic Models for Creating Original Character, by Victoria Schmidt. I love the way she uses ancient gods and goddesses to create character arcs. If you like craft books, especially ones pertaining to character development, it's definitely worth the buy!
As writers we never stop learning. We never stop attempting to perfect our craft. It's a humble experience, especially when you think you know your stuff and another writer blows you out of the water. I've there, done that (not as the knowing writer). I know as I keep writing I will keep learning. I will keep making mistakes. One of my favorite ways to learn is from other writers, from their experiences. It's the main reason I started this blog, to share my experiences. I'd love to hear back from other writers on their learning experiences, whether you are just starting out, or been in the game since you can remember.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Don't Spam, Create Positive Associations
Lately I've been thinking about spamming. I've never spammed for attention, but it seems to be an issue amongst the writing community. Writers want to get their work out there; to be seen, known, read, but they do it in a Sheldon knock-knock way. Buy my book. Buy my book. Buy my book. Check out my book. Check out my book.
I've been weary of how much I should post about my book on social networks. I want people to know I'm a writer and my book has been published and if they're interested in sci/fi fantasy with a sub genre of romance, please check it out. I don't want to overstimulate potential readers to the point they disregard my book posts because it's nothing new. Plus I don't want people to think I'm obnoxious.
My last blog post highlighted some of the content in the book Secret Formulas of the Wizard Ads. The author, Roy Williams, writes about associative memory, and how powerful it can be when promoting yourself.
I dove deeper into the subject. Associative memory in psychology is classical conditioning. I studied this form of learning extensively while obtaining my BA in psychology. I didn't think much of it then, just another way organisms, whether human, canine, or any other creature can learn.
When making posts you want to produce an emotional response from readers, whether it's a blog post, social network post, or any other way you are attempting to share yourself. Repetition is also important, but not in a spammy way. Instead of making a post saying "buy my book" say something about writing, about yourself, about another book that you know will produce positive feelings from others. As time goes on others will associate you and your work with positive emotion, which could lead to more book sales.
Here's an example of classical conditioning that gets me every winter. It isn't about writing, but it's about selling. I am not a soda drinker, but occasionally I like to enjoy a fizzy beverage. Coke and their dang polar bears! I see a commercial and I HAVE to have a coke (This happened much worse when I was pregnant). The cute polar bears create a positive emotion which in turns creates positive emotion toward the coke product.
You can do this with your work. Instead of leaving a post with a link to your book, post something positive about the writing process, a funny quote, an experience you've had as a writer that other writers can identify with.
References
Williams H., Roy. Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads. Austin, TX. 1999
Lybarger, Matt. Classical Conditioning: It's Use in Marketing. (No Date) Online: http://teachers.sduhsd.k12.ca.us/jetheridge/Psychology/Classical%20Conditioning%20marketing.htm
I've been weary of how much I should post about my book on social networks. I want people to know I'm a writer and my book has been published and if they're interested in sci/fi fantasy with a sub genre of romance, please check it out. I don't want to overstimulate potential readers to the point they disregard my book posts because it's nothing new. Plus I don't want people to think I'm obnoxious.
My last blog post highlighted some of the content in the book Secret Formulas of the Wizard Ads. The author, Roy Williams, writes about associative memory, and how powerful it can be when promoting yourself.
I dove deeper into the subject. Associative memory in psychology is classical conditioning. I studied this form of learning extensively while obtaining my BA in psychology. I didn't think much of it then, just another way organisms, whether human, canine, or any other creature can learn.
When making posts you want to produce an emotional response from readers, whether it's a blog post, social network post, or any other way you are attempting to share yourself. Repetition is also important, but not in a spammy way. Instead of making a post saying "buy my book" say something about writing, about yourself, about another book that you know will produce positive feelings from others. As time goes on others will associate you and your work with positive emotion, which could lead to more book sales.
