Handling a Harsh Book Review

Hi everyone,

James Patterson

Okay, so you've finally finished your book and it's on the market and a couple of hundred or maybe even more have bought it. You are thrilled and you should be! Congratulations :-) Things are humming along and you are feeling pretty proud when you log into your Amazon account and come across a harsh review of your precious work. HOW could that be?? Don't worry...it happens to everyone from time to time. Believe it or not, not everyone that reads your book is going to like it or think it's great. That is part of writing...there will be people who love what you do and how you do it, there will be people that will read it and go "meh" and others that will read it and dislike it for whatever reason.

Don't be too hard on yourself at this point! Even the best known authors of our time like Stephen King, James Patterson, or John Sanford (a few of my fav's) don't always write winners every time.  It doesn't mean that you suck or you are a bad writer. Maybe you type of writing was too fast or too slow for someone. Maybe your writing isn't their usual genre of reading. Maybe they wouldn't know a good book it if hit them in the head! Instead, take what they have to say and give it the weight it deserves. For example, if they criticized the grammar then perhaps your next book should be edited by a copy editor instead of yourself and uncle Ted or if they said the plot was thin then maybe you could look at working up a stronger plot for the next book.  

The bottom line of today's post is that every writer should use a harsh review as an opportunity to learn about your writing technique and to pick up tips on how to improve your writing skills. Take those negative comments and use them to strengthen your writing muscle! 

Have a great day everyone!

Becky

Working with an Editor ~ Part II

Working with an Editor ~ Part II

I’m going to say the following again because it is important and because I can :-)   Having your work edited by someone OTHER THAN YOU is a necessary evil because you won’t see your writing errors – you are too close to your story and far too familiar with what the words should say to notice, in some cases, what they do say. You’re just going to have to trust me on this one!

On Monday, we examined some common misunderstandings about editors and we are going to finish today by looking at some questions you may want to ask of a perspective editor and for those of you that still think you can do it all on your own, I will give you a checklist of things to look for when editing your book:

1.     What type of editing services do they offer?

2.     What fees do they charge?

3.     When are fees due (up front, upon completion of work)?

4.     How long will it take for them to edit your book?

5.     How much control do you still have with edited content?

6.     What type of books do they read in their spare time?

7.     What kind of books have they edited?

8.     How are they with meeting deadlines?

9.     What format does your book have to be in for editing purposes?

10. Can they provide references?

For those of you that still think you can be your own editor, I don’t agree but can’t stop you so here is an editing checklist of things you should look for and consider:

1.     Does your story have a good hook?

2.     Is there a prologue and do you really need it? Try reading the story without it and see if it makes a difference.

3.     Do you consistently stay in 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd person?

4.     Have you balanced your writing enough between action, dialogue and narrative summary?

5.     Does the action have a purpose and does it move the story forward in a believable way?

6.     Have you, in any part of your story, drifted off into a realm that doesn’t fit with the rest of the story?

7.     Are your plot twists feasible and believable?

8.     Does your plot and all of your subplots become resolved by the end of the story?

9.     Is your dialogue necessary to move the story forward? Is it advancing the plot?

10. Did you manage to keep your characters in character and are they true to their character arc?

11. Does the protagonist of your story have a clear character arc?

12. Does your story engage a reader’s senses through descriptions that allow the reader to get a sense of the setting and to visualize characters?

13. Have you shown your readers what is happening instead of telling them?

14. Does each chapter or scene stay in a single point of view?

15. Check, double-check and triple-check your story for spelling, grammar, and punctuation!

Happy writing and editing everyone!

Becky

Throwing Together a Quick Plot

Kate Burns

On Thursday, I have been asked, as a 'real author', to speak to my daughter's grade 3 class on the subject of how to take an idea and turn it into a real story.

Good question! But, like the class already asked, how?

Well, let's throw together a quick plot.

We'll start with a little Trouble.

Every good story starts, of course, with trouble. Not little trouble -- losing your car keys, or forgetting to let the dog out -- but Trouble. Like, say, if you lost your car keys in a bad part of town and found yourself running for your life as two rival street gangs open fire on either side of you. While delivering (stolen) diamonds for your abusive boss. That kind of Trouble.

The snowflake method is good for plotting. It's a good one for that nagging 'what happened next' question.

