Monthly Archives: April 2016

Mysteries

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

Mysteries

By Nandy Ekle

 

Of all the genres of stories, I really think mysteries are the most fun. You start by introducing your character and the inciting incident, which is usually a crime. Then the rest of the story is like a jigsaw puzzle. The reader is busy trying to put the puzzle together, and when the final piece falls into place, they are either surprised because they didn’t see it coming, or they’re satisfied because they knew it all along.

But, when you stop and think about it, every story is a mystery. It has to be. If your reader opens a book and knows the whole backstory, the whole future story, and everything in between, what fun is that? Even a tale we call predictable is still a mystery. If it’s done correctly, the reader has to go all the way to the end to prove they are right.

One of the ways to keep ‘em guessing is giving clues that might or might not lead them in the right direction. Now, I do not mean lie to your readers, because we must always be honest. But we can cross some signals.

We know that in real life, there are not clear-cut, all good points or all bad points. Every person has strengths and weaknesses. Heroes have flaws and villains have good points. And what we perceive as good or bad is not always the truth of the situation.

If you have a character named Bob who is short and balding, growing thick in the middle and wears bottle bottom glasses, what do you think about him? What if I told you he is middle-aged, been married 20 years to the same woman, and has three children who love and respect him? But the other side of the story is a new talent has shown up, and because of this he is gone most evenings, telling his wife he is working late. When he comes in he smells like cigarette smoke, perfume, and he’s so tired he can barely stay awake. What do you think about him now?

So, in the final scene, when he jumps through a plate glass window during a hostage situation in a restaurant, followed by his secretary who as become his assistant, and together they rescue the hostages and seize the real bad guys, is that what you were expecting?

Did you notice that his wife is one of the hostages that he saves?

Congratulations. You have just received a post card from the muse.

 

 

 

Red Herring

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Red Herring

by Adam Huddleston

Just thought I’d throw another literary device your way. You may have heard the phrase “red herring”. A red herring is defined as:

something, especially a clue, that is or is intended to be misleading or distracting.

The use of red herrings in writing can be quite effective in harnessing the reader’s interest. It also enhances the overall experience by providing surprises along the plotline. One word of advice however: make sure your red herrings are real. What I mean is, keep your writing sharp, clear, and free of mistakes in the plot that accidentally lead the reader in the wrong direction. This can aggravate the reader and pull them out of the story.

Happy writing!

Why?

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Outtakes 240

Why?

By Cait Collins

 

Your new novel is really coming along. You love your characters and they are beginning to gel. And then you realize you have four characters whose names begin with an “S”, three with names beginning with “C”, and two guys with names beginning with a “T”. Why do we get fixated on certain letters of the alphabet? Is it lazy or just happenstance? The more I think about it, the less I understand the quirk and the less I think it matters.

One of the first lessons I was taught in my creative writing classes was to avoid naming multiple characters using a single letter of the alphabet. While I grasp the concept, execution is not as easy. I’ve noticed that even multi-published authors follow the pattern and it works. So why stress over it? This is especially important when you’re one third of the way through the story and your deadline is looming. .By this time you are committed to the characters. You know them inside and out. And if you change the name to conform to a rule, do you risk losing the essence of the person?

Here’s my take on the situation. While I don’t recommend having multiple characters whose names begin with the same letter, you can still make it work. The trick is to make each character so memorable the reader overlooks the similarity in the names. The only time it matters is when you can’t tell Daffy, Donald, and Daisy apart.

INDIE ALL THE WAY with Bethany Claire

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INDIE ALL THE WAY with Bethany Claire

By Natalie Bright

 

Author Bethany Claire gave an energetic and informative talk to the Texas High Plains Writers in Amarillo this past Saturday about her experience as an Indie (independently) published author.

“Indie publishing is very much an individualized decision,” she told the packed room of area writers.

We Love What We Do

She told us about attending a writer’s conference when she decided to give up teaching and turn writing into a career. At that conference, she made an effort to attend sessions about both traditional publishing and self-publishing. She discovered that the self-published group better fit her goals.