Here's an example of classical conditioning that gets me every winter. It isn't about writing, but it's about selling. I am not a soda drinker, but occasionally I like to enjoy a fizzy beverage. Coke and their dang polar bears! I see a commercial and I HAVE to have a coke (This happened much worse when I was pregnant). The cute polar bears create a positive emotion which in turns creates positive emotion toward the coke product.
You can do this with your work. Instead of leaving a post with a link to your book, post something positive about the writing process, a funny quote, an experience you've had as a writer that other writers can identify with.
References
Williams H., Roy. Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads. Austin, TX. 1999
Lybarger, Matt. Classical Conditioning: It's Use in Marketing. (No Date) Online: http://teachers.sduhsd.k12.ca.us/jetheridge/Psychology/Classical%20Conditioning%20marketing.htm
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Invigorating Words
I've been skimming a marketing book called Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads written by Roy H. Williams. It's an interesting collection of business and marketing tid bits that read like blog posts. I bought it at this wonderful used book store in my town called The Book Exchange. Its cover resembles a spell book that contains secrets and magic and the inside pages give off the same old mystical feel.
As I was page jumping I came upon a section titled "Surprising Broca". I didn't know what that meant, but I kept reading. It turns out Broca is in an area of the brain, located in the left frontal lobe that is responsible for language. After further reading and research I learned another part, called Wernicke's area. This area is responsible for assessing a words significance, which is then transported to the Broca area for further evaluation. Williams states in his book, "Broca energetically generates verbs, enthusiastically constructs sentences, and anxiously anticipates what others are about to say. (p52)"
Williams goes on to talk about how as humans we tune out language that is familiar to us. As writers, the term cliché may come to mind. We can write a passage that contains description that has been used several times; to explain a setting, a woman, the way a kiss feels, but if our readers have known the same descriptions their attentions may divert, and their hands may close the book. Our brains have expectations for words and the way they are used, or paired with other words. Its like going to same mundane job everyday, performing the same mundane tasks, but if there's suddenly a new boss who wants to give everyone a raise, attentions perk, excitement bubbles.
As writers we want to surprise our readers, titillate their imaginations, keep their eyes gobbling up word after word. As I read some of the passages in Williams' book, which focuses on using words to market, I can't help to correlate so much to the craft of writing fiction (and other genres as well).
We color with words. We choose our crayons carefully, creatively, sometimes rationally, sometimes irrationally. We want our voices to flow with power and individuality. We have to think of fresh ways to describe, characterize, and plot. In the first part of Williams' book he states,
Words are electric: they should be chosen for the emotional voltage they carry. Weak and predictable words cause grand ideas to appear dull that they fade into the darkness of oblivion. But powerful words in unusual combinations brightly illuminate the mind.
Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads is book that focuses on marketing, but its a great read for writers, who not only want to create electrifying work, but who want to succeed at promoting it!
Reference: Williams H., Roy. Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads. Austin, TX. 1999
As I was page jumping I came upon a section titled "Surprising Broca". I didn't know what that meant, but I kept reading. It turns out Broca is in an area of the brain, located in the left frontal lobe that is responsible for language. After further reading and research I learned another part, called Wernicke's area. This area is responsible for assessing a words significance, which is then transported to the Broca area for further evaluation. Williams states in his book, "Broca energetically generates verbs, enthusiastically constructs sentences, and anxiously anticipates what others are about to say. (p52)"
Williams goes on to talk about how as humans we tune out language that is familiar to us. As writers, the term cliché may come to mind. We can write a passage that contains description that has been used several times; to explain a setting, a woman, the way a kiss feels, but if our readers have known the same descriptions their attentions may divert, and their hands may close the book. Our brains have expectations for words and the way they are used, or paired with other words. Its like going to same mundane job everyday, performing the same mundane tasks, but if there's suddenly a new boss who wants to give everyone a raise, attentions perk, excitement bubbles.
As writers we want to surprise our readers, titillate their imaginations, keep their eyes gobbling up word after word. As I read some of the passages in Williams' book, which focuses on using words to market, I can't help to correlate so much to the craft of writing fiction (and other genres as well).
