Publetariat

Quick Link: Six Simple Reasons Our Story Sucks & How to Fix It

September 8, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

The esteemed Kristen Lamb doesn’t pull any punches but this is the kind of tough love we all need to provide a quality product. Gird your loins and head on over to make sure you are not making any suck-worthy mistakes.

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Six Simple Reasons Our Story Sucks & How to Fix It

by Kristen Lamb

Why is it so many new novels are—to be blunt—crap? How can we find an author we love with one book, then all the love goes away with the next? What’s going wrong? What’s missing? Where did everything go wrong?How can we learn and do better?

First and foremost, to be an author it’s imperative to embrace some healthy sadism. We’ll chat briefly on this so the “wrong turns” in story can become far easier to spot.

We MUST Go Against Our Nature

Humans have all kinds of intricate biological wiring that propels us to AVOID CONFLICT/PAIN. Now this is great namely because our desire to avoid pain is what keeps us alive and gainfully employed. It’s also how many of us are able to endure the holidays when forced to see family.

Read the full post on Kristen Lamb.

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If you liked this article, please share. If you have suggestions for further articles, articles you would like to submit, or just general comments, please contact me at paula@publetariat.com or leave a message below.

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Just do the damn thing and go to bed.

September 8, 2017 by Publetariat

This week started off so good. Part of that was the holiday but I actually managed to get some work done for this site ahead of time and that was awesome. My days were wonderful and slightly carefree(ish).

I have Addison’s second type, like J. F. Kennedy but a little different. His was the first type. Basically due to doctors error a long time ago my adrenal glands are totally fried. It took an incredibly long time to get diagnosed but here I am trying to work my program. So one of the issues is I have a shit ton of inflammation which means, happy fun time, I get to go on the inflammation diet. So today I spent the day making my own homemade flax seed cereal for breakfast and preparing kale. I f’ing hate kale. The only thing that I hate worse than kale is kale with shitake mushrooms. If you just said “Oh that sounds yummy” then (1) I probably hate you too, and (2) please come eat mine for me.

Rant over. Hopefully, this helps, in which case it is worth every last bit of kale I force down.

Which brings us to now. It is late, I am tired and covered in carrot peels. At least my hands smell really yummy. Cinnamon, fresh ginger, a hint of garlic, and lime juice. But I have my writing to do. I spent time making excuses. No one is making me write. But the thought of giving up makes me whimper inside. So cut it out, self. Chin up, just do what you need to do. Get the damn thing done and go to bed.

Have a great day. I hope you are able to get done what you need to.

Paula

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Quick Link: What have you got to lose? by Kari Lynn Dell

September 7, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

Conflict is the pulse of the story. Without conflict, your story is really boring and short. But sometimes it is really hard to come up with enough conflict or compelling conflict. There are only so many times you can throw random accidents at a person until you become The Perils of Pauline. Thankfully author Kari Lynn Dell has some great thoughts on how to make sure your characters really suffer. Check it out at Romance University.

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What have you got to lose?

by Kari Lynn Dell

This question single-handedly turned around my writing career. It has become the first thing I ask my characters as I devise new and better ways to torture them along the road to their happily-ever-after. First, though, let me give credit where credit is due.

About four years ago I was struggling mightily with the manuscript that would eventually become Reckless in Texas. In the course of three major rewrites it was getting, if anything, worse as I twisted and stretched to come up with a compelling conflict. In the depths of my despair, I turned to the place you have also arrived–blogs on the craft of writing. Specifically, the blog belonging to the incomparable Jennifer Crusie.

In one of those moments of divine circumstance that I wouldn’t believe if I read it in a book, I stumbled across the exact advice I needed at exactly the right time.

To paraphrase, if you want to write unforgettable romance, make it so the two of them can’t win at love unless one of them loses. Big. Gives up a cherished vision of who they are, or steps off the path they have laid out for themselves, brick by careful brick. Or both.

Read the full post on Romance University.

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Turkish Delight and mead. The power of descriptions.

