tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27934385677589660652024-03-12T17:02:48.347-07:00Write AwayRiver Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.comBlogger188125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-6053548086968677192018-11-06T00:30:00.000-08:002018-11-06T00:30:08.712-08:00Visualizing Characters is Critical
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wSUAXEvo46VKS3e1fMbGWcM0xBaEwzLdMzBfHjrhKUCMY5Ex5KOTn0g9QAdAVT1rQ_YNMdbmgvVxkTdRSP_0EgkaqMXgATiYGnoKiEzRgHbF6ZvR283RI0gBURN_N0XUabTU8yY_6wuD/s1600/Chief+Ari.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wSUAXEvo46VKS3e1fMbGWcM0xBaEwzLdMzBfHjrhKUCMY5Ex5KOTn0g9QAdAVT1rQ_YNMdbmgvVxkTdRSP_0EgkaqMXgATiYGnoKiEzRgHbF6ZvR283RI0gBURN_N0XUabTU8yY_6wuD/s200/Chief+Ari.jpeg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I searched for
photos I could use to remind me of what my main characters are sorta like. I
see Ari as a bit older than the woman in the photo, with a few more pounds on
her, and with a purple streak in her black hair, genetically chosen by her
parents <i>in utero</i>. Dr. Otts--handsome son of a gun, ain’t he?—is perpetually
young looking, in the way of many men. His age is indeterminate. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkC0qcilA-vkwEnm1nRFp668EP2Ec0P3VtkQhFzczCDRReC8BOP8CshvdDIhHYIVX5kR1q7Dx1jsjwbQqz152OpjIoXUrz6g2mNFtHB8qxfmyL0TJj4evpUlmC0YxmzjABTtCVinsAeJx/s1600/Dr.+Robb+Otts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkC0qcilA-vkwEnm1nRFp668EP2Ec0P3VtkQhFzczCDRReC8BOP8CshvdDIhHYIVX5kR1q7Dx1jsjwbQqz152OpjIoXUrz6g2mNFtHB8qxfmyL0TJj4evpUlmC0YxmzjABTtCVinsAeJx/s200/Dr.+Robb+Otts.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Knowing what they
look like allows me to picture them, movie style, in my scenes. I can observe
how Ari moves her arms, what she does with her hands when nervous, and how she
sits at her desk. Of course, I could describe all that, and many do, without
having a picture of her. But I’ve found it’s so much easier to move my
characters around if I know what they look like. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Also, while seeing
photos of Ari and Robb, I can better imagine how they’d look embracing on the
sofa (if they do). Or where her secret tattoo is that Robb discovers (if he
does). Or where he must go every night at precisely 11 o’clock. What part of
his body does he shield from Ari and why?</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">What secrets does
each conceal and why? They look open and honest and forthcoming. But everyone
has secrets. Robb’s will be devastating, initially, to Ari. Her secrets will
not bother him, but they bother her and interfere with creating bonds with
others. I can see that in her face. Guarded. Cautious. All while appearing to
be a free spirit. Appearances can be—and often are—deceiving. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-SfDDPvJciorLX3Jr_N_eHn5Ch8eIVdJC9YJ3ETeuVVec9MAVjUyxE2Dn5tvEZl7rdSNRE-2M2W49_DwnlwnmzESgQLDuTd2qioNE3WyPfKYjLjS9GfFfm1YhTX1sWl5uqZ8t5SPDNHTX/s1600/map1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-SfDDPvJciorLX3Jr_N_eHn5Ch8eIVdJC9YJ3ETeuVVec9MAVjUyxE2Dn5tvEZl7rdSNRE-2M2W49_DwnlwnmzESgQLDuTd2qioNE3WyPfKYjLjS9GfFfm1YhTX1sWl5uqZ8t5SPDNHTX/s200/map1.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJewitgwzSw3aFFGOM8Ievj10VC7u1TnoGDYPTrbB6VgmEtULOjdku-a1-_RQKkdCkPUP7Sldl-zTRgMPuSrJxta_iflMf1PVyhLv7LGpNeeajTRdN9ZiQYaNzJax9HsLlGICci5C6lOl/s1600/Mars+setting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJewitgwzSw3aFFGOM8Ievj10VC7u1TnoGDYPTrbB6VgmEtULOjdku-a1-_RQKkdCkPUP7Sldl-zTRgMPuSrJxta_iflMf1PVyhLv7LGpNeeajTRdN9ZiQYaNzJax9HsLlGICci5C6lOl/s200/Mars+setting.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Since setting, in
scifi, is often cast in a character role, visualizing Mars is a huge deal for
me. I have a map pinned to my office wall, and a globe sits next to my
computer. I use these visuals to imagine Ari’s travels around Mars, the three
colony sites, and the challenges the Mars geology poses. </span></div>
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</style>River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-42627565321018881712018-10-30T00:30:00.000-07:002018-10-30T00:30:05.501-07:00Starting a New Genre
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizcJ8NKLzq12w0qhtuNpTT-RKyIsZAzSu8QDLW-GbsM9hScGi15xc2sHBK34OJ2xSXfQQeJamp3AROIIC5vRqnRoz8cG8MM9Hp-XRe43G2DWKISqppFqV27jbIRC80GDfeZLaMykgl8OVU/s1600/NaNo-2018-Writer-Facebook-Cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizcJ8NKLzq12w0qhtuNpTT-RKyIsZAzSu8QDLW-GbsM9hScGi15xc2sHBK34OJ2xSXfQQeJamp3AROIIC5vRqnRoz8cG8MM9Hp-XRe43G2DWKISqppFqV27jbIRC80GDfeZLaMykgl8OVU/s400/NaNo-2018-Writer-Facebook-Cover.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I am a dilettante
author. I like to say it’s my intellectual curiosity that leads me to try
writing in various genres. I wonder what the challenges are, what the pay off
is, is it possible for me to switch genres successfully. But that would be
lying to myself a little bit. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Sure, those are factors,
but probably a bigger role is played by boredom. Sticking with one thing, doing
it over and over, is not as satisfying to me as striking out with something
new. I’ve said for years, give me a blank page any day over revising and
editing a completed manuscript. I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">say</i>
that I know edits and revisions are the what really make a manuscript
publishable, but, I don’t think, down in my soul, I’m convinced of that.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Starting a new
project always excites me more than finishing an old one. That explains why I
am always working on several manuscripts at once. I love the writing. The fixing,
meh, not so much. I am hesitant, sometimes, to call myself an author because of
that characteristic. I admire my author friends who <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">love</i> fixing their manuscripts. Alas, I am not among them. I do the
fixing, but I am not a gleeful participant. For me, it’s like a dental visit.
Necessary, but to be avoided as long as possible. Not good, I know!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Not to dwell in
anti-matter territory, what’s positive in my predilection to try the new?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Whereas all novels
have essential elements in common (character development, story arc, multi-problem/solution
scenes, and so on), there is the ability to transfer story components to writing
different genres. However, there are also specific elements that make that
genre distinct from any other. I make it a goal to find out all I can about the
new genre I’m attempting before I write the first paragraph.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">An example of an
epic fail on my part, is writing middle school biographies of intrepid women. I
have dozens of women candidates for engaging books. I have passion for my
project. I think it is really important to shine light on women who have gone
unrecognized for so long. However, biography isn’t novel writing. It’s such a
different skill set, informational text writing in a voice appropriate to the
age group and with vocabulary that fits a specific developmental level, that I
have struggled. My text is gasping for life. It’s stilted prose at its worst. I
haven’t given up, but I don’t know when I’ll have the energy to return to
working out the vagaries of the genre.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">But, obstacles and
roadblocks in one genre do not stop me from attempting others! This National
Novel Writing Month, I am joining nearly a half million writers from across the
globe as we set out to “win” NaNoWriMo by writing 50,000 words in 30 days. That’s
1667 words a day. Almost 7 pages. Every day. For 30 straight days. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">This year I am
finally brave enough to attempt a genre I have admired for a long time. I love reading
hard science fiction. That’s science fiction rooted in the science, a novel
that takes the laws of physics and biology as we know them, and pushes forward
to what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">might</i> be possible in the
future. Three authors I recommend for dipping into hard scifi, are Larry K. Collins
(The McGregor Chronicles), Kim Stanley Robinson (Mars trilogy), and Andy Weir (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Martian</i>). Of course, I have a pen
name for my scifi stuff so as not to confuse readers. River Glynn will be
penning and publishing this novel.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">River has spent a
good bit of time reading up on how to colonize space, what the challenges are, what
some solutions might be, and where we are currently in the process of making
space living a reality. In a few days, she’ll get a gauge of whether she can
pull off a hard scifi novel in the first of her Mars Murder Mysteries. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I think River
Glynn has a good story premise and a base from writing contemporary mysteries
with another pen name. She’s done character sketches and plotting. She figures
the worst that can happen is that she can only turn out a soft science fiction
novel. Not the worst thing at all, right? Go, River!</span></div>
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</style>River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-11961696218418646712018-03-20T00:30:00.000-07:002018-03-20T00:30:22.410-07:00Marketing and Promoting Your Book with a Facebook Event, Part 3
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVFJX_kexFZSpgTJL_yVo-rOLGrd7n0T59u-8jXu6DfbgRGHbu8AjsrKQgtvTE4zc9Uzbp-YjyBh-81Gq2cQDSwbRGATTc9kxpt2y-rt7_Ld5DnCoG1YK-M9cX0A15xECsaZY4zz53vKwJ/s1600/Facebooklogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="115" data-original-width="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVFJX_kexFZSpgTJL_yVo-rOLGrd7n0T59u-8jXu6DfbgRGHbu8AjsrKQgtvTE4zc9Uzbp-YjyBh-81Gq2cQDSwbRGATTc9kxpt2y-rt7_Ld5DnCoG1YK-M9cX0A15xECsaZY4zz53vKwJ/s1600/Facebooklogo.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">It gets frantic.
It gets chaotic. It’s hard to keep track of all that’s happening! It’s a blast!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">But if not
well-prepared, the adventure can turn ugly. Nobody shows up. People show up but
leave too early. Your posts are so far in between that people lose interest.
Your posts aren’t engaging so you get little response. Four hours is a very
long time! (Or one, even, if it’s dragging.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve been attending on-line Virtual Book Launch Events for a
few years now. Before I became an author hawking her own books, I never knew
there was such a thing. But, you know, there’s something about the magic of
book contracts and promotion expectations, to thrust one into the midst of
figuring things out. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIb3rwpRsMV6q7tWv4xrmKYE9vNTrYZmxRwd83gq8aGfeC7BQpbcsHjTHjuI5Xo_NDge7wIY4zVLQWxqWXMcNejpobICns05xImNXBaivDPPVj8DFcv6Mt71NC4jwbfxXFxwO7g8bNKCm/s1600/saysomethinganth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIb3rwpRsMV6q7tWv4xrmKYE9vNTrYZmxRwd83gq8aGfeC7BQpbcsHjTHjuI5Xo_NDge7wIY4zVLQWxqWXMcNejpobICns05xImNXBaivDPPVj8DFcv6Mt71NC4jwbfxXFxwO7g8bNKCm/s200/saysomethinganth.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">I was part of a group book launch for our romance anthology
and each of us only were responsible for a segment based on our story in the
collection. It was well-attended and lively.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At each event for other authors I attended, I made note of
what the virtual book launches included. Here’s what I found. Features that
were the same in each of the events were:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Themes</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Cover art displayed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Book blurb
available</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Purchase info
easily found and often presented</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Links to
author pages of various sorts</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Giveaways
(often run by Rafflecopter <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/">www.rafflecopter.com</a>
free basic </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
service, but they
have paid plans with more options); tweet, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
post, share to win</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Video or audio
links (including book trailers for author’s own or others’ </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>books;
might be links to music or YouTube videos of content </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>related
to your book)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Pictures
related to the era/theme/topic </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Some</i> of the
virtual launches also included:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Trivia questions of the era/theme/topic/book
to win prizes</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Pictures of
foods you are “serving”; sometimes with recipes</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Opportunities
to be named in next book, or vote on a character name</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Links to free
stuff on the author’s site--bookmark, excerpts, etc.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Here’s the plan for my Facebook Launch for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pastabilities</i>:</u></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Start the event with the book trailer for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pastabilities</i> and run it once every hour
of the event because some don’t stay the whole time and others arrive late.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Provide links to YouTube cooking videos I made. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Provide links to YouTube videos of short mystery
stories spaced throughout the event hours.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Provide links to YouTube cooking videos I
follow.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Post recipes from the book and accompanying
pictures throughout the event hours.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Share pictures from my Pinterest board of what
characters look like.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Post pictures of Phoenix and Glendale, AZ
throughout the event hours.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Give away free books, recipe cards, and cooking
gadgets.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Post fun
food facts, kitchen gadget reviews, and provocative statements about the book
content.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Post a
link to an excerpt for the second book in the series, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Prime Rib and Punishment</i>.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Post a link to a book club guide for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pastabilities</i> and an offer for me to
participate in one via Skype/Facetime or in person. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Create trivia questions to post about the book,
mysteries, cooking, police </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
procedures, etc.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Create lists of other mystery writers to invite
and questions to ask; feature one or two each hour.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">14)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Prepare a series of tweets and Facebook posts
that you ask friends to post to invite more people to the event.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">15)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>What prizes will I give out for which questions?
(apron, recipe cards, recipe </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
books, signed copies of my books and
others’ book, measuring devices, pot holders, and so on).</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">16)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Create an hour-by-hour outline of
content/contests/videos/and so on.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">17)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Don’t overplan. Allow time for attendees to ask
and respond to questions and to interact with one another.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My big Ah, Ha! was that while writing is a solitary pursuit,
a book launch is a celebratory sharing. People want to be part of that energy!
This post focuses on virtual (as opposed to live event) book launches and what
happens in them. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In last week’s post, I gave you my template for planning a
Facebook event. Do all that first, then start on these items.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Posting plans for the Facebook Book Launch of my culinary
mysteries:</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here is the tentative plan I drafted for the Facebook event
celebrating the re-release of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pastabilities
</i>(formerly<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Mission Impastable</i>) in
the fall<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. </i>I’m planning the event for
one week after the release date I’m given to ensure the book is available.
That’s just a little insurance policy decision based on past experience! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For my Facebook Event, I’ll invite people from my on-line
writing and cooking groups. This is several thousands people. Sadly, the actual
number attending will be much less. However, by asking friends to tweet and
announce my event on Facebook, I have the possibility of many people I don’t
know attending. FB will track invitations and acceptances, but keep the event
public so anyone can drop in.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am planning a
four-hour event. The book cover and buy button will be prominent, as will the
book blurb and early reviews. I’ll post a link my web page, blog, and Twitter
account in a pinned area at the top. When the party is happening, messages
scroll by fast.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the invitation, I’ll tell attendees to bring cream
cheese, chutney, and crackers with them. The first post is a recipe from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pastablilites</i> for a quick appetizer to
munch on throughout the event.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Four Hour Event:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Welcome to all and show book cover. Thank them for
attending. There’s still time to invite other friends to drop in (give the link
to invite others). Give overview of what’s coming up</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Post the recipe for “Alli’s Super Easy and Elegant Cream
Cheese Appetizer” from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mission Impastable</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Post question 1 </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Post the book blurb</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Post early reviews</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Announce prize winner for question 1</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Post question 2</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Food Facts you might not know</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Play book trailer (or reviews, cover, blurbs) for guest
author</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Interview/interaction with a culinary mystery author who
wrote TITLE</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Post a recipe from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pastabilities</i>
with a picture</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Play book trailer for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pastabilities</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Give Pinterest link to the board for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pastabliities’</i> characters and scenes</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Announce prize winner for question 2</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Show YouTube cooking video I made for Hermosillo Salsa.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Post question 3</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Post a link to an excerpt for the second book in the series,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Prime Rib and Punishment</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Post a link to a book club guide for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pastablilities</i> and an offer for </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
me to participate in a book club
meeting via Skype/Facetime or in person.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Play book trailer (or reviews, cover, blurbs) for guest
author</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Interview/interaction with culinary mystery author who wrote
TITLE</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Announce prize winner for question 3 </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Post question 4 (winner announced at beginning of next hour)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Links to short mystery stories on-line</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Share titles and synopses of the six books in the series</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so on.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Continue in this vein--some repetition, some new content.