“Indie published authors are excited, they are in control of their careers, and they love what they do,” said Bethany. “I am definitely a control freak.”

Real Time Reporting

One of the aspects she likes the most is the ability to realize real-time reporting. “See your sales at that minute,” Bethany said. “The money you make as an Indie author is directly correlated with how much work you are willing to do.”

If something isn’t selling, authors can determine why. Is it a bad cover? Maybe the price is not in line with the other books selling in your genre?

One of the musts for any author who is considering indie pub options and is serious about making money, is the need for a professional editor. Bethany uses two. She suggests researching lists of people for hire, and submitting two to three chapters and requesting an audition edit. Compare those editing styles to determine which one fits you can work with the best.

Writers’ Academy

One of the turning points in her writing came through participation in a week long writer’s academy. Held in June of every year on the campus of West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, the event is hosted by Amarillo Author Jodi Thomas. Jodi has penned 40 books and is a New York Times Bestselling Author.

I’ve attended the academy twice, and it is a life-changing experience. Bethany will be teaching a class in 2016 at the academy. Here’s the link to register:

http://wtamu.edu/academics/eod-writing-academy.aspx

Bethany will also be offering an online class later this year about her writing process, marketing, and other facets of publishing your work as an Indie Author. You can learn more about Bethany Claire on her website:

Bethany Claire USA TODAY Bestselling Author of

Morna’s Legacy Series, Scottish Time-Travel Romances

Purchase books at: http://www.bethanyclaire.com/love-beyond-time.php

www.bethanyclaire.com

www.facebook.com/bethanyclaire

www.twitter.com/BClaireAuthor

My Favorite Works of Fiction

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My Favorite Works of Fiction

by Adam Huddleston

 

A couple of weeks ago I published a blog concerning my favorite non-fiction books for writers. This week, I would like to list a few of my favorite works of fiction (in no particular order). As you can imagine, me being a life-long reader of fantasy and horror, the list is full of selections from those genres.

Stephen King has always been a “fave” of mine. He has a plethora of thrillers and chillers. Some works seek to get you at the “gross-out” level. Others are more intimate examinations of the inner-self. My favorite novel of his belongs to the latter; “The Long Walk.” Reminiscent of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”, this story follows a young man as he participates in a horrific annual tradition. The book is eerie and very well written.

Shifting to fantasy, you can’t find many works better than those of J.R.R. Tolkien. In a world where new writers are shoveling their wares in both bookstores and electronically, this legendary author’s work stands the test of time and his “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy is, to me at least, at the top. It is the definition of an epic fantasy with a huge cast of characters, a sprawling world, and an entire language created by the author.

The late Michael Crichton penned a ton of great science-fiction stories, many of which were adapted into motion pictures. My favorite work of his is “Jurassic Park.” The movie, once it gets going, travels at a break-neck pace. Guess what? The novel does as well. The author even goes into great detail concerning how they manipulated the DNA to create the stories antagonists.

The last piece I’ll mention is one by Richard Adams. One of my earliest cinematic memories is watching “Watership Down” on a VHS player in my parent’s bedroom. When I was older, I discovered that it was based on a novel of the same name. The book does a great job of personifying the characters, mostly rabbits with a black-headed gull thrown in for good measure, and bringing their adventures to life. Like Tolkien, Richard Adams gives us a healthy dose of backstory, native language, and even a form of lupine religion.

Whatever your favorite genre might be, these novels are worth looking into. They will give insight into proper world building, plot, dialogue, and character development.

Happy writing; and reading!

Big and Bold

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Outtakes 239

Big and Bold

by Cait Collins

I was recently reminded that some characters are larger than life. Last week an old high school friend was in town. He’s a couple of years younger than I, but he has aged well. He still has that line-backer build from high school and makes me feel like an elf when I stand next to him. (Sometimes I really hate being vertically challenged.) His ready laugh keeps everyone happy. He is larger-than-life and has a heart of pure gold.