Basically, you write out a beginning situation: Martha gets up at four o'clock every morning to start her day's work in her parents' bakery. She slaves all day, quitting at dusk only to drag herself home and fall into bed, exhausted. Her chances of meeting a man with her head in the oven are slim to none.

And an end situation: Martha emerges as a heroine, having solved the mystery of the arsons in the neighbourhood. The blue-eyed fire investigator she sleuthed with has proposed to her, and she finds the confidence to break out on her own as a special events caterer.

An inciting incident: Four o'clock in the morning. Locks her keys in the car and is stuck outside in the alley behind the bakery. While waiting for a locksmith, Martha sees someone running out of the alley. She smells smoke, then all hell breaks loose as the tenement building next door explodes into flame.

With a dangerous complication: He sees her, too.

With some serious trouble in the middle: Martha is nearly cooked when her ovens malfunction. Is it a freak accident? Gross negligence that could cost her parents the business? Or an attempt on Martha's life?

Some serious sleuthing: She comes across a clue to ovenly sabotage, a motive, along with a few possible suspects.One of whom just started working there.

One Red Herring: The bakery's new cashier lives rent-free in a nearby warehouse, and is an anarchist. He believes home is wherever a person squats and would defend it with knife, gun or burn it to the ground before anyone else got to it. He's attractive, if a little high-strung.

An obstacle: The anarchist cashier likes Martha. A lot. She goes out with him a couple of times, only to discover that although he doesn't believe in ownership for property, he's pretty possessive regarding women.

And a twist: A little google is a dangerous thing: Martha comes to suspect the fire investigator of being an arsonist himself!

Or three: Trouble is, she's falling in love with him. And the cashier can see it, too. Whenever the investigator is around, she can't seem to shake loose her anarchist barnacle.

Weave in a Subplot: Martha's parents are not only not supportive of all the crazy things she's been doing, it looks like they may actually try to have her committed. It turns out her mother went through a 'crazy' phase in her own youth, only to have her dreams dashed and her heart broken by tragedy. She has been shielding her daughter from the same fate, by hiding her away in the family business.

And how about a title? Even just a working title: The Scent of Fresh Murder

Poof! A story! And all I did was start with a beginning situation, ask myself (or my muse) a few questions, and answer them according to some plot points I know I'll need.

And that is where I think I'll take those kids.

Stay tuned Thursday for what questions to ask while building a plot.

Happy Writing!
Kate Burns

Working with an Editor ~ Part I

Working with an Editor ~ Part I

Having your work edited by someone OTHER THAN YOU is a necessary evil because you won’t see your writing errors – you are too close to your story and far too familiar with what the words should say to notice, in some cases, what they do say. You’re just going to have to trust me on this one!

Finding the right editor for you can seem like a daunting task and if you don’t know the difference between the types of editing that is offered from one person to another and you may think you are getting something that you are not. That’s why it’s important to educate yourself!

We will look at some common misunderstandings about editors in order to guide you through some of this process and then I will provide some common check list tips for you to follow when looking to hire an editor on Friday in “Working with an Editor ~ Part II”.

It is important to remember that some editors may edit work from several different genres, but for the most part, editors specialize. They can’t be experts on everything and if the editor you are considering has integrity and morals they will tell you flat out if they are not the right person to be editing your book (tread carefully and ask questions before you commit to working with anyone).

Editors employed at publishing houses do perform editing and if you are being pursued by a publisher that doesn’t offer editing services for free prior to publication, you are probably working with a self-publishing service (e.g., vanity press) and not a book publisher.

Editors need to know the marketplace in order to assist you in preparing book proposal and if you can find a savvy book editor, especially one who has ties to publishers, you will maximize your ability to get your book proposal sold.

All editors DO NOT do the same type of work! There are several different types of editors:

In-house Acquisition Editors – buys the rights to books and oversee their publication, acting as a liaison with many different departments. Often, they are not the person that will do the actual line editing or structural editing of your book.

Developmental Editors – will restructure manuscripts, clean up writing and make it less awkward and more consistent and add in transitions and headers. This type of editor is sometimes referred to as a heavy-line editor, a structural editor or a book doctor. They will often, but not always, help you to develop your story and their services and fees vary.