September 7, 2017 by Publetariat

Have you ever read about something, and then was so excited to try it someday? For me, it was Turkish Delight and then mead. So many of my childhood stories extolled the delight of Turkish candy. Even in The Chronicles of Narnia series, it was a treat among treats, that the White Witch tempted Edmund with. So it has to be good, right? Have you tasted it? First of all, it smells like roses and I love roses. But it is very sticky and too sweet (and I like sweets!) and it tastes like your grandmothers rose soap. My son will eat it but then again, he likes Haggis so there is no accounting for taste.

Later readings introduced me to mead. All the old timey great heros drink it with gusto! Cause it is that awesome. It is fermented honey. How can that be bad? Honey is awesome. So isn’t wine. Honey-wine has to be the best thing possible and is probably what the queen bee drinks when she is ordering her little worker bees around. Apparently, it is an acquired taste and I don’t have enough money to aquire the taste for it.

That is the power of writing. Authors can create magic and desire with their words. I am sure that a lot of people love Turkish Delight and in a world before peanut M&Ms having something that sweet was wonderful. Maybe. I am still not convinced.

But every once in a while I will meet someone who tells me I just haven’t tried the right mead yet. The power of writing and me wanting to quaff mead like the heroes, sigh, still makes me want to try it.

Have a good day!

Paula

Quick Link: The engine in your book

September 6, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

Did you ever think of “Information density” when you write? Me neither. But according to Dawn Field at Bookbaby Blog, it is what pushes your story and after reading the article, I would have to say she is right. Find out for yourself!

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The engine in your book

by Dawn Field

There’s a powerful engine in your book, it’s just a bit hard to find. It’s in every word, and it drives plot and characters and everything else.

Everybody knows the most important part of a car is the engine. You might like your top-notch speakers for the surround sound, or the air conditioning on a sweltering day, or the incredible shock absorbers, but you can’t say you’d take those over an engine.

So, what’s the engine of your book? Plot? It’s essential if you’re writing a thriller that needs page-turning action. What about characters? Many say a book is nothing without an attention-grabbing character at its center.

Turns out there’s a more powerful engine in your book, it’s just a bit hard to find. It’s in every word, that’s how powerful it is. It drives plot and characters and everything else.

What is it? We can call it “information density.” It’s knowing exactly how much gas to give, and when. It’s a Goldilocks situation: not too little, not too much, but just right. What “just right” is is up to you, your writing style, and the preferences of your readers.

Stories are about conveying information in a pleasing and gripping way. Not enough information yields a big dose of boredom. Too much information can confuse or overwhelm. As readers and writers, we have an intuitive feel for the density of good stuff in a book, but we rarely take the time to quantify it.

Read the full post on Bookbaby Blog

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What are your dreams telling you?

September 6, 2017 by Publetariat

Do you lucid dream or have a dream journal? I have always had an interesting dream life and have solved problems in my sleep, but I don’t think I can actually have a lucid dream. But if you can remember your dreams, make sure you take note, for they are surely telling you something you need to hear. If you wake up and can remember what you were dreaming about it is helpful to write it down immediately. Google has plenty of tips on how to remember your dreams better.

The reason why I brought this up is that I had a very interesting dream. The heat wave in SoCal isn’t as bad and I actually managed to catch up on some lost sleep. But when the alarm went off for work, I remembered my dream that I was in. The dream took place in a very science fiction type setting of which I was part of the supportive cast. My role was to write everything down. That was very important. It did not matter if I had to use crayons, pencils, anything. I was so focused and obsessed with this need to write down what was happening. This was conveyed over and over again.

Most messages in our dreams are not quite this obvious, but who am I to argue. First thing I did (after having some coffee) was write the story down. I like it and I think it has potential. So now I have my next writing project, and obviously my subconscious thinks I need to write more.

How about you? Have you had any inspirations from your dreams?

Have a great day.

Paula

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Quick Link: Six Smart Ways Indie Authors Can Collaborate When Marketing

September 5, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

We are all in this together as author and writers, so this post from Angela Ackerman at Writer’s Helping Writers hits the spot with how we can help each other with the hardest task of all. Marketing.

