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LEARNING ALL ABOUT SCRIVENER

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LEARNING ALL ABOUT SCRIVENER

By Natalie Bright

Re-typing 15,000 words for Book #2 of a middle grade adventure series set in the Wild West into Scrivener this week. At present, I write everything in Microsoft Word, including this blog post. It’s going to be a huge learning curve to retrain my brain.

SCRIVENER

“Scrivener is a powerful content-generation tool for writers that allows you to concentrate on composing and structuring long and difficult documents. While it gives you complete control of the formatting, its focus is on helping you get to the end of that awkward first draft.” http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php

I heard about Scrivener when I discovered a great podcast for indie authors: thecreativepenn.com Thriller author, Joanna Penn and several of her guests, claim to have greatly increased productivity by using this writing software.

Here’s what I really like about Scrivener:

The price! Only $40.

The ability to see my entire novel in a notecard format on the corkboard view. Each notecard can be labeled by chapter or scene, with notations for that scene or plot point. Attached to that notecard can be images, links for research, and the scene or chapter manuscript itself. Since I’m adding a mystery element to the WIP book, it helps me plan where I need to take the story.

I also like the project outline view which shows chapter and word count.

Untitled

Image Credit: Tinted index cards on the corkboard view from http://www.simplyscrivener.com

Editing Your Story made Easy

Scenes rarely come in sequential order. My writing brain has never worked that way. If you’re like me, elements of your current work in progress can hit you at the worst possible times. My brain is a swirl of images as the story plays out in my head. It’s usually coming faster than I can stop whatever I’m doing to jot a note. I’ve scribbled notes on lunch napkins, bank deposit slips, and grocery check-out receipts. Everything else in my life is structured and planned, but I’ve never been able to write a book from point A to point B to point C and so on.

With Scrivener, it’s really easy to find the place where that additional imagery or dialogue needs to be added. I can gather up all of my notes, and using the corkboard view, I can find right where the edits will fit. No more scrolling through a 60 page Word doc or sifting through stacks of printed pages trying to find a particular scene.

I’ll keep you posted on how this goes and what I’m learning.

Is anybody out there using Scrivener? Please share your thoughts, tips, likes, or dislikes.

Writing onward…

 

 

 

The List

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

The List

By Nandy Ekle

 The best place in the world to find inspiration to write is from those who have proven themselves to be brilliant geniuses, masters in the field. Here is a list of those authors who, when I read their work, I forget to breathe.

Stephen King

JK Rowling

Neil Gaiman

Nora Roberts

James Patterson

Diane Setterfield

Terry Brooks

Piers Anthony

Anne Rule

Janet Evanovich

Mary Stewart

Dr Seuss

Moe Willems

JA Applegate

RL Stein

Ray Bradbury

Gillian Flynn

This is by no means exhaustive as I’ve had 50 years experience as a reader. And I’m always looking for new masters and stories to get lost in.

Tell me whose work gives you goosebumps, thrills, and makes you swoon with joy?

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

MacGuffin

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MacGuffin

by Adam Huddleston

 

Last week, I presented a blog concerning a plot device known as the “red herring”. This week, let’s quickly look at another: the MacGuffin.

The term, often incorrectly attributed to Alfred Hitchcock (though he did use it often), refers to a main goal that the protagonist is pursuing in a story and which may or may not be important to the overall plot. I retrieved these examples from Wikipedia: the meaning of “rosebud” in Citizen Kane (1941); the NOC list in Mission: Impossible (1996); the Rabbit’s Foot in Mission: Impossible III (2006); the Heart of the Ocean necklace in Titanic; and the mineral unobtainium in Avatar (2009).

Hitchcock did have an interesting quote concerning the MacGuffin:

“It might be a Scottish name, taken from a story about two men on a train. One man says, “What’s that package up there in the baggage rack?” And the other answers, “Oh, that’s a MacGuffin”. The first one asks, “What’s a MacGuffin?” “Well,” the other man says, “it’s an apparatus for trapping lions in the Scottish Highlands.” The first man says, “But there are no lions in the Scottish Highlands,” and the other one answers, “Well then, that’s no MacGuffin!” So you see that a MacGuffin is actually nothing at all.”