Light-line or Copyediting Editors – don’t address the structure of the book, the voice or the tone. Instead, they fix grammar and punctuation; decide on styling, fact check, and not inconsistencies (this is the type of editing I offer authors). A copyeditor or light-line editor doesn’t necessarily do developmental editing and a developmental editor will often only do minimal copyediting.

Note: even though developmental editors do very little copyediting as they get the book into shape for the publisher, when they are finished their work they will turn the manuscript over to someone whose expertise is in copyediting and proofreading. Even if the developmental editor happens to be a great copyeditor as well, they know it’s better to have a second set of eyes looking at text that has become extremely familiar to them. Proving my point from the beginning of this post – having your work edited by SOMEONE OTHER THAN YOU is critical!

Whatever type of editor you decide you require, don’t wait to find a professional to work with until three weeks before publication because editors are often booked up months in advance.

Remember to check back on Friday for “Working with an Editor ~ Part II” to get your checklist for working with an editor.

Becky

Finding a Publisher ~ Part II

Finding a Book Publisher ~ Part II

Hi everyone and welcome back! To recap from Monday’s post, we looked at he first 5 steps that need to be completed in order to find a publisher, which were as follows:

1. WRITE THE BOOK

2. DEFINE YOUR AUDIENCE

3. RESEARCH THE MARKET

4. DO YOUR HOMEWORK

5. PREPARE YOUR MANUSCRIPT

6. SUBMIT YOUR BOOK PACKAGE – only send the editor exactly what is requested. If you are mailing a large manuscript, use a box for this purpose (available at stationary or office supply stores). Address it to the editor by name and make sure your package is sealed securely but don’t use a half a roll of tape.

7. INCLUDE A STAMPED, SELF-ADDRESED ENVELOPE – make sure you send a large enough return envelope (depending on if you want your manuscript back or not) and sufficient postage.

8. PREPARE TO WAIT – it can take two months or longer to receive a response to your query and can take up to six months or more to find out if the publisher is interested in your manuscript.

9. KEEP WORKING – don’t wait to find out if your book is being picked up or not, get started on your next book or begin building a network of followers for when your book does hit the shelves.

10. DON’T GIVE UP – it’s hard but you need to try not to take rejection personally as there could be numerous reasons as to why your book may not be a good fit for one publisher to the next. Move to the next publisher on your list and remember it take time, effort and usually many submissions to get published.

Two common questions asked are:

How do I copyright my work? Good news! It is not necessary to register your work with the Copyright Office to protect it. The fact that you’ve put your book on paper places it under your copyright. You can declare copyright ownership by typing the words “Copyright (year) by (your name)” on the first page of your manuscript.

Should I get an agent? Usually first-time authors look for an agent AFTER a publisher has expressed interest in publishing your work. You will want the agent to help negotiate your contract.

Best of luck to everyone!

Becky

Finding a Book Publisher ~ Part I

Finding a Book Publisher - Part I

For those of you that don’t have the time, money, energy, know-how or patience to go down the self-publishing route (it does take all of these things to get it done), this post may be for you!

Let’s get the first misconception out of the way right of the bat – you don’t have to have an agent, or connections within the industry, to get published. However, you do need to know how to submit your work in the most professional manner possible and you need to ensure that you have what a perspective publisher will require if they are interested in publishing your work. Imagine getting that email, phone call or letter from an interested publisher and within the first few moments you discover that you don’t have what they need in order to publish your work? It would be catastrophic!

Today we will look at the first 5 steps you will need to complete in order to find a publisher. On Friday, we will look at the last 5 steps in “Finding a Book Publisher – Part II” and some common questions that get asked.

1. WRITE THE BOOK – not an outline or the first few chapters but the entire book. The first thing a publisher will want to establish is that you have the skill, stamina and discipline to complete a full-length book; they are interested in selling a product not your ideas.

2. DEFINE YOUR AUDIENCE – you ask some writers the question, “Who is your targeted audience?” and they don’t know the answer. You should be able to answer this question because it will help you choose an appropriate publisher. Also, you need to be able to define what genre your book belongs to. Not wishy-washy statements like “its sort of a mystery-romance with some sci-fi elements” because statements likes this will only confirm that you either haven’t refined the concept of your work or that you don’t understand the book market. Think in terms of how books are stacked on the shelves at your local Chapters.