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Six Smart Ways Indie Authors Can Collaborate When Marketing

by Angela Ackerman

The control and freedom indie authors have can be a big asset when it comes to marketing. The problem is time. Shouldering the weight of writing, editing, researching, publishing, marketing, and promoting alone can be exhausting, especially knowing our industry is growing more crowded and competitive by the day.

There’s a silver lining here, though: Indies are business people (let’s face it, you have to be to make it in our world) who know the value of collaboration. After all, working together means spreading out the marketing load, sharing audiences, and leveraging everyone’s platform and connections.

Finding other authors to collaborate with might take some time, but it’s worth it. Look for authors who 1) write books very similar to your own 2) have a good work ethic 3) believe in give and take, and 4) have a platform and the trust of their readers (influence).

Built your crew? Awesome! Here’s six ways to collaborate.

Swap Valuable Links

Read the full post on Writer’s Helping Writers

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Celebrating labor

September 5, 2017 by Publetariat

There is a reason why writing a story is compared to having a baby…

Yesterday was Labor Day in the states. While commonly viewed as the official end of summer and a great time to shop, Labor Day has its historical roots in unions and the working person. No matter what your views on unions today, if it wasn’t for our forefathers gathering and sometimes losing their life we would not have weekends off, eight hour work days, child labor laws etc. Even minor details of today’s workforce that we take for granted like having working fire exits have their history in unionizing.

We need to go back to celebrating the hard working people. I grew up on the New England Protestant work ethic that work sets you free and learned from my family that there was dignity in hard work. That means manually or intellectually and often times both.

In a world of Kardashians, I would rather celebrate the hard working bakers in Houston, who being stuck at work decided to continue to work and make bread to help feed everyone. The can-do attitude of people who saw that they had boats and decided to use them to rescue others.

But we don’t need to do this just during emergencies. We need to celebrate the everyperson every day. I have taught my children to thank people who clean the restrooms because it is a horrible job and they do it well and we are blessed to have them. Yes, they get paid. But a job worth doing, done well, deserves gratitude.

And that comes back to you dear reader. I am grateful that you have taken the time to read this, my labor.

Writing is hard. Writing is work. Writing is labor. We should celebrate it along with everything else. Writers instruct. Writers allow us to escape into a world that fulfills our inner needs. It is no coincidence that dictators and despots always try to diminish writers and control the message. Because it is their deepest terror that people will be inspired instead of caught in a trap of fear.

So have a good day and go do a job worth doing, well.

Paula

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Quick Link: 10 Tips for Self-Published Authors

September 1, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

Here are some good pointers from author Duncan M. Hamilton for writers who are thinking of becoming self-published. Head on over to Fantasy Faction for the full post.

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10 Tips for Self-Published Authors

by Duncan M. Hamilton

In publishing there are outliers who release a book straight to the top of the charts, but they are few and far between. Happily, you don’t need this to happen to be able to make a full time living from writing—the slow build to a solid platform is equally viable, albeit longer in the making. With that in mind, I’ve put together ten pointers that I hope will help anyone considering going down the self-pub route avoid some of the pitfalls and hard lessons waiting along the way.

1. Writers’ Cafe on the KBoards Forum

Every day for me starts with a few minutes there. It has a vast amount of information relating to pretty much everything you could encounter as a writer. It’s up to date, with discussions on new developments in the industry usually starting up within minutes of the announcement being made. There’s also ongoing discussion on what marketing methods are working, and those that aren’t. As always, you’ll need to exercise personal judgement in separating the wheat from the chaff, but this will become easier with a little time spent reading up. There are some very experienced and successful writers hanging out there, and more often than not they are very generous with their advice and in sharing their knowledge.