I hope this adds to your writing vocabulary!

What if I Fail as a Writer?

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What if I Fail as a Writer?

Rory C. Keel

 

So you want to be a writer but you’re afraid of failure. Perhaps your dream is to write a novel, publish an article in a magazine, or write a famous screenplay but the idea of failing keeps you from ever starting. Putting the “cart before the horse,” as they say, can skew a person’s thinking.

Here are five steps to help realign your thinking so you can achieve your dream of success.

  1. Realize success comes in steps.

Achieving any goal is like walking up a staircase, it has to be one step at a time. Honestly assess where you are in your writing skills. Do you understand grammar and sentence structure? Perhaps you’re farther along and need to work on story telling or plotting?

By knowing where you are on the staircase of writing, you can know what your next step is. That next step is success.

   2. Reaching the next step can be difficult.

Famous authors such as Stephen King, Charles Frazier, Larry McMurtry, J.K. Rowling didn’t reach fame in one day. It takes hours of putting one word next to another, days of sitting in a chair, months of research and rewriting, and sometimes years of waiting for a project to be noticed. Take one step today and another tomorrow and you will be successful.

   3. You will run into obstacles.

Have you ever walked through the house in the dark to get a drink from the kitchen and stubbed your toe on the coffee table? Immediately you scream OBSTACLES!

Understand there will be hindrances to your writing such as finding time to write, family members that need attention, or even the need to make a living and pay the bills.

That’s life. These things still exist for famous authors, they have just learned to prioritize and deal with them.

   4. Surround yourself with other writers.

By surrounding yourself with other writers, you set yourself up to succeed. Learn from others who have what you want. Success is a level small or great not a final ending. So when you associate with those who desire to write and have a mindset to accomplish goals, you become motivated to move along with them.  Famous authors haven’t reached the pinnacle, they only have a greater level of what you can achieve in a small step tomorrow – SUCCESS!

   5. Never, ever, give up on your dream.

“Lots of people limit their possibilities by giving up easily. Never tell yourself this is too much for me. It’s no use. I can’t go on. If you do, you’re licked, and by your own thinking, too. Keep believing and keep on keeping on.” — Norman Vincent Peale

roryckeel.com

AUTHOR RIGHTS

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AUTHOR RIGHTS

By Natalie Bright

One of my 2015 writing goals was to find a home for a self-published eBook about grief based on our experience of dealing with the loss our first born son. A small press expressed interest. While I waited for the contract, I schooled myself on understanding the rights that I’d be willing to relinquish for a traditional publishing deal.

 What are You Willing to SIGN AWAY?

Publishing companies have to make money. I totally understand how this big business works. They are able to make money via manuscripts produced by writers. It’s a fascinating and frustrating industry, mixing the creations of our hearts with hard, cold finance, but that’s the reality.

Consider the prestige of having a publisher choose YOU. It is very exciting and does wonders for your ego, and then consider what you might be giving away. In my research, I learned that some publishers take rights that they never exploit, and perhaps never intend to. For example, a small, local press may not have the resources to sell your book in multiple languages so why would you grant, transfer and assign all of your foreign rights?

Here’s a sample list of possible rights already owned by you as creator and that are associated with your work:

Hardback editions

Paperback editions

Electronic rights

First world English rights

British, European, or Australian rights

Translation rights, or language rights

Exclusive use rights

Publication or sale by book clubs

Reprint rights

Publication in digests

Publication in condensations

Publication in anthologies

Publication in compilations

Serial rights

Dramatic, multimedia, television, and motion picture rights

Internet distribution rights

Archival rights

eBooks, Kindle, Nook, and other electronic distribution rights

Audio, mechanical, and visual reproduction

Computer programs

Microprint

Microfiche

Microfilm editions

Syndication rights

Permission rights for quotations, excerpts, illustrations

Merchandising rights

Any media hereinafter created

Resources

For more information, there’s a great article at writing-world.com by Marg Gilks, “Rights: What They Mean and Why They’re Important.”

Check out thecreativepenn.com for several excellent podcasts with Joanna Penn on this topic and loads of other topics relating to Indie Publishing. Her FREE Author 2.0 Blueprint is full of helpful information.

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!