3. RESEARCH THE MARKET – I know…research, blah. This is a critical step that can’t be avoided. You don’t want to call just any publisher listed in the book to see if they might be interested in publishing your work. Instead, focus on publishers that publish work that is within your genre. If you are not sure who publishes work in your genre, visit your local Chapters or library and see which publishing houses have published books in your genre.

4. DO YOUR HOMEWORK – you can find out promising publishers in the current Writer’s Market (available in bookstores), which lists what publishing companies are buying and their rates and will let you know how to approach the editor (e.g., some publishers want to see the entire manuscript whereas others only want a query letter outlining your idea). Of course, if you need more information you can write or call the publisher to request a copy of their writer’s guidelines. Another resource for publisher information can be found in the Literary Market Place (in the library reference section of your local bookstore).

5. PREPARE YOUR MANUSCRIPT – make sure that your manuscript is printed on high-quality white bond paper and never use erasable paper or a dot-matrix printer. Make sure you double-space your manuscript and leave a 1-inch margin on all sides, number your pages, check your spelling (not with just a spellchecker), use a clear readable font in 10 or 12 pt., don’t justify your right margin, don’t mix fonts or overuse boldface or italics. If you have further questions about how to format a proposal, query or manuscript you can consult The Writer’s Digest Guide to Manuscript Formats.

Remember to check back on Friday for the final 5 steps and some commonly asked questions.

Have a great day!

Becky

Writer's Block: Author Interview Responses and Solutions

Hello everyone :-)

Today’s post is going to be dedicated to helping writers out there overcome writer’s block. Many writers will suffer from this affliction at some point in their writing career and during my author interviews I always ask the dreaded “Do you experience writer’s block and if so how do you deal with it?” I’ve gotten some great responses and thought it would be nice if they were all in one place for easy reference for those of us that have experienced this phenomenon. These are not listed in any particular order….

Claude Bouchard: “I’ve never considered it writer’s block. For me, it a mulling period, a time to ponder, sometimes needed to organize my thoughts in order to offer the best possible tale to my readers. These writing breaks are often perfect occasions to review what’s there to date, start polishing rough spots and do some fine-tuning. By the time I get back to where I was when the mulling started, I’m usually good to just keep on writing.”

David Anderson: “No, I don’t, and I suppose I am lucky. Having said that, there are days when the writing doesn’t go well. I usually try to force things along but if that doesn’t work, then I give up and do other tasks. The next day is always better.”

Rebecca Forster: “I experience writer’s block all the time. My trick is to get physical. I play on a competitive tennis team, I quilt and sew and cook – and clean the house. I think when you live in your mind as many authors do it is good to focus on the physical for a while to clear the mind.”

R.S. Guthrie: “Oh yes. More than I experience “inspiration”. It’s not a block as much as it is an empty reservoir. I need to get up and write in the middle of the night. That’s when I find my imagination most fertile. But I love sleep, too.”

James P. Wilcox:  “Writer’s block has never been a huge issue for me because I don’t have a writing routine.  As I mentioned before, I don’t get the chance to write everyday, but I am thinking about the story everyday.  I try to think through the plot, the characters, dialogue, etc. so when I do get to write I can be productive.  With that said, transitions are hard for me.  When I am moving from one setting to the next, or finish one chapter, it is difficult to start the next.  This is what I struggle with the most and causes me the most trouble.  My writer’s block is in the transitions.”

Michelle Hughes:  “I have had that horrible block and wondered if this journey into writing was coming to an end.  As you mentioned earlier I started off as a singer/songwriter so that worry always finds the back of my mind.  What if the words just stop coming, or the dreams no longer happen?  To answer your question, I have this overwhelming fear when the writer’s block comes that I will never find my way back to the words again.  If you haven't come to the conclusion yet that I get a little overly dramatic with most things, I'll just go ahead and let you know that I do.”

Lisa M. Lilly:  “I’ve never had writer’s block, but I’ve certainly had those times where my stomach clenches and it feels like it’ll be impossible to write.  Usually for me, that comes from my fear that what I write won’t be any good.  It also happens when I don’t know where my story is going.  So I tell myself that I’m just going to write something terrible, and that’s okay.  And if I don’t know what to write, I start by writing that and then musing about what my character could do next or what I might someday write about.  So something like, “I don’t know what to write.  Maybe Tara needs to go overseas.  What about that church she tried to find in Armenia?  No, I don’t think she’ll go there again….”  Once I get my fingers moving across the keys, I almost always write a scene or scenes I end up using.  If not, I try again the next day.”