We color with words. We choose our crayons carefully, creatively, sometimes rationally, sometimes irrationally. We want our voices to flow with power and individuality. We have to think of fresh ways to describe, characterize, and plot. In the first part of Williams' book he states,
Words are electric: they should be chosen for the emotional voltage they carry. Weak and predictable words cause grand ideas to appear dull that they fade into the darkness of oblivion. But powerful words in unusual combinations brightly illuminate the mind.
Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads is book that focuses on marketing, but its a great read for writers, who not only want to create electrifying work, but who want to succeed at promoting it!
Reference: Williams H., Roy. Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads. Austin, TX. 1999
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Market Stress
Market yourself. Create an author platform. Tweet, tweet, tweet. Facebook! It can be stressful,
especially if you just want to write. You get on your computer to do a little
social networking, maybe work on your blog/website, some market research and
before you realize you’ve been online for hours. Maybe you really wanted to use
those hours to write.
In
today’s technical atmosphere it seems you can’t have one without the other. If
you want to be a writer (sorry, a selling writer, whether you are
self-published or have a publisher), you have to get online and market
yourself. People have to know about you to read your work. And to be fair,
several writers have benefited from online marketing. They swear by Twitter and
Facebook. I’ve read a ton of online articles and blogs focusing on how to use
the internet to market yourself and your work. It’s hard work. It’s time consuming.
But it seems to be a necessity. I say ‘seems’ because I can’t speak for every
writer.
I was reading a couple of articles about Nora Roberts and her process. She writes and then hands her work over to her agent and editor and they work their magic. Of course Nora Roberts already stands on a gigantic platform she built over 20 years ago, when the internet didn’t exist.
I’ve came across other information on how a writer should brand herself. Writing isn’t just this beautiful creative process, its business, and as writers we must embrace both. I can’t help but to wonder where we draw the line between writer and marketer, if there even is a line to be drawn. Maybe it’s more like playing hop-scotch, some square representing writing and some marketing. We keep jumping from one to the other.
I was reading a couple of articles about Nora Roberts and her process. She writes and then hands her work over to her agent and editor and they work their magic. Of course Nora Roberts already stands on a gigantic platform she built over 20 years ago, when the internet didn’t exist.
I’ve came across other information on how a writer should brand herself. Writing isn’t just this beautiful creative process, its business, and as writers we must embrace both. I can’t help but to wonder where we draw the line between writer and marketer, if there even is a line to be drawn. Maybe it’s more like playing hop-scotch, some square representing writing and some marketing. We keep jumping from one to the other.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Writer's Intuition
While writing, plotting, creating characters, and all of the above when it comes to building your novel, do you get that nudge from within, telling you something isn't fitting right? I get it from time to time, well several times actually. Sometimes I listen, sometimes I ignore it. It's best to listen, but sometimes your too tired and you just want to get words on the page, and you think I can make changes later; which you can. Writing is much more than just the first draft. I think we've all heard the real writing begins at the edit. I somewhat believe that, but I do so much writing during the first draft, I don't think the edit could compare. I am also a write who edits as I go, so that probably helps.
I am curious to what other writer's intuitions tell them. I get the nudge if I feel like something sounds cliché, rather it's a sentence or a block of the plot. They all say, and when I say 'they', I mean every how too writing book/article/blog written, to avoid clichés like the plague, sooo cliché, right?. I would say I try avoid them like when I'm at the grocery store and I see someone I know, but I don't want to talk to them, or make eye contact because then I'd have to stop and talk to them. That's when I will skip aisles and go back, making more time for myself at the store, which I end up being in longer than I want (and spending more too).
Another poke I will get is when a character's personality traits aren't adding up, or they are too flat. You have the character in your head, exactly how you want them to be, how they speak, dress, but sometimes its hard getting them to fit. Often I will hit the drawing board (cliché too, right?) and start again, diving into the character and fleshing him out as best as I can. I worked on a ghostwriting project recently, and I just couldn't get the main character to be the guy I wanted him to be. I had to go back several times and poke at him.