Your helper person(s) might be in charge of the posted answers to questions and
determining winners as well as managing the posting of on-line videos and other
content like pictures or recipes, freeing you to respond to questions, conduct
interviews, and facilitate interactions with other authors.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next week, in Part 3, I’ll give the nitty gritty of setting
up the actual event on Facebook. See you then! In the meantime, start planning
your event.</div>
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</style>River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-19747686130832851012018-03-13T16:57:00.000-07:002018-03-13T16:57:03.891-07:00Marketing and Promoting Your Book with a Facebook Event, Part 1
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZu0rvl9aj-HYMPfWKOS7DTre0YaS3hAa6ky1paukWi3teQJBPlA0WvOGZK3pKSk6tgHHpB3aA7myOPCx9JmNJNDO8PqC1qywVpxjrA2JOO3eBvYBPR0ZssxqM88ezgDSLdQHnUb4Fw0v/s1600/Facebooklogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="115" data-original-width="115" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZu0rvl9aj-HYMPfWKOS7DTre0YaS3hAa6ky1paukWi3teQJBPlA0WvOGZK3pKSk6tgHHpB3aA7myOPCx9JmNJNDO8PqC1qywVpxjrA2JOO3eBvYBPR0ZssxqM88ezgDSLdQHnUb4Fw0v/s200/Facebooklogo.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">A Facebook author
event is an on-line Facebook page set for a specific time frame and either an
invited or open-to-the-public happening. Most often there are games, giveaways,
contests, and content provided. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">It’s not that planning
and running an author event on Facebook is so difficult, but there are a lot of moving
parts, so I split this post in two with Part I this week and Part II next week.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Part I will focus
on the prep for a Facebook event.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Part II will focus
on how to set it up and what happens during and after the event.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Planning an event or
happening on FB is a little complicated, but not too difficult. Just be
well-planned before you go to set it up, then fill in the blanks. Set it up.
Let ‘er rip.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">With adequate
prep, the event should go off smoothly. But before the event there are decisions to be made and
materials and/or resources to accumulate. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Planning your Facebook Author Event:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">What
kind of event are you planning? </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">A
book launch? A connect-with-you event for fans? An “Author Takeover” event to allow
connection with multiple authors? Fundraiser for some cause important to you
and connected to what you write? </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">In
an Author Takeover, gather a variety of authors in your genre (from around the
world if possible). Or perhaps you are in an anthology. Get those authors to
participate. An example of the fundraiser might be raising money for Desert
Labrador Retriever Rescue if your books feature a rescue dog as an on-going
character.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Name
your event and select a picture to represent the event! Choose something
memorable but short like “Pastabilities Book Launch.” The picture, of course,
would be the book cover. Create a description that is concise, punchy, and use
hashtags to aid in the spreading the word of the event.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Allow
2-3 months prep time.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">You
need this time for planning and gathering materials and resources, but mostly
for building buzz about the upcoming event. Drop hints on your FB author page,
your blog, and your website. Post things like “Save the date! July 15<sup>th</sup>
is a BIG event coming your way.” Or, “Be my date. I want to spend time with you
on July 15<sup>th</sup>? Got a couple of hours?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">If
there are multiple authors involved, set up the schedule for when each must be
available for their part of the event. Have them promote the same way you are
on your social media avenues. Provid them with copy so all they have to do is
copy/paste.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Be
sure to invite those attending to follow you on your FB author page and to
subscribe to your website. Post that information periodically throughout the
event (people come and go) or have it permanently available on the event site.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">What
is your timeframe?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Will
this event be a marathon 24 hours? Happen for two hours? What time frame works
best for your fans in various time zones? What date has the least conflicts
with other stuff in your life?</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Make
it easy for people to attend by making the time and location easy to find. Ask
them to respond to the invitation for attendance and to spread the word to
others.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Who
is going to help?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Even
if this is a “simple” event lasting two hours, you will need at least one other
person to help out. So get a good friend or friends to pitch in. Doing what, you
ask? </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">If
you have contests going on, someone has to monitor the entries and decide on
the winner. If you have a successful event, you will have multiple conversation
threads occurring simultaneously. When people post something, someone on your team
needs to respond quickly. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I
accumulate memes, questions to answer, lists of culinary books and authors, recipes,
cooking tips and hacks, giveaways, polls, mini-mysteries to solve, etc. that
are posted every several minutes. Accumulate enough to post at least 15 times
per hour. See why you need 2-3 months?</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">You have to keep things happening, moving. You </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">want people to stay for a long</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> time and not leave </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">because the event is boring. With so much </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">happening, you need helpers to post and to respond </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">with you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Okay, you’re now
ready to set up and run your Facebook author event. Come back next week to see
how that works. If you have some suggestions to add, please comment below. I’m
always trying to get better at this promo stuff! </span></div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-43382259664886623552018-03-06T17:19:00.003-08:002018-03-06T17:19:35.337-08:0010 Tips for Passive Advertising for Authors
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PZNPyRcanvyvERk1VShy-VeFpj-auwiBZtwbn7uTJ8KMR4pdqvuqgD5nzFuffN-tLwY8xNAFJV4UIfGlBAsRtFiJe6j7sQ6mWapyOgU-WzOFyUnDJhoxkH8vm2xqKJxCr7SkBbHk0UPJ/s1600/marketing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="283" data-original-width="424" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PZNPyRcanvyvERk1VShy-VeFpj-auwiBZtwbn7uTJ8KMR4pdqvuqgD5nzFuffN-tLwY8xNAFJV4UIfGlBAsRtFiJe6j7sQ6mWapyOgU-WzOFyUnDJhoxkH8vm2xqKJxCr7SkBbHk0UPJ/s200/marketing.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Marketing a book
requires more than picking out your business cards and setting up a Fan Page on
Facebook. One big area authors often neglect is identifying a budget for marketing.
How much do you have available to spend and where will you spend it?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Of course, we all
know that the best advertising is word of mouth because you wrote an incredible
book. That’s a given. But what else can you do?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">There are two
types of marketing in any business, and book selling is no different: active
and passive advertising.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Active marketing
is aggressive, requires campaigns, money and people resources, and is
deliberate and purposeful. The point is to make each dollar and each hour spent
return more than was spent.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">In passive
marketing, authors create materials/experiences and then let them spread the
word in an on-going, rather than event, way. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Sometimes authors
combine active and passive advertising, and, in fact, I think they should.
Before a book’s release and immediately after, the author should assign a major
part of marketing dollars to spread the word on availability. Linked to
simultaneous passive advertising, the author should see some effect from the
efforts. One of the hardest areas to gauge is the effect of various marketing
strategies on sales given the lag time for sales data. And who knows who might
later remember your book when going through paperwork and happening on your
business card? How would you know that new sale was tied to the card?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">This post focuses
on passive advertising. We want to create maximum exposure with minimal effort
or money. Here are xxx ideas for you to try, too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">1) One of the
first recommendations here is to establish a <u>Fan Page on Facebook</u>. This
is a place to interact with your readers, link to your blog posts, announce
book signings and book releases, share content connected to the kind of book
you write, and keep readers updated with what’s going on in your personal life
and your writing. You can link readers to your website and blog to expand the
content available to them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">A Caution</span></u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">: do provide more related content than
in-your-face book selling. Nobody will come to your fan page to see you running
the same book ads continually and solely.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0gDLOgKP2LjHEi-090k7b49Xa_oM_-1szMQV1AxJxKg5K-37AdJ4PzB-pbR3Gh7iCR6PSAuLFA46k8VaH2TzhjZeelzdMqNXzTCP51nY8X7aZM1waKnnIP7f41Nxi3B5O2-F1UwFQXzII/s1600/back+of+cards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0gDLOgKP2LjHEi-090k7b49Xa_oM_-1szMQV1AxJxKg5K-37AdJ4PzB-pbR3Gh7iCR6PSAuLFA46k8VaH2TzhjZeelzdMqNXzTCP51nY8X7aZM1waKnnIP7f41Nxi3B5O2-F1UwFQXzII/s200/back+of+cards.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">2) My <u>business
cards</u> take advantage of the <a href="http://samwriteaway.blogspot.com/2014/02/writers-sell-that-real-estate.html">valuable real estate on the back </a>of the cards. See
what I wrote about business cards when my first two books were published. Rather
than use the back to list more about me or about my books (list of books,
synopsis, etc.), I created content related to each book and gave people a reason
to keep my card rather than trashing it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">For my culinary
mystery, I printed a recipe on the back from the book title on the front. It’s an
easy recipe that even kids could make. And it’s delicious and fast. A quick and
cheap dinner recipe is content to keep!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">For my erotic
romance, I listed my protagonist’s “Top Ten Sex Tips.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That</i> gets peoples’ attention, and I give away lots of those cards.
Some people even ask for additional ones to give to friends. Now that is
passive advertising!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Here’s a tip from
an author friend of mine. When dining out, write a brief thank you to your
server on a business card and leave with the tip. You never know who might see
that card!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">A Caution</span></u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">: Make sure the content is engaging enough
that people will hang onto your business card and make sure the content
connects to the content of your novel.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fFg8xTrtR9Z82DftI3kVKcp5LPghdsS3K_fCsfcVDh9d_iDJPfBECm3cAic9BamTRTR2OpZK6YNvLAjiGAPajpoUKR9UZka2_NTuCtiIAeYaXdCvHPrGFNt6VxmQ5YhxtR39sKRlLUhR/s1600/car+magnet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fFg8xTrtR9Z82DftI3kVKcp5LPghdsS3K_fCsfcVDh9d_iDJPfBECm3cAic9BamTRTR2OpZK6YNvLAjiGAPajpoUKR9UZka2_NTuCtiIAeYaXdCvHPrGFNt6VxmQ5YhxtR39sKRlLUhR/s200/car+magnet.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">3) When I first
saw the ad for <u>car magnets</u>, I knew I had to have them. They come two in
a package and in different sizes. Lots of printing companies provide them.
Probably your business card vendor has them available. The book title and your
name should attract attention. I’ve had people in the grocery store parking lot
ask me about my book.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">A Caution</span></u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">: Getting the right size graphic to fit the
space was a challenge for me. You don’t want to cut off your name or the title.
I am spatially challenged on a good day. On a bad day . . . well, don’t ask.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6Fj5kZRCpzuQCI39V9wuIO8sj0nY8uXhssyjx08lCMV7BCJk-qo9A0loKVFkMHOnYp2gSOPLphVXoFQSjN02FpQZwRwqWAfuWbCvb8T_20WyE31kUcBgpWhI6onllPNsGmC9JkmbHMbg/s1600/pens+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6Fj5kZRCpzuQCI39V9wuIO8sj0nY8uXhssyjx08lCMV7BCJk-qo9A0loKVFkMHOnYp2gSOPLphVXoFQSjN02FpQZwRwqWAfuWbCvb8T_20WyE31kUcBgpWhI6onllPNsGmC9JkmbHMbg/s200/pens+2.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">4)<u> Pens</u> and
other swag have been around a long time, but don’t discount them just because
they’re not a new idea. People love getting useful stuff. I get pens printed
with my book titles and names and hand them out in lots of venues. Again, there
are lots of sources for stuff like this. My advice to go with a middle of the
road pen, pricewise. Too cheap and they give out early, frustrating your
potential customers. Too expensive and it’s not cost effective to give them out
at book signings and other events.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">5) Include your
author name, book title, and publisher in your <u>e-mail signature</u>. Very
easy to do and as passive as can be, not to mention free!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">6) <u>Seek more book
reviews</u>. If you have 20, set a goal for 50. If you have 50, set a goal for
100. On Amazon, we all look to see how many reviews (and the rating) that books
we’re considering have. We are more likely to buy a book that a lot of people
read and reviewed than one that few or none have read and reviewed. I don’t
know the ratio of books read to how many end of being reviewed, but I know that
more read than read and review. So if I see a book with 50 reviews, I would
guess that thousands read the book. That gets my attention. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">There are services
that will provide you lists of people who review books like yours. Consider
spending some of your marketing dollars on a service, then contact those people
to ask for reviews. Once you have done that, the reviews that follow provide
you with passive advertising for years to come as people dip into past articles
and find you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">7) <u>Seek more
followers on your Fan Page</u>. Keep building your list of people who follow
your author page on Facebook (or Twitter or other social media sites you use).
Continually add to your list by posting a request to be followed in various
groups you belong to. The more people who see your Facebook listings the more
potential book buyers you have. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">By the way, do you
follow me on Facebook? I’d appreciate it if you would. I have four Fan Pages
for the different genres I write:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">https://www.facebook.com/SharonArthurMooreAuthor/</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">https://www.facebook.com/RomanceRighter/</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">https://www.facebook.com/RiverGlynnAuthor/</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">https://www.facebook.com/carolineadamswriter/</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">8) <u>Guest blog</u>
to get exposure beyond your own fan base. Provide a link to your website, blog,
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook pages, and how to buy. Each person you guest blog
for has a set of readers who are likely unfamiliar with you. Give them good
content and a way to connect to get more followers and buyers. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">9) Set up a <u>Pinterest</u>
page with a story board for each book. Also provide content on other boards
that relate to your book contents. I have recipes and cooking tips on my site
for the culinary mysteries as well as beauty tips and elegant clothing for my
romances. Check mine out (and follow me, please) at:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">https://www.pinterest.com/authorsam/</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">10) <u>Create a short
PDF book </u>to give away on your website or when people subscribe to your
newsletter. Once the book is done, the passive part kicks in. The book can be
past blog posts collected on a topic like how to keep romance alive or recipes
you posted. It is sent to them for following you or for participating in a
contest or as a bonus if they send proof of a book purchase. Make sure the free
booklet has your book titles and how to buy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">There are lots
more ways to passively advertise your work. Please share your favorites below. I’m
always looking for ideas!</span></div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-59457339384058827262018-02-27T16:00:00.001-08:002018-02-27T16:00:10.654-08:00Newsletter: Black, White, and Blue All Over
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickL1vUH4rnc4GIwSgmLmPIO0fQHSXHrlz53VfacZN6U8ejYKpGBaIBuyyJBw8uwbzZIumqJl9PQLtBI3RK8Ftqq0c4jjAYrsXdydYzGb18yOCQZlQ4cs5Hxou389wdyXHEwnU9kN6g5bq/s1600/MurderswithTaste.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="283" data-original-width="424" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickL1vUH4rnc4GIwSgmLmPIO0fQHSXHrlz53VfacZN6U8ejYKpGBaIBuyyJBw8uwbzZIumqJl9PQLtBI3RK8Ftqq0c4jjAYrsXdydYzGb18yOCQZlQ4cs5Hxou389wdyXHEwnU9kN6g5bq/s320/MurderswithTaste.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">An apology. I have been remiss in posting
here. My daily Month-of-Recipes on another blog interfered with keeping up with
the other three blogs. But, I’m back and will post weekly again.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I’ve been working
on the development of a monthly newsletter, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Murders
with Taste</i>. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The newsletter will include information about my
books, upcoming events, the occasional book review, and a recipe or kitchen
hack, among other things. Isn't the graphic for the newsletter too, cute? I think it signals "cozy mystery" very well.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">So what’s the problem?
