TUESDAY TIPS AND TIDBITS – Drawing a Blank

Today’s blog is inspired by ... the blank screen, I can’t think of a darn thing to write – writer’s block.

Sound familiar? Don’t want to think about it? Well, thinking about it may just save you from future bouts. If you can figure out what’s stopping you from writing, you can probably head off the trouble before it becomes habitually problematic. So, what are some common causes of so-called writer’s block?

LACK OF A DIRECTION. You feel compelled to write something – anything – but don’t have a clue what to write about. What you need to do is narrow your choices by defining why you must write.

Let’s assume you’re not trying to finish an existing project and you have no motivation to start a specific new project, and you are in fact just putting in time to get your obligatory ‘X-hours per day’ of writing in, kind of like the daily exercise to keep yourself fit. In this case, any kind of writing will do – just write something, even if it’s gibberish or random words. It doesn’t matter what you write. Record your daily activities journal-style. Write your (pretend) letter of resignation for your day job (just don’t hand it in).

Once you get that terror of the blank screen (or page) out of the way, you can relax, settle down, and clear your mind so you can think of something you’d actually prefer to write about. Maybe even start that novel you’ve been itching to write.

TOO MUCH DISTRACTION. Some people can write in a crowded bar with TVs and music playing, dishes clattering, people laughing. Some people can’t write if they hear a pin drop – traffic outside drives them bananas. A stay-at-home mom writer might have three screaming kids ripping up the house, making focus nearly impossible.

The truth is, every writer has some kind of distraction to put up with, whether it’s external or internal. There are only three ways to handle distraction – remove it, or remove yourself from it, or learn to ignore it.

If you can’t get two words down because your yowling cat is walking on your keyboard, lock the cat up in the bathroom until you can get a couple paragraphs written, at least enough to satisfy your writerly needs for a while. (However, don’t try this with the kids. Invest in a mom’s day out where you can pay for childcare and get some needed ‘me’ time.) If you find you can’t write on your coffee break at your desk, then take a pad and pen and leave your office to find a more secluded location, even if it’s a lighted broom closet. And if you can focus on your writing strongly enough, you can ignore strangers around you to write on the bus on your way home – just don’t miss your stop!

PROBLEM AVOIDANCE. One of the classic causes of writer’s block is having written yourself into a corner with no way out. It doesn’t matter how you got there, the fact is, you are there, and you need to get out of that bad place. You can do one of two things. Either set the writing project aside, or tackle it and go back to the point where things went wrong and do a rewrite.

Another problematic situation that makes writers avoid writing is not knowing what to write next. That’s a little more difficult to fix, because it involves plotting. But every problem can be analyzed in basic aspects – identify what the problem really is, and then identify ways that it can be satisfactorily remedied. With plotting a story, one has to keep in mind the overall objective for the story and what it is supposed to represent or accomplish or say to the reader. If action’s the main ingredient, then more action is probably what’s needed to keep the story moving. As long as what you write next segues logically from what came before, you can keep moving – one idea at a time.

However, there’s another problem many writers grapple with – having to write a scene the writer isn’t comfortable with. For action writers, romance may be the problem. For a romance writer, perhaps a suspense scene involving firearms the writer knows nothing about could be the problem. In any case, it’s usually a lack of knowledge that makes a writer hesitant to forge ahead with a scene outside the writer’s usual comfort zone. A little research online might be just the ticket to solve the anxiety associated with writing about an unfamiliar subject. And if writing a murder scene or a sex scene is the source of worry, reading other books written by authors who do those types of scenes well could be just the ticket to show how it’s done.

MISCELLANEOUS REASONS. Sometimes illness blocks productivity. This is a situation that has to be dealt with and worked through. There’s no getting around it. Once the writer feels better, usually the urge to write returns.

Depression can be a huge block for writers, making productive and logical thought nearly impossible. Sometimes only time can heal the source of the depression, so it’s important that writers suffering from this take time to get back on the right/write track and seek professional help if time is not enough.

Lack of time can be a big cause of not writing. Sometimes other things come first, and no writer can change that. It’s just something that has to be dealt with.

IN SUMMARY. For every reason listed here for writer’s block, there’s sure to be another not listed. The important thing to remember is to recognize what the problem is, then take the necessary steps to correct it. When you do that, you’re sure to unblock that block and be free to write again.

Pat Morrison, Penumbra Publishing

TUESDAY TIPS AND TIDBITS – Mr. M, the Self-Published Author’s Worst Best Friend

Who is this mysterious Mr. M everyone keeps saying you, the self-published author, simply must meet? Maybe you’ve already got a significant other in your life, and you don’t want any demanding complications from some smarmy dude everyone’s all gaga over. Well, everybody needs friends – especially the author who self-publishes a book. And every single self-published author who wants to sell books needs to be very close friends with Mr. M. He’s the person when it comes to book marketing.

Oh! There’s that dreaded ‘M’ word – marketing. Go ahead, you can say it out loud without fearing Freddy Kruger’s going to come flying out of the bathroom mirror or your bedroom closet and rip your face off – or whatever thing it is you fear, that you subconsciously have told yourself will happen if you even say that dreaded word.

There’s nothing to be afraid of except fear itself – as long as you take a realistic approach to marketing. And if you’re an author who’s thinking about or has already decided to self-publish, then good ol’ Mr. Marketing is going to have to become a familiar acquaintance. No, more that that. Mr. Marketing is going to be your very favorite friend, good buddy, best pal. Mr. Marketing is going to go everywhere with you ... to work, to school, to your mom’s house for Sunday dinner. He will even go on dates with you, whether you’re single or doing the married ‘date night’ thing. Mr. Marketing is going to camp out in your apartment, or house, or basement hovel, or wherever you call home. So you might as well keep a spare set of PJs and an extra toothbrush for Mr. Marketing, because he is going to be the last face you see before you close your eyes at night, and the first face you see in the morning when you stare blandly off into space over your cereal bowl. Mr. Marketing is going to be your second shadow from now on, so get to know him as well and as quickly as you can. That is, if you want to sell more than ... say ... five copies of your book. Total. For however many years you have your book out there for sale.