I have a difficult time with endings. Even in college I dreaded the conclusion when writing a paper. I get kicked instead of nudged around this time. I usually have to take a step back, maybe shelve the story for a week or so and let it come naturally. Forcing it never works.
I am curious to when other writer's feel the nudge? What makes you take a step back and think this part/character/plot point is wrong. It doesn't fit. How do you get it to fit?
I am curious to what other writer's intuitions tell them. I get the nudge if I feel like something sounds cliché, rather it's a sentence or a block of the plot. They all say, and when I say 'they', I mean every how too writing book/article/blog written, to avoid clichés like the plague, sooo cliché, right?. I would say I try avoid them like when I'm at the grocery store and I see someone I know, but I don't want to talk to them, or make eye contact because then I'd have to stop and talk to them. That's when I will skip aisles and go back, making more time for myself at the store, which I end up being in longer than I want (and spending more too).
Another poke I will get is when a character's personality traits aren't adding up, or they are too flat. You have the character in your head, exactly how you want them to be, how they speak, dress, but sometimes its hard getting them to fit. Often I will hit the drawing board (cliché too, right?) and start again, diving into the character and fleshing him out as best as I can. I worked on a ghostwriting project recently, and I just couldn't get the main character to be the guy I wanted him to be. I had to go back several times and poke at him.
I have a difficult time with endings. Even in college I dreaded the conclusion when writing a paper. I get kicked instead of nudged around this time. I usually have to take a step back, maybe shelve the story for a week or so and let it come naturally. Forcing it never works.
I am curious to when other writer's feel the nudge? What makes you take a step back and think this part/character/plot point is wrong. It doesn't fit. How do you get it to fit?
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Words of Encouragment by New Author, Chris Reardon
As if writing a whole book wasn't hard enough, now you have to work to get it a publisher!
The first real step, at least for me, was writing the query letter. I really disliked this part, because I couldn't possibly imagine cutting my story into a couple paragraphs. Even along with that, I couldn't imagine how to "pull" or "hook" them into it with just a few lines. Everyone has their own opinions of how to do this, and most of them contradict each other anyway. So you really just have to do the best you can.
The synopsis (2-3 page summary) was just as annoying! Once again, I hated the idea of condensing my over 70K book into 3 pages, but, it's what a lot of them want. So, I had to somehow merge the whole beginning, middle, and end into it.
After submitting to publishers I found via Google, (for my genre, fantasy) the most annoying part came. WAITING! I understand they get a lot of queries, but many of them seriously make you wait over 3 months for a response! I guess there's no way around that with all the queries they get.
So, despite the work required, you can do it! No matter what response you get, many are willing to give you some tips on what to improve with your book, query, synopsis, etc. until you get accepted. Keep at it!!
Thank you, Chris!
The first real step, at least for me, was writing the query letter. I really disliked this part, because I couldn't possibly imagine cutting my story into a couple paragraphs. Even along with that, I couldn't imagine how to "pull" or "hook" them into it with just a few lines. Everyone has their own opinions of how to do this, and most of them contradict each other anyway. So you really just have to do the best you can.
The synopsis (2-3 page summary) was just as annoying! Once again, I hated the idea of condensing my over 70K book into 3 pages, but, it's what a lot of them want. So, I had to somehow merge the whole beginning, middle, and end into it.
After submitting to publishers I found via Google, (for my genre, fantasy) the most annoying part came. WAITING! I understand they get a lot of queries, but many of them seriously make you wait over 3 months for a response! I guess there's no way around that with all the queries they get.
So, despite the work required, you can do it! No matter what response you get, many are willing to give you some tips on what to improve with your book, query, synopsis, etc. until you get accepted. Keep at it!!
Thank you, Chris!
Writing for Effect
As writers we obviously write for effect. We want readers to feel certain things, to become attached to our story, characters, and style. As we write we wonder how to create such magic. How do we get our audience to keep the pages turning. We've all heard the phrase "the book is a real page turner." But what does that actually mean? What components make a book a page turner? Here's some ideas to play with.