Read the full post on Fantasy Faction

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Just like the evil electric company

September 1, 2017 by Publetariat

I was lying flat on my bed with the fan turned high, misting water into the air with the squirt bottle we use to discipline the cats (kids occasionally too) feeling pretty sorry for myself because it was 109 in southern California today. And I know that there are plenty of people out there who would gladly switch places with me right now, first world problems and all that, but this is my very small pity party. I don’t do well in the heat.

We have an air conditioner, a really nice one. But earlier this year I signed up for a deal with the electric company. So in exchange for a lower rate, when the grid is getting a bit overloaded, the electric company can turn off my a/c. I know it sounds stupid in 109-degree weather but this is what makes them so clever. When I was pitched this wonderful opportunity it was cold outside. I mean cold for southern California, but still, you want a hot cocoa and a sweater.

Then I realized how bloody brilliant that was. Because you don’t remember how much you suffered in the heat in February, so the money looks good. They only shut off your a/c for a short time and it gets rotated around with other people so it shouldn’t be too long. Blah de blah blah blah. Of course, I want to save the money.

Until now when reality hits. I could go someplace else to find some coolness but it is too hot to move or think.

Then I realized that a smart writer would do the same thing. Place clues and hints when it is cold outside and your reader easily buys into it, but then later in the story switch the weather. Just like the evil electric company.

No matter what the weather is for you (107 for me!) please be safe and take care of yourself.

Paula

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Give what you promise.

August 31, 2017 by Publetariat

I just finished a book, one I won’t name because I don’t want to be mean. The problem is that the book was really good, at least for the first half. You could tell where the writer either had a deadline or just gave up. I hate that.

It happens sometimes when I play an online game or even in some movies where they changed directors/programmers or hit a deadline and shoved the product out the door. The 1999 remake of the classic 1963 horror movie The Haunting is a perfect example. The original is very suspenseful and keeps you wondering what is going on and who you can trust. The remake started off really good, but if you have seen the 1999 version there is a very clear moment when you can tell they said f’this and decided to go with special effects gimmicks. Too sad, as it ruined the movie! Nothing against special effects, I love a good effects movie and sometimes really bad ones. The thing is to give what you promise.

We have a contract with the people who buy our writing or our services. With writing, you either need to keep the pace or increase the pace, especially because it is hard enough to get people to do nice things and write good reviews. But nothing motivates a reader to write a bad review faster than being disappointed because you didn’t deliver what you promised.

What about you? Have you found any stories or movies where you can tell when someone gave up? Share!

Have a great day!

Paula

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Quick Link: Storyboarding with Scrivener (or, A Love Affair with Virtual Index Cards)

August 30, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

Do you use Scrivener? I have it and I use it sporadically but sporadic is my middle name. It is a great tool for organizing but it can be a bit overwhelming. Gwen Hernandez from Writers UnBoxed has some great tips with lots of pictures on how to use the index card feature of Scrivener better.

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Storyboarding with Scrivener (or, A Love Affair with Virtual Index Cards)

By Gwen Hernandez

Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser—or neither—at some point in your writing process, you can probably benefit from a visual overview of your story. Scrivener’s Corkboard feature is here to help.

Pack up your paper index cards and colored sticky notes, and let’s go virtual.

Understanding Index Cards in Scrivener

Every file in Scrivener has an associated index card. That index card shows up in the Synopsis section of the Inspector (visible in all but the Snapshots and Comments panes), and on the Corkboard. You can use the index card to make note of anything you want—for example, the timeline, setting, characters—but for storyboarding purposes, it makes sense to include a brief synopsis of the scene.

Read the full post on Writers UnBoxed

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A granddaughter’s thoughts on Texas

August 30, 2017 by Publetariat

Both my grandmothers were amazing women in their own right. Both had traveled long distance when they were young ladies and were very independent, especially considering the times they grew up in. It is no wonder that I named my daughter after them in hopes that their spirits would inspire her.