And let me tell you, Mr. Marketing is not an easy guy to get to know. He’s quirky, unpredictable, and fickle – and he loves to play practical jokes. What do I mean? Well, you know that awfully-written teen-slasher romance some gal in your writers’ group self-published five months ago? Yeah, Mr. Marketing’s going to make that an astounding bestseller (at least a bestseller in the awfully-written teen-slasher romance genre). And just to make things more interesting, Mr. Marketing will ignore your repeated pleas for some kind of recognition – any kind, good or bad – for your book that hasn’t sold any copies in the last three months, despite the all the book blogging and promotion flogging you’ve been doing. The fact that you’ve given up your bed for Mr. Marketing and have taken to sleeping in the chair with your laptop means nothing. If left up to Mr. Marketing, all your hard work at self-promotion could end up producing zero results. So take Mr. Marketing’s advice, but don’t leave it up to him to make the magic happen. That’s your job – and yes, you did sign up for it when you decided to publish your own book.

You’re probably saying right about now ... Mr. Marketing sounds like a real demanding pain in the rear, like one of those pesky distant relatives who comes to visit and then never seems to want to leave. And really, who wants to go to all that extra trouble to befriend some self-absorbed snark like Mr. Marketing? Why doesn’t he just go make a nuisance of himself somewhere else? Who the heck would even want a despicable scoundrel like Mr. Marketing for a friend, anyway?

Well, you, for one. Not because he’s a likable guy, but because he knows people. And he knows stuff, like how to make connections with your readers, how to get the word out about your books, and how to meet real people whom you can call real friends. Mr. Marketing is the type of guy you have to study. Sometimes he gives up his secrets grudgingly. But once you figure out all his little quirks and plans and shortcuts, you can be well on your way to becoming an author who sells tens of thousands of copies of your book, rather than ten ... period.

And the truth is, Mr. Marketing doesn’t really care whether you like him or not, because he has many, many, many other writers out there just begging to be his friend, promising to do anything if he’ll just show them some of his winning secrets. Mr. Marketing doesn’t need you at all. You need him. But there are a few important things to remember before you open your door wide and invite Mr. Marketing in...

MAKE FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE. Mr. Marketing’s number-one secret that self-published authors need to know is ... drum roll please ... how to make friends and keep them. How to meet influential people who can help you on your quest to be a successful author – and actually get them to help. In short, how to get in good with the right kind of friends in the book and reader business. To do that, you need to follow Mr. Marketing’s example and network. (Sorry, there’s another nasty term nobody wants to use.) I don’t mean just go to writing conventions and pass around your business card or a collection of writing samples on a CD to a bunch of strangers wandering around. I mean really meet and talk to people. Learn to schmooze and be a pleasant partier. Practice the gift of gab but know when to shut up. Never say bad stuff about anyone to anyone, because Mr. Marketing, with his quirky sense of humor, will make sure it gets back to the wrong person, pronto. In short, be you, but make sure you are always the best you can be.

MODERATION. While Mr. Marketing may be camped out in your living room, don’t let him take over your life. Another of Mr. Marketing’s most important secrets is that successful authors have a life outside their writing ... a life they share with family and friends. Maintain a balance between work and play, and work and life. Maintain a good work ethic. Take care of your health. Take care of your family. Take care of your day job to keep food on the table and a roof over your head. In the merry-go-round of life, don’t fall off the carousel horse as you grab for the brass ring.

PERSPECTIVE. Another important thing to remind yourself of periodically is to keep things in perspective. Self-promotion is not always about you, and it’s certainly not always about your book. People are constantly bombarded by infomercials and ads, and they tire quickly of repetitive sales pitches. If that’s all they hear from you, they’ll stop listening. If you want to attract a reading – buying – audience, make sure what you have to sell is something they want to buy. If Mr. Marketing teaches you anything at all, it’s that blogging, tweeting, facebooking, conferencing, book signings, and all that stuff is not about the book or about you ... it’s about life, about the connections life offers, about what you have to offer your readers. The key is to turn things around so you can answer one question and answer it well when prospective readers ask, “What’s your book got for me?”

GIVE AND YE SHALL RECEIVE. Be a good friend, and you will have good friends ... friends you can count on when the chips are down, friends who will tell their friends about you and your book. Friends who know friends who might give you some newsworthy exposure or in some other way boost your chances of getting the word out about your book. Team up with other like-minded authors to share the burden of promotion. Treasure and respect those professional bonds, because you never know when something surprising and good will come your way.

And finally, just be a good person. Think positive. Treat others as you would have them treat you. And treasure the people in your life who make your life worthwhile. Enjoy your life and don’t take anything for granted.

WRITE A DAMN GOOD BOOK. After all the hype and promo and sales pitches are done, at the end of it all better be a really good book. Otherwise everything Mr. Marketing can do for you will be wasted.

There are many things that are necessary to make a book good. Good editing, good cover, good marketing approach. But for your book to be great, it should have a life of its own, a life that sprang from the essence of what is important to you. This is what should be in your book. Whether it’s humor, horror, romance, children’s bedtime stories, or nonfiction, your book should be personal enough to mean something to you. If it does, chances are it will mean something to the people who read it, who will tell others to read it, and then like a chain reaction, you will have marketed your book.

This will happen only because you put what was important to you in your book, and you believed in yourself and your book. If you believe in you – in your book and your ability and perseverance to make your book a success – you’ll do what it takes to make your book the best it can be, what it needs to be to fulfill its destiny in the world of reading and the lives of your readers.

If Mr. Marketing teaches you anything worthwhile, it will be that – and that’s what will sell your book!

Pat Morrison, Penumbra Publishing

TUESDAY TIPS AND TIDBITS – Breaking the Rules

Rules. Rules of writing. Rules of submitting. Punctuation, sentences structure, modifying clauses, past participles, beginning-middle-end, who-what-when-where-why-how, submit only manuscripts of this or that type, don’t exceed X-word-count, use only X-typeface, wait a year to find out if you’ll get published, blah blah blah blah blah...