Douglas Dorow: “I get writer's block sometimes. I work off of a high level scene outline, so if I get stuck, I move onto a different scene and try and figure out why I was struggling with the other. If I have writer's block it usually means there's something wrong with the story at that point and I have to figure out how to fix it or remove or replace the scene.”

S.L. Pierce:  “Absolutely.  I'm going through a pretty bad spell right now.  Unfortunately it is hitting at a very busy time so it's harder to just make myself sit and write, which is what I usually do.  I also have a writing prompt app on my phone that works sometimes.”

Maren Kaye:  “I’ve found the best cure for writers block is to get out of the house. Netbooks are great for taking to the park or the nearest coffee shop or museum. Every person you see has a story to tell and it’s just a matter of getting that initial spark.”

Russell Blake: “Not yet. I did once, on a non-fiction book I shelved, but thankfully once I'm in the story, it flows.”

Helen Hanson:  “My version of writer’s block is: what happens next?  I know how the story ends, but I don’t have a road map of every side road I plan to take.  It’s the same way I travel.  Ooh, let’s stop and see the cup flipper.  No.  We saw the gator farm last time.  How about the world’s largest porcupine?  As a writer, the journey better be fun.  If it’s not entertaining, I might as well stay home.”

Paul Dorset (aka John Cox): “Not so much writer’s block, but there are some days when I don’t write. I am a planner. I plan my stories out with pretty intricate detail before they ever get written. Of course, there are new ideas that get introduced as well, but on the whole I know where my stories are going. This means that when I write I really know what it is I’m wiring. And as long as I am in my zone, the words come.”

John W. Mefford: “As a novelist, I had days where the writing comes easy. The ideas flow like a well-choreographed musical. Other days, the thoughts are not as fluid. But I really don’t call anything in the novel world writer’s block. I take it all in and believe I can use every day of writing to enhance my story. Some days I’ll crank out 3,000 words. Other days, it’s only 500, but I might develop the idea for a cool scene. When you’re a self-publishing author, you have control of your own destiny and your own outlook.”

Dr. Edwards:  “We all hit the wall from time to time.  I used to teach my writing students—and firmly believe it myself—that there are two main sources of writer’s block.  One is when our internal censor gets the upper hand and wants to keep us away from the really interesting stuff deep inside.  The cure for this is free writing exercises where you just write without stopping or conscious thought, and it also helps to remind yourself, as Anne Lamott says, that it’s okay to write “shitty” first drafts.  The second source of writer’s block is when the well runs dry.  That’s when you need to take a break, go for a walk, hug someone, laugh, exercise and so on.”

Note: If you would like to read any of author interviews in full, just click on the link and it will take you to that author’s interview.

For other tips for dealing with writer’s block, please refer to my other two posts on the subject “Solutions to Deal with Writer’s Block” and “Writing Software Solutions”.

Have a great day!

Becky

Quest for Fire: Finding and Nourishing Your Creative Spark

Anybody remember the movie Quest for Fire?

Quest for Fire was a low-budget Canadian movie. Ron Perlman and Rae Dawn Chong headed an ensemble cast of cavemen -- er, people -- who, in the dawn of (our) creation, do not know how to actually create fire. They use fire, but instead of baking it from scratch, they use what they find in nature: lightning strikes, forest fires, and other naturally occurring phenomena to 'capture' the spark they need to supply their cooking, heating and safety needs. Their tribe had one rule: never let the fire go out. And if by some disaster it did go out, a team was sent to 'gather' more.

A fire tender was appointed to guard the tiny flame they could coax out of nature. This fire tender had to endure sleeplessness, cold, rain and mortal danger to keep this little-understood thing alive.

When that flame returned to the home caves, its keepers were treated as heroes.

How does that translate to the world of writing? Or painting, or drawing, for that matter?

Creative sparks occur all around us. A scene in a movie, a piece of wisdom from a friend. The way your husband tripped over the kids' shoes in the front hall. A turn of phrase, a glint of light in amber-coloured eyes. That peculiar thing your best friend does with her head when she's in the middle of telling you a story. The fabulously gory method of murder that blasted you in the brain, hot on the heels of a traffic near-miss.