My dad’s mom, Yvonne came from Hemphill, Texas. It is a small town north-east of Houston, small at least when I visited there with her. It was much smaller when she was growing up. She would talk about home with all her brothers and sisters and all the neighbor kids playing together, and she made it sound like heaven. I remember all the little bits of Texas she brought with her to Massachusetts. Thanks to her, I love grits with butter and a little salt and pepper. She used to grow red chili peppers to hang for decoration, quite the rarity at that time and place. She would warn me not to eat them because they were too hot. I promised her I wouldn’t eat them but I didn’t say anything about feeding them to others. It turns out they were quite hot and I would loose a friend until we found someone else to eat one.

When I was just barely a teen we took a road trip down the east coast camping and went back to my Grandmother’s childhood home. It was amazing. I had never seen so much flat earth. We thought the driving was bad, especially for truckers, because we kept seeing long strips of tire on the road. Then my dad stopped and look closer and realized they were snakes that got run over. He never took off his boots after that, even sleeping.

I met family I didn’t know, and they were warm and welcoming. So were their neighbors. And strangers, if you could call someone that friendly a stranger. We did some tourist stuff, and, God, the steaks were amazing. But the best part for me was when I got to get up bright and early and go feed a bottle to a baby calf. I was covered in dirt and slobber soon enough, and it was awesome.

One of the things I thought was the strangest was how comfortable people there were with poisonous things like swimming in a river with water moccasins. The elders got together and talked about the last time it flooded, how they found three rattlesnakes in the chair I was sitting in. Don’t get me started on fire ants. Or flying giant cockroaches.

Texans are tough, they are sweet, and strong, and wonderful. Family means a lot. We drifted apart after that trip, lost any touch when my grandmother passed. But the events of this week makes think of all those people, all those Texans. So, from a granddaughter of a Texan, please keep yourself safe and I am sending as much sunshine from CA as I can and all my best thoughts.

Along with what money we can spare. Cause we are all part of the American family. And that’s what family does.

Google is matching any donations, but it does go to the Red Cross eventually.

Texas Monthly – Here Are Ways You Can Help People During Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey: Here’s How to Help

Have a good day, keep safe

Paula

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Quick Link: How To Get Book Reviews As An Unknown Author

August 29, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

The hardest thing is for a new author to get recognized. There are so many titles out there and other authors trying to get recognized as as well. With a limited number of resources, how do you get started in gathering publicity and reviews? At The Creative Penn, Joanna Penn helps you out with steps you can take.

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How To Get Book Reviews As An Unknown Author

by Joanna Penn

A few months ago, I started a new pen-name and have kept it secret in order to avoid ‘pollution’ of the also-boughts. But it has been SO hard because I have basically started from scratch – with no email list, no street team, no reviews, no platform, no social media.

The pen-name is slowly gathering steam, but it reminds me how hard it is starting out and getting those first reviews can be one of the hardest things.

In today’s article, Jason B. Ladd, author of Book Review Banzai gives some tips on getting reviews as an unknown author.

As an unknown author, getting Amazon reviews for your book is crucial to unlocking its full potential. But it’s not as easy as it sounds.

False Assumptions

You might think that downloads lead to Amazon reviews.

They don’t.

You might not know if Amazon has restrictions on reviews.

They do.

You might think reviews will eventually start rolling in with enough time and word of mouth.

They won’t.

It’s easy to get discouraged. You might think it’s impossible for an unknown author publishing their first book to get any traction with Amazon reviews.

It isn’t.

Read the full post on The Creative Penn

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Six Simple Reasons Our Story Sucks & How to Fix It

We MUST Go Against Our Nature

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What have you got to lose?

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There’s a powerful engine in your book, it’s just a bit hard to find. It’s in every word, and it drives plot and characters and everything else.

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Six Smart Ways Indie Authors Can Collaborate When Marketing

Built your crew? Awesome! Here’s six ways to collaborate.

Swap Valuable Links

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10 Tips for Self-Published Authors

1. Writers’ Cafe on the KBoards Forum

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Social Media for Authors Like, Lurk, Linger

The Liker

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Storyboarding with Scrivener (or, A Love Affair with Virtual Index Cards)

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How To Get Book Reviews As An Unknown Author

False Assumptions

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