What writer wants to worry about rules? Writing is supposed to be fun. And it is fun for those who truly enjoy writing – until rules start to overshadow creativity. Then the fun of writing can quickly turn into an arduous chore, with The Little Editor on one’s shoulder trying to take over and bring everything fun to a screeching halt. Rules can be stifling. Rules can pen up a story instead of allowing the pen to scrawl freely. Never start a sentence with a conjunction like ‘and’ or ‘but.’ Never end a sentence with a preposition like ‘about’ or ‘for.’ XYZ Publishing only wants happy endings. ABC Books only wants heroines under thirty. So why do writers need rules anyway?

For consistency, and to make life easier for those making the rules.

But Ralph Waldo Emerson warned, ‘A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.’ Note the qualifier, ‘a foolish consistency.’ That refers to adherence to consistency (dictated by rules) that is counterproductive or simply doesn’t make sense – foolish. The smart writer is going to learn the rules so that they can be ignored for a good reason – not out of ignorance or laziness. This does not mean that every writer has to be a grammar expert or memorize The Chicago Manual of Style, or reformat a manuscript fifty different ways to submit to fifty different publishers.

What this means in regard to writing rules is the writer should have enough basic knowledge of standard writing rules (or be able to look them up) so that when she writes, everything works as expected, and a typical reader will understand what the author is trying to convey. This is a basic covenant, as in driving. You stay on your side of the road, and I’ll stay on mine. When we meet at an intersection, we both stop because there’s a stop sign for each of us. You use a turn signal so I’ll know which way you want to go. That way everything works as expected, and unhappy confusion and accidents can be avoided.

In the case of submissions, yes, it’s always good to know what a publisher (or agent) expects to see. And if you submit something that is totally inappropriate (like sending your poetry to a publisher who flatly states they don’t accept or publish poetry) then you are going to be wasting your time and the recipient’s. So it’s best to find publishers whose ‘rules’ can conceivably encompass what you’ve written. In that case, rules are in place to keep everybody busy doing productive work instead of wasting time shuffling through inappropriate material that can’t be used.

But rules can oftentimes be a big bore, resulting in boring writing. Like, following the rule of telling what-when-where-why-and-how, using a straight timeline to tell your story from A to Z, with no surprises for the reader in between. And sometimes publishers’ submission rules seem really stupid. Like, if you don’t follow a certain format exactly, and use ‘smart quotes’ instead of ‘straight quotes’ then your manuscript will get rejected.

Remember, rules, especially basic writing rules, are provided as a safety net for the beginning writer to use until a certain confidence is achieved. After the writer understands why the rules are in place and what functions they serve, those rules can (and many times should) be ignored to break out of the box and achieve something possibly extraordinary. To test your wings, try writing in a stream-of-consciousness style and let your emotion burst forth. Break out of the norms you are comfortable with, to find yourself charting new writing territory. At that point, you may end up with a nonsensical mess, or you may have a great story on your hands. But you won’t know until you break free of those constricting rules and try.

Submission rules, on the other hand, can also be ignored, and possibly result in a rejection. But sometimes ignoring the rules can actually get your work attention it might not otherwise have received. For example, one of Penumbra Publishing’s most successful series authors sent all the books of the series attached to the query email, rather than following our guidelines at the time, which asked only for the first three chapters of one book at a time. At first we thought it was a joke, but then realized all the attachments were complete and separate books. If we’d seen only the first three chapters of the first book, we might possibly have passed on the submission, but after seeing the author’s complete work, we ended up accepting it for publishing. And, in hindsight, we’re glad we did. The author’s audacity in ignoring our rules resulted in a publishing contract.

For publishers who have a standard policy of ‘no unsolicited manuscripts accepted,’ there are ways to get around that. One is to establish personal contact with an editor from that publisher through a writing conference or book convention. At conferences, authors can make appointments to pitch their work to editors and possibly get an invitation to submit their work for consideration. With an invitation to send the manuscript to a specific editor, the manuscript is ‘requested’ rather than ‘unsolicited’ – and the envelope or email should say ‘requested.’ Of course conferences can be expensive in travel costs and fees, and there’s not always a guarantee that the author will even get an appointment with the desired editor.

Another avenue might be a recommendation from a fellow author who is already published with a publishing company. Of course invitations to submit that result in acceptance contracts will depend greatly on the author’s quality of work. Recommendations from well-known authors can also help garner reader attention for an unknown author’s work. For instance, the same author who submitted an entire series to us also got a famous author to review the first book in the series, which helped boost attention for this author’s work. So contacts, networking, and just plain audacity in cold-contacting ‘famous’ or hard-to-reach folks can oftentimes work to the author’s advantage. The dark side of the scenario is that the author can be branded as a pest and get banned from forums or alienate folks who might otherwise have been willing to help further the author’s agenda. So good manners and respectfulness are requirements when boldly breaking rules.

The trick, then, for writing or for submitting – or anything in life – is to first know the rules, and then decide which of those rules can be broken to achieve a desired effect without causing harm to yourself or others. Take the time to learn why you need rules, then figure out how to ignore them graciously to get what you want!

Patricia Morrison, Penumbra Publishing

TUESDAY TIPS AND TIDBITS - 'Sophisticating' Your Writing

Another installment of PARANORMAL WIRE Tuesday Tips and Tidbits...

Andrew Arrosmith's REALMS OF BELIAR fantasy

Okay, yes, I admit that ‘sophisticating’ is not an acceptable and recognized word. However, in this case it was used to shorten the blog title and – hey – get you to take a look and say WHAT? The real purpose of this post is to discuss how and why writers think they need to add an air of sophistication to their writing.

Adding foreign phrases. The first and most obvious way a lot of novice authors attempt to add sophistication to their writing is by inserting famous French quotes or adding dialog in French to one or more of their characters. Because ... everyone knows the French are way more sophisticated than rude and uncultured Americans (wink-wink). Verstehen Sie? (Oops, sorry, that was German.)

While adding a line of foreign language here and there to establish character traits is fine, a little can go a long way. This is especially true when the typical reader will not have an immediate understanding of the meaning of those phrases. The best practice is to put the foreign phrase in context so that the meaning, without proper translation, can be inferred from what is going on in the story. However, problems may crop up when the author isn’t fluent in the foreign language being used – but some readers out there are. Nothing is more embarrassing than having a reader point out improper usage or syntax when the author pulled the foreign phrase off some web site like freetranslation.com.