Why am I blue? Well. Here goes. My confession. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I’ve never had a
natural affinity for spread sheets or desk top publishing programs. I’m pretty
good with Word, and that’s about all I can claim.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">When my new
publisher suggested her authors should all consider doing a periodic
newsletter, I perked up. I love new projects. I love the challenge of
identifying interesting content. I can work to deadlines (I write two monthly
food columns). And I love new projects. Did I already say that?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">How hard could it
be, I told myself. Writing content is pretty easy for me. After all I keep up
with four blogs weekly, what’s the big deal about a short monthly newsletter?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Uh, a lot, as it
turns out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I didn’t even <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">know</i> the questions I needed to ask until
I hit the hurdles, road blocks, and detour signs. I thought I had done my due
diligence. I had read newsletters. I read about how to produce newsletters, but
there were a few gaps between reading about and doing that had escaped me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">The articles I
read about producing newsletters were about creating fresh content and keeping
the newsletter a balance of news and promotion and using appealing graphics.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">But, um, how do
you get readers? How do you let people know you exist? How do people have 10K
subscribers?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">So I read a few
more articles about how to attract followers to your blog/website/Facebook
page, et al. I attended a couple of workshops on social media and how to build
a following.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Here’s a news
flash: This.Does.Not.Happen.Overnight.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Yeah, naïve of me,
eh?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">So I put out a
call to get people on my mailing list and I finally (after viewing a tutorial)
learned how to add names in MailChimp. I do not know a whole bunch of other
stuff, however. For example, can I just send the newsletter to new subscribers
after the initial mail out or do they have to wait until the next month. And
there’s more, but I won’t bore you with what I’m still trying to figure out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I also learned, to
my dismay, that I must use the publishing program in MailChimp. I can’t create
it in Word and import it. See above for me and desk top publishing issues. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I also would like
to use MailChimp for mailing to subscribers content that isn’t created in the
Mail Chimp program. But at this point, I can’t see a way to do it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">So the newsletter
is done—content-wise. I can’t get the formatting right. I can’t get the
pictures/graphics right. And I am very frustrated. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I learn best by
doing with someone who know what to do. I read well, but there’s a big step
(for me) from reading how to do and learning how to do. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I’m a pretty
visual person. So show me. Don’t tell me. Don’t give me only written
instructions. Written instructions work best (for me) as a back-up, a reminder
of what I was shown to do.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Oh, and so much
more is tripping me up. Can you tell I’m frustrated?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">So, if you’re one
of those already subscribed to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Murders
with Taste</i>, I apologize that a newsletter I wanted to publish in
mid-January still isn’t available. I am working on it, but it’s like working in
the dark.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Hey, are you
interested in subscribing to my short monthly newsletter? If so, give me your
e-mail address, and I’ll pop you into MailChimp. This will happen. I promise!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Facebook:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> Have you struggled with creating, publishing, and distributing a
newsletter? Have you had any of these struggles or are yours different? Sharon Arthur Moore bares her pages
for you. http://bit.ly/2FdnpuJ</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> #Authors, have you created a newsletter? Did you struggle with these
issues as @Good2Tweat describes? http://bit.ly/2FdnpuJ</span></div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-48106791131431049252018-02-06T00:30:00.000-08:002018-02-06T00:30:12.843-08:00Facebook Author Pages
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRV7vGZqGdNwbE_vLZgLphjO0DhuddQG-3yImEJh6lgsjXuD8-MU1E31lbiu9IMy0uQ8eeCAqNCeOvDlz493KGZwBZQes4JOPuLHCeyQAQNh5f6mg9_tDg4zG8T69s6FhqRDCoZUo-hwXh/s1600/Facebooklogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="115" data-original-width="115" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRV7vGZqGdNwbE_vLZgLphjO0DhuddQG-3yImEJh6lgsjXuD8-MU1E31lbiu9IMy0uQ8eeCAqNCeOvDlz493KGZwBZQes4JOPuLHCeyQAQNh5f6mg9_tDg4zG8T69s6FhqRDCoZUo-hwXh/s200/Facebooklogo.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I’ve mentioned in
this series of posts that I’ve been attending workshops, reading books, and
finding articles about using social media outlets as an author. “Marketing R Us”
should be emblazoned on any work about becoming a writer. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Don’t like it? That’s
kinda too bad. ‘Cause this is the reality for a professional writer. And that’s
you, right? Professional writers do what they must in the craft and business
parts of the professional writer’s life.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">One aspect that I’m
paying more attention to after one such workshop, is my Facebook Author Pages.
That’s right. Pages. When you write more than one genre, you need an identity
for each, even the as-yet unpublished ones. I subscribe to Christina Katz’s
perspective, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Get-Known-Before-Book-Deal/dp/158297554X"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Get Known Before the Book Deal</i></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">That book was the
first book I read on marketing. The year was 2010. She convinced me since I
wasn’t known and had no book deals yet. Since then, I’ve published with two
traditional, if small, presses and will publish with a third this fall. I’m a
believer.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Back to Facebook
Author Pages, I didn’t have all four at first. In fact, number four, Caroline
Adams Writer, was added this summer. I think by next summer, I may add number
five, Olivia Lucas, who writes women’s fiction.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">By the way, I’d love
it if you’d follow me on all four! Links below. Is that a cheeky ask, or what? Just click on a name to go to the Facebook author page.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">So what do they
all write, in the order I created the pages, and what do I post for each of
them every day? As a side note, the postings I suggest here also work for
Twitter! Get a two-fer by posting the same content both places.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SharonArthurMooreAuthor/"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Sharon Arthur Moore-Author </span></u></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">writes cozy culinary
mysteries. Her first book, now unavailable, was MISSION IMPASTABLE. The book will
be re-issued from a different publisher as PASTABILITIES this fall. The “Murders
with Taste” series is planned as a six-book series with recipes that mostly
reflect the titles. A second culinary mystery series (in the planning stages) will
be set in Alaska. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">She belongs to
several affinity groups on FB related to mystery writing and to cooking. On her
FB page, she posts recipes, mystery book links, food holidays, and cooking
tools and facts. She is also starting a newsletter she is trying to get
subscribers for.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/RomanceRighter/"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Angelica French</span></u></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> writes about relationships: romantic,
familial, friendship, and business. She is all about communication and empathy.
Her first book is an erotic romance (180 degrees from culinary mysteries, thus
the need for a pen name. STREETWALKER is a story of trust and redemption. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">She belongs to
several Facebook affinity groups for romance writers. On Angelica’s FB page, I
post links to books I get from other Facebook groups, articles I find online,
and links to articles about popular culture. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/RiverGlynnAuthor/"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">River Glynn-Author</span></u></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> has a bit of
an identity crisis. She is, as yet, unpublished, but she’s written a novel with
a ghost story and has written a full-length play with a “ghost” in it. She also
likes science and science fiction and has some books outlined for topics like
the Voynich Document and a future dystopian society. River is also a high
fantasy fan and would love to do a fantasy series with paranormal elements. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">She belongs to
some FB paranormal groups and also follows a lot of them as well as science
folks on Twitter. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">She posts science
events (past and present), weird holidays, links to paranormal, scifi, and
fantasy books, links to articles about science facts and paranormal tales.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/carolineadamswriter/"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Caroline Adams Writer</span></u></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> is my newest
persona. She writes historical fiction and Intrepid Women biographies for
middle grade readers. She has an historical fiction romance, LUCINDA, that is
as-yet unpublished, though there has been some interest in her work from agents
and editors at conferences. She wants to write about a Singuan woman she thinks
was one of her previous incarnations. She also has plans for a
Viking-settlement historical fiction novel. She is fascinated by many eras in
history. Too many? Possibly. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Caroline belongs
to historical fiction affinity groups on FB. I post for her links to historical
fiction books, archaeology finds, articles about historical eras, and
historical trivia facts. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">See, it’s easy to
find stuff to post for your FB author page and Twitter. Just keep the focus for your persona.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">FACEBOOK:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> Authors, do you struggle with what content to post on your FB author page
or Twitter beyond links to buy your books? Struggle no more with these
suggestions that will help. http://bit.ly/2EjWU6b</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">TWITTER:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> #Authors sometime struggle with what to post on Facebook and Twitter
that isn’t just links to their own books. Try some of these ideas from
@Good2Tweat. http://bit.ly/2EjWU6b</span></div>
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River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-21141847892662975032018-01-30T00:30:00.000-08:002018-01-30T00:30:46.353-08:0010 Tips to Build Your E-Mail List
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGpnwNp9sd1c5xCIyFt7jB_jJdbVuwlHctoJigJH_0OKCthsRLS5SGxYdnXQcJQKIhdq72jY2gSy3_ZLdYRDagH9Ggc9nb1CxK_Uv72orLh9ITn5xuPqrEJRCjq4Deb5WW4xzZeShzSpW/s1600/email+list.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="420" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGpnwNp9sd1c5xCIyFt7jB_jJdbVuwlHctoJigJH_0OKCthsRLS5SGxYdnXQcJQKIhdq72jY2gSy3_ZLdYRDagH9Ggc9nb1CxK_Uv72orLh9ITn5xuPqrEJRCjq4Deb5WW4xzZeShzSpW/s200/email+list.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">BookBaby says your
number one marketing goal is to build your email list.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">If you’re an
author, and not just an indie one, you know the mantra about the need to have a
mail list. This is a tidy way to contact your followers, and most of us don’t
spam readers with multiple e-mails in a month. And we NEVER sell or share our
lists. Readers have an expectation of our professionalism when handling private
information and taking their valuable time. We honor that.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">In fact, quite the
opposite of too many emails, lots of authors start a monthly newsletter and
after a while it ends up being “periodic”. There’s just so darn much to do as
an author and we have the same 24 hours the rest of the world has. But somehow
it seems we’re supposed to fill all 26 of them.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Being able to get
in touch quickly and easily with a large number of people is important to
authors. So, I buy books on social media presence and attend workshop sessions
in an effort to learn how to build a list organically. I might be able to buy
email addresses, but really??? I want fans and followers, not bots.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">So, one very
important tip I’ve picked up is to have sign-up buttons everywhere. Now, have I
done that, yet? Umm. No. But I’m working on it. Give me a break. I’m still
figuring out MailChimp!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">So on MailChimp, I
can get a url that I can attach to social media sites I have (website,
Facebook, Twitter, et al.) so that folks just click and they are added to my
email subscribers list. So, I’ll figure that out and do it.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">The other
important piece, however, and this is the hard part, is how do folks know you
exist with this amazing content?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">One of the most
interesting ways I’ve found is from Jeff Goins (whom I subscribe to for
marketing tips. Contact him at jeffATjeffgoinswriterDOTcom) and an interview
with a guy who went from 0 subscribers to tens of thousands. In a short time.
With almost no effort.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Did that get my
attention? Oh, yeah!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">His guest
interviewee, Benjamin Hardy took blog posts that had lots of hits and posted
them on medium.com. He was discovered there. And with the url button available
he got thousands and thousands and thousands of people following him on his
website and blog. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Let me repeat. He
took content he already produced and re-posted it. And sometimes, he tweaked it
a bit and re-posted it again. He has a huge following on medium.com now.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Of course, I did
it, too. I have not been discovered. Yet. By the same token, Ben said he wasn’t
discovered immediately. He kept posting. Once one post hit big, he grew
incrementally. And, I have only put up a few posts. My new marketing plan
includes posting once a week at medium.com. Easy peasy since the posts are
done. A past post that has 500 to 1000 page views should attract attention on
medium.com, too.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">What are some
other tips on building an e-mail list that I’ve garnered? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Put a
link at the back of your book for readers to follow and click to be subscribed.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Good
content in a newsletter gets shared and your name gets out. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Keep
your content relevant, not overselling your books, and keep it interesting.
Word will spread. In fact, ask people to share your newsletter with others.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Offer
something of value when someone subscribes and require e-mail to get it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">(I
am creating a PDF of recipes for one mail list. Another blog post is coming on
this one.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">An
informative blog is the most common way to grow an e-mail list since people
liking your content will often subscribe and tell others about you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Put an
e-mail opt-in form on your website.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Seek
guest blogging opportunities and let people know they can be on your list.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Encourage
people to forward your newsletter so others will read it and subscribe.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Vlog
and give your address for e-mail opt-in to get more content.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Create
a closed section on your site that can only be accessed by members who gave an
e-mail address.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Collect e-mail addresses at events like book
signings.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Facebook:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> Need tips on building your e-mail list? Here are ten ideas Sharon
Arthur Moore culled to share. http://bit.ly/2BCJrkz</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> 10 tips for #writers for building an e-mail list from @Good2Tweat http://bit.ly/2BCJrkz</span></div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-32793841565180976802018-01-23T05:46:00.001-08:002018-01-23T05:46:04.677-08:00Professional Development for the Professional Writer
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnarBBsijn4_dw4O3iVrWHf9zmBgFvqORgYY16LvwI19w801243j7zl6gtgsoLLjA_PVmDORXS_MdFHxZDUNJO-vzQjRYTzkuKMN6HCue1kh6mE9YWVABBQh9HgyVKMP4umFJGcHgtK8NH/s1600/marketing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="283" data-original-width="424" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnarBBsijn4_dw4O3iVrWHf9zmBgFvqORgYY16LvwI19w801243j7zl6gtgsoLLjA_PVmDORXS_MdFHxZDUNJO-vzQjRYTzkuKMN6HCue1kh6mE9YWVABBQh9HgyVKMP4umFJGcHgtK8NH/s400/marketing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I attended another
workshop on marketing and promotion last Saturday run by Holly Roberts, USA
Today Best Seller author. We can never get enough of this stuff, right? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">In the fall, I
attended one at our local Historical Novel Society meeting. I paid nothing for
this one and gained a purse full of gold from Marylee McDonald’s stellar presentation.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I buy books on
marketing and promotion. I read articles on marketing and promotion. I take
classes when I can. Since this is not an area I feel confident in, I seek the
information from knowledgeable others. As a professional writer, I have a responsibility
to keep learning and growing. It’s my career, so I must assume the bulk of the
responsibility for my success while being grateful for support from my
publishers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Every source says
first write a good book. Well, I try. I do the best I can, but when I compare
myself to Louise Penny, Jaqueline Winspear, Diane Mott Davidson, and others, I
can see that my writing is not at that level. Yet. But I’m working on it.
Honest.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">However, the
marketing thing can take over your life. At last Saturday’s Holly Roberts’ workshop,
I learned so much about how to create a compelling ad, what I need to do on
Facebook, and more. With four Facebook author pages, I need to up my game and
post more content on each. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Okaaaay! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">To figure out,
maybe, how to be more efficient while being more effective with marketing and
promotion, I am “attending” a Facebook group’s marketing strategies week-long
focus beginning next week. For free! Maybe this one will be the magic bullet.
Care to join me? Check out the <a href="https://weavinginfluencelab.com/12minutechallenge/">12-Minute Book Launch Challenge</a> for yourself. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I’ll be writing a
limited series of what I’m learning/have learned about marketing and promotion.