It is these small idea fires that can ignite true creative energy. Those sparks, with hard work and a lot of time and attention, become bonfires of brilliance, forming the heart and soul of a written work.

Tell me: how do you find these bits? Where do you find them? What are your favourite places to open yourself to ideas? To sparks?

Now tell me: how do you hold onto them? Is it a notepad? A tape recorder? Do you simply thwap your spouse on the arm and exhort them to remind you of your own brilliance?

How do you go further than that? How can you, the most enlightened and least caveman-like of modern humans, call forth creative fire... from nothing at all?

Can it even be done?

Kate Burns
The Ophelia Trap

The Unexpected Pairing

Kate Burns


I'm late!! I'm late!! My apologies for the tardiness of this post. It seems that I e-slept in.

When I was eight years old, my dad was posted to Winnipeg. That meant we were moving, again. We had spent two years in Aylmer, and I had made a lot of friends. But being a military brat, I was used to being uprooted.

What I didn't expect was that my parents would decide to give away our cat, Herman. To the Humane Society. In 1977, it was only too common: the drive across the country was long, and public censure hadn't really formed against the practice of abandoning a pet. I'm sure my parents thought they were doing the right thing. However, regardless of hindsight and recognizing that it was a difficult thing for them to do, it was one of the most heartbreaking experiences of my childhood.

To this day, I can close my eyes and I am a child again in the wood-paneled Toyota station wagon, crying and begging, as we dropped my best little buddy off to an uncertain future. My dad, grim-faced and unyielding in the front seat. My mom trying, and failing, to comfort me. My dusty little black Persian cat in my arms, struggling and clueless to his situation. I would never see him again. The song that played on the radio, one I'd never heard before, one I could never forget and that has stayed associated with loss.

The song? The Hustle.

Yes, The Hustle. Famous disco song (Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony). People dance to it. It's a happy song. Full of bright flutey sounds and a aural backdrop of singers going "oooo..."

That is a song which brings me nearly to tears every time I hear it, a reaction in direct contrast to its intent.

So, why am I telling you this? Because that the sort of contrast I want to put into my writing.

There are many common and related techniques (irony, oxymoron, contrast, juxtaposition) to this kind of unexpected pairing. Wiki any one of them, and you will find countless examples and explanations.

It is this contradictory combination that can elevate a scene, or a whole novel, to a riveting read.

This can be a visual, sensory or even temporal juxtaposition. Its use may range from a discordant note in a small scene, designed to slightly discomfort the reader (and believe me, they don't always know what's bothering them, and if it's done right, all they know is they have to keep reading, because something's going to happen, they just know it) all the way up to something as all-encompassing as a predestination paradox, where everything in the story leads inexorably to a conclusion the main character wants most to avoid.

From the visual:
Pink balloons slowly drifting over a scene of carnage.

To the sensory:
The smell of cotton candy mixed with blood.

The tinkling of the calliope (circus music), which continues to play after a fatal gunshot, because no one is left to turn it off.

To character:
Killer clown.

To theme or plot:
A hero or heroine who is deathly afraid of/enamoured of something, only to be saved/done in by that very thing. That's the predestination paradox. (Think Oedipus Rex.)

Tell us some of your favourite ways to introduce tension using justaposition or other techniques!

Hero... or Sidekick?

Kate Burns

Who is the heroine or hero of your novel? And is that protagonist also the storyteller?

There are many discussions on writers' blogs about point of view and narrator modes. First person, third person, and the rare second person are some examples of point of view. And to narrow that down, third person omniscient, associated with epic novels, third person limited, or third person intimate, where the thoughts and experiences of only the narrator are the only ones shared. I think most of us are familiar with at least the top levels of those.

But I would like to dig into the subject of narrator modes today.

A common type of narrator in a commonly used point of view is the narrator-as-hero. This main character narrates the tale of their own involvement as protagonist.

That view affects the readers' experience of this character. Whether the point of view is first or third person, the reader rides along on the shoulders of the protagonist/narrator, and in a sense, becomes that character -- at least for the duration of the book. I'm not suggesting that a male reader hops into the skin of a hot young female private detective and suddenly understands the true pain of running down back alleys in high heels. That's crazy.