Create a unique style. Edward Estlin (E. E.) Cummings, famous poet who was also a painter and fiction author, wrote many of his poems in all lowercase letters. This became a trademark of his that made his work easily recognizable. And anyone who used that same ‘gimmick’ would immediately be branded as a shameless copycat. This type of stylistic artifice, however, can sometimes work against an author when the artistic style overwhelms the content and substance of the writing. For instance, writing an entire novel in a stream-of-consciousness style with run-on sentences that may go for paragraphs or even pages, can make reading the work a tedious chore for most readers, many of whom won’t put up with that for very long, and simply stop reading. That’s the last thing a writer wants his readers to do. So add an artistic style only if it can be done exceedingly well and seems essential to characterization, for instance if the novel is being told from a first-person point of view (I did this, I saw that), similar to William Faulkner’s style.

Everything plus the kitchen sink. Sometimes an author thinks it’s necessary to put everything conceivable into a novel in order to make it seem deep and worthy of highest regard. Foucault’s Pendulum by Italian writer and philosopher Umberto Eco seems to be just such a book. Mr. Eco may not have deliberately overwhelmed his convoluted story with arcane and obscure details (including lengthy explorations of the Kabbalah, alchemy, and conspiracy theories involving the Templars) because he thought it was the only way his book would gain critical attention. He may have in fact included these details as a result of his own philosophical explorations and studies. However, for the typical reader, keeping track of all that was going on in the book required a score sheet or index to refer to in frequent times of confusion. The total effect of reading it was like stepping into a very organized hoarder’s labyrinth – with no way out. While it was an oftentimes fascinating read with new twists and turns in every manner imaginable, it also required great effort to keep up with and simply read.

Purple Prose. There’s always the attempt to add sophistication to one’s writing when dealing with characters who are supposed to be upper-class or genteel. Historical novels often suffer from an overabundance of fancy, overinflated, ten-dollar words, ‘beautiful’ turns of a phrase, or polite euphemisms. While this can be an appropriate treatment to give a proper feel for the characters in a specific time period, oftentimes it has the opposite effect of adding sophistication, and actually makes the reader giggle or roll her eyes. While careful writing can add a sense of personality to a character through narrative style and artful dialog, it should be done with restraint so the tone is perfect – not overdone like a burnt cake buried under a ton of sticky-sweet icing.

Just get out of the way. Oftentimes the best way to write your story is the straightforward, no-nonsense approach. This is true of thrillers and much horror, and can work well for just about any other genre. The objective is for the author to remain invisible and get out of the way while showing the reader the story. The basic competency of the author’s writing will create a sturdy foundation over which the story can be built floor by floor to soar like a strong and glistening skyscraper. But if the author spends so much time trying to pretty up the writing (the foundation) with artful and sophisticated techniques, those added gewgaws may obscure a clear path to the elevator, so the reader never gets to visit the top floors of the soaring skyscraper story and see the wonderful vista the author had envisioned. Sometimes simplicity and directness and an economy of words can be a style all its own that readers will enjoy and appreciate – because it allows them to read the story instead of noticing the fancy way the author worded things.

So... Whatever writing approach you choose, make sure it’s a good fit for your story – then get out of the way and let the reader read it.

Pat Morrison, Penumbra Publishing

TUESDAY TIPS AND TIDBITS - Is a Writing Partnership Right for You?

Nearly every writer at some point feels the loneliness and isolation of the writing life ... off in your own little world, working diligently on your novel, sweating over just the right words, then realizing no one else gives a flip about your effort and work ethic. So you start thinking maybe it would be more fun if you could share your writing passion with someone else. Someone who is a writer like you. Someone who understands everything you go through for your craft. Someone who can be your sounding board and offer you all the creative and emotional support you could possibly ever need for your writing pursuits.

This may sound like a great idea, but before you start looking for that perfect writing partner, here are some issues to consider when deciding a working relationship of this sort is right for you...

1.      TEST THE WATERS BY JOINING A WRITING GROUP. Before you take the plunge and commit to looking for a writing partner for writing support or joint writing projects, try joining a club or group where authors who write similarly to you meet regularly. This could be a local writers’ group or one online. You may have to shop around a bit before you find the right fit for your writerly needs. Once you become comfortable interacting with other writers and accepting as well as giving thoughtful criticism, you can then decide whether or not you want to become more involved with sharing your writing process with another writer.

2.      DECIDE WHAT YOU NEED AND WANT. If you’ve reached the point where you think you want a dedicated writing partner who will work closely with you, the first thing to do is decide why you want to find a writing partner. Are you looking for a writing friend to socialize with in person or online? This will make a difference in choosing the right person. If you want frequent local interaction with a writing partner, then you’ll have to look for someone who lives close to you and is looking for the same thing. Again, joining a writing group is your best bet for finding someone you may be able to work with. You’ll also want to know what you hope to get from your writing partner. Are you looking just for critique feedback or perhaps collaboration on writing projects? Deciding up front will help you define boundaries, which are important in any professional relationship.

3.      FIND THE RIGHT PARTNER. It’s nearly impossible to find someone who is the perfect blend of everything you could possibly want in a writing partner. However, to get close, you have to understand what you want out of the relationship and be honest with yourself in regard to what you can offer in a partnership. If you’re strong on grammar but need help plotting, look for someone who’s got strengths that will shore up your weaknesses. Also make sure that your work and that of your partner are compatible. In other words, if you write mysteries and your partner writes romances, make sure each of you is interested in the other genre to the extent you can offer real input, whether it’s critiquing, brainstorming, or actually contributing to a joint writing project. The most important aspect is personality compatibility and a willingness to compromise. Each partner must be willing to give and take. No partnership will be perfectly balanced all the time. But as long as both parties get along and respect the other, the working relationship should be able to withstand the usual ups and downs in any relationship involving people working together.