Come back next week for tips on building your mailing list and how to use it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">What are you doing
that’s been effective for marketing your books without sucking up your whole
life? Please share below.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Facebook:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> Are you struggling with the book marketing energy-time drain, too? Commiserate
with Sharon Arthur Moore at http://bit.ly/2F6ntIO</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> Are you struggling with the book marketing energy-time drain, too? Commiserate
with @Good2Tweat at http://bit.ly/2F6ntIO</span></div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-59117956844259982972018-01-16T05:08:00.002-08:002018-01-16T05:08:53.174-08:00The Professional Writer Makes Money
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8jYOctrqlk6ZgXzq1OgA33n2wFCIEG5SzLGp8U381ZdHOBvo69CWGgykq6_5q1FR-nOOuEEyBLP4GRk9YgJeGw64G5bupmo7tK-JY2CJkEvH2EYRk-Rtb11JYLSewOrVnIF_XEhDwhAdw/s1600/Stopwishing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="283" data-original-width="424" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8jYOctrqlk6ZgXzq1OgA33n2wFCIEG5SzLGp8U381ZdHOBvo69CWGgykq6_5q1FR-nOOuEEyBLP4GRk9YgJeGw64G5bupmo7tK-JY2CJkEvH2EYRk-Rtb11JYLSewOrVnIF_XEhDwhAdw/s320/Stopwishing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Well, that’s the
idea, isn’t it? We write these tomes, and we would like to be paid a working
wage. In fact, many of us don’t consider ourselves “professional writers” until
we’ve pulled down some royalties.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">But the odds of making
a living from writing are slim. And there is no one to petition to raise our
minimum wage. Marketplace purchases decide your royalties.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Here are some
facts I gathered from online research of surveys and polls about writers’ incomes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">One in ten authors
can make a living from their writing without a supporting, secondary job. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">The typical writer
earns less than minimum wage.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">17% of authors earn
$0 a year despite 98% of them having something recently published.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">5% of authors earn
42.3% of all writing income. That’s 95% of us sharing the remainder. Talk about
the haves and the have nots.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Women writers earn
80% of what male writers earn.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">77% of indie authors
made $1000 a year.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">1.3% of
traditionally published authors earned $100,000 a year. But only 0.07% of indie
published authors earned that amount.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Oh, there are more
of these discouraging stats, but why go on. Your writing is almost certainly
not going to support you. If it does, well, bully for you. For the rest of us,
we’d better have a back-up plan.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">These stats are
the reason that fewer presses give advances to new authors. Most new authors
don’t earn out the advance in future royalties. The publishers gave more
generously in the past because the expectation of future books was that over
time the money for the advance on the first book would be recovered by the
publisher.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">So what do writers
turn to for earning a living wage while waiting to get into the 1.3% who do
succeed financially?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">The majority of
writers I know have a job unrelated to writing. But the mortgage gets paid and
the kids have milk to drink. In their “spare time” they crank out their books
and indie or traditionally publish them. The dribbling royalties justify their
identity as professional writer. I tell folks rude enough to ask what I earn
that my royalties are in the hundreds not the tens of thousands.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">A very large
number of my professional writing friends supplement royalties by providing
editing services for other writers. These are professionals who are using their
talents with others’ words. That service is almost certainly going to return
more than royalties. So some authors are able to quit their day jobs and focus
on their own writing and ancillary writing, keeping, thus, to the same field.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">A smaller number
of professional writers I know of supplement royalties by offering other
services and/or teaching on-line and in-person classes. I’m hoping to be in the
latter category.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I was an educator
for thirty-nine years. Even as an administrator, I taught whenever I had the
opportunity. It’s in my blood. Therefore, teaching writing classes, for me, is
not just about being a professional writer who is paid for her expertise (if
not her writing), but it gives me pleasure to be part of another’s
understanding of complex materials.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I have approached
Writer University with a couple of ideas. Writer University is not just any
on-line writing classes group. It began in 2005 when Mary Buckham and Laurie Schnebley
Campbell connected over their desire to create quality, affordable on-line
classes for writers. They have expanded course offerings and instructors over
the years, but the quality remains at the same high level they always
envisioned.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">The classes are in the categories of business/craft
classes, basics, master classes, super classes, and private classes. The topics
range from plotting to writing synopses to working on the first draft to so
much more. The classes are two- or four-week experiences. And the price is
right! Most classes are as low as $35 for four weeks of instruction and
targeted homework. These are some of the best classes I have ever taken for any
price.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I would love to
teach classes for this group. So, wish me luck as I plan and try out a course
or two. I’ll be looking for a few hardy folks who want to take the class to
help me refine it before making it a general offering. Are you one of them?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Please spread the
word about this post. Thanks so much!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Facebook:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> Can you earn a living from royalties as an author? Well, maybe, but it’s
not likely. So how do writers make money? http://bit.ly/2EKYWZI</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"> #Writers, tired of trying to live off paltry royalties? There are
other ways to use your writing expertise and get paid for it. http://bit.ly/2EKYWZI</span></div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-84829674779103749652018-01-09T00:30:00.000-08:002018-01-09T00:30:40.124-08:005 Strategies to Build Better Writing Habits
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxFw_YCZImTaah6BvnCzp6acIuQ-6cIiMvzobtp1AeKstNqqBigtDPXRsQ2CYah0yXrZxAYPu5Xmc2GJvJKLQOCSWTcs-e43f7dGU-uCDc2PpUvVynEGswU434tEOf0NxxVexJljU4FQKl/s1600/resolutions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="292" data-original-width="411" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxFw_YCZImTaah6BvnCzp6acIuQ-6cIiMvzobtp1AeKstNqqBigtDPXRsQ2CYah0yXrZxAYPu5Xmc2GJvJKLQOCSWTcs-e43f7dGU-uCDc2PpUvVynEGswU434tEOf0NxxVexJljU4FQKl/s200/resolutions.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">You’d think
aligned writing goals and priorities would be a given for a professional
writer, but that ain’t necessarily so. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">[Hand up] I’m one
who struggles with the alignment, and you may be, too. Even though I know
accomplishing writing goals is integrally tied to priorities I set for writing,
it’s more difficult to do than to say. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Okay, so I know
morning is my best writing time. I know I need to stay off social media/e-mail
until I get my writing done. But . . . What if one of my children sent me an e-mail?
What if my publisher is doing an impromptu interview with a fellow author? Do I
want to miss those? Uh, no.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">But will the world
end if I do miss them? Uh, no.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Jeff Goins says
that’s one of the problems. We are trying to align goals and priorities, when,
in reality, we need to align habits and priorities. Habits are what gets the
job done, not lofty goals you post on a list in your workstation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jeff Goins, whose e-mail list I subscribe to, says you <a href="https://goinswriter.com/set-habits?inf_contact_key=07728e5265b30923a432906e269744ec3cbb7afc2d20783d3a678243ed">need to set habits, not goals</a> to accomplish what you want. Goals are too easily put
off, delayed, excused. But by selecting the right habits, the goals will fall
into place.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, we all know from trying to break a bad habit or
trying to implement a new regime that habit-forming behaviors are as difficult
to create as it is to break old destructive habits. It can take 30-60 days to
break a habit. It also takes about 60 days to form a new habit. So, you’re
right. This is hard stuff to do. You have to ask yourself, how much do you want
the habit gone or the habit developed. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Terry Gross’ NPR program, <i>Fresh Air</i>, her guest, Charles
Duhigg, shared <a href="https://www.npr.org/2012/03/05/147192599/habits-how-they-form-and-how-to-break-them">how habits form and how to break them</a>. He says habit formation
is a three-part loop process.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the first part, there’s a trigger cueing the behavior to
begin. Then the habit starts, the behavior, and finally, there’s the reward for
doing something your brain likes and wants you to repeat.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The best way to begin a new habit, Duhigg says, is to start
on vacation or someplace not your usual venue so that the cueing trigger for
the old behavior isn’t there. He also says that understanding the structure of
habitual behaviors is a major key to changing them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You will need strategies, new cueing systems, you use
consistently to form the new habit while breaking the old. Here are a few
suggestions:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Set a timer. Tell yourself you will only do the
new behavior for twenty minutes. Then at the end, of the time, evaluate whether
to keep going or whether to stop . . . until the next time you set the timer
for twenty minutes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Don’t access the Internet when you turn on the
computer. Because it’s a habit to turn on the computer and click on Firefox, it
happens almost before I know it. One way is to leave the computer on in sleep
mode with the writing you were working on left on the desktop. You turn on the
computer and what faces you is your project, not your e-mail.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Make a “sticky” cue. The term, sticky, came into
use to describe things that you remember more easily based on the book, <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Made-Stick-Ideas-Survive-Others/dp/1400064287/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1515123631&sr=1-1&keywords=making+things+stick"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die</i></a> (Chip Heath and Dan Heath). The notion is that you create an
image or a mantra to help you attach the cue to the new behavior. For example,
you might say to yourself at the start of your writing day, “Professional
writers work first and play later.” Or, “Professional writers produce xx pages/words
each day.” By envisioning your ultimate goal, being a professional writer, you
made your cue for the writing behavior “sticky.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph">
Another way to make a sticky cue is to visualize
yourself writing and completing pages when you first sit down to write. Take a
minute or so and “see” yourself writing and being successful. Build the image,
and it will come!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Control your environment to limit distractions.
If the Internet is not on, if you open your computer to your work-in-progress,
if you keep a list of your new writing habits on a piece of paper in front of
you, you’ll be more successful.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>When the new habit breaks down, sometimes called
the “What the hell” Effect, step back and examine just when you decided not to
follow through on your new habit. What was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i>
cue trigger? Then press the rewind button. Go back to right before you decided
not to use the new habit and try again. Examining the breakdown should give you
a strategy for a new trigger cue. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph">
Use the If. . . then strategy. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">If</b> you want to start on a new story because you’re tired of working
on your old one, tell yourself, you only have to work on the old one ten
minutes <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">then</b> set the timer.
Intervene. Break through the breakdown. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Facebook:</b> Making
and breaking writing habits is as hard as making New Year’s Resolutions. Use
these five strategies to be a more productive writer in 2018. http://bit.ly/2CD5p8v</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Twitter</b>: 5 ways
to build #sticky #writing habits that last http://bit.ly/2CD5p8v</div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-55798662454199512222018-01-02T00:30:00.000-08:002018-01-03T05:35:55.072-08:00The Year of Writing Dangerously<style>
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</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qqSKBYf-zm3GHcSXvXKpH2kXaGao_MvQENp5spMo4-RQCcDXGKIG15HE_Z3qTdaYZZ9XWr4v7GoyC7HGvz6VhXxTCPaXw7fkSfq220Y0OmD9M7W833qWrpDhaCsSY3rzSWYHHbimlmaI/s1600/January+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="589" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qqSKBYf-zm3GHcSXvXKpH2kXaGao_MvQENp5spMo4-RQCcDXGKIG15HE_Z3qTdaYZZ9XWr4v7GoyC7HGvz6VhXxTCPaXw7fkSfq220Y0OmD9M7W833qWrpDhaCsSY3rzSWYHHbimlmaI/s200/January+01.jpg" width="144" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Welcome back to the Write Away blog and welcome forward to
the new year. A year with possibilities, riches (of some sort, even if not money), and fulfillment. At least,
that’s the goal, right? The resolution?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This time of year is clogged with suggestions for how you
can make a new, improved you. Just resolve to this, that, and the other, and
presto bingo! Out pops a better version of you!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Or not. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While about half of us make resolutions, only about 8% of us
follow through. I talk more about making and breaking resolutions and a viable
alternative tomorrow at Romance Righter, Angelica French’s blog (www.angelicafrench.blogspot.com).
Check it out tomorrow if that interests you. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But back to Professional Writer You. Over the years I have
tried different genres and writing formats to challenge myself. I’ve dabbled in
paranormal, scifi, historical fiction, biography, romance, women’s fiction, and
culinary mysteries.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve written short stories, full-length plays, 10-minute
plays, novels, novellas, and non-fiction.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I keep learning when I try a new format or genre. One goal
this year is to try writing humor. That will likely be my most difficult
challenge yet. Humor writing is hard! While everyone thinks that a dying nice
guy is a tear jerker, we don’t all agree on what makes things funny. One person’s
witty wisecracker is another’s annoying pest.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another writing goal I have for the year is to write in
first person. First person terrifies me! To only know what your narrator knows.