1. Suspense. Creating suspense is one of the best ways to keep your reader engaged. I was watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the first one) and as I watched Charlie all bummed out because he never got the gold ticket I kept thinking, the writer of this script really made Charlie go through a heap of emotional turmoil before he got his ticket. By making your character experience emotional heaps you can keep your reader engaged. But you have to be careful to maintain balance. Not every page has to be a mountain of tension.
2. Shock factor. Today the shock factor seems to be a trending element, in books, television and movies. By shocking your readers you can create the need for more. I recently became attached to American Horror Story: Coven. It was the shock factor that kept me watching, and the same with Sons of Anarchy. The shock factor of 50 Shades of Grey kept women all over the world turning pages like Johnny 5 from Short Circuit. George R. R. Martin shocked his readers by killing off main characters. But just like suspense there's a need for balance. I think with balance you can play with your readers emotions just as well with any other 'pager turner' component.
3. Foreshadowing. We use foreshadowing to tell of something coming, to excite the reader of what may be. This can be a fun tool, but you don't want to give away too much. Foreshadowing can also be used to connect plot points, especially in thriller novels when you create a twist later in the plot.
4. Keeping it real. Whether you are writing science fiction, fantasy, romance, or literary fiction you have to keep it real. You can create an alien nation on a distant planet, but make sure all of your creative genius adds up.
5. Great characters. Creating deep characters with authentic personality isn't always the easiest task. You have them in your head and they are great: the hero, the heroin, and secondary characters. The look good, they sound good. You feel like all their dynamics are ready to explode on paper, but as you get through a few chapters your explosive personalities fall flat. This happened to me recently with a character I created for a ghostwriting job I had. After researching his personality type and making lists of characteristics and traits (some I might not even use in the plot, but gave me a better idea who this guy was) I was able to beef up his character.
I know there must be more ways to initiate attachment with your readers, but these are the first 5 that come to mind. Of course there's the showing instead of telling, but I maintain my notion that balance of all of these components keeps the reader engaged and reading. I would love to hear from others who have more ideas on writing for effect.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Publishing with an ebook publisher: some things to know
Getting published is every writer's dream. We write, we dream, we write, and we dream. The dream varies, and not to generalize, but most of us writer's want a contract with one of the big publishers. I've read blogs and articles how some writers will make a list, topping it with their "most wanted". Once the bigger publishers reject your great idea, slip down to the smaller ones. Within the list there could be an eBook publishing company. It was in mine and I ended up publishing with that company. I learned much from publishing with an eBook publisher, and like with any publisher, I am sure there is the good and the bad.
1. It's easier to get published with an eBook publisher. They take on many more authors than other publishers do because the monetary risk is smaller. They don't have to pay to print thousands of books and if they do offer paperback it is POD (print on demand). My publisher did pay for an editor and for the cover design.
2. If you publish with an epublisher, using that credential could hurt rather than help in an attempt to get an agent or publish with a larger house. Of course you'd want to add your novel to your publishing credits, but several agents and publishers often look at epublishing like they do self-publishing. I was online searching for an agent to represent my next book. Several of them said not to list works published by eBook publishers or POD publishers. This poses the question, do I tell other potential agents or publishers about the book I wrote and was published? I thought, well that's not fair. I worked my butt off on my book. I should be able to add it to my credentials. I still wonder what's best on that one. I guess the work you are querying should speak for itself.
3. I don't know about all epublisher, but most don't pay an advance. They pay royalties only.
4. You are probably going to have to do most if not all of your marketing. This doesn't go just for epublishers but bigger publishers as well. No matter where an author publishes they have to do the bulk of the marketing.
5. Just because it's an eBook publisher doesn't mean you don't have to do a great job trying to sell your book. The guidelines for my publisher were tightly tailored. On top of query letter, synopsis, and completed MS, I had to have a business plan and author website.
These are things I have learned publishing with an eBook publisher. I am sure other authors have had the same and different experiences. Today writers have many more options when it comes to getting their books published. Epublishing is one way to go.
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