4.      DISCUSS EXPECTATIONS AND MAKE AN AGREEMENT. You and your prospective writing partner are friends and get along great. But will that be true if you disagree on critical issues related to your writing or your partnership? You should both know what to expect when entering into a working relationship. If you can’t agree whose name will appear first on the cover of your next book, that’s a good indication the two of you will not be able to move forward comfortably when it’s time to make other decisions and compromises that will inevitably come up. Inability to meet on common ground may escalate to arguments and end what may have been a longstanding friendship. So, before that happens, be frank and discuss any and all concerns about sharing the responsibilities and benefits of this type of partnership. Figure out who will be responsible for doing what, and how expenses and proceeds will be portioned. Define if there will be a ‘lead’ partner with more decision-making responsibility, or if the partnership will be on an equal basis. It is best to put this kind of thing in writing so that if disagreements or misunderstandings do crop up, they can be resolved amicably by referring to the agreement document.

5.      LEAVE YOURSELF AN AGREEABLE OUT. Always make sure you and your partner both understand and agree that a writing partnership is a working business relationship that is not exclusive, nor permanent (unless of course this is a writing partnership between spouses, then a modicum of permanence would apply). If you find you like writing partnerships and have an opportunity to team with someone else long-term or just for one project, honor your current commitments with your existing partner as agreed, rather than dropping that person for greener pastures. If doing this requires you to step away from future commitments to your current partner, be honest and don’t string your partner along simply to avoid hurt feelings. Refer to terms in your written partnership agreement to help resolve such issues.

There are many other details involved, but going to the trouble to hash out these issues ahead of time will save you a lot of trouble and difficulty later. Once you look at writing with someone else as a business relationship rather than a social one, you can approach the situation with a clear head and heart, and treat your writing partner just as you would want to be treated – hopefully with many years of happy writing ahead for the two of you.

Pat Morrison, Penumbra Publishing

TUESDAY TIPS AND TIDBITS – Fiction Believability Contract

Taking YOU Out of the Story

When readers read a book, they know that someone is telling them a story. They see the author’s name on the cover with the book title and know the story is ‘by’ the author named. However, in a fiction setting, unless it is supposed to be a fictional memoir about the author, by the author, the author should not appear in the story specifically to tell the reader the story. Usually the author will pick a primary character to be the ‘star’ of the story, the one whose thoughts and feelings (point of view) convey indirectly what the author wants to say to the reader through the story. This creates a ‘believability contract’ between the author and the reader.

One of the main tenets of a fiction believability contract is...

The author shall not intrude in the story by directly addressing the reader, thereby destroying the suspension of disbelief.

So what exactly is ‘intrusion by the author’? One of the most insidious forms that many authors indulge in is the habit of using ‘you’ in a general sense to give an example of a hypothetical situation. Oftentimes these hypothetical situations switch to present tense within a past-tense storyline, creating an even more prominent sense of intrusion that destroys believability by pulling the reader out of the ongoing story. Here’s a passage to demonstrate:

Only a few yards to go and – he tripped and nearly fell, but caught himself on a support pillar just in time. Gripping his side as he gasped for air, he watched the train doors slide shut, too far away for him to even think of jumping through them. When something like this happens – when you’re so close, but just miss the mark – it makes your failure that much harder to accept. And this was a failure extremely hard for him to handle. It wasn’t just that he’d missed the train; he’d missed an opportunity to better his life ... an opportunity that would never come again. All by being a few seconds late. Still breathing hard, he dragged a hand down his sweaty face and cursed profusely as he watched the end of the train disappear around the bend.

The story is moving along fine with the pronoun ‘he’ to refer to this unnamed character in third person. We know he is rushing to catch a train because the invisible narrator (the author) has told us so, using typical fiction storytelling techniques. We also know the character is frustrated and angry, because he curses and runs a hand irritably over his face. However, as soon as we hit the phrase ‘When something like this happens – when you’re so close,’ everything comes to a halt. Notice how the verb tense changes from past to present (tripped, gasped – and then happens, makes). That’s the first clue the intruding authorial statement doesn’t belong. Because at that point, the invisible narrator ceases to be invisible and makes face-to-face contact with the reader by stepping outside the story and addressing the reader as ‘you.’ Then, when the author returns to using the pronoun ‘he,’ the reader has to shift gears again and try to get back into the story. But the damage is already done. Like a hypnotist, the author has snapped his fingers and awakened the reader from the trance of suspended disbelief.

Another serious authorial intrusion is accomplished with parenthetical asides – that is, adding information that clearly is not part of the ongoing story. Usually the author feels compelled to encase the errant information in parentheses. Here’s an example:

Wynona knew she wasn’t beautiful, but she didn’t let that stop her from having a good time at the barn dance. (So, anyway, who gets to decide what beautiful is and who possesses that transient quality?) Her lively laughter and animated demeanor at first brought only frowns of disapproval, but gradually, when the others at the gathering realized she was simply enjoying herself, their discomfort eased. (And why would she care if she made others uncomfortable? They’d been making her feel uncomfortable all her life.)

It’s easy to see that parenthetical asides could quickly become annoying to most readers. Why? Because it disrupts the reading flow of the story. Just when the reader is about to get interested in Wynona’s antics at the dance, the author jumps in and asks a question about who decides what is beautiful. A better approach would be to couch those questions within Wynona’s point of view, making her wonder about the issues, rather than the author stepping up to ask the reader.

An even more damaging intrusion is the ‘Dear Reader’ address within the story – “And, as you know, dear reader, our heroine Pauline cannot swim.”

When intrusions are a good thing.

Humor always gives a good excuse to break longstanding ‘rules’ of writing. In humor, oftentimes the more outrageous the writing style, the funnier it is. Humor gives the author free reign to talk directly to the reader. This is where those pesky parenthetical asides come in handy.

Also, the practice of the author casting himself in the story as a recurring character can become a source of amusement for the author as well as the reader.

So, to recap, any author who’s shooting for a level of reader absorption in a fictional story should avoid any disruptions that would show the puppet strings or the bracing that props up the stage in that story. But when the objective is to amuse your reader, let your style shine and use whatever devices you can to showcase your sense of humor.

Pat Morrison, Penumbra Publishing

TUESDAY TIPS AND TIDBITS – Good Writing, the Three Criteria

There’s a lot of standard squawk about ‘good writing.’ Reviewers tell readers what books are worthy of their reading time. Talk show hosts recommend books to their viewers that they think merit their attention. Publishers tout the latest entries in a long list of titles from longstanding popular authors. And the accolades go on...