Why isn’t omniscient observer good enough anymore? So, of course, I have to try
it! What’s to lose? Time, right? Maybe get a bit of a bruised ego? But the old,
“nothing ventured . . .” saw comes to mind. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Time and ego are small potatoes in the grand scheme. So,
ride along with me? Prod me to tell you how I’m doing. Join me in The Year of Writing
Dangerously.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i> you
doing to stretch yourself this year? Tell me of your writing travel plans in
the Comments section below and what challenges you expect to encounter. Let’s
enjoy our journeys together. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Please share this post with others if you enjoyed it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Facebook:</b>
Writers, what challenges have you tried in the past? What challenges do you set
for yourself this year, The Year of Writing Dangerously? http://bit.ly/2CAYsIU </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Twitter:</b> It’s The
Year of Writing Dangerously. What are you doing to challenge yourself as a
writer? http://bit.ly/2CAYsIU</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-89064040724487738982017-12-26T00:30:00.000-08:002017-12-26T00:30:40.092-08:00Happy Holidays and Why I Say It
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jbd2cP0Y67OHbd8Y8ayP1OYuvaDUYk8aKit4LD8G9CYK8VV0e4Y4yllVuNnQEOog7ycmzYjTBu3bQDYw-PWYgSkd6Nm3UThWAWl_OLmBATyywvEoBX0VgT-sqJuwpOeAONYR4VPENKFl/s1600/Why+happy+holidays.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jbd2cP0Y67OHbd8Y8ayP1OYuvaDUYk8aKit4LD8G9CYK8VV0e4Y4yllVuNnQEOog7ycmzYjTBu3bQDYw-PWYgSkd6Nm3UThWAWl_OLmBATyywvEoBX0VgT-sqJuwpOeAONYR4VPENKFl/s400/Why+happy+holidays.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I write this greeting
because I have friends from so many traditions that Merry Christmas isn’t
appropriate for all, and how I am to know what holidays they celebrate unless
they tell me? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Since there are 29 holiday
celebrations between November 1<sup>st</sup> and January 15<sup>th</sup>, it
makes perfect sense to be more inclusive with the “Happy Holidays” saying. How
that is taking away from Christmas escapes me!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Whether you celebrate
Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, Saturnalia, Festivus, or any of the
other seasonal holidays, I wish you a safe and joyous one! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">See you next year!</span></div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-62351125922371179232017-12-19T05:23:00.003-08:002017-12-19T05:23:53.683-08:00Contrarian View of the Hero's Journey Character Arc
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZojv74Zd6xPP1fi5Ryw4o3rES2dxKoFe5dhjUh_9HRozxJAxqKpjajozLogTSaNe10GejjlroBx1X4cawz1Zkd92QuslxkAE_f7jKKLA2Yy2WK9kQt4AeI8KSF-FBhAY8DbVu8YuSuoBJ/s1600/Heroic+Journey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="504" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZojv74Zd6xPP1fi5Ryw4o3rES2dxKoFe5dhjUh_9HRozxJAxqKpjajozLogTSaNe10GejjlroBx1X4cawz1Zkd92QuslxkAE_f7jKKLA2Yy2WK9kQt4AeI8KSF-FBhAY8DbVu8YuSuoBJ/s200/Heroic+Journey.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="readable"><i><span style="font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Full circle, from the tomb of the
womb to the womb of the tomb, we come: an ambiguous, enigmatical incursion into
a world of solid matter that is soon to melt from us, like the substance of a
dream. And, looking back at what had promised to be our own unique,
unpredictable, and dangerous adventure, all we find in the end is such a series
of standard metamorphoses as men and women have undergone in every quarter of
the world, in all recorded centuries, and under every odd disguise of
civilization. </span></i></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYw2jPiSSD_85T09kUaioKqzQJbeXb9i8Mdt7gIi-h657sNLHSKSVt4Y7OAOG4YYg_dHLZfWYH0l80I-4mnsCuG7j1SQxxDQ6-vLNvV5HExGdgYcOts2mLHPLtWBosIBvObmfH18xhJV5/s1600/Hero+with+a+Thousand+Faces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="325" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYw2jPiSSD_85T09kUaioKqzQJbeXb9i8Mdt7gIi-h657sNLHSKSVt4Y7OAOG4YYg_dHLZfWYH0l80I-4mnsCuG7j1SQxxDQ6-vLNvV5HExGdgYcOts2mLHPLtWBosIBvObmfH18xhJV5/s200/Hero+with+a+Thousand+Faces.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">This quote by Joseph
Campbell appears in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Thousand-Faces-Collected-Joseph-Campbell/dp/1577315936/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1513685729&sr=1-1&keywords=the+hero+with+a+thousand+faces">The Hero with a Thousand Faces</a> </i>(first printing 1949), the metaphorical bible for those
wanting to write a classic hero’s journey story. Campbell, an eminent
mythologist, looked at myths going back in time and across cultures and noted a
number of similarities. He explicated those in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Hero with a Thousand Faces</i> as well as others of his works. </span></div>
<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Campbell identified
archetypes he noted in myths, which we added into our repertoire of tropes. Tropes
aren’t so bad. They are shortcuts and signal character traits so we can focus
on other aspects of story. A while back, on another of my blogs, I wrote two
posts, <a href="http://angelicafrench.blogspot.com/2015/01/tropes-make-your-writing-easier-but-not.html">Part One</a> and <a href="http://angelicafrench.blogspot.com/2015/01/tropes-make-your-writing-easier-but-not_20.html">Part Two</a>, on how tropes make writing easier but not easy.</span></div>
<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Stereotypes are the extreme
end of tropes. Where is the fresh take? Unreliable narrators as in <i>Gone Girl</i> and
<i>Code Name Verity</i> turn the hero’s journey into a non-predictable path. The
danger with tropes and archetypes who must complete every step of the Hero’s
Journey is falling into predictable and mediocre stories. Universality is a
strength and a limitation.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Using Campbell’s
description of the Hero’s Journey in myths became the chichi (pretentious and
overelaborate refinement) thing to do when writing one’s protagonist, male or
female. The fact that it didn’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">quite</i>
fit every story structure or didn’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">quite</i>
fit females who operate differently in interactions, didn’t affect the
popularity of creating the Hero’s Journey positive character arc.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTUu7CUeNw-mG9ZWpGqxLVK3kywPrHpHDyJlumzq3ZLWOiYMYC1Tl43ncfP_YcFn1qtqP1hI9tiMSLo17iB96zAoLmTFLa9yCVMZwMKJkgiQV6-tbjQGwL3LPGUuvxQPtPQWHPjChEO3p/s1600/Virgin%2527s+Promise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTUu7CUeNw-mG9ZWpGqxLVK3kywPrHpHDyJlumzq3ZLWOiYMYC1Tl43ncfP_YcFn1qtqP1hI9tiMSLo17iB96zAoLmTFLa9yCVMZwMKJkgiQV6-tbjQGwL3LPGUuvxQPtPQWHPjChEO3p/s200/Virgin%2527s+Promise.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">In reaction, I suspect, <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Virgins-Promise-Feminine-Spiritual-Awakening/dp/1932907726/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513685347&sr=8-1&keywords=the+virgin%27s+promise"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Virgin’s Promise: Writing Stories of Feminine Creative, Spirtitual, and Sexual Awakening</i></a> (Kim Hudson), was
penned. What stage is your female character? Virgin, Mother, or Crone? Each has
her journey, but the same female journey, like Campbell’s fell into identifiable
stages:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dependent world</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Price of conformity</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Opportunity to shine</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dresses the part</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Secret World</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">No longer fits her world</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Caught shining</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Gives up what kept her back</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Kingdom in chaos</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Wanders in the wilderness</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Chooses her light</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Re-ordering (rescue)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">The Kingdom is brighter</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">While the Hero’s Journey
and the feminine journey make perfect sense to me when analyzing traditional literature
(folk/fairytales, myths, and such), using them as a template for writing is not
as easy. For me, anyway. I often felt I was force-fitting or having to retrofit
to include all the stages.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">This may be the most common
arc in character development and change, but I’ve found these formulae
restrictive. Does a character have to go through each stage? Are the stages
appropriate in all genres? I can see the application in fantasy, but what about
cozy mysteries? Does one need <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> of
the stages?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I posit that not all of the
stages are appropriate in every genre.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">After all, Campbell was
analyzing myths. I’ve never read that he thought the Hero’s Journey should be a
template for writing stories. I wonder what he’d say if he learned his Hero’s
Journey had become THE formula for writing character development. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Interesting read? Please
share on social media. Here are some copy/paste posts to help.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Facebook:</span></b><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">
The positive character arc is most commonly tied to the Hero’s Journey. Is that
always appropriate? Maybe not. http://bit.ly/2oO6szK</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">
The Hero’s Journey may not fit every positive character arc story says
@Good2Tweat. Why not? http://bit.ly/2oO6szK</span></div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-38291828686033620262017-12-12T00:30:00.000-08:002017-12-12T00:30:33.484-08:00What is a Flat Character Arc?
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvuHs4286QkaBNjFe4QDNK1uhtJYNn12Sqe_-7gyqh-SvQ_4mIbqGGPYSlSJfPcDDUlfk4h_bASPv9kJrUuQWNxmVJfjtV45ulwM79QVxLctZJhhO9H66L3GtsMbfstdNkWFifUMlB9nBN/s1600/Flat+character+arc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="346" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvuHs4286QkaBNjFe4QDNK1uhtJYNn12Sqe_-7gyqh-SvQ_4mIbqGGPYSlSJfPcDDUlfk4h_bASPv9kJrUuQWNxmVJfjtV45ulwM79QVxLctZJhhO9H66L3GtsMbfstdNkWFifUMlB9nBN/s200/Flat+character+arc.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">K.M Weiland, author of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Creating Character Arcs</i>, has this to say
about the flat arc:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">… the flat arc is about a character who does <em><u><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">not</span></u></em> change. He already has the
Truth figured out in the beginning of the story, and he uses that Truth to
help him overcome various external tests.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">In
comparison to a positive change arc, the difference in a flat character arc’s
Second Act is that the emphasis is <em><u><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">not</span></u></em>
on the protagonist’s discovering and confronting his own inner misconceptions.
Rather, the Second Act in a flat arc is where he will be discovering the Lie
embedded in the world around him.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">The
Third Act is where we find arguably the greatest similarities between the flat
character arc and the positive change arc, since in both types of story the
protagonist will have a full grasp on the Truth by this point. The primary
difference, of course, is that the protagonist in a flat character arc will
have already been in possession of that Truth almost universally <em><u><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">throughout </span></u></em>the story.</span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Hmmm. Did that make sense
to you? I had to read it a couple of times to get the gist. The “Truth figured
out in the beginning”? The “Lie embedded in the world around him”? So, I kept
reading other resources to find out more. As I read, I encountered additional
phraseology that I had to puzzle out. Terms like “Crucial Element”, “Focus
Element”, “Direction Element”, and more!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Weiland writes that “the
fundamental principle of character arc is lie vs. truth.” The Lie the character
believes and uncovers in a change arc is under the radar. It is a bedrock
belief the character holds. “I’m worthless.” “I’m God’s gift to women.” And so
on. That misconception is revealed and dealt with (the Truth), thus effecting
character change. This Lie needs to be connected to the story organically. If
the story problem and the Lie don’t connect, the story is not as compelling.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">In the flat character arc,
this doesn’t play out. There are still Lies and Truths, they just don’t affect
the story solution substantively. Remember, the Steadfast Character knows the
truth from the beginning. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">It turns out that the flat
character arc goes by many names and is the second most used arc for main
characters. You might see it referred to as the “testing arc” or “Main
Character Resolve”, or “Steadfast Character.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">It also turns out that the
Steadfast Character tends to see the story conflict not as “me against the
obstacle”, but rather views the obstacle as the problem by itself, apart from
the Steadfast Character. The Steadfast Character moves elements around in the
story to restore balance and is unaffected by the move of elements, though the
story is impacted for the better.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Most <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">antagonists</i> in our books have flat character arcs. They are who
they are. They have a job to do—disrupt the life of the main character—and they
do it without changing who they are or seeking/gaining insight into themselves
or others. We’re not surprised by the lack of growth of the antagonist, in
fact. We expect it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">But many protagonists also
demonstrate a flat character arc, and we’re fine with that in a deftly handled
story. Think Kinsey Milhone, PI, the main character in Sue Grafton’s Alphabet
mysteries. Kinsey knows who she is and what is True. There is little character
change within and across books, but she uses her character traits to solve the
crimes. Her moral compass is clear to her as are her talents. She gets ‘er
done!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dramatica.com, in their
dictionary of terms, says a steadfast character “ultimately retains his
essential nature from the beginning of the story to the end of the story.” They
also go on to state, “There will only be one Steadfast Character in every
story.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">That’s very directive,
isn’t it? I wonder why that is the case. Maybe because conflict is not deeply developed
when two major characters remain unchanged by events and circumstances? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Or the story conflict could
be developed when the two steadfast characters are on opposite tracks. If one
is on the right track, and won’t change but has to deal with someone on the
wrong track, who also won’t change, isn’t that conflict enough? I wonder what
it would be like to write a story flouting the “rule” of only one steadfast
character? One would have to “win” (whatever winning would mean), so why not?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">However, in that scenario,
each Steadfast Character would have the Truth from the beginning and each have
the Lie, so maybe that’s why it wouldn’t work. If both know the Truth, where is
the conflict? Aaarrgh! See why I am still confused and working on this
principle of only one Steadfast Character?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">From what I’ve read, the
Lie must be uncovered and discounted by the Truth by the end of the story.
Maybe that’s not possible with two Steadfastians!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">One important aspect of the
Steadfast Character’s possession of the truth early on is the role of doubt.
Perhaps the character isn’t 100% sure of the Truth or has trouble accepting the
Truth to move on in life. Adding in doubt, even if fleeting, includes a new
level of tension. Being open to questioning Truth is human and can result in
second guessing or hesitating at critical moments in the story.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">One important role for the
Steadfast character is shis possession of the Truth inspires and props up
others. Also, by the end of the story, though heesh may have had doubts or even
wondered if the Truth were worth the battle, the Steadfast character will come
out on the other side believing in the Truth even more strongly and support others
in believing it, too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">The Steadfast Character
sounds like a very interesting challenge, encouraging the writer to delve even
more deeply than the positive character arc requires.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Have you written a flat
character arc story? Tell me aobut it in the comments section.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Bloggers rely on readers. I
would be very appreciative of shares to your social media outlets. Here are
some copy/paste messages for easy sharing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Facebook:</span></b><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">
What in the heck is a “flat character arc”? A “Steadfast Character”? Sharon
Arthur Moore is still learning, too, and she wants to share her current
understanding with you. http://bit.ly/2nOwfr7</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">
@Good2Tweat is learning about Steadfast Characters. Come see what she’s
discovered. http://bit.ly/2nOwfr7</span></div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-49800662310831532272017-12-05T05:39:00.002-08:002017-12-05T05:39:31.448-08:00Writing a Negative Character Arc
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONHdcbUdt60X0Se6zp319-2BhLZMc5YOSm4nGzREWLrKk8Ljc_7xkCnIVvI-bnKs1xH68T8BQqFn1FImpiamW4kfM-FRo6DoYwjxVbqtpTCQk-_y2li-aBthc7WauJffw9gbAivmVpnGJ/s1600/true+crime+post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="849" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONHdcbUdt60X0Se6zp319-2BhLZMc5YOSm4nGzREWLrKk8Ljc_7xkCnIVvI-bnKs1xH68T8BQqFn1FImpiamW4kfM-FRo6DoYwjxVbqtpTCQk-_y2li-aBthc7WauJffw9gbAivmVpnGJ/s200/true+crime+post.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Antagonists need not be the
only negative characters in your novel. Sometimes your protagonist takes a downward turn. In fact, your actual antagonist may well be an
example of a flat character arc (which is next week’s topic). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">That’s because to be in a
negative character arc, the character must devolve from one state to a more
negative one. A downward instead of upward arc. But there must be change as in
the traditional positive character arc, aka, the hero’s journey.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Anti-heroes may be an
example of a negative character arc, if the anti-hero was transformed by events
from a neutral or positive stance to a negative one over the course of the
story. For example, Walter White, from the “Breaking Bad” television series, is
thrust by circumstances into finding a way to provide for his family when he
finds he is dying. The only way he can see is an illegal one, and it is a path
particularly well-suited to his positive-trait talents. He shifts his focus
from good to bad gradually, reluctantly (at first), until he becomes an evil
hunted by the FBI.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Other instances might be a
character—good, normal, Mr./Ms. Bland—who becomes a vigilante searching for
revenge for one or more perceived injustices. The character devolves from a
law-abiding one into a character who justifies shis behaviors as necessary to
right wrongs. When one’s child is harmed, parental outrage can be turned to
revenge-seeking. When a guilty character is released without punishment, an
average character can be turn into a vigilante seeking justice.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">One interesting way to
portray the negative character arc is to make the character manipulative to the
point where heesh is an unreliable narrator. Your reader doesn’t know whether
to trust what heesh is being told. Are the character’s perceptions accurate? Is
the character justified in pushing the envelope or even destroying the envelope?