Tyler Crawford, one of the friends in Three by Three, physically resembles my friend, but the similarity ends there. Tyler is a certified gemologist and gem broker. He is also a prospector and mine owner, running a fee-site from his claim. He is successful in his business dealings, but remains in the past where his heart is concerned. No matter how much money he accumulates, he can not buy back his daughter’s voice. The ten-year old has not spoken since Good Friday five years ago when she found in mother’s body in a pool of blood.

Callie was the love of Tyler’s life. He is unable to move through the grieving process and Sara’s silence hasn’t helped. Realizing his new client, Sean Hawthorne, is none other than his friend Creed Whitley, sends Tyler into a tail spin. He alternates between anger and relief and rage.

Lindy, the gemologist who works with Tyler, goes out of her way to promote the business, but her boss over-looks her. His heart is frozen and he will not be able to look to Lindy until Callie’s murderer is behind bars. And with Samantha Tolliver’s return, will he be able to keep control of his hair-trigger temper?

General Tips on Using Social Media

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General Tips on Using Social Media

By Rory C. Keel

roryckeel.com

  

Now that you have jumped into the deep end of the pool of social media, here are a few tips to keep you afloat.

Double–check content, editing errors

Before hitting the enter button, check your writing for content and editing errors. Bad grammar and incorrect content will cause the reader to lose interest in what you post.

Be consistent

Keep your online presence active for your readers. By posting regularly, you develop your brand and credibility in your writing.

Reply

When you begin to build a platform on your social media, participate with them by replying to questions, offer helpful content, “LIKE”, “Share”, “follow”, “Plus” others to build your fan base.

Keep tone positive, uplifting

Nobody likes a grouch. Readers will become weary if every post is a gripe or complaint. While you may be frustrated, agitated, or you’re just plain mad, keep your writing positive.

Politics, social issues & religion

Talk about hot topics. Nothing creates a fire more than politics, religion or a social issue. If the focus of your work is in one of these occupations it’s a given that your focus will necessitate writing about them. However, you need to understand that by getting involved in a debate online you could limit your followers. You have the right to post on any topic, but others have right to block your writing.

Roryckeel.com

WHAT’S YOUR SECRET?

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WHAT’S YOUR SECRET?

By Natalie Bright

Everybody has secrets. Things deep, down they never tell about their childhood, fears, likes, dislikes, first loves…you know some.

Characters have secrets too. Those buried, dark secrets of your fictional characters, that only you as the creator can know, might lend itself to creating some interesting scenarios for your plot.

Maybe the character knows the secret, or maybe he doesn’t (Luke Skywalker’s father, for example.). Maybe the secret leads him to make wrong decisions. Perhaps the secret is so debilitating it affects everyone your character encounters (a serial killer, for example.).

Here’s a quick guide for creating complex characters:

What’s at stake?

Reason

Real reason

Secret

Greatest fears

Quirks

Dig deep, and don’t be afraid of what you might find.

It Starts With a Song

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

It Starts With a Song

By Nandy Ekle

 

 

The way to start a story is with a song.

I have never claimed to be a musician. But I love music. I love country, rock, country-rock, opera, show tunes, instrumental, folk, seventies, zydeco, techno . . .

And sometimes, something I hear sparks a story.

Ballads, of course, openly tell their stories, and it’s easy to take their poetry and turn it into prose. Love songs also give us stories. Usually it’s easy to catch the meaning, but there a few you have to dig out. I’ve even ‘seen’ a story play out during an instrumental.

I love to listen to a piece of music with my eyes closed. I can feel beats and the notes. The words come to life for me and begin to act out the tale.

Some music inspires me by its melody. I’ve noticed a calming piece of music allows my imagination to open up as much as a story song. And bold sounds, along with fast beats will create adventure, danger, and urgency.

So the goal to writing stories while listening to music is to serenade my reader. I want to sing them my song of seduction, pull them in close to me and waltz them through the scenes. I want them to feel the change of atmosphere as the tones and beats change. And by the end, I want them tired, but willing to come back for more.

And this is the pay off.

Congratulations. You have just received a post card from the muse.