Many people have different opinions about what constitutes ‘good writing’ – and what makes a good book. Often authors trying to get their work published have no clue what constitutes good writing when they get rejection letters with snarky comments like, “Dear Author, We’re looking for good writing. We can’t tell you what good writing is. We just know it when I see it – and unfortunately we haven’t seen it within the pages you sent us.”

So, what is ‘good writing,’ and how does one go about recognizing it, or fixing ho-hum writing to become ‘good writing’? The most important thing to remember is that 'good writing,' like ‘good art,’ is a subjective issue whose beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. Distinguishing good writing can be nearly impossible, because doing so requires the one making the judgment to impose his or her own set of personal standards on any work. What may seem like ‘good writing’ to Joe Reviewer may come off as drivel to Jane Reader. However there are some basic considerations to use as a standard to help remove the subjectivity when qualifying ‘good writing’...

1. STRUCTURE. The work should be structurally sound and adhere to commonly accepted rules of writing and grammar and punctuation. If it does not, then the writer should understand the rules well enough to know that breaking said rules will create results the writer wishes to achieve within the reading experience. For instance, a writer may deliberately use a string of short sentence fragments to create tension in a dramatic scene in a novel.

2. PURPOSE. The work should serve the purpose for which it was created. In other words, a piece of writing should do a good job of addressing the intended audience. This is important whether the work is a mystery novel or an article aimed at older readers to inform them of new laws regarding medical coverage.

3. SOPHISTICATION. The work should achieve a level of sophistication appropriate for the intended audience. For example, a children’s book would use simple sentence structure and words easy for the intended reader to understand. Conversely, the author of a literary masterpiece would probably reach deeper into the wordsmith’s toolbox to find appropriate words and sentence structure to maintain the interest of a more discriminating adult reading audience. In fiction, this would cover plot complexities and dramatic twists as well – all appropriately entertaining and surprising for the author’s expected and intended audience.

Structure, purpose, and sophistication may seem like simple enough criteria for judging good writing, but are in fact pervasive and critical for the success of a written work. And, for the inexperienced writer, applying these basics in the hope of producing good writing can get confusing. Let’s take the beginning paragraph from an unpublished novel to examine why it falls short of the three basic criteria. A few details have been changed in this magic-paranormal novel to allow it to serve as a generic example.

It started off like any other normal day for 22-year-old Elizabeth. She awoke with her best hairy friend, Beau, her basset hound still snoring and curled up on her bed next to her. She loved Beau. She shared everything with him and knew he would always keep her secrets. The morning sounds were coming through her window that she had left open the night before. The birds were chirping, the light breeze on the rolling acres and the crisp smell of spring in the air. The flowers were starting to come up and the trees all had buds on them. It was still pretty early for Elizabeth to be awake, especially since she had watched the stars in the sky until the early hours of the morning. Elizabeth thought early dawn was truly a beautiful time of the day and she needed to witness it more often. When the earth still stood still and the creatures all started on their daily routines. But, she also thought about how wonderful the late hours of the evening are too. When the sun has gone and families were in their beds soundly sleeping. This was Elizabeth’s favorite time of day. Her thinking time, her learning time, her figuring out time. Everyone needs a special time.

When we apply ‘good writing’ Criterion #1 (STRUCTURE) to the above excerpt, we find that the paragraph is actually several paragraphs strung together, rambling from one loosely related subject to another. While the sentences for the most part are structured properly, there is very little variety in length or configuration. Every sentence starts with the subject, followed by the verb. The majority of the verbs are passive rather than action verbs, further lending to the sense of vague rambling. A few sentence fragments add personalization, but overall the paragraph lacks focus and doesn’t lead to a point that provides the reader with an incentive to keep reading.

Criterion #2 (PURPOSE) is vague and undefined in this paragraph. This is the opening paragraph of the story, and its purpose should be to ‘hook’ the reader with an interesting situation that compels the reader to keep reading. What we get here is a summary of Elizabeth’s process of waking up and admiring the new day. Again, the passive verbs gang up in this paragraph to create a vague and uninteresting passage that fails to do a good job introducing the story so the reader wants to keep reading.

With the comparison of Criterion #3 (SOPHISTICATION), one would expect the uncomplicated tone of this paragraph to appeal to a reader with very simple reading tastes. It is obvious this is not going to be a literary masterpiece that will stretch the reader’s imagination or require a lot of thought to absorb and process the story. If this were intended as a children's story, the lack of sophistication might be appropriate. However, it is actually intended for adult readers, so it misses the mark.

Based on the attributes detailed in the comparison of the ‘good writing’ criteria, I would have to say this novel’s first paragraph needs a lot of work. Here’s a modified paragraph that may not be ‘good’ but perhaps moves closer to that designation with some modifications...

When 22-year-old Elizabeth awoke that morning, she expected her day to be as normal as any other, with her basset hound and best friend Beau still curled up on the bed next to her and snoring peacefully. But, as Elizabeth was well aware, expecting things to turn out a certain way didn’t automatically guarantee they would.

A light breeze blew in through the window she’d left open last night, bringing in the crisp scent of spring from the rolling acres of her grandfather’s Kitt Falls, Iowa, farm. Birds chirped happily as she gazed at the bright yellow daffodils blooming in a row lining the gravel drive. The sun sparkled cheerily among the new small leaves budding on the trees, announcing another glorious day she couldn’t wait to greet it with open arms.

“Come on, boy,” Elizabeth urged, gently shaking Beau. He opened his droopy eyes and slowly sat up, yawning widely, making her smile. She loved that old dog. She could share any secret with him, confident he’d keep it safe. But keeping secrets wasn’t always the best policy. She knew that from experience too, and today she was determined to crack the secrets that had kept her from knowing the truth of her past ... the truth hidden somewhere in this old farmhouse.