Is what heesh is doing as wrong as the wrong being righted? Is your villain
convinced of shis own rightness even though the world views shim as wrong? Has
heesh lied to shimself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">As a college student, I saw
the film, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bonnie and Clyde</i>. My friend
and I left the theater and didn’t say a word to one another for a couple of
blocks. For me, it was the first time I had recognized moral ambiguity. The
good guys were brutal murderers of the bad guys. And were the bad guys really <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> bad? They were normal folks who
turned to crime during the Depression when jobs weren’t available. I was
stunned that the answer wasn’t clear as it typically was.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">The devolution of Bonnie
and Clyde had to be believable. Walter White had to see no other options. A
deft touch is required to write a negative character arc, which is likely why
most of our villains have a flat arc.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Some have written that the
negative and positive character arcs play out the same way over the three-act
structure. But instead of confronting shis greatest flaw/fear and overcoming
it, in the negative character arc, the character succumbs to it and becomes
even more evil/immoral/depressed. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">K.M. Weiland put it very well. “In a word,
the negative character arc is about <em><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">failure</span></em>,
and this becomes nowhere more clear than in the Third Act. If the positive
change arc is about <em><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">redeeming self </span></em>and
the flat arc is about <em><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">saving others</span></em>,
then the negative character arc is about <em><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">destroying self and probably others as well</span></em>.”</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Please share with your
social media if you found this post helpful. Thank you!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Facebook:</span></b><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">
Writing the negative character arc is a challenging task but can result in
powerful, resonant stories. http://bit.ly/2iovhMR</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">
@good2tweat says #Writing the negative #characterarc is a challenging task but
can result in more powerful, resonant stories. http://bit.ly/2iovhMR</span></div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-37501835295402525642017-11-28T00:30:00.000-08:002017-11-28T04:23:30.785-08:00Character Arc in a Series
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZ_gwqxHRov5heZ8zoswTQMIimEEiMWsq2jIVLx2AX2WyCuJu6FuGgTH-Z0qiKBe_VPB7L6Lo4jyGikPL33f2rrV_DX29N7sUJtHtwLep36IoBwfcSxTqJNGzBGhv9QmVSEyucJXbqTQm/s1600/Weiland+Character+Arc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="198" data-original-width="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZ_gwqxHRov5heZ8zoswTQMIimEEiMWsq2jIVLx2AX2WyCuJu6FuGgTH-Z0qiKBe_VPB7L6Lo4jyGikPL33f2rrV_DX29N7sUJtHtwLep36IoBwfcSxTqJNGzBGhv9QmVSEyucJXbqTQm/s1600/Weiland+Character+Arc.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Over the years, at
conferences and online, I’ve asked others who write series how you deal with a
character arc everyone insists must be there. In a standalone novel, the
requisite character arc is expected and easy to do. But what about character
arc in series writing?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">It is only recently that I
have come across some good answers to my question. Just to be clear, the
question I asked was is there a long character arc, spanning the series or is
there a series of book length arcs that might be related but that are
accomplished by the end of each book?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Well, the answer appears to
be, “Yes.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">K.M. Weiland, whose book is
pictured above, has written extensively about character development. She says
there are two choices: An arc for the entire series OR multiple character arcs
across books in the series.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Well, I kinda knew that,
but now what? When I asked the initial question (over and over), I really meant
HOW do I write the character arc.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Weiland and others have
lost of suggestions no matter which way one goes. Weiland is a big three-acts-in-a-novel
person, so she offers her suggestions from that context. Character arcs across
three or four books, she says, just means manipulating the time line (for
character development) using that structure across books, not within. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">That’s probably one reason
we see books where our hero/ine hits the dirt in book two or three before
salvaging shimself in the final book. The character, to change, has to
encounter obstacles severe enough to force shim to change, for better or worse.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Ultimately, character
change, to be real in a novel, must be intimately connected to the core values
in a story. So if the value is that real family need not share blood to be
family, then your character must not understand or accept that in the
beginning, but encounters obstacles that reveal that to shim. Weiland calls it
the Big Lie the character believes but must abandon by the end of the series. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">In a series, the change in
the character is incremental. A big shift starts the change process, disturbs
status quo, interrupts ennui. In succeeding books the change continues but can
be more gradual.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Some series are really just
one long novel, like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Hunger Games</i>
(thus the three-act structure works well). Others are really standalones, but
written as a series; connected to one another but the plots are independent.
Thus, the long character arc goes across books all the books versus a series of
smaller, but related, character arcs in each book, as I do with my culinary
series. But underneath the smaller character arcs is the larger one set up in
my first book. Alli struggles with what is family and she struggles with
self-worth going back to her abandonment by her family. By book six, I need her
to have finished that cycle.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">For me, the smaller
character arcs in each book present a special challenge. How can they be
substantive enough without eclipsing the overarching theme of family and
identity?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">The best way, according to
what I’ve been reading is to tie each smaller arc to the main conflict in the
story. For example, in book five, Tequila Mockingbird, Alli discovers that a
neighbor is a mockingbird, someone pretending to be who she is not. Alli feels
this way all the time. She has suffered from Imposter Syndrome most of her
life. Therefore, she has empathy for a woman who may be a cold-blooded killer.
In that book, Alli needs to accept herself and how she presents herself to the
world. That’s a great small character arc consistent with the long arc.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><a href="http://sarahdalzielmedia.com/character-development-creating-a-series-long-character-arc/">Sarah Dalziel</a> says
there are five keys to creating a character arc in a series. The five keys are:
<u>Consistency</u>, <u>Changing Traits</u>, <u>The Dissatisfying Arc</u>, <u>Every Character Needs a
Flaw</u>, and <u>Write It Out</u>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">In a nutshell,
<u>Consistency</u> is obvious. Once you change your character, don’t retreat to the
previous person. Keep shim the same across books for revealed traits.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><u>Changing Traits</u>
allows the author to focus on different aspects of the character in each book.
Perhaps your character is impulsive and learns to be more reflective in a book
(and then is consistent with that in following books). In another book, your same
character might have the trait of fear of something that is overcome by dealing
with an obstacle in the book.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><u>Dissatisfying Arc
</u>shows a devolution of a character, usually the villain, but not always. Think
of the Anti-Hero Walter White in “Breaking Bad.” Good man goes bad. At the same
time Walter is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">devolving</i>, loser Jesse
is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">evolving</i>. Very interesting
character arcs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><u>Every Character
Needs a Flaw</u> is also obvious. Lack of trust can lead a character down wrong
paths and into greater difficulties. Trusting everyone can also lead the
character astray. Find a trait for your character that can be tied to the main
conflict of the book.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><u>Write It Out</u> means
planning the character arc for the series is as important as plot planning.
Know the character and develop flaws and consistent traits that you can play
off.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">See how focusing
on one of these keys in each book can allow a different character arc within
the series?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Another way to envision the
character arc in a series is described by <a href="http://www.veronicasicoe.com/blog/2013/04/the-3-types-of-character-arc-change-growth-and-fall/">Veronica Sicoe</a>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">She describes three types
of character arcs: The Change Arc, The Growth Arc, and the Shift Arc. The
Change Arc is analogous to the Hero’s Journey that is the most commonly
employed character arc. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">The Growth Arc has your
character being a new improved version of who heesh has always been; essentially
the same, but better. The Shift Arc is a variant of the Growth Arc. In the
Shift Arc, your character “changes his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">perspective</i>,
learns different <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">skills</i>, or gains a
different <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">role</i>.” So, the character
may not be “better” at the end, but heesh is definitely different.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Using Sicoe’s definitions,
I can see how across a series, you could use these three to show a character
arc without it having to be tied to a long arc.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I hope this gives you some
ideas to chew on. I’m going to be addressing additional aspects of developing character
arcs in a few follow-up posts. What do you struggle with in developing your
character arcs? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come back and join the
conversation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Bloggers need readers.
Please encourage your social media contacts to read this post. Thanks!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Facebook:</span></b><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">
Writing a character arc for a series? There are issues to consider. Read how to
create believable character arc(s) across books with these tips. http://bit.ly/2AizZDX</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Twitter</span></b><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">:
#Writers, are you struggling with how to create a character arc for your series
or even a standalone novel? Read these tips. http://bit.ly/2AizZDX</span></div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-22944866784097285142017-11-21T00:30:00.000-08:002017-11-21T00:30:16.514-08:00The Best Laid Plans
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_R2C1FDAJZjJrta1H4lZyGIrsHGFV57dWE_1eTPH3fXxR4wK10pqYvzZrrnu4qbrOcNylibsQw9wC8-dt52Y628SgMOyHqsM69cymTxvMkF1SXjcqcNKYnAKIvBSGvH-ZBWoN1XW_A-R/s1600/RAP+logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="74" data-original-width="74" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_R2C1FDAJZjJrta1H4lZyGIrsHGFV57dWE_1eTPH3fXxR4wK10pqYvzZrrnu4qbrOcNylibsQw9wC8-dt52Y628SgMOyHqsM69cymTxvMkF1SXjcqcNKYnAKIvBSGvH-ZBWoN1XW_A-R/s1600/RAP+logo.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I prepped for National
Novel Writing Month. I knew my characters, plot points, twists and turns
(though more revealed themselves as I wrote), the beginning/middle/end. In
short, NaNoWriMo—bring it on! 50K words in 30 Days? Pshaw! I’m “winning” again
this year.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Except.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I didn’t anticipate my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">own</i> life’s plot points and twists and
turns. The major plot point that is going to reenergize my professional
writing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I’ve talked about needing
to sever my contracts with a former publisher. Then the search for a new home.
Well, it happened. On November 2<sup>nd</sup> I contacted a publisher, and on
November 3<sup>rd</sup> I was offered a contract. I signed the contract on the
7<sup>th</sup> and was off to the races.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">My NaNo word count
suffered. I blew through my banked words and instead racked up deficits because
my focus was re-directed. I needed to spend my NaNo hours working on
editing/revising a manuscript that can go through the production process.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Hard as it was to admit, I
couldn’t accomplish the NaNo goal AND work on edits on a short time line. But,
after talking to others and myself, I realized my priority has to be my career.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Getting the first book in
my culinary series out is definitely more important than getting 50K done on
book five this month. If the other books in the series are queued up, it will
be a loooong time before the publisher is ready to see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tequila Mockingbird</i> in the queue. I have time to finish that book.
In fact, that might be next November’s project, to finish what I started this
year. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">So, it’s not New Year’s,
but here is my resolution:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Turn in the best possible
version I can of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pastabilities</i> by the
end of the month, and spend my NaNo-dedicated time to this project.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">If I finish sooner than I
think I will, I’ll get back to NaNoWriMo and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tequila Mockingbird</i> gladly. But, if the past is prologue, ain’t
gonna happen.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">If interesting to you, please share. Thanks. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Facebook:</span></b><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">
What happens to a big goal project like NaNoWriMo when “life happens”? Sharon
Arthur Moore shares what is going on with TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD and PASTABLILITIES.
http://bit.ly/2AVbfl4</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">
What happens to a big goal project like NaNoWriMo when “life happens”?
@Good2Tweat shares her new resolution for PASTABILITIES and TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD.
http://bit.ly/2AVbfl4</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-77446999037317718192017-11-14T03:42:00.001-08:002017-11-14T03:42:17.029-08:00Goals, Deficits, Plans
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AkL3cqT0EGThYxgcUH5CT__gmRXxVg3fbRnqzoVgYnBWsyF79kJ6lxdiR5ayNg1JmMLH1pWZbANUlrGD92wpgBWYcOli_9WndgAHpr2srBRXb4NkxZrMWev40nPysqVLagIUaMb22ZeC/s1600/NaNo2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="900" height="64" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AkL3cqT0EGThYxgcUH5CT__gmRXxVg3fbRnqzoVgYnBWsyF79kJ6lxdiR5ayNg1JmMLH1pWZbANUlrGD92wpgBWYcOli_9WndgAHpr2srBRXb4NkxZrMWev40nPysqVLagIUaMb22ZeC/s320/NaNo2017.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">If you read <a href="https://sharonarthurmoore.blogspot.com/2017/11/its-wrap-er-that-is-rap.html">my post</a> yesterday on “Parsley, Sage, and Rosemary Time” about getting a new publisher
for my culinary mystery book, you know how excited I am about signing with the
small press, Red Adept Publishing and owner/publisher Lynn McNamee. The woman
is a dynamo, filled with marketing and promotion ideas for her quality
booklist. The attention given to each novel signals how important her authors
and their work is to her company. So I’ve been caught up in the fervor of what
I need to do to be successful in this company, too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMg-MYny9TE9NechYdYD5tm8qlGV-BSQ7XKn4E4qjGqPGoKZn6E9ZJESYkEi3knQaUnGiDKuA7HHFVbCTsloHCPH388w9EtPHMT-DsnsVxRLk0uW3nB8a9pf5zLyX_QUXI5vuxK9G9WmX/s1600/RAP+logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="74" data-original-width="74" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMg-MYny9TE9NechYdYD5tm8qlGV-BSQ7XKn4E4qjGqPGoKZn6E9ZJESYkEi3knQaUnGiDKuA7HHFVbCTsloHCPH388w9EtPHMT-DsnsVxRLk0uW3nB8a9pf5zLyX_QUXI5vuxK9G9WmX/s200/RAP+logo.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I have been so distracted
with gearing up for my new publisher that I have been neglectful of National
Novel Writing Month for the last week and a half. The result is that I am
currently 3900 words below the target words for this date. The target is
predicated on finishing the 50K word goal on November 30<sup>th</sup>. Right
now, the stats tracker on the NaNoWriMo site say that at 1667 words a day, that
won’t happen. I’ll be into the first week of December to hit 50K words.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">What does that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> mean? What are my options? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I could toss the event this
year, call it a month, and get to what is bright and shiny right now: prepping
to be successful with my new publisher. After all, I have books 2-4 ready to
work on putting into the pipeline. There’s no immediacy for book four. I could
even finish writing it next NaNoWriMo cycle and still be ahead of the game.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I could settle into the
1667 daily goal and finish in early December. Just do the minimum (a bit more
than 6½ pages a day) so I can spend time on other writing aspects. With this
option, I would have this book banked and ready to work on when it comes up in
the queue.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Or, I could grit my teeth,
put aside future pieces related to getting ready for the launch of my culinary
mystery book (about 9 months from now), and focus on getting Tequila
Mockingbird off my plate. To finish by November 30<sup>th</sup>, that means
writing 1911 words each remaining day, almost 8 pages a day, every day. Or, if
I wrote 8-10 pages daily (about 2000-2500 words), I would be ahead of the game
with a cushion for low volume days while I travel this month.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Which would you choose and
why? I know what my plan is. Can you guess?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Sharing posts you enjoy
brings more readers to blogs. Thanks for helping.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Facebook:</span></b><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">
NaNoWriMo word count deficits are common, especially in an event in which,
historically, only ~13% of the participants meet the goal by the end of the
month. I have three options. Which will I choose? http://bit.ly/2zGaIoQ</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">
@NaNoWriMo word count deficits are common, especially in an event in which,
historically, only ~13% of the participants make goal by 11/30. She has three
options. Which will @Good2Tweat choose? http://bit.ly/2zGaIoQ</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
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River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-11379228656619172802017-11-07T00:30:00.000-08:002017-11-07T00:30:00.188-08:00Keeping the Pace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAghN-4v__SaZHEYe3-k1A4wdwM9_tkoIdkmf-x530AsbKLQQp149uSnG0nkqqy0p5Oyh6m1JX4w7sPy3kw-rqxzf223KZ36yAkFFcNNvVs1cnSZgYH8ZR7IDxaKSWtDrIQgLwsys_dgu/s1600/NaNo2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="900" height="64" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAghN-4v__SaZHEYe3-k1A4wdwM9_tkoIdkmf-x530AsbKLQQp149uSnG0nkqqy0p5Oyh6m1JX4w7sPy3kw-rqxzf223KZ36yAkFFcNNvVs1cnSZgYH8ZR7IDxaKSWtDrIQgLwsys_dgu/s320/NaNo2017.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Originally published on "Parsley, Sage, and Rosemary Time" on November 6, 2017, and updated for today's posting.</span></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On another of my blogs, I wrote
about <a href="https://samwriteaway.blogspot.com/2017/10/plotober-when-nanowrimo-really-begins.html">PlotOber</a> and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">planning </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">the fifth in my culinary
mystery series so the writing of it in November for National Novel Writing
Month will go more smoothly. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Well, I’m into November, one-fifth
of the way through today, and by the end of the day I need to have logged a
minimum of 10, 002 words to be on track to finish November 30<sup>th</sup> with
50,000 words.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ll make it. Last night I recorded
a word total of 8356, slightly over the 8335 that I needed. Pretty darn good,
with weeklong company, if you ask me.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I started strong, as I always do.