But a certain empathy is created. And that can make it challenging when you need to elucidate on the character's shortcomings. When it's done right, it's magic. Take, for instance, Tom Ripley in Patricia Highsmith's brilliant novel The Talented Mr. Ripley. (Spoiler alert ahead!!) Tom Ripley's character is illuminated to the reader solely through a series of his interactions with other characters, each of whom have a piece of knowledge about him, none the whole, and who are in only sporadic contact and communication with each other. By the time the reader figures out our antihero, people are dead. It's a masterwork of both plot and character.

Another way of really shining a light on a main character is to have the story narrated from the point of view of the sidekick.

Let's take an example from the most classic of mystery series, Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Dr. Watson sees in Holmes what the great detective could perhaps not see or reveal about himself. Such as... a cocaine habit...? Yesss.

This character device could be employed when certain things should be revealed about your main character that otherwise may not be discovered.

You could, through the magic of point of view, give the sidekick some scenes. Not all, perhaps a few. If you are having trouble giving a full view of your heroine or hero, try a little sidekick. Because sometimes the sides make the meal.

Now, tell me:

Can you think of notable sidekick/hero combinations that you think have really worked in books or movies?

Can you think of some heroes who could benefit from having a sidekick along?

Who narrates your story? Is it the heroine? Or her trusty all-seeing maid?

How does your sidekick illuminate your main character or protagonist? And would you ever be comfortable letting your sidekick tell part -- or all -- of the story?

Characteristics of a Successful Author

Hi everyone,

As the author of the Mystery Writers Unite blog, I have had the opportunity to meet authors and review books on their behalf. I’ve noticed that most (if not all) of them seem to have certain characteristics that have contributed to their success.

Let me start by saying that authors are hard working individuals! Many authors today don’t just write for a living nor are they all by themselves in some remote cabin writing their book. They have full time jobs, families and are giving back to their communities while continuing to write novels that move and entertain us.

So, what does it take to be a successful writer? I believe the following characteristics are critical:

LOVE OF WORDS: Successful authors utilize the English language to the greatest potential possible. They use rich words that don’t just tell a reader what is happening; they let the reader experience what is happening. This is an essential element to any story.

OBSERVANT: In order to be able to write about something, you first need to understand the nuances to any given situation. A writer will notice things that people say or do and they will store these tidbits and use them later as material in their story. This skill is practiced and perfected.

IMAGINATION: Obviously if you are going to write a fictional story, this particular quality is not an option. Many times when an author is writing a fictional story what they are writing about has never been experienced by them directly OR it has never been experienced by anyone ever. A writer’s ability to take a scene and make it “real” to the reader is critical.  

HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE: Most writers feel compelled to write – they have things in their mind that they are just itching to share with others. Sometimes the story idea that comes to them is so intense that they have no choice but to get it down on paper and share it with the world. I thank God every day for people like this because I love reading the finished books they write!

LIFE EXPERIENCE: All authors, whether they are writing fiction or non-fiction, draw on their own life experiences when they write their book. Sometimes this is a very conscious and intentional while other times they do it without even being aware of it. It is our life experiences that shape who we are, how we think and how we react so there will always be a piece of “us” in our work.

SELF-CONFIDENCE:  Anyone that has released a novel knows how hard it is to let go of your work. Will people like it? Will they buy it? Will someone be able to relate to the story? It takes a lot of self-confidence to release a novel and share it with the world.

STAMINA: Think about it – most authors today don’t write full time in a cabin in the remote part of where they live. They have full time jobs; they have families; they have other things to require their time and attention. So how long does it take to write a book? Based on a 60,000 word book, if you write 250 words per day, 5 days per week it will take about 48 weeks to complete a first draft. Then you need to revise, edit, publish and promote your work.

DISCIPLINED: I’m sure all of you reading this have had days where you had something to do and you “just didn’t feel like it’. An author can’t wait to feel like writing or they will never get the story written. Successful writers usually flex their writing muscle as much as possible and will schedule time to write into their busy lifestyle.

PROFESSIONAL ATTITUDE: Have you heard the phrase “fake it until you make it”? Successful writers don’t act like amateurs – they tell themselves “I am a professional writer” and then they behave like one. They approach their work seriously, they work hard to perfect their story, their image, and their brand.

KNOW THE MARKET: Successful authors don’t only write for themselves, they write for their market. They research and understand what their particular market niche thrives.

What other characteristics do you think successful authors have?

Have a great day!

Becky