With these modifications, the details are basically the same, but are highlighted with more proactive wording and varied sentence structure. The very first sentence introduces a situation the reader knows is going to change soon – and change is the catalyst for nearly every story beginning. Dialog and action add to the sense of realism needed to draw the reader into believing the story. The detail of the grandfather’s farm as an inheritance has been included up front to ground the story in a real setting. Previously this detail was introduced much later in the story. The end of the last paragraph sets up the premise of this story for the reader, that the old farmhouse Elizabeth inherited from her grandfather holds a secret about her past she is determined to find out. Focusing on secrets allows the introductory passage to lead the reader to the central plot issue in this novel, that Elizabeth has not been told important facts about her heritage. Now the reader wants to find out about it too, and hopefully will keep reading in order to do so.

Overall, instead of rambling, this modified passage performs an important function – to draw in the reader and immediately inform him of the central conflict or problem upon which this novel is based. And that, by the way, is the whole point of an opening passage in a novel – to entice the reader and hint what the book is about. Until this passage performed its purpose in a well-structured and sophisticated manner appropriate for the intended audience, it could not be considered ‘good writing.’ With some judicious changes, it’s now much closer to completing that objective.

Try taking a fresh look at your own writing by applying the same three basic criteria, and see how you can improve your work.

Pat Morrison, Penumbra Publishing

TUESDAY TIPS AND TIDBITS - The Don'ts and Do's of Bad Reviews

"I HATE you - and your stupid book too!"

That's the last thing any author wants to see in a review of his or her book. However, at some point, nearly every published author has to face an uncomplimentary book review. The hard part is dealing with bad reviews and handling the fallout that may be caused by them.

It’s easy to get angry at the reviewer, and the first impulse is usually to whip off a nasty reply and post it with the review, or blog about it, or go onto some private group forum and complain about it. However, invariably that can be the absolute WORST response, and may even backfire, creating a negative buzz about the author and the work. This is especially hurtful when the author appears to be ‘attacking’ the reviewer for stating what may appear to be an honest opinion.

The other approach is to ignore bad reviews and pretend they don’t exist. However, that’s also difficult to do when the reviews are posted on Amazon and seem to influence other readers, causing them to turn away or post similarly degrading reviews.

It may help to recognize that not everyone who writes a review is actually just a reader. Some reviewers have built a reputation by reviewing books and stake their reputation on being cruel and snarky. Paid reviewers for prestigious publications may actually be influenced to write crappy reviews for books that compete with books they’ve decided (or are told) are noteworthy. And sometimes readers who write nasty reviews may just be having a bad day or a bad life, and take it out on defenseless authors whom they believe cannot fight back. And, sadly, sometimes petty authors will give poor reviews for other books they’re jealous of. The point is, when readers go to all the trouble to get online and sign into an account that allows them post reviews, they’re MOTIVATED to do so – either because at the time they’re wild about the book they just read, or they’re soured with a negative attitude and looking for an outlet to vent. Whatever the case, the result is the same – the author ends up with either a glowing or hateful review filled with praise or venom.

When this happens, the best – and perhaps only – thing to do is ... take the high road. By that I mean, yes, respond to the negative review, but in a healthy and respectful manner, the same way you’d respond to a great review. Thank the reviewer for taking the time to read your book. Express concern for the reviewer’s apparently bad reading experience, and offer to refund the reader’s money spent in purchasing your book. (Yes, many readers grouse about ‘wasting’ $2.99 on an ebook that offers hours of reading time as opposed to happily spending more to wolf down a Big Mac in less than five minutes.)

You may be tempted to correct errors in the review, but never attempt to, point by point, justify your position. The less fuss you make over a bad review, the better. In graciously offering to provide a refund, you often diffuse the venom and sometimes actually make the reader realize the review was in poor taste. If a forum offers dialog between the reader and the author, as Amazon does with its review and reply/comments, then you have the opportunity to show the rest of your loyal readers what a professional you are by being gracious under fire. And sometimes the hateful reader will amend earlier review comments to be more in line with the actual reading experience, rather than venting anger that may have been spurred by an event or situation in the readers life that had nothing to do with the book or author.

As for ‘professional’ reviews, where the author is not given the opportunity to respond to a poor review, sometimes you just have to say, ‘Oh well,’ and let it go.

Of course, if all your reviews are bad, or they keep pointing out specific errors or faults in your book, this may indicate your book could use some shoring up. If you have the opportunity to fix the issues consistently remarked upon in reviews, do so, and make sure your revised edition is clearly indicated so that new readers will know those issues have been addressed.

And finally, take heart that at least you are getting reviews. That means somebody’s actually buying and reading your book. Let that be your motivation to finish the next one!

Pat Morrison, Penumbra Publishing

TUESDAY TIPS AND TIDBITS - The Time of Your Life

Tuesday almost sneaked up on me, but just under the wire, here's another TUESDAY TIPS AND TIDBITS for Paranormal Wire!

I was in a restaurant the other day and happened to glance over at two women sitting across from each other at a nearby table. One of the women clutched a cell phone in her hands, intently texting under the table while her companion attempted to chat with her. Aside from acknowledging that this was totally rude behavior, I wondered why the woman texting on her phone would think it was more important to send a text than to visit face to face with her friend, who’d obviously gone to the trouble of carving out time from her personal schedule to meet and share a meal with this inconsiderate companion.

After spending several hours in the car to visit family this past holiday weekend, I pondered the question ... how do we spend our time, and why do we make certain choices regarding ways we occupy our time. Some people spend hours partying with strangers. Others are glued to their TV or computer or other electronic gadgets. Some throw themselves into sports and physical activities. Many immerse themselves in family pursuits or religious participation. Still others spend all their free time working – and this includes most serious authors.

Between writing and marketing, the typical author can spend over twelve hours a day trying to finish writing projects or sell/promote them. Time management is especially difficult for writers struggling to finish writing projects while other obligations scream for their attention – children, spouses, day-job bosses, social obligations, pets, chores, and the like. It never ceases to amaze me how single parents or soccer moms with five kids manage to whip out a readable novel while juggling everything that life throws at them. I know sometimes housework and laundry suffer. And maybe even family time suffers for that elusive dream of authorial success. But in the end, every writer has to answer this question for him/herself: IS IT WORTH IT?