That story has been percolating for months and I focused the thoughts by using
two magic elements: my Plotober massive planning elements and by brainstorming
with my two critique groups. My crit partners have AMAZING minds! Have I said
how lucky I am to have them part of my writer’s life?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here’s a peek at my time tracker to-date.
The far right column is <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the minimum
total number of words I need to have written to keep on track for NaNoWriMo. I
got a strong start, “banking” words, so to speak for when I couldn’t write much.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Note, for example in the second
column, that I had three days when I couldn’t make my minimum 1667 words for
those days. Company. You gotta love ‘em, but there is a toll. My cushion of
banked words let me enjoy my time with her.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Falling behind is inevitable, if my
past years are predictive. But it is not fatal. I will just need to write more
words on other days to catch up. She leaves today, so this afternoon maybe I
can bank some more for the other days I’ll not write much if anything.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Have I mentioned that we are
traveling for Thanksgiving this year? Again. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Each year I have about ten days of
limited productivity due to company and travel. So I just have to write harder
on those days that aren’t committed to fun, food, and family. I’ve got this! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2017 NaNoWriMo
Time Tracker</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">TEQUILA
MOCKINGBIRD</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Book 5 “Dinner
is Served” </span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 80.75pt;" valign="top" width="81">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
Date</div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 134.95pt;" valign="top" width="135">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
Daily Words/Pages Total</div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
Running Total</div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
Minimum Running Total</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 80.75pt;" valign="top" width="81">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nov. 1</b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 134.95pt;" valign="top" width="135">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
2228/7</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
2228</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1667</span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 80.75pt;" valign="top" width="81">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
Nov. 2</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 134.95pt;" valign="top" width="135">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
2886/19</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
5114</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">3334</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 80.75pt;" valign="top" width="81">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nov. 3</b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 134.95pt;" valign="top" width="135">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
1563/25</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
6677</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">5001</span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 80.75pt;" valign="top" width="81">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
Nov. 4</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 134.95pt;" valign="top" width="135">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
725/28</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
7402</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">6668</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 80.75pt;" valign="top" width="81">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
Nov. 5</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 134.95pt;" valign="top" width="135">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
954/32</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
8356</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">8335</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 80.75pt;" valign="top" width="81">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nov. 6</b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 134.95pt;" valign="top" width="135">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
1662/40</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
10,067</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">10,002</span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 80.75pt;" valign="top" width="81">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
Nov. 7</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 134.95pt;" valign="top" width="135">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 146.0pt 150.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">11,669</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 80.75pt;" valign="top" width="81"><br /></td><td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 134.95pt;" valign="top" width="135"><br /></td><td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108"><br /></td><td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 80.75pt;" valign="top" width="81"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 134.95pt;" valign="top" width="135"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 80.75pt;" valign="top" width="81"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 134.95pt;" valign="top" width="135"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"><td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 80.75pt;" valign="top" width="81"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 134.95pt;" valign="top" width="135"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"><td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 80.75pt;" valign="top" width="81"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 134.95pt;" valign="top" width="135"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;"><td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 80.75pt;" valign="top" width="81"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 134.95pt;" valign="top" width="135"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 107.9pt;" valign="top" width="108"><br /></td></tr>
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River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-78459372754205486772017-10-31T00:30:00.000-07:002017-10-31T00:30:08.029-07:00The NaNoWriMo Merry-Go-Round is about to Open<style>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";"><a href="https://sharonarthurmoore.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-nanowrimo-merry-go-round-is-about.html">This post</a> was originally published yesterday on “Parsley, Sage, and Rosemary Time” as
will others to be cross-listed this month.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhjzH2EG2LolOzDvRKXxW6pNM5mewJseiZ-WRLyiLFtKNg-iY29-nlUQ-c0qouS5Pbn8FYRerxnJCXLKkEYyhgiRYVa3Iu6erpp7FU2PLt86vMtVk8E8OnKEy027BRbqMm7_JjZpIxvEP/s1600/NaNo-2017-Participant-Facebook-Cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhjzH2EG2LolOzDvRKXxW6pNM5mewJseiZ-WRLyiLFtKNg-iY29-nlUQ-c0qouS5Pbn8FYRerxnJCXLKkEYyhgiRYVa3Iu6erpp7FU2PLt86vMtVk8E8OnKEy027BRbqMm7_JjZpIxvEP/s320/NaNo-2017-Participant-Facebook-Cover.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFEzuKP7oQ-QSUgeYBK9eTdAmTKk_SkIIGn1azx0KrggucudTh_tHRhj8ZeVexiGQSD7VSroQXjBS7J4_iiXJo1n2VeHHjNu0KS3Skrn9kSmfB0pGkurGi3R_rEg1HmxQK2GPhDjHH_AX/s1600/NaNo2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="900" height="64" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFEzuKP7oQ-QSUgeYBK9eTdAmTKk_SkIIGn1azx0KrggucudTh_tHRhj8ZeVexiGQSD7VSroQXjBS7J4_iiXJo1n2VeHHjNu0KS3Skrn9kSmfB0pGkurGi3R_rEg1HmxQK2GPhDjHH_AX/s320/NaNo2017.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Some call it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">NaNovember</i>. Some call it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">#$*&!^%.</i> Or perhaps they use the
more popular <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">NaNoWriMo</i>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">No matter what
label (epithet?) you use, National Novel Writing Month is a time to remember. And
dread. And anticipate. And gleefully romp around in.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Re this blog, likely,
as November progresses, I will not have long posts, just short ones and updates
on progress once NaNo begins on November 1<sup>st</sup>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">I will dual post some
days on “Write Away” (my writing issues blog) since the posts will be about my
new culinary mystery <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> the writing
process. Hey, that way you only have to read one blog and get credit for two
this month! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">I rarely struggled
with planning my culinary mysteries in the past, but this one was difficult for
me. I had trouble imagining, at first, my 10 key events (and ended up with 11
weak ones), and other elements that I use when planning my mysteries. Why is
that, I asked myself as the deadline approached and I didn’t have a single
scene card done?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">I was scared. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">What if I was
dried up with no more stories to tell and only clever titles to toss out? What
if I had a great premise and concept but not enough stuffing to prop up the
saggy, soggy middle.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Where’s the
tension? What are the characters’ motivations? Omigosh, “stuffingf” like that
was missing. Big problem when you’re writing a mystery.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Enter a couple of
brainstorm sessions with fab crit partner Sandy Bremser, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">voila</i>. I broke through the fear. We
identified the major flaw (there are numerous big other ones we found, too) and
brainstormed fixes. After the first session, I generated 6 scene cards. I got
in another 10 after the second session. I am nearly at the halfway point (I
usually create ~40 scene cards). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Now I know how the
novel starts and how it ends, and I moved what I thought was a key scene in the
middle to earlier so I could have a scene there that has much more tension. I
created a bad guy, because, well, I didn’t have one before. Wow, Sandy! Thanks
so much.</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">So still behinder than I’ve ever been at
this point in my NaNovember PlotOber planning sessions, but I can do this. I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will</i> have those scene cards done before
Wednesday morning. And, for the kind of writer I am, that is a huge relief.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Bring it!</span>River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-54525879612654910792017-10-24T11:46:00.001-07:002017-10-24T15:58:25.728-07:00How to Become a Successful Writer<style>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZnfq7VeYKZYSzh8Hr0q5iRtmXzrFpvGwMeVxxDzkpi5KQWpaqelmt75UnR0MKy9ZdAgZh9NmmAgVqkPuoWy2fZ1UF7316bBrCMd1uqfNHhWCcVzMzaV_w7U2KA-K5fyizkD6503t_yS4/s1600/MakeTime.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="283" data-original-width="424" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZnfq7VeYKZYSzh8Hr0q5iRtmXzrFpvGwMeVxxDzkpi5KQWpaqelmt75UnR0MKy9ZdAgZh9NmmAgVqkPuoWy2fZ1UF7316bBrCMd1uqfNHhWCcVzMzaV_w7U2KA-K5fyizkD6503t_yS4/s200/MakeTime.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Now, I suppose I need to
define “successful”, right? Surprisingly, to many of you who clicked on this
title, I am not talking about commercial success. Although, that may well
follow once you are “successful” as delineated in this post.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">To explain what successful
writing means to me, let me refer you to a recent post I had on another of my
blogs. In <a href="https://angelicafrench.blogspot.com/2017/08/happiness-is.html">“Happiness is . . .”</a></span><span style="font-family: "tahoma";"> I shared a Gandhi quote
that is on a necklace I frequently wear. The quote is: “Happiness is when what
you think and what you say and what you do are in harmony.” Alignment of these
three elements means you are not conflicted. Conflict is the opposite of
harmony.</span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">That’s the point with
writing success as well. Writing success is when what you think and what you
say and what you do align. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">I’ve been in many writing
groups over the last few decades. The usual panoply typically presents itself.
The groups are peopled by those who are hobby writers and those who are
professional writers. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Hobby writers are more
diverse than alike, whereas, professional writers tend to share more
commonalities with one another than hobby writers share among themselves.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Just to be clear, hobby
writers are fine. I am not dissing them or rejecting their right to be the kind
of writers they are. Their goals differ from mine, but they are just as valid
for them as mine are for me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">The difference isn’t
publication. I know hobby writers who publish in small town papers, and I know professional
writers who haven’t yet put out that first book. The difference runs deeper
than publication.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">The problem occurs when
hobby writers fool themselves into thinking they are professional writers. They
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i> to be professional writers, they
say. They tell themselves and others they are professional writers. They even
demonstrate some of the traits of professional writers. But they aren’t, and
they are just fooling themselves, not the rest of us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Does that sound harsh? I
don’t mean it to be, but I value honesty in myself and in others. I am a
professional writer, and I act like one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">A professional writer has S.M.A.R.T.
writing goals. The goals are specific and measureable, attainable and realistic
with a timeline for accomplishment and steps along the way. Hobby writers just
want to write and appreciate positive feedback from writing group members that
don’t require them to put out much effort beyond writing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">A professional writer knows
about the business end of writing (record keeping, tax implications, and marketing/promotion)
and puts pieces in place, like blogs or twitter accounts as part of their plan.
They may not like the business end of it, but they inform themselves and gear
up for when they need to enact elements. Hobby writers say they don’t want a “platform.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">A professional writer knows
other writers beyond the writing group. Perhaps the person joins affinity
groups on Facebook and/or follows particular blogs and interacts with other
writers there. Likely they’ve joined local writing groups for professional
development. Hobby writers stick to their crit group.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">A professional writer views
writing as shis job and acts accordingly. That means reading in the field and
attending training sessions at a conference of from local writing groups.
Perhaps they attend national writing conferences. The professional writer has
collected a library of books about the craft of writing. Hobby writers don’t
see a need to spend money on materials, registrations, or travel.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">A professional writer claims
the identity of writer and can explain to others what that means. A hobby
writer simply claims the identity. As they say in the South, they are all hat
and no cattle. They can’t talk about what it means to be a professional writer because
they don’t know what that means and they can’t talk about the steps required to
be a professional writer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">A professional writer, most
importantly, writes. Must write. Finds time to write. Doesn’t let other things
interfere with regular writing (mostly). Having a writing routine means producing
more word count than hobby writers if only because professional writers treat
writing as a job, not a hobby to be fit in when there’s time. Professional
writers show up, consistently, ready to accomplish their work.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Again, hobby writing is
fine. But don’t fool yourself. Be honest. And enjoy your hobby writing and
sharing of it. Professional writing is no better (or worse) than hobby writing.
But knowing for sure which you are, and thinking, acting, and doing the things
that make you a hobby writer or professional writer, will ensure that alignment
that leads to success. And success as a consistent professional writer will
help you attain those S.M.A.R.T. goals.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Agree? Disagree? Share in
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">If you found this helpful,
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Facebook:</span></b><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">
Are you a professional writer or a hobby writer? What’s the difference? Does it
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Twitter</span></b><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">:
#Writers are either hobby writers or professional writers. Which are you?
