Writing Fiction

Books – What’s the Draw!

Writing your first novel-Some things you should know, , , Leave a comment

Why do you choose one book over another? What’s the determining factor? They’re both romances, and historical novels at that, but you can only afford one. Which novel will you purchase?

Most likely the first thing that catches your attention is the cover. At least that’s the first thing I notice. I do look at the title and the author, but they’re not the main determining factors. They cause me to take a second look, but the front cover photo and back-cover blurb are what seal the deal.

I remember standing in a discount store looking at books when I first started this journey. An employee put the price tag over the face of the heroine on the book that I was interested in purchasing. I couldn’t believe it. I wanted so bad to yank that tag off.

The cover matters, and yes, that tag could have been a deal breaker. I saw enough of the cover to know that it was an inspirational romance set in the civil war era. That was a plus and enough to encourage me to read the back cover to determine the premise of the story.

I know some people read the first couple of pages, but that is not something I do when determining my selection. Maybe I’m shallow. I have no doubt I have missed out on a lot of great books because the cover failed to get my attention.

I can tell you this, the process of determination I use to choose a book appears to be the norm based on my observations of others in bookstores. The author’s name may catch a customer’s attention, but when they pull that book off the shelf, they look at the cover photo and then read the summary on the back before deciding to purchase.

What’s important to you? What compels you to choose one book over another?

Just something else to think about as you prepare to publish your work.

-Jan R

Books – What’s the Draw!

Writing-You Can’t Do This Alone

Writing your first novel-Some things you should know, 1 Comment

I remember my middle sister as a child. She would often be found sitting in the corner with her nose in a book. She didn’t play well with others. Well to be honest, she didn’t want to play with anyone at all.  Her friends were imaginary. I always thought that she was a little strange, and she probably was, but she is also one of the most talented writers I know.

You haven’t heard of her or read any of her work. Why? Because she writes in a vacuum. I have encouraged her for years to reach out and join the writing community.

She is an introvert, like most of us who seem to enjoy the keyboard much more than being around a group of people. I would be okay with that if she belonged to writing groups or had people she related to that could help motivate her to move forward with her craft.

You don’t have to interact with others face to face, at least not at first. If that’s not your cup of tea, go online. Join writing groups and form relationships with other author want-to-bes. There are some great ones out there that cater to just what you’re looking for.

Critique groups:

  • Scribophile.com
  • AbsoluteWrite.com
  • CritiqueCircle.com

I am a member of Scribophile. It’s a great site to seek critiques and suggestions from fellow writers. Members on this site operate at different levels of expertise. I have gotten some great feedback, but I have also received feedback that was not up to par. I was pleasantly surprised at the community in the group and the willingness of total strangers to help me with my work.

Genre-Specific groups:

  • Romance Writers of America  rwa.org
  • Mystery Writers of America    mysterywriters.org
  • Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America   sfwa.org
  • American Christian fiction Writers acfw.com

I think you’re getting the picture. I was a member of Romance Writers of America and need to renew. I am also a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. You can get excellent information and discounts from these sites. They will keep you informed on contests, conferences, writing groups/forums, what’s selling, agents looking for new works, and information on how to improve your craft.

Remember, you can’t do this alone!

Something to think about.

-Jan R

Writing-You Can’t Do This Alone

Filler Words – Really?

Writing your first novel-Some things you should know, , , Leave a comment

Most of the concepts I write about are simple. I just never really gave them a lot of thought before I started writing novels.

When writing, remember less is more. Stay away from qualifiers. They weaken your prose, and the result is the exact opposite of what you were trying to achieve. I know why you use them. I’m hooked on ‘very’. Other people are hooked on the word ‘too’. If you are resorting to qualifiers for emphasis, odds are, you are using the wrong word in the first place.

These qualifiers are the words your English teacher dreaded seeing, such as very, too, really, and sort of. When you overuse these words, your writing will seem lazy, as if you haven’t taken the time to look for the right word.

This pasta dish is very good.

This pasta dish is superb. (Better)

I’m feeling sort of sick.

I’m feeling nauseous. (Better)

You look really nice!

You look radiant. (Better)

Since ‘very’ is my nemesis, I thought I would provide a list of more powerful words to use to replace ‘very’ ___________.

  • very fast                    quick
  • very dry                    parched
  • very dirty                  squalid
  • very afraid               terrified
  • very angry                furious
  • very hot                    scolding
  • very hungry             ravenous
  • very large                 colossal
  • very clean                spotless
  • very clever              brilliant
  • very beautiful        exquisite
  • very ugly                 hideous
  • very pretty             beautiful
  • very thin                 gaunt
  • very tired               exhausted

I think you get the picture. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope this got you thinking.

-Jan R

Filler Words – Really?

ReWrite-itis (Revisited)

Writing your first novel-Some things you should know, , Leave a comment

I got tickled when I first saw this word. I have to admit, I have dealt with rewrite-itis. What is it? It’s a severe condition that effects both published and unpublished writers according to The Everything Guide to Writing a Romance Novel. It means you are unable to call a book, chapter, or even a scene finished. So, what causes the condition? A fear of failure or success. For me it is definitely failure.

What are the symptoms?

  • Rewriting the same scene, chapter, or book more than ten times.
  • Never finishing a book, because you keep going back to polish the first chapter over and over again.
  • Constantly having others read your book with the hopes they will give you some new revisions to do.
  • Taking your finished manuscript to the post office to mail, only to return home with it in hand for further revision.

So, what do you think? Do you have a case of rewrite-itis?

Rewrite-itis has a close cousin – Research-itis. Maybe you have that one too. True research is crucial to any novel, but an author needs to know when to say, “Enough is enough.”

So what is the cure? Set goals and deadlines and stick to them. Remember your manuscript is your baby, but sooner or later you have to turn it loose.

Just something to think about.

-Jan R

ReWrite-itis (Revisited)