Sometimes the need to succeed outweighs everything – responsibility to one’s employer and loved ones – for the fleeting chance of glory, to say you’re a published author. But when the thrill of that first book sale fades, and the day is done, glory or no, it’s always good to have someone with whom you can share your ups and downs. Whether it’s a parent, friend, spouse, or even a pet, make sure you don’t neglect those around you in your drive to become a rich and famous author.

For every Facebook connection you make with a fan, make sure you spend equal time with a loved one. Fifteen minutes on Twitter should equal fifteen minutes – at least – playing catch with your son. Don’t ever be too busy to tell your spouse ‘I love you.’ You may be a writer, but don’t ignore your human connections – they’re what count, and well maintained, they'll see you through the days ... whether good, bad, or just a bridge to the next. Celebrate your life as a writer, but don’t forget to LIVE it.

Pat Morrison, Penumbra Publishing

http://penumbrapublishing.com

TUESDAY TIPS AND TIDBITS - What's on your menu?

AUTHORS - WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU?

Suppose you’re opening a restaurant. (Just go with it. Hopefully, I’ll make a valid point by paragraph three or four...) Besides location and where you’re going to get your start-up capital, the most important decision you’ll have to make is what to put on your menu. And how do you decide?

Authors are like restaurateurs in many ways. As an author, when you write books, you should be thinking about your menu – what you’re offering your customers, and how you intend to serve it to them. As in running a restaurant, you, the author, must make some important decisions about your writing.

Will you offer your own specialties – favorite personal dishes that are new to just about everyone else? Or elegant cuisine that’s time-consuming to prepare and an expensive luxury for your diners? Or maybe just the standard tried-and-true burgers and fries?

What about in a couple months? Will you offer new entrées on your menu to attract new people and ensure your loyal diners won’t get tired of the same old thing? Will your new entrées be the same food type, or will you indulge your sudden whim to try serving some kind of ethnic menu and completely scrap what you used to serve? (If you do that, imagine how your loyal diners will react...)

Below are some typical eatery types and their menus, that compare to writers and their book offerings...

The KIOSK writer writes only one book – ever – which is akin to opening a funnel cake stand. The problem with that is, your one offering may only be suitable for the traveling carnival season, and your sales will be sporadic at best. You’ll have nothing else to offer your readers except one sticky, calorie-laden item that many may pass up in favor of the nearby burger grill, where they can get a slightly more substantial list of offerings.

The BURGER GRILL writer is a fast-food machine than manufactures quick, high-calorie, fat-laden food that is not really nutritious but is great for people on the go who want a tasty favorite they’re familiar with. The problem with this kind of writing menu is that there are literally thousands more out there, available on every corner. So, no matter how fast you churn out those burger combo meals, and no matter how many different condiments, dressings, and sides you offer to mix things up a bit, you’re still only going to attract a few customers who are ready to consume more of the same old thing already out there. So what you need to do is make your fast food stand out from the rest by giving it a new twist – like, maybe, pita burgers with soy meat, or something really unique that still has a great taste. (I’m not too sure about the soy meat – it doesn’t sound tasty to me.)

The HAUTE CUISINE writer attracts a very slim audience indeed. The time and skill required to prepare meals in a fine-dining atmosphere are often overwhelming, limiting the number of meals served. You may be showered with awards for your cooking skill, but only the snooty and wealthy will bother sampling what you have to offer. The regular-Joe populace will go for fare that’s cheaper and easier to digest.

The FAMILY DINER writer offers a menu of just about everything for everybody, oftentimes with a kid’s menu too. There won’t be any trendy quiches or spinach salads on this writer’s menu. The cuisine might not be the best around, but there’s a lot to choose from. The only problem is, sometimes it’s so hard to categorize this kind of restaurant tucked away among other businesses, it goes largely unnoticed, because it tries to cater to everyone, but no one in particular.

The ECLECTIC WINE BISTRO writer offers everything from wine and cheese and elite sandwiches for discriminating adults, to hotdogs for kids – a difficult sell when you consider that most wine connoisseurs aren’t going to be dragging kids into this hard-to-classify eatery to sample the hotdogs. People who walk by may stop for a moment to stare though the window and try to figure out what is really the focus of this bistro bar, but few will actually walk through the door and order something.

The FRANCHISE EATERY writer, whether offering high-class dinner fare or fast food, always seems to know the best way to attract customers. The name is branded and well-known across the nation – and sometimes worldwide. Customers don’t really ask what’s in the newest creation on the menu ... they just buy it because it comes from a franchise they know and trust. They recommend it to all their friends, and that’s why the franchise is the most successful eatery of them all – it serves the masses and stays true to its brand without trying to reinvent itself with every new entrée it puts on the menu.

The restaurant business is high-risk, as well as labor- and time-intensive. The same could be said of being an author. The risk comes in putting yourself into your work, exposing your thoughts and feelings in your writing, and then laying it out for others to read and judge. Many authors toil years without ever reaching the point of becoming published. However, many have bypassed the publishing route by choosing to self-publish. With either choice, the result is the same. They still have to sell their books.

Not every writer is the same, nor are the books writers write the same. What kind of writer do you want to be – a one-book wonder, or a steady producer of generic fare in a genre that pleases but doesn’t necessarily wow readers? Or are you the type that writes on a whim, producing a children’s storybook here, and an erotic romance there? If you don’t have what it takes to pick a popular genre and make your mark in it (or create a new one), and stick with that genre to develop your franchise so people instantly recognize your name and buy your books on name-recognition alone – then forget about becoming a bestseller.

What kind of customers do you want to attract? Do you know what kind of books they like? Do you know where they hang out so you can chat with them and show them what you’ve got? Despite everything else you’ve been told, books are sold one reader at a time. When many readers buy your book at the same time, over and over again, then you’ll become part of that successful writer phenomenon known as the bestseller.

Don’t ever kid yourself into thinking writing is easy, because selling is part of that profession. You must either sell your writing to a publisher, who will then sell it to the reader, or you must sell it to the reader yourself. If you want to succeed at it, you have to treat it like running an eatery – as a business. It requires planning, hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Once you recognize that and accept it, you’re one step closer to being the writer you want to be. So, get started on your menu now – and bring my order. I’m hungry!

Pat Morrison, Penumbra Publishing