@Good2Tweat offers some thoughts http://bit.ly/2yLUBFp</span></div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-85368929238329951182017-10-17T00:30:00.000-07:002017-10-17T00:30:05.724-07:00Guest Post: Tabletop Gaming--How It Can Enhance Your Writing <style>
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</style> <i><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I am delighted to welcome James Patrick to "Write Away" today. He brings a topic that is new to this blog and, likely, many others! Welcome, James. I'm sure readers will find your post very interesting! </span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We read books written by authors we
look up to for advice and pointers, attend seminars and webinars hoping to find
that small key to fully unlock our ability, and we are constantly trying to
find ways to simplify our process. There are a great many tools out there, and
some of them are a bit unorthodox. Today, I am going to share with you one of
my favorite activities and hobbies that has helped my writing in ways I never
imagined.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEyLl2MI19RLInTafnvemYh72icATpr7H9fiAJHVTFZG0v1eWwg_CsvYgP6nv2FaWez0YhdOqJDDzIyVxWR2r1Q0nwCP4zZpxyZcTIBiwivncNTcwlcu1k8QcfhOAROkAF5M1QZkjUCTF/s1600/die.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="640" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEyLl2MI19RLInTafnvemYh72icATpr7H9fiAJHVTFZG0v1eWwg_CsvYgP6nv2FaWez0YhdOqJDDzIyVxWR2r1Q0nwCP4zZpxyZcTIBiwivncNTcwlcu1k8QcfhOAROkAF5M1QZkjUCTF/s200/die.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For those who are unfamiliar with
the concept of tabletop role-playing games (TTRPG), please allow for this
simplified explanation. A TTRPG is a game in which a group of players create a
character based on the world the game takes place (known as a PC), and is lead
on an adventure by a Gamemaster (known as a GM) through what we call the
“theater of the mind”. Then, by the use of a series of dice rolls, the actions
of the PC’s are determined to be achieved or failed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now, what if I told you playing
these games was not only fun, but the entire process would help you beyond
belief in your writing? Might give it a chance in the case, right? Well, here
is the reason you should give it a try.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As writers and authors, we are all
constantly trying to find ways to fine-tune our craft.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It should come as no surprise,
right along with the importance of plot to a story, is the significance of
character development. RPG’s give you a unique environment to not only create a
wide range of characters, but to also become those characters during the gaming
session. You act out their behavior, think their thoughts, and most of all, are
an active part in their growth over time. By actually becoming the character
you created, you have an insight beyond the simple imagining and writing that
we as authors typically do.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2793438567758966065" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2793438567758966065" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3E6nCVgLqP8-Tpr3YJxKmgtsJfMNh_84Ga5P2DE7N3_nBQD3SduRle1F05XjGWztwUqjaiwUr0wxSw09DFPwWx_s0xmCzSVDVZz1hHUouFpXxDCP9432jJ1bTbWww4teKBiPMsAW1xG2/s1600/What+is+your+character+wearing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="564" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3E6nCVgLqP8-Tpr3YJxKmgtsJfMNh_84Ga5P2DE7N3_nBQD3SduRle1F05XjGWztwUqjaiwUr0wxSw09DFPwWx_s0xmCzSVDVZz1hHUouFpXxDCP9432jJ1bTbWww4teKBiPMsAW1xG2/s400/What+is+your+character+wearing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Since I have discovered the TTRPG
world, though I don’t play as much as I would like, the things I have learned
from my experiences have been monumental in the character development in my
writing. The perspective you gain from role-playing characters deepens your
take on how your characters develop through your story. You learn to see
through their eyes, feel their emotions, and most importantly, understand how
they grow as a character in relation to a plot or storyline. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We have seen how being a player can
help you as a writer, now let’s take a look at how running a game as a
Gamemaster helps even more.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJbtzVoxpidkLQTL4XMcOtixWVwiyrz6TzXKW5BcYrTr20bmOVa_0oEd5OYRJJloSNrdCHJB-O9FSfjZ67TRdPq_q13miF7cNWjHKIVY1N3JKFVByCxjo8nx5ZUcQ3tkHYGRryqniIJ0z/s1600/globe+in+hand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJbtzVoxpidkLQTL4XMcOtixWVwiyrz6TzXKW5BcYrTr20bmOVa_0oEd5OYRJJloSNrdCHJB-O9FSfjZ67TRdPq_q13miF7cNWjHKIVY1N3JKFVByCxjo8nx5ZUcQ3tkHYGRryqniIJ0z/s320/globe+in+hand.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In the TTRPG world, the Gamemaster
is the man behind the curtain. The GM not only runs the game, they create the
story and encounters for the PC’s. In terms we as writers can understand, they
are the master story-teller. Through the process of the game, they adapt an
overall plot forward while ensuring the actual story is that of the players. I
find there has been no better way to learn how to write a story and ensure the
characters remain the most important aspect of your book.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In case you are interested in
taking a look at what TTRPG’s are like before jumping in on a game, here are
some of my favorite places and groups to watch. I hope you have enjoyed this
article and as always, I hope to hear back from you about what you think.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Roll4It - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCifkjVaOOT5VxraQpYUwL6A">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCifkjVaOOT5VxraQpYUwL6A</a>
and <a href="http://www.twitch.tv/roll4it">www.twitch.tv/roll4it</a> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Lost Initiative - <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/lostinitiativeshow">https://www.twitch.tv/lostinitiativeshow</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Is It My Turn Yet? - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw4FJEK0-n3elQYdJSU6p1A">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw4FJEK0-n3elQYdJSU6p1A</a>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Actuations Incorporated - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTlOYZOU1HGEqgb2XetyBBQ">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTlOYZOU1HGEqgb2XetyBBQ</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ecyPs3eWmF18u21HDNMYPyNO8v6_NwOwErUaLPxPvU8YCURQ-WwNxHPLSQCJwdV4wUay7Phreu6QvztrsqdvI9BmpDWXBzwObt12zL9fIIBNW24uWkLX5CUOVhRmWs3tnbAZbmfGqw27/s1600/Ashes+will+fall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="340" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ecyPs3eWmF18u21HDNMYPyNO8v6_NwOwErUaLPxPvU8YCURQ-WwNxHPLSQCJwdV4wUay7Phreu6QvztrsqdvI9BmpDWXBzwObt12zL9fIIBNW24uWkLX5CUOVhRmWs3tnbAZbmfGqw27/s320/Ashes+will+fall.jpg" width="217" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmgyHPOXirKIMMqbJhJXx_vX1-6bCot4I-81m5TcPebySRSRKvA9hXs3Y18xThFghjKOzRtCW1JIrv4OtibXXtHDmfajOcIFbANft8ww5p43en2fjmj_00chfyGcOd3aGKi0-5prl9wo8/s1600/Rudy%2527s+Rangers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="218" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmgyHPOXirKIMMqbJhJXx_vX1-6bCot4I-81m5TcPebySRSRKvA9hXs3Y18xThFghjKOzRtCW1JIrv4OtibXXtHDmfajOcIFbANft8ww5p43en2fjmj_00chfyGcOd3aGKi0-5prl9wo8/s320/Rudy%2527s+Rangers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48RpHL4QbExwOionScCw7wqgZfMVxT-cIi8aGekQkQtkeuXR_g45zKKQC6QN8VdxiY4-4neY2skNQzeij5DsWiLsiaPhoYW2dKCVuc_oshdwb0zmrYxhNFqR5q9PXb-FMoA1TL8Yjixo2/s1600/James+Patrick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="839" data-original-width="960" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48RpHL4QbExwOionScCw7wqgZfMVxT-cIi8aGekQkQtkeuXR_g45zKKQC6QN8VdxiY4-4neY2skNQzeij5DsWiLsiaPhoYW2dKCVuc_oshdwb0zmrYxhNFqR5q9PXb-FMoA1TL8Yjixo2/s200/James+Patrick.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">James M. Patrick is the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JO2MVM4">Ashes Will Fall</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0716PRL3P">Rudy’s Rangers</a> and the
upcoming short story series Vega: Orc Slayer February 2018. This former soldier
turned contractor currently works in Baghdad, Iraq and calls Stuart, Florida home.
</span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 12.0pt;">James is highly active on social
media and you can follow him on his Facebook <a href="fb:%20https://www.facebook.com/james.patrick.39566">Author Page </a>and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/JMPatrickLegionofChaos">Fan Group</a>; <a href="http://thejamesmpat/">Twitter</a>; or find the latest
information on current and future projects at <a href="https://www.blogger.com/TheJamesPatrick.com">TheJamesPatrick.com</a></span></div>
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River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-5790760322238640202017-10-10T00:30:00.000-07:002017-10-12T05:29:25.267-07:00PlotOber--When NaNoWriMo Really Begins<style>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALtxiCHKuUg1o12lAHwJuk-DKpb8S9ItOgeoZRPxG72mBYGbaPee5fKYYFcceqQDSXhEundTDATwokerDmDRHNmEyjCTNmW7QYVFNoJC0nbnL3qPJDMY8SpqAVpGqDV9shdCIbJ2CXv1g/s1600/NaNo-2017-Participant-Facebook-Cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALtxiCHKuUg1o12lAHwJuk-DKpb8S9ItOgeoZRPxG72mBYGbaPee5fKYYFcceqQDSXhEundTDATwokerDmDRHNmEyjCTNmW7QYVFNoJC0nbnL3qPJDMY8SpqAVpGqDV9shdCIbJ2CXv1g/s320/NaNo-2017-Participant-Facebook-Cover.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Thank You NaNoWriMo for the term, PlotOber. I’m not even sure I am using it as you meant for it to be used, but
I appropriated it for my own purposes. The Phoenix NaNo group put up three
plotting methods to aid those using October for plotting and planning. I
checked them out, but I’m sticking with mine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Yes, it’s that time of year
again. I just love this fall event—National Novel Writing Month, affectionately
known as NaNoWriMo (or just NaNo to many of us). What’s the big deal? And why
am I so excited about it every year at this time? </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">I get to officially start a
new book on November 1<sup>st</sup>! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Right, I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i> start a new book any time I want,
but NaNo is special. Somewhere upwards of a quarter to a half million people,
worldwide, will embark on the adventure of writing 50,000 words in 30 days. I
am part of this great zeitgeist of word energy. About 13% of us will “win”
(meaning you got to goal). But the other 87% won, too. Because on December 1<sup>st</sup>
they have more words written on a novel than on October 31<sup>st</sup>. That’s
a win!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">The novel I am starting is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tequila Mockingbird</i>, book five in the
“Dinner is Served” culinary mystery series published by a yet-to-be-determined
publisher. I will share lots of recipes using alcohol, but I don’t promise
there will be other recipes as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Early October is sign-up
time. That means that almost all of October, for me, is spent plotting twists
and turns and red herrings. I have an extensive plotting and <a href="http://sharonarthurmoore.blogspot.com/2014/11/potluck-my-plan-to-win-nanowrimo.html">planning process</a>
that I have described before for <i>Potluck</i>, book three in my culinary mystery
series </span><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">that powers me through to
November 30<sup>th</sup>. No more saggy, soggy middles. Wahoo! No more
wondering after chapter three what I’m going to write next. No more waiting for
the muse to strike. My muse showed up in October and left behind a tidy pile
for me to write about.</span>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">I was eating lunch with
friends at an outdoor creperie in Flagstaff, Arizona and talking about my
mysteries. My friends wondered at how I got my punny titles. I told them they
just pop out at me, like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tequila
Mockingbird</i>. They laughed and then, “Did you just now make that up,” my
friend asked suspiciously. “Oh, yeah. It happens that way all the time.” Making
up titles is easy, but then I have to have a concept that matches the title.
That takes more time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">For those who don’t know, a
mockingbird mimics the calls of other birds, pretending to be someone else. In
my story, Emilie, a woman who escaped arrest for the murder of her husband has
resurfaced with a new identity after 25 years. I have her living in the
neighborhood of my personal chefs, Alli and Gina and Gina’s mother, Maria. As
her past is revealed, Alli takes on the responsibility of trying to clear
Emilie’s name even while Alli’s fiance’s boss is seeking to prosecute her. This
is the cold case he could never stop thinking about, so he wants closure. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">So I have my premise and
concept. Next for me in PlotOber is planning the theme and sub-themes, ten key
events, writing my story treatment, writing the microblurb (elevator pitch),
writing character sketches, and planning the 40 or so scenes on a grid (Expanded
from 10 key events: who’s there, where are they, when is it, the point of the
scene to advance the story, and what happens in the scene). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Busy month for me, right? But,
oh, what fun! I just love beginnings! Join me in NaNoWriMo? Add me as a “buddy.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Facebook</span></b><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">:
If you are a National Novel Writing Month participant, do you plan in PlotOber?
Check out how I’ll be spending this month preparing for NaNoWriMo. http://bit.ly/2fmMiJ9</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Twitter</span></b><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">:
PlotOber is when you get ready for #NaNoWriMo2017 by doing big planning. With
prep, the 30 days/50K words fly by. http://bit.ly/2fmMiJ9</span></div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2793438567758966065.post-19709389899282302772017-09-30T00:30:00.000-07:002017-09-30T00:30:01.185-07:00Guest Post: Tips on Writing Dialogue<i>Hello, again, to a wonderful writer and friend. Marilyn Meredith writes two wonderful series, so she knows what she's talking about. Newbie or experienced writer, you'll pick up something from today's post. The really good news is that Marilyn has a brand new book out. Pick it up for a wonderful read.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUFp6j2BEvrDVcBUa6OFpF2pEyiPFHyCeQGgjAgxENaT_PVeflthHkgiaXKLBIUvKlfuWLm6OLzLfFhq5i9KWroYqf4af-ii88l2SoNGxciY6GEIgrVaYtJYg3g8u9YJ0DYxOZXAnoCem/s1600/AColdDeath-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUFp6j2BEvrDVcBUa6OFpF2pEyiPFHyCeQGgjAgxENaT_PVeflthHkgiaXKLBIUvKlfuWLm6OLzLfFhq5i9KWroYqf4af-ii88l2SoNGxciY6GEIgrVaYtJYg3g8u9YJ0DYxOZXAnoCem/s320/AColdDeath-lg.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tips on Writing Dialogue</b></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Though you want dialogue to be
realistic sounding, don’t copy how we really talk such as:</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Hello, how are you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I’m fine, and you?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Leave all this greeting
stuff and comments about the weather out unless it is important to the plot.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dialogue should do one of two
things: Move the plot along or reveal character.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Said and asked are better than
the multitude of other dialogue tags such as responded, agreed, etc.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Better still use the character’s
action as a dialogue tag instead. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No
way.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dan pulled out his gun.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Or use description as a dialogue
tag. Cynthia’s multi-colored silk skirt swirled around her long legs. “Are you
coming or not?”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Go easy on the exclamation
points. If the dialogue is exclamatory enough, an exclamation point is
unnecessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An exclamation point should
never be used in narrative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Elmore
Leonard said, “Use only one exclamation point per novel.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Don’t ever have a character tell
someone something that they already know to get information across.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it is something that ought to be in
narrative, but be careful of an information dump.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When writing, start a new
paragraph every time a new person speaks or does something. This will help the
reader follow what is going on.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Even if the conversation is
between two people, if it goes on for long, put in a dialogue tag so that the
reader knows who is talking. Of course, if there is a big difference in how
each person speaks, this won’t be necessary. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For instance, if one person is
educated, his grammar will be perfect. Another might use lots of clichés, or
use poor grammar. If someone is from the south, he/she will speak differently
than someone from New York. Another might not use complete sentences. Listen to
people carefully (eavesdropping works), and watch for different speech
patterns.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Never have one person speak for
long periods of time—when we’re talking to one another, we interrupt, change
the subject, etc. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Be sure that the reader knows
where the dialogue is taking place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
read too many books where I had no idea where the characters were having their
conversation.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And my last tip, beware of
talking heads. This means we need to see the characters and what they are doing
while the conversation is going on. No one sits or stands perfectly still while
talking—and this brings you back to the fact that you can use an action as a
dialogue tag.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Phil scratched his head. “What
do you expect me to do about it?” </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I hope this will be helpful.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Marilyn
Meredith</div>
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<br /></div>
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Did you find at least one helpful tip on writing dialogue? Share the tips with others using these copy/paste posts.</div>
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<b>Facebook:</b> Marilyn Meredith helps writers craft sharper dialogue in their novels. Check out these "Tips for Writing Dialogue." Also, read about Marilyn's latest release in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, A COLD DEATH http://bit.ly/2wmfIyh</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
<b>Twitter: </b>@MarilynMeredith has a new Tempe Crabtree book out AND she shares her dialogue writing tips at http://bit.ly/2wmfIyh</div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
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Blurb
for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A
Cold Death</i></b>:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
Deputy
Tempe Crabtree and her husband answer the call for help with unruly guests
visiting a closed summer camp during a huge snow storm and are trapped there
along with the others. One is a murderer.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0in;">
Anyone who orders
any of my books from the publisher‘s website: <a href="http://mundania.com/">http://mundania.com</a></div>
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can get 10% off
by entering MP20 coupon code in the shopping cart. This is good all the time
for all my books, E-books and print books. </div>
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<span style="color: black;">On Kindle: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074XNP87Z/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1503149760&sr=1-1&keywords=a+cold+death+by+marilyn+meredith">A COLD DEATH</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcahUIuFrEehvuO6xl073vO6JrZdNV_Sv5l94zVRMGpbv55MiiLfvKIqxjNpegl50r6iYBJUy6-HXiZmuPtzvB1Y7adJekSUiZQp-4hS1Uiy5KtVvlOBLXnZfcL49J0PDFuhRActIuuBmD/s1600/Marilyn+in+Vegas+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1463" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcahUIuFrEehvuO6xl073vO6JrZdNV_Sv5l94zVRMGpbv55MiiLfvKIqxjNpegl50r6iYBJUy6-HXiZmuPtzvB1Y7adJekSUiZQp-4hS1Uiy5KtVvlOBLXnZfcL49J0PDFuhRActIuuBmD/s320/Marilyn+in+Vegas+1.jpg" width="292" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Marilyn
Meredith’s published book count is nearing 40. She is one of the founding
members of the San Joaquin chapter of Sister in Crime. She taught writing for
Writers Digest Schools for 10 years, and was an instructor at the prestigious
Maui Writers Retreat, and has taught at many writers’ conferences. Marilyn is a
member of three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and
serves on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She lives in the
foothills of the Sierra, a place with many similarities to Tempe Crabtree’s
patrol area. Webpage:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://fictionforyou.com/"><span style="color: blue; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://fictionforyou.com</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Blog:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://marilymeredith.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://marilymeredith.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
and you can follow her on Facebook.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Contest:</b> Once again I’m going to use
the name of the person who comments on the most blogs on my tour for the next
Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery—which may be the last in the series. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tomorrow I’ll be here:</span></div>
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<a href="http://lornacollins-author.blogspot.com/">http://lornacollins-author.blogspot.com</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"></span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink">Getting that Book Done—or Put
Fanny in Chair and Write</span></div>
River Glynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.com10